|
Club
Constitution:
1 TITLE
1.1 The Club
shall be called “UCET United Cavers Exploration Team”, hereafter
to be referred to as “the Club” (and shall be affiliated to and/or a
member of the British Caving Association)
2 OBJECTS
2.1 The main aim
of the Club shall be the discovery, exploration and conservation of all
Caves and Mines, and that a permanent record shall be kept and recorded
for governing bodies.
3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Application
for membership of the Club shall be open to any person completing a
membership application form and paying the relevant subscription/joining
fee as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the Club Members. The
Membership Fee for 2007/08 is £20 per annum payable by 30th
June each year. Fees are liable to change at the discretion of the
Committee.
3.2
Membership
applications must be approved by a majority of the committee members
prior to acceptance.
3.3
A condition of
membership is caving insurance, the fee for which is not included within
the joining fee and is accordingly due and payable separately where the
necessary criteria have been met.
3.4
Members failing
to renew their caving insurance will, at the discretion of the
committee, be excluded from the Club.
3.5
Members must take
into account that activities within the Club may depend on certain
criteria, access rights and stipulations (e.g. age-related) and ability.
Officers and the Committee have the final say in any cases of dispute.
4 OFFICERS
4.1 The Officers
of the Club shall be as follows:
|
Executive
Officers |
|
|
Chairperson |
MICHAEL MURPHY |
|
Vice Chair |
MICHAEL LEAHY |
|
Secretary |
JOANNA
McCARTHY~MORRIS |
|
Treasurer |
JOHN JOINSON |
| |
|
|
Non-Executive
Officers |
|
|
Ordinary
Committee members |
All Club Members |
| |
|
|
Other officers |
|
|
Key & Equipment
Holder |
MICHAEL LEAHY |
|
Principal
Training Officer |
MICHAEL MURPHY |
|
Asst. Training
Officer |
ANDREW BURGESS |
|
Trip Organiser |
MICHAEL MURPHY |
|
Club Auditors |
IAN ADAMS &
ANDREW MORRIS |
|
Newsletter
Editor |
JOANNA
McCARTHY~MORRIS |
|
Website
Administration |
STEPHANIE &
JOANNA McCARTHY~MORRIS |
(Other officers to be
leaders and any other appointed office)
5 ELECTION OF
OFFICERS
5.1 All Executive
Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club,
from, and by, the full Members of the Club.
5.2
All Non-Executive officers to be appointed by the committee.
5.3
All Officers are elected/appointed for a period of one year, but may be
re-elected to the same office or another office the following year.
6 GENERAL COMMITTEE
6.1 The affairs
of the Club shall be controlled by a General Committee comprising the
Executive Officers of the Club and a minimum of 2 and maximum of 5
other Members elected from, and by, the Full Members of the Club.
The General Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than
four times per year. It may appoint sub-committees.
6.2
The duties of the General Committee shall be:
6.2.1 To
control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the Members.
6.2.2 To
keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the
Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by
Members and should be audited before every Annual General Meeting.
The Club shall maintain a bank current account and the following
Officers shall be authorised to sign Club cheques: two from the
Chairperson; Treasurer and Secretary.
6.2.3 To
appoint additional members of the Committee as the Committee feels
this is necessary. Such appointments to be made by tender and
considered on merit within the maximum allowable.
6.2.4 To
make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case
of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional
casting vote.
7 GENERAL MEETINGS
7.1 The Annual
General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the end of
January each year. 21 clear days written notice shall be given to
Members of the Annual General Meeting by circulating a copy of the
notice to every member at their home address and posting the notice on
the Club notice board. Members must advise the Secretary in writing of
any business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least 14 days
before a meeting. The Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the
agenda for the meeting to Members not less than 7 days before the
meeting.
7.2
The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:
7.2.1 Confirm
the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any other
General Meetings.
7.2.2 Receive
the audited accounts
7.2.3 Receive
the annual report of the Secretary.
7.2.4 Elect
an auditor(s).
7.2.5 Elect
the Officers of the Club (i.e. Chairperson (Vice-Chairperson);
Secretary; and Treasurer).
7.2.6 Fix Club
subscription rates. A Member who has not paid his subscription by
such default date as the Committee prescribes, may, at the
discretion of the Committee, be deemed to have resigned.
7.2.7 Transact
such other business received in writing by the Secretary from
Members 14 days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.
7.2.8 Such
other business except business for which a Special General Meeting
is required (e.g. expulsion, dissolution or changes to the
constitution) as by common consent of the meeting the Chairperson in
his/her discretion admits.
NOTE: The agenda
could provide for “Any Other Business”, but Members should be
encouraged to refer other items to the General Committee and give
the required notice for important Annual General Meeting business.
7.3 Special
General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee or on
receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than
25% of the Full Members of the Club. At least 21 days notice of the
meeting shall be given.
The business to be
considered at the meeting is to be specified in the notice convening the
business.
7.4
Nomination of candidates for election of Officers must be seconded by
another Full Member.
In the absence of
nominations prior to the meeting nominations may be taken from the
floor. All nominations shall have the consent of the nominee.
7.5
At all General Meetings the chair will be taken by the Chairperson, or,
in their absence, by a deputy appointed by the Club or by Full Members
attending the meeting.
7.6
Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of
votes from those Full Members attending the meeting. In the event of
equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting
vote or alternatively in his/her discretion he/she may direct a written
poll.
A quorum for a General
Meeting shall be 5 Full Members of the Club including 2 from the
Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
7.7
Each Full Member of the Club shall be entitled to one vote on any
separate issue at General Meetings.
8.
A member who is found by vote carried at a Special General Meeting
called in accordance with clause 7.3 to have behaved in a manner likely
to bring the Club into disrepute or cause substantial prejudice to it
may be expelled from the Club. Provided that:-
a) The
resolution must be carried by 4/5ths of those attending and voting.
b)
This is the only business at the meeting.
c)
Before putting the motion to the vote the member shall have a full
opportunity to address the meeting.
The member expelled may
appeal by notice in writing sent to the Secretary of the C.A. within 14
clear days who shall within 14 days thereafter convene a meeting of the
Chairperson (or in their absence the Vice-chairperson) of the Council
and two members who shall decide the appeal and shall not be required to
give reasons. Following expulsion any subscription for the whole of that
year that has been paid by that member shall be returned.
9 ALTERATIONS TO THE
CONSTITUTION
9.1 Any proposed
alterations to the Club Constitution may only be considered at an Annual
or Special General Meeting, convened with the required written notice of
the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full
Member of the Club and seconded by another Full Member. Such alterations
shall be passed if supported by not less than two thirds of those Full
Members present at the meeting and voting, assuming that a quorum has
been achieved.
An abstention shall be
recorded but shall not count as a vote.
10 DISSOLUTION
10.1 If at any
General Meeting of the Club, a resolution be passed calling for the
dissolution of the Club, the Secretary shall immediately convene a
Special General Meeting of the Club to be held not less than one month
thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
10.2 If
at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least
two thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting and voting the
General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been
specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club
and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club. Abstentions shall
be recorded but shall not count as a vote.
10.3 After
discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets
shall be paid or distributed amongst the Full Members of the Club
pro-rata to their length of membership in full years rounded down.
11 ALCOHOL
& DRUGS POLICY
(addition
19th September 2007)
Under legislation we the
Clubs Officers have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all Club members.
Similarly, you have a responsibility to yourself and the other members
of the club.
The use of alcohol and
drugs may impair the safe and efficient running of the Club and/or the
health and safety of our Club members whether above or below ground.
If your attendance is
related to Club business and is affected by the use of alcohol or drugs,
you will be subjected to disciplinary action. Dependant on the severity
of the incident and the circumstances, this may lead to you being
dismissed from the Club.
Cave & Mine leaders are
as follows and all are SRT competent:
Mike Murphy
Mike Leahy
Glen Walker
Andrew Burgess
Doug Thompson
All above have been
trained to a competent level by the Clubs Training/Safety Officer and
are the only Club Members allowed to take trips on the Clubs behalf.
This is to certify that
I have read and understand the Clubs constitution and that I have
received a copy to which I have signed for
|
