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Constitution of Derwent Valley Orienteers(Agreed at October 2006 AGM) |
Title
1.1 The Club shall be called Derwent Valley Orienteers, hereafter referred to as the Club and shall be affiliated to British Orienteering and East Midlands Orienteering Association.
Objectives
2.1 The objectives of the Club shall be to further the development of and participation in the sport of orienteering.
Location
3.1 The club shall be based in the county of Derbyshire (excluding the High Peak District) and shall provide opportunities for orienteering within that county.
Membership
4.1 Membership shall be open to anyone completing a membership application form and paying the appropriate fee(s).
4.2 The classes of membership shall be as those specified by British Orienteering, including Club Membership.
4.2.1 Senior members, including those as part of a Family membership, shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings and Open Meetings.
4.2.2 Club Members will receive the Club Newsletter and be entitled to attend social events.
4.2.3 The Club may elect Honorary Life Members who be treated as Club Members.
Committee
5.1 The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee with powers to co-opt other Club members either in response to an emergent role or in order to maintain the Committee at full strength. Club members may attend Committee meetings as observers. The quorum shall consist of five members of the Committee including at least three elected officers.
5.2 The Committee shall consist of at least 11 Club members of which 7 are to be elected officers.
The elected officers shall consist of:-
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Chair |
Vice Chair |
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Secretary |
Treasurer |
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Captain |
Committee Member |
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Fixtures Secretary |
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Elected Officers may not hold a single post for more than three consecutive years. They may subsequently hold a different post or, after a gap of at least one year, the post they held before.
The appointed officers shall be assigned to undertake specific roles within the committee, e.g.
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Social Secretary |
Equipment Officer |
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Newsletter Editor |
Minute Secretary |
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EMOA Representative |
Coaching Co-ordinator |
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Mapping Co-ordinator |
Permanent Course Manager |
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Junior Representative Junior Development Officer |
Publicity Officer Development Officer |
Committee members may hold more than one specific role.
The appointed officers and their roles shall be presented to the AGM by the Committee each year. Broad descriptions of the roles of the elected and appointed officers will be agreed by the Committee.
5.3 The Committee shall meet as and when necessary, normally four times a year.
5.4 Members of the Committee shall be given at least seven days notice of a meeting.
5.5 The duties of the Committee, either directly or through sub committees, shall be:-
5.5.1 to manage the affairs of the Club on behalf of the members.
5.5.2 to keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the Treasurer, these to be available for reasonable inspection. The Treasurer shall prepare a year end Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet that fairly represent the financial transactions of the Club for the year and the balances held on the Balance Sheet date. The Treasurer shall maintain the Club funds in a current account and other accounts with beneficial rates of interest. Cheques drawn on a Club's account shall be signed by any two from the Treasurer, Chair or Secretary. The Treasurer shall be responsible for retaining the accounting records to meet statutory requirements and those of outside funding sources; shall prepare an annual budget for the Club; shall agree a budget with the organisers for all events at level 3 (Badge) or higher for which the Club has financial control; shall provide a budget guideline for events of lower levels.
The Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet shall be seen by an Independent Financial Examiner who should express an opinion in writing as to whether they represent a true and accurate picture. The Independent Financial Examiner shall have experience in financial matters; shall not be a Member of the Committee of the Club; shall not be involved with or associated with any significant financial transactions with the Club throughout the accounting period being examined; shall not be related to or have any significant financial transactions with the Treasurer. During the AGM, the Independent Financial Examiner shall be appointed for the coming financial year, and may have been nominated by the Club Committee. The Independent Financial Examiner may only be removed from office by the members of the Club at a General Meeting although the Club Committee shall be able to fill any vacancy that arises during the course of the year.
5.5.3 to organise a programme of orienteering events.
5.5.4 to organise a programme of introductory, training, coaching and development activities to promote and improve the standard of orienteering within the Club's area with the aim of increasing Club membership.
5.5.5 to register events with British Orienteering.
5.5.6 to initiate and monitor progress of mapping projects and to encourage mapping activities.
5.5.7 to maintain and publicise a programme of social activities.
5.5.8 to bid for additional funds (e.g. Lottery) to further the aims of the Club and orienteering in its area.
5.5.9 to take appropriate action in the event of a complaint or action contrary to the interests of the Club or Orienteering. In undertaking this duty the committee shall maintain and publicise a code of ethics and conduct; and see item 10.1.
5.5.10 to take decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chair shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
5.6 The committee may appoint Sub-Committees as required to undertake the day to day running of particular activities, e.g. Fixtures Sub-Committee, Development Sub-Committee, etc. The membership and terms of reference of a sub-committee shall be defined by the committee with a copy held by both the Committee Secretary and the Sub-Committee Chair.
5.7 The Chair shall take any urgent decisions after appropriate consultation with other Committee members.
General Meetings
6.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held during the month of October each year.
6.2 The business of the AGM shall be:-
6.2.1 to confirm the minutes of the previous AGM and any General Meetings held subsequently.
6.2.2 to receive the annual reports of the Committee.
6.2.3 to receive the examined accounts for the year
6.2.4 to elect the “elected officers” on the Committee.
6.2.5 to transact other business received in writing by the Secretary or Chair from members no later than ten days before the AGM.
6.3 An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called within twenty eight days of receipt by the Secretary or Chair of a written proposition supported by at least 10% of current Full members or twenty full members, whichever is the lesser.
6.3.1 Only business relating to the specified proposition shall be considered at an EGM.
6.4 With respect to all General Meetings (AGMs and EGMs):-
6.4.1 all members shall be given at least fourteen days notice of the meeting.
6.4.2 the agenda shall form part of the notice of the meeting. Any changes to the constitution must be identified as part of the meeting agenda.
6.4.3 the chair shall be taken by the Chair or, in his/her absence, the Vice-Chair. Should neither the Chair nor Vice-Chair be present, the meeting shall elect a temporary Chair for the meeting.
6.4.4 decisions shall be taken by a simple majority of votes unless a two-thirds majority is required by the constitution. In the event of equal votes the Chair shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
6.4.5 the quorum shall be the lesser of twenty members or 10% of the current Full membership.
6.4.6 any proposed changes to the constitution must be received in writing by the Club Chair or Secretary at least two calendar months prior to the AGM.
Open Meetings
7.1 The Committee shall call at least three Open Meetings each year, normally in January, April and July. All Club members shall be eligible to attend and shall be given at least fourteen days notice of a meeting.
7.2 The purposes of Open Meetings shall include:-
7.2.1 to consider reports.
7.2.2 to advise the Committee on policy matters.
7.2.3 to consider social activities.
7.2.4 to discuss any relevant matter raised by members.
7.2.5 to respond to consultations from the EMOA, BOF or other relevant bodies.
Financial Year
8.1 The Club’s financial year shall run from the 1st September to 31st August.
Alterations to the Constitution
9.1 Any proposed alteration to the constitution may only be considered at a General Meeting. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those present at the meeting.
9.2 See also items 6.4.2 & 6.4.6.
Conduct of Members
10.1 The Committee may suspend from office, committee membership or Club membership any member whose conduct has been, in the opinion of the Committee, contrary to the interests of the Club. Notice will be given to the member in writing.
10.2 In the case of suspension of a member, the member may request an appeal before an Extraordinary General Meeting within 28 days of the date of having been notified of the suspension. The suspended member must be informed of the meeting details and may present an appeal against his/her suspension. The EGM shall decide by vote either to confirm termination of the membership of the suspended member or reinstate him/her immediately.
Dissolution
11.1 The dissolution of the Club shall be effected only at a General Meeting by the agreement of at least two-thirds of the Full members present. Notice of the intention to do so must form part of the pre-notified agenda and not be raised under Any Other Business.
11.2 Upon dissolution, the Club’s funds or assets shall be transferred to the East Midlands Orienteering Association and used to further the development of, and participation in, the sport of orienteering in Derbyshire (excluding the High Peak).