1. NAME
The club will be called Chiltern Harriers Athletic Club and will be affiliated to UK Athletics.
2. HEADQUARTERS
The headquarters of the club shall be the address of the Secretary. Notwithstanding the Secretary's address the club shall operate mainly in the county of Buckinghamshire.
3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aims and objectives of the club will be:
4. CLUB COLOURS
The club colours shall be a predominantly green top, for example vest, sweatshirt, or T-shirt, with black and white vertical panels and an optional club badge or logo.
5. MEMBERSHIP
Membership should consist of officers and members of the club.
All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of conduct that the club has adopted.
A candidate for membership of the club must apply in writing on a form provided for the purpose. Such a candidate will be elected at the discretion of the Management Committee.
All members other than associates must be amateurs as defined by UK Athletics.
Associate members may be elected at the discretion of the Management Committee.
Honorary members may, on the same terms as Associate members, be nominated for election at a Management Committee meeting or Annual General Meeting. Those persons elected to hold such memberships until the next AGM.
Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:
Associate members and Honorary members shall not have any voting rights.
6. MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS
The subscription year is from 1 January to 31 December. Subscriptions shall be paid on an annual basis in the following categories:
The rates for subscription, which shall include a maximum per family, shall be fixed by the Club in General Meeting, and can have immediate effect.
The first subscription shall be payable on election and subsequent subscriptions shall be payable on 1 April each year. If an elected member joins on or after 1 October the Management Committee shall have discretion to reduce subscriptions pro rata.
No member whose subscription still remains unpaid more than three calendar months after the due date shall be eligible to take part in any event promoted by the Club until such subscription has been paid.
The Management Committee reserves the right, in appropriate circumstances, to reduce the amount of any subscription.
7. OFFICERS OF THE CLUB
The officers of the club will be:
Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-election.
8. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The management of the club shall be vested in a Management Committee consisting of a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, other officers as deemed necessary and three ordinary members.
All members of the Management Committee shall be elected and their services shall be honorary. Only these posts will have the right to vote at meetings of the Management Committee.
The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint a new officer if a position becomes vacant during the year, such officer to retire at the end of the year but will be eligible for re-election.
The Management Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members, such members to resign at the next following Annual General Meeting.
The quorum that is required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be four including at least one of the four main officers.
The Management Committee will be convened by the Secretary of the club and hold no less than 3 meetings per year.
The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.
The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees as necessary and appoint advisers to the Management Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.
The Management Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution or for undesirable behaviour or under instruction from the Regional/National Governing Body. The Management Committee will be responsible for taking any action of discipline, suspension or termination of membership following such hearings.
9. FINANCE
All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.
The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.
The financial year of the club shall run from 1st January to 31st December.
An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the AGM.
Any cheques or other instrument drawn against club funds must hold the signatures of any two of the three officers of the club authorised in accordance with the Bank mandate. One of the three officers will be the Treasurer.
10. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held within three months of the end of each year. The Secretary shall give at least 21 days notice of the AGM. Such notice shall state time, venue and the Agenda of business to be transacted.
Notice shall be given by communication sent to each member of the club. Notice sent to a member of a family shall be deemed sufficient notice to the remaining members of that family at the same address.
The Secretary must receive any resolution for consideration at the AGM by 31 December. The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Management Committee and a statement of the audited accounts.
Election of officers, Management Committee members and an auditor is to take place at the AGM.
Nominations for officers of the Management Committee must be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM.
All members, except Associate members and Honorary members, have the right to vote at the AGM.
The Management Committee has the right to call Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) outside the AGM, and to have any matter placed on the Agenda for any such meeting.
11. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING (EGM)
The Secretary shall proceed to convene an EGM within 28 days of the receipt by him/her of a requisition in writing, stating the business to be brought before such a meeting, signed by not less than 10 members of the club having voting rights or the Management Committee.
Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM. However, no business other than that stated on the Agenda shall be dealt with at any such meeting.
If the Management Committee so decide, voting at an EGM may be extended to allow for members to vote by a postal ballot. In such case the necessary majority to change the Rules is two-thirds of the total combined votes cast by the members present at the meeting and members voting by post.
12. PRESIDENTS & VICE PRESIDENTS
The Management Committee shall have power to nominate for election at an AGM a President and/or Life Vice-Presidents and Vice Presidents of the club. Any President or Vice President elected shall retire at the next following AGM, but shall be eligible to be nominated for re-election.
The President shall, if present and willing, take the Chair at every General Meeting of the club. The President may attend Management Committee meetings, but shall not have a vote unless entitled in some other capacity.
Life Vice-Presidents and Vice Presidents shall not have any specific duties, but shall assist the President generally and deputise as required.
13. LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Life membership without payment of any further subscription may be awarded to a member in recognition of particularly long or meritorious service to the club. In this context the term 'club' shall be deemed to include Chiltern & Chalfont Athletic Club, Chesham Harriers, Chiltern Running Club, Chalfont Athletic Club, Chiltern Striders and Chiltern Joggers.
A candidate for Life Membership shall be nominated by at least two members of the club and his/her name shall be given to the Honorary Secretary in writing at least 28 days prior to an AGM for consideration by the Management Committee.
If approved by the Management Committee, a candidate's name shall then be put forward for election at such Annual General Meeting.
14. DISCIPLINE AND APPEALS
All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
The Secretary shall give the member at least seven days notice to attend a meeting of the Management Committee and shall inform him/her of the complaints made. No member shall be disciplined or expelled without first having the opportunity of appearing before the Management Committee and answering the complaints made nor unless at least two-thirds of the Management Committee then present vote in favour of termination of membership.
The Management Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.
The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within seven days of the hearing.
There will be the right to appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The Management Committee should consider the appeal within 28 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal. An arbitration panel consisting of two club members, not on the Management Committee, and one person nominated by Buckinghamshire Athletic Association will then hear any appeal. The arbitration panel's judgement will be final.
15. RESIGNATION
A member intending to withdraw from the club shall give notice in writing to the Secretary and such notice shall be considered by the club within one calendar month of receipt.
Membership shall be held to have ceased on the actual date of tendering the notice, unless the member be financially indebted to the club, in which case acceptance may be withheld until the indebtedness has been met.
A member not having tendered his/her resignation within one month after a subscription becomes due shall be liable to such subscription. No part of any subscription shall be refundable in the event of resignation.
16. DISSOLUTION
The club is a non-profit making organisation, and any profits realised can only be distributed on dissolution. A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a two-thirds majority vote of the membership.
In the event of dissolution, as distinct from merger or amalgamation, any assets of the club that remain will be distributed to the Regional Athletic Association to which the club is affiliated.
17. AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION RULES
The constitution will only be changed through agreement vote at an AGM or EGM.
No alteration or addition may be made to the Rules except by a two-thirds majority vote of those members present at an AGM or an EGM called for the purpose.
The Management Committee, whose decision is final, shall determine where necessary the interpretation of any rule and any matters not covered by the Rules.
18. DECLARATION
Chiltern Harriers Athletic Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the action of members.
31 March 2008