THE PETERSFIELD RAMBLERS CLUB CONSTITUTION
- NAME
The Club shall be called ‘The Petersfield Ramblers Club’, (The Club).
2. OBJECTS
The objects of The Club shall be to arrange and undertake walks for its members, to promote social contacts amongst its members, to further the use and preservation of public rights of way and to encourage the enjoyment of and respect for the countryside
3. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of The Club shall be open to all persons of eighteen years of age and over
4. SUBSCRIPTIONS
The subscriptions shall be such as are resolved upon by the members in general meeting and shall be reviewed annually
5. MANAGEMENT AND COMMITTEE
Subject to any resolution passed at any general meeting, and to the provisions of paragraph 12 hereof, the management and control of The Club shall be vested in a committee which shall consist of the officers mentioned in paragraph 7 hereof, together with such further members as shall be elected in accordance with paragraph 8 hereof. The number of committee members shall not be less than three.
6. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
a) The Committee shall meet at such times and places and on such dates as it shall decide, but at least three times a year. Notes of all meetings will be taken and approved at a subsequent meeting.
b) The Secretary shall call a meeting of the Committee at any time at the request of the Chairman or any three members of the Committee
c) Fifty percent of the Committee shall form a quorum
d) The Committee shall have power to co-opt up to two further members at any time but not so that the total number of members thereof shall exceed the maximum fixed in accordance with paragraph 8 hereof
e) Walks shall be coordinated by the Programme Secretary
f) The Committee may authorise expenditure of Club funds it from time to time considers appropriate or necessary, but all such expenditure shall be duly accounted for and dealt with as further provided by paragraph 10 hereof
g) The committee shall monitor the effectiveness of The Club affiliations and ensure adequate and appropriate insurance cover is arranged for all Club activities.
7. OFFICERS
a) The Officers of The Club shall consist of:
Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Programme Secretary and such others as the members may determine in general meeting
b) The Chairman shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting for a period of three years when, subject to consent, he/she shall be eligible for re-election
c) All other officers shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting when, subject to consent, each officer shall be eligible for re-election
d) If any office falls vacant at any time, the Committee shall have power to appoint a member of The Club to fill the vacancy, such person to hold office until the next Annual General Meeting
e) Nominations for an officer and for membership of the Committee shall be in writing and shall be in the hands of the Secretary at least seven days before the Annual General Meeting
8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Committee shall convene an Annual General Meeting every year, the date, time and place of which shall be notified to every member at least fourteen days before the date fixed for that meeting
The Agenda at the Annual General Meeting shall be:
a) To consider, and if thought fit, to approve the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting
b) To receive the annual reports of the Chairman, the Treasurer and the Programme Secretary
c) To receive, and if thought fit, to approve the examined accounts relating to the preceding year
d) To appoint an Examiner for the ensuing year
e) To set subscriptions for the ensuing year
f) To fix the minimum and maximum number of the members of the Committee
g) To elect the members of the Committee and the officers for the ensuing year
h) To consider any other business of which seven days previous written notice has been given to the Secretary
9. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
The Chairman or the Secretary may at any time and shall within twenty-one days of receiving a request to do so signed by not less than one sixth of all the members (who must give reasons for the request) call a special general meeting of the members by giving at least fourteen days previous notice in writing or by e-mail to every member at his or her last known address. Such notice shall specify the date, time and place thereof and the reasons for calling the meeting
10. FINANCE
a) The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts and inform the Committee of the current financial position of The Club at every committee meeting.
b) The Committee shall operate such banking arrangements as required including internet banking
c) The Committee shall place on deposit with The Club’s bank or otherwise invest as seems from time to time appropriate funds not needed to be kept on current account
d) Any one of the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary shall be an authorised signatory on any account of The Club which account must be in the name of The Club
e) The financial year of The Club shall be from 1st January to 31st December.
f) The annual accounts shall be subject to examination. The Examiner may be a member of the group but not a serving member of the Committee.
11. THE RAMBLERS’ ASSOCIATION
The Club shall be affiliated to the Ramblers’ Association and shall be represented on the area committee thereof
12. CONSTITUTION
Unless otherwise resolved upon in general meeting, the constitution shall not be capable of being amended except in accordance with a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.
Sg 23 Jan 2020