EXETER CANOE CLUB
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
1. NAME
The club shall be known as Exeter Canoe Club hereinafter known as THE CLUB
2. OBJECTS
The objects of the Club are to promote and provide facilities for the sport and recreation of canoeing.
3. MEMBERSHIP
1. Qualification: Any person who undertakes to behave in the best interest of canoeing shall be eligible for membership regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non discriminatory basis
2. Classes of Membership
a. Full membership - for adult paddlers
b. Junior membership - available to paddlers 16 or under and over 16’s in full time education
c. Additional family/joint membership - available for any active adult or junior paddler resident with any member paying full adult membership
d. Affiliated membership - available to non paddlers spouse/partner of full members. Membership of Exeter Canoe Club automatically endows membership of the Exeter Watersports Association and as such allows use of the association premises (changing rooms, social club, committee room).
3. Application for Membership:
Candidates applying for membership shall make written application to the Membership Secretary of the Club on the form provided.
4. Restriction:
A person who has been expelled from, or refused membership of, the British Canoe Union, shall not be eligible for membership.
5. Acceptance:
The General Committee may decline to accept application or renewal of membership, from any person, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal may be made to the members.
5. SUBSCRIPTION
The rates of subscription shall be determined by the members in a General meeting and shall be due on admission and, thereafter, on or before 30th June in each year.
6. CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
1. Any member may resign giving one month’s clear notice in writing to the Secretary.
2. Any member violating any of the rules or regulations of the Club or being adjudged guilty of unsatisfactory conduct may, by resolution of the Committee, be suspended or expelled. Any member so suspended or expelled may appeal to a Special General Meeting if such an appeal is sponsored by not less than 10 per cent of members who are entitled to vote.
3. A member shall be deemed to have resigned from the Club if, after due notice in writing, he/she has not paid the annual subscription which became due on 30th June. He/she may, however rejoin at any time during that year.
7. DISQUALIFICATIONS FROM HOLDING OFFICE
1. Only members entitled to vote are eligible to hold office, except that a Junior Section Chairman may be elected by the Junior members of the Club, and be entitled to vote at General Committee meetings.
8. GENERAL COMMITTEE
1. The General Committee shall conduct the affairs of the Club as a whole and shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and other officers as deemed necessary. Additionally, the General Committee may include no more than 6 members of the club to its number who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
2. Nominations for the position of Chairman, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer, Membership Secretary and other members of the General Committee shall be put forward in the form of a motion under the terms of Rule 13.4
3. The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.
9. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE
1. Chairman: The Chairman will preside at all General Meetings of the Club and at all meetings of the General Committee. He or she shall be responsible for guiding the activities of the club in accordance with its rules and general policy as expressed by the majority of its members. The Chairman shall represent or arrange for the representation of the Club at BCU regional level, the Exe Watersports Association and at meetings of other organisations. He/She shall ex officio be a member of any other committee of the Club.
2. Hon Secretary: The Hon Secretary will be responsible for the organisation of meetings of the General Committee and of the Club, and the recording of minutes relating to such meetings and all correspondence relating to the general business of the Club. He/she shall also be responsible for transmitting to the section secretaries all correspondence relating to the particular activities of the section concerned at the earliest opportunity. The Hon Secretary will receive copies of the minutes relating to the meetings of section committees.
3. Hon Treasurer: The Hon Treasurer will be responsible for the collection of all monies and shall keep such books of accounts as required by the General Meeting. He/She shall have the power to examine, after giving one week’s notice, the books of any section, and shall report any discrepancies to the General Committee. The Hon Treasurer shall examine the books of each section annually and shall produce at the AGM balance sheets showing the financial state of each section and of the General funds, accompanied by the independent Examiners report. Cheques should have two signatures. The Hon Treasurer must make the General Committee aware of any existing or potential financial or cash flow problems.
4. Membership Secretary: The Membership Secretary will be responsible for the collection of subscriptions and to maintain records of all private boats kept in the Boat Store.
5. Duties of Other Officers; Officers may be elected to be responsible for the following duties
5.1 The Social Secretary: The Social Secretary shall organise a programme of social events.
5.2 Newsletter Editor: A Newsletter editor shall be elected who is responsible for producing a regular bulletin.
10. GENERAL COMMITTEE
1. The General Committee is responsible for the general conduct of the Club’s business and activities.
2. The General Committee shall meet at regular intervals during the year, as required by the business to be transacted.
3. Special meetings of the General Committee shall be called by the Hon Secretary on instructions from the Chairman, or not less than three committee members.
4. Meetings of the section committees shall be called by the secretaries of the section concerned, on instruction from the Section Chairman, or on the instructions of twenty percent of the members of the Section Committee.
5. A quorum shall consist of not less than 5 members.
6. In the case of casual vacancy among the General Committee, the said Committee may appoint another eligible person to act until the next AGM.
11. GENERAL MEETINGS
1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held in the Spring of each year. There shall be laid before the meeting a statement of accounts made up to the 31st March immediately preceding.
2. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called on the instructions of a simple majority of the General Committee, or on a requisition signed by not less than 10% of the members of the Club entitled to vote.
3. Not less than 21 days clear notice shall be given, specifying to all members the time and business of the General Meeting. Notice may be given by electronic or postal means.
4. Motions for discussion at Annual General Meetings, not of origin from within the General Committee, shall be lodged with the Hon Secretary at least 30 days preceding the AGM, and be signed by 5 members entitled to vote.
5. At any General Meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the Meeting shall be decided by a show of hands, of those entitled to vote, except when more than one nomination has been received for a position on the General Committee, in which case voting will be by secret ballot.
6. At all General Meetings the Chairman will preside or, in his/her absence, a Chairman for the meeting will be elected by the voting members present.
7. At all General Meetings not less than ten percent of the members of the club shall constitute a quorum.
8. Absence of Quorum: If after half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, a quorum is not present, the Meeting, if called at the request of the members, shall be dissolved. In any other case the Meeting shall be adjourned.
If anyone is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for an Adjourned Meeting, the members present shall be a quorum.
9. Accidental Omission: Accidental Omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of, a meeting by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of a meeting.
12. LIABILITY
1. The General Committee shall manage the affairs of the Club. Financial or legal liability incurred in the rightful exercise of their office shall not, however, be the personal liability of the Committee, but shall be the responsibility of the Club as a whole.
2. All members or other persons who attend club tours or meets do so at their own risk, and neither the Club nor its officers can accept any liability for any loss or injury of any kind sustained at Club headquarters or whilst on a Club tour, meet or other activity.
13. VOTING
Only full members, and family members over the age of 14 years are entitled to vote at all meetings.
14. ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
1. This constitution shall not be altered, amended, or rescinded except by a General Meeting of the Club.
2. A resolution to give effect to a change must be passed by at least 75% of the members present at the General Meeting, and voting on their behalf.
15. INDEPENDENT EXAMINTER
Every Annual General Meeting shall appoint an Independent Examiner who shall at least once in every year examine the Accounts of the Club, and ascertain the correctness of the income and expenditure accounts and of the balance sheet. The Independent Examiner may be a member of the club but should not be a member of the General Committee.
16. DISTRIBUTION OF PROFITS
The club may not make payments to members for participation in the sport which would contravene amateur status nor can any profit be distributed to members, but any profits earned shall be contributed to a General Fund for furthering the objectives of the Club.
17. TERMINATION
The Club shall not terminate except by a resolution of a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose and, in such an event, any surplus assets shall be handed over to the BCU for use in related amateur sport and/or other local sports club within a 50 mile radius of Exeter. Any matter not provided for in this constitution, or any question over the interpretation of it shall be dealt with by the General Committee whose decision shall be final.
18. RULES
The General Committee shall be empowered to draw up rules for the safe conduct of canoeing activities, to include the following:
1. No Junior members may canoe alone from the Clubhouse
2. No Junior member under the age of 16 may take a boat from the Clubhouse unless a responsible adult is present. Members over the age of 16 should go out in at least pairs with prior parental consent.
3. All novices must wear buoyancy aids and it is the Club’s recommendation that all members wear buoyancy aids.
4. Juniors must wear buoyancy aids at all times unless exempted at the express permission of their coach or a responsible adult on an organised race training session.
5. All members must be able to swim 50 meters in canoeing clothing.
19. DECLARATION
Each member upon joining shall sign the following declaration:
Name ………………………………………………………………………………
Upon acceptance into membership of the Exeter Canoe Club I understand that canoeing is undertaken at my own risk. I confirm that I do not suffer from any disability or medical condition which may render me unfit for strenuous exercise.*
Signed …………………………………………………………………………….
Parent/Guardian (if under 18) ………………………………………………….
*Should a medical condition exist, this will not necessarily preclude you from membership/participation, but it must be declared. Should you be in any doubt, advice should be sought from your family doctor.
20. BOAT STORAGE
1. The Club has the use of boat storage facilities.
2. Members may apply to the Membership Secretary for use of a space in the boat store. Membership does not entitle automatic right of storage.
3. Storage facilities are only available to Members who are fully paid up members of the club.
4. The Club reserves the right to remove boats from the boat store of members of who have not paid their subscriptions for a period of six months. After a period of one year the General Committee may dispose of such boats at is deems fit. Any proceeds will be allocated to subscription arrears with the remainder being allocated as the Committee deems fit.
5. The General Committee reserves the right to limit the number of boats an individual member may store.
