Club info - Constitution

Article Index
Club info - Constitution
Membership - Subscription
Resignation - Disciplinary Action
Committee - Officers
A.G.M. - By Laws
Finance - Property
Training & Competitions - Acknowledgement
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Great Yarmouth Swimming Club Constitution

1. Name

1.1 The name of the Club shall be Great Yarmouth Swimming Club

2. Objects

2.1 The objects of the Club shall be the teaching, development and practice of swimming and its associate activities both for recreation and competition

2.1.1 The Club is committed to treat everyone equally within the context of its activity. This shall be, for example, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, disability or political persuasion, on any grounds.

2.1.2 The Club shall implement the A.S.A. Equal Opportunities policy

2.2 The Club shall be affiliated to ASA East Region, and shall adopt and conform to the rules of this Association, and to such other bodies as the Club may determine from time to time.

2.3 The business and affairs of the Club shall at all times be conducted in accordance with the Laws and Technical Rules of the Amateur Swimming Association ("A.S.A. Laws") and in particular:

2.3.1 All competing members shall be eligible competitors as defined in A.S.A. Laws; and

2.3.2 The Club shall in accordance with A.S.A. Laws adopt the A.S.A. Child Protection Procedures; and shall recognise that the welfare of children is everyone's responsibility and that all children and young people have a right to have fun, be safe and be protected from harm.

2.3.3 Members of the Club shall in accordance with A.S.A. Laws comply with the A.S.A. Child Protection Procedures.

2.4 By virtue of the affiliation of the Club to ASA East Region, the Club and all members of the Club acknowledge that they are subject to the laws, rules and constitutions of:

2.4.1 ASA East Region, Norfolk County ASA and the Royal Lifesaving Society

2.4.2 The Amateur Swimming Association; (to include the ASA/IOS Code of Ethics); and

2.4.3 British Swimming (in particular its Doping Control Rules and Protocols and Disciplinary Code); and

2.4.4 FINA, the world governing body for the sport of swimming in all its disciplines (together "the Governing Body Rules")

2.5 In the event that there shall be any conflict between any rule or by-law of the Club and any of the Governing Body Rules then the relevant Governing Body Rule shall prevail.

3 Membership

3.1 The total membership of the Club shall not normally be limited. If however the Committee considers that there is a good reason to impose any limit from time to time then the Committee shall put forward appropriate proposals for consideration at a General Meeting of the Club. The members shall have the right to impose (and remove) from time to time any limits on total membership (or any category of membership) of the Club.

All persons who assist in any way with the club's activities shall become members of the club and hence of the A.S.A. and the relevant A.S.A. membership fee shall be paid. Assisting with the club's activities shall include, but not be restricted to, administrators, associate members, voluntary instructors, teachers and coaches, Committee members, helpers, Honorary members, life members, officers, patrons, Presidents, technical and non-technical officials, temporary members, Vice Presidents and verifiers or tutors of the A.S.A's educational certificates.

Paid instructors, teachers and coaches who are not members of the club must be members of a body which accepts that its members are bound by the A.S.A.'s Code of Ethics, the Laws relating to Child Protection and those parts of the Judicial Laws, Judicial Rules and procedures necessary for their implementation and whilst engaged in activities under the jurisdiction of the A.S.A. shall be subject to all the constraints and privileges of the Judicial Laws and Rules.

3.2 Any person who wishes to become a member of the Club must submit a signed application to the Secretary (and in the case of a junior swimmer the application must be signed by the swimmer's parent or guardian).
The Club shall not refuse an application for membership on discriminatory grounds, whether in relation to ethnic origin, age, sex, religion, disability, political persuasion or sexual orientation. Election to membership shall be determined by the Membership Officer, but other person(s) authorised by the Committee may make recommendation as to the applicants' acceptability. The Membership Officer shall be required to give reasons for the refusal of any application for membership. Any person refused membership may seek a review of this decision before a review panel appointed by the Committee ("Review Panel") comprised of not less than three members (who may or may not be members of the Committee). The panel shall [wherever practicable] include one independent member nominated by the ASA East Region. The person refused membership shall be entitled to make representations to the Review Panel. The procedures for review shall be at the discretion of the Review Panel whose decision shall be final and binding

3.3 That the Club shall consist of Senior and Junior members of both sexes with Captains and Vice-Captains representing each section (4 Captains, 4 Vice-Captains) A Junior shall be under the age of 16 on 31st December. Nominations for Captains and Vice-Captains are to be made by the Coaches or Competitions & Training Sub-Committee prior to the AGM. Voting for selection of nominations is to take place at the AGM.

4 Subscription and Other Fees

4.1 The annual members subscription and coaching and squad fees (as applicable) shall be determined from time to time by the Committee and the Committee shall in so doing make special provision for different classes of membership as it shall determine.

4.2 The annual subscription shall be due on joining the Club and thereafter on the 1st day of August each year.

4.3 Any member whose subscription is unpaid by 31st October, after the due date for payment may be suspended by the Committee from some or all Club activities from a date to be determined by the Committee and until such payment is made

4.4 The Committee shall, from time to time, have the power to determine the annual membership subscription and other fees. This shall include the power to make such increase in the subscription as shall, where the Club pays the individual A.S.A. Membership Fees to the A.S.A. on behalf of members, be consequential upon an increase in individual A.S.A. membership fees. Any increase in subscription will be advised to the members. The reasons for any increase to be reported to the members at the next Annual General Meeting.

5 Resignation

5.1 A member wishing to resign membership of the Club must give to the Secretary written notice of his resignation. A member's resignation shall only take effect when this (Rule 5.1) has been complied with.

5.2 Notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 5.1 above a member whose subscription is more than two months in arrear shall be deemed to have resigned. Where the membership of a member shall be terminated in this way he shall be informed in writing that he is no longer a member by notice handed to him or sent by post to his last known address.

6 Expulsion and other Disciplinary action

6.1 The Committee shall have power to expel a member when, its opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Club for him to remain a member. The Club in exercising this power shall comply with the provisions of Rules 6.2 and 6.3 below

6.2 The Club shall adopt and comply with the A.S.A. Guidelines for handling Internal Club Disputes ("the Guidelines") as the same may be revised from time to time. The Guidelines are set out as an Appendix to the A.S.A. Judicial Laws and appear in the A.S.A. Handbook. (A copy of the current Guidelines may be obtained from the A.S.A. Legal Affairs Department.)

6.3 A member may not be expelled or (subject to Rule 6.4 below) be made the subject of any other penalty unless the panel hearing the complaint shall vote by majority in favour of the expulsion of (or other penalty imposed upon) the member.

6.4 The Officers of the Club (or any person to whom the Committee shall delegate this power) may temporarily suspend or exclude a member from particular training sessions and/or wider club activities, when in their opinion; such action is in the interests of the Club. Where such action is taken the complaint will thereafter be dealt with in accordance with the Guidelines.

7 Committee

7.1 The Committee shall consist of the Chairman, Hon. Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Minute Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Hon. Registration & Child Protection Officer, Hon. Press Officer, Hon. Fixture & Sports Secretary, Assistant Fixture & Sports Secretary, Hon. Trophy Officer, Men's Captain, Ladies Captain, Boy's captain, Girl's Captain, Facilities Officer and the Co-ordinator from GYSC to the Marina Disabled Club together with 12 senior members, 6 of whom shall retire each year, and shall be eligible for re-election at the AGM. Seven shall be the quorum to include the Chairman and/or Hon. Secretary. No member shall be elected to office in his or her absence unless the Secretary has their consent.

From the above at the first General Committee meeting, there shall be elected 3 Sub-Committees
Finance & General Purposes, Training & Competition and Social & Fundraising.
Each Sub-Committee shall comprise five members with the exception of Training & Competition which shall comprise The Fixture & Sports secretary and 4 others who will report at the next General Committee. The Club Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be Ex-Officio of all Committees. Past Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen who are not current Committee members are entitled to attend all meetings.

7.2 In the event of any Officer or member of the Committee being absent for 4 consecutive Committee meetings without giving satisfactory reason for absence such office shall be deemed vacant and the Committee shall fill any vacancy that shall arise though this or any other cause until the following AGM

7.3 Committee meetings shall be held not less than once a month (except August) (save where the Committee itself shall by a simple majority resolve not to meet). The Chairman and the Secretary shall have discretion to call further meetings of the Committee if they consider it to be in the interests of the Club. The Secretary shall give all the members of the Committee not less than 28 days notice of a meeting. Decisions of the Committee shall be made by a simple majority (and in the event of equality of votes the Chairman (or the acting Chairman of that meeting) shall have a casting or additional vote.)

7.4 In the event that a quorum is not present within thirty minutes of the published start time, a meeting shall stand adjourned until the following months meeting. If a quorum is not present at the adjourned meeting then those Committee members attending may act for the purpose of calling a Special General Meeting of the members, to which the provisions as to minimum notice contained in Rule 11.1 shall not apply

7.5 The Committee may from time to time appoint from among their number such sub-committees as they may consider necessary (and to remove (in whole or in part) or vary the terms of reference of such sub-committees) and may delegate to them such of the powers and duties of the Committee as the Committee may determine. All sub-committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Committee.

7.6 The Committee shall be responsible for the management of the Club. The Committee shall have power to enter into contracts for the purposes of the Club on behalf of all the members of the Club. The Committee shall be responsible for ensuring that the Accounts of the Club for each financial year be examined by an independent examiner to be appointed by the members in General Meeting. The Committee shall also have power to make regulations and to settle disputed points not otherwise provided for in this Constitution.

7.7 The members of the Committee shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the assets of the Club for all expenses and other liabilities properly incurred by them in the management of the affairs of the Club.

7.8 The Committee shall maintain an Accident Book in which all accidents to club members at swimming related activities shall be recorded. Details of such accidents shall be reported to the A.S.A. Office. The Club shall make an annual return to the A.S.A. in the prescribed form

8 Officers and Honorary Members

8.1 The Executive Officers and Committee of the Club shall be proposed, seconded and elected (by ballot) at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.

8.2 The Committee may elect any person as a Life Member of the Club and they shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership and they shall be entitled to vote at meetings and serve as officers or on the Committee.

8.3 An independent Welfare Officer shall be appointed by the Club to deal with issues such as bullying, complaints and disputes. This post may require remuneration.

9 Annual General Meeting

9.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held each year on a date in November. The date for the Annual General Meeting shall be fixed by the Committee

9.2 The purpose of the Annual General Meeting is to transact the following business:

9.2.1 to receive the Chairman's report of the activities of the Club during the previous year;

9.2.2 to receive and consider the accounts of the Club for the previous year and the report on the accounts of the independent examiner and the Treasurer's report as to the financial position of the Club;

9.2.3 to remove and elect the independent examiner (who must not be a member of the Committee or a member of the family of a member of the Committee) or confirm that he remain in office;

9.2.4 to elect the Executive Officers and other members of the Committee;

9.2.5 to decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted in accordance with Rule 9.3.

9.3 Nominations for election of members to any office or for membership of the Committee shall be made in writing by the proposer and seconder to the Secretary not later than 28 days prior to the AGM. The nominee shall be required to indicate in writing on the nomination form his willingness to stand for election. Notice of any resolution proposed to be moved at the Annual General Meeting shall be given in writing to the Secretary not later than 28 days prior to the AGM.

10 Special General Meeting

10.1 A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by the Committee. A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary within 28 days of receipt by him of a requisition in writing signed by not less than 7 members entitled to attend and vote at a General Meeting or (if greater) such numbers as represents (one-tenth) in number of such members] stating the purposes for which the meeting is required and the resolutions proposed.

11 Procedure at the Annual and Special General Meetings

11.1 The Secretary shall personally be responsible for the handing out or sending to each member at his last known address a written agenda giving notice of the date, time and place of the General Meeting together with the resolutions to be proposed thereat not less than 14 days before the meeting and in the case of the Annual General Meeting a list of the nominees for the Committee posts and a copy of the examined accounts. The Secretary may, alternatively, with the agreement of member(s) concerned distribute these materials by e-mail or similar form of communication. The Notice of Meeting shall in addition wherever possible be displayed on the Club Notice Board where one exists.

11.2 The quorum for the Annual and Special General Meetings shall be 7 members entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting.

11.3 The Chairman, or in his absence a member selected by the Committee, shall take the chair. Each member present shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. For the procedures for submitting resolutions to be considered at a General Meeting members are referred to Rule 9.3. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a casting or additional vote. Only paid up members who have reached their 16th birthday shall be entitled to be heard and to vote on all matters. (Members who have reached their 12th birthday shall be entitled to be heard and vote only on those matters determined by the Chairman as matters concerning juniors, such as the election of club captains.)

11.4 The Chairman shall at all General Meetings have unlimited authority upon every question of order and shall be, for the purpose of such meeting, the sole interpreter of the Rules of the Club.

12 Alteration of the Rules and other Resolutions

12.1 The rules may be altered by resolution at an Annual or Special General Meeting provided that the resolution is carried by a majority of members present and entitled to vote at the General Meeting. No amendment(s) to the rules shall become effective until such amendment(s) shall have been submitted to and validated by such person as is authorised to do so by the County Association/ASA East Region.

12.2 Any member shall be entitled to put any proposal for consideration at any General Meeting provided the proposal in writing shall have been handed to or posted to the Secretary of the Club, to be received by him not later than 28 days in the case of the Annual General Meeting or, Special General Meeting, and thereafter the Secretary shall supply a copy of the proposal or resolution to the members in the manner provided in Rule 11.1

13 By-Laws

13.1 The Committee shall have power to make, repeal and amend such by-laws as they may from time to time consider necessary for the well being of the Club which by-laws, repeals and amendments shall have effect until set aside by the Committee or at a General Meeting.

14 Finance

14.1 All moneys payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in a bank account in the name of the Club. No sum shall be drawn from that account except by cheque signed by two signatories appointed by the Committee. Any moneys not required for immediate use may be invested as the Committee in its discretion think fit.

14.2 The income and property of the Club shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club and no part thereof shall be paid by way of bonus, dividend or profit to any members of the Club, (save as set out in Rule 17.3.)

14.3 The Committee shall have power to authorise the payment of expenses to any officer, member or employee of the Club and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.

14.4 The financial transactions of the Club shall be recorded by the Treasurer in such manner as the Committee thinks fit.

14.5 The financial year of the Club shall be the period commencing on 1st August and ending on 31st July. Any change to the financial year shall require the approval of the members in a General Meeting.

14.6 The Committee shall retain for a minimum period of six years all financial records relating to the club and copies of Minutes of all meetings.

15 Property

15.1 The property of the Club, other than cash at the bank, shall be vested in the Committee who shall act as Trustees whilst in office and insure the same. They shall deal with the property as directed by resolution of the Committee and entry in the minute book shall be conclusive evidence of such a resolution.

16 Training & Competitions

16.1 That all swimmers to be eligible to compete in the closed Club Championships/Age Groups shall have paid annual subscription, have attended weekly training and paid up session fees. Those 17years and older (in higher education, with work commitments, exceptional circumstances or illness) with the discretion of the Committee may be permitted to train less frequently. Swim competitively for the Club whenever asked to do so. Should not be allowed to enter any other Club Championships that year.

16.2 The committee has the power to refuse any swimmer entry to any activity and will notify the swimmer of the reasons in writing.

16.3 Any swimmer entering a handicap race who exceeds their submitted time for that race by 5% or more shall be disqualified. The Shearley Cup is excluded from this rule.

Disclosure

The Club cannot be held responsible for any injuries or loss occurred during Club activities.

17 Dissolution

17.1 A resolution to dissolve the Club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of the members present and entitled to vote. A specific date for the dissolution shall be included in the resolution.

17.2 The dissolution shall take effect from the date specified in the resolution and the members of the Committee shall be responsible for the winding-up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.

17.3 Any property remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be given to a charity or charities (or other non-profit making organisation having objects similar to those of the Club for the furtherance of such objects) nominated by the last Committee.

18 Acknowledgement

18.1 The Members acknowledge that these Rules constitute a legally binding contract to regulate the relationship of the members with each other and the Club.

The following statement needs to appear on Club membership forms and is to be signed by the member and must also be countersigned by the parent, or a person having parental responsibility for the member, if under 18 years of age:

I acknowledge the rules of Great Yarmouth Swimming Club and confirm my understanding and acceptance that such rules (as amended from time to time) shall govern my membership of the Club. I further acknowledge and accept the responsibilities of membership upon members as set out in these rules.