THE RULES/CONSTITUTION of WOLVERHAMPTON WHEELERS CYCLING CLUB
1. NAME: The name of the Club shall be “Wolverhampton Wheelers Cycling Club” a Community Amateur Sports Club.
2. RULES: These are the rules of the Club which apply to all classes of membership and shall be modified only by a two-thirds majority at a Special or Annual General Meeting.
3. OBJECT:The object of the club is to provide facilities for and the promotion of participation in cycling and related activities to the benefit of the whole community.
4. OFFICERS: Club Offices shall be approved and Officers elected at every Annual General Meeting by a simple majority vote.
(a) The Members will elect a Committee, President, Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and event/activity secretaries as appropriate to serve until the next AGM.
5. COMMITTEE Subject to these rules the Committee has the power to:
- Acquire and provide grounds, equipment, coaching, training and playing facilities, clubhouse, transport, medical and related facilities
- Provide coaching, training, medical treatment, and related social and other facilities
- Take out any insurance for club organisers, coaches and officials, employees, contractors, riders/participants, guests and third parties
- Raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans and charges
- Borrow money and give security for the same, and open bank accounts
- Buy, lease or licence property and sell, let or otherwise dispose of the same
- Make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits but not more than the expected annual income
- Set aside or apply funds for special purposes or as reserves
- Deposit or invest funds in any lawful manner
- Employ and engage staff and others and provide services
- Co-operate with or affiliate to firstly any bodies regulating or organising the Sport and secondly any club or body involved with it and thirdly with government and related agencies
- Do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes
- Whenever a committee member has a personal interest in a matter to be discussed, he/she must declare it, withdraw from that part of the meeting (unless asked to stay), not be counted in the quorum for that agenda item and withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter concerned
- The Committee may delegate any of their functions to sub-committees but must specify the scope of its activity and powers; the extent to which it can commit the funds of the Club; its membership; its duty to report back to the Committee. The Committee may wind up any sub-committee at any time or to change its mandate and operating terms.
- The Committee shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs and shall consist of the Chairman, President, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Event and Activity Secretaries and four Ordinary Members
- The presence of six persons at a Committee meeting shall form a quorum
- The Committee shall meet monthly and at other times at the discretion of the Chairman
- The Secretary shall deliver Notice of Committee meetings to all Committee Members
- The Committee shall be empowered to co-opt a member to replace any retiring Committee member
- The Chairman of the Committee shall vote only if a casting vote is required
- The Committee shall approve all events organised in the name of the Club
- The decision of the Committee shall be final on any matter not covered specifically by these rules
6. GENERAL MEETINGS:
(a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held during the four weeks following the end of the Club Fiscal Year.
(b) The presence of one fifth of the total of all members shall form a quorum.
(c) The Chairman and Secretary shall present reports on the activities of the completed year.
(d) The Treasurer shall present the Audited Accounts for the completed year.
(e) A Special General Meeting may be convened by a resolution of the Committee.
(f) The Secretary shall notify all members of General Meetings by means of an Agenda so as to arrive at least six days prior to the meeting.
7. MEMBERSHIP:
(a) Membership of the club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application 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. First claim members will have priority over second claim members for club facilities.
(b) The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating if required.
(c) The Club Committee may refuse membership or remove it, only for a good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to an appointed panel consisting of club members.
(d) Applicants for Membership shall complete the approved Application Form and shall pay the Entrance Fee and appropriate subscription.
(e) The Committee shall scrutinise all Applications for Membership and the approval of a two-thirds majority of those present shall be required for acceptance to Membership.
(f) Membership commences following the approval of the applicant by the Committee and the issue of a membership card.
(g) A Member shall not behave in any manner likely to damage the reputation of the Club.
(h) A Member shall agree to abide by the Rules of the Club.
(i) A first-claim member of the Club shall only ride for another club with the permission of the Committee.
(j) Subject to the terms of the foregoing membership clauses the Club admits second-claim members who must be first claim members of another Cycling Governing body affiliated club. They shall be subject to all the privileges and rules of first claim membership with these exceptions:
- Not hold any senior official position in the club: secretary, treasurer, chairman, president.
- Not vote at any club meetings.
- Not take an award at a club event.
8. MEMBERSHIP CLASSES
(a) Juvenile Member A Member who has not reached their sixteenth birthday at the start of the current Club Fiscal Year
(b) Junior Member A Member who has passed their sixteenth birthday and not reached their eighteenth birthday at the start of the current Club Fiscal Year
(c) Senior Member A Member who has reached their eighteenth birthday at the start of the current Club Fiscal Year
(d) Family Member A Member, their partner and any of their children in the Juvenile category
NOTE: Members who compete in British Cycling events must be members in categories (a) (b) or (c)
(e) Honorary Member Awarded for a period of one year in recognition of outstanding services to the Club
(f) Life Member Awarded to the spouse of a late Member in recognition of outstanding services to the Club by the late Member
OR in recognition of outstanding achievements by a Member in International or National competitive cycling
OR on completion of fifty years of unbroken Club membership
(g) Vice-President Awarded to a Member for outstanding services to the Club.
(h) Candidates for categories (e) (f) and (g) shall be nominated through the Committee and ratified at an AGM
(i) A Member shall belong to only one class of Membership
(j) Second claim membership is available in classes (a) (b) and (c) only.
9. VOTING RIGHTS: All Members present at Club meetings are entitled to one vote excluding second claim members, honorary members and members under 16 years of age.
10. DISCIPLINARY ACTION
(a) A Member violating a Rule of the Club shall be subject to such disciplinary action as the Committee think appropriate.
(b) The member shall be invited to a hearing of evidence concerning any alleged violation.
(c) A Member may only be expelled from the Club on the vote of two-thirds of the full Committee.
11. SUBSCRIPTIONS
(a) Membership Subscriptions are due immediately after the AGM.
(b) The Subscription for each grade of Membership shall be approved at the AGM including Second claim membership fees.
(c) A Member joining the Club during the last quarter of the Club Fiscal Year shall be deemed to have paid for the following year.
(d) A Member whose Subscription is not paid by 1st January shall be sent written application by the Membership Secretary.
(e) A Member whose Subscription is not paid by 1st February shall be required in addition to pay the Entrance Fee.
(f) The Committee shall consider Disciplinary Action if payment is not received before 1st March.
12. RESIGNATIONS
(a) A Member wishing to resign from the Club shall notify the Secretary in writing. The Secretary shall confirm the resignation in writing.
(b) A Member wishing to resign from Office shall notify the Secretary in writing.
13. FINANCE
(a) The Club Fiscal Year shall be from 1st November to 31st October.
(b) Any movement of Club funds shall require the signature of any two of the Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer.
(c) The Accounts of the Club shall be examined by two Auditors.
(d) The term of office of an Auditor shall be two years.
(e) One Auditor shall be elected at each AGM.
(f) A retiring Auditor shall not be eligible for re-election at that AGM.
(g) A Committee Member shall not be eligible to be an Auditor.
(h) All surplus income or profits shall be re-invested in the club. No surpluses or assets shall be distributed to members or third parties.
14. CLOSURE
(a) In the event of closure of the Club its assets (after settlement of all liabilities) shall be equally divided between British Cycling, Cycling UK, The CTC Charitable Trust (registered Charity 1104324) and “Cycling Time Trials” or their successor bodies for use by them in relation to community related sports
(b) The Members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened meeting.
(c) The committee will be responsible for the orderly winding up of the club’s affairs.
15. APPROVAL
These Rules were approved by the Annual General Meeting held on 25th November 2021 at Fordhouses Cricket Club, Wolverhampton.
Signed: ……………………………………………………Name: Gary Burke………… Position Held: Chairman………………………….
Signed: …………………………………………………….Name:Mark Primmer………………Position Held: Treasurer………………………….