Community Fundraising Group

constitution

Three Valleys Constitution

•Section 1 Adoption of the Constitution.

The unincorporated association will be administered and managed in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.

•Section 2 The Name

The association's name is The 3 Valleys Club.

•Section 3 The Charitable Objects - The purposes and goals

To develop professional and leadership skills in the promotion of good citizens.

To provide opportunities for service minded people to serve their local community and the world community.

To unite the members in friendship and good fellowship through social interaction.

The local area of benefit is the geographical area of the Lea, Colne and Thames valley areas.

•Section 4 Amendments to the constitution

The Organisation may amend any provision contained in this Constitution provided that

•a) No amendment may be made that would have the effect of making the Organisation cease to be Lawful;

•b) No amendment may be made to alter the Objects if the change would not be within the reasonable contemplation of the members of or donors to the Organisation;

•c)Any resolution to amend a provision of this constitution is passed at a general meeting (annual or special) by not less than 70% of the entire membership

•Section 5 Membership

Membership of this club is open to individuals over eighteen and of good character that are approved by the committee.

The committee may refuse an application for membership if they consider it to be in the best interests of the club to refuse the application. The committee's decision is final.

Membership is not transferable.

The committee must keep a register of the names and addresses of the members, which must be made available to any member upon request.

Each member of the club, by acceptance of membership, accepts the principles of this club, it purpose and goals and agrees to comply with this constitution and bye-laws.

•Section 6 Termination of membership

Membership is terminated if:

The member dies;

The member resigns by written notice to the club unless, after the resignation, there would be less than two members;

The member is expelled by a two thirds vote of the entire committee if they consider it to be in the best interests of the club;

Any sum due from the member of the club is not paid in full within 90 days of it falling due.

•Section 7 Membership - Good standing

All fees and dues must be paid before a member is considered in good standing. Only members in good standing may exercise the voting privilege and hold office in the club.

•Section 8 Branch formation

Clubs may form branches to permit the expansion of the three valleys goals where and when circumstances do not permit the formation of a new club. The branch will meet as a committee of the parent club.

The members of the branch will be granted membership in the parent club and the branch club by membership invitation issued by the committee of the parent club.

The branch club shall meet not less than once per month.

Activity or public welfare monies raised by the branch shall be held by the parent club in a fund established to record such purpose. They shall be distributed in the branch community unless otherwise specified.

The branch may be disbanded by a 70% majority vote of the committee of the parent club.

•Section 9 Meetings (Annual and Special general and regular club business meetings)

The Organisation must hold a annual general meeting within twelve months of the date of the adoption of this constitution.

An annual general meeting must be held in each subsequent year and not more than fourteen months may elapse between successive annual general meetings.

All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called special general meetings.

The Directors may call a special general meeting at any time.

The Directors must call a special general meeting if requested to do so in writing by at least ten members or one tenth of the membership, which ever is the greater. The request must state the nature of the business that is to be discussed. If the Directors fail to hold the meeting within twenty-eight days of the request, the members may proceed to call a special general meeting but in doing so they must comply with the provisions of this Constitution.

The organisation shall meet not less than once per calendar month for regular club business meeting.

•Section 13 Notice

The minimum period of notice required to hold any general (annual or special) meeting of the Organisation is fourteen clear days from the date on which the notice is deemed to have been given.

A general meeting may be called by shorter notice, if it is so agreed by all the members entitled to attend and vote.

The notice must specify the date, time and place of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. The notice must specify whether the meeting is an annual or a special general mtg.

The notice must be given to all the members and to the Directors.

•Section 14 Quorum

No business shall be transacted at any regular club business, annual or special general meeting, committee of directors or branch committee meeting unless a quorum is present.

A quorum is;

•· 30% of the entire membership who are in good standing for regular club business meetings.

•· 50% of the entire membership who are in good standing for annual or special general meetings.

•· 4 directors, one of who must be the president or vice president for committee of directors meetings.

•· 30% of the entire membership who are in good standing for branch committee meetings.

If:

•a) a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting; or

•b) during a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the meeting shall be adjourned to such time and place as the directors shall determine.

The Directors must re-convene the meeting and must give at least seven clear days' notice of the re-convened meeting stating the date time and place of the meeting.

If no quorum is present at the re-convened meeting within fifteen minutes of the time specified for the start of the meeting the members present at that time shall constitute the quorum for that meeting.

•Section 15 Chair

Meetings shall be chaired by the person who has been elected as Chair.

If there is no such person or he or she is not present within fifteen minutes of the time appointed for the meeting a Director nominated by the Directors shall chair the meeting.

If there is only one Director present and willing to act, he or she shall chair the meeting.

If no Director is present and willing to chair the meeting within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding it, the members present and entitled to vote must choose one of their number to chair the meeting.

•Section 16 Votes

Unless specified elsewhere in this constitution, a simple majority is required for any matter to be passed. Each member in good standing shall have one vote but if there is an equality of votes the person who is chairing the meeting shall have a casting vote in addition to any other vote they may have.

Each member in good standing may vote via proxy through the chair of the annual or special general meeting, provided there is a quorum present at the meeting, on the following;

•· Amendments to the constitution.

•· Alterations, additions or repeals of the bye-laws of the organisation.

•· Resolution to select how activity or public welfare monies raised will be distributed.

•· Election of directors to the offices of the administrative committee.

•· Any resolution agreed by a 70% majority of the administrative committee.

•Section 17 Administrative committee and Directors

The Organisation and its property shall be managed and administered by a committee comprising the Officers and other members elected from among the members in good standing.

The Officers and other members of the administrative committee shall be the Directors of the Organisation and in this constitution are together called "the Directors".

The directors of this organisation shall be:

•· president,

•· vice-president,

•· secretary,

•· treasurer,

•· community,

•· social,

•· such additional directors, as the administrative committee feels appropriate.

Election of directors shall be held annually and no post shall require more than a simple majority of the members present and in good standing to be elected.

The term for directors is one year. Those elected shall take office on the 1st July.

The fiscal and planning year runs from 1st July to 30th June.

The administrative committee will meet no less than three times a year.

•Section 18 Minutes

The Directors must keep minutes of all:

appointments of Directors made by the organisation;

proceedings at meetings of the Organisation;

meetings of the Directors and committees of Directors including:

the names of the Directors present at the meeting;

the decisions made at the meetings; and where appropriate the reasons for the decisions.

•Section 19 Annual Accounts

The directors must ensure the fiscal matters of the club are as clear and transparent as reasonably possible by:

the keeping of accounting records for the Organisation;

the preparation of annual statements of account for the Organisation;

the transmission of the statements of account to the entire membership;

•Section 20 Repair and insurance

The Directors must insure suitably in respect of public liability.

•Section 21 Notices

Any notice required by this constitution to be given to or by any person must be:

•a) in writing; or

•b) given using electronic communications.

The Organisation may give any notice to a member either:

•a) personally; or

•b) by sending it by post in a prepaid envelope addressed to the member at his or her address; or

•c) by leaving it at the address of the member; or

•d) by giving it using electronic communications to the member's address.

A member who does not register an address with the Organisation or who registers only a postal address that is not within the United Kingdom shall not be entitled to receive any notice from the Organisation.

A member present in person at any meeting of the Organisation shall be deemed to have received notice of the meeting and of the purposes for which it was called.

•Section 22 Bye-laws

The Directors may from time to time make bye-laws for the conduct of their business.

The bye-laws may regulate the following matters but are not restricted to them:

•a) the admission of members of the Organisation (including the admission of organisations to membership) and the rights and privileges of such members, and the entrance fees, subscriptions and other fees or payments to be made by members;

•b) the conduct of members of the Organisation in relation to oneanother, and to the Organisation's volunteers;

•c) the procedure at general meetings, committee meetings of the Directors and regular club business meetings. in so far as such procedure is not regulated by this Constitution;

•d) generally, all such matters as are commonly the subject matter of the rules of an unincorporated association.

The Organisation in general meetings (annual or special) has the power to alter, add to or repeal bye-laws.

Any resolution to add, alter or repeal bye-laws at a general meeting (annual or special) is passed by not less than 70% of the entire membership.

The Directors must adopt such means as they think sufficient to bring the bye-laws to the notice of members of the Organisation.

The rules or bye-laws shall be binding on all members of the Organisation. No rule or bye-law shall be inconsistent with, or shall affect or repeal anything contained in this constitution.