CONSTITUTION
(Effective - January 2008)
1) TITLE - The
title of the Club will be "Gateshead Civic
2) OBJECTIVES -
The objectives of the Club will be: "To encourage and enable members to
participate in organised hill walking and Club social events".
3) MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Membership will be open to all persons aged 18 years
or over.
3.2 Applications for membership will be made in writing
on the form provided for that purpose and signed by the candidate. The
candidate’s election to membership will be subject to the agreement of the
Committee.
3.3 Membership of the Club will expire on 31st
December each year, after which a new application for membership may be
submitted.
3.4 The Committee will have power to close membership if
it is deemed necessary.
3.5 The Committee will have power to suspend the
membership of any member who offends against the Constitution or bylaws of the
Club or whose conduct, in the opinion of the Committee, renders them unfit for
continued membership.
4) SUBSCRIPTIONS
4.1 The cost of annual subscription will be £7.50,
comprising of a £5.00 basic fee and a £2.50 donation to the Lake
District Search and Mountain Rescue Association.
4.2 Members who are Minibus Driver’s Awareness Scheme
(MiDAS) certified or are elected as Officers, will not be liable for the basic
subscription fee.
5) MANAGEMENT
5.1 The management of the Club will be vested in a
Committee, which will consist of: President, Vice-President and Secretary
(together called the Officers) and six other members.
5.2 All members of the Committee (except President and
Vice-President) will be elected at the Annual General Meeting and, subject to
termination of office by resignation or otherwise, remain in office until
successors are elected at the next Annual General Meeting.
5.3 The Committee will have power to fill any casual
vacancy which may occur, including President and Vice-President.
6) BOOKING REQUIREMENTS
6.1 Bookings for a Saturday walk will only be accepted when made via answer phone (WEEKDAYS, 9am - 5pm but excluding Public Holidays) or Email. The Secretary will only return an answer phone message if there is a problem with the booking. If the Secretary fails to confirm an Email booking within forty eight hours, an answer phone booking should then be made. Only one booking may be made per communication. A General booking will be accepted from a member up to TWO weeks in advance of a Saturday walk. A 'Privileged booking' will be accepted up to FOUR weeks in advance of a Saturday walk from any member who is prepared, if necessary, to use their private vehicle as Club transport or drive the minibus. A booking may be made on behalf of an ‘invitee’, subject to the availability of Club transport, from the Wednesday immediately prior to the Saturday walk. Any member or ‘invitee’ failing to make either an answer phone or Email booking will not be allowed to participate in the Saturday walk.
6.2 Notification of the cancellation of a booking will only be accepted when made via answer phone or Email until 21:00 on the evening before the Saturday walk or thereafter via the main Club mobile phone until 08:00 on morning of the Saturday walk. If due notification of cancellation is received, a member will remain liable for only 50% of the full payment; if it is subsequently possible to fully allocate all seats in all Club transport no payment will be required. If due notification is not received, a member will remain liable for the full payment.
6.3 Full payment should be received by the Secretary
within five working days of the booking. If payment is not received by the
Saturday following the walk, a £1
administration fee will be levied.
6.4 Seats in all Club transport will be allocated on a
‘first come, first served’ basis. In the event of all seats in Club transport
being allocated, a reserve list will be created and the Secretary will, if
numbers permit, arrange additional transport with those who have made a
‘privileged booking’. If this is not practicable, a full refund will be given.
6.5 The driver(s) of all Club transport will travel free
of charge and a standard mileage rate (based upon the price per gallon of
unleaded petrol ÷ 30) will be paid to members by the Secretary upon
notification of the mileage incurred from the Civic Centre. In the unlikely
event of a member using their vehicle on more than one occasion during the Club
year, a premium mileage rate (based upon the price per gallon of unleaded
petrol ÷ 20) will be paid.
6.6 The drivers of all Club transport will be allowed to
make a ‘privileged booking’ up to FOUR weeks in advance of any Saturday walk
for the remainder of the Club year.
6.7 If the Club cancels a walk for any reason, a full
refund will be given.
6.8 If a member is unable, for whatever reason, to
travel in Club transport and still wishes to participate in the walk, mileage
will not be paid by the Club, however a booking must still be made with the
Secretary in respect of all participants. If the required £1 per participant is not received by the
Secretary by the Saturday following the walk, a £1
administration fee will be levied.
7) SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
7.1 Members intending to participate in an organised
Club Saturday walk must provide full written details of their intended route
(with possible variations), the name and telephone number of a person to be
contacted in an emergency and sign to confirm that they agree to abide by the
Club Indemnity and safety bylaws. The Club also recommend that members should
carefully consider whether they have the necessary ability and experience to
safely complete their intended route in view of the terrain, fell and weather
conditions and the hours of daylight.
7.2 Members must wear strong boots with good grips and
carry the following items of clothing and personal equipment in a well fitting
rucksack: spare warm clothing, full set of waterproofs, torch, whistle,
emergency rations and a survival bag. An ice axe must also be carried if winter
conditions are likely to be encountered. In addition, each group of walkers
must have access to at least one map, compass and basic first aid kit for the
entire walk.
7.3 Members must wear a seat belt when travelling to a
Club event in a minibus.
8) ALTERATIONS TO THE CLUB
CONSTITUTION - The Committee will have power to alter the
Constitution of the Club, but no such alteration will take effect until
confirmed at a General Meeting.
9) BYLAWS - The
Committee will have power to make bylaws for regulating the conduct and affairs
of the Club, provided that they are not inconsistent with the Constitution of
the Club. Such bylaws will be notified to and be binding on all members.
10) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
10.1 The Annual General Meeting will be held not later
than 31 January each year in order to transact the following business:-
10.1.1 to receive and, if approved, adopt a statement of
the Club's Accounts to the end of the current
financial year;
10.1.2 to consider and, if approved by a majority of
two-thirds of those members present and voting, sanction any duly made
alteration to the Constitution of the Club;
10.1.3 to appoint the Secretary and other members of the
Committee;
10.1.4 to deal with any motions
which either the Committee or members wish to bring before the meeting;
10.2.1 All proposed alterations to the Constitution of the Club,
motions to be considered at the meeting and nominations for the Officers and
Committee must be made on the form provided for that purpose and be received by
the Secretary by the due date. Motions received after this date may still be
considered at the meeting, subject to the prior agreement of the Committee.
10.2.2 At least seven days notice will be given to members
of the date, venue and agenda items for the Annual General Meeting.
10.2.3 If less than three members are nominated for the
Officers and Committee by the due date, the President will have power to
re-elect the retiring Officers and Committee. If less than three retiring
members agree to be re-elected, the President will call a General Meeting in
order to consider a resolution for the dissolution of the Club.
11) SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
11.1 A Special General Meeting will be convened by the
Secretary within one calendar month of the receipt of a written requisition
signed by at least three members, for any of the following purposes:-
11.1.1 to consider and, if approved by a majority of
two-thirds of those members present and voting, sanction any duly made alteration
to the Constitution of the Club;
11.1.2 to deal with any motions which either the Committee
or members wish to bring before the meeting;
11.1.3 to remove any member or members of the Committee
from office and to fill any vacancy or vacancies caused by such removal.
11.2 At least seven days notice will be given to members
of the date, venue and agenda items for the Special General Meeting.
12) CHAIRPERSON'S CASTING
VOTE - At Committee and General Meetings those present will elect
one of their number to be Chairperson. The person so elected will have a
casting vote in the event of an equality of votes.
13) POSTAL VOTE -
If a member is unable to attend a General Meeting where a ballot is required, a
postal vote will be accepted, provided it is made on the form provided for that
purpose and it is received by the Secretary by the due date.
14) QUORUMS
14.1 At Committee meetings (except for the purpose of
expulsions when five members will form a quorum) three will form a quorum.
14.2 At General Meetings ten members will form a quorum.
15) INDEMNITY
As a condition of membership of Gateshead
Civic
15.1 That it has been brought to their attention that
many of the Club’s activities take place in steep, exposed mountainous or
otherwise potentially hazardous terrain;
15.2 That any children or other legally incapacitated
persons who attend the Club’s activities at a member’s invitation, remain that
member's responsibility throughout and he or she agrees to indemnify the Club
Committee and all others involved in the organisation or leadership of Club
activities ("the Organisers") against all liability arising by virtue
of that member's invitees participation in the same;
15.3 That the Organisers do not hold themselves out as
having any special or particular skills or experience and do not bear any
responsibility for members or members invitees safety;
15.4 That the Organisers shall not be under a duty to
effect or maintain insurance cover in respect of death or injury to members or
participants nor loss of or damage to their property arising from participation
in Club activities;
15.5 That members are responsible for ensuring that they
and their invitees are properly equipped and clothed for each Club activity;
15.6 That members participate in all Club events in the
knowledge of all the above facts and in so doing acknowledge that they are a
volunteer for the attendant risks and that no liability for death, injury or
damage to property arising from members participation will attach to the
Organisers.
16) DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
- If at any General Meeting a resolution foor the dissolution of the Club is
passed by a majority of three-quarters of the members present and voting, the
Committee will immediately, or at such future date as may be specified in such
resolution, proceed to realise the property of the Club and, after discharge of
all liabilities, will divide such property equally among all members. On the
completion of such discharge the Club will be dissolved.
17) HEADINGS - The Club Constitution headings are for ease of reference only and will not be taken into account in their interpretation.