RULES AND CONSTITUTION OF THE

REDCAR GYMNASTICS AND SPORTS CLUB

  
1.      THE Club shall be called the “Redcar Gymnastics And Sports Club”. 

2.      THE object of the Club shall be to provide facilities and coaching for Gymnastics and general athletic pursuits, as follows:

     2.1.  To offer an introductory gym section for the youngest Club Members.

     2.2.  To improve fitness and gymnastics skills of general gymnasts.

     2.3.  To train a squad to compete against other gymnastics clubs.

     2.4.  To develop social interaction of Members and their families.

     2.5.  To promote the sport of gymnastics in the local community.

3.      MEMBERSHIP shall be open to all persons who are registered with the Club as gymnasts or volunteers.  Members under the age of 16 shall be considered Junior Members, who shall not be entitled to vote or serve on the Committee, but may be represented by their parents or carers.  Members shall be expected to pay training fees and also an annual membership to the B.G.A.  The Committee shall maintain a register of Members.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. 

4.      THE Club shall be managed by a Committee of twelve members plus the President, which shall meet not less than six times per year.  The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in each year, and subject to termination of office by resignation or otherwise, shall remain in office until their successors are elected at the Annual General Meeting next following their election.  The Committee shall have power to fill any vacancy that may occur.  The retiring Members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election.  The President, Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected by the Committee, and they shall respectively hold office until death or resignation unless removed from office by a resolution of the Committee.  The President is elected for life or until he or she decides to resign from the position. 

5.      THERE shall be not more than five Trustees of the Club.  The first Trustee shall be appointed by the Committee and the property of the Club (other than cash which shall be under the control of the Treasurer) shall be vested in them to be dealt with as the Committee shall from time to time direct by resolution (of which an entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence).  The Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the Club property.  The Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removal from office by resolution of the Committee who may for any reason which may seem sufficient to a majority of them present and voting at any meeting remove any Trustee or Trustees from the office of Trustee.  Where by reason of any such death, resignation or removal it shall appear necessary to the Committee that a new Trustee or Trustees shall be appointed or if the Committee shall deem it expedient to appoint an additional Trustee or additional Trustees the Committee shall by resolution nominate the person or persons to be appointed the new Trustee or Trustees.  For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the President is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925 and he or she shall by Deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the Committee as the new Trustee or Trustees of the Club and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment.  Any statement of fact in any such Deed of Appointment shall in favour of a person dealing bona fide and for value with the Club or the Committee be conclusive evidence of the fact so stated. 

6.      IF at any time the Club in General Meetings shall pass a resolution authorising the Committee to borrow money, the Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purposes of the Club such amount of money either at one time or from time to time and at such rate of interest and in such form and manner and upon such security as shall be specified in such resolution, and thereupon the Trustees shall at the direction of the Committee make all such dispositions of the Club property or any part thereof and enter into such agreements in relation thereto as the Committee may deem proper for giving security for such loans and interest.  All Members of the Club whether voting on such resolution or not and all persons becoming Members of the Club after the passing of such resolution, shall be deemed to have assented to the same as if they had voted in favour of such resolution. 

7.      THE Committee shall have power to elect as Honorary Life Members, without payment of any further subscription any Member of not less than three years standing who shall in the opinion of the Committee have rendered services to the Club, but such election shall not take effect unless and until confirmed at the Annual General Meeting next ensuing the date of such election.  There shall not be more than ten Life Members at any one time. 

8.      THE Committee shall have power to elect Members of other Clubs to use and enjoy the premises and facilities of the Club as visitors for any period not exceeding three months.  Such visitors shall not be entitled to vote at any Meeting of Members. 

9.      THE Committee shall decide the annual club subscriptions and training session fees for all Members.  The Committee may in their discretion make such reduction in the annual subscription or fees for a Member as they may think fit in order to avoid hardship. 

10. ALL Members whose current subscription or fees are in arrears and who neglect to comply with a request for payment within Twenty-One Days shall cease to be Members unless a reason satisfactory to the Committee shall be given for the delay. 

11. COMPETITION squad members shall be allowed absence from a maximum of 10 sessions during a year without paying fees.  If this number is exceeded they will be expected to pay even if they do not attend, unless there are extenuating circumstances. 

12. THE Development Coach or Committee shall have power (providing that the full disciplinary procedure has been followed correctly) to expel any Member whose conduct shall in the opinion of the coaches or Committee render him or her unfit for membership of the Club by:

• refusing to abide by these Club Rules,
• disrupting the activities of the Club,
• jeopardising the health and safety of any club member or
• acting in such a manner as to bring the Club into disrepute.

Before any such Member is expelled they shall be informed of the complaints made against him or her and given the right of an appeal to the club Committee.  The decision of the Committee following this meeting shall be final. 

13. THE Club servants shall be under the orders of the Committee and no Member shall reprimand a Club servant.  If a Member has any cause of complaint he or she shall bring the same before the Committee in writing. 

14. THE Committee shall have power to alter the Rules, but no such alteration shall take effect until the same has been confirmed at the Annual General Meeting or a special General Meeting convened for the purpose. 

15. THE Committee shall have power to make byelaws for regulating the conduct and affairs of the Club provided the same are not inconsistent with these Rules.  Such byelaws shall be posted in some conspicuous part of the Club premises and shall be binding on all the Members.

16. A General Meeting of the Club shall be held in every year not later than the end of January in any year to transact the following business:-

     16.1.                   To receive and, if approved, adopt a statement of the Club’s accounts to the end of the preceding year;

     16.2.                   To consider and, if approved, sanction any duly made alteration of the Rules;

     16.3.                   To appoint the officers and other Members of the Committee;

     16.4.                   To appoint an auditor or auditors;

     16.5.                   To approve the minutes of the previous AGM;

     16.6.                   To receive reports from the Chair, Secretary and Head Coach;

     16.7.                   To deal with any special matter which the Committee desire to bring before the Members and to receive suggestions from the Members for consideration by the Committee.

Notice convening the General Meeting shall be sent to the Members not less than ten days before the Meeting and shall specify the matters to be dealt with.

 17. A special General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee and shall be convened within Ten Days from the receipt of a requisition in writing signed by not less than Six Members specifying the object of the Meeting for any of the following purposes:- 

     17.1.                   To consider and, if approved, sanction any duly made alteration of the Rules;

     17.2.                   To deal with any special matter which the Committee may desire to place before the Members, including the expulsion of a Member;

     17.3.                   To receive the resignation of the Committee or to remove any Member or Members thereof from office and to fill any vacancy or vacancies caused thereby;

     17.4.                   To deal with any special matter which the Members requiring the Meeting may desire to place before the Club.

Notice convening a special General Meeting shall be sent to the Members not less than Seven Days before the Meeting and shall specify the matters to be dealt with.

18. AT Committee Meetings and at General Meetings the chair or vice chair shall preside and he or she shall have a casting or additional vote in the event of an equality of votes.

19. AT Committee Meetings Two office bearers and Two other committee members shall constitute a quorum.  At General Meetings Ten shall form a quorum.  Junior and temporary Members may attend Meetings but they shall not be entitled to vote, and they shall not be counted as part of the necessary quorum.  The views of Junior Members will be taken into consideration before taking any decision other than those necessary for the day to day operation of the club.

20. THE Club shall have the powers within the purpose and spirit of this constitution to:

     20.1.                   apply for funds to help develop the Club and its gymnasts;

     20.2.                   make grants, loans, give guarantees and provide other benefits to improve participation or performance;

     20.3.                   set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves;

     20.4.                   invest funds in any lawful manner;

     20.5.                   take out any insurance for club, employees, contractors, players, guests and third parties;

     20.6.                   do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes.

21. THE financial year shall run from 1 January to 31 December.  The Treasurer shall be empowered to keep bank accounts, which shall be operated in accordance with the instructions of the Committee and shall be audited and submitted to the Annual General Meeting.  The funds of the Redcar Gymnastics And Sports Club shall be placed by the Treasurer in a bank on an account in the name of Redcar Gymnastics And Sports Club.  All surplus income will be used for the benefits of the club and may not be distributed to members or third parties.  The Committee shall authorise in writing four members of the Committee, one of whom shall be the Treasurer, to sign cheques on behalf of the Club.  All cheques must be signed by two authorised signatories.

22. REDCAR Gymnastics And Sports Club may at any time be dissolved by a resolution passed by a Special or Annual General Meeting.  Assets and funds held by Redcar Gymnastics And Sports Club at the time of dissolution, after all debts and liabilities have been met, shall be distributed according to the agreed wishes of the retiring Executive Committee to an organisation with the same aims, failing which to the British Amateur Gymnastics Association.  Mr J Grey as President and Founder of the Club shall have the final say as to where the assets shall be distributed.