RUGELEY & DISTRICT PHOENIX ACTIVITIES CLUB CONSTITUTION

1. NAME & DEFINITIONS

1.1. The name of the Club shall be RUGELEY & DISTRICT PHOENIX ACTIVITIES CLUB, hereinafter referred to as “the Club”.
1.2. In this Constitution, the following definitions apply unless a contrary intention appears
1.2.1. “Officers” means those persons defined in paragraph 6.1.1
1.2.2. “Committee” has the meaning assigned by paragraph 6.2.1
1.2.3. “Subcommittee” means a subcommittee appointed for a specific purpose either by the Club or by the Committee under paragraph 6.3.1 and may include members of the Club who are not necessarily members of the Committee
1.2.4. “Activity Group” means a group of members formed within the Club for the purposes set out in paragraph 5.3.1
1.2.5. “Special General Meeting” means a meeting of Club members other than at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting and convened under paragraph 8.2
1.2.6. “Extraordinary General Meeting” means a meeting convened for the purposes set out in paragraph 14.1 (dissolution)

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1. The objectives of the Club are –
2.1.1. To advance the education of people over 50 years by providing activities to build new capacity and enhance existing skills, thus retaining their physical and mental health
2.1.2. To provide a club environment which is friendly and provides opportunities for members of the community over the age of 50 years to meet socially and explore new activities
2.1.3. To combat isolation by providing a meeting place where members of the Club are encouraged to participate in activities from which they might otherwise be excluded
2.2. In support of these activities the Club shall be affiliated to:
2.2.1. The Staffordshire Federation of Phoenix Clubs
2.2.2. Any organisation which the Committee views as appropriate

3. MEMBERSHIP

3.1.
3.1.1. Membership of the Club shall be open to individuals over the age of 50 years who are interested in furthering the Club’s objectives and pay the annual subscription laid down from time to time by the Committee
3.1.2. Every member shall abide by the Club’s Code of Conduct and any breach of the Code of Conduct shall be dealt with by the Committee under the Code.

4. SUBSCRIPTIONS

4.1. The annual subscription shall be decided by the Committee and shall consist of those monies required to fund the activities of the Club, including premises, administration and other expenses incurred in running the Club
4.2. The subscription shall be due and payable at the start of the Club’s financial year, 1st September

4.3. The subscription paid by a new member joining in July or August shall run to 31st August in the following year
4.4. Fees and charges incurred for any events and activities arranged by the Club shall be separately payable by those members attending such events, subject to any funding agreed by the Committee

5. ACTIVITIES

5.1. Any aspect of the Club’s activities may be organised by a subcommittee appointed under paragraph 6.3.1
5.2. All members or persons who attend Club activities of any kind do so at their own risk and neither the Club nor its officers can accept liability for any loss or injury of any kind sustained whilst engaging in Club activities
5.3.
5.3.1. Weekly or other regular activities may be organised by those who take part in them in Activity Groups
5.3.2. An Activity Group may not be formed without the prior approval of the committee
5.3.3. Each Activity Group shall no later than 15th September in each year appoint a leader and at least one assistant leader for the Group
5.3.4. Members of the Club attending an activity as part of an Activity Group may be required to pay a nominal sum, as determined by the Committee

6. OFFICERS, COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEES

6.1.
6.1.1. The Club shall appoint a President, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer who shall be the Officers of the Club
6.1.2. The President shall be elected for a term of three years by the Members in Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election. The President shall be eligible to attend any meeting concerning Club matters
6.1.3. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by Members at the Annual General Meeting and serve for one year. They shall be eligible for re-election, subject to the Chairman serving a maximum of three years
6.2.
6.2.1. The Committee shall consist of
6.2.1.1. (a) The Officers of the Club as defined in paragraph 6.1.1
6.2.1.2. (b) Other persons appointed at the Annual General Meeting (or at a Special General Meeting under paragraph 6.2.6) to undertake certain functions on behalf of the Club (excluding Honorary Auditor), and
6.2.1.3. (c) One representative from each of the Activity Groups. Such a representative may be, but need not be, the Leader of the Activity Group
6.2.1.4. (d) For the avoidance of doubt, where a function described in subparagraph (b) is carried out by more than one person, only one of them may be appointed to the Committee
6.2.1.5. (e) A person may not be appointed to any position in his or her absence without prior written consent
6.2.2. The Committee shall, subject to the overriding decisions of the Club in Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting conduct the affairs of the Club as a whole
6.2.3. Seven members of the Committee, of whom at least one is an Officer as defined in paragraph 6.1.1 shall form a quorum at any meeting of the Committee
6.2.4. Financial or legal liability incurred in the rightful exercise of their office shall not be the personal liability of the Committee members but shall be the responsibility of the Club as a whole
6.2.5. The Committee shall meet at least once every calendar month. Meetings shall be called by the Secretary on the instruction of the Chairman or by request of three members of the Committee in writing
6.2.6. Casual vacancies on the Committee or any subcommittee shall, in the case of the Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer, and my in the case of other members, be filled by the Committee or subcommittee concerned from the members of the Club to act until a Special General Meeting of the Club can be convened
6.2.7. Voting at the Committee and subcommittee meetings shall be by show of hands; in the event of equality the appropriate Chairman shall have a second and casting vote. All members of the Committee or subcommittee, as the case may be, present at the meeting shall have the right to one vote
6.3.
6.3.1. The Club at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting or the Committee shall have the power to appoint subcommittees as deemed necessary or desirable. The Chairman or his deputy shall be an ex-officio member of any subcommittee. Such subcommittees may co-opt additional members. The appointing body shall lay down terms of reference for ant subcommittee.
6.3.2. Subcommittee meetings may be called by any member of the subcommittee.
6.3.3. Subcommittees shall keep minutes of their meetings. A copy shall be forwarded to the Club Secretary without unnecessary delay.

7. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

7.1. CHAIRMAN
7.1.1. The Chairman will preside at the Annual General Meeting and any Special General Meeting of the Club and at all meetings of the Committee.
7.1.2. The Chairman will be responsible for guiding the activities of the Club in accordance with the Constitution and general policy as expressed by the majority of the members in Annual General Meeting
7.1.3. An account of the year’s activities and progress shall be made by the Chairman to the Annual General Meeting without prejudice
7.1.4. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside
7.2. SECRETARY The Secretary shall –
7.2.1. Convene meetings and keep minutes of proceedings
7.2.2. Attend to all correspondence relating to the general business of the Club
7.2.3. Receive and keep copies of the proceedings of any subcommittees
7.2.4. Generally conduct the business of the Club in accordance with the instructions of the Club and its Committee or subcommittees
7.2.5. In the absence of the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary shall carry out the Secretary’s duties
7.3. TREASURER The Treasurer shall –
7.3.1. Keep proper and accurate account of all monies received or paid on behalf of the Club and its assets
7.3.2. Receive all monies due to the Club. Amounts exceeding reasonable petty cash shall be deposited with the Club’s bankers
7.3.3. Discharge the day-to-day financial liabilities of the Club together with other liabilities incurred on the instructions of the Club or the Committee. Except for small petty-cash type items paid in cash, payments of accounts shall be by crossed cheque signed by either the Chairman or the Secretary and either the Treasurer or the Assistant Treasurer
7.3.4. Prepare the annual account of all transactions during the Club’s financial year, 1st September to 31st August. The accounts with all necessary vouchers shall be submitted to the Club’s Honorary Auditor in sufficient time for his report and the accounts to be submitted to the Annual General Meeting

7.4. OTHER DUTIES ETC

7.4.1. Other persons as defined in subparagraph 6.2.1(b) will perform duties as prescribed by the Committee form time to time
7.4.2. No member shall hold more than one office as defined in paragraph 6.1.1 at any one time

8. GENERAL MEETINGS

8.1. As soon after the end of the Club’s financial year as practicable, the Club shall hold its Annual General Meeting of which no less than 14 days notice shall be given
8.2. A Special General Meeting shall be called as instructed by the Committee or by the written request to the Secretary, signed by ten or more members. The instruction or request shall state the business to be transacted. Such meetings must be held within 28 days of an instruction or request.
8.3. At least seven days of a Special General Meeting shall be given
8.4. Motions for discussion at the Annual General Meeting, not of Committee origin, shall preferably be lodged with the Secretary not less than 7 days before the date of the meeting. Resolutions may be moved from the floor provided that they are properly proposed and seconded
8.5. All members of the Club shall be entitled to attend and speak at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting
8.6. The quorum at the Annual General Meeting shall be 50 members and at a Special General Meeting shall be 20 members
8.7. The decision of the Chairman on points of order and matters affecting the conduct of the meeting shall be final
8.8. At any Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting a resolution put to the vote shall normally be voted on by a show of hands
8.9. In the case of elections of Officers and other members of the Committee under paragraphs 6.1.1 or 6.2.6, where there is more than one nomination, voting shall take place by secret ballot
8.10. To be carried, a resolution shall require a simple majority vote of members present and voting. In the case of equality, the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote.
8.11. If after half an hour from the time appointed for a Special General Meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall, if called at the request of the members, be dissolved. In other cases, the meeting shall be adjourned to a time and place fixed by the Committee. If a quorum is not present at the adjourned meeting, the members present shall constitute a quorum
8.12. Accidental omission to give notice of a meeting, or the non-receipt of a notice of a meeting by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of a meeting

9. AUDITOR

9.1. At every Annual General Meeting an Honorary Auditor shall be appointed. He shall, as soon as practicable after the close of the Club’s financial year, examine the accounts of the Club and ascertain the correctness of income and expenditure accounts and of the balance sheet

10. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

10.1. No alterations or additions to the Constitution shall be made except at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting with the approval of two-thirds of those present and voting

11. DISTRIBUTION OF NET INCOME GENERATED

11.1. Under no circumstances may any net income generated be distributed to members but shall be contributed to the General Fund for furthering the objectives of the Club

12. PROPERTY OF THE CLUB

12.1. All property and effects of the club shall be vested in and for the use of the Club in furthering its objectives
12.2. All monies of the Club in excess of working requirements shall be invested so as to earn interest
12.3. All property and other assets belonging to the Club shall be held in the name of the Club
12.4. An inventory of property belonging to the Club shall be updated each year for insurance purposes

13. POWER OF DECISION

13.1. Any matter not provided for in this Constitution or any question over the interpretation of it shall be dealt with by the Committee whose decision shall be final

14. DISSOLUTION

14.1. The Club may be dissolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club, of which 21 days written notice shall have been given to all members of the Club, with the approval of two thirds of those present and voting
14.2. On dissolution, any property or other assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall be given to or transferred to a body or bodies with similar objectives. The dissolving resolution shall give instructions for the disposal of surplus assets