Deepings Camera Club Constitution

Deepings Camera Club Constitution Version 5 Revised June 2019.

 

1. TITLE

The Club shall be called 'Deepings Camera Club', hereafter referred to as 'the Club'.

 2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the club are to promote and encourage the interest of photography in the Deepings area.

This will be achieved by:

(a) Arranging a programme of meetings, lectures, demonstrations and competitions and other complementary activities.

(b) Promoting the benefits of membership of the club to new members.

(c) Informing members of club activities and technical developments relating to photography.

 3. MEMBERSHIP

There shall be two types of membership.

 3.1. Ordinary Members

The following levels of Ordinary membership are recognised:

  1. Individual Member (Full) - available to any individual;

  2. Joint Member (Full) - Available to two members of the same household;

  3. Concession Rate Member - (In receipt of State Pension, Job Seekers Allowance or for students age 14 – 25 and still in full-time education) (For students under 18 the application form must be countersigned by a parent or guardian);

  4. Life Member - To be awarded to individual members by the Committee for outstanding service to the club.

 3.2. Temporary Members

  1. New/Guest Members may also be granted Temporary membership for a limited period of up to four Meetings, one of which could be a Mentoring Monday session, after which they will be required to seek full membership.

  2. All full members of a visiting PAGB affiliated club will automatically be granted Temporary Membership of the club for the duration of that event.

  3. The committee may authorise Temporary Membership for a limited period to non-members as they see necessary.

 3.3. An ordinary member is only entitled to the privileges of membership on payment of their annual subscription.

 

3.4. A Register of members will be maintained and updated as necessary.

 

4. SUBSCRIPTIONS & FEES

 4.1. The Club's subscription year will run from 1st September to 31st August and annual subscriptions for full membership will become due on the 1st September of each year. Where new members join after 1st February, their subscription will be two thirds of the applicable full fee (rounded up to the nearest pound).

 4.2. The level of subscriptions will be decided at the AGM to cover:

  1. Individual Member

  2. Joint Member (Full)

  3. Student Member (Full)

  4. Concession Rate Member – (In receipt of State Pension, Job Seekers Allowance or for students age 14 – 25 and still in full-time education)

  5. Reduced rate of subscription for members joining after 1st February

  6. Attendance Fees for club meetings

 4.3. Any member who has not paid their subscription by 1st November will not be entitled to the benefits of full membership. A member may be re-instated, at the discretion of the Committee, on payment of the annual subscription.

 

4.4. Attendance at club meetings will require an attendance fee, as set at the previous Annual General Meeting (AGM). However in exceptional circumstances the committee are allowed to vary the standard fee for individual meetings as necessary.

 

5. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB
 5.1. The affairs of the club will be managed by the Committee, subject to the provisions within this Constitution.

 

5.2. The Committee will be elected from members of the Club through the AGM and will consist of the following executive positions:

 (a)           Chairman

(b)           Vice Chairman

(c)           Honorary Secretary

(d)           Honorary Treasurer

 

Other Committee positions will include:

 (e)           Programme Secretary

(f)           Internal Competition Secretary

(g)           External Competition Secretary

(h)           Membership Secretary

(i)           Publicity Secretary

(j)           IT Secretary

(k)           Social Secretary

(l) Past Chair (for one year)

 

Other non-committee roles will also be required by the club, these can include:

                 Raffle Organiser

                Dinner Organiser

                Refreshments Providers

                Equipment Officer

                Exhibition Organiser

 

The executive positions may only be held by four separate members. Other committee positions maybe carried out by other committee members.

 The Committee will consist of no less than 5 members.

 

5.3. The Committee shall retire annually and be eligible for re-election annually at the AGM.

 

5.4. The Committee may also co-opt advisors to the Committee, whether a full member of the club or not.

 

5.5. The Chairman will stand for a maximum of 2 years, and will not be liable for re-election as Vice Chairman for a period of 2 years. The Vice Chairman will become the Chairman subject to confirmation at the AGM.

 

5.6. At least 1 weeks’ notice of the date, place and agenda for any Committee Meeting will be given in writing (or email) by the Secretary.

 

5.7. Any business conducted by correspondence will be circulated through the Secretary, or nominee, by post or e-mail. A Committee Member not responding to a motion communicated to them in writing within 3 weeks of the date of sending (or other date notified in the correspondence) will be deemed to have abstained from the motion.

 

5.8. The Committee will be the only body to make recommendations for changes to the Club Rules. The Committee may make recommendations to full members in a General Meeting, or by post / email / internet, for alteration or addition to the Club Rules. The committee will also investigate and discuss any reasonable suggestions made by any paid up member for a recommendation.

 

5.9. At meetings of the Committee, 4 of the elected members (to include at least 2 executive officers) will form the minimum number for a quorum, for the purpose of decision making.

 

6. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

 6.1. The Club financial year will run from 1st May to 30th April.

 

6.2. The Club will be funded through the collection of Membership Subscriptions, Admission Fees, Raffles and any other revenue negotiated by the Committee.

 

6.3. The Treasurer will ensure that true records are maintained, covering:

(a) All monies received and expended by the Club and the reason for such receipts and expenditure.

(b) All monies, assets and liabilities of the Club.

 

6.4. An Annual Financial Statement will be prepared for the 12 months to 30th April and, audited and presented at the AGM.

 

6.5 Club funds will be held at recognised banks or building societies, to be determined by the committee

 

6.6 The club will work towards maintaining reserves of 50% (+/- 5%) of a year’s expenditure to ensure it can meets its financial commitments, If the reserve fall below 40% of a year’s expenditure this would constitute an AMBER warning and action needs to be taken for maintaining the reserve. If the reserve falls below 30% of a year’s expenditure this would constitute a RED alert and urgent action is required.


6.7 All cheques will normally be signed by the Treasurer and one other of the executive committee members, or a non-executive committee member when specifically designated by the Committee. When the Treasurer is not available, then cheques may also be signed by two of the other executive committee members.

 

6.7 Final year end accounts will be audited by an independent auditor, as appointed by the committee prior to the AGM.

 

7. GENERAL MEETINGS

 

7.1. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club will be held at a place, and time determined by the Committee.

                                                                                                               

7.2. A Special General Meeting may be called by the Committee or by the Secretary upon receipt of a written request & signed by no fewer than 8 ordinary members of the Club.

 

7.3. At least six weeks' notice will be given to members of any General Meeting.

 

7.4. At General Meetings, decisions will be limited to items on the agenda. Items brought up as 'Any other business' will only be discussed at the discretion of the Chairman.

 

7.5. Decisions will be achieved by voting. The Secretary will be responsible for recording the results of voting in the minutes. These results will be published on the Club website.

 

7.6. A quorum shall be 20% of the membership, or 10 non-committee members, which ever shall be the smaller.

 

7.7. All nominations and propositions shall not be accepted unless given to the Hon. Secretary 14 days before the date of the meeting and signed by two ordinary members of the Club as proposer and seconder.

 

7.8 The AGM agenda will include the following items as a minimum:

  • Chairman's Report

  • Treasurer's Report (including Audited Accounts and Balance Sheet)

  • Programme Secretary's Report

  • Competition Secretaries' Report

  • Setting of fees for the following year

  • Election of Officers and Committee

 8. COMPETITIONS

 

8.1 The Competition Secretaries will organise a number of competitions in conjunction with the Programme Secretary.

 

8.2 Competition rules will be controlled by the Competition Secretaries (a copy will be posted on the Club's website and a written copy will be available on request to the Competition Secretaries). Any amendments required by the Competition Secretaries will be put before the Committee for approval.

 

8.3 The Competition Secretaries will be responsible for deciding which external competitions the Club will enter and a subcommittee of at least three ordinary members, will be formed to decide which images should represent the Club.


9. SUSPENSION OR REMOVAL FROM MEMBERSHIP

 

9.1. A member may be suspended or removed from membership by the Committee only after a hearing, where the individual will be provided with a fair opportunity to present details relating to the matter, prior to the Committee making its decision.

 

9.2. A member suspended or removed from membership by the Committee, will have the right of appeal via a vote of the membership at a Special General Meeting.

 

9.3. A member will not be entitled to the return of any of their subscription in respect of the period for which they are suspended or removed from membership.

 

10. CONSTITUTION

 

10.1 A copy of the Constitution shall be posted on the Club's website. A written copy is also available on request to the Hon Secretary.

 

10.2 No alterations to the Constitution shall be made except at the AGM.

 

11. LIMITATIONS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

 

11.1. In the execution of their responsibilities under this constitution, Committee members will not be liable for any loss to members or former members or to the assets of the Club, by reason of any mistake or omission made in good faith by them or any other member of the Committee or for any other matter, other than wilful and individual wrongdoing, omission or fraud on the part of the person who is proved liable.

 

11.2. The Club may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those full members present at a Special General Meeting convened for this purpose. The resolution may include proposals for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Club, following the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities. Such assets will not be paid to or distributed among the members, but given or transferred to such other charitable organisations or institutions having objectives similar to some or all of those of the Club, as the members may determine.


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