Deeside Orienteering Club - Constitution

The Club's Constitution was not amended at the last AGM held in October 2007.

1. Title

   The name of the club shall be Deeside Orienteering Club (subsequently referred to as the Club).

2. Aims

   1. To promote, encourage and develop the sport of orienteering within Cheshire and Wirral, excluding that part of Cheshire to the east of the M6 motorway.

   2. To maintain appropriate links with the North West Orienteering Association (NWOA) and British Orienteering.

   3. To organise orienteering events within the geographical area defined above, and within other geographical areas as agreed with other orienteering clubs or regional orienteering associations.

   4. To ensure that orienteering events that are organised by the Club follow British Orienteering's Rules and Guidelines.

   5. The Club welcomes new members from all areas of the community.

   6. The Club is intent that children and vulnerable adults will find orienteering a safe environment to have fun, learn and develop. It will do this by adopting and promoting the British Orienteering policy on protecting young and vulnerable people.

3. Officers

   1. The position of President need be filled only if there is an identifiable need for a President to be appointed and if a suitable candidate can be identified for the position. A prospective President shall be identified and nominated by the Management Committee of the Club, and elected by a majority vote at an Annual General Meeting.

   2. A Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the Club shall be elected by a majority vote at each Annual General Meeting.

   3. A Vice-Chairman shall be nominated by the Club's Management Committee from members of the Management Committee.

   4. The Secretary or assistant shall record minutes of Annual General Meetings, Special General Meetings and Management Committee Meetings.

   5. The Treasurer shall prepare accounts and balance sheets which shall be audited and published at each Annual General Meeting.

   6. Cheques drawn on the Club's bank account shall be signed by any two of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

4. Management Committee

   1. Election of the Management Committee

      The Club shall elect a Management Committee at each Annual General Meeting. The Management Committee shall comprise a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor and up to six other committee members.

   2. Functions of the Management Committee

      1. To manage the operation of the Club in such a way that the aims of the Club, as described in the Club's aims, are realised. In order to carry out this function, the Management Committee should meet at least six times per year.

      2. To co-opt additional committee members as necessary. Co-opted committee members are not eligible to vote at Management Committee meetings.

      3. To appoint sub-committees, as necessary, to carry out delegated functions. These functions might include, for example, co-ordination of fixtures and co-ordination of mapping.

      4. To appoint individual Club Members, as necessary, to carry out delegated tasks. These tasks might include, for example, compilation of club statistics, equipment storage and map storage.

   3. Quorum

      A quorum at a Management Committee meeting shall comprise at least five committee members.

5. General Meetings

   1. Annual General Meeting

      An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held within three months of the end of the Club's financial year, namely 31 July. The AGM shall include reports from the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, the election of the following years Management Committee, and the transaction of other business. An Auditor shall be appointed.

   2. Special General Meeting

      A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by the Management Committee or by written application by a quorum of Club Members to the Secretary. A Special General Meeting shall be held within six weeks of receipt of such an application.

   3. Notice of meetings

      At least two weeks notice must be given to all Club Members of a General Meeting. All proposals for discussion at a General Meeting shall be seconded and notified to the Secretary in writing at least two days before the meeting. All nominations for Management Committee members shall be notified to the Secretary at least two days before each AGM, nominees having indicated their willingness to stand for the position for which they are nominated. Nominations may be accepted from the floor of the meeting for any Management Committee positions for which nominations have not been received prior to the meeting.

   4. Voting at General Meetings

      All Club Members present aged 16 and over have one vote, except that a Group has only one vote. Voting at General Meetings shall be by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is requested by either the Chairman or by one third of those Club Members who are eligible to vote. The chairman shall cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie.

   5. Quorum

      A quorum of the Club shall comprise ten Club Members aged 16 and over or one fifth of the membership of the Club aged 16 and over, whichever is least. A Group, if present, shall count as one Club member.

6. Membership

   1. Categories of membership (e.g. club, full, senior, junior, family, group) shall be consistent with NWOA's and British Orienteering's policies.

   2. Life members of the Club shall be proposed by the Management Committee, and shall be elected by a two-thirds majority vote of those Club Members present at an Annual General Meeting.

   3. Membership subscriptions shall be determined at the AGM each year and shall become due on 1 January following the AGM. Members who have not renewed their membership within two months of the due date will cease to be members of the Club.

   4. An application for membership of the Club may be refused by a majority vote at a meeting of the Club's Management Committee.

   5. The Management Committee can expel a Club member from the Club. Prior to expulsion, the Club member shall be given a month's notice of the intended expulsion, and an opportunity to state his/her case before the Management Committee.

   6. All Members of the Club must accept that their membership details will be stored in electronic form, and may be made available to other Club Members electronically and on paper.

7. Changes to the Constitution

   This constitution shall not be altered or rescinded without the consent of two-thirds of voting Club Members present at an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting convened as described in Special General Meetings. Details of any proposed amendments shall be circulated to all Club Members before the meeting.

8. Auditor

   The auditor shall be required to audit the accounts of the Club prior to each year's AGM, and shall be given access to the Club's books, accounts, equipment, maps and property.

9. Dissolution of the Club

   Any decision to dissolve the Club shall be taken at a General Meeting and must be passed with the consent of two-thirds of voting Club Members at the meeting. Any remaining assets shall revert to the North West Orienteering Association.