Club Constitution amended copy 2009

Name
The club will be called MIDDLESBROUGH ATHLETIC CLUB (MANDALE) and will be affiliated to UK Athletics, England Athletics, and adopts the relevant welfare, safety and disciplinary polices of the said organisations.

Aims and objectives
The aims and objectives of the club will be to offer coaching and competitive opportunities in:

Track and Field
Cross Country
Road Running
Fell and Trail Running

To promote the club within the local community and the athletics community:

Ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone.
Ensure that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment.

Membership
Membership is open to all members of the community, without discrimination. All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of conduct that the club has adopted. Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

Full member
Associate member
Junior member
Life member

Membership fees
Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Management Committee or determined at the Annual General Meeting. Fees must be paid on application for membership and thereafter annually on 1st February.

The Committee will have the power to expel any member whose subscription is six months in arrears, provided that one month’s notice of the proposed action has been sent to that member by registered or recorded delivery, addressed to the member’s last known address.

Only fully paid up members are eligible to compete for the club.

Officers of the club
The officers of the club will be:

Chairman
Treasurer
Honorary Secretary
Membership Secretary
Junior Coordinator
Welfare Officer
Coaching Coordinator
Development Coordinator
Publicity Officer
Any other relevant position

Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-election.

Committee
The club will be managed through the Management Committee consisting of the officers of the club. Only these posts will have the right to vote at meetings of the Management Committee.

The Management Committee will be convened by the Secretary and meetings will be held no less than 12 times per year.

The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be 5.

The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

The Management Committee will have the power to appoint sub-committees as necessary and appoint advisers to the Management Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.

The Management Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe club rules/regulations/constitution. The Management Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

Finance
All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club. The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club. The financial year will end on: 31st August. An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting. Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer plus any other signatory.

Travel Expenses Policy
When a bus is provided for away matches, any official choosing to go in their own car, does at there own expense.

Anyone travelling at the request of the club (ie to AGM, meetings etc.) will be reimbursed by the club on condition that the expenses have been agreed prior to travelling.

Annual General Meetings
The Annual General Meeting date will be fixed at the previous AGM. Not less than 21 clear days notice must be given to all members.

The AGM will receive a report from the officers of the Management Committee and a statement of the audited accounts.

Any proposed change to a constitution rule must be made at least 21 days prior to the date of the AGM.

Nominations for officers of the Management Committee will be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM. These must be nominated and seconded by club members. Elections of officers are to take place at the AGM.

Voting will only be by fully paid up members who are over 16 years of age.

The quorum for AGMs will be 20.

Extraordinary General Meetings
The Management Committee has the right to call Extraordinary General Meetings. An EGM will also be called within one month of the receipt of a requisition, signed by at least twenty per cent of the members, stating the purpose of the meeting. No other business will be conducted at such a meeting.

Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM.

Resignation
Any member wishing to resign must do so in writing addressed to the Membership Secretary. The resignation will be considered by the Committee within one month of receipt and will be held as effective on the date of tendering. Resignations will not be accepted if the member has not paid his or her fees for the current year or holds equipment or other property belonging to the club. Acceptance will be withheld until the debt has been discharged.

Discipline and appeals
All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary.

The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 30 days of a complaint being lodged.

The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.

The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.

There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced.

The committee should consider the appeal within 30 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

Appeals against refusal of election to membership and for any appeals will be heard by a separate appeals panel consisting of none of the persons involved in taking the initial decision.

Dissolution
A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will become the property of the North of England Athletic Association.

Amendments to the constitution
The constitution will only be changed at an AGM or an EGM called for that purpose and then only by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.

Declaration
Middlesbrough Athletic Club (Mandale) hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members. A signed copy of the constitution is held in trust by the club secretary