CONSTITUTION

1.TITLE
This body shall be called Great Bentley Running Club and hereafter termed The Club.

2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Club shall be:
a. To promote the sport of running in the local community and to organise, arrange and participate in running events.
b. To safeguard the rights and interests of members in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Committee and recommended athletic practice, and to provide a social, safe and enjoyable running experience.
c. To maintain a website and publish a magazine promoting the Club and reporting on its activities.

3. AFFILIATIONS
Great Bentley Running Club is a bona-fide amateur athletics Club, affiliated to UKA in accordance with its Articles of Association and paragraph 2,1 of the UKA Rule Book. The Club is also affiliated to the Territorial or National Association in this area, namely the South East Athletic Association (SEAA).
The Club 5 mile and 10 mile races are certified by the British Association of Road Races (BARR).

4. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Club, at present, shall be available to any person over 14 years of age interested in its aims and objectives.
Membership assumes you wish to be a First Claim member of Great Bentley Running Club for Road Running, Cross Country and Trail Running. Those wishing to run for Great Bentley Running Club as Second Claim must inform the Secretary at the time of their application for membership.
Running as Second Claim for another club is allowed in events where either the organisers state second claim runners are allowed, and Great Bentley Running Club is not participating, or in a League where Great Bentley Running Club does not participate. In either case, permission is required from the Chairman of the Great Bentley Running Club.
Members who wish to switch from First Claim to Second Claim for the Club must inform the Chairman and Secretary so that a special form can be sent to SEAA for approval. Failure to comply may lead to the SEAA imposing a lengthy ban from competition on the athlete.
For events not covered by the Club in the list in the UKA Rule Book, i.e. Track and Field; Race Walking; Fell & Hill Running, First Claim status with another club can be allowed prior to approval of SEAA. In multisport events such as Triathlon, Duathlon etc, First Claim status with another Club will also be allowed.

5. DEFINITIONS
The Constitution and General Rules shall govern the Club.
The Constitution may only be altered or amended subject to a proposal for such an amendment being placed before an AGM or an EGM and carried by a simple majority at that meeting. A referendum shall then be held and a majority of 75 per cent of the votes cast shall be required to carry the amendment.
Such variations shall be effective from the date of their publication in the Club following their acceptance.
General Rules may only be introduced or amended by a proposal being placed before an AGM or an EGM and being carried by a majority of 60% of the votes cast. Such changes shall be effective from the date of that meeting. No General Rule may contravene a Constitutional Rule.

6. PROFIT MAKING AND INDIVIDUAL/GROUP INTERESTS
The Club shall exist as a non-profit making organisation, other than for The Club's benefit.
Any information or documentation produced by a Club Official in accordance with his or her terms of reference, at the time of instruction or within the terms of reference then applying, shall be deemed Club property. A Club Official should hold a copy of such information as part of the Club's archives.
Any general funds raised by The Club shall be distributed at the discretion of The Committee. Fund raising for specific purposes may be undertaken at the discretion of the Committee.

7. ASSETS
The Committee shall be empowered to acquire through gift or purchase, assets relevant to the defined objectives of The Club. They shall hold, sell, loan or hire such assets as may be in the best interests of The Club. The conditions of such sales, loans or hiring shall be made in accordance with the instructions of the Club Committee.

8. RETIREMENT
a. Retiring or resigning Club Officials shall relinquish their posts at the next meeting of The Club Committee following their decision. Club property and any financial accounts held by such an official should be returned to the Club Treasurer prior to the next Committee Meeting. If the Official involved is the Club Treasurer then Club property and accounts shall be forwarded to the Chairman or other nominee.
b. Following the resignation of any Club Official, the Committee shall ask the membership for nominees for the vacant position. If there is more than one nominee, a ballot will be held to select the new Official.

9. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
a. Action to Disband - In the event of a motion for the dissolution of The Club being passed by an AGM or EGM, a referendum majority of 75 percent in favour of the motion shall be required before action is taken to comply.
b. Disposal of assets - If a dissolution motion is carried, The Committee shall be entrusted with the disposal of the assets and property of the Club. In discharging this duty, it shall be incumbent upon the Committee to observe the spirit of the Club's objectives and to ensure the preservation of any assets that were acquired.
c. Disposal of Surplus Funds - Any monies remaining after disposal of all the assets and properties shall, after payments of outstanding debts, be distributed to charities.

10. OTHER MATTERS
The Committee, whose decision shall be deemed final, shall deal with any matter not provided for in the Constitution.

GENERAL RULES

1. MANAGEMENT
a. The management and control of The Club shall be vested in a Club Committee which shall consist of the following members of The Club: - Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Race Director, Events Secretary, Webmaster and Team Captains. Five members of the Committee are required to make a quorum.
b. The Committee may fill casual vacancies on the Committee by co-option. Any person so co-opted shall serve only while the person in whose place he/she is Co-opted would have served.

2. ACCOUNTS
a. The Treasurer shall keep an account of all income and expenditure and shall submit accounts, duly audited, at the AGM. The Banking Account shall be in the name of The Club and withdrawals shall be made in the name of The Club on the signature of any two of the following: - (a) Chairman, (b) Treasurer, (c) Secretary.
b. An accountant, not being a member of the Committee shall be appointed at the AGM to ratify the accounts and books of The Club. All the Clubs audits should be made annually at least 30 days before the AGM

3. MEETINGS
Committee meetings are to be held regularly throughout the year. Minutes of Committee Meetings shall be made available for all Members by The Secretary within 14 days of the meeting taking place, and shall be published in the next available Club Magazine.

4. EXPENSES
Club Officials and elected members of the Committee shall be entitled to recover from the Treasurer any reasonable expenses incurred in the course of performing their duties. All claims must be presented with relevant receipts and kept as proof for accounting purposes.

5. VOTING
a. Each Member of the Committee shall have one vote. The Chairman shall cast his/her vote only in the event of a tied vote. This shall apply to any nominated deputy taking the chair at a General or Committee meeting in the absence of the elected Chairman. Visiting Members shall have no votes at committee meetings.
b. Referendum - The decision to hold a referendum shall be carried by a simple majority vote. Where referred to in The Rules, a referendum shall consist of a postal ballot of all Members. The outcome shall be decided by a majority vote of 75 percent of the votes received.
c. In a referendum, current, fully paid-up members shall be entitled to vote.

6. SPECIAL COMMITTEES
The Committee shall appoint for specific purposes such Special Committees as may become necessary to assist in the management of the Club's affairs. Any such Committee shall include at least one Member of the Committee together with other Members or non-members as required.

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a. Requirements - Members of the Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting at which 11 members will form a quorum. The Committee shall decide the time, date and place of the AGM.
b. Notice - Every Member shall receive notice in writing from The Secretary at least 30 days prior to the AGM taking place.
c. The agenda for the AGM will include, but may not be limited to:
i. Election of the Committee.
ii. Consideration of Officer's reports.
iii. Consideration of such other business as the Committee may bring before the meeting.
iv. Consider any proposals that a Member has placed before the Secretary in writing at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.
d. Objections - If a decision is passed at the AGM, which the Committee consider could be injurious to the best interests of The Club, the Committee may, within sixty days of the passing of the resolution, submit it to a referendum.
e. Adjournment - Any AGM duly constituted may be adjourned for up to sixty days and to such place as the Members present direct. Every adjourned meeting shall be considered to be a continuation of the original meeting and no notice therefore need be given. No business shall be brought up at an adjourned meeting that could not have been transacted at the original meeting. At any adjourned meeting 11 members shall form a quorum.
f. Voting - The votes in any AGM shall be carried by a simple majority of eligible Members.
g. EGM - A special Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened at the request, in writing, to the Secretary, of the members of The Club. Such a meeting shall be held within forty-five days of the request. The Secretary should inform all members by post within 30 days of The EGM taking place.

8. MEMBERSHIP
Eligibility for Membership of the Club is defined in paragraph 4 of the Constitution.
a. Application - The Club may decline any application for membership stating the reason to the applicant.
b. Resignation - Any Member wishing to resign from membership shall give notice in writing of their desire to do so to the Secretary of the Club. The remaining or unexpired portion of any subscription paid shall not be refunded.
c. Entitlements - Every full Member of the Club shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership. Every Member is bound to abide by the current rules of The Club.
d. Subscription - The annual subscription of Members shall be as determined by the Committee prior to any AGM Membership will extend for one year from 1st April until 31st March the following year.
e. The date of subscription payment - In the event of new Members, subscription and fees must be made upon application for membership. A special reduced rate is payable for new members who join after the AGM.
f. The Membership Secretary will send a reminder of Subscription for renewal of Membership to all active members at least 14 days prior to the renewal date.
g. If a member has not renewed his/her subscription by the date of the AGM, then that membership will be regarded as lapsed, and he/she will lose the benefits of membership.
h. Information - Every full Member shall be furnished with a copy of the current Club Rules.
i. Proof of Club Membership - Members may be required to present a current membership card as proof of membership when voting at meetings, when entering a closed to Club events or when wishing to make any use of any special facility afforded to Club Members.
j. Unauthorised Publications - No Member shall publish any letter or document purporting to be on behalf of The Club without the prior permission of The Committee. Any liability arising from such publication made without prior permission shall be entirely the responsibility of the individual(s) concerned.
k. Regalia - Any Member running in a Club team must wear Club Colours.
l. Complaints - Any complaint against Members shall be made in writing to the Secretary who will call for a meeting within 30 days of the complaint.
m. The Committee shall have the power to suspend any Members from the privileges of The Club pending an investigation of the complaint. Either party shall have the right to appeal to a Committee convened for that purpose. Proceedings on any resolution under this rule shall not be made invalid by non-attendance before the Committee of the Member whose conduct is under consideration. In the event of any Member being expelled or requested to resign, the unexpired portion of any subscription may be forfeited.
n. In all cases of dispute or disagreement, members shall be bound by the decision of the Committee. An appeal against such decisions may be made to The Club Chairman, providing the appeal has the support of three Club members. Upon receipt in writing of such an appeal, setting out the nature of the appeal and bearing the signatures and names of the supporting members, the Chairman shall convene a Chairman's Committee. This shall consist of The Chairman plus three neutral members by agreement with the Committee and the member lodging the appeal. A decision will be produced within twenty-eight days of the sitting of the Chairman's Committee and the result will be issued in writing to the Committee and the member.o. Family Membership - Family Members shall have the same rights and privileges as Full Members, but each household shall only receive one copy of any Club publication.

9. HONORARY MEMBERSHIP
Appointment of Honorary Position - The Club, at an AGM, may confer Honorary
Membership upon any Member or Non-member as a token for their meritorious services
to the Club. They will be entitled to full complimentary rights of Club Membership.
The awards will be made in accordance with The Rules applying to such meetings.

ADDENDUM CLUB OFFICIALS - STATUS AND ROLES
(This is for information only, and is not part of the Club Constitution).

a. Club Committee - All Members of the Committee shall hold their post for one year. Any Member may make nominations. Retiring Officials are eligible for re-election.
b. Role of the Committee - The Committee shall make decisions on behalf of The Club and the Club members, endeavouring to act in the best interests of The Club and the sport at all times.
c. Role of the Chairman - The Club Chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the Club. The Club Chairman shall take the chair at all Committee meetings, at the AGM and any EGM. He/she may be asked to take the chair at any Club meeting.
d. Role of The Vice-Chairman - The Club Vice-Chairman is the Deputy executive officer of the Club. He/she shall take the chair at all relevant occasions in the absence of the Chairman. Should the Chairman resign, the Vice-Chairman shall deputise until such time as a new Chairman is elected.
e. Role of the Club Secretary - He/she shall act as Secretary to the Committee and to any AGM or EGM. He/she shall compile minutes and maintain the minute books in good order and with security. A current copy of The Rules shall be held by him and shall be available to any Member at all times. He/she shall be responsible for the Register of present members and membership dues of The Club. He/she shall keep a list of members both present and lapsed for reference purposes and all relevant details thereof.
f. Role of the Race Director - The Race Director shall have overall responsibility for the organisation of a race/races on behalf of The Club. He / She shall expect full support of both members of the Club and the Club Committee to support them in any way required to make any race(s) a success for The Club. All contacts and representatives required e.g. Police; First Aid and relevant Council personnel should be kept for reference purposes.
g. Role of the Events Secretary - The Events Secretary shall liaise with other clubs regarding upcoming races. He/she shall support the Race Director at GBRC events, helping to ensure the smooth running of such events.
h. Role of the Treasurer - The Club Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the Club. He/she shall have charge of all the Club's Bank Accounts and be responsible for The Club's various tax affairs and for any payments due to the Tax Authorities. He/she will have a general authority to make payments from The Club's funds of a normal and/or recurring nature without any special permission being obtained. He/she will produce an annual financial statement and balance sheet that will be subject to an external audit. This will be circulated to Members prior to the AGM and shall be presented for approval at the AGM.
i. Role of the Webmaster - The webmaster shall be responsible for maintaining and updating the Club website.
j. Role of the Press Secretary - The Press Secretary shall be responsible for matters relating to the press, press relations and any T.V. or radio interest. He/she shall endeavour to send reports to local press as frequently as reasonably possible.
k. Role of the Social Secretary - The Social Secretary shall be responsible for any social events arranged for The Club members. He/she shall endeavour to arrange functions or fun events as The Club deems fit.
l. Role of the Kit Secretary - The Kit Secretary shall be responsible for all matters concerning ordering Club Kit. He/she shall keep records of all kit ordered and payment thereof and be available for inspection if required for auditing purposes.
m. Role of the Team Captains - The Ladies and Mens Team Captains are responsible for all issues concerning team events. They shall decide the team(s) at all events at which The Club competes.
n. Role of the Child Protection Officer - The Child Protection Officer is responsible for all issues concerning juniors. He/she shall decide the team(s) concerning juniors at all events at which The Club competes. He/she should abide by the rules laid down by AAA's Child Protection Policy at all times. He/she may and will if requested supply confirmation of suitability to deal with and train children by the Police (payable by The Club).

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