Chorlton Runners Club Constitution

Published 07/03/2022

 Please note the constitution is currently being updated. Some clauses may be superceeded by new policies.

01 Name & Affiliation

The Club will be called Chorlton Runners and will be affiliated to England Athletics.

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02 Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the Club are:

  • To promote the amateur sport of running within the South Manchester area, and community participation in the same.

  • To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in road running, cross country and fell/trail running.

  • To provide all services in a way that is fair and in accordance with UK Athletics (UKA) welfare policy.

To do all such other things as the Committee thinks fit to further the interests of the Club, or to be incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the Club objectives.

 

03 Membership

The Club will ensure all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment. All members of the club must be over 18 years of age.

Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. Every candidate for Lifetime, Affiliated and Second Claim Membership shall be considered by the Committee, which shall admit that candidate to membership of the Club unless to do so would be contrary to the best interests of the sport or the good conduct and interests of the Club.

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 practice that the Club has adopted.

Classes of Members:

  • Lifetime Member (members who have made outstanding contributions)

  • First claim Member (English Athletics affiliated)

  • Ordinary Member

  • Second Claim Member

     

    All Members, apart from second claim members, shall be entitled to receive notice of, and to attend, Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs). All Members, apart from second claim members, shall be entitled to vote at meetings.

    All members shall be subject to these Rules and Regulations of the Club and respect the Rules for Competition as set from time to time by the International Association of Athletics Federations IAAF.
     

04 Membership Fees

The membership fee for First Claim Members is to be set at the current England Athletics athlete affiliation fee plus a contribution towards Club upkeep, as decided by the Committee annually. The membership fee for Ordinary members will be the contribution amount only as paid by Affiliated members.

The membership fee for Lifetime Members is Nil. The England Athletics athlete affiliation fee for Lifetime Members will be paid for by the Club for such time that the Member wishes to remain an active Member of the Club, or under such extraordinary circumstances as decided by the Committee.

There shall be no charge to be a ‘Non-Member’ of the Club. (Those who want to try us out for a few weeks or only run on a Sunday or with Black Sheep with no other involvement in the club)

The membership fee for Second Claim Members who have paid an England Athletics athlete affiliation fee through another club, shall be a contribution towards Club upkeep as decided by the Committee annually.

A Member may withdraw from Membership of the Club at any time. Membership shall not be transferable and no refunds will be given. The member intending to resign should ensure that they comply with the eligibility process of the sport in the event
they wish to join another affiliated Athletics Club.
 

05 The Committee

The Officers of the club will usually consist of (depending upon volunteers available to assume roles)

  • The Chair

  • The Deputy Chair

  • The Secretary

  • The Treasurer

  • The Membership Officer

  • The Welfare and Safety Officer

  • The Communications Coordinator

  • The Social Secretary

  • The Run Leading and Coaching Coordinator

  • The Volunteer Coordinator

  • The Founding Chair (permanent position)

The honorary position of ‘Founding Chair’ is a permanent officer of the Committee, is entitled to attend Committee meetings, contribute to discussions and is granted voting rights. The Founding Chair is Tony Payne.

The officers of the Club are known as the Committee. The Club will be managed through the Committee. The Committee meetings will be convened by the Club Secretary and held no less than four times per year. The quorum required for business to be agreed by the Committee will be five Officers.

The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the Club.

The Committee will have powers to appoint sub-committees as necessary and appoint advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business. Furthermore the Committee may add or remove positions in the best interests of the Club. The positions of Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Welfare and Safety Officer must always remain part of the Committee

When the AGM notification is issued to Members, it shall be stated in such notice which positions on Committee, if any, become vacant for the following year.

To be eligible to be a member of the Committee, the candidate must be an Affiliated Member or a Lifetime Member.

All Members interested in standing for a vacant position on the Committee shall be nominated by either an Affiliated or Lifetime Member, seconded by an existing Officer of the Committee, and elected by ballot at the AGM. Election to the Committee shall be for two years, however if a Committee member wishes to stand down after one year in position, they are able to do so and the position will become vacant.

If the position of Chair is up for election, it must first be appointed from the current or outgoing Officers of the Committee by majority decision. (This is to ensure continuity, as the post holder will have previous in-depth knowledge of previous decision, actions and direction) If there is no current or outgoing Committee member who wishes to stand for Chair, the position shall be up for election at the AGM. If two members of the Committee wish to stand for Chair, a paper vote will take place between Committee members. In the event of a tie, a further vote will be held until such time as a majority is reached.

If there is only one candidate nominated to fill any particular vacancy, that candidate shall be declared elected unopposed for that particular vacancy. If there is more than one candidate for any particular vacancy there shall be a ballot at the AGM. In the event of a tie, a further ballot will be undertaken until such time as a majority is reached.

The Committee may appoint any Member to fill any vacant position on the Committee until the next AGM, when that person shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election.

The Chair shall preside over every meeting over the Committee. If the Chair is unable to be present, the Secretary will preside over the meeting as the acting Chair.

Job shares of future positions on Committee shall be considered by the current Committee, who will have sole discretion to allow or disallow accordingly. The position of Chair shall not be eligible for a job share.

A member of the Committee shall be deemed to have vacated office if:

  • They resign their office by notice to the Chair

  • They are absent without sufficient reason for more than three consecutive meetings of the Committee without the permission of the Committee and the Committee resolves that their office be vacated

  • They are suspended from holding office or from taking part in any activity relating to the administration or management of the Club by a decision of the Constituent Body

They are requested to resign by more than two thirds of the other Committee members acting together.

Decisions of the Committee shall be made by a simple majority, and in the event of an equality of votes, the Chair or acting Chair of that meeting shall have a casting or additional vote.

The Committee shall have the authority to make changes to the Club Constitution if at least 85% of the Committee are in favour of the change.

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06 General Meetings

Notice of the Annual General Meeting and all positions for election will be given by the Club Secretary, with not less than 30 clear days’ notice given to all Members.

The AGM will receive a report from the Committee and a statement of the examined accounts.

Nominations for members of the Committee will be sent to the Club Secretary and Founding Chair prior to the AGM.

Election of vacant Committee positions is to take place at the AGM.

The quorum for AGMs will be 10% of the total combined total of Affiliated and Lifetime Members of the Club.

The Committee have the right to call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) outside of the AGM. Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM


07 Property and Funds

The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the rules and all surplus income or profits are reinvested in the Club.

The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, post activity refreshments and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2013.

The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:

  • Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment;

  • Employ members (though not for competing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present

  • Indemnify the Committee and members acting properly in the course of running the Club against liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets)

08 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 of the Club will end on 31st July each year.

The Committee will agree a reserve of no less than two years of basic operating costs.

The independently examined statement of the annual accounts will be presented by the Club Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

 

09 Discipline

All members are expected to act in accordance with the Club’s code of conduct (aka the Black and Golden Rules ).

The Committee will refer to and act upon England Athletics Club Standards in relation to all matters of discipline.

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Club Welfare Officer within 30 days of an incident taking place, and will be resolved accordingly by the Committee. If required, written details of the complaint made against a Member will be issued to that Member in advance of any meeting.

The Member shall be given an opportunity to make written representations and/or to appear before the Committee, and at any such meeting to be accompanied by a friend to support the Member.

The Member will not be expelled unless at least two thirds of the Committee then present vote in favour of expulsion. The Committee may exclude the Member from training and any other Club events until the meeting considering their expulsion has been held. Any person ceasing to be a Member forfeits all rights in relation to and claims upon the Club, its property, and its funds, and they have no right to the return of any part of their subscription.

 

10 Political Affiliation and Charities

Chorlton Runners is a non-political group and does not endorse any particular political cause, pressure group or charity.

Members should not promote any political cause or pressure group at Club events, while representing the Club or wearing Club kit.

The Committee will consider in each case how it may support individual members in their efforts to raise money or awareness for their preferred charities.

 

11 Dissolution

A decision to dissolve the club shall be proposed only at an Extraordinary General Meeting and shall be passed only if carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the Members present and voting.

The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the Officers of the Committee shall be responsible for the winding-up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.

Any property remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be paid to or distributed to another community amateur sports club for athletics or a charity.