The Hertfordshire Orienteering Club Constitution

October 2012

The HH Club Constitution is also available as a .pdf file.

  1. TITLE
  2. OBJECT & STANDARDS
  3. MEMBERSHIP
  4. SUBSCRIPTIONS
  5. MANAGEMENT
  6. FINANCE
  7. ANNUAL AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
  8. CLUB COPYRIGHT

     
  1. TITLE

    The club shall be called "The Hertfordshire Orienteering Club" for formal and legal matters related to administration of the club and for publicity purposes. For entries to competitive orienteering and related sports at Club and individual level the title “Happy Herts” or the abbreviation "HH" shall be used.

    2.  

  2. OBJECT & STANDARDS
    1. To promote and foster the sport of orienteering for all ages and abilities, and to encourage individual, interclub and national competition.
    2. The Club welcomes new members from all areas of the community.
    3. The Club is intent that children and vulnerable adults will find orienteering a safe environment in which to have fun, learn and develop. It will do this by adopting and promoting the British Orienteering Federation policy on protecting young and vulnerable people.
    4. The Club will as far as possible meet the requirements of SportEngland Clubmark.

     

  3. MEMBERSHIP
    1. The club shall be an affiliated member of the British Orienteering Federation and the South East Orienteering Association.
    2. Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons and groups (para 3c) on payment of the annual subscription and who agree to comply with the Constitution of the Club.
    3. Classes of membership shall be Senior and Junior in accordance with British Orienteering Federation definitions. In addition, a Group membership class shall be available to schools, and, at the discretion of the Committee, to other organizations. Honorary Life Membership may be awarded by the AGM to a member who has made an outstanding contribution to the Club.

     

  4. SUBSCRIPTIONS
    1. The subscription levied by the Club shall be determined by a resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting.
    2. The annual subscription shall be due on each 1st January. Where a subscription is more than 3 months overdue then the member is deemed to have left the Club. Part annual subscriptions are not available, but any person joining after a date specified by the Committee will obtain the benefit of membership until 31st December of the following year.

     

  5. MANAGEMENT
    1. The Officers of the Club shall be elected by the AGM and shall hold honorary positions which must include the following:

      Chairman
      Secretary
      Treasurer
      Club Captain
      Event Co-ordinator

      and which may include further officers elected to specific honorary positions. No officer of the Club shall remain in a particular honorary position for longer than three consecutive years.

    2. The Committee shall consist of the five Officers named above (para 5a). The Committee may co-opt Club members for contributions on specialist topics or to fulfil particular roles. The Committee may delegate decisions to working groups but the final responsibility will be for the committee. The Chairman shall ensure that each Officer has a brief written job description, agreed by the Committee.
    3. The day-to-day affairs of the Club shall be managed in accordance with the Constitution by the Committee which is mandated to take decisions on behalf of the Club. The Committee shall meet at an average frequency of eight times a year or more. A quorum shall consist of three members of the Committee.
    4. The Chairman shall convene a Club meeting to decide any matter which the Committee feels unable to decide. A quorum at a Club meeting shall be as for an Extraordinary General Meeting.
    5. The Committee shall arrange that a Club newsletter and/or magazine is circulated to members and shall appoint the editor(s) who shall determine their contents, except that the Committee and its working groups shall inform members of decisions taken, by means of the Club newsletter or magazine.
    6. The Committee shall seek the views of junior members about the affairs of the Club and any matters which juniors wish to raise. The forum for this communication shall be decided by the Committee, provided that it occurs at least three times per year and includes meaningful junior representation.

     

  6. FINANCE
    1. The financial year of the Club shall run from 1st June to 31st May. The Treasurer shall prepare annual accounts for auditing and the Financial Report for the AGM.
    2. The Club accounts shall be audited annually. The Honorary Auditor shall be appointed at the AGM and shall not be a member of the Committee.
    3. A current account shall be held in the name of the club. This will hold a working balance and cheques may be signed by one of the authorized signatories as agreed by the Committee. Additional funds shall be held in an interest bearing account. Withdrawals from this account will require two of the authorized signatories. Authorized signatories will be chosen from the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Captain.
    4. In the event of dissolution any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to (in order of priority) the British Orienteering Federation for use by them in related community sports, another registered Community Amateur Sports Club, or a registered charity.

     

  7. ANNUAL AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
    1. The Club shall hold an AGM each year. The agenda for the meeting shall be:
      1. To approve the minutes of the previous AGM.
      2. To receive and consider the Secretary's report on the affairs of the Club for the previous year.
      3. To receive and consider the Treasurer's report and audited accounts.
      4. To elect Officers of the Club and Honorary Life Members.
      5. To elect an Honorary Auditor.
      6. To consider any resolutions, or amendments to the Constitution and to adopt the same if agreed.
      7. To consider any other business relating to the well-being and/or development of the Club which may require the attention of the Committee in the coming year.
    2. Amendments to the Constitution for tabling at the AGM must be received by the Secretary at least 30 days before the meeting.
    3. Nominations with proposer and seconder for the Officers of the Club and Honorary Life Members must be notified in writing to the Secretary prior to the start of the meeting. Elections shall be by secret ballot if one member so requires.
    4. To call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club a written petition, signed by 15 Club members, outlining the reasons for calling the meeting, must be presented to the Secretary at least three weeks prior to the proposed date of the meeting. Only business directly related to the subject of the EGM shall be discussed at the meeting.
    5. At least two weeks' notice of an AGM or EGM shall be given to the membership. It shall be sufficient to give notice by means of the Club membership email distribution list.
    6. A quorum at the AGM or EGM shall be 20 members. All members of the Club shall, irrespective of age, be eligible to vote at Club meetings, the AGM and at Extraordinary General Meetings. In the case of Group membership only one vote shall be recorded.

     

  8. CLUB COPYRIGHT
    1. Any map produced by member(s) at the Club's expense shall become the sole copyright of the Club.
    2. Articles submitted to the Club newsletter and/or magazine shall remain the copyright of their authors.


 
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