CONSTITUTION (04 April 2016)

Title

1. The club shall be known as Preston Harriers (hereinafter to be referred to as "the Club").

Objects

2. The objects of the Club shall be:

2.1. To encourage the practice and development of amateur athletics.

2.2. To provide coaching for the members.

2.3. To organise competitions.

2.4. To organise teams to represent the Club in championships and leagues and in such other competitions as the Management Committee shall decide.

3. The Club shall cater for the following athletics disciplines:

3.1. Track and field.

3.2. Cross country running.

3.3. Road running.

3.4. Fell running.

Membership

4. Membership shall be open to persons who are amateurs as defined by UK Athletics. There shall be a minimum age of eight years. The official application form must be completed and each candidate for membership must be accepted by the Management Committee. Positive responses from at least five elected committee members, including the Chairman or Secretary, will be sufficient to approve membership. The appropriate subscription must accompany the application for membership. No person shall otherwise be denied membership of the Club on the grounds of race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, age disability, sex, occupation, sexual orientation, religion, political or other beliefs.

a )Any application for membership for an athlete to compete in a particular athletic event must be received by the Membership Secretary at least four working days prior to the athletic event.

5. Honorary membership may be offered to any member who is a qualified coach whilst active in the Club or any active qualified technical official attached to the Club or a Member who is over 70 years of age and has been a Member of the Club for 10 consecutive years.

6. a. Honorary life membership of the Club may be conferred upon any member by a majority vote of those present at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in recognition of someone who has performed an outstanding service, or who has made an outstanding contribution to the Club.

b. Associate membership shall confer the rights of full membership with the exception that Associate Members shall not be able to represent the Club in any local, regional, national or international competition.

7. Any member wishing to resign from membership must do so in writing to the Membership Secretary before the AGM, failing which, they shall be liable for the ensuing year’s subscription.

8. Resignation shall be considered by the Management Committee within one calendar month of receipt and will be held as effective from the date of tendering. Resignations will not be accepted if the member is financially indebted to the club, i.e. has not paid their subscription for the current year and acceptance of the resignation will be withheld until the debt has been discharged.

9. The Management Committee shall have the power to suspend or exclude any member for contravention of this Constitution, documented rules or published codes of conduct, or for continuing behaviour which is deemed to be unreasonable following a formal written warning about such behaviour issued by the Chairman and/ or the Secretary acting on behalf of the Management Committee. In exercising these powers the Management Committee shall adhere to the Club’s disciplinary and grievance procedures as outlined in Item 27.

Management

10. The management of the Club shall be vested in a Management Committee which shall consist of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Membership Secretary who shall be Officers of the Club together with a maximum of ten other members. All the foregoing shall be elected at the AGM and remain in office until the conclusion of the AGM of the following year.

11. The Officers of the Club shall be honorary members during their year of office.

12. Five elected committee members are required for a quorum for a Management Committee meeting to take place providing the Chairman or Secretary is also present.

13. The Management Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies if they arise and to co-opt members for particular projects, but co-opted members shall not have a Management Committee vote.

14. The Management Committee shall also have the power to establish any sub-committee deemed appropriate to assist in meeting the objectives of the Club, and to delegate to these sub-committees such duties as may be considered appropriate. These sub-committee meetings need a minimum of 3 sub-committee members to include either the Chairperson or Secretary of that sub-committee to be quorate

15. The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint individuals to perform specific duties on behalf of the committee, and to delegate to those individuals such duties as they consider appropriate. Those duties may be the subject of such remuneration as may be agreed by the Management Committee.

Annual General Meeting

16. The AGM shall be held in the month of April for the purpose of:

16.1. Receiving the annual report of the Secretary.

16.2. Receiving the certified financial statements and the Treasurer’s report.

16.3. Electing the officers and the committee for the ensuing year.

16.4. The AGM shall be held in the month of April for the purposes of appointing an independent examiner with appropriate professional status to certify the end of year accounts.

16.5. Considering any amendment to the constitution of which due notice has been given to all members. Any proposed change to the constitution must be received by the Chairman or Secretary by 1st March preceding the meeting in order that all members shall have sufficient notice of the proposal.

16.6. Transacting any other notified business.

17. At least 14 days notice shall be given to members of the date, venue and agenda items for the AGM.

18. All registered members of the Club at the meeting who are aged 18 years or more shall have one vote. In the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson will have a second, casting, vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands except where the Chairman decides voting shall be by ballot.

Affiliations

19. The club shall seek to be affiliated to England Athletics and such other amateur bodies as the Management Committee consider appropriate in order to carry out the objectives of the club.

Subscriptions

20. Annual subscriptions will be on a graduated scale dependant on age and circumstance and shall become due for payment during April of each year, with the amounts being determined by the Management Committee.

21. Any member failing to make payment by 30th September shall cease to be entitled to the rights and privileges of membership and may be expelled provided that one month’s notice in writing shall have been sent to the member’s last known address informing him/her of the proposed action.

22. The name and address of any person so expelled from the club shall be recorded and sent to the appropriate Regional Association. Every person whose name has been so recorded shall be suspended from competing at any meeting held under UK Athletics rules until the liability causing the expulsion, which shall not exceed one year’s subscription, shall be discharged.

Finance

23. The financial year of the Club shall start on 1st January and end on 31st December.

24. All funds belonging to the Club shall be deposited with a bank or building society in accounts that shall carry the Club title. With the exception of online payment of membership fees to England Athletics all accounts shall operate on one signature for amounts not exceeding £100 (one hundred pounds) and from two signatures for all other amounts, from a panel of four, all of whom shall be members of the Management Committee.

25. Expenditure above agreed budget levels may only be authorised at a Management Committee meeting.

26. On the winding up or dissolution of the Club all moneys and assets remaining after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to other clubs or associations having objects similar to the objects of the Club.

Codes of Conduct

27. The Club shall have written policies on child protection and equal opportunities and in all other disciplinary matters shall follow the procedures adopted by UK Athletics.

Extraordinary General Meeting

28. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called and held within one month at the instigation of the Management Committee or on receipt of a requisition signed by at least 20 members or 25% of the Club membership whichever is least. All signatories being members eligible to vote at an AGM. The requisition must state the purpose of the meeting.

29. At least 14 days’ notice shall be given to all members of the date, venue and purpose of the EGM. No other business shall be conducted at such a meeting and voting arrangements will be the same as an AGM.

Alterations to the Constitution.

30. The Constitution may be altered but only by a resolution passed by two-thirds of those present and voting at an AGM, or an EGM called for that purpose.