Club Constitution
1. TITLE
The Club shall be known as the "Hodnet & District Garden Club", hereinafter referred to as the Club.
2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Club are:
· To bring together people with an interest in gardening in Hodnet and the surrounding district.
· To provide a discussion forum in respect of gardening and gardening related issues.
· To arrange regular meetings for Club members.
· To arrange for guest speakers to give presentations on gardening or gardening related topics or any other subjects of general interest.
· To arrange visits to places of gardening or horticultural interest.
· To hold an Annual Horticultural Show.
All profits arising from the general business of the Club and all subscriptions received shall be used for the accomplishment of the objectives of the Club.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Club shall consist of such persons whose application for membership is approved by the Committee as hereafter defined and who shall have fully paid their subscriptions.
The membership year shall run from 1st January to 31st December.
The Club Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining a register of the names, addresses and email address of all members.
Membership subscriptions shall be payable annually in advance and shall be of such amount as determined each year by the AGM.
Membership shall automatically be cancelled if a member’s subscription is more than one year in arrears.
A member may resign from the Club by sending written notice to the Secretary. Any subscription paid by such member for the year in which resignation is made shall be forfeited.
Any member aggrieved by the action(s) of the Club Committee may appeal to the next Annual General Meeting giving notice in writing to the Club Secretary at least 30 days prior to the AGM. The appeal shall be upheld if two thirds of members present vote in favour.
Any member changing address shall notify the Club Secretary in writing.
4. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
A General Meeting may, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and entitled to vote, expel any member for conduct detrimental to the Club, provided that a notice specifying the conduct for which it is intended to expel is sent to the member at the address entered in the register of members at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting.
5. COMMITTEE
The management of the Club shall be conducted by a committee composed of:
· Chairman
· Vice-Chairman
· Treasurer
· Club Secretary
· Minutes Secretary
· Press & Programme Secretary
· Show Secretary
· Members elected at the Annual General Meeting
The Committee shall have powers to co-opt.
Officers and members of the Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a register of the names and addresses of Officers and Committee members, the date at which they were elected and the date at which they either resigned or failed to be re-elected.
The Committee shall have the right to set up sub-committees to carry out specific functions e.g.: Annual Show and Christmas Social.
Officers and Committee Members shall be elected for a period of two consecutive years and may be re-elected at the end of this period.
6. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The Club Committee shall meet at least four times per year or at such times as may be deemed necessary.
A quorum shall be 5 members or such other number as may be agreed at an Annual General Meeting.
The Secretary shall notify all Committee members of the date, time and place of all Committee meetings giving at least seven days’ notice of such meetings and circulating the agenda for the meeting.
At all meetings of the Committee each agenda item requiring a vote shall be decided by a simple majority vote, one vote per Committee member. In the event of an equal number of votes being cast both ‘for’ and ‘against’, the Chairman shall have the casting vote. In the event of the Chairman being absent, an acting Chairman shall be appointed, prior to the opening of the meeting, who shall preside.
In the event of an emergency, the Chairman plus one other Officer may make an executive decision where it is not practicable for the issue to be addressed at a regular or special Committee meeting. Details of the action will be recorded for presentation at the next regular meeting of the Committee.
7. REGULAR MEETINGS AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
The Secretary or other designated Committee member shall circulate Programmes on a regular basis giving details of meetings, outings and any other relevant information.
Notice of meetings, outings, etc., shall be posted on the Club web site and updated on a regular basis by the Club Secretary or other designated Committee member.
The AGM shall be held in October each year, details of which will be in the Programme circulated to all members. The business transacted shall include but not be restricted to:
• Chairman’s Report
• Treasurer’s Report including presentation of the audited Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet for the preceding financial year (1st January to 31st December)
• Election of Officers and Committee to take up their posts from the 1st January the following year.
A Special General Meeting (SGM) shall be called whenever the Club Committee deems it expedient.
The Chairman shall normally preside at all meetings and a quorum shall be 10 members or 25% of the membership, whichever is the greater.
Payment of the annual subscription shall be a pre-requisite condition to members’ entitlement to vote at any AGM or SGM.
All motions at any AGM or SGM shall be disposed of by a show of hands.
8. FINANCE
The Treasurer shall have responsibility for all financial aspects of the Club and shall bank all monies (except petty cash) in the name of the Club.
The Treasurer shall give financial statements at all Committee Meetings.
The Treasurer shall close the Accounts on 31st December each year and prepare Income and Expenditure statements and a Balance Sheet for examination by the Auditor by the end of March in the next year and for presentation to the membership at the AGM in October.
On submission of receipts the Treasurer shall pay out-of-pocket expenses of any Officer, Committee Member or member reasonably incurred in respect of the business of the Club.
All cheques must be signed by the Treasurer.
The Financial Year shall end on 31st December of each year.
Any member or person having a legitimate interest in the funds of the Club shall be allowed at all reasonable times to inspect the accounts.
Loans, borrowing or other credit arrangements will require approval by the Club Committee before entering into any contractual arrangement.
If, for any reason, the Treasurer ceases to hold office, the Club Committee will appoint an acting Treasurer and request the Auditor to conduct an interim audit prior to the new Treasurer assuming office.
The Treasurer shall propose any changes required in the membership fee at the AGM where members will consider and vote on the proposal.
9. AUDITOR
For the purposes of this Constitution the term ‘Auditor’ shall apply to any person competent to examine the Books, Statements, Receipts and Accounts of the Club and to give an accurate report in respect of their conclusions. The person appointed as ‘Auditor’ does not have to be fully qualified as such.
An Auditor shall be appointed at each AGM and shall hold office until the close of the following AGM.
The Auditor must not be an Officer of the Club but any other person, member or not, who has agreed to carry out the duty, may be nominated and appointed each year at the AGM
If, for any reason, the Auditor ceases to hold office, the Club Committee will appoint a replacement Auditor as soon as is practicable and record the action in the minutes.
10. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
No changes to the Constitution may be made except at an AGM or a SGM called for that purpose, of which at least seven days’ notice must be given.
Any changes proposed must be agreed by vote at an AGM or SGM called for that purpose by a two thirds majority of those members attending.
11. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
The Club can be dissolved by two thirds majority vote of eligible members present at an AGM or SGM whereupon the Committee will arrange to discharge any assets amongst nominate charities and groups. Any liabilities at the time of dissolution shall be the joint responsibility of all Members.
12. COPIES OF THIS CONSTITUTION
A copy of this Constitution shall be available for members to read at each monthly meeting held in the Lyon Hall and can be downloaded here.
15. OTHER MATTERS
Any matter not covered by the rules laid out in the Constitution shall be determined by the Club Committee and shall be binding until rescinded or agreed at the next AGM or SGM convened for the purpose.
The Club shall be known as the "Hodnet & District Garden Club", hereinafter referred to as the Club.
2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Club are:
· To bring together people with an interest in gardening in Hodnet and the surrounding district.
· To provide a discussion forum in respect of gardening and gardening related issues.
· To arrange regular meetings for Club members.
· To arrange for guest speakers to give presentations on gardening or gardening related topics or any other subjects of general interest.
· To arrange visits to places of gardening or horticultural interest.
· To hold an Annual Horticultural Show.
All profits arising from the general business of the Club and all subscriptions received shall be used for the accomplishment of the objectives of the Club.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Club shall consist of such persons whose application for membership is approved by the Committee as hereafter defined and who shall have fully paid their subscriptions.
The membership year shall run from 1st January to 31st December.
The Club Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining a register of the names, addresses and email address of all members.
Membership subscriptions shall be payable annually in advance and shall be of such amount as determined each year by the AGM.
Membership shall automatically be cancelled if a member’s subscription is more than one year in arrears.
A member may resign from the Club by sending written notice to the Secretary. Any subscription paid by such member for the year in which resignation is made shall be forfeited.
Any member aggrieved by the action(s) of the Club Committee may appeal to the next Annual General Meeting giving notice in writing to the Club Secretary at least 30 days prior to the AGM. The appeal shall be upheld if two thirds of members present vote in favour.
Any member changing address shall notify the Club Secretary in writing.
4. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
A General Meeting may, by a vote of two thirds of the members present and entitled to vote, expel any member for conduct detrimental to the Club, provided that a notice specifying the conduct for which it is intended to expel is sent to the member at the address entered in the register of members at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting.
5. COMMITTEE
The management of the Club shall be conducted by a committee composed of:
· Chairman
· Vice-Chairman
· Treasurer
· Club Secretary
· Minutes Secretary
· Press & Programme Secretary
· Show Secretary
· Members elected at the Annual General Meeting
The Committee shall have powers to co-opt.
Officers and members of the Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a register of the names and addresses of Officers and Committee members, the date at which they were elected and the date at which they either resigned or failed to be re-elected.
The Committee shall have the right to set up sub-committees to carry out specific functions e.g.: Annual Show and Christmas Social.
Officers and Committee Members shall be elected for a period of two consecutive years and may be re-elected at the end of this period.
6. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The Club Committee shall meet at least four times per year or at such times as may be deemed necessary.
A quorum shall be 5 members or such other number as may be agreed at an Annual General Meeting.
The Secretary shall notify all Committee members of the date, time and place of all Committee meetings giving at least seven days’ notice of such meetings and circulating the agenda for the meeting.
At all meetings of the Committee each agenda item requiring a vote shall be decided by a simple majority vote, one vote per Committee member. In the event of an equal number of votes being cast both ‘for’ and ‘against’, the Chairman shall have the casting vote. In the event of the Chairman being absent, an acting Chairman shall be appointed, prior to the opening of the meeting, who shall preside.
In the event of an emergency, the Chairman plus one other Officer may make an executive decision where it is not practicable for the issue to be addressed at a regular or special Committee meeting. Details of the action will be recorded for presentation at the next regular meeting of the Committee.
7. REGULAR MEETINGS AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
The Secretary or other designated Committee member shall circulate Programmes on a regular basis giving details of meetings, outings and any other relevant information.
Notice of meetings, outings, etc., shall be posted on the Club web site and updated on a regular basis by the Club Secretary or other designated Committee member.
The AGM shall be held in October each year, details of which will be in the Programme circulated to all members. The business transacted shall include but not be restricted to:
• Chairman’s Report
• Treasurer’s Report including presentation of the audited Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet for the preceding financial year (1st January to 31st December)
• Election of Officers and Committee to take up their posts from the 1st January the following year.
A Special General Meeting (SGM) shall be called whenever the Club Committee deems it expedient.
The Chairman shall normally preside at all meetings and a quorum shall be 10 members or 25% of the membership, whichever is the greater.
Payment of the annual subscription shall be a pre-requisite condition to members’ entitlement to vote at any AGM or SGM.
All motions at any AGM or SGM shall be disposed of by a show of hands.
8. FINANCE
The Treasurer shall have responsibility for all financial aspects of the Club and shall bank all monies (except petty cash) in the name of the Club.
The Treasurer shall give financial statements at all Committee Meetings.
The Treasurer shall close the Accounts on 31st December each year and prepare Income and Expenditure statements and a Balance Sheet for examination by the Auditor by the end of March in the next year and for presentation to the membership at the AGM in October.
On submission of receipts the Treasurer shall pay out-of-pocket expenses of any Officer, Committee Member or member reasonably incurred in respect of the business of the Club.
All cheques must be signed by the Treasurer.
The Financial Year shall end on 31st December of each year.
Any member or person having a legitimate interest in the funds of the Club shall be allowed at all reasonable times to inspect the accounts.
Loans, borrowing or other credit arrangements will require approval by the Club Committee before entering into any contractual arrangement.
If, for any reason, the Treasurer ceases to hold office, the Club Committee will appoint an acting Treasurer and request the Auditor to conduct an interim audit prior to the new Treasurer assuming office.
The Treasurer shall propose any changes required in the membership fee at the AGM where members will consider and vote on the proposal.
9. AUDITOR
For the purposes of this Constitution the term ‘Auditor’ shall apply to any person competent to examine the Books, Statements, Receipts and Accounts of the Club and to give an accurate report in respect of their conclusions. The person appointed as ‘Auditor’ does not have to be fully qualified as such.
An Auditor shall be appointed at each AGM and shall hold office until the close of the following AGM.
The Auditor must not be an Officer of the Club but any other person, member or not, who has agreed to carry out the duty, may be nominated and appointed each year at the AGM
If, for any reason, the Auditor ceases to hold office, the Club Committee will appoint a replacement Auditor as soon as is practicable and record the action in the minutes.
10. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
No changes to the Constitution may be made except at an AGM or a SGM called for that purpose, of which at least seven days’ notice must be given.
Any changes proposed must be agreed by vote at an AGM or SGM called for that purpose by a two thirds majority of those members attending.
11. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
The Club can be dissolved by two thirds majority vote of eligible members present at an AGM or SGM whereupon the Committee will arrange to discharge any assets amongst nominate charities and groups. Any liabilities at the time of dissolution shall be the joint responsibility of all Members.
12. COPIES OF THIS CONSTITUTION
A copy of this Constitution shall be available for members to read at each monthly meeting held in the Lyon Hall and can be downloaded here.
15. OTHER MATTERS
Any matter not covered by the rules laid out in the Constitution shall be determined by the Club Committee and shall be binding until rescinded or agreed at the next AGM or SGM convened for the purpose.