ABERDEEN HILLWALKING CLUB

 CONSTITUTION

 

1 NAME   The Club will be called Aberdeen Hillwalking Club

2 MANAGEMENT   The Club will be managed by a President, a Secretary a Treasurer, a Booking Secretary and six Committee members.

3 MANAGEMENT OF FUNDS   The Club funds will be managed by the President, Secretary and Treasurer. The signatures of any two will be required to validate any transaction. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection and proper banking of all money due to the Club and for the prompt payment of all money owed by the Club. He/she shall keep proper financial records and shall provide to the Committee a statement of the financial affairs of the Club as required. The Committee shall have access to all financial records if required.

4 FINANCIAL YEAR  The Financial Year will extend from 1 January until 31 December.

5 BALANCE SHEET  An audited Balance Sheet will be submitted by the Treasurer to the AGM of the Club.

6 MEMBERSHIP  Membership will comprise Ordinary, Junior (under 16 years of age) Honorary and Day members. Membership will run from 1 March in one year to the last day of February in the following year.

7 HONORARY MEMBERSHIP  The Management Committee may recommend to a General or Annual General Meeting that Honorary life membership be granted to a member who has given long and/or outstanding service to the Club, and such Honorary life membership shall be granted only by agreement of two thirds of the membership present at the meeting. An Honorary life member shall enjoy all the rights of an Ordinary member but shall not be required to pay the annual subscription for that membership.

8 MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS  The membership subscription for the ensuing year will be decided at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and members can renew annual subscriptions for the coming year at any walk following the AGM. New applications for membership must be accompanied by the appropriate subscription and there will be no reduction in the subscription, irrespective of the date of acceptance to membership. As a general rule, no refund of membership subscription will apply, however, members may submit a written appeal via the Secretary for consideration by the Committee at an early date. Each case to be decided on its merits.

9 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING  The Annual General Meeting will be held within the period mid-January to mid-February, and not less than 21 days notice shall be given to all members in writing. Such notice shall contain an Agenda and a programme of proposed outings for the coming season for adoption by the meeting.

At the Annual General Meeting –

  • Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting shall be adopted (the minutes may be read or, at the discretion of the Management Committee, be circulated in writing with notices of the AGM).
  • Any matters arising from the minutes shall be dealt with.
  • The President and/or Secretary shall report on the previous year.
  • The Treasurer shall present audited accounts for approval and each member present shall have received or shall receive a copy thereof.
  • The programme of proposed outings for the coming season, with amendments if applicable, shall be adopted.
  • Gratuities and affiliations shall be determined.
  • The membership subscription for the ensuing year shall be determined.
  • Matters of policy and organisation shall be discussed.
  • Office bearers, Committee members and Auditors for the ensuing year shall be appointed. The order of business shall be at the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting.

10 EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING  A General or Extraordinary General meeting shall be called by the Management Committee should that be deemed necessary, or by the Secretary on receipt of a written request to do so signed by a minimum of twenty members and stating the reason/s for the meeting. Any such meeting called by the Secretary shall be called to take place within twenty eight days of the receipt of the request. Not less that fourteen days notice of the proposed meeting shall be given to all members, in writing, and such notice shall state the reason/s for the meeting. Any such meeting called by the Management Committee shall also provide for not less the fourteen days notice to all members, in writing, and shall similarly state the reason/s for the meeting.

11 QUORUM  The quorum for a General Meeting will be 25% of membership, at least two of whom will be Office-bearers. The quorum for a Committee Meeting will be 6, at least two of whom will be Office-bearers.

12 ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS AND COMMITTEE  Election will take place at the AGM and all nominations must be proposed and seconded by members. Nominations may be either at the AGM or in writing to the Secretary not less that 14 days prior to the AGM. Each nominee must intimate agreement to nomination. Any nomination may be challenged, and on challenge being made, the matter shall be put to the vote.

13 AUDITORS  Two Auditors, not being Office-bearers or Committee members, will be elected at the AGM.

14 CO-OPTIONS  The Management Committee  will be authorised to co-opt members to the Committee to fill vacancies or for any special purpose deemed necessary.

15 VOTING  Only Ordinary and Honorary members will be entitled to vote at meetings. Votes by Proxy will not be permitted, except in the case of amendments to the Constitution in accordance with clause 20. The President or, in his/her absence, the Chairman appointed by the meeting will have a casting vote.

16 ADDITIONAL POWERS OF COMMITTEE  The Management Committee shall have the power to introduce any Rules or Standing Orders considered necessary provided these do not contradict or alter the rules embodied in the Constitution, or any un-revoked decision of a General Meeting. The Management Committee shall have power to take disciplinary action against any member if it is considered in the interest of the membership, which may include suspension for a stated period or withdrawal of membership.  Any member disciplined shall be advised in writing within seven days of the Committee decision and it shall be clearly  stated why the action has been taken. A member who feels he/she has been unfairly treated shall have the right of appeal to the Committee and the right to appear before it, with supportive witnesses if required. Notice of the intended appeal by a disciplined member shall be in writing to the Secretary, and the appeal shall be heard within twenty eight days of the Secretary receiving the notice. The outcome of the appeal shall be notified to the member in writing not later that seven days after the appeal. Disciplinary measures by the Committee can only be effective if agreed by at least two thirds of the full Committee.

17 TERM OF OFFICE  Office-bearers and Committee will retire annually but will be eligible for re-election.

18 OUTINGS  Details of each outing shall be posted on the Website at least one week prior to the walk date with the following information.–

  • Starting point of walk with map references
  • Recommended route to pick-up point with map references
  • Pick-up point with map references and bus departure time

The person in charge of an outing shall normally be the President who may appoint, if required, other Office-bearers, Committee members or Ordinary members to assist. In the  absence of the President, another Office-bearer or Committee member nominated by the President shall take charge.

All members shall at all times abide by the instructions of the person in charge of the outing, and shall ensure they are properly equipped and physically able to complete the proposed walk in the time allowed.

All outings may be varied, or in extreme circumstances, cancelled by the person in charge of the outing, notwithstanding the published and agreed programme of outings.

No member will have any claim against the Club, its Office-bearers or any individual Club member for any injury or illness resulting from attendance at any meeting or outing of the Club.

19 WINDING UP OF THE CLUB  In the event of the Club being wound up, the disposal of any remaining assets will be decided upon by an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with Clause 10 of the Constitution, whereby remaining funds may be either shared between existing current members of the Club at date of winding up, or allocated to an appropriate |Charity decided by that meeting or otherwise disposed of by agreement of at least two thirds of the members attending the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club.

20 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION  No alterations or amendments to this Constitution shall be permitted except by agreement of at least two thirds of the members attending a General Meeting of the Club. Any member/s seeking to bring about such alterations or amendments shall notify the Secretary in writing at least six weeks prior to the proposed General Meeting and details of the proposed alterations or amendments shall be notified to all members in neither writing not less than 21 days prior to the date of the proposed General Meeting.

21 ACCESS TO THE CONSTITUTION

The Constitution shall be posted on the website and shall be accessable to all members.