ROCHDALE & DISTRICT CAMERA CLUB Club Constitution 2019

ROCHDALE & DISTRICT CAMERA CLUB

Club Constitution 2019

1. The name of the club shall be Rochdale & District Camera Club.

2. The club shall be an affiliated member of the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain through its membership of the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union.

3. The club year shall run from 1st January until 31st December.

4. The objectives of the club shall be to promote the enjoyment of photography, and offer encouragement, participation, knowledge and friendship to both our members and the general public.

5. Club Membership

All persons actively interested in the pursuit of the previously set out objectives, shall be eligible for membership of the club.

Potential new members shall be allowed to attend 3 meetings in order to decide whether or not, they wish to join the club. They will then be asked to pay the appropriate membership subscription before attending further meetings.

6. Membership Categories

Ordinary – A member who will be entitled to full membership rights.

Life – This may be granted to any person for their photographic contribution to the club activities over a lengthy period of time. This award would be determined by the majority of the elected committee members. The life member will be entitled to full membership rights without further membership fee payment for the lifetime of the member.

Junior – Any applicant under the age of 18, subject to approval by the committee will be entitled to junior membership with all the benefits of full membership with the exception of voting rights.

Junior members must be sponsored by a full member, who will be responsible at all times for the junior member whilst at the club meetings or activities.

Junior member’s parents/guardians must furnish the secretary with a letter granting permission for the junior to attend club activities.

Junior members must be accompanied by the sponsor or alternative authorised member at all times whilst attending club activities.

7. Subscriptions

Are determined by the majority of members at the AGM, after presentation of the annual audited accounts and Treasurers report.

All Subscriptions are payable yearly in advance before 31 January, or pro rata of membership being approved.

Membership subscriptions must be paid by Bank Transfer or Cash.

A weekly subscription is paid on attendance in cash.

Lapsed members who wish to re-join the club may be allowed to do so at the discretion of the committee and will be liable for payment of pro-rata subscriptions prior to re-joining.

Failure to pay subscriptions as above will result in the withdrawal of all club facilities.

Junior members are exempt from paying subscriptions.

Subscriptions are not refundable if a member leaves the club.

Subscriptions will be used to fund club activities; any surplus funds shall be carried forward and included in the following year’s accounts as determined at the AGM.

8. General Management

The general management of the club shall be executed by the elected Committee consisting of: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and committee members determined at the AGM.

Any business not covered by the constitution/rules shall be determined by the general management/officials until the next AGM or extraordinary meeting.

Members may attend committee meetings as observers.

9. Election of Officials

The election of officials considered necessary for the efficient running of the club shall be elected annually at the AGM. Any vacancies created after the AGM shall be filled by committee members or additional committee members co-opted by the committee.

General management shall hold office for one year and will be eligible for re-election.

Members must have 6 months membership prior to consideration to hold office.

An Election From will be posted on the Club noticeboard not less than 4 weeks prior to the AGM. Nominations for officials, proposer and seconder shall complete the election form before the AGM.

Junior members are not eligible to hold any office.

10. Annual/Extraordinary General Meeting

The AGM will be held as near to the last Tuesday in November as practicable.

General/Extraordinary meetings will be convened by the committee or on receipt of a request signed by no less than 25% of the membership.

Postal votes will be accepted for the above meetings providing that the appropriate voting form is used. This form will be available on request from the club secretary and will be returned to the secretary prior to the meeting to be included in the vote.

A minimum of 30 days-notice must be given to all members at their e-mail address and published on the club notice board unless deemed necessary for any official to contact members personally.

11. Finance

The main income shall be by way of annual subscriptions.

Other income shall be as determined by the committee or at an Annual/Extraordinary General Meeting.

Income shall be used for the promotion of club activities.

Members out of pocket expenses whilst on club business can be reimbursed and must be approved in advance.
The club Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of the club’s income and expenditure.

The accounts shall be audited by the elected auditors, elected at the previous AGM.

The audited accounts shall be presented to the members for approval at the AGM.

12. Competitions

The organisation of club competitions shall be organised by the Competition Secretaries or a deputy and are open to all paid up members.

13. Club property

The General management/Officials shall be custodians of all property belonging/hired/loaned to the club, they shall have the power to make such regulations as to its use as may be in their judgement expedient. Such regulations shall be made available to the members; any such regulations shall be submitted to the next Annual/Extraordinary General Meeting for ratification.

The General Management/Officials of the club shall take all steps considered necessary to protect the assets of the club including insurance at face value. Any reasonable expenses incurred shall be borne by the club.

No property/apparatus belonging to the club shall be removed without written consent of the General Management/Officials, any damage or loss shall be made good by the borrower to the satisfaction of the club Officials.

A suitable fee shall be paid for the loan of Club equipment as determined at the AGM or determined by the General Management and Officials to be ratified at the next AGM.

14. Dissolution of the club

The club may be dissolved at any time by a resolution passed by two thirds majority of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting of the club or at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.

If, upon the dissolution of the club there remains after the settling of all liabilities any property whatsoever, this shall not be paid to or distributed amongst the members of the club but shall be given or transferred to such charity or charities established for similar charitable purposes as it pleases the committee to decide.

15. Constitution

A copy of this constitution document shall be made available to all members on the club website. New members shall be given a copy on joining.

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