constitution 2012 01 - Highfields Amateur Radio Club

Highfields Amateur Radio ClubGW4LFO – GW8NPPresident: S Hudson GW0NQQRhiwbina Recreation ClubWebsite:Lon-Y-Dail, Rhiwbinahttp://highfields-arc.co.ukCARDIFFCF14 6EA1 September 2012Facilities for training people with physical disabilities in the use and benefits of Short Wave Radio Communication.Constitution1 The Club shall be known as the Highfields Amateur Radio Club and be affiliated to the Radio Society of GreatBritain.2 The aims of Club shall be to further the interest in Amateur Radio and Electronics including Digital Modeswith Computers interface, with particular reference to the needs of handicapped members.3 Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons in accordance with the following rules and conditions:a) Anyone who is not less than 18 years of age is eligible for membership.Anyone 17 years and under is welcome as a Junior Member within a Family Membership but mustbe accompanied by a Parent / Guardian, who will be responsible for their conduct, at all times.b) All applications for membership must be made in writing giving the full name and home address ofthe applicant. Applicants must accept, and abide by, the rules, terms and conditions of membershiponce they are accepted as a Member.c) Acceptance of an applicant as a member is at the discretion of the current Committee.d) The Committee shall take such steps as they consider necessary to ensure that a suitable ratiobetween able-bodied and physically handicapped members be maintained.e) The Committee may elect, as an honorary member, any person (whether or not an existing memberof the Club) who has, in the opinion of the Committee, rendered services to the Club.f) The Committee may permit persons to enjoy the facilities of the club as visitors but on no more than3 (three) separate occasions per year after which, if they wish to continue enjoy the facilities, theyshould join.4 Subscriptions shall be set at the Annual General Meeting and become due on 1st April yearly.Any member not paying by 30th April shall cease to be a member of the club after due warningbut, if they wish to re-join in the year following their previous membership, it will be deemed to be arenewal, no matter when they apply, and the appropriate renewal fee will apply as if it were January.Membership of Highfields Amateur Radio Club will include membership to the Rhiwbina Sports and SocialClub for that same year.5 The Club shall be headed by the President,Mr S. Hudson, who is the Life President. His replacement beingdecided at an E.G.M. or A.G.M. in due course.The Club affairs shall be administered by the Committee comprising of 4 Officers:Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Webmaster.The remainder of the Committee will comprise of the remainder of the adult (over 18) membership who are fullmembers, these members will have full voting rights at each Committee meeting that they attend.Continued.....

[5] a) The Committee Officers shall be elected at each A.G.M.The election or appointment of an Auditor or Auditors shall also be made. The Auditor(s) shall beindependent of the elected Committee Officers.Nominations for Committee Officers and Auditors shall be closed 14 (fourteen) days prior to the A.G.M.b) The new Committee is to become effective immediately following election at the A.G.M.c) The Chairman’s duties shall include the conduct of all meetings.The Chairman shall have a casting vote.The Chairman shall deal with all administration matters concerning the management of the HighfieldsAmateur Radio Club including, but not limited to, ensuring that all relevant members are informed ofimpending Committee meetings and that all such members receive a copy of the minutes of suchmeetings.d) The Secretary’s duties shall include the keeping of proper records of Club matters and thecarrying out of the directions of the Chairman and /or the Committee relative to any correspondencenecessary.e) The Treasurer shall have charge of the Club’s funds. Monies received must be paid to theTreasurer.The Treasurer shall pay all demands on the club as directed by the Committee.The Treasurer shall also ensure that a true and correct record of all monies is kept and shall report onthe same to the Committee as and when requested to do so.The Treasurer shall, on completion of the Balance sheet at Year End, hand all financial records for thatyear to the Club Auditor(s), as appointed or elected at the AGM for independent verification.f) The Webmaster shall be responsible for the administration of the Club's internet presence including, butnot limited to, updating of data on the website, access control of the Members Only area of the site,administering any email boxes used by members and ensuring that hosting and domain fees are paid asnecessary.6 Not less than 8 (eight) members shall constitute a quorum of the Committee for the purposes of a meeting.At least 2 (two) members of any such quorum shall be an elected officer (Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer orWebmaster), one of which will act as the Chairman for the meeting should the elected Chairman beunavailable.Should the elected Secretary be unavailable for any Committee meeting the Chairman of that meeting willensure that the meeting is minuted.7 The Committee shall have the power to invite other members on an ad hoc basis to assist in therunning of the Club.Such members shall be advisory and without voting rights and their period of appointment shall terminate atthe next A.G.M unless otherwise determined by members at that A.G.M.8 The Annual General Meeting (A.G.M) of the club shall be held in November or December of each year.All fully paid up members shall be notified in writing by the Secretary at least 14 (fourteen) days prior to themeeting.A report shall be presented to the meeting on the work of the Committee and any Sub Committee’s and alsothe activities of the Club over the previous year.9 Amendments to the Constitution shall be made at the A.G.M.Such decisions shall not be varied before the next A.G.M. save by the decision of an Extraordinary GeneralMeeting called for that purpose.The making or alteration of rules, as may be necessary from time to time for the running of the Club, may bemade by a majority vote of the Full Committee present at the meeting when the matter is discussed.9/2012 Continued.....

10 An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club (E.G.M) may be called by the Committee or by any 10 (ten)members of the Club.In the latter case the application shall be in writing, signed by those 10 (ten) members concerned andsubmitted to the Secretary.In all cases the Secretary shall give 14 days notice, in writing, of such meeting to all paid up members.No business other than that submitted by the notice of motion at the time of application for such ameeting will be discussed.11 The Club shall not be held responsible for loss of or damage to member's property on the premises of theClub or in connection with the Club.12 The Committee may expel any member who offends against the rules in force at the time of the offence.Anybody whose conduct, in the opinion of the Committee, renders him/her unfit for membership of the Clubshall be expelled.Before any such member is expelled, the Secretary must give him/her 7 days written notice to attend ameeting of the Committee and must inform him/her of the complaint(s) made against him/herNo member may be expelled unless he has first had an opportunity to appear before the Committeeand answer the complaints made against him/her.At least two thirds of the Committee then present must vote in favour of his/her expulsion for the expulsionto be enacted.a) No Member whose membership has been terminated under this rule, or who owes money to theClub, may be introduced by any other Member as a visitor to any part of the Club premises.b) The Committee may exclude from the Club, until the meeting of the Committee is held, anyMember who is liable to be expelled under the provisions of this rule.c) In the exception of this rule, any Member who carries out verbal threats or violent behaviourtowards the Club or its Members shall be instantly expelled.13 All personal data supplied to the Club by Members shall be used for Club Administration purposes only andwill not be lent, given or sold to any 3rd party for any reason. The Club will abide by the Data Protection Actat all times to ensure security of any such data.14 In the event of the Highfields Amateur Radio Club being given notice to quit and vacate its place of meeting,this notice shall not be taken to imply Termination or Cessation of the Amateur Radio Club as a whole.The existing Club Membership structure and its assets shall remain intact and the Radio Club shall bereformed under the same Committee prevailing at the time and the entire assets, including funds andequipment, shall be transferred and used to benefit the re-formation of the Highfields Club at a new addresselsewhere in the City of Cardiff.15 In the event of Total Dissolution of the Radio Club, the beneficiaries shall be Organisations or PhysicallyHandicapped Groups who have objects consistent with our Club in furthering interests in Amateur Radio fordisabled persons.The Highfields Amateur Radio Club membership have agreed on the following named organisations asbeneficiaries who shall benefit in equal shares, after all Club liabilities have been discharged, provided thatthey are still in operation at the time. Otherwise as shall be decided by members at an Extraordinary GeneralMeeting.1. Radio Amateur Invalid and Blind Club2. Any other Charitable Organisation, like minded with the aims of the Highfields ARC as set out in part 2of this Constitution..End of Constitution9/2012