STONEHAVEN RUNNING CLUB CONSTITUTION

1.  Name

The name of the organisation shall be Stonehaven Running Club, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Club’. 

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2.  Objectives

The Club is established to pursue the following objectives:

a) To encourage participation at any standard, either with a view to competing or for exercise and fun in the sport of road, trail and hill running, hereinafter referred to as the ‘sport’.

b) The organisation, management and development of road, trail and hill running for all members of the Club. 

c) The provision of training sessions for its members. 

d) Promoting and maintaining the highest standards of technical competence and safety in the sport. 

e) Upholding the rules of the sport. 

f) Providing equal opportunities for successful participation in the sport by all sections of the community.

g) The promotion of the sport. 

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3. Affiliation

The Club shall be affiliated to Scottish Athletics (the National Governing Body). 

4. Membership

All members are subject to the Constitution of the Club and the regulations of the National Governing Body.  

a) Membership is open to all and no application for membership will be refused on other than reasonable grounds.  

b) There will be no discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex; sexual orientation, political or other opinion.

c) All applications for membership shall be accompanied by the appropriate annual membership fee, which shall thereafter be payable on demand. 

d) Each fully paid up member shall be entitled to attend and vote at each General management Meeting, Emergency General or Annual General Meetings. 

e) Fully paid up members may be elected and serve on the Management Committee. 

f) All members will receive a copy of the Club appropriate Codes of Conduct, policies and a copy of the Constitution. 

g) Members shall be enrolled on one of the following categories: 

i) Competing Member 

ii) Non Competing Member 

iii) Coach (qualified) 

iv) Life Member 

5. Suspension, Refusal or Termination of Membership 

a) The management committee shall be entitled to: 

i) Refuse any application for membership on the grounds that such membership would be prejudicial to the objectives of the Club as set out in Rule 2 of this constitution. 

ii) For good and sufficient reason to refuse renewal of any existing membership or terminate or suspend any membership provided that the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the full management committee before a final decision is made. 

b) The member may apply for reinstatement at the next general meeting. 

c) Any current member who fails to pay their fees by the date required 31 January shall forfeit their right to representation on the management committee and at general meetings, and shall be suspended from taking part in any event under the control of the Club until such fees are paid. 

d) Any member under suspension shall be barred from taking part in any event under the control of the Club. 

e) The management committee shall inform the member in writing of any decision to terminate their membership. 

f) Notification of the termination of a membership will be forwarded to the National Governing Body. 

6. General Meetings

6.1 Annual General Meeting (AGM) 

The AGM shall be held each year at such time and place as determined by the management committee, at approximately twelve monthly intervals, but no more than fourteen months after the date of the previous AGM. At each AGM the following business shall be conducted: 

i) Receive and confirm the minutes of the previous AGM.

ii) Presentation of the Club’s financial accounts for the year. 

iii) Presentation of Club’s projected financial situation for the forthcoming year, and the setting of all fees

iv) Presentation of Chair’s report. 

v) Election of officers to the management committee. 

vi) Any other business brought before the meeting which has been submitted in writing to the secretary not less than seven days prior to the AGM, and any other business deemed relevant by the Chair.

6.2 Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) 

An EGM may be called upon the written demand of: 

i) 33% of the membership.
ii) The Chair.
iii) 2/3 majority of the management committee.

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7.  Rules for General Meetings

a) A minimum of twenty one days’ notice in writing shall be given to all members, except in the event of an EGM where the notice shall be a minimum of fourteen days. Business to be discussed must be stated at this time.

b) The Chair, or in their absence a member selected by the meeting, will take the Chair. 

c) All members shall register with the Secretary prior to the start of the meeting. 

e) Each member shall have one vote. 

f) All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote. 

g) The quorum shall be one quarter of those eligible to vote, or twenty such members, whichever is the smaller. 

h) The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings and record all proceedings and resolutions. 

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8. Election of Officers To The Management Committee 

a) The members of the management committee shall be drawn from the membership, as defined in clause 4 of this constitution. 

b) Candidates shall be elected by nomination and vote at the AGM, and shall be members of the management committee from the conclusion of that AGM until the conclusion of the following AGM.

c) All nominations of candidates for election shall have the consent of the nominee and be seconded. 
 

9. Members Of The Management Committee

a) The Management Committee shall consist of the following Officers: 

i) Chair 

ii) Secretary 

iii) Treasurer 

iv) Coaches representative 

v) Welfare Officer

vi) COVID co-ordinator*

vii) Social secretary

vii) Ordinary members

* until no longer required

b) All the above shall be entitled to one vote each at General Meetings except the Chair. 

c) The committee may co-opt any member to any unfilled post until the conclusion of the following AGM, providing that the number of co- optees shall not exceed one third of the total number of persons serving on the committee at that time. 

d) The management committee may appoint any sub-committees it may deem necessary to deal with the matters of the Club, until the conclusion of the following AGM. The proceedings of all such committees shall report to the management committee by a representative elected by that sub-committee. 

e) Each member of the Management Committee will forgo their position on the committee after a period of three Club financial years (rule11(e)).  In the event that none of the membership are nominated and seconded for any of the specific Management Committee officer positions, the incumbent officer may continue in their position until another member is nominated and seconded at a future AGM.

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10. Rules For The Management Committee

a) The Chair shall chair the meeting, or in their absence the Secretary or a nominee from the committee. 

b) Fourteen days’ notice of any meeting of the Management Committee shall be given by the Secretary, except when: 

i) The date of the meeting had been agreed at the previous management meeting, in which case seven days’ notice shall be given.

ii) In an emergency the Chair may call a meeting at four days’ notice.

c) The quorum shall be four of those Officers entitled to vote, as listed at Rule 9. 

d) All members of the Management Committee as listed at Rule 8. a) shall be entitled to vote. 

e) All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote. 

f) Meetings shall be open to all members of the Club. 
 

11. Finance

a) The income and property of the Club, however derived, shall be applied solely towards the objectives of the Club as set out in Rule 2, of this constitution. 

b) The Club shall have the power to raise money by means of yearly affiliation fees as determined by the Management Committee at the Annual General Meeting. 

c) All monies shall be lodged in a bank account in the name of the Club.

d) The Chair, Treasurer and Secretary shall be authorised signatories to sign cheques on behalf of the Club, of which two signatories shall be needed. 

e) The financial year of the Club shall run from 1 January to 31 December.

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12. Discipline and Appeals

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary or Welfare Officer.  Such complaints will be dealt with according to the disciplinary procedure.

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13. Amendments to the Constitution 

This Constitution may only be amended by a proposal passed by a majority of members present and entitled to vote at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting. 

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14. The Dissolution Of The Club

a) Any resolution to dissolve the Club may be passed at any General Meeting provided that: 

i) the terms of the proposed resolution are received by the Secretary at least forty two days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward, and that

ii) at least twenty eight days of the proposed resolution shall be given in writing by the secretary to all members, and that

iii) such a resolution shall receive the assent of two thirds of those present and entitled to vote. 

b) If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the Club there remains after the satisfaction of all the Club’s debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall be given or transferred to some other organisation or organisations having objects (that is, aims and activities) similar to the objects of the Club by Resolution passed at a General meeting at or before the time of the dissolution, and in so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then to some charitable objects.   

15. Declaration

It is hereby certified that this document represents a true and most up to date version of the Constitution of Stonehaven Running Club.