Club Constitution

Chester IVC (Inter-Varsity Club) Constitution

The use of either male or female gender anywhere in this document is taken to include both men and women.

NAME

  • The name of the Club shall be “Chester IVC (Inter-Varsity Club)” hereinafter referred to as “the Club”.

OBJECTS

  • The objects of the Club are:-
    • To provide opportunities for social, cultural and recreational activities among graduates and other people of similar interests resident in and visiting Cheshire and North Wales.
    • To provide facilities for visitors or temporary residents from other Inter-Varsity Clubs, in accordance with the Reciprocal Agreement of the Association of Inter-Varsity Clubs.
  • The Club shall not hold or express any political, religious or racial opinions, nor shall it be formally associated with any organisation which does.

MEMBERSHIP

  • The following shall be eligible for ordinary membership of the Club: full time students and graduates of Universities, teaching hospitals or similar institutions, professional people and others considered by the Committee to have similar tastes and interests. Admission to membership shall be subject to approval of the Committee who may take such steps as they see fit to determine the applicant’s suitability for membership. All applicants for membership shall complete a membership form. The Committee may, at its absolute discretion, refuse any application for any class of membership without assigning any reason.
    • The opportunity to join the Club shall be open to persons between the ages of 21 and 45 years of age inclusive. After the age of 45, continuous members may remain within the club with the same voting rights and rights to hold a committee position.
    • Members of other IVC clubs not eligible to join the Club under clause 4 or 4 (a), who move to within the catchment of the Club may be permitted to join at the discretion of the committee. The committee may contact the individual’s previous club to confirm their status.
  • People staying in the area defined in clause 2a for a period of less than three months, and otherwise satisfying the criteria for membership, may become temporary members. No entrance fee shall be charged to temporary members. Temporary members shall not be qualified either to vote at General Meetings or to hold any office. They shall not be able to host events and will not receive any subsidies towards the cost of any events.
  • Any person applying for membership of the Club for the first time shall first apply to the Committee for introductory membership for a period of around three months. At the end of the introductory period, introductory members may apply for full membership. The Committee may, at its absolute discretion, refuse any application for full membership without assigning any reason.
  • All ordinary members, having paid their current subscription, shall be entitled to the facilities afforded by the Club. They shall be bound by the Constitution, Standing Orders (see Article 22) and other rules of the Club.
  • The Club shall not knowingly admit as a member any person who has been expelled, or who has been refused membership by any Constituent Club of the Association of Inter-Varsity Clubs without consultation with such Club.
  • Members of other Inter-Varsity Clubs which are members of or affiliated to the Association of Inter-Varsity Clubs may, subject to the payment of such supplementary fees or subscriptions as may from time to time be laid down by the Committee, enjoy all the privileges of membership of the Club, provided that at the same time they comply with the rules and regulations of the Club.
  • The annual subscription for each class of member, and entrance fee (if any), shall be fixed by resolution of a general meeting, provided that notice of intention to change such fee or subscription shall first have appeared in the Agenda or notice of the meeting.
  • Every ordinary member shall be notified of the date on which his subscription falls due and that date shall be the last day in April. If, after two months from that date, he has not paid his subscription, his membership shall lapse forthwith. If any lapsed member wishes to renew his subscription within twelve months of the renewal date, he shall be liable to the full subscription from that date and any entrance fee that may apply at the time. If after twelve months a lapsed member wishes to renew his subscription it will be necessary to submit a formal application to the Committee.
  • Any member may resign membership by giving the Membership Secretary notice in writing to that effect.
  • Members are expected to behave in accordance with the Chester IVC “Code of Conduct”. Disputes and complaints about behaviour will be dealt with in accordance with the Chester IVC “Guidance on Handling Disputes”. Both of these documents are available on the Chester IVC Website. In the event of serious or repeated misconduct by a member, which is incompatible with their continued membership of the club, their membership may be revoked.
  • Upon a person ceasing to be a member of the Club he shall forfeit all right to and claim upon the Club and its property and funds except for any claim notified to the Membership Secretary in writing at the time of resignation under Article 12 or 13 or within one month of a notice of expulsion being sent to him.
  • Every member of the Club shall communicate to the Membership Secretary any change of his own address. All notices posted to a member’s address shall be considered as having been duly given on the second day following the date of posting, in the case of first class mail, or on the fourth day following the date of posting, in the case of second class mail. Notices served by electronic means such as e-mail shall be considered as having been duly given if no delivery failure message has been received within 24 hours.
  • No proceedings of the Club shall be invalidated solely because of the discovery subsequent thereto of some accidental omission to give notice.
  • The annual membership levy will be set at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year.
  • The membership levy will be payable by all members
  • It is expected that each member should organise (or jointly organise) at least one bulletined event each club year.
  • The member that has been listed as the organiser of the most unique bulletined events in the last club year shall receive fully subsidised membership, from Club funds, for the subsequent year.
  • Each member that has been listed as the organiser (or joint organiser) of at least one event in a bulletin in either the second half of the last club year (November to April) or the first half of the present club year (May to October) shall receive a discount for the annual Christmas party in the current year.

MANAGEMENT

  • The officers of the Club shall include a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Association Liaison Officer (ALO), Publicity Officer, Events, Membership Secretary, Web Master, Bulletin Editor and Heritage Members’ Secretary.
  • The management of the Club shall be deputed to a Committee consisting of:-
    • The officers mentioned in Article 22.
    • Those ordinary members of the Committee elected in accordance with Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
  • The Committee or any Sub-Committee of the Club may by resolution co-opt any additional members for the remainder of the meeting only, unless otherwise empowered by their parent body in accordance with Article 23. At least two-thirds of the members present and eligible to vote must vote in favour of such resolutions.
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    • The Committee may appoint such Sub-Committees as it considers necessary or expedient and may depute or refer to them such powers and duties as it may determine. Such Sub-Committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with any directions which the Committee might give.
    • The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall be entitled to attend any Committee or Sub-Committee of the Club.
  • Any Committee or Sub-Committee may act despite any vacancy thereon.
  • The Committee may make standing orders to govern its own meetings and those of Sub-Committees of the Club and may make regulations governing the conduct of officers
  • The Committee shall have the power to appoint, pay and dismiss such servants of the Club as it deems necessary and may elect any such servant to temporary member of the Club during his tenure of office or for shorter time as it thinks fit.
  • The Treasurer shall be responsible for the funds of the Club, which shall be kept in a recognised bank or building society.

ELECTIONS

  • At the Annual General Meeting an election shall be held for:-
    • The Officers of the Club as defined in Article 22.
  • All nominations must be recorded at the AGM and at least two members of the Club recorded as nominees. All nominees must be full members of the Club.
  • Any vacancies remaining from the Annual General Meeting or occurring during the year shall be filled by election/co-option at a meeting of the Committee. At least seven clear days’ notice shall be given of all such elections.
  • A Committee member may be dismissed by the unanimous vote of all the other Committee members on grounds of either a breach of the Constitution or for some other serious reason showing that he should no longer remain in office. An explanation shall be given to all Club members without delay and to the next General Meeting.

MEETINGS

  • Not less than fourteen days’ notice shall be given of any General Meeting.
  • The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held during April in every year, the date to be fixed by the Committee and published by the Secretary at least fourteen days in advance.
  • The business of the AGM shall include:
    • Reception of a financial report to include the audited accounts for the preceding
      year.
    • Reception from the Chair of a report of the Club’s activities during the previous year followed by a reception from each current committee member on their duties during the same period.
    • Election of Officers and Ordinary Committee Members as laid down in Article 30.
    • Any motion relevant to the meeting of which seven days’ notice has been given to the Secretary.
  • The Committee may at any time order an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). The Secretary shall convene an EGM within twenty one days of the receipt of a written requisition signed by at least twenty-five per cent of the ordinary members or 20 whichever is the lesser number stating the purpose for which the meeting is required, or within such longer period as is stated in such requisition. The principal business of an EGM shall be stated in the notice of meeting or in a preliminary agenda circulated at least fourteen days before the meeting.
  • The final agenda for an EGM incorporating any motions relevant to the purpose of the meeting received by the Secretary shall be drawn up by the Secretary and be available to any member at least seven days before the meeting. No business shall be discussed at an EGM other than that on the Agenda.

QUORUM AND VOTING

  • The quorum for any General Meeting shall be twenty-five per cent of the ordinary members or 20 whichever is the lesser number. If any General Meeting held does not reach a quorum within one hour of the designated start time it shall proceed, with any decisions taken being reviewed at an EGM convened for the purpose. If the second meeting is not quorate at the start time specified in the agenda then the decisions of the original meeting shall be deemed to be ratified.
  • At all General Meetings of the Club every ordinary member present shall be entitled to one vote on every motion and in case of an equality of vote the Chair shall have a casting vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless twenty-five per cent of the ordinary members or 20 whichever is the lesser number request a secret ballot. Proxy votes cannot be accepted unless by prior agreement with the Chair and at least one other member of the committee (such votes shall not count towards the quorum).
  • The Committee shall meet at least once in each calendar month.