Club Constitution

THAME DUELLISTS FENCING CLUB

OFFICIAL RULES AND CONSTITUTION

THAME DUELLISTS FENCING CLUB

OFFICIAL RULES AND CONSTITUTION

 

Preamble

 

It is desired that an independent fencing club shall exist in Thame for people of all ages and abilities. The club shall provide facilities, equipment and a venue for the advancement of fencing and to create an active club which will participate in competitive activity on a local, regional and national level.

 

1. Title

 

The club shall be known as Thame Duellists Fencing Club.

 

2. Objectives

 

The objectives of the club are:

2.1 To promote interest in fencing in the locality of Thame for people of all sexes, ages and abilities.

2.2 To promote interest in fencing among members.

2.3 To provide facilities to meet members’ interests in fencing.

2.4 To support the British Fencing Association (BFA), and for this purpose the Club shall be affiliated to the BFA and shall encourage its members to become individual members of the BFA.

2.5 To take part in competitions and tournaments on a local, regional and national basis.

 

3. Membership

 

3.1 Membership of the Club is open to anyone who is an amateur as defined by the BFA. Members agree to pay the Club subscription as defined in clause 9 of this document.

3.2 The Club Committee reserves the right of refusing or cancelling the membership of any person for any reason at its absolute discretion. The Club Committee shall give any person whose membership is refused or cancelled a reason for such a decision. In the case of a member whose membership is cancelled, the

Club shall repay any subscription paid in advance on a pro-rata basis.

3.3 All members agree to abide by and observe these rules and the constitution.

3.4 Any fencer providing coaching or other assistance with the running of the club shall, at the discretion of the Chairman, be treated as a Member even where subscriptions are not paid in accordance with 3.1. Any fencer providing coaching or other assistance shall agree to abide by and observe the Club rules, even where subscriptions are not paid in accordance with 3.1.

 

4. Constitution

 

4.1 The affairs of the Club shall be administered by a Committee consisting of:

The Captain

The Chairman

The Treasurer

The Secretary

The Welfare Officer

The Youth representative

Who collectively will be known as Officers of the Club

4.3 The Club shall continue to run even where Officer roles are not filled, so long as the Club has a Chairman. In such instances, the Committee will, on an ad-hoc basis, allocate the responsibilities of the missing Officers to other Officers, or anyone co-opted under 5.11.

 

5. Committee

 

5.1 The Committee shall meet at regular intervals, and shall meet at least once per term.

5.2 The Secretary shall give at least fourteen days’ notice of a Committee meeting.

5.3 Three members of the Committee shall form a quorum at any such meeting. If a quorum is not present at any Committee meeting, the items on the agenda can be discussed but no decisions may be made.

5.4 All decisions requiring a vote shall be decided by a simple majority of Committee members.

5.5 In the event of a deadlocked vote, the Chairman shall have a deciding vote. In the event that the Chairman has already voted, he or she will be granted an additional vote to break the deadlock.

5.6 In the event that the Chairman is not present at any deadlocked vote, his or her deciding vote must be cast within 14 days of the original Committee meeting. If the deciding vote is not cast within this period of time then the original vote must be re-run at the next Committee meeting.

5.7 The Committee members shall serve for a maximum of one year and may stand for re-election providing he or she has not been found unsatisfactory in their post during the year.

5.8 The Committee may deem any Committee member unsuitable by way of a Committee vote on the subject. Notwithstanding 5.2., an emergency Committee meeting may be called with seven days’ notice to assess the suitability of a Committee member for their post if a delay is likely to be detrimental to the Club or could potentially endanger any Member or group of Members. A Committee member found to be unsuitable shall be removed from their post immediately.

5.9. The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies. A casual vacancy would be an unforeseen vacancy arising from an Officer of the Club or elected member resigning before his or her time on the Committee has expired, or from prolonged illness or holiday, or any other similar eventuality which would prevent an Officer from fulfilling their duties.

5.10. The Committee shall also have the power to fill vacancies arising from a Committee member being found unsatisfactory in their post. In such cases, the new appointment should be made by majority vote in accordance with rules 5.3 to 5.6 inclusive.

5.11. The Committee shall have power to co-opt anyone to its meetings, either on a permanent or temporary basis. The Committee shall also have power to enter into and terminate arrangements with any persons for the furtherance and advancement of the Club through teaching, the provision of a venue or the supply of equipment.

 

6. Elections

 

6.1 The Officers of the Club shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) by a simple majority of those present and voting.

6.2 Nominations for the Officers of the Club shall be made in writing and can be made at any point during the year. Nominations made in the seven days leading up to the AGM shall be considered as if they were made at the AGM, as set out in 6.3.

6.3 Nominations made at the AGM shall only be put forward if the Committee agrees to allow the nomination. Any such nomination must be accompanied by written consent of the person being nominated.

6.4 All nominations must be seconded by another member for the nomination to be valid and to proceed to a vote.

6.5 Any person, whether or not a member of the club, may be nominated and elected as an Officer of the club, but the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary must be at least eighteen years old on the date on which they are elected.

 

7. Annual General Meeting

 

7.1 The AGM shall be called by the Secretary, who must give at least fourteen days’ notice. Notification can be made during a regular fencing meeting of the club or by way of email to all club Members and/or their parents. The notice shall include the details of any proposed change in the Club rules or constitution.

7.2 The Treasurer shall present the Club's accounts at the AGM. The financial year of the Club shall be 1 April to 31 March in each year and the AGM shall so far as is practicable be held within approximately four months of the end of the financial year in each year to give the Treasurer time to prepare the accounts.

7.3 The Secretary shall present a report on the Club year at the AGM.

7.4 At the AGM one vote shall be allocated per member of the club and one vote for any officer of the club not otherwise a member. Where a club member is less than eighteen years of age on the date of the AGM, the vote may be used by the member, or by the member’s parent or guardian, or by both jointly. The Chairman shall have a deciding vote at the AGM whenever necessary, notwithstanding that the Chairman has already voted.

 

8. Other General Meetings

 

8.1 A general meeting of the club may be called at any time to discuss and take decisions relating to the general running of the Club or a change in the rules.

8.2 Such meetings can be called by either:

8.2.1 the Officers of the club; or

8.2.2 at least five members of the club acting with a common agenda

8.3 Any meeting called this way must be made with at least two weeks’ notice. If the meeting is called in accordance with 8.2.2, the initial notification must be made to the Chairman who will then provide notice to the Club.

8.4 Any changes not relating to the Club rules that is proposed at any such meeting will be made by way of a simple majority of those present, subject to 8.5.

Changes relating to Club rules must be made in accordance with clause 10.1.

8.5 Where a proposed change relates to either the Club’s rules or the level and arrangements for payments of Club subscriptions, any vote that passes must then be ratified by a quorum of Committee members. If the Committee refuses to ratify the change, then it will be treated as if the initial vote failed to pass.

8.6 Where the Committee refuses to ratify any such change, a rationale shall be presented to all members as soon as practicable. The Committee should not unreasonably refuse to ratify any such change, and must carefully weigh the best interests of the Club as a whole against the rights of the membership to make changes in the way in which the Club is run.

8.7 Any proposal which has been voted on during the Club’s financial year shall not be put up for a vote again without permission from the Chairman.

 

9. Subscriptions

 

9.1. The level of Club subscriptions and the arrangement for payments of the Club subscriptions shall be decided at the AGM or at any general meeting called under clause 8 hereof.

9.2 The Committee may, at its absolute discretion, opt to vary the level of subscription for a given fencer on a case-by-case basis. In such cases the level of Club subscription shall not exceed the level set at the AGM or in any general meeting called under clause 8 hereof.

 

10. Rules

 

10.1 The Committee retains the right to interpret these rules and to settle any questions not provided for in these rules, but no addition or alteration to the rules may be made except at the AGM or at a general meeting called under clause 8 hereof. Any addition or alteration to the rules requires a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at any such meeting.

 

11. Officer's Duties

 

11.1 The Chairman is responsible to the Members for the overall running of the Club, which includes ensuring that the Club meets its objectives, monitoring the Club’s financial affairs, maintaining appropriate conduct at meetings, and ensuring that the other Officers of the Club and the elected members carry out the duties delegated to them.

11.2 The Treasurer is responsible for collecting subscriptions, paying and receiving money and keeping proper records of such transactions, running the Club's account, and presenting yearly accounts at the AGM. The Treasurer must be consulted before any item of expenditure is made in excess of £25.00 and shall produce the Club's books of account to the members as soon as practicable following request.

11.3 The Secretary is responsible for day to day administration, drafting and circulating agendas and minutes.

11.4 The Chairman is responsible for fundraising and for making arrangements for matches, competitions and tournaments. The Captain may assist with this role so long as he or she is at least 18 years of age.

11.5 The Youth representative is responsible for encouraging other young members of the club to enter competitions and take part in other club social events.

11.6 The Chairman and Secretary shall have the authority to make decisions relating to the normal running of the Club on a day to day basis, within the guidelines of this Constitution. Any member co-opted or authorised by the committee for the purpose of making such decisions also has this authority. The Captain shall also have this authority as long as he or she is at least 18 years of age.

11.7 Payments from the Club accounts are to be authorised by the Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer.

Dated the 6th day of June 2013.

Amended 29 June 2017

Amended 6 June 2023