Constitution
1 Name of Club
The club will be called HALTERWORTH HARRIERS (hereinafter will be referred to as The Club). Halterworth Harriers will be affiliated to England Athletics Ltd.
2 Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of the club are:
• To offer and promote recreational and competitive participation in running in the area of Romsey and Hampshire
• To promote the club within the local community
• To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
• To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone
3 Membership
(a) Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in recreational or competitive running. Individuals who wish to become members must apply by completing a membership application form, and submitting this together with the correct subscription to the club membership secretary.
(b) The membership shall consist of the following categories:
Adult member – this is open to anyone who is an amateur (as defined by England Athletics) and aged 18 years or over at the date of their application.
Junior member - this is open to anyone who is an amateur (as defined by England Athletics) and aged between 15 and 17 years at the date of their application.
Members must designate themselves as either ‘First Claim’ or ‘Second Claim’ members. Members wishing to change their claim status must follow the procedures laid down by England Athletics.
(c) All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.
(d) Members in each category will pay membership fees, as determined from time to time by the Committee.
(e) Individuals shall not be eligible to take part in the business of the club, vote at general meetings or be eligible for selection of any club team unless the applicable subscription has been paid by the due date.
4 Subscriptions
(a) Subscriptions shall be due on 1st April each year, and must be paid by 31st May. Members in arrears by more than 8 weeks will have their membership automatically terminated, and will not be eligible to participate in the activities of the club. Payment of a full subscription at a later date will enable the former member to be readmitted by the committee.
(b) Members that join after 1st October shall be eligible for a discount on the annual membership subscription.
5 Cessation of Membership
(a) A member wishing to withdraw from the club shall give notice in writing to the club secretary. Their membership will terminate on the date of that notice unless they are financially indebted to the club, in which case the committee may withhold acceptance of the resignation until any outstanding liability has been discharged. A member not having tendered their resignation by 30th March shall be liable for the ensuing year’s membership subscription.
6 Committee
(a) The affairs of the club shall be conducted by a Management Committee which shall consist of the Chair, Treasurer and Secretary as officers and up to twelve other members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. These other members will cover roles such as Membership Secretary, Digital, Session Leader Coordinator, Social Secretary, Kit Secretary and Press Officer.
(b) All committee members must be members of the club.
(c) If required, the committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its members.
(d) The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.
(e) If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.
(f) The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club, whilst adhering to the rules of England Athletics.
(g) The Committee shall elect or appoint representatives to any organisation to which the club is affiliated, or any other appropriate organisation.
(h) The Committee will have powers to appoint any advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business, and to appoint and delegate powers to sub-committees for any purpose considered appropriate.
(i) The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.
(j) The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the club and be held no less than three times per year.
(k) Only the committee members will have the right to vote at committee meetings.
(l) The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be three (one of whom must be an officer).
(m) The committee shall be the sole authority for interpretation of the club constitution and rules.
6 Finances
(a) The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.
(b) The financial year of the club will run from 1st January and end on 31st December.
(c) All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.
(d) A statement of annual accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.
(e) Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signature of the treasurer or of any person authorised by the committee.
(f) All members of the club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the club.
7 Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings
(a) General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the club’s affairs.
(b) The club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the first quarter of the year (January to March) to:
• Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
• Receive reports from the Chair and Secretary.
• Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.
• Elect the officers and members of the committee.
• Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution and Rules.
• Deal with other relevant business specified on the agenda.
(c) Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary to all club members with at least 21 days’ notice.
(d) Nominations for members of the committee will be sent to the secretary at least 7 days prior to the AGM. Any member can be nominated by any two other members, with his/her approval.
(e) Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate them at least 7 days before an AGM.
(f) All members have the right to vote at the AGM.
(g) The quorum for AGMs will be 25% of the club membership.
(h) The Chair of the club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings.
(i) An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the club. The committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the committee members. This meeting shall be convened within 14 days.
(j) All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.
8 Amendments to the constitution and rules
The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote of at least two thirds of the members present at an AGM or EGM.
9 Discipline and appeals
(a) All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary.
(b) The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 30 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.
(c) The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.
(d) There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 7 days of the secretary receiving the appeal.
10 Dissolution
(a) A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.
(b) In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any club funds. Any assets of the club that remain following this will become the property of another club with similar objectives or England Athletics Ltd.
11 Special Rules
(a) London Marathon Club Places – any London Marathon places allocated to the club shall be allocated as follows. If more than one member applies in the same round, then a ballot shall be used to determine who gets the places.
1st Round – Open to any fully paid up club member who applied and was rejected in the London Marathon main ballot for that year, and who has never run the London Marathon before.
2nd Round – Open to any fully paid up club member who applied and was rejected in the London Marathon main ballot for that year.
3rd Round – Open to any other fully paid up club members. London Marathon club places can only be allocated to first claim members.
12 Declaration
The above club constitution and rules for Halterworth Harriers have been agreed at the Annual General Meeting on 20 March 2024 and is hereby accepted as the current operating guide regulating the actions of members.