1.0.      NAME

1.1.      The club will be called Stourbridge Cycling Club, herein referred to either as SCC or the Club.

2.0.      AIMS

2.1.      The aims of the Club will be to encourage and promote all aspects of cycling.

3.0.      THE CONSTITUTION

3.1.      A Constitution will be maintained by the Club’s Committee and all members are bound by the Constitution as a prerequisite of membership of the Club.

3.2.      The Constitution will only be altered by resolution passed by a two thirds majority of all Members attending a General Meeting.

3.3.      Notice of any proposed amendments shall be given to the General Secretary in writing not less than twenty-one days before the relevant General Meeting.  E-mail may be used to constitute writing.

3.4.      A copy of the Constitution will be available to all Members.

4.0.      MEMBERSHIP

4.1.      Anyone interested in cycling may apply to join the Club.  Applications for membership will be made to the Membership Secretary on a form consistent with a model approved by the Committee and shall be accompanied by the appropriate subscription.  At the earliest practicable opportunity the Membership Secretary will present the application before the Committee for consideration.  Approval will not be withheld on the grounds of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, or other belief or lifestyle choice.  However, the non-discriminatory limitation of membership by the Committee shall be allowable where necessitated by the availability of facilities or organisational capacity.  Furthermore, the Committee may decline an application on the grounds of previous disreputable or antisocial personal conduct liable to tarnish the Club's good name by association.  Persons under the age of sixteen years shall only be accepted to membership with the completion of a consent and disclaimer form signed by their Parent or Guardian, and at the discretion of the Committee.  Membership shall ordinarily be effective from the date of application and payment once approved by the Committee.  In the unlikely event that an application for membership is declined by the Committee, the applicant will receive a full refund of any fees paid.

4.2.      In order to promote and facilitate participation in cycling, the Club may define various classes of membership and may differentiate its subscriptions accordingly.  No such definition or amendment shall discriminate on the grounds of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, or other belief or lifestyle choice, except insofar as discrimination may be a non-prejudicial administrative necessity or to the advantage of an otherwise disadvantaged group.  Membership categories will be:

4.2.1.  Individual Member.

4.2.2   Family Member.

4.2.3   Honorary Life Member.

4.3.      Subscriptions will be:

4.3.1.  Individual Member.

4.3.1.1.           £18.00 for Senior (18 or over on 1^st January)

4.3.1.2.           £12.00 for Junior (16 or over on 1^st January)

4.3.1.3.           £6.00 for Youth (under 16 on 1^st January)

4.3.2   Family Member.        £30.00 (maximum of 2 adults and all children under 16)

4.3.3   Honorary Life Member.       £0.00 (No fee in recognition of outstanding service)

4.4.      A person applying for Individual Membership who has previously ridden under the name of another club in any cycling related event and wishes to ride and be registered in the name of SCC at any future cycling related event, must produce suitable evidence to the effect they will no longer ride under the name of their previous club and have no outstanding debts or commitments to the said previous club.

4.5.      Family Membership shall comprise one Member, their partner where appropriate, and all children under 16 years resident at the same address.  Family Members shall be deemed to be Individual Members and will have all rights associated with Individual Members.

4.6.      The Club may award Honorary Life Membership to any Member for outstanding service to the Club including ten years serving on the Club’s Committee.  Nominations for Honorary Life Membership will be made in writing to the General Secretary a minimum of fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting and must have one proposer and two seconders per nominee.  The reasons for Honorary Life Membership nomination must be stated.  Should more than one nomination be received a simple ballot will be held and the candidate receiving the most votes will be elected.  In the event of a tie the ballot will be re-taken.  Only one Club Member per year may be elected to Honorary Life Membership.  All Honorary Life Members will be treated as Individual Members and will have all rights associated with Individual Members.

4.7.      Any member may also be a member of other clubs and organisations subject to satisfying all necessary requirements of other clubs and organisations.  Members declaring Second Claim membership will not be eligible for Club Championships or to hold office.

5.0.      SUBSCRIPTIONS

5.1.      The Club may vary subscriptions according to membership category.  The initial definition of, or any subsequent amendment to, a category of membership or the associated subscription shall require approval by a General Meeting of Members.  No such definition or amendment shall discriminate on the grounds of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, or other belief or lifestyle choice, except insofar as discrimination may be a non-prejudicial administrative necessity or to the advantage of an otherwise disadvantaged group.

5.2.      The annual subscription becomes due on 1^st January each year and overdue on 1^st March in the same year.  Members whose subscriptions become overdue shall cease to be a Member and will not be eligible to take part in any of the Club's activities.

5.3.      New members shall pay their subscriptions on application, but those applying for membership after 1^st July each year shall pay only half the appropriate subscription for that year.

5.4.      New members applying after 31^st October each year shall pay the appropriate full subscription, which shall hold good for the following year also.

6.0.      THE COMMITTEE

6.1.      The Club shall be managed by a Committee comprising Individual Members to fill the following posts:

6.1.1.  Chairman.

6.1.2.  Treasurer.

6.1.3.  General Secretary.

6.1.4.  Membership Secretary.

6.1.5.  Racing Secretary.

6.1.6.  Touring Secretary.

6.1.7.  Web Site Coordinator.

6.1.8.  Welfare Officer.

6.1.9.  Ex-officio Member.

6.2.      The Committee will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting by a two-thirds majority of all Members attending the Meeting.  Each nominee must have a proposer and seconder with either the proposer or seconder giving reasons as to why the nominee should be elected to the Committee.  Should a post become available on the Committee between Annual General Meetings, a Member may be elected to fill the post at an Extraordinary General Meeting called by the Committee.

6.3.      The Committee will propose the number of Ex-officio Member to a General Meeting before seeking agreement from the Members on nominees.

6.4.      The Committee shall have powers for regulating the conduct and affairs of the Club, including all Members, providing that these powers are consistent with the Club Constitution.

6.5.      The Committee will meet a minimum of six times per year and will require six Committee Members to form a quorum at a Committee Meeting.  In the absence of the Chairman, a Chairman will be appointed but only for administrative purposes.

6.6.      Notice of all Club Committee Meetings will be sent to the Committee Members by the General Secretary at least six days prior to the meeting.  Any Committee Member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings without tendering good reason will be deemed to have resigned.

6.7.      At all Meetings a simple majority shall decide the issue of all matters in debate, except alterations to Club Constitution which will require a two-thirds majority of all Members attending a General Meeting.

6.8.      Other Club members, representatives of other organisations or delegates may attend as and when required by invitation of the Committee.

6.8.      Any Club Member may address the Committee by giving a minimum of seven days notice to the General Secretary.

7.0.      DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE

7.1.      The duties of the Committee shall be:

7.1.1.  Transact all dealings of the Club, and account for such at General Meetings.

7.1.2.  Make and interpret Club Constitution.

7.1.3.  Monitor the Club's income and expenditure.

7.1.4.  Consider and approve applications for membership.

7.1.5.  Oversee the arrangements for nominated Club rides.

7.1.6.  Support social and other activities as required.

7.1.7.  Arrange Club competitions and agree the number and value of prizes.

7.1.8.  Agree the allocation, engraving and custody of trophies.

7.2.      In all the above duties, the decision of the Committee shall be final, unless the matter in dispute be referred to either the Annual General Meeting or to a General Meeting called for that purpose in accordance with paragraph 9.0 of this Constitution.

8.0.      FINANCE

8.1.      The Club’s financial year will be from 1^st January to 31^st December.  The Club's audited accounts and balance sheet will be presented in the following year to the Committee and for acceptance by Members at a General Meeting.  The acceptance of the accounts and balance sheet will require a vote in favour by a minimum of two thirds of those Members present at the General Meeting.

8.2.      Documents supporting the accounts such as invoices, receipt stubs, cheque stubs and bank statements, shall be retained for three years.  Calculations supporting the accounts shall be retained for six years. The cash book, income and expenditure account, and balance sheet shall be retained as part of the Club archives.

8.3.      All Club Members responsible for funds during the promotion or arrangement of Club events and functions, shall account for all monies to the Treasurer as soon as possible.

9.0.      GENERAL MEETINGS

9.1.      General Meetings may be called by the Committee or upon receipt by the General Secretary of a written or e-mail request by twenty or more Club Members.

9.2.      Twenty one days notice by e-mail or in writing will be given to all Members for any General Meeting.  Items for inclusion on the Agenda of any General Meeting shall reach the General Secretary not less than fourteen days before such Meeting.  A copy of the Agenda, giving notice of a General Meeting, shall be circulated by the General Secretary to all Members at least seven clear days before the date of such Meeting.

9.3.      An Annual General Meeting will be called by the Committee and held between 1^st March and 30^th April to receive reports and statements of accounts for the previous year, to elect the Committee and to elect an Honorary Auditor to audit the Club's accounts and balance sheet.

9.4.      An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened by the General Secretary at the instruction of the Committee, or when requested to do so, in writing or e-mail, by twenty or more Members.  Such Meetings shall be called not later than thirty days after receipt of a request that satisfies the requirements of the Constitution.

9.5.      At all General Meetings, a minimum of twenty five percent of the Club Membership eligible to vote shall constitute a quorum.

9.6.      In the absence of a Chairman, a Chairman will be appointed but only for the administrative purposes of the General Meeting.

10.0.   CLUB COLOURS

10.1.   The Club's colours and clothing will be to a pattern as agreed from time to time by a General Meeting.  While the Committee may make recommendation to a General Meeting on the colours and clothing, the decision to adopt a recommendation will rest with membership and will be decided by a two thirds majority of all Members attending a General Meeting.

11.0.   DISSOLUTION

11.1.   Dissolution of the Club can only be taken following a two-thirds majority of all Members attending a General Meeting.

11.2.   In the event of such dissolution, and after the discharge of all debts and other liabilities, any assets remaining will not be paid or distributed amongst the members, but will be given, or transferred, to some other voluntary or not-for-profit organisation having objectives similar to the Club.  The benefactor, or benefactors, will be decided by a two-thirds majority of all Members attending a General Meeting.

12.0.   CLUB MEMBER OF THE YEAR

12.1.   Nominations for Club Member of the Year may be made in writing to the General Secretary before the Annual General Meeting or may be taken from the body of the Meeting.  Should more than one nomination be received or made, a secret ballot will be held and the candidate receiving most votes will be elected Club Member of the Year.

13.0.   MATTERS NOT PROVIDED FOR

13.1.   Any matter not provided for in this Constitution shall be dealt with by the Committee.  Any Member who is not content with the decision of the Committee may raise the matter at a General Meeting after which it will become binding.

14.0.   EQUALITY POLICY AND CODE OF CONDUCT

14.1.   The Club and all the Membership will adhere to an Equality Policy and Code of Conduct.  The Equality Policy and Code of Conduct is at Annex A of the Constitution.