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Home / ABOUT THE CLUB / Club Constitution
Home / ABOUT THE CLUB / Club Constitution

Club Constitution

Name and Objectives

The name of the Club shall be 'Slaughden Sailing Club' (SSC) (referred to in these rules as the Club) and it shall be affiliated to the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).
The objectives of the Club are to promote and facilitate community participation in sailing and to provide social and other facilities for the members.
SSC is a non-profit making organisation: no dividend or bonus shall be paid to members of the Club.
The Club logo is yellow with the initials SSC in yellow on a red sail motif.


2 Membership
Membership shall be open to all who have a participative or supportive interest in the sport of sailing regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. Membership may, however, be limited according to available facilities on a non-discriminatory basis.
Members are expected to assist with the work of running and maintaining the Club. A new membership becomes effective when a completed application form, together with the appropriate fees, is received by the Membership Secretary or acting Membership Secretary.
2.1 Categories of Membership
Categories of membership with voting rights at Club general meetings and privileges to introduce guests (see 2.2) are as defined below:
Single - a person who, at the date of joining, is at least 18 years of age. They have one vote and guest rights.
Family - includes one or two co-habiting adults and all children under 18 within their guardianship. Each adult has one vote and guest rights.
Junior - a person between 15 and 18 years of age who is not covered by a Family membership. They must have written consent of parent or guardian to apply for membership. Juniors have no voting or guest rights.
Student - a person over 18 years of age and in full time education. This would normally be a single membership but could apply to a family. The annual subscription fee will be 60% of that normally payable. The joining fee, if applicable, will be paid in full. Student membership has all privileges of full membership and is granted at the discretion of the Membership Secretary.
Sponsored Junior - a young person between the ages of 10 and 15 years of age who wishes to sail but has no club member in their immediate family. They have no voting or guest rights. A Sponsored Junior must have written consent of parent or guardian to apply for membership and must satisfy all requirements in the Club consent document. They may take part in Club activities and use Club premises only when accompanied by their sponsor. Sponsored Juniors require two sponsors, one of which can be a full member and the other a club instructor or member of the committee.. Members' children have priority over Sponsored Juniors for training.
Honorary Life Member - is a person who, in the opinion of the Committee, has given distinguished service to the Club or the sailing community of the River Alde. A Life Member must be proposed by the Committee and elected at the AGM. Membership is offered, without subscription, at the current grade of the member and carries all voting rights and privileges of Full membership.

Honorary Member - this is at the discretion of the Management Committee and is for a maximum period of one year but can be renewed. Honorary Members have no voting or guest rights.

Temporary Member - Any member of the Management Committee may authorise a Temporary membership for persons with sailing interests. They have no voting or guest rights and no access to the members' only area of the website. The fees will be fixed by the Committee and such members will have full use of the clubhouse facilities and the use of a space in the dinghy park subject to availability. Temporary membership will normally be restricted to three consecutive weeks in any one year. They will not be eligible to collect race trophies restricted to Club members. Visitors from other sailing clubs taking part in events or races will be Temporary members for the duration of the event and their names and contact details will be recorded in the Visitors' Book. The Membership Secretary must be given details of all Temporary Members.
Friend of Slaughden - Available to Full Members who no longer wish to sail and to new Members who just wish to support the Club and join in occasional shore-based activities with no restriction on social events held in the clubhouse. Friend of Slaughden membership is granted at the discretion of the Membership Secretary or Management Committee where an application is considered valid and within the spirit of the Club. A Friend of Slaughden will be welcome at the Club, receive the newsletter and other relevant communications and may attend General Meetings, but will have no voting or guest rights.
Friend of Slaughden Membership is reviewed annually.
2.2 Guests in the Club
Full members of the Club may introduce guests according to conditions and limitations determined by the Management Committee (see Club Rules). Members must enter the names of all guests in the Visitor's Book.
2.3 Membership Fees
The joining and annual subscription fees for each category of membership (with the exception of Temporary Membership) shall be proposed by the Committee to the members at the AGM. Any changes must be approved by a majority of those present and entitled to vote. The current fees will be displayed on the website. Subscriptions will be kept at levels which will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
Subscriptions become due on 1st January each year. Membership will cease if subscriptions remain unpaid on 31st January. Renewal after this date will incur a re-joining fee. Subscriptions may be paid in instalments at the discretion of the Membership Secretary.
No member whose annual payment is in arrears may participate in any Club event or vote at a meeting.
2.4 New Member Fees
All new members shall pay a joining fee and their first annual subscription upon being admitted to the Club. If a member joins the Club after the 1st October they pay only the joining fee in that year.
2.5 Members' Contact Details
Every member must provide the Membership Secretary with an up-to-date address and contact details which shall be recorded in the members' database.
2.6 Conduct of Members
Every member must sign to undertake to comply with Club Rules and Regulations. Any refusal or neglect to do so, or any conduct which, in the opinion of the Committee, is either unworthy of a member or otherwise injurious to the interests of the Club, shall render a member liable to a warning, suspension or expulsion.
Before suspending or expelling a member, the Committee must call upon the member to give a written explanation of their conduct and allow the member full opportunity of making explanation to the Committee, or of resigning.
A resolution to suspend or expel a member shall be carried by a simple majority vote by those members of the Committee present and eligible to vote.
An appeal against suspension or expulsion may be made to the members in an Extraordinary General Meeting (in accordance with 4.2) within two months and shall be decided by a majority vote (the appellant may not vote).


3 Officers and Management Committee
3.1 Officers of the Club
The Officers of the Club shall be Single, Family or Life Members of the Club and shall consist of President, Commodore (chair), Vice-Commodore (Commodore in waiting), Rear-Commodore Dinghies, Rear-Commodore Cruising, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in each year and shall hold office for one year, retiring at the following AGM. All Officers of the Club shall be eligible for re-election.
3.2 Management Committee
This shall consist of the Officers of the Club plus Membership Secretary, Social Secretary, Information Technology (IT) Officer, Club Co Ordinator, Training Officer*, and two other members. Each member has a single vote. The President may attend meetings but may not vote. The Management Committee shall meet as and when required. Five members shall constitute a quorum. In the case of equality of votes the Commodore or Chairman shall have a second and casting vote.
The Committee shall manage the affairs of the Club according to the Rules and shall ensure that the funds of the Club be used only in accordance with its objectives or for a benevolent or charitable purpose nominated by members at a General Meeting.
In particular, the Committee shall ensure that property and funds of the Club will not be used for the direct or indirect benefit of members other than reasonably allowed by the Rules and that all surplus income or profits are re-invested in the Club.
The Management Committee must review and approve the Club Safety Policy and Risk Assessments annually. They will also review the Club's insurance requirements annually. The Committee shall make such Club Rules as required, within the spirit of the objectives and the Constitution. These rules shall be published on the website, displayed in the Clubhouse and updated as necessary.
3.3 Sub Committees
The Management Committee shall set up sub-committees as and when required. Sub-committees shall not have the power to raise, hold or disperse any funds except as authorised by the Management Committee. Each sub-committee shall be chaired by a member of the Management Committee.
3.4 Non-Committee Posts
Members may be appointed by the AGM or co-opted by the Management Committee to carry out specific duties. These members will be invited to attend committee meetings as appropriate or at their request.
3.5 Accounting Procedures
An annual financial budget, prepared by the Honorary Treasurer and authorised by the Management Committee at the start of the financial year, will show detail of estimated income and expenditure. Members of the Management Committee may authorise expenditure within the budget covering their area of responsibility; budgeted expenditure must not be exceeded without Management Committee authorisation. Any extraordinary item of expenditure in excess of £100 requires approval by the Management Committee.
Detailed records shall be kept of income and expenditure, supported by written receipts or invoices. Accounts shall be prepared by the Honorary Treasurer as required by the Management Committee.
The Honorary Treasurer shall cause an Annual Balance Sheet to be prepared. Two full members of the Club, appointed at the Annual General Meeting, shall examine and give assurance as to the accuracy of the Accounts and Balance Sheet. These shall then be verified by the Management Committee and presented to the membership at the AGM.
The Management Committee must approve the creation or termination of all Club bank accounts. Cheques drawn on these accounts must be signed by two officers or members nominated by the Management Committee. All income must be passed to the Honorary Treasurer, or banked directly under his/her instructions.
Any member may, with specific approval of the Management Committee, hold Club funds in connection with their duties, but all cash in excess of £100 must be held in an approved Club bank account.
Purchase or sale of capital items must be authorised by the Management Committee. Sale of assets over £1000 must be referred to the membership.
3.6 Election of Officers and Management Committee.
With the exception of the TC Principal, the Officers and Committee shall be elected annually by the AGM. Members standing for election to Office or Committee shall be proposed and seconded at the AGM. The nominee must either be present or have previously given written agreement that they will accept nomination. Any ballot shall be confined to those present and entitled to vote, and shall be by written ballot paper. To facilitate this process, where practical, the following procedure shall be followed. Approximately one month before the date of the AGM the Secretary shall post on the Club notice board a request for members to indicate their willingness to serve in Office or on Committee. This list shall be presented to the AGM so that these members may be proposed and seconded as required. A signature on the list shall be taken to comply with the written consent requirement.

*Training Officer - If there is a Training Centre Principal (TC Principal), he/she would also normally be the Training Officer. TC Principal is a managerial role with RYA recognition who would then normally be co-opted onto the Management Committee. RYA recognition of the Training Centre is vested in the TC Principal. (November 2018)

3.7 Limitation of Club Liability
Members, their guests and visitors are bound by the following rule:
Members of the Club, their guests or visitors may use Club premises and facilities entirely at their own risk and accept that the Club will not accept any liability for any damage to or loss of property belonging to members, their guests or visitors.


4 Meetings of the Club
Fifteen members entitled to vote and personally present shall form a quorum at an AGM or EGM of the Club. In the case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote on any matter other than the election of members of the Committee.
4.1 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
An AGM of the Club shall be held each year for the purpose of electing Officers and Committee and for the presentation of the accounts. The date of the next AGM will be decided at the first meeting of the new committee. The Secretary shall inform members of the business to be discussed at least fourteen days before the date of the AGM.
4.2 Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
The Committee may call an EGM of the Club to discuss any special business and must call an EGM in response to a request signed by at least eleven members of the Club. Members shall be given not less than fourteen days notice and the discussion at the meeting shall be confined to the business stated.
4.3 The Constitution
The Constitution may be amended only at a General Meeting and must be agreed by a majority of those present and entitled to vote. Any amendment must be proposed and seconded by full members and submitted to the Secretary. If the proposals are for discussion at the AGM they must be submitted to the Secretary at least 28 days before the AGM. Proposals may not be amended by the meeting.
No rule change shall alter the Club's objectives or winding-up provisions.


5 Trustees
5.1 Terms of Reference
There shall be at least three Trustees of the Club who shall be appointed by the Management Committee from among Single, Family or Honorary Life Members who are willing to be appointed. A Trustee shall hold office during his lifetime or until he resigns, by giving notice in writing to the Committee, or until a resolution removing him from office shall be passed at a meeting of the Committee by a majority comprising two-thirds of the members present and entitled to vote.
5.2 Property of Club Vested in Trustees
All the property of the Club, including land and investments, shall be held by the Trustees for the time being, in their own names so far as is necessary and practicable, on trust for the use and benefit of the Club. In the event of the death, resignation, or removal from office of a Trustee, the Committee shall nominate a new Trustee in his/her place, and shall, as soon as possible thereafter, take all lawful and practicable steps to procure the vesting of all Club property into the names of the Trustees as constituted after such nomination. For the purpose of giving effect to any such nomination, the Honorary Secretary for the time being is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925 and shall by Deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the Committee.
5.3 Powers of Trustees
The Trustees shall in all respects act, in regard to any property of the Club held by them, in accordance with the directions of the Committee and shall have power to sell, lease, mortgage or pledge any Club property held for the purpose of raising or borrowing money for the benefit of the Club in compliance with the Committee's directions (which shall be duly recorded in the minutes of the proceedings of the Committee) but no purchaser, lessee or mortgagee shall be concerned to enquire whether any such direction has been given.
5.4 Indemnity of Trustees from the Club
The Trustees shall be effectually indemnified by the Committee out of the assets of the Club from and against any liability, costs, expenses and payments which may be properly incurred or made by them in the exercise of their duties or relation to any property of the Club vested in them, or in relation to any legal proceedings, or which otherwise relate directly or indirectly to the performance of the functions of a Trustee of the Club.
5.5 Limitation of Liability of Club Trustees
(To be incorporated in every contract, lease, licence or other agreement entered into by the Trustees of the Club). The liability of the Trustees for the performance of any contractual or other obligation undertaken by them on behalf of the Club shall be limited to the assets of the Club.


6 Dissolution of the Club
If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the Club, there remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed amongst the members of the Club. The Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining by giving or transferring them to another club which is a charity or a registered CASC or other charitable organisation with similar sports purposes.

Updated December 2021 post AGM by Club Coordinator

Last updated 20:40 on 23 December 2021

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