Constitution of the Sydney Striders
This page last updated: Saturday April 29 2006
Constitution of the Sydney Striders Road Runners Club Inc
AS AMENDED BY SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING 2005
1. TITLE:
The Club shall be called the "Sydney Striders Road Runners' Club Incorporated".
2. AFFILIATION:
The Club shall be affiliated to such organisations as the Committee may from time to time decide.
3. COLOURS:
The colours of the Club shall be emerald and white.
4. OBJECTS:
The objects of the Club shall be:- (a) To promote and encourage the sport of running, with emphasis on distance running. (b) To hold contests and championships from time to time as the Committee may determine. (c) To arrange activities and social functions for members.
5. MEMBERSHIP:
Membership shall be classified as follows:- (a) Membership. Open to those persons who are eighteen years of age or older on 1st January of the year of membership. (b) Honorary Membership. May be conferred at the discretion of the Committee for the duration of one season. (c) Life Membership. May be conferred by the decision of an Annual General Meeting on members of no less than ten years standing in recognition of outstanding services to the Club. Life members shall be exempt from annual subscription but subject in every other way to the rules and by- laws of the Club.
6. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP:
All applications for membership shall be made in writing on the official Application Form as approved from time to time by the Committee and shall be received by the Secretary or such other member of the Committee as the Committee shall designate, and such applications for membership shall be placed before the next succeeding Committee meeting for their acceptance or rejection. The application form shall be accompanied by the Annual subscription as determined by the Committee, and in the event of the application of a prospective member being refused such moneys paid shall be refunded together with a written rejection within seven days of the date of the meeting at which such application was refused.
7. MEMBERS' LIABILITIES:
The liability of a member of the Club to contribute towards the payment of the debts and liabilities of the Club or the costs, charges and expenses of the winding up of the Club is limited to the amount (if any) of fees for the current year unpaid by the member in respect of membership of the Club as required by clause 10 of the Constitution.
8. LIFE MEMBERSHIP:
Nominations for Life Membership, signed by the Proposer, must be in the hands of the Secretary one month prior to the Annual General Meeting. The nominations will be submitted to the Committee by the Secretary for consideration. A three-quarters majority of members present and voting at such meeting shall be required for acceptance of such nominations, each nomination being separately voted upon. Should a Committee person be nominated for Life Membership such Committee person should absent themself from the meeting during discussion and voting on his/her nomination. Should the nominations be accepted the Secretary shall then incorporate in the notice convening the Annual General Meeting the recommendation of the Committee for the elevation of the person(s) nominated to life Membership.
Life Members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting by Secret ballot on a four-fifths majority of those present and voting at such meeting.
Life Members may be appointed on payment of a subscription equivalent to no less than twenty five times the current annual senior membership subscription. Such appointments may only be made from time to time as decided by a special resolution of the Club.
9. SEASON:
The season of the club shall commence on 1 January and conclude on 31 December in the same year.
10. FINANCE:
The financial year shall commence on 1 January and conclude on 31 December in the same year.
Annual subscriptions - A member of the Club shall pay to the club an annual subscription, the amount of which is determined by the committee.
Other sources of funds of the Club shall be:- donations, sponsorship moneys and race entrance fees associated with the promotion and running of races, advertisements in the Club's magazine, and such other sources as the Committee shall from time to time determine.
The income and property of the Club whencesoever derived shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objectives of the club and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the members of the club provided that nothing herein shall prevent the payment in good faith of remuneration to any officer or servant of the Club in return for any services actually rendered to the Club or reasonable and proper rent for premises let by any member of the Club.
The funds of the Club shall be under the absolute control of the Committee. All moneys received shall be deposited to accounts in the Club's name with such financial institution as the Committee may from time to time determine. All cheques, drafts bills of exchange, promissory notes and other negotiable instruments shall be signed by any two of the following officers namely President, Vice-President, Secretary Treasurer and two others as nominated by the Committee. All negotiable securities held by the Club shall be lodged with the Club's financial institution for safe custody. For the purpose of recording the assets and liabilities and financial the Club, the following books shall be kept, namely, Cash Book, Register of Members and Minute Book; the Cash Book shall be kept by the Treasurer and the Minute Book by the Secretary.
The Secretary shall establish and maintain a register of members of the Club specifying the name and address of each person who is a member of the Club. The register of members, other records and documents of the Club shall be kept at the Club's principal place of administration and shall be open for inspection, free of charge, by any member of the Club at any reasonable hour, subject to one weeks prior notice being given to the Secretary.
11. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
The Annual General Meeting shall be held within 3 months of the commencement of the financial year:- (a) To confirm the Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting. (b) To receive the Annual Report.
(c) To receive statements of financial affairs as required by the Act. (d) To elect office bearers referred to in para 19 for the ensuing season. (e) To transact such other business as may be brought forward.
All offices shall be declared vacant immediately prior to the election of office bearers and persons elected to the vacant positions shall take office immediately.
12. NOTICE OF AGM:
Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be forwarded to all members of the Club by the Secretary, with a copy of the Annual Report and Financial Statement being made available on request at least seven days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.
13. ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUTION AND OBJECTS OF THE CLUB:
The Constitution and statement of objects of the Club may be altered, rescinded or added to only by a special resolution of the Club.
No alterations to the Objects, Constitution and Rules shall take effect until the written approval of the alterations by Athletics NSW.
14. QUORUMS AT GENERAL MEETINGS:
Ten per cent of members of the Club shall constitute a quorum at the Annual General Meeting. For a Special General Meeting a quorum shall be fifteen fully paid up members. No item of business shall be transacted at a general meeting unless a quorum of members entitled under these rules to vote is present during the time the meeting is considering that item. If within half an hour after the appointed time for the commencement of a general meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting if convened upon the requisition of members shall be dissolved and in any other case shall stand adjourned to the same day in the following week at the time and (unless another place is specified at the time of the adjournment by the person presiding at the meeting or communicated by written notice to members given before the day to which the meeting is adjourned) at the same place. If at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour after the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting, the members present (being not less than 3) shall constitute a quorum.
15. VOTING:
All fully paid up members and life members of the Club shall be entitled to vote on the election of Office Bearers and election of Life Members. On notices of alterations to the Constitution only Senior Members and Life Members shall be entitled to vote. Voting shall be by secret ballot for the election of Office Bearers where more than one nomination is received, and for the elevation of persons to Life Membership. On all other resolutions voting shall be by show of hands unless a secret ballot be called for by a member of the Club. Motions for alteration to the Constitution and for the elevation of persons to Life Membership shall be by special resolution and shall require a three-quarters majority of eligible members present and voting and all other resolutions or election of office bearers shall require a simple majority. No proxy votes shall be allowed.
16. GENERAL MEETINGS:
A special General Meeting of the Club may be convened by the Secretary at any time and shall be convened upon receipt of a written request signed by at least ten per cent of members of the Club, setting forth the nature of the business to be transacted, and such meeting shall take place not more than three weeks after the receipt of such request by the Secretary. If the committee fails to convene a special general meeting to be held within 1 month after the date on which a requisition of members is lodged with the Secretary, any one or more of the members who made the requisition may convene a special general meeting to be held not later than 3 months after that date.
17. NOTICE:
(i) Except where the nature of the business proposed to be dealt with at a general meeting requires a special resolution of the Club, the Secretary shall, at least 14 days before the date fixed for the holding of the general meeting, cause to be handed to each member or sent by pre-paid post to each member at the member's address appearing in the register of members, a notice specifying the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business proposed to be transacted at the meeting. (ii) Where the nature of the business proposed be be dealt with at a general meeting requires a special resolution of the Club, the Secretary shall, at least 21 days before the date fixed for the holding of the general meeting, cause notice to handed to or sent to each member in the manner provided in clause (i), the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution.
18. SPECIAL RESOLUTION:
A resolution of the Club is a special resolution if it is passed by a majority which comprises not less than three-quarters of such members of the club as, being entitled under these rules so to do, vote in person at a general meeting of which not less than 21 days written notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution was given in accordance with this Constitution.
19. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE:
The Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club shall consist of the Office Bearers being President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and 2 ordinary members -(minimum).
In addition any other office bearers considered necessary for the smooth running of the club shall be elected at this meeting. Only paid up members may hold office until immediately prior to the election of office bearers at the annual general meeting following the date of the member’s election but is eligible for re-election.
20. COMMITTEE:
The Committee shall be called the Committee of Management of the Club and, subject to the Act, Regulations and this Constitution and to any resolution passed by the Club in general meeting - (a) shall control and manage the affairs of the Club; (b) may exercise all such functions as may be exercised by the Club other than those functions that are required by these rules to be exercised by a general meeting of members of the Club and (c) has power to perform all such acts and do all such things as appear to the Committee to be necessary or desirable for the proper management of the affairs of the Club.
21. VACANCIES ON THE COMMITTEE:
The Committee shall have power to fill any casual vacancy occurring during the season and to appoint additional officials as considered necessary. A casual vacancy in the office of a member of the Committee occurs if the member - (a) dies; (b) ceases to be a member of the Club. (c) becomes an insolvent under administration within the meaning of the Corporations Act ; (d) resigns office by notice in writing given to the Secretary; (e) becomes of unsound mind or a person whose person or estate is liable to be dealt with in any way under the law relating to mental health or (f) is absent without the consent of the Committee from all meetings of the Committee held during a period of 6 months.
22. CHAIRMAN AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Committee. In his/her absence a Chairman shall be elected for the meeting from the members present.
23. THE CHAIRMAN'S VOTE:
The Chairman shall have a deliberative as well as a casting vote on any matter under consideration.
24. SUB-COMMITTEES:
The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees as required.
25. BY-LAWS:
The Committee shall establish By-Laws of the Club and such By-Laws are to remain in force until rescinded or amended.
26. FREQUENCY OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
The Committee shall meet at such time as at least two of the Office Bearers shall decide. Not more than three months shall elapse between meetings. Notice of a meeting of the Committee shall be given by the Secretary to each member of the Committee at least 48 hours (or such other period as may be unanimously agreed upon by members of the Committee) before the time appointed for the holding of the meeting.
27. QUORUMS AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
Three members of the Committee shall form a quorum at each Committee Meeting. No business shall be transacted by the Committee unless a quorum is present and if within half an hour of the time appointed for the meeting quorum is not present the meeting stands adjourned to the same place and at the same hour of the same day in next following week.
If at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour of the time appointed for the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved.
28. EXPULSION:
Any member violating the rules of the Club, or who shall misconduct himself/herself or act contrary to the general policy of the Club as determined by the Committee, may be expelled by a four-fifths majority of the Committee voting at a meeting thereof, and of which notice has been given to the member concerned and at which meeting he/she shall be entitled to be heard. Notice of the violation of the rules or his/her misconduct shall be given in writing at least seven days prior to the meeting and forwarded by Registered Post to his/her last known address.
Any member so expelled in accordance with the Rules shall have a right to appeal to a General Meeting against such expulsion. Such appeal shall be lodged by him/her in writing to the Secretary within fourteen days from the date of the meeting of the committee at which his/her expulsion was decided. Within seven days from the receipt of the notice of appeal the Secretary shall forward to all members notification of a General Meeting to be called within fourteen days for the consideration of the appeal.
A decision to rescind the expulsion will only be taken on a four-fifths majority of members present, eligible to vote and voting. All members are deemed to be conversant with the Rules and By-Laws of the club and ignorance shall not be considered as a ground of appeal.
29. VOTING AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
All voting at Committee meetings shall be by a show of hands unless requested by a member of the Committee prior to a vote being taken.
30. COMMON SEAL:
The common seal of the Club shall be kept in the custody of the public officer. The common seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of the Committee and the affixing of the common seal shall be attested by the signature of two members of the Committee.
31.WINDING UP PROVISIONS:
The Club shall not be dissolved except at a General Meeting of the Club specially convened for the purpose and by a Special Resolution carried by a majority or three-quarters of the votes recorded in respect of same. If upon 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 among the members of the Club but shall be given or transferred to some other association or associations having objects similar or in part similar to the objects of the Club and which shall also prohibit the distribution of its or their property among its or their members such association or associations to be determined by the members of the Club at or before the time of the dissolution or in default thereof in accordance with the Act.
