Constitution
Title
The name of the Organisation is Hampshire Athletics.
Object
The object of the Organisation is the promotion and administration of amateur athletics in the traditional Counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and the Channel Islands.
Membership
- Membership of Hampshire Athletics to be in accord with, and as set out in the rules of the governing body at any time.
- No corporate bodies shall be eligible for membership, unless also eligible for election to the national body at any time.
- Membership, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee may be granted to an individual.
- A request for membership must be made in writing to the General Secretary and subject to election by ballot at the next Executive Committee Meeting.
- Individuals may become Vice Patrons with no voting rights of the Organisation, upon payment of a minimum donation as decided from time to time by the Annual General Meeting.
- The Committee shall have the right to nominate a person or persons to the AGM for invitation as a Patron of the Organisation.
- The Committee shall have the right to make nominations to the AGM to offer Honorary Life Membership to any person that it considers has given outstanding service or brought special honour to the Organisation.
- The Annual General Meeting may elect Honorary Life Vice Presidents and Honorary Life Members.
Subscriptions and Affiliation Fees
- Affiliation fees to be determined at an Annual General Meeting to come into effect on the 1st January following the meeting.
- The Executive Committee shall have the power to suspend or expel any member whose subscription is six months in arrears, provided a months notice, in writing, shall have been sent to such member by registered or recorded delivery letter, addressed to his/her or nominated representative’s last known address, informing him/her/them of the proposed action of the Committee.
- The aggrieved party has the right to appeal to the Executive Committee, provided that party has replied, in writing, giving notice of the intention to appeal to the General Secretary within 30 days of notice of the Committee’s proposed action.
Annual General Meeting
- A General Meeting shall be held within fourteen (14) months of the date of the previous AGM, usually in March each year, to receive the committee’s written reports and financial statement for the previous year; to elect Officers, Auditors, Office and Post Holders, and deal with any other matter specified on the Agenda.
- The General Secretary must give every member 60 days’ notice, in writing, of the meeting. Notice of any business which it is desired to place on the agenda together with nominations for Officers and Committee, must be given to the General Secretary, at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
- The General Secretary shall notify all members of the agenda for the General Meeting at least 10 days prior to the meeting.
- Voting rights at a general meeting shall be restricted to paid up members, and members of the Executive Committee.
- The meeting will usually be chaired by the President or, if not available, by an Officer as approved by the members present.
- The retiring President shall be appointed as an Honorary Life Vice President.
- The Chair of the meeting shall, in the event of equality of voting, have a casting vote.
Extraordinary General Meeting
An Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the General Secretary within 14 days of the receipt by him/her of a request in writing, signed by 10 (TEN) members (with voting rights) of the Organisation; stating the business to be brought before such a meeting.
Property of Hampshire Athletics
- The control of the property of the Organisation, as listed and agreed from time to time, shall be vested in the Executive Committee.
- Should the Organisation have cause to be wound up, then tangible assets i.e. equipment, cups and administrative materials are to be offered and distributed to a body or bodies with similar aims. The financial assets to be distributed to appropriate sports’ charities.
- No individual member shall benefit financially from any such disposals, except for the recovery of any personal expenses incurred through the Organisation’s business.
Alterations of Rules
- No alterations or additions may be made to the Rules, except by a General Meeting called for that purpose. Notice of any proposed amendment must be given as provided in Rules five and six (5 and 6) of this Constitution.
- Any such alterations or additions must be carried by a two-thirds majority of voting members present and shall be effective from the date determined at that time.
Management
- The Annual General Meeting of the Organisation shall elect a President, a Vice President, Executive Committee and Auditors to serve for the ensuing year.
- The retiring President shall assume the position of Immediate Past President and usually subject to election there will be a three-year progression through the President Officer positions.
- The day to day management of the Organisation is vested in an Executive Committee consisting of:-
- The three President positions.
- A Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer.The foregoing 7 (seven) all to be known as Officers of the Organisation.
- Officeholders: – Administration Secretary, Championship Secretary/s, Officials Secretary, Road Race Secretary and Development Officer, elected annually at a General Meeting.
- A representative of each corporate member may attend and speak at an Executive Committee Meeting.
- Officers, Office Holders and a member’s representative in attendance, shall be entitled to one vote each at an Executive Meeting.
- No one person may cast more than one vote, except in the case of equality of votes when the Chairman of that meeting may exercise a second or casting vote.
- The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint post holders to include Team Managers, Race Walking Secretary, Trophies’ Secretary and Tug of War representatives.
- Post holders as in (vi), Patrons and a representative from each County or Unitary Authority in the Organisation’s area may attend and speak at an Executive Meeting, but shall have no voting rights.
- The Executive Committee may establish sub-committees as necessary, and have the power to co-opt persons to those committees.
- The Executive shall have power to fill any vacancy that may arise between General Meetings and shall normally meet six times, or as considered necessary.
- Eight persons shall form a quorum for the purposes of an Executive Committee Meeting, of which at least four shall be Officers or Office holders of the Organisation.
- The Chairman, Treasurer and General Secretary shall have the power to act jointly in an emergency and shall report their action to the next Executive Committee or General meeting whichever is the sooner.
- No person may hold more than two Officer/Office holder posts at anyone time. Any person holding two such posts may only cast one vote.
- All policy recommendations or financial commitments above £500 to be approved by the Executive Committee before being actioned.
- All financial commitments above £100 to be authorised, in writing, by the Treasurer, usually by way of a purchase Order.
This Constitution with change of title and some wording was approved for use at the Annual General Meeting on the 16 March 2012.
Signed:
Colin Goater – Chairman
Mike Williams – Honorary Secretary
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