Pennine Soaring Club Constitution
1. THE CLUB
1.1 The Club shall be called - Pennine Soaring Club
1.2 The Club shall be a member Club of the BHPA and any other Hang Gliding or Paragliding Association considered necessary by the committee.
1.3 The objectives of the club shall be:
a. To promote the safe pursuit of hang gliding, paragliding & other foot launch aviation in the north west of England.
b. To negotiate for, to administer and to protect flying sites.
c. To co-ordinate activities and to provide a flow of information between the club and its members.
d. To ensure the maintenance of standards and responsibilities in coaching and the flying and airworthiness of hang gliding, paragliding & other foot launch aviation.
e. To give advice and coaching to members who wish to fly.
f. To assist visiting BHPA members who wish to fly in our area.
g. To promote a positive image of the sport and club, paying due regard to the environment.
2. THE COMMITTEE
2.1 The Club shall be managed by a Committee who shall be elected annually at the A.G.M. Committee members shall take office at the end of the meeting at which they are elected.
2.2 The Club shall have the power to appoint an honorary President, or Presidents who shall have the right to attend committee meetings.
2.3 The Committee shall be called annually or on requisition of the Chairman, or three members of the committee.
2.4 A quorate meeting shall consist of five committee members to enable a motion to be carried or agreed.
2.5 The committee may make by-laws and regulate in regard to flying sites or any premises which the Club may acquire, and draw up rules and conditions for any competitions and displays or activities in which its members may partake.
2.6 The committee shall have authority to approve the payment of accounts, and to manage the club’s affairs generally. Any large expenditure will be subject to members approval. No member or officer of the club may attempt to obtain monies, property, or material goods or to accept any obligation on the behalf of the club without the express consent of a majority of the committee
The posts shall include:
Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Safety
Chief coach
Membership
Sites
and any other posts as deemed necessary by The Committee.
2.7a The Chairman of the club shall have a casting vote.
2.7b The Secretary shall keep a record of all decisions made at all committee meetings. He/she shall give notice to the committee stating particulars of all business to be considered at such meetings.
2.7c The Treasurer shall keep proper books of accounts and they shall be produced at the AGM, together with a statement of income and expenditure during the previous year of office.
2.7d The Sites Officer shall be responsible for negotiating and maintaining public relations with Land Agents of present and prospective flying sites.
2.7e The Safety Officer for both hang gliding and paragliding shall be responsible for giving advice to the club and its members on all aspects of safety pertaining to flying sites. His/her liability and that of the club and committee shall be limited to the provision of the best possible advice based on experience and judgement. It shall in no way extend to the acceptance of responsibility for any accident however caused, following the provision of such advice.
2.7f The Coaches for both hang gliding and paragliding shall assist existing and new members and organise coaching courses if required by the committee.
2.8 The committee may delegate any person to deputise for any of the officers in paragraph 2.6 in their absence.
2.9 The committee shall have the power to legislate on any point not provided for in these rules. It shall be binding on all members until repealed, either by the committee, or a resolution of a meeting of the Club.
3. MEMBERS
3.1 Subscription for membership shall be determined at the club AGM or an extraordinary GM
3.1a Members may have their subscription waived at the discretion of the committee
3.2 Flying members MUST have third party insurance provided by membership of the BHPA.
3.3 The membership secretary shall keep a roll of all members.
3.4 Members shall abide by the BHPA code of practice and flying rules, and the code of conduct and etiquette drawn up and revised by the committee and shall at all times act in a manner which is not prejudicial to the objectives of the club. Any member who knowingly and purposefully fails to comply with any of the conditions outlined in paragraph 3.4 or 3.5, such breaches of the rules having been drawn to his or her attention by any duly appointed officer of the club (either verbally or in writing) may, at the total discretion of the committee, have their membership terminated.
3.5 Members may not use the name of the club to obtain or attempt to obtain monies, property, material goods, site access or landing approval except when acting on the direct authority of the committee.
4. CLUB MEETINGS
4.1 The AGM shall be held early each year.
4.2 Reasonable notice of the AGM shall be given to members and the following business shall be discussed.
a. Election of officers.
b. Report from the treasurer and any other members of the committee.
c. Revision and amendments of rules and regulations where necessary.
d. Any other Business (no voting allowed.)
4.3 An extraordinary meeting of the club shall be called after one month's notice has been given, upon the written demand to the secretary of either 10% of the members or by a decision of the committee.
4.4 Voting shall only be by members present at that meeting, and shall be always simple majority except in cases covered by paragraphs 4.5 and 4.6.
4.5 Amendments or additions to the Constitution, Rules and Regulations must be carried by two thirds majority.
4.5a Notice must be given by members in writing to the club secretary for any amendments or additions to the Constitution, Rules and Regulations before one club meeting ahead of the AGM in order to give time for discussion.
4.6 Election of officers shall be by the overall majority of one candidate. In the event of the three cornered election, the candidate with the fewest votes shall step down.
5. ASSETS
5.1 All monies and property belonging to the club shall be applied as decided by the committee towards the furtherance of the objectives of the club.
6. DISSOLUTION
6.1 The club may be dissolved by a resolution passed by majority of not less than three quarters of the members present and voting at an AGM or EGM called for this purpose. Club assets will be distributed equally amongst the members.
1.3a. To promote the safe pursuit of hang gliding and paragliding in the north west of England. (previous version)
1.3a. To promote the safe pursuit of hang gliding, paragliding & other foot launch aviation in the north west of England. (amended)
1.3d. To ensure the maintenance of standards and responsibilities in coaching and the flying and airworthiness of hang gliders and paragliders. (previous version)
1.3d. To ensure the maintenance of standards and responsibilities in coaching and the flying and airworthiness of hang gliding, paragliding & other foot launch aviation. (amended)
2.6 The committee shall have authority to approve the payment of accounts, and to manage the club’s affairs generally. No member or officer of the club may attempt to obtain monies, property, or material goods or to accept any obligation on the behalf of the club without the express consent of a majority of the committee. Where the amount or obligation exceeds the sum of £100 (or such sum to be revised from time to time by a majority of the Committee) said consent to be in writing signed by the chairman or secretary and one other committee member.
The posts shall include:
Chairmanchairman@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Secretarysecretary@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Accountsaccounts@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
And might also include:
Sitessites@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Competitioncompetition@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Membershipmembership@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Chief Coachchiefcoach@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Safetysafety@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Social Secretarysocial@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Webmasterwebmaster@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Magazine Editoreditor@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Powerpower@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Site Wardenwarden@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
Sub-20 Officersub20@penninesoaringclub.org.uk
and any other posts as deemed necessary by The Committee. (previous version)
2.6 The committee shall have authority to approve the payment of accounts, and to manage the club’s affairs generally. Any large expenditure will be subject to members approval. No member or officer of the club may attempt to obtain monies, property, or material goods or to accept any obligation on the behalf of the club without the express consent of a majority of the committee.
The posts shall include:
Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Safety
Chief coach
Membership
Sites
and any other posts as deemed necessary by The Committee. (amended)
2.7f The Coaches for both hang gliding and paragliding shall assist old and new members and organise coaching courses if required by the committee. (previous version)
2.7f The Coaches for both hang gliding and paragliding shall assist existing and new members and organise coaching courses if required by the committee. (amended)
2.7g The editor shall produce a regular club magazine to include such items as required by the committee. (removed)
3.1 Subscription for membership shall be determined at the club AGM or an extraordinary GM (was 3.1a)
3.1a Members may have their subscription waived at the discretion of the committee (new inclusuion)
3.1b Membership is from the first day of the month in which application is made. (removed)
3.1c Membership renewal must be made in the month prior to the expiry of the previous years subscription. (removed)
3.2 There is one class of membership: Full membership
(Associate, Family, non-flying and social memberships were abolished by majority vote at the February 2015 AGM, together with the raising of the membership fee to £25 at that time.). (previous version)
3.2 Flying members MUST have third party insurance provided by membership of the BHPA. (amended was 3.2b)
3.2a Voting rights are restricted to full members. (removed)
3.2c Suitably qualified children of full members, while under the age of 18, may become full members and have their fee waived. (Clause added and approved at 2017 AGM). (removed, now covered by 3.2a)
3.5 Members may not use the name of the club to obtain or attempt to obtain monies, property, material goods, site access or landing approval except when acting on the direct authority of the committee. Where the amount of all obligations exceeds the sum of £100 (or such sum to be revised from time to time by a majority of the committee) said consent to be in writing signed by the chairman or secretary and one other committee member. (previous version)
3.5 Members may not use the name of the club to obtain or attempt to obtain monies, property, material goods, site access or landing approval except when acting on the direct authority of the committee. (amended)
4.1 The AGM shall be held in February early each year. (Changed from March at 2012 AGM) (previous version)
4.1 The AGM shall be held early each year. (amended)
4.4 Voting shall only be by full members present at that meeting, and shall be always simple majority except in cases covered by paragraphs 4.5 and 4.6. (previous version)
4.4 Voting shall only be by members present at that meeting, and shall be always simple majority except in cases covered by paragraphs 4.5 and 4.6. (amended)
4.5 Amendments or additions to the Constitution, Rules and Regulations must be carried by two thirds majority. (previous version)
4.5 Amendments or additions to the Constitution, Rules and Regulations must be carried by two thirds majority.
4.5a Notice must be given by members in writing to the club secretary for any amendments or additions to the Constitution, Rules and Regulations before one club meeting ahead of the AGM in order to give time for discussion. (new inclusion)