The Club Rules

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1 TITLE The name of the Club shall be the Sporting Bears Motor Club hereafter referred to as 'the Club' 2 OBJECTS (a)  to raise money for Children’s Charities through social and competitive events - and to support other charitable events at the Committees discretion, with any monies raised being directed towards the Children’s aspect of that charity (b)  to further interest in motoring and motorsport (c)  to provide members with information, advice and assistance on matters connected with motoring and motor sport (d)  to watch the local administration of the laws and regulations affecting motoring and motor vehicles and to report any proposed local action or scheme to the Motor Sports Association. (e)   to arrange tours, lectures, discussions and social and other meetings (f)   to afford members such benefits and privileges as it may be possible to arrange 3 CONSTITUTION Ladies and gentlemen of not less than 17 years of age shall be eligible for full membership.  The members shall consist of: (a)   Life Members                       (b)   Honorary Members (c)   Ordinary Members                (d)   Family Members 4 MANAGEMENT The authority and responsibility for the transaction of the business of the Club for its management shall be invested in a Committee.  In addition to the powers and authorities by these rules expressly conferred on them, they may exercise all powers and do all acts in furtherance of the objects of which the Club is established, other than those hereby expressly directed or required to be exercised or done by the Club in a General Meeting. 5 DEBT No Member shall cause the Club to incur any debt whatsoever 6 GOODS & SERVICES (a)  No Member shall buy any goods or services on behalf of the Club on credit.  All goods and services are to be paid for in advance or on receipt of the said goods and services (b)  If goods or services are required to be ordered or purchased for a show, exhibition or any other fundraising event and the money is not available at the time, the organising Members may themselves guarantee or contract with some other person (e.g. the sponsor) to guarantee to stand the cost of such goods or services if this event does not make enough to pay for these   7 EVENT APPROVAL (a)  No Member shall organise any event in the name of the Club without first receiving the approval of the Committee (b) The Committee will take reasonable care to satisfy itself that the event is covered by Public Liability Insurance before sanctioning the event in writing. 8 EVENT SPONSORSHIP No Member will accept any sponsorship money as a loan.  Sponsorship money will only be taken as a non-returnable gift (unless a written undertaking is received stating that the money will be repaid only if, after paying all costs, the event makes more profit than the sponsorship money). 9 ELECTION OF OFFICERS The Chairman of the Club, Treasurer, Secretary and Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and, subject to term of office by resignation at the next AGM following their appointment, subject to Rule 14 hereunder.  The Committee shall have power to co-opt other members, as they deem necessary.  The retiring officers and other members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election. 10 COMMITTEE The Committee shall consist of no less than 6 and not more than 12 members, exclusive of the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, who shall be ex-officio members of the Committee. The Committee shall elect from amongst its own members a Committee Chairman.  Not less than 50% of the Committee shall form a quorum.  Nominations for candidates to the Committee must be received by the Secretary not less than one calendar month before the Annual General Meeting, with an intimation in writing that he or she is willing to serve and will thereafter give to the Committee a written resignation. 11 MEETINGS OF COMMITTEE The Secretary, either of his own accord or by the direction of the Chairman shall, unless otherwise agreed by all the Committee, give at least 7 days notice of a meeting. 12 DUTIES OF SECRETARY It shall be the duty of the Secretary or his appointed deputy in the case of unavoidable absence to attend in person all formal meetings of the Club and all meetings of the committee and to take minutes of the proceedings.  Such minutes shall be formally recorded and retained. 13 BANKING All monies to be banked in the SBMC name by the Treasurer or his nominee to the SBMC account 14 ELECTION OF MEMBERS Formal election of new members will take place at each Committee Meeting.  The Membership Secretary will provide a list for confirmation.  Membership of the Club shall continue only for the period covered by their current subscription and members shall be subject to re-election annually by the Committee. All applications must be made by an individual in his own correct name and signed by the said applicant personally.  Each person shall be elected for membership in order to comply with Rule 30. 15 PROVISIONAL MEMBERS Any Candidate for membership of the Club whose subscription has been accepted by the Secretary shall become a provisional member of the Club.  Provisional Membership of any candidate shall only hold good until the next meeting of the Committee after payment of the subscription of such a candidate. 16 VOTING OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS Each Member present at a meeting of the Committee shall be entitled to exercise one vote.  The Committee shall vote by ballot if any member present so demands. A vote of one third against any application for membership shall exclude the candidate from membership. 17 SUBSCRIPTION   Subscription is subject to annual review.  See also Rules 23 and 24 18 PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS Members will receive notice of their date for subscription renewal. 19 NEW MEMBERS Membership commences on receiving membership card and Club rules. 20 NON PAYMENTS Any member(s) of the Club who have not paid their subscription within three clear calendar months of the date on which it became due shall be notified of the fact in writing by the Membership Secretary.  One month thereafter any member who has still failed to pay their subscription may, unless sufficient reason is shown to the satisfaction of the Committee, be taken off the Register of Members forthwith. No member whose subscription is in arrears shall be eligible to take part in any competition organised by the Club under the rules of the MSA 21 RESIGNATION Failure to renew Membership within one month of the Final Reminder will be construed as Resignation.  Any member ceasing, voluntarily or otherwise to be a member of the Club, shall thereafter cease to have any claim upon the property of the Club or to enjoy any privileges of membership, but he shall remain liable for the payment of any debts due to the Club from him. 22 USE OF CLUB NAME & ADDRESS The name and address of the Club shall not be given by a member as his address for trade, advertising or business purposes or in connection with any legal proceedings. 23 LIFE MEMBERS Subscribers of not less than 10 times the annual subscription for the time being may be elected Life Members by the Committee and shall be exempt from the payment of the annual subscription.  A Member cannot become a Life Member until after re-election. 24 HONORARY MEMBERS The Committee may elect as Honorary Members all members of Royal Families and any person distinguished for their political, scientific, literary, industrial and administrative capacities, or who have been distinguished in promoting the cause of motoring in general or of the Club in particular and those agreeing to act as Club ambassadors. This position is exempt from payment of subscription and will be reviewed annually by the committee. 25 HONORARY LIFE MEMBER The Committee may elect as an Honorary Life Member any current member who, by a majority of not less than 5o% of the elected committee, is deemed to have made outstanding contribution to the Club. This position is exempt from payment of subscription and is bestowed as a lifetime honour. 26 EXPULSION OF MEMBERS It shall be the duty of the Committee if, at any time, they shall be of the opinion that the interests of the Club so require, by letter to invite any member to withdraw from the Club within a time specified in such a letter.   In default of such withdrawal to submit the question of his expulsion to a meeting of the Committee to be held within 6 weeks after the date of such a letter.   Members of the Committee shall be given at least 7 days notice that a question of withdrawal     or the Member whose expulsion is under consideration shall be given at least 7 days notice of such a meeting and shall be allowed to offer an explanation of his conduct verbally or in writing, and if two thirds of the members present shall then vote for his expulsion he shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Club. 27 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The AGM of the Club shall be held in the first quarter of each calendar year upon a date and a time to be fixed by the Committee.  The AGM shall: (a)    Receive from the Committee a full statement of accounts duly audited showing the receipts and expenditure for the year ending the previous December (b)    Receive from the Committee a Report of the activities of the Club during the said year (c)    Elect the Club Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the Club. (d)    Elect the Committee (e)    Decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided 28 SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING A Special General Meeting may be convened by direction of the Committee or on a requisition to the Secretary stating the business for which the SGM is required and signed by not less than 20 club members. If the meeting so requisitioned is not convened within 60 days, the said 20 members may convene such a meeting.  At least 10% of the current club membership shall form a quorum. 29 AGENDA When members wish a matter to be discussed at a General Meeting, the text of such matters signed by at least two members shall be sent to the Secretary at least 14 days before the date of such meetings so that it may be included in the Agenda.   A copy of the Agenda shall be sent to each member at least 5 days prior to the meeting, but the fact that any member has not received a copy of the Agenda shall not invalidate the proceedings.  No business, which is not included in the Agenda, shall be discussed at the meeting unless every member is in favour thereof.  Should the proposer of any motion fail to move a resolution in respect of the relevant item on the Agenda, then any member shall be entitled to do so. 30 VOTING Every person with a right to be present at a general meeting may exercise one vote.  The Chairman of the meeting shall not vote except in the exercise of a casting vote.  At all General Meetings, except as provided in Rule 35, a majority of votes decides a resolution.  At any General Meeting any 6 members may demand a Poll, and thereupon the meeting shall be adjourned to a time and place to be named by the Committee Chairman and a postal vote shall be taken of all members of the Club The decision of the members, as shown by such a postal vote, shall be reported to the adjourned meeting and shall be deemed to be the decision of such a meeting.  The Rules relating to such collective voting and proxies shall apply as in Rule 16 hereof. 31 RIGHT TO BE PRESENT No one can take part in General Meetings unless he has been duly elected as a member of the Club and has paid his subscription according to these Rules. 32 OBSERVANCE & INTERPRETATION OF RULES Every member binds himself to abide by the Rules of the Club, and also by any modifications thereof made in conformity with such rules, and also to accept as final and binding the decision of the Committee in all cases of dispute or disagreement as to the interpretation of these Rules. 33 ALTERATION OF RULES Any alterations may be made to these Rules by a General Meeting provided (a) that details of the proposed alteration or alterations are presented at the General Meeting  and (b) that the resolution proposing such alteration is carried by two thirds of those present and voting should a Poll be demanded as provided for in Rule 29. 34 EVENTS All motor events organised by the Club shall be held under the Rules and requirements of the MSA.  Any member convicted of any offence arising out of his being in charge of a motor vehicle in any Club event or on Club business shall thereupon be liable (subject to the discretion of the Committee) to expulsion from the Club under Rule 25. 35 COPIES OF RULES Every member shall be furnished with a copy of the Club Rules and regulations on election. 36 DISSOLUTION The Club may be dissolved by a Special General Meeting convened by direction of the Committee, or on the requisition of the majority of the members.   If the resolution of the dissolution be duly passed the Committee shall forthwith liquidate the affairs of the Club and if there be any surplus assets on realisation, these shall be donated to a Charity or Charities as decided by the Committee. 37 MEMBER GENDER Where the masculine gender is referred to at any point in these Rules, it also relates to feminine - and of course vice versa. 38 RULES & GUIDELINES RELATING TO SBMC CHARITY COLLECTIONS (a)  Funds collected by members of the SBMC must be deposited into the nominated SBMC A/C.  Charity donations will be distributed as soon as practicable to the designated children’s charity. (b)  The Committee will have the final decision on the allocation of any uncommitted funds. (c)  Two Club Members are to be responsible for an event organisation and its associated charity fundraising.  All monies are to be checked by at least the same two organising members and a signed financial summary forwarded to the treasurer within 60 days of the event. (d)    Any monies should be:         (i)   Forwarded to the Treasurer    or         (ii)  Paid into the nominated SBMC A/C and the paying-in slip forwarded to the Treasurer.  The   slip should clearly show the name of the event at which the monies were raised. (e)  Upon receipt of a cheque requisition form the Treasurer shall issue the charitable donation cheque as approved by the Committee. 39 DONATIONS TO CHARITIES SBMC will support UK based children’s charities or good causes, except where a tour or event is organised outside the UK, in which case a charity local to that event may be supported.