Constitution of Bradford Bandits BMX Racing Club

Revision 9 Issued: 13th January 2023


Name
The name of the Club is BRADFORD BANDITS BMX RACING CLUB.


Club Purposes
The Club will promote the sport of Cycling, and specifically Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racing, in the Bradford area and provide facilities and activities for community participation.


The club will develop and provide suitable coaching, training, development and learning opportunities for its members.
Permitted means of advancing the Purposes

The Committee has the power to:

  • acquire and provide grounds, equipment, coaching, training and riding facilities, clubhouse, transport, medical and related facilities;
  • provide coaching, training, medical treatment, and related social and other facilities;
  • provide training and development for members involved with running or organising the Club and its activities;
  • take out any insurance for club, volunteers, employees, contractors, players, guests and third parties;
  • raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans and charges;
  • borrow money and give security for the same, and open bank accounts;
  • buy, lease or licence property and sell, let or otherwise dispose of the same;
  • make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits;
  • set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves;
  • invest funds in any lawful manner;
  • employ and engage staff and others and provide services;
  • engage with, co-operate with or affiliate to firstly any bodies regulating or organising the Sport and secondly any club or body involved with it and thirdly with government and related agencies;
  • engage with, co-operate with or affiliate to other local groups and communities where such an association is beneficial to the Club;
  • Organise and involve the Club in activities outside of the Club purposes where such involvement is of benefit to the Club or its members;
  • do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes of the Club;
  • NONE of the above powers may be used other than to advance the purposes consistent with this constitution and the general law.
     

Membership
Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. 

However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non discriminatory basis.

  • Due to the nature of the primary sport, the Club may have to limit membership and/or involvement in certain activities for some disabilities following a complete Risk Assessment and Needs Analysis.
  • However in such cases the Club will endeavour to assist in finding a more suitable cycling club. The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non discriminatory and fair basis. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
  • The club can, at its discretion and subject to conditions, waive or reduce membership and/or subscription fees for any member if deemed necessary to allow participation; or to reward for providing non-participating service to the Club.
  • The club may not under any circumstances pay or otherwise reward any rider purely for representing the Club in competition, or for results attained.
  • The use of prize money in competition is allowed, providing the competition is open to non-members and there is no way to know before the event who will be competing.
  • All members are required to complete, sign and return a Club Medical form at each membership renewal
  • A copy of the medical form will be held by the committee, and a copy of the information will be available to the Lead coach.
  • Relevant information may also be passed to other coaches and tutors if it is considered necessary
    necessary to ensure good practice as defined by current safeguarding thinking. Such use will be periodically reviewed by the Welfare officer who will advise any changes to the criteria used.
    All persons provided with information in this way, and any other information considered personal or sensitive, will have been fully vetted and will have been fully briefed on the context they may use information.
  • All members are required to read and abide by the any relevant Code of Conduct, and all parents of riders under the age of 18 are required to read and abide by any relevant Code of Conduct.
    The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as breaking the Code of Conduct or behaving in character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members. 
  • Membership fees for the following year will be set at the AGM
     

 

General Meetings

  • All members may attend all general meetings of the Club in person.
  • Any members under the age of 16 must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian.
  • Members under 14 must be represented at meetings by their parent or legal guardian who holds the members vote by way of proxy.
  • Such meetings need 14 clear days' notice to members. This notice can be provided using whatever means the Club considers most appropriate.
  • Except for AGM and EGM, the quorum for all general meetings is all attendees. Members sending apologies will be counted in attendance but will be assumed to have abstained from any voting.
  • The Chair or (in his or her absence or by agreement) another member chosen at the meeting shall preside.
  • Except as otherwise provided in this constitution, every resolution shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast on a show of hands.
  • Formalities in connection with General Meetings (such as how to put down resolutions) shall be decided by the Committee and publicised to Club members.
  • In the Event of an attendee qualifying for more than one vote (eg a social member and representing an under 14) only a single vote will be counted.


Annual General Meetings (AGM)

  • The Club will hold an AGM once in every calendar year and not more than 15 months after the last AGM.

 

  • The quorum for an AGM is all attendees who have valid club membership, providing the correct notice has been given to all members. Members sending formal apologies will be counted in attendance but assumed to have abstained from any voting.


At every AGM:
 

  • The Treasurer will produce accounts of the Club for the latest financial year.
  • The Committee will present a report on the Club's activities since the previous AGM;
  • The Members can appoint a suitable person as defined by the membership to audit the accounts. However the appointed person must be willing to provide this service at no charge to the Club;
    o If the accounts show an annual turnover greater than the exemption figure allowed for under CASC, they must be audited by a professional accountant even if this service must be paid for.


The Members will elect a Committee including a Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary to serve until the next AGM;

  • If a suitable volunteer is willing then election of a Vice-Chair, who will be given the same privileges and responsibility as the Chair, and should hold or will attain within 3 months of election the same accreditation as required by the Chair of an Accredited Club.
  • The newly elected Committee will immediately appoint through co- option a suitably qualified Welfare Officer. The Welfare officer will be considered a member of the committee on all club business.
  • The newly elected Committee will immediately appoint through co- option as many of the required roles as possibly amongst those being counted in attendance.
  • In the event of no qualified person being available for a necessary role the Club will organise the relevant training for a willing volunteer


The members will discuss and vote on the next years membership fees

  • In the event of fees being raised for the next year, any member paying next years membership at the AGM will be pay the previous years fees. The Members will discuss and vote on any resolution (whether about policy or to change any rules) and deal with any other business put to the meeting. The 'Management Committee' will be defined, this will comprise of the elected officers and the welfare officer, along with any other positions considered relevant to the management of the club.


The Management Committee should endeavour to meet no less than once every 2 months


Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM)


An EGM shall be called by the Secretary within 14 days of a request to that effect from the Committee or on the written request of not less than 8 (or 25% or the membership whichever is lowest) members signed by them. Such EGM shall be held on not less than 14 nor more than 21 days' notice at a place decided upon by the Committee or in default by the Chair.


The quorum for an EGM is all attendees, providing the correct notice has been given to all members. Members sending formal apologies will be counted in attendance but will be assumed to have abstained from any voting.


The Committee


Subject to this Constitution the Committee shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs.
Property etc

The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by this constitution, the rules of the Club and the general law; and all surplus income or profits are reinvested in the Club.


This does not exclude the free loan of equipment by the Club to members, providing the member is not using the equipment for business.


The club may hire equipment to members to use in the course of their personal business and charge a fee to do so.


The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, treatment, post event refreshments and any other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002 (and revisions) only if agreed to by the members at a General Meeting


The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:

  • Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment; Employ members (though not for playing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present;
  • Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests;
  • Indemnify the Committee and members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).
  • The Committee will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and safeguarding children.
  • The Committee shall consist of a minimum of President (honorary), Chair (elected), Secretary (elected), Treasurer (elected), Welfare Officer (co-opted) and Lead Coach (co-opted).


The committee may also optionally have an elected Vice-Chair. role enjoys the same rights and privileges as the Chair, and must immediately take on the full responsibilities as Chair as required. Reserve and support for all other roles are titled 'Assistant role' and assigned by co-opting willing volunteers.

  • The Committee members may co-opt club members to serve until the end of the next AGM for any roles required, including but not limited to Welfare Officers, Club Contact, PR
  • The club will offer and promote training and qualifications to all volunteers.
  • Certain key roles where accreditation or qualification is required, the club expects the relevant volunteer in that role to ensure their accreditation and qualification are kept current and valid. Where this is being done solely for the benefit of the club then the club will cover all expenses incurred
  • Where expenses are incurred for partial benefit to the club these will be considered on a case by case basis.
  • Any Committee member may be re-elected or re-co-opted without limit, and may hold more than one role or responsibility.
  • A Committee member ceases to be such if he or she ceases to be a member of the Club, resigns by written notice, or is removed by the Committee for good cause after the Member concerned has been given the chance of putting his/her case to the Committee with an appeal to the Club members, or is removed by club members at a general meeting. The Committee shall fairly decide time limits and formalities for these steps.
  •  

Committee meetings

  • Whenever a Committee member has a personal interest in a matter to be discussed he/she must declare it, withdraw from that part of the meeting (unless asked to stay), not be counted in the quorum for that agenda item and withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter concerned. 
  •  The Committee may decide its own way of operating. resolves the following rules apply:


Unless it otherwise

  • At least 2 members must be present for the meeting to be valid;
  • Committee meetings do not need to be held face to face, and it is accepted that a club run by volunteers will have to use other forms of communication in making decisions.
  • The Chair or whoever else those present choose shall chair meetings;
  • Decisions shall be by simple majority of those voting;
  • A resolution in writing signed by every elected Committee member shall be valid without a meeting;
  • The chair of the meeting shall not have a casting vote, but is entitled to vote.
  • The Committee may delegate any of their functions to sub-committees or contract to commercial operators.
  • Sub Committee's should be defined and a Chair assigned. It will be up to the Chair to assign further members and organise itself within the conditions and purposes set out in the relevant 'Committee Definition'
  • The chair of any Sub Committee is automatically added as a member of the Club Management Committee regardless of the time of year the committee is formed
  • The Committee may wind up any sub-committee at any time or change its mandate and operating terms.
  • The committee may terminate any contract, within the conditions defined in the contracts terms at any time.
  • At any time Annual club reports and statements of account must be made available for inspection by any member and all club records may be inspected by any Committee member.


The club and its Management committee will endeavour to release minutes of meetings and other club information in a timely and fair manner and allow members to comment.


Amendments


This Constitution may be modified at a general meeting by majority of the votes cast but not so as to jeopardise the Club's legal status and not in any event to alter its purposes or for winding up provisions. The Club Purposes may be changed to include another eligible sport if the Committee unanimously agree and the members also agreed the change by a majority of votes cast. This constitution may be modified solely by the committee in a situation where failure to do so would jeopardise the Club's legal status or to incorporate Governing Body or similar requirements. In this situation a general meeting will be called to formally adopt the changes at the earliest opportunity.
The constitution will be reviewed and amended as necessary each year to ensure it meets any changes in regulation and incorporates any changes in the sport or in club operations.


Winding Up the Club


The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting.

  • The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club's affairs.
  • After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets
    remaining to one or more of the following:
  • To another Club with similar sports purposes which is affiliated to British Cycling
  • To another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC and/or
  • To another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered charity
  • Where the remaining members of the committee cannot agree to distribute the remaining assets, then they must be given to the Club's governing body for use by them for related community sports.
  • On completion of distribution of the remaining assets, notice must be given to landowners etc that the Club is formally closed.

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