Rochdale Triathlon Club Constitution

ROCHDALE TRIATHLON CLUB CONSTITUTION (Amended 27th January 2022)

1. Name.  The club will be called Rochdale Triathlon Club and will be affiliated to Triathlon England, hereinafter called “the club”.

2. Aims and objectives.  The aims and objectives of the club will be:

a. To offer coaching, training and competitive multisport opportunities in triathlon and any associated sport including aquathon, duathlon, swimming, cycling and running events;

b. To promote the club within the wider local community and the sport of triathlon, promoting an environment where likeminded people can come together;

c. To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club;

d. To provide all its services in a way that is fair and inclusive, to all club members in line with Triathlon England’s Equity Policy;

e. To ensure that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment;

f. Affiliate to the governing body for Triathlon, Triathlon England, and such governing bodies as determined by the club; and

g. To conduct all club business in accordance with Triathlon England rules, policy, procedures and guidelines.

3. Membership.   Membership should consist of officers and members of the club. All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept the regulations, policy and codes of conduct that the club has adopted.

a. Members must complete an annual membership form and enrol in one of the following categories:

  • Full member

  • Social member

  • Junior member

  • Life member/Honorary member

b. The club management committee is responsible for granting membership and will not refuse an application for membership on discriminatory grounds.

c. Abuse of volunteers, coaches, staff or members will not be tolerated, and repeated offenses may result in expulsion from the club or revocation of membership, without refund. Any membership refusal or removal can be challenged by the applicant who can request this to be reviewed by a review panel whose decision will be final and binding.

d. Any derogatory comment made against the Club, its volunteers, coaches or members or that brings the club into disrepute is considered very serious and, at the discretion of the committee the person or persons making the remarks or comments may have their membership revoked immediately and without refund.  Any such derogatory (or offensive) comments on the club social media or other channels will be removed immediately by the relevant admins.

e. All members of the club are responsible for ensuring they are fit and healthy before taking part in any club training programme or representing the club in any sporting event. The club accepts no liability for any ill health or injury to any member.

f. All reasonable steps will be taken by the club to ensure that training and coaching programmes are ability appropriate, well organised and the necessary risk assessments and procedures are in place. It is the responsibility for members to obtain any additional insurance that they may deem necessary.

g. All members will be encouraged to become members of Triathlon England. The Head Coach will be responsible for maintaining and recording any incidents taking place during club sessions and events and reporting to the management committee and relevant bodies.

4. Membership fees.  Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Management Committee. These will be approved at the Annual General Meeting. The club year will be 1st February to 31st January. Fees will be paid annually, regardless of when membership is applied for and approved. Membership applied for after the 1st August will be charged at half the annual price.

a. Any member resigning from the club must do so in writing to the club secretary and will not be entitled to any refund/part refund of their membership fee.

b. The Management Committee will be responsible for the granting life/honorary membership.

5. Officers of the club.  The elected officers of the club will be:

● President;

● Chair;

● Vice-chair;

● Secretary;

● Treasurer;

● Club Welfare Officer; and

● Other positions as required  

a. These elected officers will form the Management Committee. Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-election. Officers must be members of the club at the time of nomination.

b. Any member of the Management Committee wishing to resign must give written notice of resignation to the Club Secretary. Only elected posts will have the right to vote at meetings of the Management Committee.   

c. The Management Committee will be convened by the Secretary of the club and held no less than 4 per year with a minimum of 7 days’ notice. The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be 5. If the quorum is not present the meeting will be adjourned with the Chair setting a new date.

d. The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting and implementing new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club. Any number of sub-committees may be set up to support the work of the Management Committee. The Management Committee will have powers to appoint sub-committees and co-opt advisers to the Management Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.

e. The Management Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/ constitution. The Management Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

f. The appointed officers of the club will be:

● The Head Coach; and

● Assistant Head Coach 

g. The Head Coach will be accountable to the Management Committee, and will be responsible for appointing the coaching team, ensuring all associated checks are in place, in line with Government Legislation and Triathlon England’s policies and procedures. All appointments must be approved by the management committee.

6. Finance: All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club. The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the recording finances of the club and any financial transaction.

a. The financial year of the club will start on the 1st January and end on 31st December. An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting. The management committee will be responsible for appointing an auditor.

b. Any monies drawn against club funds should hold the approval of the Treasurer plus up to one other Officer of the Management Committee. These officers must be non-related. All transactions should be made and recorded electronically through the appropriate system, unless there are extraordinary circumstances.

7. General Data Protection Regulations Information collected and held by the club will be done so in accordance with the Rochdale Triathlon Club GDPR Policy. The Club are committed to protecting and respecting the privacy of members and any data requested is for the purposes of membership administration. The Data Controller is responsible for storing and otherwise processing that data in a fair, lawful, secure and transparent way.

a. Personal data might be provided by filling in forms at an event or online, or by correspondence with the Club by phone, e-mail or otherwise. This includes information provided when registering with the Club, joining our email list or participating in our Facebook group. The information we require includes name, date of birth, address, e-mail address, phone number and gender. We will also ask for relevant health information and for an emergency contact name and number.

b. The club needs this personal data in order to be able to effectively administer membership and provide services. We have a GDPR policy which is emailed to members and is freely available on request which deals with why we hold the data and what we might do with it. Reasons we need to process such data includes: for training and competition entry, for funding and reporting purposes, for membership and club management and for marketing and communications.

c. Any special category health data we hold is only processed for the purpose(s) of passing health data to coaches to allow the safe running of training sessions.

d. The Club has a closed Facebook members page.  All fully paid-up members along with any honorary members are free to join, as are ‘Friends of the club’ who have been approved by the committee.  For the avoidance of doubt and whilst not exhaustive, ‘Friends of the club’ are defined as those who the committee feel have benefitted the Club either by their sponsorship or given long and distinguished service.  Bereaved partners (or other bereaved family members) of Club members or others may also be considered at the discretion of the committee.

8. Annual General Meetings Notice of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be given to all members by the Club Secretary, with not less than 21 days’ notice.

a. Nominations for officers of the Management Committee must be sent to the Secretary not less the 14 days prior to the AGM. Proposer and seconder names should accompany the nominations. This includes all officers for re-election.

b. The agenda, minutes of the previous AGM, annual report and list of officer nominees will be sent to all members not less than 7 days prior to the AGM

c. The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Management Committee and a statement of the audited accounts. Election of officers will take place at the AGM. All fully paid-up members (aged 18 and over) have the right to vote at the AGM.    The quorum for AGMs will be 10% of the total paid and honorary membership over 18 years of age.  In the event of an equality of vote the Chair will have an additional vote or casting vote.

d. The Management Committee has the right to call Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) outside the AGM, with no less than 14 days’ notice being given to the membership along with the nature of the business to be discussed.

9. Discipline and appeals.  All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary.

a. The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 14 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including

● temporary suspension (up to 14 days) from the club activities pending further investigation

● the termination of membership.

b. The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 14 days of the hearing.

c. There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 14 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

10. Dissolution A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership. In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will become the property of Triathlon England.

11. Amendments to the constitution. The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM

12. Declaration Rochdale Triathlon Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.

 

Signed:                                                                    Signed: 

Karen Vale                                                                Ian Oliver
Club Chair                                                                Club Secretary

Dated:                                                                       Dated:

  • Rochdale Triathlon Club Constitution: 2022

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