(ADOPTED 23RD MAY 2007)

1.             NAME

The Club is to be known as “Zennor Gig Club (Penzance)” hereinafter called “the Club”.

2.             PURPOSE

The purpose of the Club is to promote the amateur sport of rowing in Zennor, Penzance and surrounding areas and to encourage community participation in the same.

3.             CLUB EVENTS

All Club regattas and races will be held under the rules of the Cornish Pilot Gig Association.

4.             COMMITTEE

4a.           Composition

4a.i.         The management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee comprising of the following posts:

·         President

·         Chairman

·         Secretary

·         Social Secretary

·         Treasurer

·         Boat Husbandry Officer

·         Safety Officer

·         Fundraising Officer

·         Press/Media Officer

·         Child Welfare Officer

·         Crew Liaison Officer

Subject to these rules, the Committee shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs.

4a.ii.        Where a Committee post becomes vacant prior to an AGM, the Committee may co-opt a Club member to serve until the next AGM.

4a.iii.       Any Committee member may be re-elected or re-co-opted without limit.

4a.iv.       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 Club members at an AGM.

4b.           Property

4b.i.         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 the                 rules and all surplus income or profits are reinvested in the Club.

4bii.         The Club may sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment.

4b.iii.       The Club may employ members (though not for rowing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the  Committee.

4b.iv.      The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, training courses and insurance cover.

4b.v.       The Club may also 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).

4c.           Meetings

4c.i.         Committee meetings are to be convened by no less than two of the officers with a quorum for committee meetings of at least five members in total.

4c.ii.        Whenever a Committee member has a personal interest in a matter, he or she must declare it, withdraw from that part of the meeting, not be                 counted in the quorum for that agenda item and withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter concerned.

4c.iii.       All decisions shall be made by simple majority of those voting.

5.             MEMBERSHIP

5a            Classes

5a.i.         There shall be four classes of membership:

·         Adult

·         Social

·         16 Years and Under

·         Life

5b           General

5b.i.        Membership fees shall be decided annually at the Club’s AGM and all members notified accordingly. The Club will keep membership fees at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.

5b.ii.       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 on membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.

5b.iii.      All applications for membership must be considered and approved by the Committee. The Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only                 for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the                 members.

5b.iv.      Current and prospective members must complete a membership form and pay their dues accordingly.

5b.v.       Membership shall run from 1 November to 31 October each year.

5b.vi.      All current members must pay their membership fees by 31 October for the following year.

5b.vii.     Any member or prospective member who fails to pay their membership fee shall be deemed to have forfeited the right to membership of the Club.

5b.viii.    All rowing members must be able to swim or be fully conversant with the use of lifejackets.

5b.ix.       All members under the age of 16 years must wear a lifejacket whilst on the water.

5b.x.        The coxswain of any crew member under the age of 16 years must wear a lifejacket whilst on the water.

5b.xi.       All members must abide by the Club’s Code of Conduct.

5b.xii.      All members must abide by the Club’s Rowing Rules.

5b.xiii.     The Committee reserves the right to invoke the Disciplinary Procedure against any member of the Club who is found not to be acting in the best interests, or the good name, of the Club.

5b.xiv.    Any member who hands or posts to the Secretary his resignation in writing shall be deemed to have resigned from membership of the Club forthwith.

5c            Members’ Guests

Any member may introduce guests to the Club subject to the following conditions:

·         No guest shall be introduced who has been refused membership of the Club or has been expelled from membership of the Club.

·         Members shall be responsible for ensuring that their guests respect the Club Constitution, Rowing Rules and Code of Conduct.

·         Introduced guests may have the first three rows free of charge. After such time, they will be required to become members of the Club in order to continue rowing.

6.             GENERAL MEETINGS

6a            Annual General Meetings

6a.i.         The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the thirty first day of October each year. At this meeting, the Committee shall be elected to serve for the ensuing year.

6a.ii.        Notice of the date of the Annual General Meeting shall be sent in writing to every member of the Club at least fourteen days in advance.

6a.iii.       Notice of motions to be considered must be communicated to the Club Secretary at least one week prior to the meeting.

6a.iv.       Each adult member of the Club shall have one vote. A member can only vote at an AGM by being in attendance at the AGM.

6a.v.        The Chairman of the Annual General Meeting shall have the casting vote only.

6b.           Extraordinary General Meetings

6b.i.         An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called additionally at any time by the Committee to decide upon matters of urgency or upon receipt of written and signed requests by fifteen individual members all supporting the same proposal.

6b.ii.        Notice of the date of an EGM shall be sent out by the Club Secretary at least fourteen days in advance of the said meeting.

6b.iii.       With such notice shall be sent a statement of the business to be transacted at the EGM.

6b.iv.      Each adult member of the Club shall have one vote. A member can only vote at an EGM by being in attendance at the EGM.

6b.v.       The Chairman of the EGM shall have the casting vote only.

7.             FINANCES

7a.           Accounts

7a.i.         The financial year shall commence on the first day of October and end on the last of September.

7a.ii.        Audited annual accounts shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting.

7b            Payments

7b.i.         All payments shall be authorised by the Committee.

7b.ii.       Cheques drawn on the Club’s bank account shall be signed by a minimum of two signatories. Those authorised to sign cheques are the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary.

7c            Profits

7c.i.         Under no circumstances can any profit be distributed to Club members.

7c.ii.        Any profits earned shall be used in furthering the Purpose of the Club.

8.             DAMAGE TO GIGS, EQUIPMENT OR PROPERTY

Members shall pay the cost incurred in the event of any damage to gigs, equipment or property unless they can prove to the satisfaction of the Committee that such damage was not the result of carelessness but was purely accidental.

9.             EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY

The Club will ensure that the talents and resources of all members are utilised to the full and that no member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, disability, marital status, creed, social class, colour, ethnic group, age or sexual orientation or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.  Club officials will take reasonable action to mitigate influences outside their direct control.

10.          CHILD PROTECTION

All Club members shall observe and adhere to the Cornish Pilot Gig Association’s Child Protection Guidance Policy.

11.          WATER SAFETY

All Club members shall observe the Cornish Pilot Gig Association’s Water Safety Guidelines.

12.          AMENDMENTS OF RULES

12a          No alterations or additions shall be made to this Constitution other than those proposed by the Committee, and said proposed alterations or additions having been discussed and voted upon.

12b          This Constitution may be amended at a General Meeting by two thirds of the votes cast but not (if relevant) so as to jeopardise the Club’s status as a Community Action Sports Club as first provided for by the Finance Act 2002 and not in any event to alter its Purpose (unless the procedure set out in 12c has been followed) or Dissolution Clause.

12c          The Club Purpose may be changed to include another eligible sport if the Committee unanimously agree and the members also agree the change by a 75% majority of votes cast.

13.          DISSOLUTION CLAUSE

13a          If, at any General Meeting of the Club, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.

13b          If, at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two thirds of the adult members present at the meeting, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such a date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realize the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club.

13c          After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall not be paid to or distributed amongst the members of the Club, but shall be given or transferred to one or more of the following:

·         To another club with similar sports purposes which is a registered charity or

·         To another club with similar sports purposes which is a registered Community Amateur Sports Club or

·         To the Club’s governing body for use by them for related community sports.