Wellesbourne Wheelers: Club Constitution and Rules

CONSTITUTION

NAME

The Club shall be called Wellesbourne Wheelers herein referred to as “the Club”. It is recognised by British Cycling as an Affiliated Club (No 1001851) for which the Club pays an annual fee and receives benefits including Organisers’ Liability Insurance.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Club are:

• To promote leisure cycling

• To promote safe cycling, especially when group riding

• To organise regular cycle rides for members

• To be affiliated to a recognised UK cycling governing body

• To follow such UK cycling governing body’s guidelines wherever practical and appropriate

• To recognise the voluntary nature of the Club and to offer volunteers the support and assistance necessary

  The Club is committed to the highest ethical standards. All members should conduct themselves with integrity, transparency, accountability, and in a fair and equitable manner.

  MEMBERSHIP

  The membership shall have one category that is Adults (aged 18 or over).
  Members shall pay membership fees as fixed at each Annual General Meeting (AGM).

  The membership year runs from 1st March to 28th February. There shall be no pro-rata reduction in fees for new members joining part way through the year.

  Existing members who have not renewed their membership by 31 March shall cease to be members of the Club.

  All members joining the Club shall be deemed to accept the terms of this Constitution and any policies or rules adopted from time to time by the Club.

  Any potential member seeking to join the Club shall submit a Membership Application and fee to the Club Secretary, who shall admit the member on behalf of the Club Committee. Membership is open to all adults and no application shall be refused save on reasonable grounds. In accordance with current legislation, there shall be no discrimination on the grounds of disability, race, sex or religion.

  The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as, but not limited to, conduct likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to a panel consisting of at least 3 members, to exclude existing Committee members.

  All members joining the Club are shall be deemed to be registered as Ride Leaders within the terms of the Club’s Affiliated Club status with British Cycling.

MANAGEMENT

The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee consisting of the Officers of the Club (namely Chair, Treasurer and Secretary), along with up to two ordinary Committee members. The two ordinary Committee members may carry out specific roles or tasks depending on the needs of the Club from time to time.

The Committee may convene and disband sub-groups to address particular club issues. A subgroup will be chaired by a Committee member and will comprise Club members with expertise or experience in the relevant area.

A Group Organisers’ sub-group will be formed and will meet on a regular basis to represent the views of the different riding groups. Members will be the Group Organisers or their representatives.

Each ride group will have its own Group Organiser whose role will include:

• Organising the ride schedule and appointing ride leaders

• Representing the views of that ride group to the Committee

• Communicating Club objectives and rules

• Meeting regularly as a subgroup with the Committee to help the Club develop and grow

• Recommending members for awards

• Ensure, in conjunction with the Ride Leader, that routes are posted on the website at least 2 days before an event, although the aim should be to post the route 4 days in advance

• Assist Ride Leaders regarding cancellation of an event eg adverse weather

  Officers of the Club, other than the Chair, and Group Organisers shall retire annually but be eligible for re-election at the end of their term. The Chair shall be appointed for two years and be eligible for re-election at the end of his/her term.

  The appointment of Officers shall be recommended by the Committee prior to the AGM, and endorsed through a vote, by show of hands, at the AGM. Endorsement shall be by simple majority of those eligible to vote at the meeting. Members not able to attend the meeting may inform the Chair in writing of their preferences and the Chair shall cast the votes on behalf of absent members.

  Ordinary Committee members shall be elected at the AGM by simple majority of those eligible to vote at the meeting. Members not able to attend the meeting may inform the Chair in writing of their preferences and the Chair shall cast the votes on behalf of absent members

  All Officers and Committee members must be members of the Club.

  If a Committee role becomes vacant after the AGM, the Committee shall have the power to fill the post until the next AGM.

  The Committee shall have full power to deal with all matters relating to the Club not reserved to the AGM in terms of this Constitution, including the power to make public and enforce such policies and rules as the Committee feel necessary from time to time to govern the activities of the Club.

  The Committee may appoint Club members to other posts to facilitate the running of the Club.

The financial year shall run from 1 January to 31 December each year.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of the Club’s Annual Accounts.

The Accounts shall be certified by an appropriate independent person or organisation, who must not be a member of the Committee, elected annually at the AGM.

All cheques drawn against the Club funds must be signed by the Treasurer and one of either the Chair or Secretary.

Any expenditure on Club business must be authorised by the Committee prior to agreeing the commitment.

As an unincorporated association, all members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club.

The Club is a non-profit making organisation. Profits and surpluses shall be used to maintain or improve the Club according to the Objectives of the Club, or may be donated to charities at the discretion of the Committee.

POLICIES AND RULES

The Constitution allows the Committee to create Policies and Rules to facilitate the running of the Club should the Committee feel these to be necessary. Any new Policies or Rules must be approved at a General Meeting. Policies and Rules are included as Appendix 1 to the Constitution.

DISSOLUTION

If upon winding up or dissolution of the Club there remains, after the discharge of all debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall be transferred to some other organisation(s) having the same or similar objectives of the Club. Such organisation(s) shall be determined by members of the Club by resolution passed at a General Meeting. No profit or surplus shall be distributed other than to a non-profit making body on a winding up or dissolution of the Club.

Approved by the Committee and signed on its behalf

Trevor Shaw, Interim Chair 11 January 2021

APPENDIX ONE - POLICIES AND RULES

RIDING

Whilst on a ride organised by the Club:

1. All riders should be a member of the Club, other than as noted in Point 2 below

2. New prospective members shall be permitted to ride with the Club once, in order to ascertain whether they want to join

3. All riders should have in place their own third-party liability insurance

4. All riders should observe the Highway Code and all laws governing the conduct of cycling on the public highway

5. All members must wear an approved helmet

6. The use of headphones whilst riding is not permitted