Club Constitution
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- The club shall be called the Stornoway Sailing Club
- The aims of the club shall be
- To promote all aspects of sailing
- To represent boat users' interests
- To encourage wider participation in sailing
- Membership of the club shall be open to anybody who has paid the appropriate membership fee and who supports the aims and activities of the club. Any member who does not pay their membership fee will be contacted by the committee and may be deemed to have revoked their membership.
Membership may be revoked at the discretion of the committee in the event that any member's behaviour is deemed to be in conflict with the aims or equal opportunities policy (see s.4) of the club. - The club will not discriminate on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political beliefs, marital or financial status, or age.
- The club shall be managed by a committee, who shall include:-
- a chairperson, who will preside over meetings of the club. The chairperson may not be re-elected for more than four consecutive years. In the chairperson's absence, another committee member may stand in this role.
- a secretary, who will be responsible for maintaining records of club meetings and activities and for dissemination of information to members as necessary
- a treasurer, who will maintain accounts of all club income and outgoings
- a principle race officer, who will be responsible for organising the club's racing events
- a junior representative, who will liaise with, and represent the views of, the junior club members
- a minimum of two additional ordinary committee members
The committee members shall be elected at the Club's Annual General Meeting by a majority vote of members present, or by a proposer and seconder if the post is not contested. Should a committee member stand down during the year, the committee may co-opt a temporary replacement and a permanent replacement will be elected at the next general meeting.
The committee shall have the power to appoint subcommittees as felt necessary to further the aims of the club, and to communicate appropriate instructions and standing orders as and when required.
- All Stornoway Sailing Club meetings will be open to all club members.
- Notice of committee meetings shall be made via email and the club website. Should a member request to be notified of committee meetings by another means, this shall be accommodated.
- A quorum for committee meetings shall consist of four committee members, including at least two office-bearers.
- There shall be a minimum of four committee meetings per year, and there should be no more than three months between meetings.
- Any proposals presented to the secretary by a club member at least a week in advance of a committee meeting shall be discussed.
- An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called either by the committee, or at the request of at least seven club members, or by a majority of members, whichever is the fewer. A majority of members must be present to form a quorum. The notice period for an EGM will be the same as for an AGM as below.
- An annual general meeting will be held each year, within fifteen months of the previous such meeting.
The date, time, and venue of the AGM will be announced at least two weeks in advance, by public notice, and members will be contacted by email, phone, or post, as preferred.
At the AGM:
- The club will present reports of it's activities over the past year
- The club will present its accounts for the previous year
- The committee shall be elected
- Matters proposed at club meetings shall be decided openly by a simple majority of club members present, with the chairperson having a casting vote in the event of a tie. All club members aged sixteen or over shall be eligible to vote.
Prospective changes to the club's constitution must be intimated to all members at least a week in advance of a general meeting, at which a majority of all members present must approve the change.
All club meetings shall be formally minuted.
- The club will maintain a bank account at a bank agreed by the committee. The treasurer and two other signatories, drawn from the committee, shall be nominated by the committee. Any two signatories are required to sign cheques. Cheques will not be valid if signed by signatories who are related, living in the same household, or members of the same boat partnership.
- All income received by Stornoway Sailing Club must be used solely in accordance with the aims of the club (see s.2 above).
Any club member who believes that they are entitled to reimbursement of expenses from club funds is entitled to request such reimbursement from the committee.
- Dissolution of the club can only be achieved at a general meeting, of which a public notice must have been made at least two weeks in advance.
A two-thirds majority of members is required to dissolve the club.
Following a decision to dissolve the club, any assets and funds that remain after satisfaction of debts and obligations will be given to a suitable local not-for-proft organisation, whose aims are held to be similar to those of the club, to be decided at the general meeting.
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