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Darlington and District Model Flying
Club
Constitution
1.
Name
The name of the club is “ The Darlington
and District Model Flying Club
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2.
Interpretation
2.1 The “club” means the Darlington and
District Model Flying Club”
2.2 The ”Rules” means the The Darlington
and District Model Flying Club’s rules
as revised from time to time and
published in the club’s Rule Book.
2.3 “The officers” means the chairman,
vice chairman, secretary, treasurer,
chief flying instructor, safety officer,
membership secretary of the club
2.4 “The committee” means the officers
and committee members of the club
2.5 The masculine includes the feminine,
and where appropriate, the singular and
the plural.
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3.
Objects
The clubs objects are:
3.1 to provide facilities for flying
fixed wing, radio controlled model
aircraft.
3.2 to enable members to improve their
standard of flying
3.3 to ensure that club members abide by
the Rules
3.4 to encourage club social activity
3.5 to abide by and promote the national
policies and rules of the British Model
Flying Association
3.6 To be an affiliate of the British
Model Flying Association
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4.
Membership
4.1 Ordinary membership.
4.1.1 Senior membership:
Persons who are aged 18 years and over
at the date of application
4.1.2 Junior membership:
Persons under the age of 18 years at
the date of application
4.2 Honorary membership.
Membership may be conferred on a past,
present or any other person as
decided by the committee
4.3 Probationary membership.
Any person applying for membership shall
be classed as a probationary member for
a period of twelve months from the date
of acceptance of membership. Full
membership of the club shall follow
satisfactory completion of the
probationary period
4.4 The number and eligibility of
members shall be restricted to such
numbers and categories as the committee
may, at its absolute discretion, decide.
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5.
Election of Members
Every application for membership shall
be dealt with by the membership
secretary or the committee at their
absolute discretion.
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6.
Rights of Members
Subject to the provisions of this
constitution and the Rules and any bye
laws made by the committee as provided
below and for the time being in force,
all members are entitled to use all the
premises and property of the club in
common.
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7.
Subscriptions
7.1 The annual subscription and joining
fee shall be determined by the committee
and approved by the Annual General
Meeting.
7.2 Any member whose annual subscription
is unpaid on the payment date set out in
the Rules ceases to be a member of the
club and forfeits all rights in and
claims upon the club and its property.
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8.
Expulsion of Members
8.1 If any member contravenes any of the
Rules or any bye law or decision taken
by the committee or if his conduct is in
the opinion of the committee injurious
to the character of the club or
objectionable in any respect a sub
committee appointed from the committee
(excluding the officers as defined in
19) for this purpose may take such
action as they think fit and in
particular that member may be expelled
from the club and shall then cease to be
a member of the club, and all sums that
have been paid by the member are
forfeited.
8.2 If a member is expelled under 8.1
the Secretary shall send a written
notification of such expulsion to his
last registered address.
8.3 A member expelled under 8.1 may
appeal by giving written notice of
appeal to the Secretary within 21 days
from the posting of the notice of
expulsion
8.4 Upon receipt of a notice of appeal a
sub committee of at least 3 officers
must be convened within 28 days and the
member will be entitled to attend the
sub committee and have the opportunity
to justify or explain his conduct. The
appeal may be determined by the sub
committee at their absolute discretion.
If the sub committee rescinds the
expulsion, then the member must be
reinstated as from the date of the
expulsion.
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9. Annual General Meeting
9.1 The club must hold a general meeting
in each year as its annual general
meeting in addition to any other
meetings in the year, and must specify
the meeting as the annual general
meeting in the notices calling it.
9.2 Not more than 14 months may elapse
between one annual general meeting of
the club and that of the next.
9.3 The annual general meeting must be
held at such time and place as the
committee appoint.
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10.
Extraordinary General Meetings
10.1 All general meetings other than the
annual general meeting must be called
extraordinary general meetings.
10.2 The committee may, whenever they
think fit, and must on a requisition
received in writing by at least 10% of
the members entitled to vote, convene an
extraordinary general meeting.
10.3 A requisition made by members must
state the object of the meeting proposed
to be called, and must be signed by the
requisitionists and deposited with the
Secretary.
10.4 On receipt of the requisition the
committee must immediately proceed to
convene an extraordinary general
meeting.
10.5 If the committee do not proceed to
call a meeting within 30 days from the
date of deposit of the requisition, the
requisitionists, or any of them
representing more than one half of the
total voting rights of all of them, may
convene such a meeting.
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11. Changes to the Rules
11.1 The Rules may only be added to,
amended or deleted at a general meeting
and require a written resolution by a
proposer and seconder, which must be
received by the Secretary at least 21
days prior to the meeting.
11.2 Only members entitled to vote can
propose and second such a resolution and
they must be present at he meeting.
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12.
Notice of Meetings
Accidental omission to give notice of
any meeting to or non-receipt of such
notice by any member does not invalidate
the proceedings of the meeting.
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13.
Quorum
13.1 No business may be transacted at
any general meeting unless a quorum is
present.
13.2 25% of the total members eligible
to vote present shall constitute a
quorum.
13.3 If within half an hour from the
time appointed for the meeting a quorum
of members is not present, or, if during
a meeting
such a quorum ceases to be present:
13.3.1 if the meeting was convened on
the requisition of members, it must be
dissolved;
13.3.2 in any other case the meeting
stands adjourned to the same day in the
next week at the same time and place as
the committee may determine and, if at
the meeting a quorum is not present
within half an hour of the time
appointed for the meeting, the members
present may form a quorum.
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14.
Chairman
14.1 The chairman, or failing him the
vice chairman, must preside as chairman
of every general meeting of the club
14.2 If there is no such
chairman, or, if at any meeting he is
not present within 15 minutes of the
time of holding the meeting, the members
may elect one of their number who is a
committee member to chair the meeting.
14.3 if there is no committee member
present, then the members may elect any
one of their number to be chairman of
the meeting.
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15.
Adjournment
15.1 The chairman may, with the consent
of a meeting at which a quorum is
present (and must if so directed by the
meeting): adjourn from time to time and
from place to place.
15.2 No business may be transacted at
any adjourned
meeting other than the business which
might properly have been transacted at
the meeting had the adjournment not
taken place.
16. Passing of
Resolutions
16.1 At any general meeting:
16.1.1 a declaration by the chairman
that a resolution has been carried, or
carried unanimously, or carried by a
particular majority, or lost, or not
carried by a particular majority, and an
entry to that effect in the book of the
proceedings of the club are conclusive
evidence of the fact without proof of
the number or proportion of the votes
recorded in favour or against the
resolution, unless a poll is demanded by
the chairman or at least 8 members
having the right to vote at the meeting.
16.2 If a poll is demanded in the above
manner, it must be taken in such a
manner as the chairman directs, and the
result of the poll is deemed to be the
resolution of the meeting at which the
poll was demanded.
16.3 At a general meeting any decision
shall be passed if there is a simple
majority, except for any amendments to
the constitution or the Rules, in which
case a two-thirds majority of those
present is required.
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17.
Voting Rights
17.1 Only ordinary members shall be
entitled to vote at a general meeting of
the club.
17.2 Every member of the club entitled
to vote may attend general meetings of
the club.
17.3 No member may vote at any meeting
unless all the money then due from him
to the club has been paid.
17.4 Every member of the club entitled
to vote has one vote and no more, except
that, in the case of equality of votes,
the chairman may have a second casting
vote.
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18.
Committee
18.1 The chairman, vice chairman,
secretary, treasurer, chief flying
instructor, safety officer, membership
secretary and 4 elected members shall
form the committee.
18.2 All committee members must be full
ordinary members entitled to vote (as
defined in 17) and of at least 2 years
standing.
18.3 6 committee members shall
constitute a quorum.
18.4 In the absence of the chairman or
vice chairman the committee may from
time to time elect a chairman who in the
case of equality of votes may have a
casting vote.
18.5 The committee may at it’s
discretion co-opt up to two additional
members who may serve for any period
determined by the committee, but no
longer than until the next annual
general meeting.
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19.
Officers
The officers of the club are the
chairman, vice chairman, secretary,
treasurer, chief flying instructor,
safety officer, membership secretary.
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20.
Remuneration
Committee members may be paid expenses
as agreed at the annual general meeting.
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21. Retirement of
Officers and Committee Members
21.1 At every annual general meeting of
the club all the officers and committee
members must retire from their office.
21.2 The retiring officers and committee
members are eligible for re-election at
the same meeting.
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22. Election of Officers
and Committee Members
22.1 Any two ordinary members may
nominate another ordinary member
(subject to 18.2) to serve as an officer
or committee member of the club having
previously received his assent.
22.2 Any member so nominated will only
be legally elected if he and his two
proposers attend the meeting.
22.3 The name of the nominee together
with his proposer and seconder must be
sent in writing to the Secretary and
signed by all three at least 21 days
prior to the meeting.
22.4 Balloting lists may be prepared (if
necessary) containing the names of the
candidates only in alphabetical order.
22.5 Each member present at the annual
general meeting shall be entitled to
vote for any number of candidates not
exceeding the number of vacancies.
22.6 If insufficient candidates are
nominated the committee may elect a
member to fill the remaining vacancy or
vacancies.
22.7 If two or more candidates obtain an
equal number of votes, the committee
must select by lot from such candidates,
the candidate or candidates who are to
be elected. In this particular instance
the chairman shall not have a second or
casting vote.
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23.
Accounts
23.1 The committee must ensure that
proper books of account are kept in
respect of;
23.1.1 all sums of money received and
expended by the club and the matters in
respect of which the receipts and
expenditure take place.
23.1.2 the assets and liabilities of the
club.
23.1.3 the committee must lay before the
club at the annual general meeting an
account of income and expenditure,
assets and liabilities.
23.1.4 The committee shall
ensure that the books of account are
audited annually by an auditor elected
by the members at the annual general
meeting
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24. Powers of the
Committee
24.1 The committee shall meet at least
every 3 months.
24.2 The committee shall invest the
clubs assets in bank accounts of its
choosing.
24.3 Funds shall be withdrawn from bank
accounts by any two approved
signatories.
24.5 The approved signatories shall be
chairman, vice chairman, treasurer.
24.6 The committee shall maintain a
petty cash fund for the purchase of
minor items at the flying site.
24.7 The size of the petty cash fund
shall be determined annually at the
annual general meeting.
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25.
Byelaws
25.1 Save for decisions which are
required to be made at a general meeting
the committee shallbe empowered to make,
alter and repeal any byelaws or
decisions they consider necessary or
expedient or convenient for the proper
conduct or management of the club, and
to decide on any situation that arises
for which the constitution and Rules do
not provide.
25.2 The committee must adopt whatever
means they consider sufficient to bring
all decisions made under 25.1 to the
notice of members of the club.
25.3 All decisions made under 25.1, so
long as they are in force, are binding
on all members of the club.
25.4 No byelaws or decisions may be
inconsistent with, or affect or repeal
anything contained in, the constitution
or Rules of the club, or be in breach of
statutory provision.
25.6 Any byelaws or decisions may be set
aside by a special resolution of a
general meeting of the club.
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26.
Care of Minors
and Vulnerable Adults
The club shall have a written policy for
the care of minors and vulnerable adults
and which shall comply with current
legislation.
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27.
Indemnity
The officers and committee shall be held
indemnified out of the property and
assets of the club should claims be made
against them for committee approved
actions taken by them on behalf of the
club.
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28.
Dissolution
Upon dissolution the remaining assets of
the club shall be distributed to a
deserving charity or a like minded
aeronautical society as decided by the
committee.
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Contents
The Committee 2006 |
