Luton Rifle and Pistol Club - Committee Membership and Roles

CONSTITUTION

1. NAME

The name of the club is and shall be the Luton Rifle and Pistol Club.

2. ADDRESS

The address of the club for the purposes of correspondence shall be that of the Secretary for the time being.

3. OBJECTS AND POWERS

3.1 The object of the club is to encourage skill and marksmanship among her Majesty’s subjects by providing for their instruction and practise in arms so that, they may be better fitted to serve their country in the armed forces or in any other organisation in which those services may be required by the Crown either for the defence of the realm or in times of peril for other purposes.

3.2 In furtherance of the above object but not otherwise the club shall have power to

(a) foster and promote all forms of rifle and pistol shooting;

(b) to organise shooting competitions calculated to promote the clubs object and to conduct and promote coaching and training programmes;

(d) to acquire and hold property of any description.

4. RULES AS TO THE TREATMENT OF PROPERTY AND POWERS OF TRUSTEES THEREOF.

4.1 The acquisition and holding of property of any description shall be subject to such if any consents as may from time to time be required by law to manage or deal with, or charge or dispose of the same in such manner as may be thought fit PROVIDED THAT all the assets of the club other than cash which shall if cash in hand be under the control of the treasurer of the club for the time being and if standing to the credit of any bank account shall be under the control of the authorised signatories to that account or be invested in and be held by trustees not exceeding 7 in number of the club. The club trustees shall be appointed at an annual general meeting of the club and the property of the club (other than cash which shall be under the control of the treasurer) shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them, as the committee shall from time to time direct by resolution (of which an entry in the minute book shall be conclusive evidence) The trustees shall be indemnified against risk and, expense out of the club’s property. The trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removed from office by a resolution of the club in General Meeting which may for any reason seem sufficient to a majority of them present and voting at any meeting, remove any trustee or trustees from that office. Whereby reason of any such death resignation or removal it shall appear necessary to the club in General Meeting that a new trustee or trustees shall be appointed or if the committee shall deem it expedient to appoint an additional trustee or trustees the committee may, by resolution either nominate such new trustee or trustees or may appoint a suitable person to effect such nomination. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the chairman is hereby appointed as the person to appoint new trustees of the club within the meaning of section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925 and he shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the club in General Meeting or the committee as the case may be as the new trustee or trustees of the club and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 or any statute replacing or amending the same shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such deed of appointment shall in favour of a person dealing bona fide and for value with the club or the committee be conclusive evidence of the fact so stated.

The club Trustees

4.2 (a) may, but need not be a member of the committee of the club.

4.2.(b) must if individuals be at least eighteen years of age.

4.2.(c) shall if not a member of the club be entitled to any remuneration for acting as trustees (but so the trustees who are not members of the club shall be entitled to receive and retain such if any remuneration as the committee may at its discretion agree or from time to time think fit)

4.2.(d) may if a majority of the trustees have previously consented in writing to the proposed appointment, consist of or include an authorised trust corporation;

4.2.(e) may invest any monies of the club not to be duly required for its purposes in such manner in all respects as may be thought fit (whether or not such an investment shall constitute an authorised trustee investment).

4.2.(f) may raise and seek to raise funds for the club or for any particular purpose falling within the scope of the objects thereof and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever whether by way of donation or otherwise provided that the club shall not undertake any permanent trading activity.

4.2.(g) may subject to the terms of this constitution do all other such lawful things (not being things inconsistent with the club’s charitable status) as shall further the attainment or promotion of its objects.

5. MANAGEMENT

5.1 The club shall be managed by a president, a chairman, and a committee of 11 persons of whom any 5 shall form a quorum.

5.2 The president, chairman and committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the club. In addition, any member of the club who is an accredited pistol or rifle coach whose accreditation is recognised by the committee shall have the right to attend any such committee meeting whereat he or she may have the right to speak or vote in relation to any business being transacted.

5.3 Any trustee or vice-president of the club shall have the right to attend any committee meeting and be heard thereat but may not, at that meeting vote.

5.4 The club officers, namely the Secretary, Treasurer, Section Administrators and Match Secretaries shall be appointed at the same Annual General Meeting.

5.5 The committee may from time to time co-opt members of the club as club requirements dictate. Such co-opted members may speak but not vote at committee meetings.

5.6 Vacancies. in the committee or of any club office occurring during the club year may be filled by the committee by whatever means is then ‘deemed appropriate on a temporary basis until the following Annual General Meeting.

6. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

6.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held as soon as possible after the end of the clubs Financial Year.

6.2 Twenty eight days notice of such meeting shall be given to the members of the club by the Secretary of the club. At the Annual General Meeting the following business shall be transacted.

1. The election of officers

2. The election of auditors

3. The election of committee

4. Receipt of the balance sheet and report of the committee

5. Fixing of the level of the annual subscriptions

6. Fixing of any other payments to be made by members during the subsequent financial year

7. Necessary revision and emendation of any rules and regulations of the club

8. Any other business notice of which has been given in writing to the Secretary not less than 14 days before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting.

6.3 Special General Meetings

6.3.1 Upon the requisition in writing, duly setting out the purpose, signed by Twelve members and delivered to the Secretary, the Committee shall within 14 days convene a

Special General Meeting of the Club.

6.3.2 Upon such requisition being duly served and not obeyed within 14 days, the requisitionists may themselves convene such special general meeting of the Club by giving 7 days notice in writing to the members, duly setting out the purpose for which such meeting is called and any resolutions passed at such a meeting shall have the same force and effect as if they were passed at a meeting convened by the Committee.

7. FINANCES

7.1 The Financial Year

The Financial year of the Luton Rifle and Pistol club shall be the 1st October in any year to the 30th of September in the following year.

7.2 Subscriptions

7.2.1 An Annual Subscription for an amount as defined at the Club’s Annual General Meeting shall be payable in advance on the 1st January in each year. The level of any additional subscription or fees and the method by which they are to be paid shall be defined at the Club’s Annual General Meeting. Any member who has not fulfilled his her or their annual membership obligations by the 28th January in each year and/or any member who persistently fails to discharge his her or their liability for additional fees, subscriptions, team entry ‘fees, or any other payment due to the Club within a reasonable time after due request for payment has been made, shall be debarred from the privileges of membership.

7.2.2 Such action of debarring shall not take place until the member’s debt has been fully discussed at a Committee meeting. The Committee may upon an application made to it in
writing by any member at its discretion direct that the member in question may be permitted to discharge his her or their annual subscription or any other payment due to the club in any manner in which the committee may prescribe.

7.2.3 The Secretary or any Officer or member receiving any money on behalf of the Club shall:

(a) within a reasonable time after its receipt hand it to the Club Treasurer or

(b) hand it to the Club Secretary or pay the said sum or sums directly into the Club’s Bank Account and within a reasonable time notify the Treasurer of the action taken.

7.2.4 The Committee may pay accounts and incur any normal liabilities on behalf of the Club. The Committee and Officers are hereby indemnified by the Club against any claims or demands in respect of any liability properly and bona fide incurred on behalf of the Club. Such indemnity shall be limited in value to the extent of the unencumbered current funds of the Club at the time of any commitment requiring finance.

7.2.5 Nothing in this clause or constitution shall confer the right on any trustee, trustees, Officer or member of the club the authority to contract on the memberships’ behalf for credit, unless such authority is SPECIFICALLY given by the Committee or in the case of credit exceeding half of the Club’s realisable assets, by the membership in general meeting. In each case, the authority is to be fully entered in the club’s minute book together with a list of the members who acquiesced in its grant.

7.2.6 The Auditor or Auditors shall examine the books of account at least once annually with the invoices and vouchers prior to the annual general meeting, and shall append thereto a certificate to the effect that such are correct and fairly represent the expenditure and receipts of the Club, and its assets and liabilities and they may at any time inspect any books, documents or property of the Club, in the possession of any Officer or member and may report thereon in writing to the committee, and/or any general meeting of the Club.

8. MEMBERSHIP

8.1 Members of the club shall by their application to membership be deemed to support the objects of the club.

8.2 Members shall be British citizens or British subjects of good repute PROVIDED ALWAYS that in the case of existing members of the club who are not British subjects at the date of the adoption of this constitution but nevertheless have been members of the club and of good repute thereat for the period of three months last past shall remain members of the club.

8.3 A member may be a junior member that is to say a member who has not attained the age of eighteen years at the date of the grant or last renewal of his or her membership, an annual member, a family member, a life member or an honorary member.

8.4 The committee may at its discretion establish higher or different grades of life membership. Any member who has rendered exceptional services to the club may be elected to Honorary Membership by a two thirds of the majority of members voting and present at a general meeting.

8.5.1 Every individual member of the club shall be entitled to attend to speak, vote and move resolutions at the Annual General Meeting;

8.5.2 Be eligible unless a junior member to be an officer of the club or to be a member of the committee

8.5.3 is entitled upon written request to have access to the minutes and accounts of the club.

8.6 Application for membership shall be made to the Secretary in such manner as shall be specified by the committee from time to time. Such application shall when possible be considered at the next meeting of the committee. The committee may refuse to admit any person for membership without assigning any reason.

8.7 The committee may permit guests to use the club ranges and facilities provided that such guest is at all times in the company of his or her sponsor who shall be responsible for the good conduct of such guest during the time that such guest is on the club premises provided always that such guest shall be a firearms certificate holder.

8.8 Visitors shall be bound by the clubs rules regulations or bye-laws which may be in force from time to time and shall whilst on club premises be deemed temporary honorary members of the club.

8.9 The club shall be affiliated to such shooting associations as may be considered necessary or desirable by the Committee, provided always that such associations to which the Club is affiliated truly represent the shooting disciplines being actively practised by the membership.

9. COMMITTEE GENERAL POWERS

9.1 Any Officer or member of the committee may be removed by a majority of two-thirds of the members present at any General Meeting, whether convened for the purpose or not PROVIDED ALWAYS that notice of intent to seek such removal together with such a reasonable written statement as to the grounds for such removal as shall enable such person fairly to understand the matters to be discussed shall be served upon the person concerned within 14 days of the date of the relevant proposed meeting. Such vote may be taken by ballot.

9.2 The Committee may direct that any member’s attendance, on any Range nights or at any other activity, shall be suspended, or they may discipline in some other way or remove from the roll of members, any member whose conduct on the range or upon premises occupied by the Club, or elsewhere, is unsafe, unseemly, objectionable, or may in the opinion of right thinking persons have the effect of bringing the Club or the sport into disrepute, or who fails to comply with any rule, regulation or bye-law made by the club or by the committee.

9.3 Such member shall have no claim on the Club for any subscription or entrance fee paid.

9.4 An appeal against the decision of the committee may be presented to a Special General Meeting of the club, to be convened by the committee for that purpose provided that due notice of the appeal shall first be given in writing to the Secretary within 14 days of such suspension or other disciplinary action or removal from the Club taking effect.

9.5 The Committee may make bye-laws and resolutions in regard to the use of the Range during Club hours, and may draw up conditions of all competitions, arrange handicapping and matches. The entry fees for all competitions must be paid before shooting in such competitions and cards must be completed by the dated specified. Failure to do so entails disqualification, but relief may be granted by the Committee in exceptional circumstances.

9.6 The Committee shall have the power to rule upon any point not provided for in this Constitution or any subsequent rules or regulations drawn up pursuant to paragraph 9.5 hereof.

9.7 Any bye-laws and regulations made by the committee pursuant to this constitution shall be published by being exhibited on the club notice board, and shall thereafter have all force and effect of these rules, but shall be submitted for confirmation at the next Annual General Meeting.

9.8 All shooting shall be governed by the rules, regulations and bye-laws in force from time to time, issued by the International Shooting Union, and any other bodies, organisations or associations under whose jurisdiction competitions may from time to time be shot. The Ranges and facilities owned or used by the Club will be open only at times advertised or specified in the bye-laws or as defined by the Committee from time to time.

9.9 All trophies of the Club shall remain at all times the property of the Club.

10. WINDING UP

The Club may be dissolved by a Resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for the purpose of which 21 days’ notice shall have been given to the members. Such resolution shall give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Club provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid to or
distributed among the members of the Club but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Club and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.

11. AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.

Alterations to this constitution shall receive the assent of two-thirds of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting. A resolution for the alteration of the Constitution must be received by the Secretary of the Club at least 21 days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward. At least 14 days’ notice of such a meeting must be given by the Secretary to the membership and must include notice of the alteration proposed. Provided that no alteration shall be made to clause 3 objects, clause 10 winding up or this clause without the written approval of the Charity Commission and no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Club to cease to be a charity in law.

11. INTERPRETATION

11.1 In this constitution the word “club” shall mean the Luton Rifle and Pistol Club.

	Club Constitution

Club Constitution