RULES OF STOURBRIDGE SWIMMING CLUB
1.1 The Club shall be known as Stourbridge Swimming Club.
2.Objects
2.1 The objects of the Club shall be those of the ASA and include the teaching and practice of swimming and water polo and in the furtherance of those objects the club is committed to treat everyone equally within the context of their activity, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, disability or political persuasion. The Club believes that the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility and that all children and young people have a right to have fun, be safe and protected from harm.
2.2 The club shall be affiliated to the ASA West Midland Region, Worcester County SA and any other association that may be deemed advisable to further the interests of the club.
2.3 The club will conduct its affairs at all times in accordance with the Laws and Technical Rules of the Amateur Swimming Association and Fina and in particular all competing members shall be eligible competitors as defined in ASA Laws and the club shall adopt the ASA Child protection Procedures.
2.4 By virtue of the affiliation of the club to the ASA the club and all members are subject to the ASA rules/laws including its code of ethics, the Amateur swimming Federation of Great Britain including the ASFGB Doping Control Rules and Protocols and ASFGB disciplinary Code.
2.5 In the event that there is a conflict between any rule of the club and any of the Governing Body Rules then the relevant Governing Body Rule shall prevail.
3. Membership
3.1 The total membership of the club will not be restricted unless agreed at a general meeting. However the committee will have the power to introduce a temporary limit if it is deemed necessary for Health and Safety reasons and any restrictions introduced will be reported to the next AGM
Membership categories to be:
a) Family membership – To include 2 parents or guardians and their children. The children to be under 18 years of age throughout the subscription year. The parents or guardians to be senior members and the children to be junior members.
b) Senior membership – To include members aged 18 or over during the subscription year.
c) Junior membership – To include members who are under 18 years of age throughout the subscription year.
d) Associate membership – To include parents or guardians of present or past junior members
e) Honorary life members –
Membership a, b and c to include full swimming membership. Membership b, d and e entitles the member to vote at Annual and special general meetings.
3.2 Candidates for membership shall complete an application form which must be signed and together with the appropriate fee shall be submitted to the Hon membership Secretary.
3.2.1 They shall declare existing membership of other swimming clubs.
3.2.2 Acceptance of membership will be at the discretion of the committee or person authorised by the committee. However no potential member will be refused on the grounds of race, religion, age, gender, disability or sexual orientation.
3.2.3 In the event of refusal a reason will be given but in the case of information supplied to the club in confidence or information that is subject to the data protection act the club can decline to supply this information at its discretion.
3.3 Expulsion and other disciplinary action:
3.31 Any member misbehaving or acting in such a manner as to affect Health and Safety or destroy the harmony of the club will be brought to the attention of an officer of the club who will take any immediate action as he or she sees fit.
3.32 They may temporarily suspend or exclude a member from particular training sessions or wider club activities when in their opinion such action is in the interests of the club.
3.33 For serious offences the member will be brought before a nominated panel by the committee to explain their behaviour.
3.34 The club shall adopt and comply with the ASA Guidelines for handling internal disputes.
3.35 The member may be cautioned, fined or expelled from the club depending on the severity of the offence and previous record but this can only be when a minimum of two-thirds of the panel or committee hearing the complaint vote in favour.
3.36 The committees or panels decision will be final except in a case in which they have transgressed ASA law.
3.4 Resignation:
3.4.1 A member wishing to resign must give notice in writing to the Hon secretary before the 31st December or will be held liable for the ensuing year’s subscription. A member’s resignation will only take effect when his/her written notice is received.
3.4.2 Any member whose subscription is more than two months in arrears shall, at the discretion of the committee be deemed to have resigned and will be informed in writing by the Hon secretary.
4. Subscription and Other Fees
4.1 The annual subscription which becomes due on the 1st January will be fixed at the AGM and paid before the 31st January.
4.2 Cost of admission, coaching, teaching and squad fees will be fixed by the committee from time to time as they see fit.
4.3 Members joining the club in the last three months of the year may pay a reduced percentage of the membership fee if decided by the committee.
4.4 It is a requirement of all members that they pay to the club separately the ASA membership fee applicable to their class of membership appertaining at the time.
4.5 Any member whose subscription is unpaid by the date falling 30 days after the due date for payment may be suspended by the committee from some or all of the clubs activities from a date determined by the committee and until such payment is made.
4.6 In a case of hardship the committee reserves the right to reduce or cancel fees as it sees fit.
5.0 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
5.1 The AGM shall be held on a date fixed by the Committee during the last two weeks of November each year.
5.2 Each senior member in subscription age 18 or over shall be sent a notice of the AGM as the case may be not less than fourteen days before the meeting. Such notice shall include an agenda containing all items for discussion and decision. This is normally to be done by the Hon Secretary.
5.3 Only senior, associate and honorary life members over 18 shall be entitled to vote at an AGM or Special general meeting as the case may be.
5.4 Additions, deletions or alterations to the rules shall only be made at an AGM and any proposals for such additions or deletions shall be submitted in writing to the Hon Secretary at least 28 days before the meeting.
5.5 Any alteration shall require a minimum of two thirds majority of those members present and voting.
5.6 The quorum at a General meeting shall be fifteen and voting shall be confined to senior and associate members.
5.7 The purpose of the meeting is to transact the following business:
5.7.1 To receive the Chairman's report of the activities of the Club during the previous year.
5.7.2 To receive and consider the accounts of the Club, the Treasurers and independent auditors report as to the financial position of the Club.
5.7.3 To elect the auditor for the next year who cannot be a member of the Committee or of the family of a Committee member.
5.7.4 To decide on any resolution submitted to the Hon Secretary at least 21 days prior to the meeting.
5.7.5 The President, Vice president, Officers and Committee shall be elected at the AGM. The Officers shall consist of the Committee Chairman, Hon Gen Secretary and Hon Treasurer. The Club shall be managed by the President, Officers and a minimum of ten members which shall include a Fixtures Secretary, Membership Secretary, Welfare Officer, and additional secretaries as required to manage specific activities of the Club.
5.7.6 Vice Presidents may be elected at the AGM and will be allowed to be present and vote at general meetings
5.7.7 To mark exceptional service. Honorary Life members may be elected, nominations to be by the Committee and elections by a majority vote of those present and voting at the AGM.
5.7.8 A professional auditor shall be appointed or two honorary auditors elected at the AGM.
5.8 Nominations for committee office shall be received by the Hon Secretary in writing together with proposer and seconder on or before 1st November. Any Office without nomination shall be appointed if possible before or at the AGM if not at the first Committee meeting.
5.9 The Chairman shall, at all General meetings, have unlimited authority upon every question of order and shall be, for the purposes of such meeting the sole interpreter of the rules of the Club.
5.9.1 The Secretary or in his/her absence a nominated person shall take minutes of the meeting.
5.9.2 Decisions are to be made by a simple majority. In the event of equal votes the Chairman having the deciding vote. However, in the case of alteration to the rules these must be carried by a two thirds majority.
6.0 Special general meetings
A Special General meeting shall be called within twenty one days of the receipt by the Hon Secretary of a written request from fifteen voting members. Such meeting to deal only with the matter of which notice is given in the request. Procedures 5.9 , 5.9.1 and 5.9.2 will apply.
7.0 Committee meetings
7.1 A quorum at Committee meetings shall be five Committee members including one Officer.
7.2 Any Committee member having missed three consecutive meetings, at the discretion of the Officers, shall be contacted by the Hon Secretary and considered to have resigned from the Committee, unless a good and sufficient reason is given for absence.
7.3 The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members as it sees fit and shall have the authority to appoint a special committee for any special purpose with or without power to act up to a maximum of eight.
7.4 The Committee shall have authority to make regulations within the framework of the constitution and ASA laws and to deal with any matter not provided for in such constitution and laws.
7.5 Committee meetings will normally be once every month except when members by a simple majority decide not to meet. Further meetings can be called by the Officers of the Club where they feel they are necessary.
7.6 All members of the Committee will be given no less than two days notice of the meetings and state the agenda for the meeting.
7.7 Decisions of the Committee will be by a simple majority but in the case of equal votes the Chairman or Acting Chairman will have the casting vote.
7.8 The members of the Committee shall be indemnified by the members of the Club for expenses and liabilities properly incurred by them in managing the Club’s affairs.
7.9 The committee shall maintain an accident book in which all accidents to swimming members or swimming related activities shall be recorded.. Serious accidents will be reported immediately to the ASA office and all entries reported to the ASA on the required form annually.
8.0 Finance
8.1 All funds and other property of the Club shall be applied to the furtherance of the objects of the Club.
8.2 No funds or other property of the Club shall be paid or distributed among members of the Club, except as allowed by the ASA law relating to expenses.
8.3 All financial information and records are to be kept for a minimum of six years after receipt .
8.4 The Club’s accounts will close on the 30th September in each year and will be audited and submitted to the AGM.
8.5 All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in an account or accounts in the name of the Club and can be invested as the Committee in its discretion thinks fit. Any monies drawn from that account or accounts must be authorised by two or more Officers or Committee members authorised by them in their absence.
8.6 All income and property of the Club will be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club.
8.7 The Committee shall have the power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any Officer, member or employee of the Club and to any person or persons for services rendered to the Club.
8.8 The Committee will have the power to borrow money at a commercial rate in the furtherance of the
Objects of the Club. However this would need to be authorised in advance by a special meeting of members or at the AGM
8.9 The Committee undertake to ensure the Club satisfies all laws of the land including tendering any
correct taxation levied on the Club.
9.0 Dissolution
A resolution to dissolve the club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least three quarters of all members present and entitled to vote. A specific date of dissolution must be propose and a committee set up to carry out the dissolution. Any property or assets left after all liabilities have been discharged will be given to an organisation with similar objects to those of the club as nominated by the last committee.
The members acknowledge that these rules constitute a legally binding contract to regulate the relationship of the members with each other and the club.