Club Constitution

FELIXSTOWE ROAD RUNNERS CONSTITUTION/RULES

1. NAME

The Club shall be known as The Felixstowe Road Runners.

2. OBJECT

This club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity.

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

The club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

The club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

The club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.

3. MEMBERSHIP

i) Membership of the Club is confined to amateurs as defined by UK Athletics/England Athletics (UKA) as follows:-

“An amateur is one who has never competed for money prize or monetary consideration in any athletic sport or game or been in anyway interested in a staked bet or wager made in connection with any athletic competition in which he was an entrant or competitor who has never engaged in, assisted in, or taught any athletic exercise for pecuniary consideration, or in anyway exploited his athletic ability for profit; and who has never taken part in any athletic competition with anyone who is not an amateur”.

ii) All persons wishing to join the Club shall be asked to complete and sign a club application form obtainable from the membership secretary.

iii) Junior membership is for children under 18.

Every candidate for membership shall be considered by the Committee, which shall admit that candidate to membership of the Club unless to do so would be contrary to the best interests of the sport or the good conduct and interests of the Club. They will be accepted on the understanding that this is a running club and disobedience of club rules will not be tolerated.

Junior membership may be refused or terminated if the prospective member or members are not prepared to train under minimum supervision, do not wear suitable footwear appropriate for training or racing, exceed the limits or break the rules of the UKA/EA, do not have the approval of their parent or guardian.

iv) Senior membership is for anyone over the age of 18 provided they qualify under UKA/EA rules.

v) Family membership is for any number of children under the age of 18 and the member’s partner, provided:-

1. They reside at the same address.

2. They qualify under UKA/EA rules.

The parents take responsibility for the junior and youth members of the family, and should be prepared to assist with any group training sessions the club arrange.

vi) Membership fees are in five tiers:-

Senior, Family, Junior, Concessionary or Social.

New members joining after 31st December and the end of February will pay full fee and get full membership for the remainder of the club year and the year following, in total a maximum of 14 months membership. New members will not be registered with UKA until 1st April of that year unless they pay the UKA fee in full.

Fees shall be changed only at A.G.M.s or E.G.M.s providing that at the proposed change of fees is recorded on the agenda for A.G.M. or E.G.M. Notification of fee changes shall be made in the Club’s newsletter, website or magazine no later than one calendar month after change being made.

vii) Every candidate for membership shall be considered by the Committee, which shall admit that candidate to membership of the Club unless to do so would be contrary to the best interests of the sport or the good conduct and interests of the Club

The Committee holds the right to terminate any membership following a breach of club or UKA/EA rules.

ix) UKA/EA RULE 19 (MANDATORY)

a) The Committee shall have power to expel any member whose subscription is six months in arrears, provided a month’s notice in writing shall have been sent to such member by registered or recorded delivery letter, addressed to his last known address, informing him of the proposed action of the Committee.

b) The name and address of any person so expelled from a Club shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary of the appropriate Area Association who shall enter the name in a book (to be called “The Black Book”) kept for that purpose. Every person whose name has been entered in a Black Book shall be suspended from competing at any meeting held under A.A.A. Laws until the liability causing his said expulsion, which shall not exceed one year’s subscription, shall have been discharged.

c) A Club Secretary sending a name for entry in the Black Book must send the Post Office Receipt for the registered or recorded delivery letter sent to such person, or the name will not be inserted.

4. ADMINISTRATION

i) The administration of the Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of a Chairman,
Honorary Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and other positions as elected at the AGM. The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. At each A.G.M. consideration should be given to re-electing any member or members to give continuity of administration and to that end vote for an assistant or vice/post to provide continuity on change over.

ii) The Committee shall meet at least 4 times per annum, reasonably spaced, to which the A.G.M. is not included,

iii) Five members shall constitute a quorum for a Committee meeting.

iv) The Committee shall be notified by the Secretary at least 14 days before the date of the Committee meeting and the agenda circulated/forwarded at least 7 days before the date of the meeting.

v) The Committee shall have the power to:-

a) Co-opt on to the Committee any fully paid-up member of the Club.

b) Deal with matters not covered by Club, UKA/EA or Affiliated Association’s rules.

c) Ensure that the rules of any Club or Association that the Club is affiliated to are upheld.

d) Suspend or terminate any membership following breach of Club, UKA/EA or affiliated association rules.

e) Propose amendments to rules.

f) Each committee member shall have the power to act on his own accord with the verbal agreement of the Committee so long as it is in the interests of the Club, not contrary to any rules of the Club, UKA/EA, affiliated or association and must be minuted at the next official meeting and dated with the date of the action.

g) All monies received shall be paid as soon as possible after receipt, into club/FRR bank account.

h) All orders for payment out of the bank account shall be signed by any 2 out of 3 accepted signatories.

i) Capital assets of the Club shall be disposed of as may be determined by the Committee.

j) The Treasurer shall maintain a full record of receipts and disbursements and shall prepare an annual statement which shall be duly audited, showing full particulars of all receipts and payments for the year ended 31st January. This shall be completed and ready for examination at the A.G.M.

k) The Secretary or nominated member shall be responsible for all training equipment and shall ensure that it is maintained in a serviceable condition and that replacements are made as necessary. He shall keep a correct record of all such items.

5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

i) The Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting of members not later than the end of February to receive the reports of its officers and to elect officers. It will be understood at the A.G.M. that officers will resign their posts immediately before the election of officers takes place.

ii) Club Committee election process

  1. For the duration of the voting process, the outgoing Chairman and Secretary will remain the Chairman and Secretary for the AGM.
  2. All club offices are automatically resigned at the beginning of the AGM, allowing for a fair and democratic election process.
  3. The Secretary must post a list of club offices to the club noticeboards for all members to review at least 28 days before the scheduled AGM. This notice must reference this clause, and detail the cut off date for applications.
  4. All candidates must provide notice of application, and the office they wish to stand for, provided to the Secretary by email or in writing before 14 days of the AGM.
  5. Applicable club members may provide notice of application for more than one office.
  6. All current office holders are assumed to be candidates for the same positions in the upcoming AGM, unless where notice is given to the Secretary before 14 days of the AGM.
  7. All candidates for office must have been members of the club for at least one full and complete membership year before their application will be considered valid.
  8. All candidates for Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer offices must have been a member of the club for at least two complete membership years before their application will be considered valid.
  9. All notices of intent are considered permanent, and may not be withdrawn.
  10. The Secretary will publish the list of office candidates and the office they are standing for on the 13th day before the AGM.
  11. After they have been published, no further candidate applications for those posted offices will be accepted before or during the AGM. Exception is given for offices where no candidates have applied. At the Chairman and Secretaries, discretion these posts may be dissolved, divided or permitted to be applied for at the AGM.
  12. Candidates for each office must attend the AGM, or provide the name of a delegate (who must also be a club member) by email or in writing to the Secretary who will act as witness to the vote on their behalf.
  13. All those wishing to vote in the election of club offices must attend the AGM. No postal or surrogate votes will be accepted.
  14. The vote for each office is conducted by the Chairman, and is recorded by the Secretary who will confirm the result.
  15. The outgoing Chairman and Secretary are not permitted to vote for any electable office.

iii) Voting at the following meetings – Committee, A.G.M. and E.G.M. will be limited to fully paid-up club members and shall be by show of hands, unless a secret ballot is requested and agreed by show of hands.

6. EXTRA SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

i) An Extra Special General Meeting may be called by the Executive Committee or upon request to the Secretary in writing and signed by at least 12 members.

ii) At least 14 days notice of any special meeting shall be given to all members. The agenda circulated / forwarded at least 7 days before the date of the meeting.

iii) Method of voting shall be as for an Annual General Meeting.

7. MISCELLANEOUS

i) All complaints shall be submitted to the Committee in writing whose decision shall be final,

ii) Membership cards must be produced at the request of an official or servant of the Club.

iii) The proceeds from general activities shall be solely for the credit of Club funds and for the benefit of members generally.

8. AWARDS

i) Club Member of the Year shall be determined by a secret nomination on the Club Standards’ award form and the results of the nominations shall be kept secret and only the winner’s name be announced at the Club’s Presentation of Awards.

ii) Honorary Life Member presented to anyone, be they a fully paid-up member of the Club or not, who in the opinion of the Committee has provided over a long period of time, a great service to the Club, brought a great honour to the Club, or through their own determination, courage, enthusiasm or love for the Sport, has brought honour to road running.

9. ALLOCATION OF LONDON MARATHON PLACES

i) Place/places to be allocated by a draw amongst qualifying members. The draw will be handled as follows.

a) Draw to be split into 4 groups. Group A (the first draw) will include members that have qualified for the club draw on three successive occasions and not been successful. One member to be drawn from this round.

b) Group B (the second draw) will include all unsuccessful members from Group A and also any members that have qualified for the club draw on the previous two occasions and have not been successful. One member to be drawn in this round if the club has been allocated two or more places.

c) Group C (the third draw) will include all unsuccessful members from Groups A and B and also any members that have qualified for the club draw on the previous occasion and have not been successful. One member to be drawn in this round if the club has been allocated three or more places.

c) Group D will include all members that qualified for Groups A, B and C that were not drawn and also all other club members that qualify. Remaining places, if any, to be selected from this round.

d) The committee will be able to permit a club member to remain in their current pot for an additional year if a club member submits a request explaining the extraordinary circumstances that have prevented them from entering the London Marathon in that year.

ii) To qualify for the draw, members must:

a) Produce a current rejection notice from the London Marathon organisation.

b) Have represented the Club in at least 4 recognised races in the 12 months leading up to the draw.

c) Have volunteered their time for the benefit of the Club in the 12 months leading up to the draw, including but not limited to: marshalling at a Club race or social event, leading training sessions, taking an active role in the committee

AMENDMENTS UP TO AND INCLUDING A.G.M. FEBRUARY 2023