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Club Constitution and Rules

1. Name
1.1 The name of the Club shall be the Herts and Essex Climbing Club Hereinafter referred to as “the Club”.

2. Objectives of the Club
2.1 To promote the interests of climbing and mountaineering amongst members of the Club.
2.2 To provide an opportunity for members of the Club to meet and participate in climbing and mountaineering activitiestogether.
2.3 To act on behalf of and in the interests of Club members.
2.4 To promote awareness of the need to maintain access, conservation and protection of the cliff and mountain environment.
2.5 To take part in the work and activities of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC).

3. Membership of the Club
3.1 Membership of the Club shall only be open to people aged 18 years old and over hereinafter referred to as “Membership”.
3.2 In addition to 3.1 above membership of the Club shall only be open to individuals who recognise that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Members shall be aware of and accept these risks and agree to be responsible for their own actions and involvement.
3.3 Club Membership is not open to people under the age of 18 years old.
3.4 In the event that the Members resolve that the Club shall affiliate to the BMC, the Members acknowledge and agree that they will become Club Members of the BMC and that the Club shall pay the appropriate subscription on behalf of each Member included in the return filed by the Club with the BMC, and, in the event of the BMC being wound up, shall pay the sum of not more than £1 on behalf of each Member included in a return filed by the Club with the BMC at any time within the preceding period of one year pursuant to the guarantee comprised in clause 6 of the Memorandum of Association of the BMC. The Members further acknowledge and agree that upon the Club being affiliated to the BMC and each becoming a Club member of the BMC that they will each be bound by the Memorandum & Articles of Association of the BMC.
3.5 Membership runs from 1st January each year and payment is due in January. New members pay their membership upon joining. New members joining after 1st October will receive membership until 31st December the following year, however, their BMC insurance will not start until the following year.

4. Committee of the Club
4.1 The Management of the Club shall be entrusted to the Club Committee, hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”.
4.2 The electedCommittee of the Club, hereinafter referred to as “the Committee” shall be The Chair person, the Secretary and the Treasurer (“the officers”), the kit manager, trip co-ordinator, social co-ordinator and IT and website co-ordinator (“the members”). Other non-elected members of the Committee shall include, but are not limited to, the BMC Main Contact, a named representative from The Lock Climbing Wall, kit storage, printing and newsletters, t-shirt ordering, and tough tag ordering. A Quorum of the committee shall number no fewer than four members.
4.3 Voting for the election of The Committee shall take place at the AGM.
4.4 NoCommittee member shall serve for a term longer than 3 years. In the event that there is no successor for a post at the end of the term the Committee may allow a person to be re-elected upon a two thirds majority vote by the Committee.
4.5 TheChair person of the Club will normally preside at and chair all meetings of the Club and shall be responsible for reporting to Members at the Clubs AGM.
4.6 The Committee shall nominate a representative/s of the Club to attend BMC Area meetings and represent the views ofthe Membership and shall nominate the Chair person (or a representative) to attend the BMC AGM and vote on behalf of the Club. Members of the Club may give permission to the representative attending the BMC AGM to act as a proxy on their behalf.
4.7 The Club shall be responsible for all correspondence relating to Club affairs and for announcing Committee meetings, and the production and distribution of minutes from those meetings.The Club shall also be responsible for announcing the AGM and shall give at least 30 clear days’ notice of such a meeting andits’ agenda.Items for inclusion should be submitted at least 45 days prior to the AGM .The Club shall keep records about the Membership of the Club and shall report to the BMC the size of the Membership.
4.8The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of subscriptionsand will account for any other income and expenditure made on behalf of the Club.The Treasurer shall be responsible for the payment of the membership subscription to the BMC and the Insurance premium if this option is taken up.
4.9The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional non-voting members.
4.10A quorum for a meeting of the Committee shall be half of the elected voting members.In addition to the AGM the Committee (or Club) shall hold at least four meetings each year.
4.11The Club Secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence relating to Club affairs (including the Club notice board), announcing Committee/Club meetings and the production and distribution of minutes from those meetings. The Secretary shall also be responsible for announcing the annual AGM and its agenda. The Secretary shall keep records about the Membership of the Club.

5. Club Subscriptions
5.1The Committee shall have the power to set membership subscription levels for the Club on an annual basis.The membership subscription level shall not be changed unless by two thirds majority vote of the Committee.

6. Expulsion of members
6.1If at any time the Committee considers that the interests of the Club require it they must invite a member to resign from the Club, by a letter specifying the reasons for their request and offering the member an opportunity to provide an explanation either in writing or in person and the date before which the reply should be received.
6.2If the member concerned requests a meeting to provide an explanation, the committee must arrange a meeting at a suitable timeand place and within a reasonable period of time and must provide the member with not less than seven days written notice of it.
6.3The Committee must consider the explanation provided by the member in good faith and have due regard to all available evidence and may confirm or vary their original decision.
6.4If the Committee confirms their original decision and the member concerned does not resign the Committee must submit the question of his expulsion to a Special General Meeting to be convened for the purpose, whether or not the member requests such a meeting.
6.5 Not less than four weeks’ notice of the meeting must be given to all the members.
6.6 The Honorary Secretary must inform the member in question of the time and place of the meeting and the nature of the complaints against him in sufficient time to afford him a proper opportunity of offering his explanation.
6.7At the meeting the member must be allowed to offer an explanation of his conduct verbally or in writing and if after that two-thirds of the members present vote for his expulsion he will immediately cease to be a member of the Club.
6.8 The voting at any such Special General Meeting must be by ballot if not less than five members present at that meeting so demand.
6.9The Committee may exclude from the Club until the Special General Meeting is held any member whose resignation has been requested.

7. Effect of ceasing to be a member
7.1 On ceasing to be a member a person forfeits all rights to and claim upon the Club and its property and funds.
7.2A person who has been expelled from the Club shall not be entitled to participate in any subsequent activity of the Club nor to visit the Club’s premises.
7.3A person who has been expelled from the Club shall not be entitled to a refund or partial refund of their subscription.

8. Rules of the Club
8.1 The Committee shall have the power to set Club rules. Such rules shall be in accordance with the articles of the Club’s Constitution andthe policies of the BMC.
8.2 Club Members shall sign for club equipment which shall mean that they undertake to use it entirely at their own risk.
8.3 Club Members shall leave a basic route plan with the trip organiser.

9. Amendments to the Constitution of the Club
9.1 This Constitution may be amended by a two thirds majority. Notice of any amendment must be delivered to the Secretary at least 45 days prior to the AGM.

10. Dissolution of the Club
10.1The Club can be dissolved by two thirds majority vote carried out where by the Committee will arrange to discharge any assets equally amongst Members. Alternatively such assets may be donated to a charity by the vote of two thirds majority of the membership. Any liabilities at the time of dissolution shall be the joint responsibility of all Members.