Corby and District Model Flying Club

CONSTITUTION
 
GENERAL

1. The club shall be called Corby and District Model Flying Club and will be affiliated to the British Model Flying Association.
2. The clubs principal aim shall be the promotion of safe and responsible model aircraft flying.
3. All members, without exception, must obey all club rules. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action by the Club which may lead to dismissal.
4. All members must be members of the British Model Flying Association and must be able to provide evidence of such on request. The only exception to this is for those members who play no active part in the club whatsoever; i.e. social members only.
5. Members may invite guest fliers to the site on arrangement with the Executive Committee but they must be BMFA insured and the club member must assume total responsibility for the actions and safety of the guest. Guests must fly under the supervision of instructors if their ability requires it, and such arrangements must be made in advance of the visit.
6. A “member” means any class of membership.
7. A member may be made a life member for extensive services to the club. Life members can only be created by a majority ballot of club members at a general meeting.
8. The Committee has the right to refuse membership to new applicants.
9. New members’ subscriptions shall be subject to status, plus the joining fee as decided at the Annual General Meeting.
10. Members who have allowed their subscriptions to lapse for less than one year will not normally be asked to re-apply for membership or pay the joining fee, but will be required to pay a full 12 months subscription. Reduced subscriptions will apply from September when they will be halved. The Committee reserves the right to ask for a formal membership application if it so wishes.
11. Persons letting their membership lapse for 1 year or more, will be required to re-apply for membership and pay the joining fee on their return to the club.
12. All field safety rules and regulations will be reviewed annually, and will be considered binding for 12 months, excepting where urgent action is required. This action must then be ratified by the Committee at the next club meeting or at a general meeting. The field safety rules are considered as a supplementary code to those laid out by the British Model Flying Association’s Members’ Handbook, compliance with which is mandatory within CADMAC.
13. Any complaint concerning any member must be made in writing and signed by the complainant(s). The written complaint must then be forwarded to the Secretary so that the matter can be addressed at the next Committee meeting.
14. The Committee may impose a flying suspension not exceeding 28 days upon any member in the event of misconduct. Any suspension must be accompanied by a verbal and/or written warning as deemed appropriate in accordance with Article 17.
15. The Committee may consider removal from the role of members any member whose conduct on the field or elsewhere is considered to be prejudicial to the club. Dismissal will be in accordance with the following procedure in order to comply with the laws of natural justice:

    a. The member is to be given a verbal warning by an authorised Committee Member in which the member is made aware of his misdemeanour and what he is reasonably required to do to make amends.

    b. If the member does not respond, he is to be given a written warning by an authorised Committee Member to advise him of his misdemeanour and what he is reasonably required to do to make amends.

    c. If he still fails to respond, the Committee should invite him in writing to meet with them at a previously agreed date and time to discuss the situation, advising they are considering withdrawal of his membership.

    d. If he still fails to respond to reasoning or fails to attend without reasonable cause, the Committee can advise him in writing that his membership is withdrawn, stating the reasons why this decision was reached.

    e. When the member is advised of withdrawal of his membership, he must be given the right of appeal. If he opts to appeal, this will be to the Club membership at an EGM which the Committee would call on his behalf at a previously agreed date and time. The motion to uphold the membership withdrawal or reverse it must be in accordance with the voting procedures set out in the Club Constitution.

    In the event of gross misconduct, immediate dismissal without warnings may be considered but the member must still be accorded his rights to present his case to the Committee and be given a right of appeal in accordance with sub-paragraphs c, d and e above.

16. Any alteration to this Constitution can only be made at a General Meeting called for the purpose. Any proposed alterations must be submitted to the Secretary in writing at least 7 days prior to the meeting.

    FLYING

17. The Committee, Officers and Instructors, will be responsible for the running of the flying field at all times. Appointment to the position of Instructor can only be made by a Committee decision.
18. All student members must attain the minimum standards of flying required under the CADMAC training scheme equivalent to receiving the BMFA ‘A’ Certificate before they can fly solo or unsupervised . All members are encouraged to attain the BMFA “ A” as a basic proof of competency.
19. Any member whose flying standards drop below the minimum requirement solo standard will be required to rejoin the training scheme until the desired standards of flying are met.

    COMMITTEE

20. The Committee of the Club shall comprise of not more than 11 members, including the Executive Committee.A member can only be a committee member after they have been a club member for 3 years. A quorum of any Committee meeting shall consist of a majority of Committee Members.
21. The Executive Committee shall consist of five officers. These shall be Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Safety Officer.
22. One senior club member should be appointed annually as the clubs’ BMFA Delegate who should represent the club at all relevant meetings.
23. Any Committee member or member who is involved in any organisational position within the Club, must hold membership of the British Model Flying Association.
24. Committee members shall be elected from written nominations, at the Annual General Meeting, to serve for a period of one year. The Committee will be elected by majority vote by a show of hands from eligible members present.
25. Should a committee position become vacant, the Committee may co-opt a replacement who will then serve until the following Annual General Meeting. This will be by a majority vote from the Committee Members.
26. Members elected to office will have full voting rights at all meetings. In the event of a tie the Chairman will have a casting vote.
27. The Executive Committee reserve the right to carry out negotiations and make decisions in the interest of the club or on behalf of the membership where necessary without consulting the other Committee members.
28. Each Executive is required to submit a sample of his signature for banking reference purposes.
29. Money may only be withdrawn from the fund by cheque signed by not less than two Executive Officers.
30. The committee can spend up to £200 on any one item if agreed by a majority of the committee. Any expenditure above this must be put to the club members for their approval.
31. The Secretary must be informed of any negotiations proposed by club members which affect the Club as a whole and copies of any written correspondence must be submitted to him for record purposes.
32. No member of the Committee or Officer of the club may be a Committee Member or Officer of another model flying club.
33. Any Committee Member or Officer wishing to resign should do so in writing.
34. Any member of the Committee who is absent from three consecutive Committee meetings without reasonable cause will automatically forfeit his seat on the Committee.
35. The Committee may pay accounts and incur any normal liabilities on behalf of the club. If a Committee Member engages or becomes involved in court proceedings, whether criminal or civil in his representative capacity on behalf of the club, as opposed to his capacity as a private individual, the club will indemnify the Committee Member in respect of any fines or damages or costs awarded against the Committee Member.
36. In the event of a Committee Member being awarded damages or costs in the course of proceedings taken by him in his representative capacity, such damages or costs will belong to the Club and not the Committee Member personally and upon receipt that Committee Member will pay them to the Club Treasurer.

    VOTING AND CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

37. All meetings will be agendered and minuted. Any other business will only be accepted at general meetings if the Secretary is given at least 14 days notice in writing of the item to be discussed.
38. A quorum of any general meeting is to be at least one quarter of the membership.
39. Voting will normally be by a show of hands, however a secret ballot must be taken should any member request that this be done. Proxy and postal votes will not be allowed.
40. All proposals must be seconded and voted upon. A majority vote is required to carry any proposal.
41. Amendments to proposals must be voted upon first.
42. Non committee members may attend committee meetings as observers by applying to the Secretary at least 14 days before the meeting. Any non Committee Member may be asked to leave the meeting subject to approval from the Committee.
43. Non club members may attend Club meetings as observers as invited guests of a club by applying to the Secretary at least 14 days before the meeting. Any non Club member may be asked to leave the meeting subject to approval from the Committee.
44. The Committee, through the Chairman has the power to ask a person to leave any meeting in the event of that person disrupting the meeting.
45. Patrons of the club have no voting rights but are free to attend all club meetings.

    ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

46. A convenient date for the Annual General Meeting will be decided each year by the Committee. At least 28 days notice of the meeting will be given to all Club members by use of the Club Notice Board and the Club Website. An Agenda for the AGM must be sent out before the meeting.
47. All motions are to be put in writing before the agenda is published.
48. There will be no voted “ Any other business” motions unless the motions have been notified in advance.
49. Annual subscriptions and the joining fee will be decided at the Annual General Meeting.
50. Subscriptions are due by 1st January each year. Any member who has not paid the subscriptions for the ensuing year by this date, in whole or in part, will not be allowed to fly until they have done so. Insurance or BMFA membership must be in place before flying.
51. At the Annual General Meeting a balance sheet will be presented that fairly represents the expenditure and receipts of the club, its assets and its liabilities. This will be distributed to members with the Agenda before the meeting.

    EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS

52. The Secretary will convene an Extraordinary Committee Meeting within 14 days on request from any member of the Executive Committee, stating the business to be discussed.
53. The Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club by a resolution of the Committee stating the business to be brought before the meeting, of which 28 days notice has been given to all members in writing stating the business to be discussed.
54. The Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club on receipt of a request in writing signed by not less than 5 members of the club, stating the business to be brought before the meeting, of which 28 days notice has been given to all members in writing stating the business to be discussed.
55. When a request for a meeting is made in accordance with Article 54 and it is not called within 28 days, the requisitioners may themselves convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club by giving 28 days notice in writing to all members, duly setting out the purpose for which the meeting was called. 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.

    DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB

56. Should it be considered necessary or desirable to dissolve the Club, the Committee will call an Extraordinary General Meeting. Should a quorum fail to appear, the meeting will be adjourned and a further EGM must be called. The second meeting will proceed even if a quorum is not present and the motion will then be carried by a simple majority vote.
57. On dissolution and after the sale of assets, settlement of all outstanding debts and the refund of subscriptions for the remaining part of the year to the paid up members, the funds remaining will be distributed in equal shares to the Club’s charities. (See the Clubs’ Charity Guidelines).
58. If the final accounts are less than required to refund the subscriptions to the members, the total money remaining will be donated to the Club’s charities. All members will receive a final statement of accounts.