Truro Camera Club Constitution
- Name
The name of the Club shall be Truro Camera Club. (“the Club”)
- Objectives
The objectives of the Club shall be to promote and encourage interest in photography in all its aspects by means of meetings competitions exhibitions lectures outings and other forms of instruction and discussion.
- Membership
Membership shall be open to all who are interested in and support the objects of the Club and who have paid their subscription. A person who has not paid a current subscription is not a member of the Club. Prospective members may attend three meetings of the Club prior to becoming a member. Young people under the age of 18 can attend Club meetings provided they are accompanied by an adult. The committee may refuse a person membership or withdraw membership at its sole discretion. Members of the Club must comply with and abide by the rules and Constitution of the Club.
- Subscriptions
The subscription year shall commence on 1st September. The members shall set subscription rates annually at the Annual General Meeting on the recommendation of the committee. Subscriptions shall fall due for payment in full and in advance on the first attended September meeting. New members shall pay full year’s subscription if joining before 31 December in any year and one half of the annual subscription if joining between 1 January and 31 August in any year. Members under the age of eighteen shall pay a reduced rate of subscription. Participation in competitions, election to the committee and voting at the Annual General Meeting is only open to members.
- The committee
The Committee shall be responsible for conducting the affairs of the Club and may take decisions on its behalf. The committee shall comprise a Chairman, Vice-chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary, Competition Secretary, Programme Secretary and four other members and four of them shall comprise a quorum of the committee. The Chairman shall be elected for a period of office not exceeding three years and all other members shall be elected for a period of one year at the Annual General Meeting. The Club may elect an Honorary President. A proposer and a seconder shall support a member wishing to stand for election to the committee. Retiring Committee Members shall be eligible for re-election subject to the maximum period of continuous service of the committee not exceeding nine years. The committee may form sub-committees and co-opt replacement or additional members as required providing the number of co-options does not exceed three.
- General Meetings
General Meetings are for the purpose of discussing matters relating to the Club and shall be either an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary Meeting.
Annual General Meetings shall be held as soon as possible after 31 March annually for the purpose of considering the Clubs accounts, electing officers to the committee, setting subscriptions rates, and discussing any other business relating to the Clubs affairs.
An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called upon the deposit of a petition in writing and countersigned by at least 10% of members with the secretary of the Club. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened with 28 days’ notice which shall be given by the Secretary of the Club in writing to all members of the Club within 30 days of the receipt of the petition. A quorum shall comprise one-third of the members of the Club. Resolutions shall be carried by simple majority of those present at the meeting. Members may appoint a proxy who may vote at a meeting if a vote of those present is carried to allow the inclusion of proxies. Written notice of the appointment of a proxy shall be presented to the Secretary before the meeting.
Resolutions resulting in a change in the Constitution of the Club, or the dissolution of the Club shall require a majority of two-thirds of the members attending the General Meeting including proxies if called for.
- Ordinary meetings
Ordinary meetings are for the purpose of carrying out the objects of the Club and shall be organised by the committee entirely at their discretion.
The winter programme will be weekly meetings from September to April at dates to be decided by the committee.
A summer programme will be decided by the Committee and club members.
The Committee may prescribe an admission fee to be paid by all visitors to meetings and may also raise funds by other appropriate means in order to defray specific costs of a meeting or to raise funds for the Club generally.
- Competitions
The Committee may use its discretion to arrange competitions between members within the Club and between other Clubs. The committee shall decide the rules applying to competitions and shall inform members accordingly. The Club may co-ordinate entries into any competition as it sees fit either as a Club entry or as individual entries.
- Financial
The Club shall operate a bank account into which all receipts shall be paid. All withdrawals from the account shall be signed by two officers of the Club upon the authority of the Committee, or where expenditure is necessary before a committee meeting, by three officers. All capital expenditure shall be ratified by the committee. The treasurer may operate a petty cash account.
The treasurer shall keep and maintain proper records of financial transactions and retain all documentation in support of those transactions. Accounts, drawn up in accordance with good accounting practice shall be prepared annually to 31 March.
The committee may also request that these accounts shall be examined for completeness and accuracy by a suitably qualified independent accountant, who shall provide a certificate to confirm that an examination has been undertaken and to identify any matters arising from that examination which needs to be brought to the attention of the Committee.
- Grievance
While the intention is that Truro Camera Club remains a friendly and supporting environment, differences of opinions do occur on occasion. In the event of a disagreement arising, the following procedure should be adhered to:
The nature of such issue should be raised with the Chairman, in writing, via the Club’s email address. The Chairman will use his/her best efforts to resolve the issue. If the matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved in this way, the Committee will investigate the nature of the issue and give their ruling. The result of any such ruling shall be binding and absolute.
Truro Camera Club operates a zero tolerance policy. Therefore, any act of anti-social, discriminative or abusive behaviour within the Club will not be tolerated. A breach of this policy may result in membership of the individual being withdrawn from the Club. This will be at the sole discretion of the Committee. Any decision made by the Committee will be final".
- Constitution
Any amendment to this Constitution shall only be made upon the authority of two-thirds of the members in General Meeting and subject to 14 days’ notice of the amendment being given in writing to all members.
- Winding up
The Club shall only be wound up upon the authority of two-thirds of the members in general meeting and subject to 28 days’ notice of the resolution being given in writing to all members. If it be agreed that the Club shall be dissolved, then the assets of the Club shall be donated to a similar Club or Affiliation or Society covering the area of Truro specifically or generally.
