Club Rules & Constitution

  1. The club
    1. The Club shall be called: Wyre Forest Cycle Racing Club
    2. The Club colours shall be blue, white, gold and black
    3. The club shall be affiliated to such bodies as deemed necessary at an AGM or EGM

 

  1. The Purposes of the Club

The purposes of the Club are to promote the sport of cycling in the Wyre Forest district and surrounding areas, and community participation in the same area.

(The purposes of the Club shall not be for the benefit of landfill site operators who may contribute to the Club and claim credit under the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme. Nor shall it be for the benefit of third parties, as defined in the Landfill Tax Regulation).

  1. Permitted means of advancing the purposes

The Committee has the power to:

  1. Acquire and provide grounds, equipment, coaching, training and playing facilities, club house, transport, medical and related facilities
  2. Provide coaching, training, medical treatment, and related social and other facilities
  3. Take out any insurance for club, employees, contractors, players, guests and third parties
  4. Raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans and charges
  5. Borrow money and give security for the same, and open bank accounts
  6. Buy, lease or licence property and sell, let or otherwise dispose of the same
  7. Make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits
  8. Set aside or apply funds for special purposes or as reserves
  9. Deposit or invest funds in any lawful manner
  10. Employ and engage staff and others and provide services
  11. Co-operate with or affiliate to firstly any bodies regulating or organising the Sport and secondly any club or body involved with it and thirdly with government and related agencies
  12. Do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes.

 

NONE of the above powers may be used other than to advance the purposes consistently with the Rules below and the general law.

Rules
  1. Membership
    1. Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
    2. The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non- discriminatory and fair basis. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
    3. The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to an appointed panel consisting of club members.
    4. Any member who wishes to resign from the club shall notify the General Secretary in writing.
    5. The Managing Committee reserves the right to discipline any member acting in a manner prejudicial to the club or the sport.
    6. By joining the club, members are bound to comply with the WFCRC Code of Conduct.
    7. Members competing in events shall maintain a clean and tidy appearance.
    8. Ignorance of any Club rule shall not be held as any reason for the failure to comply with them.
    9. Club sponsors automatically become a member of the club for the duration of their sponsorship.

Subscriptions become due on January 1st and run until December 31st. Late/unpaid subscriptions mean membership and benefits have lapsed and the member may not represent the club in ANY event. New members joining after September 1st are deemed full members until the following year end.

  1.       Nominations for Club-person of the Year award should be submitted to the General Secretary or administrator by September 30th together with a brief reason for nomination. If no club member volunteers to administer Club-person of the Year it shall be nominated and voted for at the AGM
  2. If a conflict of opinion, or other issue, arises within the club then the following criteria will apply:
    1. The Committee will firstly invite the person(s) involved to a meeting to try and resolve the issue.
    2. Should the above fail to resolve the issue, then the Committee will write to the person(s) with their ruling on it.
    3. If the ruling is ignored or not accepted then either party may ask for a further meeting between the Committee and the person(s) together with two independent first claim members chosen equally (one by each party).
    4. If the issue remains unresolved then the Committee may suspend the person(s) involved if they deem that to be in the best interests of the club as a whole. Suspension will run until Dec 31st after which the person may apply for reinstatement on the provision they accept the issue is finished with.
    5. In exceptional circumstances or as per provisions within the Club Constitution/Rules, the Committee may rescind membership fully.
All General Meetings
    1. All members may attend all general meetings of the Club in person.
    2. Such meetings need 14 clear days written notice to members by post or email.
    3. The quorum for all general meetings is 20 members present or 33% of the total First Claim membership whichever is greater.
    4. The Chair or (in his or her absence) another member chosen at the meeting shall preside.
    5. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, every resolution shall be decided by a 2/3 majority of the votes cast on a show of hands by the First Claim members over the age of 12 present at that meeting.
    6. Formalities in connection with General Meetings (such as how to put down resolutions) shall be decided by the Committee and publicised to Club members.
Annual General Meetings (AGM)

The Club will hold its AGM in October or November each year on a date to be agreed by the committee. At every AGM:

  1. The members will elect a Committee to serve until the next AGM;
  2. The Treasurer will produce accounts of the Club for the latest financial year, beginning September 1st and ending August 31st, audited as the Committee shall decide.
  3. The Committee will present a report on the Club’s activities since the previous AGM;
  4. The Members will appoint a suitable person to audit the accounts; and
  5. The Members will discuss and vote on any resolution (whether about policy or to change the Rules) and deal with any other business put to the meeting.
  6. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM)
  7. Any proposal to amend or add to the club rules must be submitted in writing to the General Secretary by September 30th latest for inclusion in the AGM and should state the Proposer and Seconder.

An EGM shall be called by the Secretary within 14 days of a request to that effect from the Committee or on the written request of not less than one third (1/3) of the fully paid up First Claim members. Such an EGM shall be held on not less than 14 or more than 21 days’ notice at a place decided upon by the Committee or in default by the Chair.

The Committee
    1. Role

Subject to these Rules the Committee shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs.

  1. Property etc
  1. The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the Rules.
  2. The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, event expenses, post event refreshments and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002.

iii.            The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:

  1. Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment;
  2. Employ members (though not for riding) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present;
  3. Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests;
  4. Indemnify the Committee and members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).
  1. The Committee will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and child protection
  1. Composition etc
  1. The committee shall consist of not more than 20 members (including officers) and will include Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, General Secretary, Media Secretary, Events Secretary, Social Secretary, Junior Rep., Female Rep., Development Officer, Delegates to British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials, and Representatives for cycling disciplines that the club partakes in.
  2. The Committee quorum shall be five.

iii.            The Committee members may co-opt club members (up to the maximum permitted number) to serve until the end of the next AGM.

  1. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, any Committee member may be re-elected or re-co-opted without limit.
  2. First Claim members only shall be eligible as officers.
  3. A Committee member ceases to be such if he or she ceases to be a member of the Club, resigns by written notice, or is removed by the Committee for good cause after the Member concerned has been given the chance of putting his/her case to the Committee with an appeal to the Club members, or is removed by club members at a general meeting. The Committee shall fairly decide time limits and formalities for these steps

 

  1.        The Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and General Secretary may be re-elected or re-co-opted for a maximum of three years or for a longer period if voted for by 2/3 of the membership present at an AGM or EGM.
  2. Committee meetings
  1. Whenever a Committee member has a personal interest in a matter to be discussed, he/she must declare it, withdraw from that part of the meeting (unless asked to stay), not be counted in the quorum for that agenda item and withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter concerned.
  2. The Committee may decide its own way of operating. Unless it otherwise resolves the following rules apply:
  1. At least 2 members must be present for the meeting to be valid;
  2. Committee meetings shall be held face to face;
  3. The Chair, or whoever else those present choose shall chair meetings;
  4. Decisions shall be by simple majority of those voting;
  5. A resolution in writing signed by every Committee member shall be valid without a meeting;
  6. The chair of the meeting shall not have a casting vote.
  7. Delegation etc

The Committee may delegate any of their functions to sub-committees but must specify the scope of its activity and powers; the extent to which it can commit the funds of the Club; its membership; its duty to report back to the Committee. The Committee may wind up any sub-committee at any time or to change its mandate and operating terms.

  1. Disclosure

Annual club reports and statements of account must be made available for inspection by any member and all club records may be inspected by any Committee member.

  1. Amendments
    1. These Rules may be amended at a general meeting by two-thirds of the votes cast but not (if relevant) so as to jeopardise the Club’s status as a Community Amateur Sports Club as first provided for by the Finance Act 2002 and not in any event to alter its purposes (unless the procedure set out in 9(b) has been followed) or winding up provisions.
    2. The Club Purposes may be changed to include another eligible sport if the Committee unanimously agree and the members also agreed the change by a 75% majority of votes cast.
  1. Winding up the Club
  1. The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting.
  2. The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.
  3. After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:
  1. To another Club with similar sports purposes which is a charity and/or
  2. To another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC and/or

iii.            To the Club’s national governing body for use by them for related community sports.

 

  1. Awards

Senior members must help in a meaningful way in at least two club organised open events in order to be eligible for any club award and awards are open to first claim members only. Awards shall include:

  1. Road Race Championship: To be decided on the basis of 6 points for first place reducing to 1 point for sixth place in any British Cycling open events.
  2. Cyclo-Cross Championship: Points as Road Race, in any British Cycling open event.
  3. Best All Rounder: Rider must produce result sheets with best performance each season at 10, 25, 50 and 100 miles in open CTT events. The rider’s speed will be calculated at each distance and averaged over the four qualifying distances.
  4. Ladies Best All Rounder: As per above.
  5. Veterans Best All Rounder: Conditions and distances as Best All Rounder but performances calculated on age standard.
  6. Junior Best All Rounder: Rider must produce result sheets with two fastest performances each season at 10 and 25 miles in open CTT events. The rider’s speed will be calculated at each distance and averaged over the four qualifying rides.
  7. Intermediate TT Championship: Rider must produce result sheets with best performance each season at 10, 25 and 50 miles in open CTT events. The rider’s speed will be calculated at each distance and averaged over the three qualifying distances. Eligibility from 18th birthday to end of season in which their 23rdbirthday occurs.
  8. Ladies Intermediate TT Championship: As for above but with no age restriction.
  9. Short Distance B.A.R.: To qualify, riders to complete one ride at distances of 50 miles, 25 and 10 miles. Club 10 mile events can be counted as a qualifying ride. Championship to be decided on aggregate time over the three qualifying events.
  10. Clubman of the Year: Clubman of the Year: Male or female member who is recognised as having made the most significant non-competitive contribution to the club during the year. Nominations together with reason/s to be submitted to the Club Secretary not less than 30 days prior to the AGM. If no nominations are received the nominations and votes will be taken at the AGM.
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS:

Senior (18 years and over):                                                    £30.00

Junior & Youth (under 18 years):                                            £10.00

Family membership (all living at same address):                    £40.00

Second Claim membership (over 18 years):                          £30.00

Second Claim membership (under 18 years):                        £10.00

(Club Rules and Constitution updated following amendments agreed at the AGM on 7th November 2016)