Bedfordians Rifle Club Constitution | Bedfordians Rifle Club

Constitution of the BEDFORDIANS RIFLE CLUB adopted on [DATE]

Name

The name of the Club is the BEDFORDIANS RIFLE CLUB (the “Club”) or other such name as the Members of the Club (the “Members”) shall determine in a General Meeting of the Club.
Administration

The Club and its property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this Constitution by the members of the Management Committee constituted by clause 6 below.
Objects

The Club’s objects (the “Objects”) are to encourage and facilitate the development of and participation in the sport of target rifle shooting.
Powers
1. In furtherance of the Objects but not otherwise the Management Committee may exercise powers subject to any requirements or consents required by law including without limitation the following:
  1. Power to set and collect membership fees and any other fees and dues, raise funds and to invite and to receive contributions provided that in so doing the Management Committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities;
  2. Power to buy, take on lease, borrow or exchange any firearms, ammunition, equipment and other property necessary or desirable for the achievement of the Objects and to maintain and equip it for use;
  3. Power to sell, lease, loan or dispose of all or any part of the property of the Club;
  4. Power to purchase, renew and maintain insurances in furtherance of or relevant to the Objects;
  5. Power to borrow money and to charge all or any part of the property of the Club with repayment of the money so borrowed;
  6. Power to join, associate with, affiliate to, participate in, co-operate with and support other clubs, voluntary bodies, charitable trusts, associations, institutions, statutory authorities and other bodies in furtherance of the Objects and to exchange information and advice with them;
  7. Power to do all such lawful things as are necessary or desirable for the achievement of the Objects.
Membership
1. Membership of the Club shall be open to individuals being former or current pupils or staff of Bedford School and members of their families and any such other individuals or groups as the Management Committee shall determine from time to time and who are in each case interested in furthering the Objects and who have paid the annual membership fee and such other dues and fees and complied with such other requirements as may be determined from time to time by the Management Committee or by resolution of the Members in a General Meeting.
2. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, membership shall last for one year unless renewed in accordance with the requirements set out by the Management Committee from time to time. The Management Committee shall be entitled to determine the start/end dates of the membership year.
3. The Management Committee may for any reason terminate or suspend for any period or reinstate the membership of any individual, provided that the individual concerned shall have the right to make representations to the Management Committee within such timeframe as the Management Committee in its absolute discretion shall stipulate, and where such hearing is in person or by phone or video conference accompanied by a friend or representative if the individual so desires, before the final decision is made.
4. The types of membership of the Club shall be as follows:
  1. Honorary Members who shall be granted honorary membership by a resolution of the Members in a General Meeting and for such period as the resolution shall state and who shall pay no membership fees;
  2. Ordinary Members who shall be admitted or refused acceptance as an Ordinary Member by the Management Committee in its absolute discretion and who shall pay an annual membership fee as determined from time to time by the Management Committee and whatever other fees and dues as may be determined by the Management Committee from time to time; and
  3. Probationary Members (“PMs”) who shall be admitted or refused acceptance as a PM by the Management Committee in its absolute discretion, subject to clause 5.5.
5. Where the Management Committee determines that any applicant may be accepted as a PM:
  1. Subject to clause 5.3 above the period of probationary membership shall not be less than three months;
  2. The PM shall be required to pay an annual membership fee equal to half the annual membership fee currently in force applicable to Ordinary Members before joining in any Club activity and whatever other fees and dues as may be determined by the Management Committee from time to time;
  3. Subject to clause 5.5 a) above, the Management Committee shall be entitled to convert the membership of a Probationary Member to that of an Ordinary Member or to refuse such conversion taking into account such factors as it deems appropriate including without limitation the overall attitude of the relevant PM, the number of Club meetings and shooting events attended by the PM, the behaviour of the PM on and off the range, the PM’s understanding and observance of safety rule and regulations and of security in general and the PM’s general level of shooting knowledge, skill and attitude towards shooting and firearms.
6. Acceptance as any kind of Member shall be governed by the following rules and conditions:
  1. All prospective members must be proposed and seconded by at least one Ordinary Member;
  2. Subject to clause 5.4 a) above, the Management Committee shall be entitled to determine the type of membership applicable to each applicant.
7. The Management Committee shall be entitled to refuse membership or one or more types of membership to any individual for any reason.
8. The Management Committee shall be entitled to charge a pro rata membership fee to new members who join after the start of the membership year. Members who cease to be members shall not be entitled to any refund of membership fees or other dues unless the Management Committee determines otherwise.
9. The Management Committee may create any additional or alternative class of membership as it deems necessary or desirable from time to time and may determine what benefits or rights and obligations such memberships may have and may lay down additional or alternative procedures for the introduction of prospective new members to the Club. The exercise of any such powers by the Management Committee shall be subject to ratification by the next General Meeting of the Club.
10. The Management Committee shall be entitled to provide to the Police, the Home Office and other authorities, clubs, associations and other bodies and individuals such information as they may reasonably require from time to time regarding the activities of the Club, the Members, former members and prospective members including without limitation their firearms usage, shooting attendance record and dates.
Officers & Management Committee
1. The Management Committee shall consist of not less than three Members and not more than eight Members being:
  1. The Chairman, the Secretary and the Treasurer; and
  2. Up to five additional Members.
2. The Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and all members of the Management Committee shall be Ordinary Members of the Club.
3. The Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and all members of the Management Committee shall be elected by a resolution of the Members in a General Meeting starting from the end of the relevant meeting and shall hold office for three years, or such shorter time as may be specified when elected.
4. The Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and all members of the Management Committee may stand for re-election without restriction on the number of times that they may be re-elected, subject to the other provisions of this Constitution.
5. The proceedings of the Management Committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy among their number or by any failure to appoint or any defect in the appointment or qualification of a member.
6. No person shall be appointed as a member of the Management Committee who is aged under 18 or who would if appointed be disqualified under the provisions of clause 8 below.
7. The Club shall be entitled to appoint a President or Honorary President of the Club by a resolution of the Members in a General Meeting and for such period as the resolution shall state. He/she shall not be a member of the Management Committee unless elected to the Management Committee in accordance with clause 6.3 above.
Compliance with Laws & Criteria for Home Office Approval of Rifle Clubs
The Club will at all times comply with all applicable laws and regulations and all requirements of the UK Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Police applicable to the constitution and operation of Home Office Approved Shooting Clubs from time to time.
Termination of Membership of the Management Committee
1. A member of the Management Committee shall cease to hold office if he or she:
  1. Ceases to be a member of the Club;
  2. Becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing and administering his or her own affairs;
  3. Is absent without permission of the Management Committee from all their meetings held within a period of twelve months and the Management Committee resolve that his or her office be vacated;
  4. Gives to the Management Committee notice that he or she wishes to resign; or
  5. Is removed by a resolution of the Members in a General Meeting.
Management Committee Members not to be Personally Interested

No member of the Management Committee shall acquire any interest in property belonging to the Club (otherwise than as a trustee for the Club) or receive remuneration or be interested (otherwise than as a Member or member of the Management Committee) in any contract entered into by the Management Committee.
Meetings and Proceedings of the Management Committee
1. The Management Committee shall hold such number of meetings and at such intervals as they consider necessary or desirable.
2. A meeting of the Management Committee may be called at any time by the Chairman or by any two members of the Management Committee upon reasonable notice to the other members of the Management Committee of the matters to be discussed.
3. The Chairman shall act as chairman at meetings of the Management Committee. If the Chairman is absent from any meeting, the members of the Management Committee present shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting before any other business is transacted.
4. There shall be a quorum when at least one-third of the members of the Management Committee for the time being or two members of the Management Committee, whichever is the greater, are present at the meeting.
5. The Management Committee shall keep a written record of the proceedings at meetings of the Management Committee.
6. Meetings of the Management Committee may be held in person or by means of telephone, videoconference and such other electronic or other communications facilities that permit all participants to communicate with each other during the meeting or by a mix of the foregoing. Resolutions of the Management Committee may also be passed by means of written resolution, which shall include written electronic communication, of all the members of the Management Committee.
7. The Management Committee shall be entitled to allow additional persons who are not members of the Management Committee as it shall from time to time deem appropriate to attend and speak at its meetings. Such person or persons shall not be entitled to vote at meetings of the Management Committee.
8. Subject to clause 10.9, every member of the Management Committee shall have one vote on any resolution on which he or she is entitled to vote at meetings of the Management Committee.
9. Subject to clause 10.6, every resolution shall be decided by a majority of votes by those present whether in person or otherwise and entitled to vote on the question but in the case of a tied vote the chairman of the meeting shall have a second and casting vote.
Receipts and Expenditure
1. The funds of the Club, including all donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into an account or accounts operated by the Management Committee in the name of the Club at such bank or banks as the Management Committee shall from time to time decide provided that Members shall be entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred by them in furthering the Objects directly from other Members.
2. The funds belonging to the Club shall be applied only in furthering the Objects.
Annual General Meeting
1. The Management Committee shall convene an Annual General Meeting of the Club (“AGM”) every year.
2. The Secretary or other person acting on his/her behalf shall give at least 21 days’ notice of the AGM in writing to all Members.
3. The Management Committee shall present to the AGM the report and accounts of the Club for the preceding financial year and such other matters as it deems necessary or desirable.
1Extraordinary General Meetings
1. The Management Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club (“EGM”) at any time on at least 14 days’ notice in writing.
2. If at least 20% of the Club membership or 5 Members, whichever is less, request an EGM in writing stating the business to be considered, the Secretary shall call such a meeting on at least 14 days’ notice in writing.
General Meetings Procedures
1. The Secretary or other person specially appointed by the Management Committee shall keep a written record of proceedings at every General Meeting of the Club.
2. The notice calling a General Meeting shall state the business to be discussed.
3. There shall be a quorum at a General Meeting when at least 25% of the number of Ordinary Members of the Club for the time being or 5 such Members, whichever is less, are present.
4. If after 30 minutes from the time stated for the commencement of the meeting there are still insufficient members present to form a quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned to another time and place.
5. The Chairman shall be the chairman at General Meetings but if he/she is not present, before any other business is transacted the persons present and entitled to vote shall appoint a chairman of the meeting.
6. General Meetings may be held in person or by means of telephone, electronic or other communications facilities that permit all participants to communicate with each other during the meeting or by a mix of the foregoing.
Voting at General Meetings
1. At General Meetings every Member attending as set out in clause 14.6 shall have one vote on each resolution on which they are entitled to vote. Any President or Honorary President, Honorary Members and PMs shall be entitled to attend General Meetings but shall not be entitled to vote.
2. Subject to clause 17 below, at General Meetings every resolution shall be decided by a majority of votes by those present whether in person or otherwise as set out in clause 14.6 and entitled to vote on the question but in the case of a tied vote the chairman of the meeting shall have a second and casting vote.
Notices
1. Any notice required to be served on any Member of the Club shall be in writing and shall be served on such Member either electronically, personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to the Member at his or her last known address.
2. Delivery shall be deemed to be effective immediately on sending in the case of electronically to the last known email or other electronic address, on delivery in the case of personally and three business days after posting in the case of posting to the last known address.
Alteration to this Constitution

This Constitution may be altered by a resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the Members present whether in person or otherwise as set out in clause 14.6 and voting at a General Meeting. The notice of the General Meeting must include notice of the resolution, setting out the terms of the alteration proposed.
19. Dissolution

If the Management Committee decides that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Club it shall call a meeting of all Members of the Club on not less than 21 days’ notice stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed. If the proposal is supported by two-thirds of those present whether in person or otherwise as set out in clause 14.6 and voting the Management Committee shall have power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the Club. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other institution or institutions having objects similar to the Objects or to any individuals, clubs, associations, other bodies or groups as the Members of the Club may determine.

This Constitution supersedes and replaces all former constitution documents relating to the BEDFORDIANS RIFLE CLUB and was adopted on the date mentioned above by the persons whose signatures appear at the bottom of this document.

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Name

Administration

Objects

Powers

Membership

Officers & Management Committee

Compliance with Laws & Criteria for Home Office Approval of Rifle Clubs

Termination of Membership of the Management Committee

Management Committee Members not to be Personally Interested

Meetings and Proceedings of the Management Committee

Receipts and Expenditure

Annual General Meeting

1Extraordinary General Meetings

General Meetings Procedures

Voting at General Meetings

Notices

Alteration to this Constitution

19. Dissolution