Amended 26 January 2000
1. NAME
The name of the Club shall be “The North Down Petanque Club”
2. AIMS AND OBJECTS
The aim of the Club is to promote the playing of Petanque. The objects of the Club are as follows:-
a. To pursue its business in a democratic and non-sectarian manner, regardless of formal political matters;
b. To recruit members for the purpose of practising or otherwise supporting the game of Petanque;
c. To organise activities that permit, encourage and develop the purpose in 2(b), and that includes practise, coaching, competitions, representation and social events;
d. To subscribe, under conditions agreed by members as appropriate, to the governing of the game of Petanque by a properly constituted body;
e. To develop good relations with any club organised for similar purposes; and
f. To provide, and to seek appropriate bodies to provide, suitable areas and amenities for the purpose of playing Petanque.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone subject to, and to their abiding by, the constitution and rules of the Club.
4. SUBSCRIPTION
a. Subscriptions shall be due and payable by 01 January each year;
b. New subscriptions on or after 01 October shall be valid for the following year and shall be paid at the rate applicable for that year;
c. The subscriptions are subject to review at each Annual General Meeting of the Club;
d. Family membership shall include up to two persons over the age of 17 years and any household members of 17 years and under; and
e. Junior membership shall include persons of 17 years of age and under
5. SUBSCRIPTION IN ARREAR
a. Any member who has not paid the subscription one month after it has become due will be considered in arrears and if not paid within a further four months shall cease to be member and shall be notified by the Honorary Secretary to this effect;
b. At the discretion of the Committee, any former member whose subscription is in arrears may be reinstated and may be required to pay all such arrears; and
c. Any member who has not paid the subscription cannot stand for election and shall not have voting rights at any general meeting of the Club.
6. MANAGEMENT
The business and affairs of the Club shall be under the management of the Officers and Committee of the Club
7. OFFICERS
The Officers of the Club shall consist of the President, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary.
8. COMMITTEE
The Committee shall consist of the Officers and four members of the Club.
9. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
a. All the Officers and members of the Committee shall be elected for one year by and from the members of the Club at the Annual General Meeting;
b. Nominees for election shall be members in good standing during a period of at least one year;
c. In case of a vacancy the Committee Members may co-opt a successor until the next Annual General Meeting; and
d. The Officers and Committee Members shall retire each year, but shall be eligible for re-election.
10. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
The chair at all Committee Meetings of the Club shall be taken by the President or in absentia by a member appointed at each meeting.
11. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
a. The Committee shall meet at least once a quarter for the despatch of current business, and at such other times as the Committee may determine. The Committee in their discretion may adjourn any of their meetings and make such regulations for the despatch of their business, as they shall from time to time determine. The quorum for any Committee meeting shall be four members.
b. The Committee shall have power to make Regulations and directions, as they may consider necessary for the well-being of the Club.
c. The Committee may appoint Sub-Committees, which may include persons not necessarily members of the Committee, and delegate to any Sub-Committee any of their powers, except the financial control of the Club and the election or removal of members.
d. The Committee shall have controls of the finances of the Club and have all such administrative and financial powers as may be necessary for properly carrying out the objects of the Club in accordance with these rules.
12. COMPLAINTS
Complaints shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary, who shall report them to the Committee.
13. EXTRAORDINARY MEETING
The Committee may at any time, or upon the receipt of a request signed by at least ten percent of the membership stating the business to be brought forward, call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club.
14. ADMISSION OF MEMBERS
a. The Committee of the Club shall approve all new members. Each applicant for admission shall complete an application form. Applicants whose names have been rejected shall be informed in writing of the Committee’s decision and cannot re-apply for membership for twelve months from the date of such rejection.
b. The Honorary Secretary shall furnish each new member with a copy of the Constitution and Rules.
15. DISCIPLINARY POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
a. The Committee shall have the power to reprimand, suspend or expel any member who wilfully acts contrary to the rules and regulations of the Club or any direction of the Committee or whose conduct is such as, in the opinion of the Committee, to constitute unfitness for membership
b. A member shall not be dealt with under 15 (a) without being given the opportunity to be heard by the Committee and to advance a defence. The Honorary Secretary shall at least seven days before the meeting of the Committee which is to consider the matter send to the member, at the address shown in the list of members, a statement of alleged misconduct indicating the time and place of such meeting and the right to be heard thereat. The failure of the member to appear shall not prevent the meeting dealing with the matter.
c. A member shall not be expelled unless the majority of the Committee shall vote for the expulsion.
16. RESIGNATION OF MEMBERS
Any member wishing to withdraw from the Club shall notify the Honorary Secretary in writing.
17. ANNUAL AND OTHER GENERAL MEETINGS
The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than 31 January in each year. No business can be proceeded with at that meeting or any other General Meeting unless at least twenty percent of the members are present. In case there shall be no quorum the meeting shall stand adjourned until the same day of the following week at the same time and place.
18. NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETING
At least fourteen days’ notice of every General meeting shall be given to each member by circular specifying the time and place and the business to be carried out. Notice shall be delivered to each member by hand or sent by post to the last known address of such member. The accidental omission to deliver or send any notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of any meeting.
19. ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS
a. An auditor shall be appointed by the members, at the Annual General Meeting;
b. The annual accounts as approved by the Committee, together with the Auditor’s report thereon, shall be circulated to members with the notice of the next Annual General Meeting and presented to the meeting for adoption. The financial year shall end on 31 December.
c. Correct minute books shall be kept and the Officers shall report on the past and future activities of the Club at the Annual General Meeting.
20. RULES OF DEBATE
At all meetings of the Club or any Committee the following rules of debate shall follow (if the chairperson of the meeting so decides):
a. All motions shall be in writing, read to the meeting by the member submitting the motion and handed to the Chairperson immediately upon being seconded;
b. Every amendment shall be in writing, signed by the mover and handed to the Chairperson, who shall determine whether the amendment is in order and may make such alteration as will bring it into due form;
c. An amendment shall not be discussed or put to the meeting until it has been seconded;
d. Whenever an amendment to an original motion has been moved and seconded no second or subsequent amendment is carried the motion, as amended, shall be moved until the first amendment shall be disposed of. If an amendment were carried, the motion, as amended, shall take the place of the original motion and shall become the question upon which any further amendment may be moved;
e. A member shall speak strictly to the motion under discussion, or to a motion or amendment to be proposed or to a question of order;
f. A member shall not address the meeting more than once on any motion or amendment, but the mover of an original motion may reply, and the reply shall be strictly confined to answering previous speakers, and shall not introduce new matters into the debate.
21. VOTING
a. All members over the age of 17 years shall be entitled to vote;
b. Voting at all meetings shall be by a show of hands, except as provided by Rule 24, unless the majority of the members present demands a ballot. In the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote. Voting by proxy shall not be allowed.
22. LIST OF MEMBERS
An alphabetic list of members with their last known address shall be available to members of the Club.
23. ARTICLES
The constitution and rules of the Club shall be known as the Articles of the club.
24. ALTERATION OF ARTICLES
a. No article of the Club shall be repealed or altered or new article made except at a General Meeting. Any such alteration shall be by ballot. Notice of such change shall be sent to each member entitled thereto at least fourteen days prior to the meeting called for its consideration; and
b. Any proposed amendment to articles for consideration at an Annual General Meeting must be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary on or before the 30 November of any year.
25. PLAY
The rules governing the playing of the game of Petanque at club events shall be those laid down by the properly constituted body namely, The Federation Internationale de Petanque et Jue Provencal, except where the rules may be varied to suit the smooth running of a competition, in which case the competitors shall be notified.