1. Club Name
1.1 The Club shall be known as South West Road Runners (abbreviated to SWRR or ‘the Club’ in this document)
2. Affiliation
2.1 SWRR shall maintain affiliation to England Athletics (EA). The Club’s affiliation registration number is 2658579.
2.2 SWRR may affiliate to other bodies e.g. County Associations, Cross Country Leagues, as the Committee may from time to time determine.
3. Purpose
3.1 The purpose of the Club shall be to promote and develop all aspects of running for everyone over the age of 8 years in and around Exeter, and to organise and participate in running events.
4. Membership
4.1 First claim membership shall be open to persons over the age of 18 years who are not first claim members of any other club affiliated to EA.
4.2 Persons not eligible for first claim membership under 4.1 may apply to be second claim members. Second claim members must be affiliated to EA with their first claim club.
4.3 Junior membership is open to children and young persons from age 8 to 17 inclusive.
4.4 Members who are unable to or do not wish to participate in opportunities for running may apply to be social members.
4.5 All membership applications are subject to approval by the Committee.
4.6 The membership year shall run from 1st April to 31st March.
4.7 Persons who are first claim members of other clubs affiliated to EA may apply to transfer their first claim affiliation to SWRR. Before the transfer is confirmed, such persons must comply with any rules and procedures from time to time in force, including payment of any transfer fee levied by EA.
4.8 Members whose annual subscription is three months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned, provided that they have been sent their annual notice of renewal.
4.9 Members who wish to resign membership of the Club may do so by notifying the Membership Secretary, who is authorised to approve such resignation or refer it to the Committee, as s/he thinks fit. All resignations shall be reported to the Committee. No refunds of fees paid will be made to members who resign.
5. Life Membership
5.1 The Committee shall have power to confer Life Membership, at its discretion, on individuals who are deemed to have made a significant contribution to the Club.
5.2 Life members shall have the same status as first claim members in relation to rights to vote, service as Committee members etc, unless and until they become first claim members of another EA-affiliated club.
5.3 Life members shall not be required to pay an annual subscription for Club membership, but may choose to pay the required fee to maintain their affiliation to EA.
6. Disciplinary & Grievance Procedures
6.1 A member who, by her/his own action or by encouragement or incitement of others, is deemed to have engaged in behaviour detrimental to the Club may be subject to disciplinary action. The procedure to be followed shall be that set out in the EA Club Discipline & Appeals process.
6.2 Sanctions available may include temporary suspension of Club membership, and expulsion from Club membership. In any case where such sanction(s) is/are contemplated, the member shall have the right to be heard by the Committee (or a sub-committee appointed for the purposes of dealing with disciplinary matters) and the right to be accompanied by a supporter, who may be another member of the Club.
6.3 A member who wishes to raise a grievance against the Club, or any of its members including Committee members, may do so verbally or in writing (through a representative if they wish) to the Club Secretary or Welfare & Safeguarding Officer. On receipt of such expression of grievance, the relevant Officer shall refer the matter to the Committee who shall consider it and take any action deemed appropriate to resolve it.
6.4 Any disciplinary or grievance matter relating to a junior member shall be referred initially to the Welfare & Safeguarding Officer. If the matter involves a grievance against the Welfare & Safeguarding Officer, the Chair shall take responsibility for overseeing the investigation.
7. Policies
7.1 The Club shall publish and keep under review policies relating to the following core matters:
(a) Welfare & Safeguarding
(b) Privacy and Data Usage
(c) Health & Safety
(d) Guidance for Group Leaders & Runners
8. The Committee
8.1 Management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee which shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM); see below.
8.2 The Committee shall consist of the following officers:
– Chair
– Vice Chair
– Hon Secretary
– Hon Treasurer
– Membership Secretary
– Health & Safety Officer
– Welfare & Safeguarding Officer
– Chief Coach
– Male Team Captain
– Female Team Captain
– Social Secretary
plus up to 4 additional members without formal portfolios (but they may be allocated specific tasks according to their skills and interests, e.g. social media)
8.3 The Committee may in its discretion co-opt up to two additional members for specific purposes as it sees fit. Likewise, vacancies on the Committee caused by resignation during the year may at the Committee’s discretion be filled by co-option, until the next AGM. If the vacancy is not so filled, the Committee shall nevertheless satisfy itself that the function of the departed member remains accomplished, if necessary by allocating duties to other serving members of the Committee.
8.4 Committee members (elected or co-opted) shall be approved first claim members or life members of the Club (subject to para 5.2 above).
8.5 Nominations for Committee shall be supported by a proposer and a seconder, both of whom shall be first claim members of the Club. Nominations must be received by the Club Secretary no later than 48 hours before the AGM.
8.6 A Chair shall serve as such for a period not exceeding three years consecutively.
8.7 The format and timing of Committee meetings shall be determined by each newly elected Committee at its first meeting after the AGM.
8.8 The quorum for Committee meetings shall be half the number of current voting Committee members less one. If there are an odd number of voting Committee members, the quorum shall be obtained by rounding up the resulting figure to the next whole number.
8.9 Co-opted Committee members shall not be entitled to vote on Committee business.
8.10 Minutes of Committee meetings, once approved, shall be made available to any member on request to the Club Secretary.
9. The AGM
9.1 The Committee shall determine the date of the AGM, which shall be not more than 13 months since the previous AGM.
9.2 The business of the AGM will normally include: annual report by Chair; presentation of independently reviewed accounts by Hon Treasurer; approval of following year’s tariffs; election of following year’s Committee; presentation of awards.
9.3 The Club Secretary shall give at least 14 days’ notice of the AGM to all members at their email addresses provided.
9.4 Those entitled to vote on any business at the AGM, including election of Committee, shall be first claim members, life members (subject to para 5.2 above), and social members. All shall have one vote each, any tie in voting to be broken by the casting vote of the Chair.
10. Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
10.1 An EGM shall be arranged on receipt of a request to the Chair or Secretary signed by at least 25% of paid-up first claim members of the Club, stating the reasons for the request.
11. Dissolution of Club
11.1 In the event that the Club has to be dissolved, an EGM shall take place for the purpose of determining the disposal of property and or assets.