Bristol Jets BMX Club Constitution

1. Bristol Jets BMX Club

 The Club will be called Bristol Jets BMX Club (hereinafter will be referred to as the Club) and may also be known as Bristol Jets BMX. Bristol Jets BMX Club will be affiliated to British Cycling and will use the British Cycling Handbook as the basis for all Club policies.

2. Aims and Objectives

 The aims and objectives of the Club will be:

• • To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in BMX racing.
  • To promote the Club within the local community and BMX racing.
  • To manage the Bristol Jets BMX track.
  • To ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club.
  • To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone.

3. Membership

 Membership of the Club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in BMX racing, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

The membership shall consist of the following categories:

– Individual member

– Family Membership

All members and those attending any Club-organised event will be subject to the regulations of the Constitution, and by joining the Club or participating in Club organised activities, will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of conduct that the Club has adopted. The Executive Committee (see Paragraph 5 for details) reserves the right to deny or remove membership or deny attendance of anyone they deem to have not adhered to the Club’s or British Cycling’s policies including this Constitution.

Members in each category will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual General Meeting.

Individuals shall not be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings or be eligible for selection of any Club team unless the applicable subscription has been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Club Committee.

4. Sports Equity

• This Club is committed to ensuring that equality is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

Sport equity is about fairness in sport, equity of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

• The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

• The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.
• The Club will not tolerate any intimidation, harassment or abuse of riders, parents/carers or Committee members.
• All Club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

• The Club will deal with an incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to the Club disciplinary procedures. If necessary, British Cycling will be informed of any incidence and will deal with it accordingly, in line with their policies.

5. Committee

 The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by an Executive Committee which shall consist of the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary; the remainder of the Committee shall consist of the Welfare Officers, Coaching Lead, Merchandise Lead and Social Media Lead, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Further appointments to the Committee will be considered at an AGM or EGM if deemed necessary by the Committee. If there is a split vote on Club matters, then the Chair will have the deciding vote.

• All Executive Committee and Committee members must be members of the Club.

• The terms of office shall be for one year, from the date of that year’s AGM to the following year’s AGM and members shall be eligible for re-election. It is acknowledged that this may be slightly longer or shorter than a year depending on date availability for the AGM.

• If the post of any officer or ordinary Committee member shall fall vacant after such an election, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.

• Members of the Committee must act in the best of interests of the Club at all times.

• Members of the Committee that require DBS, such as Welfare, First Aid and Coaches, have one calendar month from the AGM to begin their DBS application. If they are declined or do not start the DBS process within one calendar month, unless there is a legitimate reason that has been approved by the Executive Committee, of the AGM then they will be removed from the Committee. It is the lead Welfare Officer’s responsibility to ensure that those who require a DBS are in date.

• The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the Club in accordance with guidance and policies issued in the British Cycling Handbook.

• The Committee will have powers to appoint any advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.

• The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the Club’s rules/regulations/Constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

• The Committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than two times per year.

• Only the posts listed above will have the right to vote at Committee meetings.

• The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be 40%.

6. Finances

 The Club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club.

• The financial year of the Club will run from 1^st April and end on 31^st

• All Club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the Club.

• An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

• Any cheques drawn against Club funds should hold the signatures of the treasurer plus up to two other officers.

• All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club.

7. Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

 General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

• • The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of February to:

– Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.

– Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.

– Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual accounts.

– Elect the officers on the Committee.

– Agree the membership fees for the following year.

– Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.

– Deal with any other relevant business.

• • Notice of the AGM will be given by the Club secretary with at least 14 days’ notice to be given to all members.

• • Nominations for officers of the Committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM. The conditions articulated in paragraph 5d of this document are to be followed.

• • Proposed changes to the Constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate them at least 7 days before an AGM.

• • All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

• • The AGM will be publicised, and all Club members will be invited to attend.

• • The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and Committee meetings.

• • An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The Committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the Committee members.

• • All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.

8. Amendments to the Constitution

 The Constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM. The most up to date Constitution will be published on the website, www.bristolbmxClub.org under ‘Membership’.

9. Discipline and Appeals
   

• • All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the Club’s child protection policy, vulnerable adult policy and procedures which are in line with those in the British Cycling Handbook. The Club Welfare Officers are the lead contacts for all members in the event of any child protection concerns. All communication with the Welfare team is to be conducted via welfare@bristoljetsbmx.com. If deemed necessary by the Club Welfare Team, they can elevate any issue to the South West Region Welfare Team or directly to British Cycling.

• • Bristol Jets BMX Club will have a Code of Conduct. The aim of the Code of Conduct is to provide a framework that Bristol Jets BMX Club may use to maintain satisfactory standards of conduct, to encourage improvement where necessary, and to offer a framework for disciplinary action.

• • All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary and Chairman at the official email addresses that are available through the Club website at bristolbmxClub.org.

• • The Executive Committee and the Welfare Officers will meet to hear complaints within 10 days of a complaint being lodged and shall convene a Committee meeting to discuss the matter with the rest of the Committee. The Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership by decision made by overall Committee majority.

• • The outcome of a disciplinary hearing shall be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 10 days of the hearing.

• • There will be the right to appeal to the Executive Committee following disciplinary action being communicated to relevant parties. The appeal to the Executive Committee shall be lodged no longer than 10 days after the Committee decision on any disciplinary action has been communicated to relevant parties. All communication regarding the disciplinary process and appeals is to be through the Bristol Jets BMX Club Committee via email address: committee@bristoljetsbmx.com.

• • The Committee shall consider the appeal within 10 days of the Secretary and the Chair receiving the appeal and will have a final vote on the outcome of the appeal by overall Committee majority.

10. Dissolution

 A resolution to dissolve the Club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

• • The members may vote to wind up the Club if the Committee propose it and it is backed by not less than three quarters of those present and voting supports that proposal at a properly convened general meeting.

• • The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.

• • After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:

1. 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 (Community Amateur Sports Clubs) and/or

• • To the Club’s regional governing body for use by them for related community sports.

Bristol Jets BMX Club hereby adopts and accepts this Constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members and those who attend Club organised activities.