Friday, 4th July 2008
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Home : About Us : Constitution
 
  Who we are  Constitution  Committee      
       
 
Contents

Club Name

Objectives

Membership

Committee

Elections

Funds

Rule/Procedure Alterations

Disolution of the club


Club Name

The Name of the club shall be "The London Irish Network"

Objectives

The objectives of the club shall be:

a) To organise events of a social, cultural and sporting nature for members.

b) To provide a focal point for members wishing to arrange visits or outings, since the range of activities should reflect the wishes of the members.

c) To provide and issue information about events etc. organised by other bodies, which may be of interest to members of the club.

d) The club is not affiliated to any religious or political organisation.



Membership

a)Membership of the club shall be open to all Irish people, those of Irish descent, and those with Irish interests.

b) Membership is open to anyone over the age of 18.

c) Potential members will be allowed to attend up to 3 events before paying their subscription. The club reserves the right to decline an application or terminate a membership at any time.

d) Application for membership must be made on the official membership form and be accompanied by the membership fee.

e) The membership subscription shall be determined by the club at the preceding AGM.

f) Subscription for membership renewal will become due one year after joining. Membership will lapse if the annual subscription is still unpaid 4 weeks after it is due.

g) Membership concessions can be applied at the discretion of the Committee.

h) There is a thirty per cent reduction to the joining fee and the renewal fee for two people living at the same address.

i) Members paying by standing order will have their renewal membership fee frozen for 3 years.

j) An Honorary Member shall be a person who has rendered exceptional service to this Club.

Honorary Members shall be nominated by the Committee and elected for life by a two-thirds majority at an AGM. Such an election shall be an exceptional occurrence. Every such election shall be announced in the Club programme. Honorary Membership shall carry all the rights and privileges of full membership.



Committee

a) The members must elect a committee to manage the affairs of the club as specified below.

b) The committee shall consist of at least 6 members of the club although a maximum of 10 is allowed.

c) The exact number in a given year to be advised by the outgoing committee and ratified by the AGM.

d) The committee shall be unpaid, however, committee membership fees may be waived at the discretion of the AGM.

e) Each Committee shall be valid 1 year, and shall be deemed to be dissolved at the AGM following the one at which the committee was formed.

f) Any committee vacancy, which occurs between AGM's, may be filled by a member of the club who has been co-opted by the committee.

g) If the number of co-opted members should exceed one-third of the total number of committee members however, an extraordinary general meeting must be called within 30 days to confirm such appointments.

h) A committee member who misses 3 consecutive committee meetings without adequate explanation shall be deemed to have resigned.

i) The committee shall consist of the following:

i. A chairperson who will address general meetings of the club, chair committee meetings and the AGM.

ii. A General Secretary who will keep the minutes of the club meetings, present these on request to the members, and undertake any correspondence required.

iii. A Treasurer who will keep an accurate record of all monies received and spent by the club, who will be responsible for keeping membership informed as to the state of the club's finances and who will draw up an annual account of the clubs income and expenditure at the end of the financial year.

iv. A Publicity Officer whose responsibility will be publicising the Club

v. A Membership Secretary whose primary responsibility shall be the maintenance of up-to-date membership records.

vi. A Programme Co-ordinator whose primary task shall be ensuring quality programme production to appointed deadlines.

vii. Other Committee Members as required to assist in club administration, promotion, and organisation of major events.

j) At committee meetings, decisions will be reached by agreement of a simple majority of members present provided:

i. That more than half of the committee members are in attendance.

ii. All committee members have been given adequate prior notice of meetings.

k) The Chairperson at any meeting will only have a casting vote. If the club's elected Chairperson is unable to attend a meeting, another member will be asked to substitute for the purposes of chairing that meeting only.



Elections

a) The election of the committee members shall take place at the AGM, which will normally occur on the last Saturday or Sunday of February each year.

b) All Committee Positions to be elected will be listed on the Nomination Form.

c) Nominations for election to the committee will be submitted in writing to the General Secretary 14 days before the AGM.

d) Nominations may also be made at the AGM.

e) Elections will be by secret ballot if:

1. There is a contest for a position, and/or

2. The number or nominees exceeds the required committee number.

f) The Committee Elections will be supervised by a Returning Officer & Teller who shall be Members independent of the Committee as chosen by the AGM.

g) Postal or Proxy votes are not allowed.

h) No Committee member will serve in the same position for more than 3 consecutive years.

i) If the outgoing Chairperson is standing again for re-election, the chairperson will not preside during the actual period when the election is taking place.



Funds

a) All income received by the club must be used only for payment of costs incurred in pursuit of the clubs objectives, except that income which is explicitly advertised as being raised for Charity, which shall then be directed towards the named charity within 30 days.

b) The Treasurer and 3 other committee member signatories for club cheques will be responsible for ensuring that the club's funds are used for these purposes only, although no financial liability will be incurred where these members have acted in good faith.

c) Prior to the AGM, the Treasurer will ensure that the club's accounts are checked by an assessor who is a qualified Accountant acceptable to the committee as a whole, and who is not a member of the committee for the year to which those accounts apply

d) Any member of the club may see the accounts after giving 30 days notice to the Treasurer.

e) Should the club be dissolved at any time, any remaining funds and assets will be frozen for 6 months & then donated to a registered charity in accordance with the wishes of the majority present at an AGM or EGM called to effect such a dissolution.

f) The Clubs Financial Year will run from 1st January & End on 31st December.

g) An inventory of Club Property shall be maintained.



Rules/Procedure Alterations

a) Such alterations may be made at either at the AGM or at an EGM called for this purpose. Such meetings may be called at any time by the General Secretary at the request of 2 members, giving at least 14 days notice of the matter to be discussed to all members. It is necessary to get 2/3 of the votes cast to make such an alteration.

b) A quorum for an AGM or EGM shall be 15 full members excluding the committee.



Disolution of the club

The club may be dissolved at any time provided 21 days notice of a meeting to discuss the matter has been given to all members, and provided three quarters of those attending such a meeting are in agreement.