GRANTHAM AND DISTRICT CAMERA CLUB
CONSTITUTION
- Name: The name of the club shall be “Grantham and District Camera Club”, hereafter referred to as GDCC or the Club. The Club is affiliated to LPA (Lincolnshire Photographic Association) and NEMPF (North and East Midlands Photographic Federation).
- Aim: The aim of the Club is to promote photography, encourage aspiration and enable members to develop their skills and become more confident through:
- presentations and lectures by external and suitable club members
- educational courses and workshops run by the committee and experienced club members
- entering internally arranged appraisals and competitions
- entering external competitions
- taking part in outings and exhibitions of photographic work in the local community
- Meetings: The Club shall aim to meet every week from the first week in September until the last week of the following April, at a venue selected by the Committee and ratified by the members at a special meeting. During the summer break there will be other activities and outings which will be set out in the Summer Programme arranged by the Programme Secretary.
- Management of the GDCC: The management of the Club shall be carried out by a Committee comprising the following:
Officers: Members:
Chairman Website Manager
Vice Chairman Programme Secretary
Secretary Competitions secretary
Treasurer Club Activities/trips etc.
Safeguarding Member without portfolio
The duties of each member of The Committee shall be set out in dedicated Terms of Reference, which will be as an annexe to the Constitution but hold the same weight of authority. Each Committee Member shall sign their TOR’s on assuming that Committee role and, thereafter, annually at the start of each season or if there are any significant changes.
The Chairman of GDCC will hold the position for 2 years before standing for re-election at the relevant AGM.
Should the Chairman elect to retire or resign, the Vice Chairman will normally assume the position
Until a chairman has been duly elected
The positions of Chairman and Vice-Chairman may only be assumed by members who have been full members of GDCC for a minimum of 2 years and who have served for at least one season on the Committee.
If nobody is available to hold the positions of Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman, the Committee is authorised to nominate a suitable member to serve in an interim capacity.
All other Committee members must ‘retire’ annually but remain, if they so desire, eligible for re-election at the AGM.
Committee members must be a minimum of 18 years of age.
Committee meetings will be held monthly from August to April inclusive. In exceptional circumstances, this may be adjusted accordingly. In such circumstances, electronic meetings may be required.
Should Committee post/s become vacant between AGM Elections, the remaining Committee members are authorised to vote a suitable club member/s into the post/s. Normal rules of voting will apply – i.e., Proposed, Seconded and majority vote carried. Such interim elections must be either ratified at the next AGM or, if other club members stand for election to said post/s, the interim Committee member must abide by the voting result of the AGM.
A quorum at Committee Meetings must be not less than two thirds of the complement.
In the event of there being an even number of sitting Committee members or the quorum, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
Votes taken at Committee meetings will be binding and may not be amended without re-presentation at a committee meeting.
In Exceptional Circumstances, the Committee is permitted to conduct electronic voting.
The Committee is authorised to co-opt club members or even non-club members to a sub-committee or to assist in a project. Such personnel will have no voting rights on the committee or, in the case of non-members, in a club capacity.
- Membership: Membership is for a full 12 months, running from the first day of the new season until subscriptions are due at the start of the next season the following year.
Persons joining from 1st January onwards will be intitled to a reduction of their membership Fees
* The minimum age for membership is 12 years and anyone under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Both the parent/guardian and the child must sign-in on club nights, but the subscription will only be required for one person.
* There is no limit to the maximum age of membership and the club meeting room will, as far as possible, aim to provide access for people with disabilities.
* Membership will be covered by annual subscriptions for: Full Members, Joint Members
Senior Citizens (must be in receipt of a state pension)
Joint Senior Citizens (both must be in receipt of full state pension)
Students (in full time education)
The membership subscription must be paid at the beginning of the new season i.e., the first meeting of the club year on joining the Club or within a maximum of four weeks from that date. If fees are not settled by then, the member or prospective member will be reminded by the Treasurer that they will not be permitted to take part in competitions until the account is settled. If the subscription fee remains unpaid after a further 2 weeks, the member will be removed from the membership list and denied entry to the Club unless it is to renew membership.
Any member who is, for health or genuine other reasons, unable to attend to pay their subscriptions as detailed above, will not be subject to removal from the membership list if they have notified the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer or Secretary in writing.
Any member changing their address, telephone numbers or email addresses must notify the Secretary in writing. The Club will accept no responsibility for notices and club information not being received by any member who has not informed the Secretary of such changes.
Visitors and prospective members are welcome to attend up to 4 meetings without obligation but must sign in at the registration desk on arrival.
In appropriate circumstances, the Committee is authorised to offer Honorary Life Membership to a limited number of people. Normal rules of voting will apply, and the membership will be duly informed no later than at the next AGM.
- Conduct: The Club will not tolerate any gender, racial, sexual, religious abuse or harassment of members or guests.
Theft of Camera club and members property will be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Club property must not be removed from the club without prior consent from the committee, with a signing-out process to be observed if one is in place. The last person to sign for taking an item of club property shall be deemed to be responsible for it in the event of it going missing.
Improper behaviour may result in the member being asked to resign or be dismissed from the Club subject to a hearing by the committee at which the member may be present. Any member asked to resign shall have not right to refund of subscription.
The Grantham and District Camera Club is a private club. Accordingly, the Chairman and Committee have the right to deny membership or membership renewal to any member whose conduct has been aggressive, disruptive, or unacceptable and/or has brought the Club into disrepute.
- Finances: The Financial Year will run from 1st July to 31st June each following year. Funds will be placed in a bank determined by the Officers of the Club.
Cheques will require 2 signatures and authorised signatories will be appointed by the Committee.
A qualified External Auditor will be appointed to inspect the GDCC accounts and books annually, with the Treasurer presenting an Annual Report to the membership at the AGM.
The Chairman is authorised to approve expenditure not exceeding £50. Any sum higher than this will be agreed by the Committee.
- Annual subscription fee: The annual subscription fee will be set at the AGM for the following year. The weekly attendance fee will be set at the same time. Any changes to the fee’s recommended by the Committee will be ratified by the members at the AGM. Visitors are not required to pay for the first four weeks but must sign-in. All members will be required to pay the fee on entry.
- AGM: An Annual general meeting will be held, subject to exceptional circumstances, at the second meeting in August at which an Election of Officers and Committee will take place together with the presentation of accounts, appropriate reports, and any other business.
The AGM is included as an event in the annual Programme (of Club Meetings and Summer plans) and therefore constitutes the Notice.
Nominations for Committee posts must be made in writing to the Secretary 4 weeks ahead of the AGM.
The Secretary will, in a timely manner, make available to the membership the Minutes of the previous AGM for study and refresher purposes.
Club members must submit proposed amendments or additions to the Constitution, in writing, to the Secretary no later than 2 weeks prior to the AGM. This will enable such proposals to be placed on the agenda for discussion and voting. The proposer, or an allocated deputy, must be present at the AGM to expand on the proposal or give further details if requested.
Agenda items for the AGM must be submitted to the Secretary in writing no later than 2 weeks before the Meeting.
- EGM: The Committee may call for an Extraordinary General Meeting if it considers it to be necessary. In such cases, no less than 7 full days’ notice shall be notified to the membership. Similarly, if at least 8 members request an Extraordinary Meeting, the request must be made to the Secretary in writing to allow for 7 full days’ notice to be given to the membership. In either case, the Notice will include the agenda item for discussion and, if appropriate, voting.
- Health and Safety: All members, visitors, guests, and speakers must sign the Attendance Register on arrival at each club meeting.
It is the responsibility of the Committee and members of the club to ensure their own safety, and that of their fellow members, visitors, guests, and speakers, by raising any safety concerns with a committee member. E.g., slip and trip hazards which may cause an accident; fire warning etc
Fire exits must be always kept clear.
All members of the club must abide by the site safety rules of the meeting place while on the premises to ensure their own safety and that of the members of the meeting place.
In the event of the fire alarm being activated, and in accordance with the meeting place procedures, everyone present must leave the premises by the fire exit and proceed to the designated assembly area where a roll call will be carried out. No-one must leave the assembly area until cleared by the Committee member conducting the roll call.
The Committee is authorised to institute and amend procedures in accordance with government guidelines. The Committee is also authorised to implement additional safeguards/safeguarding as it sees fit to protect the health and safety of all members, visitors, guests, and speakers. All such personnel will be expected to respect and comply with courtesy.
12. Trophies: Trophies will be presented to the recipients on Presentation night or last meeting in April each year. Trophies will be signed for, and the recipient must return it/them at least 8 weeks before the presentation evening. Any missing trophies will have to be replaced and the member who received it/them will be billed to cover the cost.
13. GDPR and Member Privacy: GDCC will adhere to the prevailing legal requirements of GDPR.
The Secretary will hold securely the addresses, contact numbers and email addresses of the members but will make them available to any committee member strictly for the purpose of pursuing relevant club business and not for personal matters.
If contacting members by email ‘en bloc’, BCC must be used to maintain privacy.
Member details will not be passed to other members without the express permission of those concerned. To enable the efficient functioning of the Club, this will not apply to Committee members’, who accept exposure of their email addresses with/without other contact information.
14. Dissolution of the Club: The GDCC may be wound up if voted by two-thirds of the total membership and who must be present at either the relevant AGM or EGM. In such case, monetary assets remaining after outstanding financial commitments have been met will be distributed to x Property will be donated to either another photographic society or a deserving charity or cause. In the event of a tied vote, the Chairman shall have the deciding vote.
15. The Constitution: The GDCC Constitution is the authority for the structure, aims and management of the Club. Minor alterations may be made with the approval of a Committee Meeting at which the quorum requirements are met subject to the criteria in Paragraph 4. More significant alterations must be made at a meeting to which all members are invited to attend.
The Constitution must be reviewed annually, at the AGM, to ensure that it remains current and fit for purpose, and it must be signed off within 3 full weeks of approval.
The Rules and Regulations contained herein shall be equally binding on all club members, including the Committee.
Notwithstanding the entirety of this Constitution, the Chairman and Committee reserve the right to adapt and act in extreme circumstances in the interests and welfare of the Club and its membership. In such situations, they are permitted to use their discretion to meet conditions or criteria not foreseen. Members will be advised accordingly.
A copy of the current Constitution will be given or E-mailed on Request to each new member on joining the GDCC.
A copy of the current Constitution must be given to each new Committee member who will sign as having read and understood the contents. Committee members will re-sign the Constitution bi-annually or after any significant change to the document.
A copy of the current Constitution must be available for members to read at each club meeting. A copy will also be made available on the GDCC website.
16. This document replaces all previous versions of the GDCC Constitution-reviewed Aug.2022
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