Keighley and District Model Aircraft Club

CONSTITUTION

 

GENERAL

1. The club shall be called Keighley and District Model Aircraft Club and will be affiliated to the British Model Flying Association.
2. The club’s principal aim shall be the promotion of all aspects of safe and responsible model aircraft flying.
3. Alterations to this constitution can only be made at an Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose

DEFINITIONS

KADMAC – Keighley and District Model Aircraft Club

OGM – Ordinary general meeting.

AGM – Annual General Meeting.

EGM – Extraordinary general meeting.

Full member – An adult who is entitled to participate in all aspects of club activities.

Social member – Any person who plays no active part in the club whatsoever.

Junior member – Any person in full time education to the age of 21

Fly & flying – refers to the flying of model aircraft.

Life member – A full member may be made a life member for extensive services to the club. Life members can only be created by a majority ballot of club members at an AGM or EGM.

MEMBERS

4. A “member” means any class of membership unless described as under “Definitions”.
5. The Committee has the right to refuse membership to new applicants.
6. New members will be required to serve an initial probationary period of 6 months. During this time they will not be eligible to serve on the Committee and may have their membership terminated at the discretion of the Committee for unsatisfactory conduct.
7. All members except social members must be members of the British Model Flying Association and must be able to provide evidence of such on request.
8. All members, without exception, must comply with all club rules. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action by the Club which may lead to dismissal.
9. Members may invite guest fliers to any club managed site on arrangement with the Committee but they must be BMFA approved insurance and the club member must assume total responsibility for the actions and safety of the guest. Guests must fly under the supervision of instructors if their ability requires it, and such arrangements must be made in advance of the visit.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

10. New members’ subscriptions shall be dependent on membership class, plus the joining fee as decided at the Annual General Meeting.
11. Subscriptions are due at the AGM each year. Any member, who has not paid their subscriptions for the ensuing year by the 1^st meeting in March, in full, will not be permitted to fly model aircraft on any site until they have done so. BMFA membership must be in place before flying.
12. Members who have allowed their membership to lapse for less than 3 months will not normally be asked to re-apply for membership or pay the joining fee, but will be required to pay a full 12 months subscription. Subscriptions paid by new members from September will cover their membership to the end of the following year at the discretion of the Committee.
13. Members who have not renewed their membership by 1^st April will be deemed to have left the club and a renewal after this period will be treated as a new membership application at the discretion of the membership sectary.

COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND APPOINTMENTS

14. The Committee of the Club shall comprise of at least 4 full members.
15. The Officers of the committee shall be, Chairman, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer, Safety Officer, Training Officer and Press Officer.
16. One full member should be appointed annually as the club’s BMFA Delegate who should represent the club at all relevant meetings.
17. Any member who is involved in any organisational position within the Club, must hold membership of the British Model Flying Association.
18. Committee officers and members shall be elected at the AGM from written nominations received by the secretary no later than 28 days prior to the meeting, to serve for a period of two years. The Committee will be elected by majority vote by a show of hands or paper ballot from the full members present. All fully paid up full members and life members are eligible to vote.
19. Should a committee position become vacant, the Committee may, by a majority vote, co-opt a replacement who will then serve until the following AGM.

COMMITTEE ORGANISATION AND POWERS

20. Members elected to office will have full voting rights at all meetings. In the event of a tie the Chairman will have a casting vote in addition to his initial standing vote.

21a. The Committee are authorised to carry out negotiations and make decisions in the interest of the club or on behalf of the membership where necessary without consulting the members. Approval from the membership at an OGM must be sought for expenditure greater than £500.00

21b. Where an AGM or EGM resolution is subsequently judged to need adjustment, or where a resolution merely defines the principle for a change, the committee is empowered to correct or reformulate such a resolution before the constitution is updated. Such measures shall not contravene the principles of the resolution.

22. The Treasurer is required to submit a sample of their signature for banking reference purposes or BACS by the Treasurer to approved creditors. A full account of monthly income and expenditure along with a copy of the monthly bank statement Is to be presented to the committee every month. A copy of the monthly statement is to be kept by the club secretary. Any members my request to see club accounts and a convenient time to both parties
23. Monies may only be withdrawn from the club funds by cheque signed by the treasurer and approved by a standing committee member or by bacs and general payments

 

24. The Secretary must be informed of any negotiations proposed by club members that affect the Club as a whole and copies of any written correspondence must be submitted to him for record purposes.
25. All members of the Committee or Officers of the club must disclose to the committee, Committee or Officer Posts held with another model flying club.
26. Any Committee Member or Officer wishing to resign must do so by writing to the secretary or chairman.
27. Any member of the Committee who is absent from three consecutive Committee meetings without reasonable cause will automatically forfeit his seat on the Committee.
28. The Committee may pay accounts and incur any normal liabilities on behalf of the club.

VOTING AND CONDUCT OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS

29. All committee meetings will follow a fixed agenda and the minutes shall be recorded. Minutes of committee meetings will be made available to members on request to the secretary.
30. A quorum of any Committee meeting shall consist of a majority of Committee Members.
31. All proposals must be seconded and voted upon. A majority vote of those present is required to carry any proposal.
32. Voting will normally be by a show of hands, however a secret ballot must be taken should any committee member request that this be done. Proxy and postal votes will not be permitted.
33. An audio recording of committee meetings may be taken by the secretary only, for the sole purpose of producing accurate minutes. The audio recording must be deleted once the written minutes are approved.
34. Non committee members may attend committee meetings as observers. Any non-Committee Member may be asked to leave the meeting subject to approval from the Committee.

ALL GENERAL MEETINGS

35. A quorum of any general meeting is to be one quarter of the membership.

 

36. Voting will normally be by a show of hands, however a secret ballot must be taken should any member request that this be done. Proxy and postal votes will not be permitted.
37. Amendments to proposals must be seconded and voted upon first.
38. An audio recording of general meetings may be taken by the secretary only, for the sole purpose of producing accurate minutes. The audio recording must be deleted once the written minutes are approved.
39. Non club members may attend general meetings as observers as invited guests of the club. Any non-Club member may be asked to leave the meeting subject to approval from the Committee.
40. The Committee, through the Chairman has the power to ask a person to leave any meeting in the event of that person disrupting the meeting.
41. Patrons of the club have no voting rights but are free to attend all club meetings.

 

ORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

42. OGMs will be held monthly for the club’s regular social and educational activities.
43. All OGMs will follow a fixed agenda and minutes will be recorded.
44. Any other business motions can be proposed, seconded and passed on any club matter without prior notice as long as a quorum is present. Such motions will be considered as being advisory until correctly put before the next AGM or EGM for which such motions will be treated by the secretary as having been correctly proposed and seconded in advance.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

45. A date for the AGM will be the first Tuesday of December each year< should this change members will be notified by the committee with a new date. At least 28 days’ notice will be given via an O G M email. Website and Facebook page to all members except social members together with an agenda and a listing of all proposals considered. In the event of insufficient nominations for vacant committee posts nominations may be accepted during the meeting and committee members so elected can stand down or seek re-election at the following   AGM.

 

46. Annual subscriptions and the joining fee will be decided at the AGM.
47. A competent individual (non-committee member) shall be elected by the Committee to carry out an independent examination of the accounts before the AGM to verify that the balance sheet is correct and fairly represents the expenditure and receipts of the club, its assets and its liabilities.

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

48. The Secretary will convene an EGM within 28 days on request from any officer of the Committee, stating the business to be discussed.
49. The Secretary shall convene an EGM of the club on receipt of a request in writing signed by not less than 10% members of the club, stating the business to be brought before the meeting.
50. An EGM must be called within 28 days of request and 14 days’ notice must be given in writing to all members except social members stating the business to be discussed.
51. When a request for a meeting is made in accordance with Article 49 and it is not called within 28 days, the requisitioners may themselves convene an EGM of the Club by giving 14 days notice in writing to all members except social members, duly setting out the purpose for which the meeting was called. Any resolutions passed at such a meeting shall have the same force and effect as if they were passed at a meeting convened by the Committee. The minutes of an EGM must be distributed to all members except social members.

RULES, DISCIPLINE AND SAFETY

52. Additions and amendments to field safety rules and regulations can only be made by proposals at General Meetings within the procedures laid out for such meetings.
53. All field safety rules and regulations will be reviewed annually, and will be considered binding for 12 months, excepting where urgent action is required. This action must then be ratified by the members at the next OGM, AGM or EGM.
54. Any complaint concerning any member must be made in writing and signed by the complainant(s). The written complaint must then be forwarded to the Secretary so that the matter can be addressed at the next Committee meeting.
55. Where an allegation of misconduct is made against a member, the member may be suspended from all club activities while an investigation is carried out.
56. The Committee may impose a suspension from club activities including attendance at any club managed flying site, not exceeding 21 days upon any member in the event of misconduct. Any suspension must be accompanied by a verbal and/or written warning as deemed appropriate in accordance with Article 57.
57. The Committee may consider removal of membership where conduct on the field or elsewhere is considered to be prejudicial to the club. Dismissal will be in accordance with the following procedure in order to comply with the laws of natural justice:
58. The member is to be given a verbal warning by an authorised Committee Member in which the member is made aware of his misdemeanour and what he is reasonably required to do to make amends.
59. If the member does not respond, he is to be given a written warning by an authorised Committee Member to advise him of his misdemeanour and what he is reasonably required to do to make amends.
60. If he still fails to respond, the Committee should invite him in writing to meet with them at a previously agreed date and time to discuss the situation, advising they are considering withdrawal of his membership.
61. If he still fails to respond to reasoning or fails to attend without reasonable cause, the Committee can advise him in writing that his membership is withdrawn, stating the reasons why this decision was reached.
62. When the member is advised of withdrawal of his membership, he must be given the right of appeal. If he opts to appeal, this will be to the Club membership at an EGM which the Committee would call on his behalf at a previously agreed date and time. The motion to uphold the membership withdrawal or reverse it must be in accordance with the voting procedures set out in this constitution.
63. In the event of gross misconduct, immediate dismissal without warnings may be considered but the member must still be accorded his rights to present his case to the Committee and be given a right of appeal in accordance with sub-paragraphs c, d and e above.
64. In the event of dismissal the Committee will arrange for the member’s current membership fee (excluding BMFA subscription) to be reimbursed in full.

FLYING

58. The Committee, Officers and Instructors, will be responsible for the running of club managed fields at all times. All full members shall be responsible for any flights they make in the knowledge of their legal responsibilities.
59. Appointment to the position of Instructor or Examiner can only be made by a Committee decision.
60. All flying members must attain the minimum standards of flying required under the club name training scheme before receiving the KADMAC Solo or BMFA ‘A’ Certificate and before being permitted to fly radio controlled model aircraft unsupervised on club managed fields.
61. Any member whose flying standards drop below the minimum required solo standard will be required to seek assistance from the Training Officer or an Instructor to ensure the desired standards of flying are met.

INSURANCE AND INDEMNITY

62. The club will hold both Civil and Employers Liability Insurance, provided through affiliation to the BMFA.
63. The club will indemnify all committee officers and committee members if they incur any liability on behalf of the club.
64. In the event of a Committee Member being awarded damages or costs in the course of proceedings taken by him in his representative capacity, such damages or costs will belong to the Club and not the Committee Member personally and upon receipt that Committee Member will pay them to the Club Treasurer.
65. When there is a joint meeting between KADMAC and another club, the participating club must be able to provide evidence of adequate insurance cover well in advance of the event.

DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB

66. Should it be considered necessary or desirable to dissolve the Club, the Committee will call an EGM. Should a quorum fail to appear, the meeting will be adjourned and a further EGM must be called within 14 days. The second meeting will proceed even if a quorum is not present and the motion will then be carried by a simple majority vote.
67. On dissolution and after the sale of assets, settlement of all outstanding debts and the refund of subscriptions for the remaining part of the year to the paid up members; the funds remaining will be distributed in equal shares to the Club’s charities.
68. If the final accounts are less than required to refund the subscriptions to the members, the total money remaining will be donated to the Club’s nominated charities or in trust with the BMFA in the event that the club can be reformed within 10 years. All members will receive a final statement of accounts.