Thetford Athletic and Triathlon Club (Thetford AC)

Aims & Objectives

Thetford A.C. “the club” is committed to the promotion of Athletics within the local community.

• Cross Country
• Road Running
• Track and Field

Offer the most up-to-date techniques and best practices available to develop top quality opportunities for our members, both competitive and noncompetitive athletes, coaches and technical officials.

Identify new opportunities and develop the best pathways forward for progression by continual review of current practices and procedures within the club.  This will be for the benefit of the Athletics Club and every Member.

Grow opportunities for everyone to experience athletics and running, to enable them to reach their full potential through strong support and encouragement.

Membership

All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will automatically be deemed to accept all the rules, regulations and ethos of the club.

Membership is open to all regardless of race, religion, gender, disability, age, culture, language, sexual identity or athletic ability.

Membership Fees

• The membership year is from April 1st to March 31st
• Fees will be reviewed annually by the committee and determined at the AGM
• Fees may be paid monthly by standing order or in a single full payment annually
• Annual England Athletic registration fees are included in the annual club membership fee where appropriate
• EA membership is compulsory for all competing members
• Triathlon membership is included for fully paid training members but competing Triathletes will be required to pay for Triathlon England membership separately

Appointment of Officers of The Club

• Only persons with a minimum of three months continuous membership of the club may be considered for any club officer role.
• Before appointment club officer candidates will be expected to read and sign the job description for the role.
• All officers will be elected annually at the AGM
• All officers will automatically retire at the end of the membership year but are eligible for re-election at the AGM
• Appointment of Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer requires an EGM following a resignation when not coincident with the AGM
• Appointment of any other officer may be done at the discretion of the committee following a resignation when not coincident with the AGM

Resignation of Officers of The Club

• Officers may resign at anytime by giving notice in writing to the committee
• Officers are requested to provide support for handover to the incoming officer

Dismissal of Officers of The Club

• Officers who fail to meet the requirements laid out in their job description may be asked to willingly resign following all reasonable efforts to train and support the officer
• Officers may only be dismissed from their role following a disciplinary hearing
• Officers may be temporarily suspended from their role by committee approval in the event of gross misconduct pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing

Committee

• All club officers will automatically join the management committee on appointment to their role
• The committee is responsible for all decisions relating to the club activities
• Committee members must attend 50% or more of the committee meetings
• The committee is responsible for the appropriation of club funds
• The management committee may appoint a sub committee to manage the decisions for a specific activity.  
• 4 committee meetings will be held throughout the year in addition to the AGM and any EGM’s
• The quorum required for a committee meeting will be 5 people, one must be either the chair, vice chair or club secretary, to pass any matters
• Committee motions will only be passed with a majority vote.  In the event of a voting  deadlock the chairman will give the casting vote
• Failure to attend 50% of the annual committee meetings will prohibit the member from holding a committee role in the following year

Finance

• The club is not a profit making organisation.  All monies received will be used for the benefit of all members and shall only be used for the equipment, services and activities which support the clubs aims and objectives
• All club funds will be held in one bank account under the name Thetford AC
• The treasurer is responsible for accurate accounting for all club financial transactions and presentation of up-to-date accounts to the committee on request and at all committee meetings
• The treasurer will issue a profit & loss report at the AGM making it available to all members
• The accounting year runs from April 1st to March 31st in line with the membership year
• All payments for expense claims must be signed by two members of the finance sub committee
• Expense claim rules will be approved and reviewed at least annually by the committee
• All capital expense payments, equipment purchases and contract payments must be approved by the committee
• The club will aim to maintain a minimum bank account balance of £5000 at all times for use in emergency situations under the approval of the committee

Finance Sub Committee

• The finance sub committee will automatically include the treasurer, secretary and chairman
• Additional finance sub committee members may be appointed by the treasurer, secretary or chairman
• Only existing committee members may be appointed to the finance sub committee
• The finance sub committee will provide support to the treasurer under the direction of the treasurer and club committee.

AGM – Annual General Meeting & EGM

• To be held annually following the end of the club membership year, usually within one month of the end of the year
• EGM to be held at the discretion of the committee but otherwise subject to the AGM guidelines
• The club secretary will give no less than 21 days notice prior to the meeting to all club members
• Nominations of club officers and management committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM
• Election of club officers and committee members will take place at the AGM
• The treasurer will present a statement of the annual accounts.
• The chairman will present the chairman’s report, statements of the clubs activities over the year, mission for the following year including investment plans
• The membership secretaries will present the membership report
• Minutes will be made available online for all members
• All members are eligible to vote on all topics put to vote at the AGM
• Any member may request in writing to the secretary that an EGM is held.   The secretary will consider the details of the request and at his/her discretion decide if an EGM is necessary.  
• If a request for an EGM is made in writing to the secretary with clear support of at least 25% or the club membership an EGM must be held.

Discipline and Appeals

• All reports/complaints regarding behavior of a club member or officer must be made in writing to the club secretary
• Within 30 days of receipt of the written complaint the committee will meet to discuss the complaint and agree an appropriate course of action
• Notification will be made in writing to both the complainant and the subject of the complaint regarding the committee’s decision within 14 days of the hearing
• The complainant may appeal the decision of the committee and the committee will consider the appeal within 30 days of the appeal being made.  The committee decision regarding the appeal will be final
• Members of the disciplinary committee must not discuss details of the complaint or appeal outside the complaint hearing or appeal hearing and will be subject to disciplinary action as a result of doing so

Dissolution of the club

• The breakup of the club may only be passed at an AGM or EGM through majority vote of the membership.  In the event of a voting  deadlock the chairman will give the casting vote
• All assets of the club may be donated to local charities, schools or other good causes through the majority vote of the membership following dissolution of the club
• Remaining assets of the club will become the property of England Athletics and sold or donated to good causes agreed by England Athletics

Amendments to the Constitution

• Amendments may only be made by agreement through a majority vote at either the AGM or EGM
• The committee proposed amendments will be published to the club membership 30 days before the AGM or EGM
• The committee will review the constitution no less than every 3 years