Canoe Avon Constitution

7th November 2023

1. Name of Club

The club will be called Canoe Avon (hereinafter will be referred to as the club). The club will be affiliated to Paddle UK.

2. Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:

2.1. To provide coaching, competitive and recreational opportunities across a range of paddlesport disciplines

2.2. To promote the club within the local community and paddlesport

2.3. To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club

2.4. To offer its services in a way that is fair to everyone

3. Membership

3.1. Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in paddlesport, regardless of sex, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

3.2. A minimum age restriction for membership to ensure a level of competency may be adopted by the club. This shall be reviewed and maintained at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

3.3. All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and the code of conduct that the club has adopted.

3.4. Members will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual General Meeting.

3.5. 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 activity unless the applicable subscription has been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Executive Committee.

3.6. Individuals who have not renewed their membership within 1 month of expiry will be deemed to have left the club. Personal details of members who have left the club will be deleted in accordance with the club’s privacy policy.

4. Sports Equity

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

• Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality 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.

4.2. 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.

4.3. The club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

4.4. All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

4.5. The club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures and code of conduct.

5. Executive Committee

5.1. The affairs of the club shall be conducted by the Executive Committee (herein referred to as the Committee) which as a minimum shall consist of a Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, and Welfare Officer. Additional positions will be arranged by the Committee as applicable and filled through elections at the Annual General Meeting.

5.2. All Committee members must be members of the Club.

5.3. If required, the Committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its members.

5.4. The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.

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

5.6. The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

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

5.8. The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

5.9. The Committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than 6 times per year.

5.10. Only members of the Committee have the right to vote at Committee meetings. In the event of a split vote, the Chairperson may have the casting vote.

5.11. The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings will be 3. In the event the Chairperson or Secretary is not able to attend, a representative shall be nominated to act in their capacity.

6. Finances

6.1. The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.

6.2. All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.

6.3. An audited statement of annual accounts (if appropriate) will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

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

7. Liabilities

7.1. The Club is an unincorporated association. Members of the Committee or any other delegated individuals shall be jointly and severally responsible for the affairs of the club including financial liabilities.

7.2. To mitigate the risk of personal liability, the Committee must ensure the terms of any liability insurance are strictly adhered to (e.g. only British Canoeing recognised coaches or suitably experienced members may deliver coaching where approved by the Committee).

8. Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

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

8.2. The club shall hold the AGM in the month of November to:

• Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
• Receive reports from the Chairperson and Secretary.
• Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.
• Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the club’s accounts (if applicable).
• Elect the officers on the Committee.
• Agree the membership fees for the following year.
• Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
• Deal with other relevant business.

8.3. Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary with at least 28 days notice to be given to all members.

8.4. Nominations for officers of the Committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM.

8.5. Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM, who shall circulate them no later than 7 days before an AGM.

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

8.7. Members unable to vote in person at the AGM may submit their vote by email to the club secretary no later than 2 days prior to the AGM.

8.8. The quorum for AGMs will be 10% of the membership.

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

8.10. 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.

8.11. All procedures for EGMs shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.

9. Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

10. Discipline and appeals

10.1. All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the club’s child and adult safeguarding policy and procedures (or Paddle UK’s policies/procedures in their absence). The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child or adult safeguarding concerns.

10.2. All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Club Welfare Officer.

10.3. The Committee will meet to hear complaints within 21 days of a complaint being lodged. The Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership. Allegations involving safeguarding matters, however, shall be managed in line with Paddle UK’s Safeguarding Policies and Procedures including where appropriate referral to Paddle UK for triage, guidance, and where it is deemed necessary, investigation

10.4. The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 14 days of the hearing.

10.5. There will be the right of appeal to the Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The Committee should consider the appeal within 21 days of the Welfare Officer receiving the appeal. Appeals relating to safeguarding matters, however, shall be managed in accordance with Paddle UK’s Safeguarding Procedure

11. Dissolution

11.1. A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM where more than 50% of the club’s membership is in favour.

11.2. In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any clubs funds. Any assets of the club that remain following this will become the property of another club with similar objectives or Paddle UK.

12. Declaration

Canoe Avon hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.