CLUB CONSTITUTION

The Club Constitution sets out the purpose, governance and rules of the Club.

Name and Office
1. The Club shall be called “Wythall Community Club”.
2. The principal office shall be situated at: Wythall House, 52 Silver Street, Wythall, Birmingham. B47 6LZ.
Objects of the Club
1. The provision of opportunities for recreation and social interaction.
2. The encouragement of social activities which bring together members of the local community and which are likely to be beneficial to members of Wythall Community Association.
3. The generation of funds to support Wythall Community Association.
Member Types
1. Full (Ordinary) Members: membership shall be open only to members of Wythall Community Association who have attained the age of eighteen years.
2. Temporary Members: who need not be members of Wythall Community Association, may be permitted entry for a determined period not exceeding twenty-eight days.
Officers and Club Committee
1. The Officers of the Club shall be a Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
2. The Club Committee shall:
  1. Consist of four officers and twelve other members elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.
  2. Be quorate when at least six members are in attendance (at least two attendees must be Officers)
  3. Meet at least twelve times a year, usually once a month.
  4. Have the powers of co-option in the event of vacancies occurring in their number and shall manage the affairs of the Club generally.
  5. Have the power to appoint sub-committees for such purposes as it may deem appropriate.
  6. Nominate one of the Officers or Committee Members to be designated Membership Secretary. This Membership Secretary shall ensure that membership records are maintained in compliance with all necessary data protection legislation and shall provide such information to the Committee as they require, regarding membership.
3. The Club Committee, or a Sub-Committee appointed for the purpose, shall be responsible for the purchase, supply and distribution of intoxicating liquor within the Club premises.
General Meetings
1. An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held as soon as possible after the end of the financial year of every year and there shall not be more than fifteen months between one Annual General meeting and the next.
2. Notice of the day and time of the Annual General Meeting shall be posted on social media, notified by email to members who have given permission and posted in a prominent position in the Club premises, in a part which is frequented by members, for a period of at least fourteen days before such day.
3. All Officers and Committee Members are to be voted into post at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. Nominations for such posts must be provided to the Secretary at least two days prior to the meeting. If insufficient nominations are received by that date, the Secretary may accept additional nominations for potentially vacant posts only, up to the start of the meeting. At the discretion of the incoming Chair, nominations from the floor may be accepted for posts with insufficient nominations.
4. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club may be summoned at any time by the Club Committee and shall be so summoned immediately upon any twenty Full Members delivering to the Club Committee a written request to this effect. In this case, notice shall be given (as in 5.2 above) but notice may be less than fourteen days at the discretion of the Club Committee if the urgency of the business to be discussed so requires.
5. Any General Meeting of the Club shall be considered quorate if at least twelve Full Members are present.
6. At any General Meeting of the Club, any member shall be entitled to be present and every Full Member shall be entitled to one vote on every question raised. A simple majority will be used and, should there be equal votes on each side, the Chair will have an additional vote.
Membership
1. Membership of the Club shall entitle a member to enter the Club premises during opening hours and participate in the activities provided by the Club.
2. Every member shall keep the Membership Secretary informed of their contact details, including a private address or some other address, to which communications may be addressed.
3. Every application for membership shall be proposed and seconded by two current, fully paid-up Members.
4. The Club Committee shall elect persons to membership of the Club and shall have the power to refuse to elect persons.
5. The name of any person applying for Full Membership shall be available, upon request, for any member to review before the applicant’s election.
6. Persons may not be admitted to Full Membership without an interval of at least two days between their nomination or application for membership and their admission.
7. The Club Committee may, from time-to-time, fix fees or charges which may be levied on all members and / or their guests participating in or attending activities of the Club.
8. The Club will not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race (including colour, ethnic or national origin), sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religious or political belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status or age.
Membership Fees
1. All members of the Club shall pay the membership fees as determined by the Club Committee.
2. If any member fails to pay their membership fee within twenty-one days after it becomes due, the Membership Secretary shall send them a notice requesting payment within seven days.
Conduct
1. Members, visitors and guests agree to abide by the rules in the Club Constitution.
2. All members, visitors and guests shall:
  1. Behave in a way that upholds the reputation of the Club as a family-friendly environment.
  2. Dress appropriately
  3. Always be polite and respectful towards Club staff and Committee members.
3. Any offensive behaviour or foul language, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may subject to the disciplinary procedures (see 9 below)
4. Club Committee members and Club staff may refuse entry or remove from the premises any person whose conduct is deemed improper.
Disciplinary Matters
1. The Club Committee will have the power to reprimand, suspend or expel any member whose conduct in the Club premises, in the opinion of the Club Committee, infringes any rule of the Club or whose conduct may bring the Club into disrepute.
2. No member shall be suspended or expelled without being given an opportunity to be heard by the Club Committee and justify or explain their conduct.
3. If the majority of the Club Committee present at any such enquiry are of the opinion that the member has been guilty of any such conduct, they may be called upon to resign. If they do not resign, they may be expelled by the Club Committee.
4. Any member who is expelled will forfeit all privileges of membership without being entitled to any refund.
Ceasing to be a member
1. Members may resign at any time in writing to the Membership Secretary.
2. Should any member fail to pay their subscription within twenty-eight days of its due date, the Club Committee shall be entitled to terminate their membership without notice.
3. Members may be expelled by the Club Committee (see 9 above)
Guests
1. Any member shall be entitled to bring guests to the Club provided that the guest has never had an application for membership declined or been expelled from the Club.
2. The member bringing guests shall complete a guest registration form and provide the names and addresses of the guest(s), along with their own.
3. All guests are subject to the rules of the Club and the accompanying member will be held fully responsible for the conduct of their guest(s).
4. Guests may not attend the Club more than twice in any calendar month.
Visitors
1. In the event of a formal visit by members of any club or association for the purpose of playing a pre-arranged game with members of the Club, or attending a social function, such members, officials and friends of the visiting club or association shall be entitled, with permission of the Club Committee or Secretary, to use the Club premises and to purchase intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises on the day of attendance only.
Under-age Persons
1. Children (under-16s) may be on Club premises only when accompanying a parent who is a Community Club member or the Guest of a member or a visitor as described in Rules 11 and 12.
  It is expected that parents will supervise their children and ensure that the behaviour of their children is always acceptable to other members present.
  Children may not purchase alcoholic drinks either on their own behalf or on behalf of any other person, neither may they be supplied with such drinks by any other person.
2. Other young people under the age of eighteen may only be on Club premises when accompanying a responsible adult, who is a Community Club member or a visitor as described in Rule 12
  The responsible adult may be accompanied by not more than two young people who shall remain in the company of the adult at all times and will ensure that the behaviour of the young people is always acceptable to other members present.
  Young people may not purchase alcoholic drinks either on their own behalf or on behalf of any other person, neither may they be supplied with such drinks by any other person.
3. The membership of any adult member who knowingly enables or permits any under-age person to be supplied with alcoholic liquor will be automatically cancelled under Rule 9.
Opening Hours
1. The Club premises shall be open between 10am and 11pm on each day, or other hours as determined by the Club Committee.
2. Supply of intoxicating liquor may occur within the permitted hours.
3. The Club Committee may, from time-to-time, suspend members’ rights to access the Club premises when they are being used for, or as part of, a ticketed event.
Finances
1. A bank account will be maintained on behalf of the Club. There will be at least two signatories to the account.
2. Records of income and expenditure will be maintained.
3. A financial statement will be given at each meeting by the Treasurer.
4. The financial year will run from 1st December to 30th November.
5. An annual statement of accounts will be presented to the Annual General Meeting.
6. The Club shall indemnify the Club Committee and members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club.
Byelaws
1. The Club Committee may make, vary and revoke byelaws as long as they remain consistent with this Constitution.
2. While in force, byelaws shall be binding on all members.
Alteration of the Constitution
1. This constitution and its rules may be revoked, added to or altered by a majority of two-thirds or more of members present and entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Club of which notice has been duly given specifying the proposed revocation, addition or alteration.
Interpretation
1. The Club Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of these rules and of the byelaws and regulations. The decision of the Club Committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any matter affecting the Club and not provided for by these rules shall be final and binding to all members.
Dissolution
1. If the Club Committee, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the Club it may call an Extraordinary General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the Club and agreement may only be reached by a majority vote of members in attendance at such a meeting.
2. If it is agreed to dissolve the Club, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to Wythall Community Association.

Byelaws

There are no additional byelaws in place at the current time.

This current Club Constitution was approved at an EGM on 6th September 2023.