1.     NAME AND ADDRESS

The name of the Club shall be ‘Cheddar Steam Club Ltd’ and it’s address for correspondence and service of notices shall be that of the Honorary Secretary.

2. OBJECTS

The objects of the club shall be to bring together persons interested in the construction and running of steam powered and other model boats, trains, locomotives, engines and in model engineering.

In pursuit of these Objects, the Club shall:-

(i)     Promote mutual assistance and co-operation between its members.

(ii)    Arrange events and exhibitions, when and where possible, for it’s members and their guests.

(iii)   Provide at the discretion of the Committee, appropriate engineering advice and testing facilities to comply with current regulations and insurance requirements.

(iv)   Seek membership of the S.F.M.E., N.A.M.E., M.P.B.A, F.M.E.S or such other comparable organisations as the Committee may from time to time decide.

3. MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be open to anyone aged 18 or over who supports the Objects of the club.

There shall be four classes of membership: (1) Single (2) Family (3) Day Member and (4) Honorary,

(1)  Single membership will be limited to the elected single member only.

(2)  Family membership shall extend membership to the wife, husband or partner or family members living at the same address.

(3)  Day membership covers all guests and visitors not covered in other categories.

(4)  Honorary membership may be awarded to any person by a General Meeting on the recommendation of the Committee in recognition of his or her special contribution or services to the Club or to model engineering.

The Committee may:-

(i)    Refuse to accept an application for membership and need not give it’s reasons, provided that it genuinely believes that it’s decision is in the best interests of the Club.

(ii)   Expel any member who infringes any Object or provision of this Constitution or Rule of the Club or whose conduct, in it’s opinion, renders the Member unfit for membership. No Member shall be expelled without first being given an opportunity to appear before the Committee to explain his or her conduct. At least seven days clear notice shall be given to the Member of any intention to expel and such notice shall contain a statement summarising the complaint against the Member.

Membership shall cease by reason of :-

(a)  Resignation in writing by a Member to the Honorary Secretary or the Membership Secretary.

(b)  Non payment of the Members annual subscription within one month of the due date.

(c)  Expulsion.

4. THE CLUB YEAR

The Club subscription year shall be from 1st January to the 31st December.

The Financial year shall be from 1st January to 31st December.

5. SUBSCRIPTIONS

Membership subscriptions of each Club year shall be such amount as shall have been approved at the preceding Annual General Meeting of the Club and become payable on the following 1st January.

Members joining after 1st November shall be deemed to have paid their subscription for that and the succeeding Club year.

6. ANNUAL AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS (AGM’s AND SGM’s)

An AGM shall be held in March in every year or as soon thereafter as practicable to receive the reports of the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Membership Secretary; to adopt the accounts, to elect officers to the Committee and to transact any other business.

Nominations for office shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least seven days before the meeting.

A SGM may be called buy the Committee or at the request of not less than ten members jointly requiring such in writing to the Secretary, giving at least twenty-one days notice and setting out an agenda.

Notice of the date, time, place and agenda of a General Meeting shall be notified to members in writing at least twenty-one days beforehand.

Only members whose subscriptions are fully paid up shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings.

Twenty members or twenty five percent of the fully paid up membership of the Club shall constitute a quorum at a General Meeting.

The Chairman, or in his absence, the senior elected Officer present (and if none, a Member elected at the meeting), shall preside over the meeting.

Decisions shall be by simple majority of those present and entitled to vote; in the event of equality, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

The Chairman shall, at his or her discretion, have power to accept for discussion, resolutions (other than those amending the Constitution) of which due notice has not been given and to accept bona fide amendments.

7. COMMITTEE

The business of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee which shall comprise the Officers, being the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Safety officer and not less than four and not more than nine other members who shall be proposed and seconded by two Members of the Club and duly elected at the AGM. The Committee may fill any casual vacancies by co-option.

The Officers, Committee Members and any Co-opted Members shall all retire at the next following AGM but may then offer themselves for re-election.

The Officers, Committee Members and Co-opted Members shall be entitled to vote at all Committee meetings.

The Committee may appoint additional members to carry out specific functions (e.g. Website, Publicity or Magazine Editor etc.) and they shall be entitled to attend and speak but not to vote at Committee meetings.

The quorum for Committee Meetings shall be not less than five members.

The Committee may appoint such sub-committees (comprising members of the Club other than Committee members, if appropriate) as it shall from time to time think necessary for such purposes as it shall think fit and which shall report and be responsible only to the Committee.

8. RULES

The Committee may make such Rules as it may think necessary or appropriate for the efficient and safe operation of the Club and its activities, provided that such Rules may not vary or are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution.

A copy of the Rules (and any amendment thereof) shall be issued to each Member forthwith.

9. FINANCES: ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT

All monies received shall be expended in furtherance of the Objects of the Club but the Committee shall out of its funds, pay all expenses of the administration and management properly incurred in the running of the Club. For the avoidance of doubt, we are a non-profit making club.

The treasurer shall open and maintain all appropriate Bank or Building Society accounts by which the finances of the Club may be managed and may make such other investments, borrowings or financial arrangements as the Committee may from time to time authorise.

All cheques or other authorities for the payment or transfer of funds shall be signed by two Officers of the Club or other signatories within such limits as the Committee may stipulate.

The Treasurer shall maintain full records of all transactions sufficient to show the state of the Club’s finances, assets and liabilities at any time and will provide such records and supporting documents to the Committee whenever so requested and produce annual accounts made up to the end of the Club year for production at the next succeeding AGM.

The annual accounts shall be audited by local accountants appointed by the club. They may be members of the Club but may not at the same time serve on the Committee.

All offices of the Club shall be honorary. The Officers and Committee Members shall be entitled to reimbursement of all expenses properly incurred by them in carrying out their responsibilities.

10. TRADING

Except with specific authority of members at a General Meeting, the Club shall not undertake any trading activities other than the sale to members, visitors and guests of Club clothing, insignia and other articles associated with the activities of the Club and approved by the Committee.

11. INSURANCE AND OTHER LIABILITIES

The Committee will maintain adequate insurance cover in respect of all statutory and other potential liabilities associated with the activities of the Club for its Officers, Trustees and Members with a national insurer of repute in such terms and as may be recommended by N.A.M.E, F.M.E.S. or some similar organisation to which the Club may be affiliated.

The Club shall at all times use it’s best endeavours to observe and perform all statutory and other requirements of Central and Local Government and other bodies having similar powers.

The Committee may not contract any liability in excess of the value of the Club’s assets.

12. TRUSTEES

Not less than three nor more than four members may be appointed to be trustees of the Club in whom shall be vested all property and assets of the Club (other than cash, which shall be held in the names of the duly elected Officers of the Club under the control of the Treasurer), to be dealt with by them as the Committee shall by lawful resolution from time to time direct, provided that the Trustees shall at all times be indemnified out of the property, funds and other assets of the Club by all members on an equal basis, against all risk, liability and expense in carrying out their duties in accordance with the lawful directions of the Committee and in the proper interests of the Club.

13. AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended by a two thirds majority at an AGM or SGM.

14. WINDING UP

The Club may be wound up by decision of a two thirds majority of members at a General Meeting.

In the event of winding up, the funds remaining after the disposal of assets and discharge of all liabilities shall be devoted to a club, society or some other body or organisation having similar objects to those of the Club or to a charitable organisation or otherwise as may be deemed appropriate at the General Meeting at which the decision to wind up the Club is taken.

15. NOTICES

Any notice required to be given under this Constitution or any Rules made in accordance herewith or other communication with a member shall be deemed to have been duly served or transmitted if sent by pre-paid post addressed to the last known address of the member notified to the Secretary or Membership Secretary.