DUMBARTON CURLING CLUB
Constitution
1 - NAME AND PURPOSE OF THE CLUB
Name
The name of the Club shall be "DUMBARTON CURLING CLUB", hereafter referred to as the “Club”. The Club was instituted in 1815.
Purpose
The purpose of the Club is to provide facilities for the participation and promotion of Curling in West Dunbartonshire.
Dumbarton Curling Club is a non-profit making organisation and all profits will be used to maintain or develop the Club’s activities or to carry out the objectives of the sports official body, the Royal Caledonian Curling Club.
2 - AFFILIATIONS
The Club shall continue in affiliation with the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (RCCC) which relationship
has existed since 1839.
The Club is a member of The Tenth Province of Scottish Curling and Braehead Curling Rink, in Renfrewshire,
where all club games are played.
3 – MEMBERSHIP
The Club operates an open membership policy, with no discrimination of any kind. Membership shall therefore be available to anyone interested in participating in the sport of curling.
The Membership will consist of Ordinary, Non-Playing, Honorary and Life Members, all of whom shall have voting rights.
Honorary and Life Members shall be elected, by a majority vote, at an Annual General Meeting.
All Club members must be registered with the RCCC and Braehead Curling Rink.
4 - ADMISSION
Membership shall be admitted by the Committee and will be available to all persons aged 18 and over, however
new members shall not be entitled to the privileges of membership until their relevant Annual subscriptions have been paid to the Club.
Applicants under the age of 18 will be encouraged to join one of the Junior Curling Clubs operating at Braehead.
The Secretary will furnish all new members with a copy of The Constitution of the Club and acceptance of membership shall be deemed as acceptance of the terms contained therein.
5 - RESIGNATION & SUSPENSION
Members wishing to resign from the Club must so intimate to the Secretary in writing.
The Management Committee shall have power, by majority vote, to suspend or expel from the Club any Member whose conduct appears to them to endanger the character, interest or good order of the Club. Opportunity shall be given to the offending Member to explain their conduct and to appeal the Management Committee’s decision
at a Special General Meeting.
Resigning or Suspended members shall have no claim on the properties of the Club or repayment of any annual membership or affiliation fees. Any refund of ice fees paid in advance will be at the discretion of the Club.
6 - OFFICE-BEARERS
Office-Bearers shall consist of the following:
a) President - who shall normally hold office for 2 years.
b) Vice President - who shall normally hold office for 2 years.
c) Secretary, Treasurer, and Match Secretary – who shall offer themselves for re-election annually.
d) An Office-Bearer may hold a maximum of 2 positions.
e) All positions will be Honorary and restricted to Regular Members.
7 - MANAGEMENT
The Management Committee of the Club shall consist of the 5 elected Office Bearers, who shall have all powers necessary for the full and efficient conducting of all general affairs of the Club not reserved to a General Meeting. This will include keeping records showing the financial affairs of the club, for submission at the AGM.
At all Management Committee meetings 3 shall form a quorum.
Where there is a vacancy in the Office-Bearers, or when an Office Bearer holds 2 positions, the Management Committee shall have the option to elect a Regular member to the Management Committee to secure 5 members.
Such appointments must be ratified at the next Annual General Meeting.
The Management Committee shall also have power to draw up special rules governing internal Club competitions, frame any necessary bye-laws and may appoint sub-committees to deal with any special matters arising. Any of these rules and bye-laws may be annulled at an Annual General Meeting.
8 - PRESIDENT’S DUTIES
At all meetings of the Club, the President shall occupy the chair, failing that, the Vice-President. In the absence of both, the meeting will elect a Chairperson. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote as well as a deliberative vote at all meetings.
9 - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held, in Dumbarton, not later than the 30th of April each year.
The main objects of the AGM will be to:
a) Approve the minutes of the previous AGM.
b) Receive reports from The President, Secretary, Match Secretary and Treasurer.
c) Elect Office-Bearers and Auditor; and confirm members of the Management Committee.
d) Elect Club representatives to any Local or National Curling bodies as and when required.
e) Presentation of Prizes.
f) Deal with all other competent business noted on the agenda including the election of Honorary and Life Members.
At all General Meetings decisions put to a vote shall be resolved by simple majority, with exception to changes to the Constitution. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote if necessary.
10 - SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
The Management Committee shall have power to call a Special General Meeting of the Club if necessary.
They shall be bound to hold a meeting within 14 days at the direction of the President or Vice- President on the receipt of a written requisition of 6 ordinary members of the Club.
11 - NOTIFICATION OF MEETINGS
All Annual General or Special General Meetings shall be intimated to Members, at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting, giving due notice of the time, place and business to be discussed.
At all such meetings the President or Vice President must be in attendance and 50% of the membership shall form a quorum.
12 - PROPERTY AND MEMBERS’ INTEREST
The property, effects and monies of the Club shall be vested in the Office Bearers as Trustees acting for
and on behalf of the Club.
The property, effects and monies of the Club shall belong to the Members equally during membership
but the right and interest shall be personal and limited to the Member and:
a) Shall expire with the ceasing of membership.
b) Shall not be assignable and cannot be passed to heirs or executors.
c) The members shall also be liable equally for the debts and obligations of the Club.
13 - SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEES
a) The Club’s annual subscription, which is payable by the 31st May, shall be set by the Management Committee and presented at the AGM for approval.
b) The annual subscriptions for the RCCC and Braehead Ice Rink, where relevant, are payable by the 31st of July and shall be notified to the members after confirmation is received from the respective organisations.
c) Ice Fees for internal club games shall be payable in 2 advance instalments:
i. The 1st by the 31st August and the
ii. The 2nd by the 31st of January.
iii. Balancing payments, or refunds, will be calculated at the end of each session.
d) For external competitions: these shall be payable on the day.
e) Any member in arrears with their subscriptions may be removed from membership if the arrears remain unpaid.
14 - COMPETITIONS
All games and competitions shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of curling, as laid down by the
Royal Caledonian Curling Club.
Internal Club competitions will generally be decided on Points / Shots up / Shots scored / Ends won, but this
may be altered by the Committee prior to the start of a competition.
15 - PERSONAL INFORMATION
The only personal information held on record by the Club, either manually or computerised, will be restricted to those details that are required to facilitate the efficient operation of a Curling Club, i.e. The name, address, contact telephone numbers and e-mail address of each member.
This information will only be shared with official curling organisations for the purpose of membership registration and competition entry.
Personal information held by the Club is subject to the Club’s Data Protection Policy, which can be provided upon request from the Secretary, or viewed/downloaded from the Club’s website.
16 - DISSOLUTION AND WINDING UP
The Club may be wound up at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, provided that two-thirds of the members present support the Motion to wind up. No profits or surpluses will at any time be distributed to members, and if upon the winding up, there remains, after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same may be transferred to one or more of the following organisations:
a) The Royal Caledonian Curling Club.
b) The Dunbartonshire Curling Province.
c) Other RCCC registered curling clubs within the Dunbartonshire Curling Province.
d) Or, local charities, as determined by the members of the Club by resolution passed at the Special General Meeting.
17 - COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS
Any complaints or suggestions must be made in writing to the Secretary and signed by the person(s) complaining or suggesting. The Secretary shall ensure that all complaints or suggestions so received are dealt with expeditiously.
18 - AUDITOR
The Committee shall yearly appoint an examiner to examine and certify the Accounts of the Club.
The examiner may be a suitably competent member of the Club, other than the Treasurer.
19 - ALTERATION TO CONSTITUTION
The Constitution may only be altered by the Club at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. Notice of any such alteration must be in the hands of the Committee at least 21days prior to the General Meeting at which the business is to be discussed.
No alterations shall be successful unless the motion is carried by a two-thirds majority of those voting at the General Meeting.
The Constitution shall always be exhibited on the Club’s website.
A printable version of the Club's constitution can be downloaded from the following link: Constitution
