Constitution April 2015

 

1. TITLE:      

The Club Shall be called Glossop & District Probus Club

2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

  1. The club shall strive to promote fellowship, friendship and learning, by providing regular meetings and events for the members.
  2. To provide opportunities for members to socialize with each other.
  3. The club shall be non-political and non-sectarian.
  4. The club shall not be, nor appear to be, a fund raising or service club

3. MEMBERSHIP:

  1. Membership shall be open to all Professional and Businessmen, resident in Glossop and surrounding Districts, or who have previously worked in the area, and who are fully or partially retired from their normal business or profession.
  2. Each year the Management Committee shall review the numerical membership and shall consider what action, if any, is required to maintain the strength and purpose of the Club and, if necessary make recommendations to the Membership at the AGM.
  3. Any potential new Member will be invited, as a guest, to attend a regular meeting of the Club in company of their sponsor. Should the guest then express a wish to join the Club his written application form will be submitted to the Committee for their consideration. The Committee will then bring the application to the attention of members at the next regular meeting.
  4. Any Member who wishes to raise objection against the application will do so privately to the Secretary prior to the next meeting of the Club Management Committee.
  5. Where no objections are raised the Sponsor will be invited to bring the Applicant to the next regular meeting of the Club, where he will be accepted and enrolled.
  6. In the case of any objection being raised against acceptance of the Applicant the Management Committee, after consideration of the objections, is empowered to reject or accept the application. Any decision to reject an application will be conveyed to the Applicant by his sponsor. No reason for rejection will be given.
  7. The Management Committee may excuse subscription payment by a member who through prolonged sickness or similar reason, is rarely able to participate in the Club activities. During this time such an individual will be known as an Associate Member and will not be counted in any membership limit. An Associate Member shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership and may, if circumstances change, resume normal membership even if this breaks any limit rule that has been set.
  8. In recognition of long or exceptional service to the Club, the Management Committee may propose the award   of Honorary Membership to the person concerned, subject to the general approval of the members. The award would be marked by the presentation of a badge and/or certificate. The Honorary Member would continue to enjoy all rights and privileges of membership but would no longer be required to pay the annual membership subscription.

4. CLUB MANAGEMENT:

  1. The management of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee consisting of SIX (6) Members, comprising Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Business Secretary, Social Secretary and ONE (1) other. They shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting each year as follows
  2. Chairman and Vice-Chairman:- A Member shall be invited by the Management Committee to serve as Vice-Chairman for a period of one (1) year, followed immediately by a further year as Chairman. These appointments will be confirmed at the AGM. If either the Chairman or Vice-Chairman resigns during their term of office the Management Committee will co-opt a replacement to serve until the next AGM.
  3. The Treasurer, Business Secretary, Social Secretary and one other Committee Member will be elected each year at the AGM. Serving Members who resign during their term of office will be replaced by a co-opted Member for the remainder of the current term.
  4. To be eligible for invitation or election a Member must be fully paid up, have an attendance record of at least 60% of all regular meetings during the current Club year, and have agreed to be nominated.
  5. Four Members of the elected Management Committee shall be deemed to represent a quorum.
  6. The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint sub­committees and co-opt other Members as may be considered necessary.
  7. The Management Committee is authorised to expend Club funds for Probus purposes, at their discretion, but will remain accountable to the Membership.

5. MEETINGS:

Meetings will be held on the third Wednesday of each Month. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in March of each year, and three weeks’ notice of such meeting shall be given to Members.

6. SUBSCRIPTIONS:

The annual subscription for each year shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting

7. ACCOUNTS:       

An income and expenditure account for the period to the end of February each year shall be prepared and presented at the Annual General Meeting. The accounts will be audited by a Member approved at the time of the previous AGM.

8. CHARITABLE DONATIONS:

Club funds will not be disbursed to Charitable Organisations, but any Member may ask other Members to support a recognised Charity of their choice, providing he has obtained Management Committee approval to do so.

9. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION:

  1. Changes to the Constitution of the Club shall be decided by a show of hands. However should the majority be five (5) or less Members, then the matter shall be decided by a ballot of Members present at the meeting.
  2. Normal procedure for alterations will be that the Member proposing the alteration will have this seconded, and will then put the suggested change in writing to the Secretary. It will then be scheduled for consideration of the membership at the AGM or extraordinary general meeting called for the purpose of considering the proposed changes.