BMCC Constitution

NAME

1. The name of the Club shall be “Bicester Millennium Cycling Club””, hereafter referred to as ‘the Club’.

OBJECT

2. To promote and encourage the pastime and sport of cycling in and around Bicester, and to foster a spirit of well being amongst its members.

CLUB COLOURS 

3. The Club colours shall be blue, white and orange. 

MEMBERSHIP

4.Membership of the Club shall be open to the following categories:

• Senior: Any person who has passed their 18th birthday. 1st and 2nd claim memberships available.
• Junior: Any person who has passed their 16th birthday but not their 18th. 1st and 2nd
  claim memberships to be available
• Juvenile: Any person who has not reached their 16th birthday. (For the sake of membership, juveniles are to be classed as juniors)
• Family: Adult Partners and Juniors (under 18’s) all living at the same address
• Honorary Life: On the recommendation of the Committee, for services rendered.

The Club shall follow the British Cycling Code of Conduct. The “Disputes and Appeals” process is to be available on the Club website (and see appendix A), and shall be followed by the Club, its Committee and its members.

5. Membership of the Club shall be open to all regardless of age, sex, ethnicity or religious belief

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

6. The Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) shall be held towards the end of the calendar year at a convenient time, to be determined by the committee. All members over the age of 16 who have paid their current subscriptions shall be entitled to attend and to vote. A maximum of 2 votes per “Family” are available to a “Family” category membership of the Club at the AGM even if more members of the family attend the AGM. All other members shall be entitled to attend but not to vote. There shall be no provision for proxy votes at the AGM.

7. The Club Secretary shall give at least 21 days notice by email or in writing of the date, time, and place, of the meeting. All proposals for matters to be discussed at the AGM or Extraordinary Meetings will be discussed and voted on by the members of the Club present at the meeting, shall be submitted in writing to the Club Secretary at least 14 days prior to the meeting. The Club Secretary shall have the right to combine, re-write, amend but not reject any and all proposals for resolutions for the meeting. The Agenda for the meeting will be sent to each member of the Club at least 7 days prior to the meeting.

8. No spontaneous resolutions will be considered at the AGM or EGM.

9. Reports by officers about the Club’s activities since the last AGM shall be presented for members of the Club to consider at the meeting.

10. At the beginning of each meeting the Membership Secretary will advise the total number of voting members of the Club. The Chairman will pronounce if the AGM is quorate. The AGM to be quorate if at least 10% of the Club’s voting membership are present. If the meeting is not quorate after a delay of 30 minutes from the start time of the meeting, the Chairman shall give notice of a further AGM which should be held not earlier than 21 days and not later than 30 days of the date of original AGM. All resolutions will be passed by the simple majority decision of the votes cast in person at the meeting. In the event of a tied vote at the AGM, the Chairman shall cast the deciding vote.

11. An Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”) may be called for by the submission of a written request to the Secretary signed by at least 10% of the voting membership of the Club. The Committee may also call an EGM by the decision of a simple majority of the Committee. On being notified of a request to hold an EGM, the Secretary shall arrange to hold this meeting within 21 days giving at least 14 days notice to the membership of the Club of the venue and agenda of the EGM. The quorum and voting at an EGM shall be as per the requirements of an AGM.

ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

12. After its adoption, the Constitution may only be modified at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting. Proposed changes to the Constitution may only be put forward by the Committee or via the Committee with their approval. Changes to the Constitution can only be passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

OFFICERS & COMMITTEE 

13. The permanent Officers of the Club shall be: 

President
Chairman
Treasurer
Secretary
Membership Secretary
Welfare Secretary

Permanent Officers of the Club’s Committee (“Permanent Officers”) will be elected each year at the AGM. Only first claim members of the Club may be elected as Permanent Officers.

14. Other officers of the Club’s Committee (“Officers”) shall be elected each year at the AGM in line with the current needs of the Club. Such roles may include, but are not limited to the following posts which may vary from time to time:

Racing Secretary
Coaching Secretary
Press Secretary
Club Ride Secretary
Social Secretary
Webmaster
Club Kit Secretary
“Junior Go Ride” Representative

15. Subject to these Rules the Committee shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs. The purpose of the Club’s committee is to carry out the aims of the Club and to faithfully follow any and all instructions of the Club’s members as expressed at the Club’s quorate AGMs or EGMs.

16. The Club’s Committee may decide its own way of operating. Unless it otherwise resolves, this Constitution shall apply. No Resolution of the Club’s Committee shall bind any past or future Committee or resolution.

17. The Club’s committee shall be made up of Permanent Officers and Officers (“the Committee”). The Committee shall elect from its members a Vice Chairman who shall deputise for the Chairman in his or her absence, with the same powers and responsibilities as the Chairman. Should a Permanent Officer resign during their period of office, the committee can co-opt one or more of the Club’s members, to a maximum number of 4 members, to perform a role on the Club’s committee. Such co-opted members of the Club’s committee shall not have the right to vote until they have been elected by the Members of the Club at a subsequent AGM or EGM. If more than 4 members of the Committee resign, then this action will immediately cause the Club to call an EGM.

18. Any Committee member may be re-elected or re-co-opted without limit. A Committee member ceases to be such if he or she ceases to be a member of the Club, resigns by written notice, or is removed by the Committee for good cause (after the Member concerned has been given the chance of putting his/her case to the Committee with an appeal to the Club members at an EGM), or is removed by club members at an AGM. The Committee shall fairly decide time limits and formalities for these steps.

19. Whenever a Committee member has a personal or fiduciary interest in a matter to be discussed, he/she must declare it, withdraw from that part of the meeting (unless asked to stay), not be counted in the quorum for that agenda item and he/she shall withdraw during the vote and have no vote counted on the matter concerned.

20. Committee meetings shall be held at least every 3 months in any one calendar year. At those meetings, the Committee shall vote on club business, with a simple majority determining each proposal. In the event of a tie on each proposal, the Chairman, or his/her deputy will cast the deciding vote. Quorum for committee meetings shall be four committee members, at least two of which must be Permanent Officers. Ordinary members are free to attend, give advice or evidence and contribute to the proceedings but cannot vote on any of the proposals before the Committee. At least seven days notice of Committee meetings will be given to members by email, writing or by posting on a suitable social medium as decided by the members at an AGM, EGM or quorate meeting of the members of the Club. This notice will be accompanied by an agenda.

21. The Club shall be affiliated with the aims of “British Cycling”. Although the Club is a member of that organisation, it will not be bound to follow any of “British Cycling”‘s policies or aspirations.

22. The Committee has the power to:

22.1. Acquire and provide grounds, equipment, coaching, training and playing facilities, club house, transport, medical and related facilities;

22.2. Provide coaching, training, medical treatment, and related social and other facilities;

22.3. Take out any insurance for club, employees, contractors, players, guests and third parties;

22.4. Raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans and charges;

22.5. Borrow money and give security for the same, and open bank accounts;

22.6. Buy, lease or licence property and sell, let or otherwise dispose of the same;

22.7. Make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits;

22.8. Set aside or apply funds for special purposes or as reserves;

22.9. Deposit or invest funds in any lawful manner;

22.10. Employ and engage staff and others and provide services;

22.11. Co-operate with or affiliate to firstly any bodies regulating or organising the Sport and secondly any club or body involved with it and thirdly with government and related agencies;

22.12. Do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes and aims of the Club;

22.13. NONE of the above powers may be used other than to advance the purposes consistently with the Rules below and the general law.

FINANCE

23. The Club shall be run on a not-for-profit basis. The Club’s financial year shall commence on 1st November. All monies belonging to the Club shall be paid into a bank account in the name of the Club. Any and all surplus funds belonging to the club shall be carried over to a new financial year if a quorate number of the Club’s members vote on this resolution at the AGM.

24. No finance over a limit to be agreed annually by the committee shall be expended by the Treasurer without at least one other Permanent Officer’s agreement. The accounts shall be audited annually by a suitable person appointed by the members attending the AGM. All work carried out on behalf of the Club will be voluntary. Only “out of pocket” essential expenses will be reimbursed. Such re-imbursements need to have been agreed by Treasurer and at least one other Permanent Officer’s in advance of the expenditure having been spent.

25. The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect benefit of members other than reasonably allowed by this Constitution.

26. The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, event expenses, post event refreshments and other ordinary benefits and have been agreed by the Committee, been agreed by Treasurer and at least one other Permanent Officer’s in advance of the expenditure having been spent.

27. The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:

27.1 Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment;

27.2. Employ members (though not on a professional or full time basis) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present;

27.3. Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests;

27.4. Indemnify the 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 (but only to the extent of its assets).

SUBSCRIPTIONS

28. The annual subscriptions for senior, junior, juvenile and family membership shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting for the subsequent financial year. Subscriptions become due on 1st January and should be renewed by 1st April. Any person joining the Club for the first time after 1st September shall have their membership carried over for the successive year.

RESPONSIBILITIES

29. It is the responsibility of each member of the Club to ensure that they have adequate insurance to cover all activities in which they take part. Members of the Club are not protected by insurance held by the Club on its or the Members’ behalf at any social cycling, including The Club’s weekday and weekend rides. The Committee will ensure that all competitive events in the name of the Club are covered by adequate insurance.

30. Each member will at all times conduct themselves within the rules of the Club and be aware of the environment in which they are participating and should therefore adhere to and participate within the standards of safety, civility and probity to always promote the aspirations and ideals of the Club, and shall never conduct themselves individually or jointly in a manner that reflect adversely on the good name of the Club or brings the Club, other members or its aspirations into disrepute.

31. The Club and its Committee Members have no responsibility or liability for the conduct of its members, but the Committee shall have the authority to suspend, rescind or refuse membership of the Club in strict accordance to the relevant policies of the Club which are to made available to all members of the Club on request or available on the Club’s website The decision to suspend or rescind membership shall be made by the Chairman (or by his deputy if he or she is unavailable) plus at least two other committee members (a simple majority decision by these officers will suffice). The member or members of the Club so affected shall have the right to appeal to the Committee, having followed the relevant dispute resolution policy (see appendix A). The affected member or members of the Club are reminded that they are entitled, even if their membership has been suspended, to call an EGM and appeal to the remaining members of the Club in accordance with Rule 11 of this Constitution. If the member of the Club does not request an EGM in accordance with Rule 11 of this Constitution within 2 months of receiving a notice of suspension from the Secretary of the Committee, the Committee shall have the right to rescind the membership of that member of the Club. No membership fees will be refunded to the former member of the Club.

PROMOTIONS 

32. All Open events proposed by the Committee for the subsequent year shall be approved by the Annual General Meeting.

CLUB TROPHIES

32. All Open events proposed by the Committee for the subsequent year shall be approved by the Annual General Meeting.

TERMINATION

33. In the event that the Club becomes unviable, an EGM will sell or donate any and all remaining assets to a suitable not for profit cycling organisation or charity. The assets of the Club shall not be distributed among its members.

This Constitution was adopted on 11th February 2016 and amended (para 13) to add the post of Welfare Secretary as a permanent officer post at the AGM on 26th Nov 2020

Appendix A – BMCC disputes and appeals procedures

The current BMCC disputes and appeals policy is available on the Club website here: https://www.bmcc2000.com/about-bmcc/dispute-resolution/

Appendix B – Club Trophies

 Further trophies may be awarded or added in addition to the perpetual trophies.