Accrington Swimming Club Constitution

1.	This Club shall be called ACCRINGTON SWIMMING CLUB, and shall consist of an unlimited number of members, of whom the competing members, except in Masters' Competitions, shall be eligible competitors as defined in A.S.A. Competition Laws. It shall be affiliated to the Amateur Swimming Association North West Region referred to as Swim North West.
2.	The objectives of the Club shall be the promotion and encouragement of the art of swimming in all its disciplines.
3.	The management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee comprising a President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. Life Members, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Competition Secretary and members. The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, which shall be held each year in the last week in April. At least 21 days' notice of this meeting shall be given to members. The accounts will be presented (i) at each committee meeting for approval by the Committee (ii) at the A.G.M. and will be prepared either by the Treasurer and approved by the Committee or by two auditors, elected by the Committee, who will examine the accounts and prepare a financial statement.
4.	At the Annual General Meeting or Extra-ordinary General Meeting all Members present who are sixteen years of age or over and whose subscriptions are not in arrears, hereinafter called Voting Members, shall be entitled to vote and to take part in the business of the Meeting. Five Members to form a Quorum.
5.	The Voting Members present at the Annual General Meeting may elect, on nominations received from the Committee, one or more Hon. Life Members in order to recognise meritorious service within the Club.
6.	At the Annual General Meeting the Voting Members present may elect a Gents Captain and a Ladies Captain.
7.	Any member of the Committee absenting him/herself from three consecutive meetings without sufficient reason may be considered no longer a Member of the Committee, and another Member shall be co-opted/elected in his/her place. At Committee Meetings, five to form a quorum.
8.	The annual subscription shall be as determined by the Annual General Meeting and shall run from 1st April to 31st March provided that: (i) the Committee shall have power to reduce the annual subscription to Members joining after the year start on a pro-rata basis (ii) any Member whose subscription is in arrears shall not be allowed to take part in any of the Club's activities until such arrears are paid.
9.	Any Member wishing to resign from membership shall give written notice to the Hon. Secretary previous to the 31st March.
10.	The meeting for practice and instruction in swimming shall be in accordance with the schedule laid down by the Committee, and at places and times agreed with the Local Authority. Charges for admission to these sessions shall be determined by the Committee.
11.	The Committee shall appoint a Chief Coach on whose recommendation it may also appoint teachers and coaches to attend at the baths for the purpose of giving instruction to members.
12.	Club competitions, entertainments and functions shall be held as often as the Committee considers advisable.
13.	All funds and property of the Club shall not be paid to nor distributed amongst the members of the Club and, upon dissolution, shall be applied to the furtherance of the Club's objectives or for any charitable purpose as agreed by the Committee. (i) All cheque signatories must be unrelated.
14.	An Extra-ordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Hon. Secretary on receipt of a written request signed by five voting Members of the Club or at the discretion of the Committee stating the reason for which the meeting is required. At least eight days' notice of such meeting shall be given. An announcement of the meeting showing its purpose, prominently displayed on the Club's notice board, shall be regarded as sufficient notice for the purpose of this rule.
15.	All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary within fourteen days. The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within fourteen days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership. The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within seven days of the hearing. There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within fourteen days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.
16.	No new Constitution Rule shall be made or any existing rule altered or rescinded except at an Annual General Meeting and by a majority of two-thirds of the Voting Members present. Proposals for amendment of the rules, in writing and signed by the proposer and seconded, must be in the hands of the Hon. Secretary twenty- eight days before the A.G.M.
17.	All doubts, disputes, grievances or any matter not provided for in the foregoing rules shall be settled by the Committee and be subject to the approval of the next Annual General or Extra-ordinary General Meeting.