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The consitution that enabled the club to start up is as follows....
Constitution of the Croquet Club (midsuffolk CC) at Thurston New Green Centre
22nd August 2013_ver2
1 TITLE
1.1 The Club shall be called “midSuffolk CC”, hereafter to be referred to as “the Club” and shall be affiliated to the East Anglian Croquet Federation and shall become a Member Club of the Croquet Association (C.A.) providing that C.A. membership has advantages to the Club approved by the Executive Officers of the Club.
2 OBJECTS
2.1 To foster and promote the sport of croquet at all levels, providing opportunities for recreation and competition at Thurston New Green Centre.
3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to persons completing a membership application form and paying the relevant subscription fee as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the Club Full Members/Full Founder Members. Membership may be denied on reasonable and lawful grounds by the Executive Committee. Membership shall be primarily for the benefit of the residents of Thurston although membership may be extended at the discretion of the Officers of the club.
3.2 There shall be 6 of classes of membership available. These are:
3.2.1 Full Founder Member
3.2.2 Full Member
The above two membership classes hereafter being referred to as ‘Full Members'
3.2.3 Junior Member (Under 18 years of age):
3.2.4 Second-club Member
3.2.5 Social Member
3.2.6 Honorary Member
4 OFFICERS
4.1 The Officers of the Club may appoint a non-executive, Honorary President. Executive officers shall be as follows:
Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer
And in addition Executive Officers may be as follows
Social Secretary, Full Member Officer1, Full Member Officer2, Full Member Officer3
5 ELECTION OF OFFICERS
5.1 Subsequent to the formation of the club and appointment of its Officers by vote of Full Members at the first Members meeting, all Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from, and by, the Full Members of the Club.
5.2 All Officers are elected at the Annual General Meeting for a period of one year, but may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year and subsequent years.
5.3 Officers resigning mid-term shall be replaced by co-opted Officers determined by the remaining Officers of the Committee, or if all the Officers resign by the membership at a Special General Meeting.
6 GENERAL COMMITTEE
6.1 The affairs of the Club shall be controlled by a General Committee comprising the Executive Officers of the Club elected from, and by, the Full Members of the Club. The General Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than three times per year. It may appoint sub-committees.
6.2 The duties of the General Committee shall be:
6.2.1 To control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the Members.
6.2.2 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members and should, if necessary by law, be audited before every Annual General Meeting. The Club shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign Club cheques: two from the Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary as stated on the bank mandate.
6.2.3 To co-opt additional members of the Committee as the Committee feels this is necessary. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Committee, unless they have been co-opted to replace a member who has died or has resigned. They shall hold office until the next A.G.M.
6.2.4 To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chairman shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
7 GENERAL MEETINGS
7.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the end of April each year. 21 clear days written notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting by circulating a copy of the notice to every Full Member at their home address and posting the notice on the Club notice board. Full Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least 14 days before a meeting. The Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting to Members not less than 7 days before the meeting.
7.2 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:
7.2.1 Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any other General Meetings.
7.2.2 Receive the accounts
7.2.3 Receive the annual report of the Secretary.
7.2.4 Elect the Officers of the Club.
7.2.5 Fix Club subscription rates. A Member who has not paid his subscription by such default date as the Committee prescribes may at the discretion of the Committee be deemed to have resigned.
7.2.6 Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members 14 days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.
7.2.7 Such other business except business for which a Special General Meeting is required (e.g. expulsion, dissolution or changes to the constitution) as by common consent of the meeting the Chairman in his/her discretion admits.
NOTE: The agenda could provide for “Any Other Business”, but Members should be encouraged to refer other items to the General Committee and give the required notice for important Annual General Meeting business.
7.3 Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than 30% of the Full Membership of the Club. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given.
The business to be considered at the meeting to be specified in the notice convening the business.
7.4 Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting date. Nominations can only be made by Full Members, and must be seconded by another Full Member.
In the absence of nominations prior to the meeting nominations may be taken from the floor. All nominations shall have the consent of the nominee.
7.5 At all General Meetings the chair will be taken by the Chairman, or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by the Club or by Full Members attending the meeting.
7.6 Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Full Members attending the meeting. In the event of equal votes, the Chairman shall be entitled to an additional casting vote or alternatively in his/her discretion he/she may direct a written poll.
7.7 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 25% of the Full Membership and 3 Officers of the Club including 2 from the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
7.8 Each Full Member of the Club shall be entitled to one vote on any separate issue at General Meetings.
8 EXPULSION
A member who is found by vote carried at a Special General Meeting called in accordance with clause 7.3 to have behaved in a manner likely to bring the club into disrepute or cause substantial prejudice to it may be expelled from the club. Provided that:-
a) The resolution must be carried by 4/5ths of those attending and voting.
b) This is the only business at the meeting.
c) Before putting the motion to the vote the member shall have a full opportunity to address the meeting.
Following expulsion any subscription for the whole of that year that has been paid by that member shall be returned.
9 ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
9.1 Any proposed alterations to the Club Constitution may be considered only at an Annual or Special General Meeting, convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full Member of the Club and seconded by another Full Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two thirds of those Full Members present at the meeting and voting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.
An abstention shall be recorded but shall not count as a vote.
10 DISSOLUTION
10.1 If at any General Meeting of the Club, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
10.2 If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting and voting the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club. Abstentions shall be recorded but shall not count as a vote.
10.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, any remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Full Members of the Club, but shall be disposed by The Trustees of the Thurston New Green Centre with first consideration being given to the support of other clubs in Thurston or in the vicinity of the dissolved club. Second consideration shall be given to supporting other croquet clubs in the vicinity of Thurston.