RULES AND OBJECTS

1 NAME:  Harrogate MG & Classic Car Club, hereinafter referred to as “the Club”, shall be situated at Harrogate, North Yorkshire, or such other place as the majority of the members shall determine.

2 OBJECTS:  The objects shall be to carry on the business of a Club and in so doing to promote by all proper means MG and other classic cars. The Club shall be affiliated to the MG Owners Club and the MG Car Club but shall be under no direct influences of these clubs.

3 CLUB YEAR:  The Club year shall run from 1st January to 31st December. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in January each year with a lapse of not longer than 15 months between AGMs. 21 days written notice including an agenda will be given to all members.An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called under the same conditions.

4 MEMBERSHIP:  Open to those who have the interests of the club at heart, particularly MG owners/enthusiasts and other classic car owners and/ or enthusiasts. Membership is at the discretion of the Committee.The Committee reserve the right to refuse admission or disqualify any member(s) / candidate(s). The Committee’s decision is final and cannot be entered into.

5 HONORARY MEMBERS:  The Committee shall have the power to elect life members and shall terminate at the time the life membership of any member so elected if, in their opinion, it is desirable in the interests of the Club. Honorary membership is limited to no more than l0% of the total membership at any time.

6 SUBSCRIPTIONS:  The subscription shall be of such a sum as determined at the AGM by a vote of members which shall be paid yearly on admission and subsequently in January each year. The rate of subscription can only be altered at the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting. Members joining from September onwards pay a reduced fee.

7 NON PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS:  If any member fails to pay his/her subscription within 28 days after the due date, he/she shall be considered in arrears and a reminder sent to him/her by the Membership Secretary and if the sum due is not paid on or before March club night he/she shall cease to be a member of the Club.

8 CHANGE OF ADDRESS:  Any member changing his/her address shall within 14 days give notice to the Membership Secretary in writing of such address and until such notice is given all communications and notices sent to his/her last address shall be deemed to have been served upon such member.

9 COMMUNICATION:  Unless otherwise instructed in writing by the member concerned, all communications shall be directed to the member’s address/e-mail/telephone.

10 CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP:  Membership shall terminate:

1. On resignation,
2. On non-payment of subscription,
3. On expulsion,
4. On death.

11 STRUCTURE OF THE COMMITTEE:  The officers of the Club shall consist of the following: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary or Joint Secretaries, Treasurer plus at least four ordinary Committee members. All the above have one vote per proposal – the Chairperson having the casting vote. The Committee shall meet once a month or at any other time deemed necessary. A quorum will be 50% of the Committee plus one extra Committee member/Chairperson. The exact number forming a quorum will be decided at the first Committee meeting of the year. The Committee shall be elected by vote to be held at the AGM or EGM. Any Committee member being absent from three consecutive meetings of the Committee, unless written explanation has been received by Secretary/ies, which the Committee deem satisfactory, shall cease to be a member of the Committee. A minimum of 48 hours notice required when calling an extra/emergency Committee meeting but as much notice as possible to be given where possible.

12 DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS:

Chairperson:  The Chairperson chairs club meetings and has the casting vote. In his absence the Vice Chairperson chairs the meetings. In the absence of both the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, one of the other office bearers shall deputise.

Secretary:  The Secretary shall on all occasions in the execution of his/her office act under the superintendence, control and direction of the Committee. He/She shall keep such documents and papers of the Club in such a manner and for such purposes as the Committee may direct. He/She shall summon and attend all meetings and take minutes of the proceedings.

Treasurer:  He/She shall be responsible for seeing that all monies, whether received by himself or any other servant or official of the Club are duly paid into the Club’s account at least once a month. He/She shall when required provide a statement of the Club’s finances to any Committee member. He/She shall keep such accounts, documents and other papers of the Club, not otherwise kept by the Secretary in such a manner and for such purposes as the Committee may direct. He/She shall in every year prepare or cause to be prepared, an income and expenditure account and submit this to the auditor of the Club.

13 ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND CHAIRPERSON:  Election of Officers and Committee shall occur at the AGM or at a meeting of the Club. Every candidate for office shall be proposed and seconded by two members. Each member of the Club shall have one vote for each vacancy and no member shall give more than one vote to any candidate.The election of the incoming Chairperson is held under the direction of the outgoing Chairperson or their nominated representative.The election of the remaining Officers and Committee shall be held under the direction of the incoming Chairperson. If the incoming Chairperson is not present, the election of officers will continue one at a time under the direction of the outgoing Chairperson or nominated representative until the next most senior official elected is present. That official then continues with the rest of the AGM.

All nominations for Officers and Committee are to be received in writing at least 21 days prior the AGM.

Voting by proxy will be allowed on the production  of a letter of authorisation from the Club Member, worded along the lines of:

I ________________ authorise ___________ to vote for me on all matters arising at the AGM.

Signed: ___________________

14 INSOLVENCY:  In the case of insolvency, Officers and Committee members shall be liable for a maximum of £1 (one pound sterling) each.

15 WINDING UP:  The Officers and Committee shall serve notice of intent to wind up the Club to all  paid up members and shall call a Special General Meeting to obtain authorisation from those members to do so. All members shall vote at the meeting on the distribution of the Clubs assets. A majority decision will carry. Only members at the meeting will be entitled to vote. The Committee and Officers shall proceed to distribute the assets as agreed and shall then terminate the Club accordingly.

Amended January 2022