The Club Governance
‘Lex malla, lex nulla’
Constitution & Rules
It could be said “a bad law is no law” - Lex malla, lex nulla. Alan Bennett, in ‘Getting On’, wrote “We started off trying to set up a small anarchist community, but people wouldn't obey the rules”! Even the Dalai Lama chipped in with “know the rules well, so you can break them effectively”!
Irrespective of opinions on ‘rules’, the Constitution and Club Rules are designed to bring structure, clarity and good Governance, and to protect the vision and objectives of our founders.
Naturally, as the Club evolves, there is sufficient flexibility for the rules to be amended.
The Club Constitution
1. Name of Club
The club will be called K20 Cycling Club (Hereinafter will be referred to as The Club), and may also be known as K20 or K20CC. K20 Cycling Club will be affiliated to British Cycling.
2. Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of the club will be:
To promote the club within the local community and cycling
To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone
To make donations to local and/or national charities
3. Membership
(a) Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in cycling, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
(b) The membership shall consist of the following categories:
Full member
Other member categories as shall be agreed at the AGM
(c) All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.
(d) Members in each category will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual General Meeting.
(e) Individuals shall not be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings or be eligible for selection of any Club team unless the applicable subscription has been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Club Committee.
4. Sports Equity
(a) This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:
Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.
(b) The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.
(c) The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.
(d) All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.
(e) The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.
5. Committee
(a) The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee which shall consist of the Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary plus up to six others, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
(b) All Committee members must be members of the Club.
(c) If required, the Committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its members.
(d) The term of office shall be for two years, and members shall be eligible for re-election.
(e) If the post of any officer or ordinary Committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.
(f) The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club.
(g) The Committee will have powers to appoint any advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.
(h) The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.
(i) The Committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than six times per year.
(j) Only the posts listed above will have the right to vote at Committee meetings. Decisions may be ratified by a simple majority vote of the Committee Officers.
(k) The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings will be 50% of officers.
6. Finances
(a) The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.
(b) The financial year of the club will run from 1 April and end on 31 March
(c) All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.
(d) An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.
(e) Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of the treasurer plus up to two other officers.
(f) All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club.
7 Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings
(a) General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs. Unless requested by the Committee or mentioned elsewhere in this Constitution, decisions require a simple majority vote.
(b) The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of March to:
Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.
Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.
Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts.
Elect the officers on the Committee.
Agree the membership fees for the following year.
Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
Deal with other relevant business.
(c) Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary with at least twenty one days’ notice to be given to all members.
(d) Nominations for officers of the Committee will be sent to the secretary by 1 February prior to the AGM.
(e) Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary by 1 February prior to the AGM, who shall circulate them at least 7 days before an AGM.
(f) All members have the right to vote at the AGM.
(g) The quorum for AGMs will be 15% of membership.
(h) The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and Committee meetings.
(i) An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The Committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the Committee members.
(j) All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.
8. Amendments to the constitution
The constitution will only be changed through agreement by a two thirds vote at an AGM or EGM.
9. Discipline and appeals
(a) For the avoidance of doubt the club does not intend to have any riders under the age of 18 and therefore any concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will not arise. Any policy and procedure relating to such are therefore not included.
(b) All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary.
(c) The 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.
(d) 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.
(e) There will be the right of appeal to the Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The Committee should consider the appeal within fourteen days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.
10. Dissolution
(a) A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a two thirds vote of the membership.
(b) In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any clubs funds. Any assets of the club that remain following this will become the property of the Founder members who are members at the time of dissolution, shared equally.
11. Declaration
K20 Cycling Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.
Paul Grout - Chair - 29 June 2020
Ciaran Johnson - Secretary - 29 June 2020
The Club Rules
1. Membership
(a) All Members must have third party liability insurance and are therefore required to be either a Member of British Cycling, Cycling UK or British Triathlon.
(b) Potential Members are permitted three Guest rides, prior to applying for Membership.
(c) Current Members may be called upon to provide proof of insurance cover at any time in the future and annually when renewing Membership
(d) Members must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the club.
(e) Prior to their Membership application being accepted, a new Member must
Pay the appropriate fee
Agree to adhere to the Club Constitution
Agree to adhere to the Club Rules
Agree to adhere to the Rules for Group Riding and Ride Etiquette
Agree that intolerant and offensive language is unacceptable when taking part in any Club activity or communicating as a Club member on any social media platform
Consent to the Club Privacy Policy
Provide proof of Membership to British Cycling, Cycling UK or British Triathlon
(f) The Club’s subscription year commences on 1st April and each renewing Member must pay in advance the annual renewal subscription determined by the Club Members at the preceding AGM.
(g) If a Member fails to pay their subscription before the 31st March in any year, they will receive a notice of non-payment. If the subscription is not paid before the 30th April, the defaulter will cease to be a Member of the Club. Unpaid subscriptions will debar Members from voting at any General Meeting and participating in any Club activities.
(h) The Committee has the power to suspend or expel any Member for acting in a manner objectionable or prejudicial to the interests of the Club. The Member has a right of appeal as laid out in the Constitution. Any Member ceasing voluntarily or otherwise to be a Member of the Club will no longer have any claim on the assets of the Club or enjoy any of the privileges of Membership. Any liability incurred whilst a Member but remaining unresolved will continue.
2. Management of the Club
(a) The Committee is responsible for the management of the Club.
(b) The Committee will, subject to the Constitution, have full power of management and control over the conduct and affairs of the Club, except the powers exercised by the Members in a General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.
(c) Officers of the Committee will be as laid out in the Club Constitution.
(d) Other than the Club Constitution the Committee has the power to amend the General Rules, Rules for Group Riding and Ride Etiquette, Club Privacy Policy and any other Policy or Guidelines following a simple majority vote. Such changes or amendments must be made known to the full club Membership within 14 days of the date of the Committee meeting when the change was made.
(e) The Secretary, or substitute, will keep minutes of the Committee meetings and all acts performed in relation to and authorized by the minutes, will be deemed to be acts of the Committee.
(f) Members will be made aware of the contents of the minutes of a Committee meeting within 14 days of the meeting in question.
(g) The Secretary, or substitute, will keep minutes of the AGMs.
(h) Members will be made aware of the contents of the minutes of an AGM within 14 days of the meeting in question.
3. Club Kit
(a) All major items of club kit e.g. jerseys, gilets and jackets will have the full name of the Club visible.
(b) From time to time the Club kit design will be reviewed and any changes agreed by the Committee.
(c) The club colours are Teal Blue (Primary) and Magenta (Secondary)
4. Website and Social Media
(a) The Club’s website, Facebook pages, Instagram and YouTube Channel and any other similar are the points of reference for Club information. Members will have access to the secure Membership area on the website.
