WEA RAMBLERS

 

CONSTITUTION

 

 

1.    NAME

 

The name of the club is the WEA Ramblers (“the Club”).

 

 

2.    OBJECTS

 

The principal objects of the Club are to:

 

2.1           organise walking trips in the bush and other outdoor areas, and arrange social activities for its members, and

 

2.2           promote the conservation of native flora and fauna.

 

 

3.    MEMBERSHIP

 

3.1           Membership of the Club is open to any person over the age of 18 who agrees to be bound by this Constitution.

 

3.2           Membership of the Club requires and includes concurrent membership of the Workers' Educational Association Sydney (“the WEA”).

 

3.3          A person shall cease to be a member of the Club upon:

 

3.3.1   death;

3.3.2   resignation, or

3.3.3   failure to pay the annual subscription within three months of the due date.

 

3.4           A person who has ceased to be a member in any manner whatsoever shall forfeit all rights and claims upon the Club and its property and funds.

 

 

4.    COMMITTEE

 

4.1           The Committee, subject to this Constitution and to any resolution passed by the members at a general meeting of the Club:

 

4.1.1   shall control and manage the affairs of the Club;

4.1.2   may exercise all such functions as may be exercised by the Club, and

4.1.3   has the power to perform all such acts and do all such things as appear to the Committee to be necessary or desirable for the proper management of the Club.

 

 

4.2           The Committee shall consist of:

 

4.2.1   the office bearers of the Club, and

4.2.2   not fewer than two and not more than four ordinary members.

 

4.3           The office bearers of the Club shall be:

 

4.3.1   the President;

4.3.2   the two Vice-Presidents;

4.3.3   the Secretary;

4.3.4   the Treasurer;

4.3.5   the Membership Secretary;

4.3.6   the Walks Coordinator, and

4.3.7   the Training Officer.

 

4.4           No person shall hold the position of President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer for more than two consecutive years.

 

4.5           Subject to subrule 4.4, no person shall be an office bearer or ordinary member for more than four consecutive years, with the exception that the respective positions of Walks Coordinator and Membership Secretary may be extended annually for one year by resolution of the annual general meeting.

 

4.6           If the President resigns during the year the resulting vacancy shall be filled by a Vice-President, and the Vice-President's vacancy shall be filled by an ordinary member elected at the next Committee meeting.

 

4.7            If the Secretary resigns during the year the resulting vacancy shall be filled by an ordinary member elected at the next Committee meeting.

 

4.8            Subject to subrules 4.6 and 4.7, if a delegate or office bearer resigns during the year the resulting vacancy shall be filled by an ordinary member elected at the next Committee meeting.

 

4.9            If a casual vacancy for a position of ordinary member occurs, the Committee shall invite any financial member of the Club to fill such vacancy until the following Annual General Meeting.

 

4.10         The Committee shall meet as often as is necessary to conduct the affairs of the Club, but not less than twice a year.

 

4.11         Any five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

 

4.12         Any member of the Committee who is absent without apology from two consecutive meetings shall cease to be a member and the vacancy shall be filled at the next meeting of the Committee.

 

4.13         The Committee may co-opt members to serve on subcommittees.

 

 

5.    ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

 

5.1        The annual general meeting of the Club shall be convened on such date between 1 May and 30 June and at such place and time as determined by the Committee.

 

5.2           In addition to any other business which may be transacted at an annual general meeting, the business of an annual general meeting shall be:

 

5.2.1   to confirm the minutes of the preceding annual general meeting and of any special general meeting held since that meeting;

 

5.2.2   to receive from the Committee reports upon the activities of the Club during the preceding financial year;

 

5.2.3   to elect the office bearers of the Club and the ordinary members of the Committee;

 

5.2.4    to elect one delegate and one alternate delegate to the Council of the WEA;

 

5.2.5    to elect such number of delegates to The Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs Inc as the Committee may determine;

 

5.2.6   to elect an honorary auditor who is not an office bearer, and

 

5.2.7   to determine, if required, the annual subscription payable by all members.

 

 

6.    SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

 

6.1           The Committee may, whenever it thinks fit, convene a special general meeting of the Club.

 

6.2           The Committee shall, upon the requisition in writing of no fewer than twenty members, convene a special general meeting of the Club.

 

6.3           A requisition of members for a special general meeting shall:

 

6.3.1   state the purpose or purposes of the meeting;

6.3.2   be signed by the members making the requisition, and

6.3.3   be lodged with the Secretary.

 

6.4           A special general meeting requisitioned in accordance with subrule 6.2 shall be held within a month of receipt by the Secretary

 

6.5           The purpose or purposes for which the meeting was convened shall be the only subject of a special general meeting.

 

 

7.    NOTICE AND PROCEDURE

 

7.1           The Secretary shall, at least fourteen days before the date fixed for a general meeting, give notice in writing to members of the Club.

 

7.2           Notice in writing shall be given by mailing the notice to each member at the address last given to the Secretary.

 

7.3           A quorum at a general meeting shall be not fewer than twenty financial members present and entitled to vote.

 

 

8.    FINANCE

 

8.1           The financial year of the Club shall be from 1 January to 31 December each year.

 

8.2           The annual subscription shall fall due on 1 January each year.

 

8.3           The annual accounts made up and duly audited shall be submitted to the annual general meeting and to the Council of the WEA.

 

8.4           The funds of the Club are to be derived from annual subscriptions of members, donations and such other sources as the Committee determines.

 

8.5            All money received by the Club must be deposited as soon as practicable   and without deduction to the credit of the Club’s bank account.

 

8.6           The Club must, as soon as practicable after receiving any money, other than the annual subscription, issue an appropriate receipt.

 

 

9.    MISCELLANEOUS

 

9.1           This Constitution may be amended or rescinded only by a resolution of the annual general meeting.

 

9.2           Notice of motion of a resolution under subrule 9.1 shall be in writing in the hands of the Secretary at least twenty eight days before the annual general meeting.

 

9.3           In pursuit of the Club’s objects, no public statement may be made, no decision may be taken, nor any activity engaged in which conflicts with the policy of the WEA nor any activity engaged in which conflicts with the code of the WEA.

 

                                                                                                          As amended 4 June 2011