Constitution

As amended at the Annual General Meetings of November 1980 and 2001 and the Extraordinary General meetings of July 1981 and October 1991.

1. The Club

• The Club shall be known as 'Allington Castle Archers'.
• The object of the Club shall be to promote archery.
• The Club shall be affiliated to the Kent Archery Association, the Southern Counties Archery Society and the Grand National Archery Society and shall abide by the Rules and Constitution of the GNAS.

2. Membership

• The classes of membership shall be - Senior, Junior, Honorary, Associate and Social.
• • Junior members shall be those under the age of 18 who must be accompanied by a Senior Archer and Parent or guardian when shooting.
  • Honorary members shall be those members proposed as such after meritorious service to the Club and agreed by open vote at an AGM. Honorary membership to be held for FIVE years and then reviewed at an AGM. Renewal to be subject to an open vote.
  • Associate members of ACA shall be those associated with the Club for shooting and other supporting activities but without voting rights. Associate members are not eligible to compete for internal ACA Trophies.
  • Social members of ACA shall be those persons paying a social member's fee, for social and other supporting activities but without shooting or voting rights.
• All applications for membership shall be considered by the Committee and approved or not according to the current circumstances.
• The Committee shall have the power to expel from the Club any member who commits a gross Breach of the safety regulations or who persists in objectionable conduct, bringing the Club in to disrepute. The Committee's decision in this matter shall be final unless revoked by due resolution at an Annual General Meeting.

3. President and Vice-President

• The Club may elect a president annually.
• Vice-Presidents may be persons whom it is felt have given exceptional service to the Club. Their number may be unlimited. They shall be elected by vote at an Annual General Meeting.

4. Fees

• Membership fees shall be as voted at the AGM.
• An initial payment shall be made before a new member commences shooting at any Introductory lessons, monies received to be kept purely for the upkeep of the training equipment.
  After no more than 5 such lessons the membership fee shall be paid for that year.
• • Membership fees are due annually by the 1st March, any member not paid up by the 1st April shall lose the privileges of a member until arrears are paid.
  • Affiliation fees are due annually for payment to the Kent Archery Association by the 1st October. Paid-up members shall be affiliated to GNAS, SCAS, and KAA. Failure to pay fees by the due date will result in the loss of shooting rights until the due amount is paid.
• Individual competition fees shall be paid by the competitors concerned. Club team fees may be paid by the Club from funds at the Committee's discretion.
• With exception of inter-club matches, friendly matches and club organised tournaments, visiting archers affiliated to GNAS may shoot at the Club range only by invitation of a full Senior member of the Club, that member being responsible for their conduct and payment of a target fee to be reviewed annually.

5. Committee

• The business of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee consisting of no less than a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Records Officer and a Captain. A Junior Representative shall be elected if the number of Junior members warrants it. Further Officers may be elected as found desirable from time to time. The size of the Committee shall be kept under review and all members elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
• No less than 5 members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
• The Chairman shall not hold office for a period exceeding 3 years and after such time shall Not be eligible for a further 3 years.
• The retiring Chairman shall be an ex-officio member of the Committee for the following year.
• Vacancies occurring in the elected Committee during any one year may be filled by members co-opted by the Committee.
• Additional members may be co-opted for specific purposes as the elected Committee consider necessary, the duration of the co-option to be limited to the duty concerned and to expire at the next AGM at the latest.
• Sub-committees may be formed for specific purposes and shall be disbanded on conclusion or otherwise as determined by the Committee. Reports on progress should be made to the Committee.

6. Bye-Laws

The Committee may make bye-laws relevant to the day-to-day administration of the Club at any time. Any new Bye-law must be promulgated in writing to all members before it can be considered in force.

7. Finance

• An assessed statement of accounts shall be submitted for approval at the AGM having been published at least 10 days earlier.
• Two assessors, who are not Committee members, shall be appointed at the AGM to carry out their duty for the following year.
• Books shall be closed for assessment 4 weeks prior to the AGM.

8. The Annual General Meeting

• The AGM shall be held in November of each year. Notice of date and venue shall be sent to all members at least 1 month before the date of the meeting. Any propositions (under item 17 of the agenda) should be sent to the Secretary at least 3 weeks before the meeting. The agenda shall be sent to all members at least 10 days before the meeting.
• The following business shall be conducted at the AGM:
  • Apologies.
  • Minutes of the last AGM and/or Special GM.
  • Matters arising from the Minutes.
  • Chairman's Report.
  • Secretary's Report.
  • Treasurer's Report, Assessors' Report and annual statement of accounts.
  • Matters arising from the Statement of Accounts.
  • Record Officer's Report.
  • Captain's Report.
  • Range and Equipment Officer's Report.
  • Social Secretary's Report.
  • Junior Representative's Report.
  • Instatement of President, and election of Vice-Presidents.
  • Election of Chairman.
  • Election of Committee and Officers.
  • Election of Assessors.
  • Propositions previously circulated.
  • Any other business.
  • Date of next meeting.
• A Special General Meeting may be called at any time if at least 10 memebers or the Committee so request; the request must state the reason and be given in writing to the Secretary.
• Voting at any meeting shall be by show of hands or ballot at the discretion of the Chairman. The Chairman shall have a second (casting) vote, when necessary. Juniors under 18 may only vote to elect their own representative who shall have 1 vote at any meeting.
• Minutes shall be taken at all general and committee meetings and kept until such time as their disposal shall by agreed at an AGM.

9. Awards

An end-of-session social function should be held each year at which trophies and prizes for the year will be awarded.

10. Insurance

All archers must be covered for Public Liability Insurance during shooting, by affiliation to the GNAS.

11. Property

The responsibility for the Club's property shall be vested in the Committee but may be delegated from time to time. In the event of the Club winding up, sufficient property may be converted to cash to clear outstanding debts. The remainder shall be disposed of at the discretion of the Committee.

12. Revisions

The Consitution can be revised only at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.