THE RULES OF COASTAL BARBARIANS ROWING CLUB CIC
Introduction
These are the Rules (‘Rules’) of Coastal Barbarians Rowing Club (the ‘Club’) incorporated on 27 January 2023 as a Community Interest Company Limited by Guarantee.
The Club’s Articles of Association (‘Articles’) is the primary governing document of the Club supplemented by the Rules which deal with the management of the Club and its affairs.
Separate By-laws (‘By-laws ‘) deal with the operation of the Club and its use by Members and visitors.
The Rules and By-laws take effect on 01 March 2023.
Separate Policies and Procedures issued from time to time deal with specific areas of the Club’s operations.
Name: The Club shall be known as Coastal Barbarians Rowing Club CIC hereinafter known as ‘the Club’.
Objectives
The objective of the Club is to carry on activities which benefit the community and in particular (without limitation) the promotion of mixed ability competitive and recreational coastal rowing, and in addition:
- facilitate mixed ability coastal rowing to those with physical and/or mental health conditions, and;
- work to make coastal rowing more inclusive and accessible to the wider community.
As a CIC the Club is a not-for-profit organisation and any profits shall be used in the furtherance of the Club’s objectives.
As a CIC the Club is subject to an asset-lock so that, in the event of dissolution, the Club’s assets may only be distributed to another asset-locked organisation or charity or for the benefit of the community.
Club Membership and Voting Rights
Applicants for membership of the Club must be able to demonstrate an intention to participate actively in, or promote, coastal rowing.
Categories of Membership are defined in Annex A to these Rules consisting of Full Members, who are company law members and entitled to vote at general meetings, and Affiliate Members.
The following are categories of Affiliate Members who are not company law members and therefore not entitled to vote at general meetings:
- Tourist Members
- Junior Tourist Members
- Support Members.
Members who have been temporarily suspended from Membership in accordance with rules shall not be entitled to vote at general meetings.
Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport of rowing, on application, in accordance with the Equal Opportunities Policy (Paragraph 4). However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
Applicants for membership and members renewing their membership, will abide by the Rules and Regulations of the Club and the sport of rowing.
If it is considered by the Club committee that the granting or renewal of membership would be detrimental to the aims and objectives of the Club, by virtue of conduct or character likely to bring the Club or the sport of rowing into disrepute or for some other similar good cause, the Club committee shall be entitled to refuse or withdraw such membership. In doing so the committee shall provide full reasons for their decision and grant a right of appeal to the members.
A person who has been expelled from, or refused membership of, British Rowing shall not be eligible for membership.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
The Club is fully committed to the principles of equality of opportunity and is responsible for ensuring that no member, volunteer, employee or job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, disability, race, ethnic origin, nationality, colour, parental or marital status, pregnancy, religious belief, social status, sexual orientation or political belief.
CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES
The Club accepts the policy and procedures relating to Child Protection and the Protection of Adults at Risk as set out by British Rowing and requires all members to accept them as a condition of membership.
SUBSCRIPTION
The rates of subscription shall be determined by the Committee of the Club and shall be due on the anniversary of becoming members each year.
CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Any member may resign giving one month’s clear notice in writing to the Secretary.
Any member violating any of the rules or regulations of the Club or being adjudged guilty of unsatisfactory conduct may, by resolution of the Committee, be suspended or expelled. Any member so suspended or expelled may appeal to an independent Hearings Panel if such an appeal is approved by a majority of the Officers of the Club. The panel may be drawn from the membership of the Club or from other clubs in the region. The panel will hear and receive evidence, reach a conclusion, affirm or reject the sanctions imposed as appropriate.
Any hearings panel must give a fair and independent hearing to the appellant within an appropriate timescale. Hearings must not contravene the Human Rights Act 1998 or any other policies of the Club and British Rowing.
A member shall be deemed to have resigned from the Club if they have not paid by the annual subscription within one month from the date on which it became due. They may, however, re-join at any time during that year without payment of any entrance fee, subject to the provision of the rules above.
GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
An individual or member with a complaint about treatment by the Club should set out their grievance, in the first instance to the Club Chairman. The Club will seek to deal with complaints in a fair and timely manner, with reference to British Rowing’s Guidelines on Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures in Rowing.
DISQUALIFICATION FROM HOLDING OFFICE
Only members entitled to vote are eligible to hold office.
Any member who is under the age of 18 years, shall not be eligible for election to the Committee of the Club.
COMMITTEE
The Committee shall be formed from the Officers of the Club being Directors of Coastal Barbarians Rowing Club CIC and shall conduct the affairs of the Club in accordance with the Articles of Association and the Rules as a whole and shall consist of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and other Officers as deemed necessary.
Nominations for the position of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and other Officers shall be put forward in the form of a motion under the terms in the section on General meetings.
The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re- election.
DUTIES OF COMMITTEE OFFICERS
Chairman: The Chairman (or Chair) will preside at all General meetings of the Club and at all meetings of the Committee and shall be responsible for guiding the activities of the club in accordance with its general policy as expressed by the majority of its members. The Chairman shall represent or arrange for the representation of the Club at British Rowing regional level and at meetings of other organisations. The Chairman shall ex officio be a member of any other committee of the Club.
Captain: The Captain will be responsible for training, coaching and representation of the Club in competitions.
Secretary: The Secretary will be responsible for the organisation of meetings of the Committee and of the Club, and the recording of minutes relating to such meetings and all correspondence relating to the general business of the Club.
Treasurer: The Treasurer will be responsible for the collection and disbursement of all monies belonging to the Club and will keep proper accounting records of all such transactions. He or she will present to the members at the AGM a balance sheet and income and expenditure account showing the Club’s financial position and the results of its transactions for the year. The transactions of the Club will be conducted through a bank account and will require the signatures of a minimum of 2 Officers of the Club who have been designated for the purpose.
CLUB COMMITTEE
The Committee is responsible for the general conduct of the Club’s business and activities.
The Committee shall meet at regular intervals during the year, as required by the business to be transacted.
Special meetings of the Committee shall be called by the Secretary on instructions from the Chairman, or not less than three committee members.
A quorum shall consist of not less than two Officers of the Club
In the case of casual vacancy among the Committee, the said Committee shall be entitled to appoint another eligible person to act until the next AGM.
The Committee and individual committee members should act according to high ethical standards and ensure that conflicts of interest are properly dealt with.
GENERAL MEETINGS
An Annual General Meeting shall be held in the Autumn of each year. There shall be laid before the meeting a statement of accounts made up to the 31st day of the month of March immediately preceding.
A Special General Meeting shall be called on the instructions of a simple majority of the Committee, or if required to do so by the members under the Companies Acts.
Not less than 14 days clear notice shall be given, specifying to all members the time and business of the General Meeting.
Motions for discussion at Annual General Meetings not of origin from within the Committee, shall be lodged with the Secretary at least 30 days preceding the AGM, and be signed by a majority of members entitled to vote.
At any General Meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the Meeting shall be decided by a show of hands, of those entitled to vote, except when more than one nomination has been received for a position on the Committee, in which case voting will be by secret ballot.
At all General Meetings the Chairman will preside or, in his/her absence, a Chairman for the meeting will be elected by the voting members present.
At all General Meetings not less than 3 in number of members of the Club entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum.
Absences of Quorum: If after half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, a quorum is not present, the Meeting, if called at the request of the members, shall be dissolved. In any other case, the Meeting shall be adjourned until a time and place to be fixed by the Committee. If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for an Adjourned Meeting, the members present shall be a quorum.
Accidental Omission: Accidental Omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of, a meeting by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of a meeting.
LIABILITY
The General Committee shall manage the affairs of the Club. Financial or legal liability incurred in the rightful exercise of their office shall not, however, be the personal liability of the Committee, but shall be the responsibility of the Club as a whole. The Committee should ensure that adequate and appropriate public or preferably civil liability insurance is in place to cover all the activities of the club, its committee and members.
ALTERATION OF RULES
These Rules shall not be altered, amended or rescinded except by a General Meeting of the Club.
A resolution to give effect to a change must be passed by at least 75% of the members entitled to vote present at the General Meeting.
AUDITOR
Every Annual General Meeting shall appoint an Auditor who shall at the conclusion of the next financial year examine the accounting records of the Club, and report to the members on the income and expenditure accounts and balance sheet that are presented to the next AGM.
TERMINATION
The Club shall not terminate except by a resolution of a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose and, in such an event, any surplus assets shall be handed over to a nominated Community Interest Company or in conjunction with the Regulator.
POWER OF DECISION
Any matter not provided for in this constitution, or any question over the interpretation of it shall be dealt with by the Committee whose decision shall be final.
SAFETY
The Officers and Committee have primary responsibility for safe practice within the Club and for observing guidance of water safety issued by British Rowing and through Rowsafe.
ANNEX A
CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP
Full Member – A director of Coastal Barbarians Rowing Club CIC, either an active rower or non-rower.
Tourist Member – Active rower aged 18 years and over, participating in Coastal Barbarians’ training, competitive and/or recreational rowing activities. When members are rowing independently or with other clubs the Coastal Barbarians Rowing Club CIC is not responsible for the member.
Junior Tourist Member – Active rower between the age of 14 and 18 years on the start date of their membership, participating in Coastal Barbarians’ training, competitive and/or recreational rowing activities. This class of member will only be permitted to row on water when at least one parent or guardian of the rower is present. When members are rowing independently or with other clubs the Coastal Barbarians Rowing Club CIC is not responsible for the member.
Support Member – Aged 18 years and over not having access to the Club’s boats and/or training equipment but actively participating and supporting the Club’s onshore activities in a voluntary capacity.