Club Constitution

The club constitution was adopted in 2019:

LETCHWORTH & HITCHIN CHESS CLUB CONSTITUTION

1. NAME
   The organisation shall be named Letchworth & Hitchin Chess Club.
2. OBJECT
   The object of the club shall be to encourage the study and playing of chess in
   the Letchworth, Hitchin and Baldock areas, including surrounding villages.
3. COMMITTEE
   a. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB The club shall be managed by an
   Executive Committee consisting of a Chairman, a Secretary, a
   Treasurer and such other members as may be elected each year at the
   AGM.
   b. QUORUM A quorum at an Executive Committee meeting shall be three
   c. MAJORITY Decisions shall be made by a simple majority of those
   voting. In the event of a tie the Chairman shall have a second and
   casting vote
4. YEAR
   The Club’s year shall run from 1st June to 31st May in the following calendar
   year
5. MEMBERSHIP
   a. A person becomes a member upon payment of the appropriate rate of
   subscription (and any payment required to ECF) subject always to the
   right of the Executive Committee to refuse membership without giving
   any reason.
   b. Any existing member who has not renewed his/ her subscription by 1st
   December shall cease to be eligible to play ECF registered games for
   the club unless an adequate reason has been received and accepted
   by the Executive Committee.
6. FINANCES
   a. The Treasurer shall keep proper records of the Club’s financial affairs
   and shall diligently safeguard the financial assets of the Club.
   b. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are individually authorised to
   approve expenditure and to make payments from the Club bank
   account.
   c. The Chairman and Secretary are authorised: to examine the financial
   records during the year; to review the annual accounts prior to the
   AGM; and to have access to the bank records.
   d. No member shall incur any expense which has not been specifically
   authorised by the committee.
   e. The Treasurer shall not operate any Bank, Building Society, Post Office
   or other account in overdraft and shall promptly report any significant
   deterioration in the Club’s financial position to the committee.
7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
   a. DATE THEREOF The Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting each
   calendar year on a date (to be nominated by the Executive Committee)
   which shall be no more than fifteen calendar months later than the date
   of the previous Annual General Meeting.
   b. NOTICE The Secretary shall give each member at least 14 days’
   notice in the writing (which includes e-mail) of the date and place of the
   Annual General Meeting.
   c. BUSINESS The Annual General Meeting shall consider the following
   business:
   Reports from Club Officials:
    President,
    Chairman,
    Match Captains,
    Equipment Officer,
    Secretary, including an explanation of any rule changes from the
   English Chess Federation (ECF) or Hertfordshire Chess
   Association (HCA)
    Treasurer – including but not limited to:
    a written statement of accounts
    a summary of ECF registrations
    recommendations for the rate of subscription and the
   date that any change thereof shall be effective from.
    Such other reports and business as the Executive Committee
   shall deem appropriate.
    Such other business as is communicated in writing to the
   Secretary no later than seven days prior to the Meeting.
    The presentation of trophies and prizes
    The election of a President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and
   any other Executive Committee members.
   d. A quorum at an Annual General Meeting shall be six members.
   e. A simple majority of those voting shall be sufficient for the
   passing of a resolution at an Annual General Meeting. In the event of a
   tie the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote.
   f. Officers elected shall take office immediately after the Annual
   General Meeting.
8. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
   The Executive Committee may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting at
   any time to consider urgent business, and must do so if such is requested in
   writing (including e-mail) by at least six members.
9. ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
   This constitution shall only be altered by a resolution of a General Meeting
   duly passed by a simple majority of members of the Club.
10. WINDING UP
    In the event of the Club being wound up, all the assets of the club, financial or
    otherwise shall be transferred to the HCA to be held in trust until the club is
    reconstituted. Should the Club not be reconstituted within a period of 10
    years, the HCA shall be free to use the transferred assets as they see fit.
    The above constitution was approved at the Annual General Meeting of the Club on
    16th September 2019