Constitution of the CARMARTHENSHIRE MASTERS SWIMMING CLUB 1. NAME The club shall be called "Carmarthenshire Masters Swimming Club".

2. OBJECTIVES The object of the club shall be to promote, foster and encourage swimming, whether it be recreational, or competitive. 3. CLUB COLOURS The club colours shall be royal blue and gold. 4. AFFILIATIONS
(a) The club shall be affiliated to Swim Wales and shall abide by the rules and

constitution thereof and shall affiliate to such additional relevant organisations as the Management Committee of the club shall approve and which shall have the agreement of Swim Wales.
(b) The club shall advise all its members upon acceptance of their membership of

the names of such organisations to which the club has or intends to affiliate in accordance with 4 (a) above. 5. COMPETING MEMBERS Competing members of the club shall be open to all persons subject to the approval of the club Management Committee. 6. MEMBERSHIP
(a) Membership of the club shall be open to all persons subject to the approval of

the club Management Committee.

(b) The club shall be required to affiliate all members to Swim Wales. (c) The annual membership club joining and session fees shall be reviewed

annually by the Management Committee and shall be confirmed at the AGM or EGM.
(d) Swim Wales membership fee shall be due on the first day of April in each

year and shall be paid before April 30th in each year. Non payment by any member of Swim Wales membership fee by April 30th shall cause their membership to lapse and such a member shall not be permitted to take part in any club activity whether competitive or not.
CMMY Constitution May 2013

Any person applying for membership of the club shall submit their application on an official form issued by the club.
(e)

All members shall be bound by the rules and constitution of Swim Wales and of the club as are in force at the appropriate time.
(f)

(g) Any member wishing to resign from the club shall give one month's notice in writing to the Secretary and shall discharge all liabilities to the club within that period. The Management Committee shall have the discretion to waive such notice if deemed to be in the interests of the club. (h) Only members aged 19 years or over shall be entitled to vote. 7. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB Management of the club shall be vested in a committee known as the Management Committee which will comprise of the following committee members:(a)

Chairman Secretary Treasurer Members, the number of which will be decided by the Management Committee. The Management may co-opt on to the Committee such additional persons as it thinks fit.
(b) (c) (d)

All technical matters shall be the responsibility of the coaching staff.

It shall be the club's policy for one person only to hold one office when elected at the AGM. If posts are vacant after election of officers it shall be at the discretion of the newly appointed Management Committee to allow a person to hold more than one office during that term.
(e) All members of the Management Committee shall be appointed annually at the

AGM.
(f)

Should a vacancy occur within the Management Committee during any year, the Committee shall have power to re-appoint to that position.
(g) The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint to the position of

Chief Coach a suitably qualified person as and when appropriate.

(h)

The Management Committee shall have the right to appoint sub-committees as required and to define their terms of reference.

CMMY Constitution May 2013

8.

OFFICERS OF THE CLUB

(a) The officers of the club are the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. (b) The officers of the club shall be ex-officio members of any sub-committee.

9.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) (a) The Annual General Meeting of the club shall be held within 2 months of the end of the club's financial year which shall run from April 1st to March 31st and shall transact the following business:1. Approval of the minutes of the last AGM. 2. Adoption of annual reports of officers and sub-committees. 3. Appointment of 2 scrutineers from the floor. 4. Election of officers and Management Committee. 5. Election of Honorary Auditor. 6. Consideration of any notices of motion, due notice of which have been given.

(b) Preliminary notice of the AGM, listing posts for which nominations are required, shall be given two months before the date of the AGM. (c) Nominations for office and motions for inclusion in the agenda must be received by the Secretary not less than 28 days before the date of the AGM. (d) All nominations shall be proposed and seconded by voting members of the club and shall be signed by the person nominated. (e) Notice convening the meeting shall be published to all officers and members at least 21 days before the AGM. (f) Any amendment to motions shall be sent to the Secretary at least 7 days before the AGM.

All voting shall be in the first instance by a show of hands. At the discretion of the person presiding a ballot may be taken and 2 scrutineers should be nominated from the floor.
(g)

No alterations or additions to the constitution or rules shall be made except at an AGM or EGM.
(h)

A quorum for the AGM shall be the lesser of 20% or 10 club members eligible to vote at the date of the AGM.
(i)

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10.

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING An extra-ordinary general meeting of the club shall be summoned at any time by the Management Committee or by not less than 10 voting members of the club.
(a)

Not less than 14 days notice of such a meeting shall be given to officers and members entitled to attend and notice of such meetings and agenda shall be fixed to a notice board at each pool or posted to all members at least 14 days prior to the meeting, stating reason for meeting.
(b) (c) (d)

No other business shall be transacted at such a meeting.

A quorum for an extra-ordinary general meeting shall be the lesser of 20% or 10 club members eligible to vote at the date of the EGM. All voting shall be in the first instance by a show of hands. At the discretion of the person presiding a ballot may be taken, 2 scruntineers will be nominated from the floor.
(e)

If the Management Committee does not proceed to convene an extra-ordinary general meeting within 4 weeks of the date of receipt of the requisition by the 10 or more voting members, any meeting convened must be held within 3 months of the said date of deposit of the requisition.
(f)

11.

VOTING Voting at meetings shall normally be by a show of hands. The person presiding shall have the discretion to call a ballot if appropriate.

12.

CO MMIT T E E ME E T INGS
(a) (b)

Committee meetings will be held not less than twice a year.

A quorum for committee meetings shall be 50% of the voting committee members of which at least 2 must be officers. (c) Any committee member absent from three consecutive meetings without a reasonable cause shall be removed from his/her position immediately and shall not be entitled to stand for re-election until the second AGM after removal from office. 13. E ME RGE NCY ME E T INGS In the case of unforeseen circumstances when a full committee may not be available, an Emergency Committee may sit to decide urgent business.
(a)

The Emergency Committee should comprise of 2 officers and three voting members presiding on the Management Committee.
(b)

CMMY Constitution May 2013

After a sitting of the Emergency Committee, a Management Committee shall be convened at the earliest possible opportunity, not later than one month from the date of the Emergency Committee meeting.
(c)

14.

FINANCE The financial year shall end on March 31st and an audited statement of account up to and including this date shall be presented at the AGM of the club. The club's accounts shall be forwarded to Swim Wales.
(a)

The funds of the club shall be lodged at a bank or building society in the name of the club or any other method of investment approved by the Management Committee. All cheques, drafts etc, drawn on these accounts shall be signed by the Treasurer and either the Chairman or Secretary.
(b)

In the event of the club ceasing to exist, any assets at the time of dissolution shall be managed by Swim Wales and shall be applied towards the furtherance of the club's objectives or devoted to objects similar to those of the club. The assets shall be applied by the association towards the objects of the association or for such other purposes approved by the commissioners of Customs and Excise.
(c)

15.

EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS (a) Any document, deed or contract entered into by the club after prior approval of the Committee shall be signed by 2 of the officers of the club.

16.

DISCIPLINE (a) The Management Committee shall have the power to set up a Disciplinary Committee of 5 mixed sex voting members of the club, and at least 1 member from the Management Committee to hear any complaint against any member of the club for conduct deemed to be detrimental to the club. The Committee shall have the power to fine, give written warning, suspend membership and expel, subject to ratification by the Management Committee. All parties shall be notified not later than 7 days from the date of the hearing in writing of the decision. (b) Any club member against which a disciplinary charge has been made shall have the right to have 1 other member of the club present with them at the hearing, such additional members shall have the right to speak.
(c) Any complaint shall be made to the Secretary of the club not later than 7 days

after the incident giving rise to the complaint arises. Full details of the complaint must be given by the Secretary to the member against who the complaint is being made as soon as possible after the receipt of the complaint but not later than 7 days.
CMMY Constitution May 2013

(d) The Disciplinary Committee shall meet as soon as is practicable and not later

than 21 days after the complaint is received.

(e) The Disciplinary Committee shall have power to hear evidence either orally or

by written statement.
(f)

Any evidence produced by way of a written statement shall be served by the party producing such evidence on the Committee Secretary and other party to the complaint not less than 7 days before the date fixed for the hearing. 17. APPEALS AS A RESULT OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION
(a) Any member found guilty by the Disciplinary Committee shall have the

right to appeal to the Management Committee of the club within 21 days of receiving notice of the decision of the Disciplinary Committee. The Management Committee shall within 7 days of receiving such notice set up an Appeals Committee which shall consist of 7 members of the club who shall be independent of the Disciplinary Committee and shall be chaired by a representative of the area applicable to the club. Any member whose appeal is not upheld should have a final right of appeal to Swim Wales in accordance with the Association's appeals procedure by giving notice to the Hon. General Secretary of Swim Wales within 14 days of receiving in writing the decision of the Appeals Committee. The club Secretary will be required within 14 days of being notified by the Hon. General Secretary to submit all relevant papers and evidence.
(b)

Pending the hearing of an appeal the sentence imposed by the Disciplinary Committee shall be suspended. 18. CLEANLINESS Cleanliness standards of club members shall be to the satisfaction of the Committee or any relevant bodies and/or authorities. 19. INSURANCE (a) The club and all members affiliated to Swim Wales shall be covered by the Swim Wales insurance scheme, details of which may be obtained from the club Secretary. (b) The club shall be responsible for ensuring that it is adequately insured for all activities undertaken by the club and all assets held by, or on behalf of the club. 20. SAFETY
(a) The club recognises that the safety of all members must be a primary club

objective and will take all reasonable steps to ensure safety as far as possible.
(b) It is the responsibility of each individual member to ensure that they do not

participate in Masters Swimming activities if a medical condition makes it

CMMY Constitution May 2013

inadvisable.
(c) The club shall comply with such Health and Safety legislation and Swim

Wales rules as is applicable and in force from time to time.

CMMY Constitution May 2013