Constitution

1. The name of the club shall be Swans swimming Club (St Neots) and the club colours shall be light blue and dark blue.

2. The club headquarters shall be St Neots indoor pool, Barford Road, Eynesbury, St Neots, Cambs PE19 2SA.

3. Objects of the club shall be to promote the teaching and practice of swimming.

4. ASA rules. The club shall be affiliated to the Amateur Swimming Association, Midland District and such other bodies as the committee shall decide.

5. Officer and Committee. The club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the officers as defined in clause 6 and at least 5 other senior members elected at the Annual General Meeting (maximum of 13). Not more than one member from each family may be a committee member at any one time. The quorum shall be 5 with at least 1 officer present. The committee shall meet monthly or at such other times as the Chairman, in consultation with the secretary, may deem necessary. The committee may appoint a Special Committee for a special purpose, with or without power to act. The committee shall have power to make regulations and bye-laws provided they do not conflict with this constitution or laws of the Amateur swimming association and to settle disputed points not otherwise provided for by this constitution.

6. The Annual general meeting shall be held in November each year on a date fixed by the committee when the officers shall be elected, and the audited accounts of the club and the Committee’s report of the preceding year’s activities shall be presented. Officers comprise the Chairman, secretary and treasurer. A special General Meeting shall be held at the request of a majority of the Committee or within 28 days after the receipt by the secretary of a written request from at least 10 senior members, and only matters of which notice is given in the request shall be dealt with at that meeting. Notice of a General Meeting shall be given to each member entitled to vote either by personal service or by sending the same to the member by post addressed to such address as the member may supply for such purpose. It shall be given not later than 14 days before the date of meeting, and shall include the date, time and venue set for the meeting, and shall include the agenda. A prominent announcement of the date, time and venue set for the meeting shall be displayed at the club headquarters at least 14 days before the meeting. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 20 senior members and only senior members may vote, except that juniors may vote on matters concerning only juniors, when permission to do so is given by the Committee.

7. Voting. The results of voting shall be determined by a simple majority of the members present and entitled to vote and actually voting, except that changes to the constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of such members. The chairman of any meeting sall have the right to vote on each motion and in the event of an equality of votes shall have the deciding or casting vote.

8. The financial year shall end on 30^th September in each year and accounts for that year shall be prepared and audited. They shall include an accurate statement of the number of club members in all classes. An auditor shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

9. Membership. There shall be the following classes of membership of the club: Senior – for those who have attained 16 or more by the date of the AGM. Junior – for those below the are required for senior membership. Applications for membership shall be made annually in writing to the club secretary on the club’s membership application form, accompanied by the appropriate joining fee and/or subscription. The Committee may at its discretion accept or reject an application for membership.

10. Joining fee and subscription. Amounts shall be fixed by the Committee from time to time and published. Subscriptions for any year shall be due on 1^st January of that year and the latest date for payment shall be 31^st January. A person who has not paid the subscription by 31^st January shall be deemed to have allowed his membership of the club to lapse from that date and shall no longer be allowed to participate in any club activity as a member provided that the Committee may permit resumption of membership by payment of a further joining fee and the subscription for the current year.

11. Eligibility to compete. The competing members must be eligible to compete in accordance with the laws of the ASA and shall not compete against persons ineligible to compete except in Masters competitions, and/or lifesaving competitions approved by the ASA.

12. Club championships. The committee may provide such club championships and competitions as are considered necessary, and shall have power to draw up conditions and rules relating to them and to vary such considerations and rules from time to time as it thinks fit. Any such varied condition or rule shall remain in force for at least a year.

13. Club funds. Funds and other property of the club shall not be paid or distributed among the members but shall be applied towards the furtherance of the club’s object or for any charitable purpose, provided that the payment may be made a) at normal reasonable rates or in reasonable amounts for services rendered to or goods applied to the club, or b) as or for the purpose of awards or c) for the expenses of members in accordance with ASA law. In the event of dissolution of the club the funds and other property then remaining shall be devoted to objects similar to those of the club.

14. Offences. If a member behaves in a manner which is considered to endanger the safety of the member himself or another member, the officers may suspend him summarily and order him to appear before the Committee. If he is a junior member under the age of 16 his parent or guardian or other adult representative may appear with him. Except in th case of an alleged offence to which ASA law applies or is applied, the Committee may expel any member whose conduct, in their opinion, renders him unfit for membership of the club. The secretary shall send the member particulars of the complaint against him and at least seven days notice to attend a meeting of the Committee at which he (or, if he is a junior member under the age of 17, his parent or guardian or other representative appearing with him) shall have the opportunity of justifying or explaining his conduct. The member may not be expelled unless at least two-thirds of the Committee present vote in favour of his expulsion. An expelled member shall forfeit all the privileges of membership and all rights against the club and any individual member thereof. A member’s rights of appeal against a decision of the Committee are not affected by these rules.

15. Disclaimer. Whilst the Committee will do everything in its powers to ensure the safety, comfort and convenience of members, it accepts no responsibility for any accident, loss or injury to members or visitors. Members swim at their own risk and acceptance of membership shall be evidence of agreement to this effect.

Swans Swimming Club revised constitution November 1994