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Constitution – Spa Riders Motor Cycle Club (MCC)

Definitions for the purposes of this constitution:
1. Member: The term Member refers to any Original, Rider or Social member, as defined below, of Spa Riders MCC [hereafter, also known as The Club] who is a 'Patched' member of The Club and is up-to-date with his or her dues or who enjoys Honorary member status.

2. Officer: The term Officer refers to any Member of Spa Riders MCC who fulfils a steering roll within The Club. Officers direct but also serve The Club. Officer posts are: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Events Secretary.

3. Quorum: A quorum shall be said to exist at any full meeting of Spa Riders MCC where there are 4 or more Members and two or more Officers present (one of whom must be the President or Vice President).

4. The Membership: refers to the will of the majority of Spa Riders MCC Members.

5. Honorary membership is conferred on individuals by The Membership. Proposed by a Member and ratified by a vote at a Club meeting where a quorum is in force. It does not depend on dues paid and does not laps but can be reascended by an Officer of The Club, ratified at the next Club meeting where a quorum is in force.

6. Original: The term Original applies to Members who were part of the original membership of Spa Riders MCC, prior to it disbanding for a while, and who are now Members of the re-formed Spa Riders MCC.

7. Rider: The term Rider applies to Members who have a motorcycle licence, whether full or provisional, and who intend to ride with The Club. NB If the licence is provisional the Member must have a current CBT.

8. Social: The term Social refers to Members who do not have a motorcycle licence and engage with The Club on a social basis. Social members must have an interest in motorcycles and be prepared to ride pillion.

9. Prospect: The term Prospect refers to a prospective member of Spa Riders MCC. Persons who apply for membership will normally be asked to prospect for The Club. A Prospect may become a Member once The Membership conclude that he/she is suitable for membership - ratified at a Club meeting where a quorum is in force. NB Spa Riders MCC does not treat Prospects any differently from full members. Prospect status is simply a probationary period to make sure that prospective members get on with the rest of the club.

10. Patch: The term Patch refers to the circular, embroidered, cloth badge denoting membership of Spa Riders MCC and the oblong, embroidered, 'strip' badges denoting an Officer post.
NB Patches remain the property of Spa Riders MCC, at all times, and MUST be returned to The Club if a Member leaves, regardless of the reason for leaving. Click here to see the Patches and Officer posts.

General Aims
1. Spa Riders MCC was formed to provide a platform for Members, and their partners, to pursue a Biker orientated lifestyle, ride motorcycles with Club Members and meet socially with Club Members.

2. Spa Riders MCC exists to encourage mutual support and brotherhood/sisterhood between Members.

3. Spa Riders MCC also exists to further The Memberships' stated aims and wishes, with regard to such things as raising the profile of Biking generally and raising money for charitable causes.

Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Emergency General Meeting (EGM)
1. Spa Riders MCC will have an AGM once per year (usually between January 1st and March 31st). At the AGM all Officer posts will be reviewed. Any member in good standing may request an existing Officer post, if the current post-holder does not wish to relinquish the post then there will be an election. Each member in good standing who is present at the AGM may cast a vote in a secret ballot. The candidate with the most votes assumes the Officer post for the coming year. Club fees for the coming year will be reviewed at the AGM. Club events will be discussed and fixed runs set.

2. Any member may request an EGM. For an EGM to be called either two or more Officers or a majority of Members must elect to hold an EGM.

3. An EGM may cover any business covered at the AGM or any other matters of importance to the club. An EGM does not take the place of the next AGM unless this is voted for, and passed, at the EGM.

Membership
1. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

2. Applicants may become Members of Spa Riders MCC at the discretion of Club Officers, ratified by a vote at the next Club meeting where a quorum is in force. Applicants will usually be required to Prospect for The Club (as described above) unless the applicant is well known to the majority of Members and The Membership agree to waive the requirement to Prospect. Upon being granted membership, or Prospect status, the applicant must pay Club fees, or a proportion thereof, decided by the Officers. Prospective members may ride with The Club, attend Club socials and events, attend club meetings (including the AGM or any EGM called), but may not vote on any motion or in the election of Officers. Prospective members may not stand for Officer posts. In all other respects prospective members will be treated in the same way as full members of The Club.

3. Membership shall be regarded as a privilege, not a right, and is reliant on the individual Member complying with the conditions laid out in this constitution and remaining up-to-date with Club fees.

Benefits of Membership
1. Members shall be entitled to attend any event staged by Spa Riders MCC except Officers meetings, which are open to Members by invitation only. Note: members may request an invitation to an Officers meeting.

2. Members shall be entitled to join any Club ride-out or Run, subject to them having access to a suitable motorcycle or trike or being able to secure a pillion ride on a suitable motorcycle or trike.

3. Members shall be eligible to vote at any meeting, other than Officer's meetings, of Spa Riders MCC.

4. Members shall have access to the Members only section of the Spa Riders MCC Web site, subject to them providing a valid email address.

5. Members shall have access to the Members only Slack account, subject to them providing a valid email address.

6. Members shall be eligible to apply to become an Officer of The Club at the AGM, or if a post becomes available, ratified by a vote at a Club meeting where a quorum is in force.

Club Fees
1. Individual Members shall be subject to a fee of £10 per year, payable to the Spa Riders MCC fund. NB Club fees may be reviewed annually at the AGM.

2. Membership fees are due annually on the first of April each year and must be paid in full by no later than 30th April. Members still in arrears after 30th April will be marked as ex-Members and must make application to The Club if they wish to be reinstated. Upon being reinstated the Member must pay all arrears.

Conditions of Membership
1. Members shall be obliged to abide by this constitution and any by-laws subsequently added by The Officers and ratified by The Membership at a Club meeting where a quorum is in force.

2. Members shall not behave in such a way that, in the view of The Membership, is likely to bring The Club into disrepute.

3. Members shall not make any statement to the press, mass-media or through any form of Social Media that, in the view of The Membership, is likely to bring The Club into disrepute.

4. Members shall not share login details, or allow unsupervised access, to the Members only section of the Spa Riders MCC Web site to any non-Member.

5. Members shall not share login details, or allow access, to the Members only Slack account to any non-Member.

6. Members who are not Officers of Spa Riders MCC must NOT incur any financial liability, on behalf of Spa Riders MCC, without written permission signed by two or more Club Officers.

Disciplinary Procedures
1. In the event of a serious transgression of this constitution; Officers have the right to immediately suspend the errant Member, pending an investigation by Spa Riders MCC. Officers have the right to immediately confiscate the Patches of the Member in transgression, if this is deemed necessary. Such action in no way implies that the Member in transgression is culpable, the final decision is with The Membership.

2. Transgressions of this constitution shall be investigated by a team composed of a minimum of 3 Officers and 3 Members; who shall impartially investigate the transgression and recommend what action, if any, should be taken by The Membership. The Membership will make the final decision, at a meeting where a quorum is in force.
NB The member in transgression shall be given notice of the recommendations which the investigating team will make to The Membership at least 7 days before the next meeting.

3. The Member in transgression shall have the right to appeal, personally, to the President, within 7 days, if he or she is unhappy with the recommendations of the investigating team (unless the President is acting as part of the team). The President may, at his/her discretion, require the investigating team to reconsider their findings and consider further recommendations, the recommendations will then be presented to The Membership. The Membership's decision is final.

Penalties:
The investigating team shall have the right to recommend; expulsion [from The Club], exclusion [from Club events], suspension [from The Club], suspension [from Club events], or any combination of the above, or, in certain circumstances and subject to the full agreement of the Member in transgression, the setting of tasks to be fulfilled in order to set aside the said transgression.