The Constitution

1.     Title

1.1    The title of the Club shall be Sovereign Caravan Club hereinafter referred to as the Club.

2.     Aims of the Club shall be to:

2.1    Promote good fellowship amongst all its members and their families.

2.2    Organise events of interest to its members.   All rallies to be run by and for Sovereign Caravan Club.

2.3    To maintain an effective liaison for the benefit of the members of the Club.

3.     Membership

3.1    Membership shall be open to bona-fide owners of touring caravans.   If a member ceases to be the owner of a touring caravan, unless he/she is in the process of changing the caravan and is temporarily without one, his/her membership shall cease at that time and no part of the annual subscription refunded.

3.2    Applications for membership shall be by means of a form prescribed by the Committee giving such information as may be required.   The Committee shall have the power to refuse membership without explanation or reason.

3.3    The membership year shall run from 1st January to 31st December.

3.4    Subscriptions shall be due on 1 January each year and not later than 1 March.   New members joining after 30 September will receive membership for up to 15 months, i.e. to 31st December in the following year.

3.5    All details of membership will be maintained by the membership officer to whom any enquiries on membership should be addressed.   Notice of change of membership details must be given to the membership officer.

3.6    Membership may be withdrawn at the discretion of the Committee.   The member will have the right of appeal and to appear before the Committee to state their case for continuation of membership.

3.7    When holding rallies under the Club’s paragraph 6 Exemption Certificate, only full members of the Club may attend.   Membership must have been granted in advance of attendance at any event.   Membership must be for a longer period than that associated with only one event.

3.8    All members and their guests shall adhere to the Club Rules and Code of Conduct.

4.1    The affairs of the Club shall be administered by the Committee in accordance with the terms of this Constitution.

4.2    The property, assets and income of the Club shall be applied solely for the benefit of the Club and its members, or for the purpose of donations to charity as decided at the A.G.M., or an E.G.M, by the members.

4.3    Management of the Club shall be under the overall control of a Committee elected from the membership by the members at each A.G.M.   The Committee shall comprise of three Officers: a Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer with up to three other general Committee Members.   The Committee shall not comprise members of the same family, that is husband and wife, or partners, although different generations of the same family are acceptable.   All members of the Committee will serve a term of one year but may stand for re-election.   Committee Members to stand in their elected post for a maximum of five years.   Then to apply for different Committee position or come off Committee.   Any member wishing to be nominated for a Committee position at an A.G.M. shall have attended at least four rallies with the Club in the previous twelve months.

4.4    All money in the name of the Club shall be deposited in a bank approved by the A.G.M. or E.G.M. in the name of the Sovereign Caravan Club.   The Committee will authorise three Committee Members as signatories for banking purposes.   Any two of the three designated (signatory) Committee Members would need to sign cheques or to give instructions to the bank.

4.5    In order for a Committee meeting to take place a quorum (the majority) of the full Committee must be present.

4.6    In the event of a vacancy occurring in respect of any position on the Committee, the remaining members of the Committee may appoint any willing Club member to serve on the Committee until the next A.G.M. subject to 4.3.   The appointed member will not have full voting rights.

4.7    Subject to agreement at a General Meeting the Committee may invite a respected person/persons to accept the office of President/Joint President, who shall be kept informed of all Club activities and may participate in Committee meetings in a non-voting capacity.

5.     Notice To Members

5.1    Due notice of any matter, including convening of any meetings, shall be deemed to have been given to members generally within thirty days of mailing to the latest addresses of the Club's official membership list, or in the current year’s Rally Book containing any such notice.

5.2    Any member may request an advance copy of the agenda, proposed motions and nominations for office to be considered at the forthcoming A.G.M. or E.G.M.

Requests, accompanied by an A4 stamped self-addressed envelope, must reach the Hon. Secretary not later than six weeks prior to the A.G.M. or E.G.M.   Due notice of any matter to be considered at the A.G.M. shall be deemed to have been given to all members:

a.   If a member attending the meeting in person is handed a copy of the agenda containing the motions and/or nominations upon arrival at the venue.

b   If, not less than 28 days prior to the date of the meeting, copies of the agenda and proposed motions are sent to each member requesting them using the envelope provided for that purpose.

Only one copy of any notice shall be given to each family unit not withstanding that a member and his/her partner are both eligible to attend and vote at a meeting.
Note: It is the responsibility of all members attending the AGM to obtain a copy of the agenda and associated documentation prior to commencement of this meeting.

6.1    One general meeting designated as an A.G.M. will be held every calendar year.   A minimum of six weeks notice of that date, time and venue shall be given to all members.

6.2    The only matters to be formally dealt with at the A.G.M. shall be as follows:

a.   To receive reports from the Chairman, Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary, and all matters arising from reports.

b.   To elect the Chairman, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, and Committee members for the following year.

c.   To consider any proposals of which due notice to members has been given.

d.   To appoint an honorary auditor.

e.   Any Other Business, previously notified.

6.3    Propositions for consideration at the A.G.M. must contain the names and membership numbers of the Proposer and Seconder, be signed by both and be received by the Hon. Secretary not less than six weeks before the meeting.

There must be a separate nomination for each Committee position.   Each nomination form must contain the names and signatures of the Nominee, Proposer and Seconder and must reach the Hon. Secretary not less than six weeks before the meeting.

7.     Extraordinary General Meeting (E.G.M.)

7.1    The Committee may convene an E.G.M. at such time and for such purpose as it directs.

7.2    An E.G.M. must also be convened by the Hon. Secretary on receipt of a requisition in writing and signed by no fewer than 12 members or 25% membership whichever is the fewer.   The requisition shall show the name and membership number of each member signing it and state the full details to be put to the meeting.

7.3    Notices of an E.G.M. may be sent to all members either individually or by Newsletter.   At least 28 days’ notice shall be given.

7.4    The only matters to be discussed at the meeting shall be those detailed in the notice to members.

8.     Voting At A General Meeting

8.1    A member and his/her registered partner are each entitled to one vote in respect of each item on the agenda.

8.2    If there are more nominations for Committee membership than positions available the election of members of Committee shall be by secret ballot, the successful candidate in each case being determined by the person polling the largest number of valid votes cast.

8.3    Other resolutions shall be decided either by a show of hands or by a secret ballot, as announced by the Chairman, and the declaration of the result of the vote by the Chairman shall be final and binding.

9.     Amendments To The Constitution And Rules

9.1    Amendments to the Constitution can be made at a General Meeting.   Amendments to the Constitution carried at any meeting will take immediate effect.

10.     Public Liability

10.1    The Club is insured for Public Liability, but will not be held liable for any injury or damage to a member, a member of his/her family unit, members’ guests and visitors, or to his/her, their property.

11.     Dissolution Of The Club

11.1    Voluntary dissolution of the Club requires a resolution to be passed at a General Meeting.   In the event of the winding up of the Club, any assets and monies deposited in the Club’s name shall, after payment of any outstanding debts incurred by the Club, be disposed of by a majority vote of members attending a meeting called to discuss such action.

12.     Interpretation

12.1    In the event of any dispute over the interpretation of the Constitution the decision of the Committee shall be final and binding.