RULES & CONSTITUTION. BOLTON GUN CLUB
1. The Club shall be called the Bolton Gun Club and consist of a Rifle & Pistol and Clay Pigeon Section. The Club shall be non-political and non-sectarian.
2. The Club shall be affiliated to those associations that are in the opinion of the committee to be of benefit to the Club and the promotion of the sport.
3. The object of the Club is to encourage skill in shooting, by providing instruction and practice to any of Her Majesty’s subjects, so that they will be better fitted to serve their country in the Armed Forces, Territorial Army or any other organisation in which their services may be required in the defence of the realm in times of peril.
4. The management of the Club shall be deputed to a life President, Chairperson and Secretary, elected by the membership of the Club. The two sections of the Club shall be independently financially managed by a Treasurer and twelve members in total, six to be members of the Rifle & Pistol section and six to be members of the Clay Pigeon Section. The officers and committee to be elected to serve at the A.G.M. and shall retire at each A.G.M. and be eligible for re-election and shall continue to discharge their duties for the duration of the meeting. Nominations for positions as officers or committee members must have a proposer and seconder who must first ensure that the nominee is willing to stand for election. Nominations to be received by the Secretary 14 days prior to the A.G.M.
5. Applications for membership must be forwarded to the Secretary on an application form which has been countersigned by an existing ordinary Club Member. Two passport sized photographs must accompany the application form. Applications for membership shall be considered by the committee at the next meeting. The decision to accept, defer or refuse the application will conveyed to the prospective member. Once accepted for membership, the appropriate joining fee and annual subscription will fall due. The latter may be pro-rata at the discretion of the committee. Applicants to the Rifle & Pistol section will then become a probationary member. Applicants for the Clay Section can only become ordinary members when in possession of a shotgun certificate.
6. The subscription shall be paid in advance on the 1st January each year. Membership shall be cancelled if the subscription is not paid in full by the 28th February. Any member changing address, shall notify the Secretary in writing. If any member fails to notify the Secretary, then any notice will be deemed to have been sent to the previous address.
7. A minimum of 4 shooting attendances per year (these attendances to be recognised club shooting dates) shall be required from members of the Rifle & Pistol Section, where grant of a F.A.C. rests solely on membership of Bolton Gun Club. Where members are also members of other shooting clubs, or where the grant of F.A.C. is not dependent upon membership of a gun club, evidence of this shall be provided with no objection to its verification for this rule to be waived. Probationary members must have a minimum of 10 shooting attendances during their first year.
8. The Club shall consist of ordinary members and junior members. All persons 11-18 years of age shall be eligible to apply for junior membership, but must be sponsored by an ordinary member.
9. A meeting of the committee may at any time, by simple majority, suspend from any office, any member of the committee or officer of the committee (and in the case of an officer, may nominate a member of the committee temporarily to discharge their function) and thereupon shall convene a Special General Meeting under the next succeeding rule. The committee shall terminate the membership of any ordinary member, junior member of life member whose conduct is unseemingly objectionable or calculated to bring the Club into disrepute. The Secretary shall forthwith give to such member, notice of such a decision of the committee, specifying the conduct forming the ground for such a decision and informing the member that he/she may in writing, within fourteen days, give notice requiring the question of expulsion to be considered by a General Meeting of the Club. If no such notice is given by the member within the time specified, then the termination of his/her membership shall therein take effect. Revocation of a firearm or shotgun certificate shall be grounds to terminate membership. Any person shall, upon ceasing to be a member of the Club, forfeit all right to, and claim upon, the Club and its property and funds.
10. The committee shall have the power to pay accounts and incur any normal liabilities on behalf of the Club and the committee and officers are hereby indemnified by the members of the Club against all claims and demands in respect of any liability properly and bona fide incurred by them in the name of or on behalf of the Club. The Secretary or any officer or member receiving money on behalf of the Club shall forthwith hand the same to the Treasurer.
11. The committee may at any time for any special purpose, call a Special General Meeting, and shall do so forthwith upon there being delivered to the Secretary, the requisition in writing, of any twelve members, stating the purpose for which the meeting is required.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (A.G.M.)
The purpose of the AG.M. shall be:-
To receive from the officers and committee a report, balance sheet and statement of accounts for the preceding year.
To elect officers & committee members.
To appoint auditors for the ensuing year.
To decide any resolution 14 clear days written notice of with shall be given to the Secretary with a proposer and seconder from the current ordinary members list
For any resolution to be passed at this or any other Special Meeting, there must be a 2/3 majority in favour. This will apply unless the issue in contention affects only one section of the Clubs, Rifle & Pistol or Clay sections then the resolution can be passed by a majority of that sections members present at the meeting.
To transact any other business that the chairperson shall consider appropriate for the A.G.M.
The AG.M. of the Club shall be held at a suitable venue selected by the committee, on the last Wednesday of each February. The Secretary shall give written notice 14 days prior to the A.G.M. Copies of the minutes of the previous A.G.M. and current balance sheet can be requested from the Secretary. The current balance sheet will be made available at the AG.M. The quorum for the A.G.M. and any other special meeting shall be 1/3 of the current ordinary members. In the event of the required number of members being unavailable, the meeting may not proceed. A new time and date for the meeting at least 14 days hence shall be conveyed to the members by the Secretary.
12. The Auditor or Auditors shall examine the accounts at least once annually, with the invoices and vouchers, prior to the Annual General Meeting, and shall append thereto a certificate to the effect that such are correct and fairly represent the expenditure and receipts of the Club and its assets and liabilities, and they may at any time, inspect any book, document or property of the Club, in possession of any officer or member, and make a report thereon in writing to the committee.
13. All property of the Club shall be vested in the committee for the time being. Committee meetings shall be held as and when required by the committee, at a time and venue agreed by the committee. Individual section meetings can beheld as required. Minutes of meetings will normally be taken by the Secretary. Meetings will normally be chaired by the Chairperson or in his/her absence the Secretary or other member as appropriate. The Chairperson of any meeting shall be entitled to vote and in event of a tie, a second vote.
14. The committee may, from time to time, make, repeal and amend all such regulations (not inconsistent with these rules) as they shall think expedient for the management and well being of the Club, but may be modified by resolution at a General Meeting.
15. The annual rate of subscription shall be agreed by the committee and put to the A.G.M. for acceptance or amendment.
16. Any person having been a member of the Club for a minimum of five consecutive years preceding their 65th birthday shall be granted Honorary Membership. This Membership to commence at the start of the next club year following their 65th birthday.
17. The decision of the Committee upon the question of the interpretation of these rules, or upon any matter affecting the Club and not provided for by the rules, shall be final and binding upon the members.
These rules may be added to, repealed or amended by resolution at any General Meeting of the Club provided that no such resolution shall be deemed to have been passed unless it is carried by a majority of at least two thirds of the members present and voting thereon.
September 2002
