top of page

Burnden Road Runners Constitution

Updated December 2021

​

1          Name of Club

The club will be called Burnden Road Runners (Hereinafter will be referred to as The Club), and may also be known as BRR.  Burnden Road Runners will be affiliated to England Athletics and Northern Athletics.

 

 

2          Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:

  • To offer training and competitive opportunities in road running and off-road running

  • To promote the club within the local community and the running community

  • To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club

  • To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone

 

 

3          Membership  

(a)   Membership of the club is open to anyone over 18 interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in running, regardless of age, ability, disability, sex, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital or gender status.

 

(b)   The membership shall consist of the following categories:

  • Full member (in employment)

  • Concessionary member (student, OAP and unwaged members)

  • Lifetime member

 

(c)   All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.

 

(d)   Members in each category will pay membership fees, as determined at each Annual General Meeting. Lifetime members are long serving members of the club who have been awarded this accolade by the membership and as a privilege have their membership paid for out of club funds.  Names of Lifetime Members are held by the Membership Secretary.

 

(e)   Individuals shall not be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings or be eligible for selection of any Club team unless the applicable subscription has been paid.

 

 

 

  1. Welfare and Safeguarding

The Club fully endorses and adopts UK Athletics Adult Safeguarding Policy. The main points of the policy statement are:-

 

  1. UK Athletics and the four Home County Athletics Federations (HCAFs) believe everyone has the right to live free from abuse or neglect, regardless of age, ability, disability, sex, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital or gender status.

 

  1. We are committed to creating and maintaining a safe and positive environment and an open, listening culture where people feel able to share concerns without fear of retribution.

 

  1. We collectively acknowledge that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and we are committed to the prevention of abuse and neglect through safeguarding the welfare of all adults involved in our sport.

 

  1. UK Athletics and the four HCAFs recognise that health, wellbeing, ability, disability and need for care and support can affect a person’s resilience. We recognise that some people experience barriers, for example, to communication in raising concerns or seeking help. We recognise that these factors can vary at different points in people’s lives.

 

  1. We recognise that there is a legal framework within which sports need to work to safeguard adults who have needs for care and support, and for protecting those who are unable to take action to protect themselves. We will act in accordance with the relevant safeguarding adult legislation and with local statutory safeguarding procedures.

 

  1. Actions taken by UK Athletics and the four HCAFs will be consistent with the principles of adult safeguarding, ensuring that any action taken is prompt, proportionate and that it includes and respects the voice of the adult concerned.

 

To guarantee that the Club remains up-to-date with the relevant information and to ensure that all members have someone to raise issues with, we will aim to have at least one Welfare Officer at the Club.

 

 

5          Club Management

  1. The Club does not have a committee and operates on a one member/one vote principle. Monthly meetings are held on the 1st Monday of each month, unless that is a Bank Holiday in which case it is held on the 2nd Monday. The meeting on the 1st Monday in December shall be the AGM.

 

  1. All members are invited to attend the monthly meetings.

 

  1. A team of officers are elected at the AGM. The period of office of all officers and other roles identified below shall be one year and post-holders shall be elected by the votes of all members present every year at the AGM. Nominations for all posts can be made known to either the Chairperson or Secretary in the month preceding the date of the AGM, and existing officers shall be eligible for re-election if they wish to stand.

 

  1. The team of senior club officers will consist of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Captain (male), Club Captain (female), and Membership Secretary. Other officers include: - Webmaster, Press & Publicity, Cross-country Captain, Fell Captain, Welfare Officer(s), Club Coach, Master’s Captain, New Starters Leader, Club Kit Lead and Club Championship Co-ordinator.

 

  1. If the post of any officer should fall vacant after such an election, the Chairperson shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting or any EGM.

 

  1. The membership present at any monthly meeting will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

 

  1. The membership present at any monthly meeting will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The membership present at any monthly meeting will be responsible for ratification of decisions deemed appropriate by the senior club officials (see 9a) of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

 

 

6          Finances

  1. The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.

 

  1. The financial year of the club will run from 1st December and end on 30th November.

 

  1. All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club. 

 

  1. An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting. The treasurer will also give regular updates at monthly meetings.

 

  1. Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signature of one of the following - Treasurer, Membership Secretary or the Chair.

 

  1. All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club.

 

 

 

7          Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

  1.  General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

 

  1. The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of December to:

Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM. 

  • Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary. 

  • Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts. 

  • Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts. 

  • Elect the officers on the committee. 

  • Agree the membership fees for the following year. 

  • Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.

  • Deal with other relevant business.

 

  1. Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary with at least 28 days’ notice to be given to all members.

 

  1. Nominations for officers of the committee will be sent to the chairperson or secretary prior to the AGM.

 

  1. Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate them at least 7 days before an AGM.

 

  1. All members present have the right to vote at the AGM.

 

  1. The quorum for AGMs will be 30 members.

 

  1. The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings.

 

  1. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club.

 

  1. All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.

 

 

8          Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

 

 

 

  1. Discipline and appeals

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary. These written complaints will be heard and determined by a quorum of senior club officials, whose decision will be presented to the membership for ratification (see 6g). The senior club officials are defined as Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Captain (male), Club Captain (female), and Membership Secretary. The quorum will be at least 4 of the 6 officials. The Senior Officials will meet to hear complaints within 7 days of a complaint being lodged.

 

 

  1. The Senior Officials will meet to hear complaints within 7 days of a complaint being lodged. The Senior Officials have the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership (subject to ratification by the membership).

 

  1. The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.

 

  1. There will be the right of appeal to the Senior Officials following disciplinary action being announced. The Senior Officials should consider the appeal within 7 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

 

  1. All complaints and decisions will be reported to the Monthly Meeting following the complaint being resolved.

 

10        Dissolution

(a)        A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

 

(b)        In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any clubs funds.  Any assets of the club that remain following this will be donated to the local Leverhulme parkrun team.

 

11        Declaration

Burnden Road Runners hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.

 

​

bottom of page