1. TITLE. The Club shall be known as “The Mountain Club”, herein after referred to as the Club. 

2. OBJECTIVES. To foster and encourage an interest in outdoor activities among the hills, including climbing, mountaineering and hill-walking. 

 

3. MEMBERSHIP. All people interested in the objectives of the Club, as defined in paragraph 2, who agree to abide by the constitution, shall be eligible as members. Membership is open to individuals who recognise that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Members shall be aware of and accept these risks and agree to be responsible for their own actions. The Club will not discriminate against anyone on grounds of age, gender, ability, race, religion, ethnic origin, creed, colour, social status or sexual orientation, in accordance with the British Mountaineering Council (BMC). Membership shall include affiliation to the BMC. 

 

4. CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS. Every candidate for admission shall be at least eighteen years of age and have attended and participated in Club activities for at least two months. The candidate shall supply on an application form such details as are requested by the Committee and provide the appropriate subscription as outlined in paragraph 15. Under eighteens may become non-voting members of the Club if their details are included on the membership form of a parent, guardian or other family member but at all times remain the responsibility of the member on whose form they are recorded 

 

5. ELECTIONS OF MEMBERS. All candidates who meet the requirements as outlined in paragraph 4 above will normally be accepted by the committee as members of the Club. However, a membership application can be rejected by the committee if there is reason to believe the membership is not in the interests of the Club. 

 

6. ON ELECTION. On the election of a new member, the membership secretary shall notify them of their election, and forward them a copy of the new member pack, which will include a copy of the constitution. A new member shall not enjoy any of the privileges of membership until their subscription is paid. 

 

7. ELECTION OF HONORARY MEMBERS. The Club, in a General Meeting, is empowered to elect as Honorary Members people who have rendered eminent service to the Club. An Honorary Member may be elected for life. Current life membership will be honoured. 

 

8. EXPULSION. The Committee may refuse or suspend membership of any persons who bring the Club or sport into disrepute or who misuse the Club facilities. A suspended member has the right of appeal at a General Meeting. A member may be expelled by the votes of two-thirds of the members present at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club. 

 

9. OFFICERS. The officers of the Club shall be the Chairperson, the Treasurer, the Secretary, the Hut Bookings Secretary, the Membership Secretary, the Meets Secretary and the Hut Warden. 

 

10. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB. The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the Officers as defined in paragraph 9 and at least two and no more than four Ordinary members, the number of which shall be decided annually at the AGM. At meetings of the Committee 5 shall form a quorum; this should consist of at least 3 Officers. Meetings of the Committee and AGM’s / EGM’s may take place face to face, or virtually in response to local conditions, constraints, and dispersal of members. 

 

11. COMMITTEE. All Officers of the Club and all Ordinary members of the committee shall be elected by the Club at the Annual General Meeting for one year. No officer as defined in paragraph 9 or Ordinary member of the Committee shall serve as such for more than three years consecutively, reckoned from one Annual General Meeting to another. If no suitable alternative can be found the committee may ask an Officer or Ordinary member to remain in post, which will be reviewed on an annual basis. 

 

12. COMMITTEE VACANCIES. The Committee shall have the power to fill until the next Annual General Meeting any vacancy occurring among the Officers or the rest of the Committee. For the purpose of paragraph 11, such ad interim service shall not be counted. 

 

13. REGULATIONS. The Committee may make regulations from time to time for the operation of the Club, and for the use of the Club Hut.  Such regulations will be circulated to members. 

 

14. PRESIDENT. The Committee may elect a President annually. The President shall be an Honorary Member during their term of office. 

 

15. SUBSCRIPTION. The annual subscription at the rates to be determined by the Committee each year shall be payable to the Treasurer on 1st January of each year. Members elected after 30th June in any year shall pay the concessionary rate. Members who are unemployed, students and OAPs shall receive a concessionary subscription rate. Minors detailed on membership forms shall be charged their BMC affiliation fee. 
Application for Provisional Membership allows for a single three-month provisional membership and includes the previously mentioned two months active participation requirement. Conversion to full membership required on expiry of Provisional Membership. 

 

16. SUBSCRIPTION IN ARREARS. No members shall vote or enjoy any of the privileges of membership until they have paid their subscription. The Committee are empowered to remove the name of any member not having paid their subscription by the last day in February but may re-admit on such terms as they shall think fit. 

 

17. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held during October or November, to receive the Statement of Accounts, to receive the reports of Officers on their activities during the year, to elect the Officers and Ordinary Members of the Committee for the ensuing year, and to transact general business.   

 

18. NOTICE OF AGM. At least one month’s notice shall be given of the date fixed by the committee for the Annual General Meeting. At least twenty-one days before the meeting, the Secretary shall send to each member of the Club a copy of the Statement of Accounts, minutes of the previous AGM and an agenda, which shall include particulars of the motions to be brought forward. 

 

19. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING. The Committee may at any time, or upon request in writing by not less than ten members, stating the motion or motions to be brought forward, call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club. 

 

20. NOTICE OF EGM. Not less than twenty-one day’s notice shall be given of an Extraordinary General Meeting; the notice convening the meeting shall state the business to be transacted, and no business shall be transacted at such a meeting other than that specified in the notice. 

 

21. VOTING. The voting on all resolutions submitted to a General Meeting shall be a show of hands, but a paper ballot shall be taken if demanded by not less than three members. The Chair of the Club may hold the votes of any member who is unable to attend a General Meeting and wishes to have their vote counted on specific issues provided that they have indicated this in writing beforehand A postal vote can be called for if no less than 5 members request it. 

 

22. QUORUM. At any General Meeting ten paid up members shall form a quorum. 

 

23. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. A (non-retrospective) constitutional change, or changes to the finances of the Club, must be the subject of a specific proposal to an AGM or EGM. Proposed changes should be made by the committee or in writing by no less than 5 members and forwarded to the secretary. Amendments will be circulated to members as outlined in paragraph 18 or 20. Changes will be made only when supported by two-thirds of those voting members present at the AGM or EGM. Members who are unable to attend the meeting may vote in advance of the meeting. 

 

24. ACCOUNT SIGNATORIES. The current Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary of the Club shall be the designated Signatories of all Club accounts. 

 

25. PROPERTY. The Club may hold freehold or take on lease, in the name of Trustees, any land or other premises for any of the objectives of the Club and may sell, exchange, mortgage, lease or build upon the same. The Club in General Meeting shall appoint Trustees in whom shall be vested real property and leaseholds. All such Trustees shall deal with the property so vested in them as directed by the resolution of the Committee from time to time, of which resolution an entry in the minutes shall be conclusive evidence, and they shall be indemnified against any claim, question, risk, and expense out of the property of the Club. The Trustees shall be members of the Club. Their number shall not be more than four or less than two and they shall hold office’ until death or retirement unless removed from office by a resolution of the Club in General Meeting. 

 

26. FINANCE. The financial year shall commence on 1st January. The accounts shall be officially audited on an annual basis. The Club may not make any dividend, gift or bonus in money to or between any of its members. 

 

27. RESPONSIBILITIES. The Club recognises they have a Duty of Care to its membership. ALL members share this duty of care to each other also. Acknowledgement of the BMC participation statement emphasises this as participants risk and responsibility for their own actions. The Club shall take reasonably practicable steps to protect itself and its members based on operating guidance for clubs from the BMC. Limited liability insurances shall be renewed annually. However, Personal Accident cover is not provided to members, and it is the individuals responsibility to source this, if required.  

 

28. DISSOLUTION. The Club can only be dissolved at a General Meeting called for that purpose and if two thirds of the members present agree. After settling all liabilities of the Club, the committee shall dispose of net assets remaining to another Club with similar aims and objectives or to the BMC.