OUR CONSTITUTION

Names and Objectives
Membership
Subscription
Management
The Committee
Supply of Liquor
Complaints
Visitors
Discipline of Members
Honorary Members
The Secretary
The Treasurer
Meetings
The Property
Borrowing Powers
Alteration of Rules

1. The Club shall be called "The Sportsman's Club" and shall have its premises at 11, Queens Road, Aberdeen, or at such other place as shall be determined by the members in general meeting.
2. The Club is constituted to encourage.
   1. The associations of ladies and gentlemen having an active interest either past or present in all recognised and lawful forms of sport and physical activities.
   2. Mutual interests in all such sports and activities by the exchange of knowledge, views and experiences
   3. The playing and practice of all such sports and activities by the provision of facilities for members.
   4. The public interest in all such forms of sport and activities, and, as a means to this end, to make provision for trophies, exhibitions, demonstrations, lectures, tournaments, instructional films and coaching.
   5. The provision of facilities for the public of Aberdeen and environs by the influence and example of members.
   6. The provision of adequate facilities for the young so that they may grow up to appreciate and value their heritage of sportsmanship.
   7. The maintenance of a high standard of sportsmanship in all walks of life by the personal example of members and to discourage all practices and tendencies which lend themselves to the debasing of sport in any of its forms.

3. The Club shall consist of not more than 1000 "Ordinary Members"; but the numbers maybe from time to time increased or decreased under such conditions as the Club shall in General Meeting decide.
   
   Any person who is over the age of 18 years and has taken an active interest in any form of sport or physical activity, may apply to become an Ordinary Member.
   
   "Associate Members" are those who have been proposed and seconded by Ordinary Members and paid the appropriate fee. Associate Members have access to the Club and it's facilities, but do not have voting rights nor a financial obligation to or from the Club.
   
   Associate Members may apply for Ordinary Membership at specified times in strictly limited numbers, at the discretion of the Committee. The Committee may restrict the number of Associate Members to ensure the total membership does not exceed 1000.
   
   Every candidate for admission, as ordinary members, shall be proposed by one member and seconded by one other. The name, designation, usual place of residence and date of birth of the candidate together with the names of his or her proposer and seconder, dated and signed by the Secretary shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in the Club rooms.
   
   The proposer and seconder of the candidate shall be held responsible for their eligibility.
4. A non-returnable entry fee shall be payable with the application of membership. As of 1999 this fee shall be £10.00 inclusive of VAT and subsequent years will be calculated using the previous 12 months rate of inflation, the effective date being 31st October. The Committee may reduce the Entry Fee in any year when circumstances permit, but the Entry Fee may only be increased in excess of the previous year's inflation by the Club in General Meeting.
5. The admission of members shall be vested in the Committee, who shall have the power to reject any candidate, and for this purpose, five members of the committee shall be a quorum. The election shall be by simple majority. If three or more members of the Committee shall, by requisition signed by them and addressed to the Secretary, call for a reconsideration of the rejection of any candidate, a meeting of the Committee shall be specially summoned. The question shall be put to the vote whether there shall be a special ballot for the candidate so rejected, and, if it shall be resolved in the affirmative by a majority of the members present, the name of such candidate shall be submitted for ballot, but, in this case, one black ball in three shall exclude.
6. Candidates shall be taken in the order in which they are entered in the Applications File.
7. On the admission of a member, the Secretary shall notify the same to them in writing, Intimation shall be given to them that, until, the annual subscription for the current year have been paid, he or she cannot enjoy the full privileges and advantages of the Club.
8. Membership of the Club is not open to employees.

8. The annual subscription rate for every Ordinary member in 2003 is £86.00 inclusive of VAT. which was rebated to £75.00. The Committee may subsequently update the relevant date, time and financial values annually without the need of a specially called meeting. Subscriptions for subsequent years will be calculated using the previous 12 months rate of inflation, the effective date being 31st October. The Committee may reduce the Annual Subscription in any year when circumstances permit, but the subscription may only be increased in excess of the previous year's inflation by the Club in GENERAL meeting. Every member shall be notified of the new rate when the subscriptions are due.
9. The entry money and subscriptions shall be paid to the Club Manager, whose staff shall accept payment and issue a receipt. All subscriptions shall be payable in advance in January of each year.
10. Subscriptions are due and payable during the month of January. If a member fails to pay his or her subscription by 1st February, or at a set date the Committee feels appropriate, that membership shall be considered expired, and a joining fee shall be payable if that Member wishes to re-instate their membership. If a member does not renew their membership, they shall not be permitted to enter or use the Clubs facilities as a guest for a full year.
11. Members intending to be absent from the United Kingdom for one year after giving notice to that effect to the Secretary, shall, during their absence, be considered, supernumerary members, and be exempted from their annual subscription, but they cannot be readmitted to the privileges of the Club unless they give notice to the Secretary within three months of their return and pay the annual subscription due by them for the current year, or assign reasons for not doing so which are accepted by the Committee.

12. The business affairs of the Club shall be under the direction and management of a Committee. The Office Bearers of the Club may be a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. The Committee shall have the power to appoint Honorary Members, along with an Honorary President and vice-Presidents.
13. A Club Manager/Steward shall be appointed to administer the day to day running of the club, and shall be responsible for the Club's assets, financial transactions, employees and the safe and legal working practices of equipment and users.

14. The business affairs of the club shall be under the management and direction of a Committee. The Quorum of a committee meeting shall be 50% of the current elected and co-opted members. The committee shall consist of no more than nine members.
15. All members of the Committee shall be Ordinary Members of the Club, and shall be elected by the general body of Ordinary Members. To fill vacancies, member's maybe co-opted to the committee, but must come up for election at the next Annual General Meeting. In recognition of service, when a committee member serves a full year on the committee, that person is rewarded, by having their following year's subscription paid for by the club.
16. At each Annual General meeting of the Club, one third of the elected members of the Committee shall retire, but shall be eligible for re-election. Members to fill vacancies shall be elected at the general meeting for a period not exceeding three years. Candidates for membership of the committee must be nominated and seconded in writing, and the nomination paper lodged with the secretary at least seven days before the Annual meeting, and the Secretary shall put up in a conspicuous place in the Club a list of the said candidates, their nominator and seconder, before the said meeting. In the event of there being more candidates that there are vacancies, the election shall be by ballot of those present at the Annual General Meeting. There may also be elected by the members at the Annual General meeting an Auditor who shall act for the ensuing year, and who shall be eligible for re-election.
17. The Committee shall determine three members of the Committee who will be signatories for the purpose of signing club cheques.
18. Any two of the three signatories will be required to authorise each cheque payment.
19. The Committee shall hold a meeting at least once every three months, or more often if necessary to transact current business and to examine the accounts. Proper and correct accounts shall be kept showing the financial affairs and intromissions of the Club
20. The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees of their own body for special purposes, and to these Sub-Committees other Ordinary members maybe co-opted.
21. The Committee shall be responsible for the supervision of the day to day running of the Club, and shall have the power to appoint, dismiss or suspend any employee of the Club.
22. The Committee shall have the power to make Bye Laws and Regulations consistent with the Rules of the Club for the management and well-being of the Club, and these Bye Laws and regulations shall be binding on all members until set aside by the members in General meeting.

23. No member of the Committee and no official, manager or employee, shall have any personal interest in the purchases by the Club, or the sale in the Club of excisable liquor, or in the profits there form.
24. Excisable liquor shall be obtained by the members during the times notified by the Committee and posted on the Notice Board.
25. No credit shall be given to any member, and all excisable liquor shall be paid for at the time when it is supplied or sold. Liquor, which is sold or supplied for consumption at a meal, must be paid for together with the meal.
26. The Secretary or a member of the Committee shall be the Licensee, as laid down by the City of Aberdeen, Licensing Authority. The Club Manager shall be responsible for ensuring licensing laws are not contravened.

27. All complaints shall be made in writing to the Secretary for the attention of the Committee; and the conduct of an official or employee shall in no instance be subject of a personal reprimand by any member, but shall be reported in writing to the Secretary.
28. The Club premises shall be opened and closed at such times as the Committee may appoint, but any alteration to these hours shall be intimated to members on the Notice board or by a circular letter.

29. Members shall be permitted to have the company of a visitor or visitors, not exceeding three in number at any one time, provided always that such a visitor/s shall only be permitted to remain in the club only when the member introducing him, her or them is present. Such visitors shall not be supplied with excisable liquor in the Club unless on the invitation and in the company of a member, and such member shall upon admission of such a visitor to the Club premises, enter his, her own name and the name and address of such a visitor in a book which shall be kept for that purpose, and which shall show the date of each visit. Visitors under 18 and over 14 years can enter the bars provided they do not drink excisable liquor. Visitors under 14 are welcome to use the sporting areas and dinning room facilities under the supervision of an adult member but under no circumstances into areas selling excisable liquor.

30. If it shall appear to the Committee that the conduct of any member or visitor either in or out of the Club premises requires investigation, the Committee shall require such member, and the complainer, if any, to appear before them at a meeting specially called for the purpose. At least seven days notice of such a meeting shall be given to the members of the Committee, to the complainer, if any, and also the member in question. Any member so called shall be entitled to be heard. If such member fails to attend the said meeting, or it is the opinion of a majority of the members of the Committee that the conduct of such member has been or is injurious to the character and interest of the Club, the committee shall have the power to suspend or expel such member or visitor from the Club, and such member shall not there after enter the Club premises.
31. No member so removed shall be entitled to repayment of any part of the current year's subscription, or be released of liability for any payments due by him or her.
32. All infraction of the Rules and Regulations of the Club shall be taken immediate notice of by the Committee, and the members having cause for complaint shall communicate the same to the Secretary in writing, who shall report such complaint to the Committee at their next meeting.

33. It shall be the power of the Committee, so long as their decision be unanimous, to elect as Honorary members persons distinguished in the field of sport or in their services to the Club, but such Honorary Members shall have no voting rights.

34. The Secretary shall be appointed by the Committee and his or her engagement shall be terminable at three months notice on either side. He or she shall attend to and carry out the instructions of the Committee and shall attend meetings of the Club and of the Committee and sub-committees, keeping minutes of their proceedings and furnish such returns showing the state of the Club as the committee require. The Secretary where appropriate shall be the Licensee, and shall be responsible each year to apply to the Licensing Authority of the City of Aberdeen's Sheriff Court. The Secretary shall be responsible for all administration of Club documents, mailing and archiving of the relevant files. The Secretary where necessary shall be a principle key holder in relation to the alarm systems and call out procedures of the police. When the honorarium is paid for service, the office bearer would be expected to pay their subscription fee. When the office bearer does not take their payment, the Club would pay that persons subscription.

35. A treasurer may be appointed by the Committee, and his or her engagement shall be terminable at three months notice on either side. If appointed, He or she shall attend to carry out the instructions of the Committee furnishing returns to the Secretary and informing the Committee as required. He or she shall be responsible to the Committee for ensuring proper controls of monies of the Club and checking these controls, including tills, moneyboxes, etc.. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all cheque payments on behalf of the Club, and shall oversee all financial transactions carried out by the Manager or his/her Assistant, who shall be the only key holders to the safe. When the honorarium is paid for service, the office bearer would be expected to pay their subscription fee. When the office bearer does not take their payment, the Club would pay that persons subscription.
36. The Committee may appoint a professional firm to manage the accounts of the club.
37. If a treasurer is appointed and accepts teh duty of preparing the annual accounts then these must be audited.

38. At all meetings of the Club and of the Committee, the Chairperson of the Club shall preside. Whom failing the vice-Chairperson, whom failing a member chosen by the Committee shall preside.
39. The Committee may call a meeting of the Club on giving no less than seven days notice, specifying therein the object or objects for which the meeting is called. This notice shall be posted in the Club, and a copy of it shall be despatched to each member.
40. On the written requisition of at least 10% of the Ordinary members of the Club, not being members of the Committee, the Committee shall call a meeting of the Club giving notice as above.
41. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on a date in each year to be fixed by the Committee, for the purpose of receiving a report on the general concerns of the Club, and an abstract of the Accounts for the past year duly audited and certified by the Auditor appointed by the Club, and of electing new members of the Committee. Not less than seven days notice of this meeting shall be given to ordinary members of the Club by circular, and it shall be posted on the board in the Club premises, along with a copy of the abstract of the accounts.

42. The heritable property of the Club shall be vested in the members of the Committee for the time being, and their successors in office, as trustees, and they shall have the power to execute all deeds necessary in connection therein.

43. The Committee shall have the power to raise funds for the Club by borrowing money on the security of heritable property to an extent not exceeding £500,000 and by the issue of debentures to the members of the Club.

44. The foregoing Rules and Regulations shall not be repealed or altered, nor shall any new Rule be adopted, unless by the votes of two thirds of the members present at meetings of the Club specially called for the purpose.
45. Every such alteration or repeal of a Rule and every new Rule so adopted shall be inserted in the Minute Book, and posted up in the Club for a period of at least seven days.