Club constitution

Find out about the objectives and fundamental principles by which we are governed in the Club Constitution.

1. Name

The name of the Club shall be the Edinburgh Ski Club.

2. Objectives

The Club is established to pursue the following objectives:

  1. Promoting participation in recreational snowsports (skiing and snowboarding) to existing
    and potential members.
  2. Organisation, management and development of recreational snowsports, on and off the piste, for all members of the Club.
  3. Provision of coaching and equipment for its members.
  4. Promotion and maintenance of the highest standards of technical competence and safety in snowsports.
  5. Upholding the rules of snowsports.
  6. Provision of a range of activities in and out of season that keeps members involved in the Club and creates a welcoming and encouraging environment.
  7. Provision of an ethical environment for participation including abiding by appropriate rules, providing equal opportunity and caring for the environment.

3. Affiliation

The Club shall be affiliated to Snowsport Scotland.

4. Membership

All members are subject to the Club Constitution and the regulations of Snowsport Scotland.

  1. Membership of the Club is open to all individuals provided they comply with this constitution.
  2. No person shall be refused membership on the grounds of race, colour, creed, religion, sex, sexual preference, impairment or disability.
  3. All applications for membership shall be accompanied by the appropriate annual membership subscription, which shall thereafter be payable annually on demand.
  4. Each fully paid up member shall be entitled to attend and vote at Annual General Meetings.
  5. Fully paid up members may be elected to serve on the Committee.
  6. All members will receive a copy of both the Club’s Code of Conduct and this Constitution.
  7. Members shall be enrolled on one of the following categories:
    • Honorary
    • Ordinary
    • Junior
    • Family
    • Country
  8. Junior Members are those under 18 years of age on 1 September in the year of Membership.
  9. A Family Membership shall consist of two adults and any children of the family under the age of 18 on 1 September in the year of Membership.
  10. Country Membership may be granted to a person neither residing nor working within 40 miles of Edinburgh.

5. Suspension, refusal or termination of membership

  1. The Committee shall be entitled to:
    1. Refuse any application for membership on the grounds that such membership would be prejudicial to the objectives of the Club as set out in clause 2 of this constitution.
    2. For good and sufficient reason to refuse renewal of any existing membership or terminate or suspend any membership provided that the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the full Committee before a final decision is made.
  2. The Committee shall inform the member in writing of any decision to terminate their membership.
  3. The member may apply for reinstatement at the next Annual General Meeting.
  4. Notification of the termination of a membership will be forwarded to Snowsport Scotland.
  5. Any member who fails to pay their annual subscription shall forfeit their right to representation on the Committee and at the Annual General Meeting, and shall be suspended from taking part in any event under the control of the Club until such subscription is paid.

6. General meetings

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The AGM shall be held each year at such time and place as determined by the Committee, but not later than 31 October each year. The following business shall be conducted:

  1. Receive and confirm the minutes of the previous AGM.
  2. Presentation of Chair’s annual report.
  3. Presentation of the Club’s financial accounts for the year.
  4. The setting of all annual subscription fees.
  5. Election of office bearers and other members to the Committee.
  6. Any other business brought before the meeting which has been submitted in writing to the Secretary not less than seven days prior to the AGM, and any other business deemed relevant by the Chair.

Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)

An EGM may be called upon the written demand of:

  1. Twenty-five fully paid up members of the Club.
  2. The Chair.
  3. Two-thirds majority of the Committee.

7.Rules for general meetings

  1. A minimum of fourteen days notice in writing shall be given to all members.
  2. The Chair, or in his/her absence a member selected by the meeting, shall chair the meeting.
  3. All members shall register with the Secretary prior to the start of the meeting.
  4. The quorum shall be one-tenth of the membership eligible to vote.
  5. Each Honorary, Ordinary, Junior and Country member shall be entitled to one vote at the Annual General Meeting. Each family membership shall have two votes.
  6. All motions properly proposed and recorded shall be carried by a simple majority, with the following exceptions, which shall require to be carried by a two-thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote:-
    1. Alterations to the Constitution.
    2. Alterations to the Club’s membership of, or withdrawal from, Snowsport Scotland.
    3. Alterations to the annual subscription.
  7. In the event of a tied vote, the chair of the meeting may exercise a casting vote.
  8. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings and record all proceedings and resolutions.

8. Election of Committee Members

  1. The members of the Committee shall be drawn from the membership, as defined in clause 4 of this constitution.
  2. Candidates shall be elected by paper ballot, or by other means determined by the chair of the meeting at the AGM and shall be members of the Committee from the conclusion of that AGM until the conclusion of the following AGM, when they shall retire but may offer themselves for re-election.
  3. Office bearers and contested committee posts shall be elected individually.
  4. Uncontested committee posts may be elected en masse.
  5. All nominations of candidates for election shall: have the consent of the nominee; be in writing; be seconded by a member of the Club; be received by the Secretary not less than fourteen days before the AGM.
  6. The Secretary shall send all members a list of all nominations not less than seven days prior to the AGM.

9. Structure and role of the committee

  1. The Club shall be governed by a committee consisting of the following office bearers and a maximum of twelve other committee members:
    1. Chair
    2. Secretary
    3. Treasurer
    4. Membership Secretary
  2. All the above shall be entitled to one vote each at general meetings, except the Chair.
  3. The Committee may co-opt any member to any unfilled post until the conclusion of the following AGM, providing that the number of co-optees shall not exceed one third of the total number of persons serving on the Committee at that time.
  4. The Committee shall meet from time to time and conduct the business of the Club throughout the year. They shall have power to make bye-laws or policies to deal with matters not covered by the Constitution. In general they shall have power to act for and on behalf of the Club in any matters which may arise throughout the year.
  5. The Committee may appoint any sub-committees it may deem necessary to deal with the matters of the Club, until the conclusion of the following AGM. The proceedings of all such sub-committees shall report to the Committee by a representative elected by that subcommittee.
  6. The Club shall have an Honorary President and such Honorary Vice-Presidents as may be elected for the year at the Annual General Meeting. Honorary office bearers shall have no vote on the Committee.

10. Rules for committee meetings

  1. The Chair shall chair the meeting, or in his/her absence either the Secretary or a nominee from the Committee, in the event of the Secretary being absent.
  2. Fourteen days notice of any meeting of the Committee shall be given by the Secretary, except when:
    1. The date of the meeting had been agreed at the previous Committee meeting, in which case seven days notice shall be given.
    2. In an emergency the Chair may call a meeting at four days notice.
  3. The quorum shall be four of the Committee members as listed in section 9.
  4. All members of the Committee as listed in section 9 shall be entitled to vote.
  5. All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote.

11. Finance

  1. The income and property of the Club, however derived, shall be applied solely towards the objectives of the Club as set out in clause 2 of this Constitution.
  2. The Club shall have the power to raise money by means of annual subscription fees as determined by the Committee at the Annual General Meeting.
  3. All monies shall be lodged in a bank account in the name of the Club.
  4. The Chair, Treasurer and Secretary and a maximum of two other Committee members shall be authorised signatories to sign cheques on behalf of the club, of which two signatories shall be needed for any withdrawal of funds.
  5. The financial year of the Club shall run from 1 August to 31 July each year.

12. Liability

  1. The Club shall not hold itself responsible for any accident arising out of their activities to the person or property of any member or third party.
  2. No member of the Club shall have the power to incur any liability on behalf of the Club in excess of a figure to be determined by the Committee at the beginning of each financial year.
  3. The Committee, on behalf of the Club, shall be empowered to acquire and pay for any premises in cash or by instalment, or partly in one mode and partly in the other, following a General Meeting which has given approval for such a purchase.
  4. The Committee shall be empowered to borrow or raise and secure the payment of money in any way, in particular by standard security, for the purpose of purchasing premises.

13. Amendments to the constitution

This constitution may only be amended by a proposal passed by a two-thirds majority of members present and entitled to vote at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.

14. The Dissolution of the Club

  1. Any resolution to dissolve the Club may be passed at any General Meeting provided that:
    1. the terms of the proposed resolution are received by the Secretary at least forty two days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward, and that
    2. at least twenty eight days notice of the proposed resolution shall be given in writing by the Secretary to all members, and that
    3. such a resolution shall receive the assent of two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.
  2. Upon dissolution of the club, after all Club and trustee liabilities have been cleared, all remaining financial and material assets shall be given or transferred to Snowsport Scotland to be employed for the development of recreational (as opposed to racing) snowsports.

15. Declaration

It is hereby certified that this document represents a true and most up to date version of the Constitution of Edinburgh Ski Club.