CONSTITUTION OF THE GALWAY WALKING CLUB
1. NAME
The name of the Club shall be the “Galway Walking Club”.
2. OBJECTIVES
a) To promote walking
b) To preserve reasonable access to mountains, wilderness areas, beaches, forests, and other amenities.
c) To promote the preservation of the natural ecology of the countryside.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) Anyone who is interested in the objectives of the Galway Walking Club shall be eligible for membership.
b) Members and prospective members who have any doubt in relation to their personal health and fitness should consult their medical advisor before taking on exercise which they might find too strenuous.
c) Galway Walking Club recognizes that hill walking, climbing and rambling are activities with a possibility of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.
4. EXECUTIVE
The affairs of the Galway Walking Club shall be managed by a Committee. The Committee may delegate any of its powers to sub-committees or individuals.
RULES
MEMBERSHIP
1.1 Membership of the Galway Walking Club shall be Full Membership and may include appointed insurance. The club year shall be from 1st November through to 31st October.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERS
2.1 Every member of the Galway Walking Club shall be bound to observe the rules and regulations and bye-laws of the Galway Walking Club currently in force.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
3.1 Subscriptions shall be determined by the Committee from time to time, but subject to any maximum determined by the members in General Meeting.
3.2 Subscriptions shall be payable annually in advance.
3.3 All subscriptions become due when the AGM has been declared closed and are not refundable.
PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERS
4.1 To have one vote on each issue at all meetings of the Galway Walking Club.
4.2 To enjoy such other privileges as may, from time to time, be determined by majority vote at all meetings of the Galway Walking Club.
COMMITTEE
5.1 The Committee of the Galway Walking Club shall consist of:
a) The Chair and
b) The Vice-Chair and
c) The Honorary Secretary and
d) The Honorary Treasurer and
e) Members co-opted under Rule 6.1
f) Five paid up members of the Galway Walking Club
5.2 Nominees for the Committee shall be members of the Galway Walking Club for not less than one full year.
5.3 Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
5.4 Each Committee member present at the meeting shall be entitled to vote.
5.5 Decisions of the Committee shall be by simple majority of those present and voting.
5.6 In the event of an equality of votes on any issue at a Committee Meeting, the presiding Chair shall exercise a second or casting vote.
5.7 The Committee shall conduct the affairs of the Galway Walking Club and shall present a report to the Annual General Meeting.
CO-OPTION TO COMMITTEE
6.1 If a vacancy should occur on the Committee from those referred to under Rule 5.1, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt a member for the remainder of the year.
TERMS OF OFFICE
7.1 The Chair and the Vice-Chair and members of the Committee shall be elected annually and shall hold a term of office until the next Annual General Meeting or until their successors have been elected.
7.2 No person shall hold office for more than three consecutive terms.
MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE
8.1 Committee Meetings, of which there shall be a minimum of six during the year, shall be held at such times and places as arranged by the Committee.
8.2 The business of the Committee Meetings shall be as set out in the Notice convening such meetings.
ABSENCE FROM MEETINGS
9.1 A member of the Committee absent from more than three consecutive Committee Meetings shall, unless excused by virtue of having tendered an apology, be deemed to have vacated office and the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy under Rule 6.1.
THE CHAIR
10.1 The Chair shall preside at meetings of the Galway Walking Club.
10.2 In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall undertake his/her duties.
10.3 In the absence of the Chair and the Vice-Chair, a Chair shall be nominated from the Committee members present at the meeting.
10.4 The Chair shall formally address the Galway Walking Club during his/her term of office.
HONORARY SECRETARY
11.1 The Hon. Secretary shall, subject to the direction of the Committee, manage the general business of the Club.
11.2 The Hon. Secretary shall have charge of all property of the Galway Walking Club except the funds and except other such property as from time to time may be given into charge of another Member or Members by the direction of the committee.
11.3 The Hon. Secretary shall be responsible for the proper recording and preservation of the decisions taken at all meetings of the Galway Walking Club and the Committee.
11.4 The Hon. Secretary shall issue all notices of meetings of the Galway Walking Club and of the Committee via postal services, e-mail, telephone or internet.
HONORARY TREASURER
12.1 The Hon. Treasurer shall have charge of The Galway Walking Club funds.
12.2 The Hon. Treasurer shall keep correct accounts and books showing the financial affairs, receipts and disbursements of the Galway Walking Club.
12.3 The Hon. Treasurer shall present to the Committee regular financial statements and submit to the Annual General Meeting a statement of accounts as required by Rule 16.2.
12.4 The Hon. Treasurer shall keep, or arrange to have kept, an up-to-date register of all Members.
BANK ACCOUNTS
13.1 The funds of the Galway Walking Club shall be deposited in accounts in approved Banks or other financial institutions.
13.2 All payments must have the sanction of the Committee.
13.3 Cheques drawn on the Galway Walking Club’s Bank Account shall be signed by the Hon. Treasurer and any one of the following: The Chair, the Hon. Secretary or another member of the Committee who has been nominated for this purpose by resolution of the Committee.
RETIREMENT OR RESIGNATION
14.1 Upon retirement from any office or on resignation from the club, the person concerned shall hand over to his/her successor, or to the Chair, all funds, books of accounts, or other Galway Walking Club property in his/her possession or under his/her care.
ELECTION
15.1 Election of Club Officers shall take place at the Annual General Meeting.
15.2 In the event of more than one candidate being nominated for any particular position, the vote shall be by Secret Ballot.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
16.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held during the month of October each year at such time and place to be appointed by the committee.
16.2 At such meeting a statement of accounts of the Galway Walking Club shall be laid before the members together with the report of the Committee for that year.
16.3 The Hon. Secretary shall send at least twenty-eight days notice of an Annual General Meeting to each paid up member via postal services, e-mail, telephone or internet.
16.4 An attendance of fifteen percent of the then current paid up members shall constitute a quorum for the Annual General Meeting.
VOTING
17.1 Each paid-up member shall have one vote on any issue at any General Meeting.
17.2 With the sole exception of changes to the Constitution, as noted under Rule 22.4, all issues shall be decided by a simple majority vote of paid-up Members present and voting.
17.3 In the event of an equality of votes on any question, other than an election, the presiding Chair shall exercise a second or casting vote.
17.4 In an election for the officers of Chair, Vice-Chair, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer, where more than one candidate is nominated, a Secret Ballot will be held and each voting member shall give one vote to one person for each office. The candidate receiving more votes than any other candidate for such an office shall be deemed elected.
17.5 In an election for the position of the five Committee Member positions, where more than five candidates are nominated, a secret ballot will he held and each voting Member shall give one vote to a maximum of five candidates. The five candidates receiving more votes than any other candidates shall be deemed elected.
17.6 Scrutineers will be appointed to count the votes.
17.7 No election candidate may be appointed as a scrutineer.
17.8 The decision of the scrutineers on the validity of any voting paper shall be final.
17.9 In the event of a tie in an election, the scrutineers shall draw lots, in the presence of the Meeting, to decide the result.
17.10 The scrutineers shall open and count the votes, and report the result to the presiding Chair, who shall announce the result to the meeting.
BYE-LAWS
18.1 The Committee shall have the power to make such bye-laws as it may consider necessary, provided that such bye-laws do not conflict with the Constitution or Rules of the Galway Walking Club.
18.2 The Hon. Secretary shall maintain a record of bye-laws, and shall notify the Members of any changes to bye-laws via postal services or e-mail, telephone or internet.
18.3 Bye-laws shall, until revoked, be binding on members.
18.4 Bye-laws shall take immediate effect, but shall lapse unless formally approved by members at the next Annual General Meeting.
EXCLUSIONS FROM DISCUSSIONS
19.1 Matters of a sectarian, religious or Party Political nature shall be excluded from all the Galway Walking Club meetings.
LEGAL ACTIONS
20.1 The Galway Walking Club shall sue and be sued in the name of the Hon. Secretary or of such other Officer as may be determined by the Committee.
EXPULSION OF A MEMBER
21.1 If the Committee considers that any member has been guilty of conduct injurious to the interests or good name of the Galway Walking Club, it shall have the power, after due enquiry, to expel such a member.
21.2 During the course of any enquiry held under Rule 22.1, the member in question shall have the opportunity of being heard.
21.3 A person who has been expelled shall have the right to appeal to, and be heard, at the next Annual General Meeting of The Galway Walking Club which shall have the power to confirm the action of the Committee or restore the membership to such person.
21.4 A vacancy occurring in any office as the result of such an expulsion shall be filled by the Committee by the election of a person from amongst their number for that office. The resultant vacancy on the Committee shall then be filled by co-option under Rule 6.1.
ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION OR RULES
22.1 No alteration or amendment to the Constitution or Rules of the Galway Walking Club shall be made unless proposed by the Committee or at least thirty paid-up members.
22.2 Every such proposed alteration or amendment shall be discussed and voted upon at a Special General Meeting held not more than eight weeks after the proposal thereof.
22.3 The Hon. Secretary shall give at least twenty-eight days notice of any such Special General Meeting to each paid up member via postal services, e-mail, telephone or internet.
22.4 No alteration or amendment to the Constitution or Rules shall be deemed to be carried unless supported by the vote of at least two-thirds of the paid up Members present and voting at such a Special General Meeting.
Galway Walking Club 