South Lancs and Cheshire Metal Detecting Club

Club Terms & Conditions.

1 - Name and Objects of the Club
A. The name of the club will be 'The South Lancashire and Cheshire Metal Detecting Club'
B.The Objects of the club are:-

To Promote Fellowship and Dialogue between Club Members.

To Promote the Interests of its Members, and to promote a spirit of unity and loyalty amongst the club Members.

To provide a means of communication between individual club Members and the National Council for Metal Detecting'.

To encourage Members to work responsibly within the 'Detector Users Code of Conduct'.

To encourage Members to work responsibly within the 'Treasure Act 1996, Code of Practice'

To facilitate a spirit of co-operation between Museum ervices, Archaelogists, Historical Research Societies and other fellow Detectorists, with the aim of opening up a wider range of activities for its Members.

To perform any act conductive to the above objects approved by the club in General Meeting.

2 - Support Groups.
To assist in the achievement of the Club Objectives as stated above, the South Lancashire and Cheshire Metal Detecting Club shall:-

Be affiliated to the 'National Council for Metal Detecting' through the NCMD Northwest Region.

Give full support to the Pilot Project of Voluntary Recording of Archaelogical Finds.

3 - Membership
A. Membership of the South Lancashire and Cheshire MDC will be open to all Members of the public interested in Metal Detecting as a hobby, and who are willing to both, support the intersts of the club by keeping its rules and make the payment of the current membership fee.

B. Before being accepted as a member of the club, applicants will be required to declare that they are not already Members of any other detecting club. If in the past, applicants have held membership of anyother club(s), they must have given formal notice of resignation to their previous club(s) before their application will be considered.

C. Members of other clubs will be invited to attend the meetings of the club as often as they wish but only in the capacity of a visitor.

D. Members of the South Lanashire and Cheshire MDC may not join any other metal detecting club without immediately forfeiting both membership and Members rights to this club.

4 - Financial
A. Subscriptions; The annual subscription per club member will be as recommended by the committee after hearing the Treasurer's report and agreed at the Annual General Meeting. This information will be published as Bye Law No.1.

B. The financial year shall be from 1st April until 31st March.

C. Every cheque drawn on the club Bank account will be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Secretary.

D. The accounts of the club will be made up to the 31st March in each year and audited annually.

5 - Meetings
A. Ordinary General Meetings will be held every month for the purpose of:-

i- Socialising with other Members.

ii- The passing on of NCMD business and news.

iii- The continuance of club competitions etc.

iv- Any motion put to the ordinary General Meeting as a result of discussions from a Members Meeting will only require a vote as discussion on such items will omly be made at the Members Meeting.

B. Members Meetings will be held at least once each quarter year, the year commencing from the Annual General Meeting. The purpose of the Members Meeting is:

i- To bring together all interested Members of the club who wish to discuss and place forward any ideas they feel would benefit the club.

ii- These ideas can then be agreed with a majority vote and adopted.

iii- Any idea agreed at a Members Meeting that is deemed as requiring the whole club agreement would be placed as a motion at the next ordinary General Meeting.(See Rule 5A.iv.)

C. Annual General Meetings will take place not later than the end of March each year, with at least 10 months between each one. The purpose of the Annual General Meeting is:-

i- The election of officers (See Rule 7F).

ii- Financial report for the end of the year.

iii- Any other business which should have been communicated to the secretary, and included in the notice of meeting via the club newsletter.

6 - Quorum
A. That for an Ordinary General Meeting, a quorum of at least 2 officers and 8 club Members is required.
B. That for an Annual General Meeting, a quorum of at least 3 officers and fifteen club Members is required.
C. If no quorum is present within half an hour of a time appointed for a meeting, then the meeting must be adjourned to a later date.
D. That for a Members Meeting, no quorum is required. If a Members Meeting does not have at least two executive officers present then it can still proceed as long as approval from the majority of the Executive Officers is sought at the earliest opportuinity on any motions passed at the meeting.

7 - Officers of the Club
A. The Executive Officers shall consist of; Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary (See Rule 7F), Treasurer (See Rule 7F).
B. The Non-Executive Officers shall consist of; President,(See Rule 7F), Sites Officer, Finds Recording Officer. Other Non-Executive Officers may be required and these posts will be discussed and voted on at a Members Meeting.
C. The Officers are unpaid but may be paid reasonable expenses incurred during the course of their duties.
D. Any Officer may resign by giving the secretary notice in writing.
E. The post of an Officer who resigns may be filled by a temporary appointment, poending approval at the next Members meeting.
F. Until further notice, the matter of elections for the posts of Secretary, Treasurer and President shall be suspended. this is in recognitionof their long association with, and their total commitment to the welfare of the club and its Members. The present Secretary, Treasurer and President should retain their posts until:-

They submit their resignations in writing.

They are removed from office by a majority vote at a General Meeting.

8 - Officers Duties
A. Chairperson; The Chairperson shall have final authority on all matters relating to the conduct of a meeting.

B. Vice-Chairperson; The Vice-Chairperson will assist the Chairperson in the performance of his/her duties and chair the meetings in his or her absence.

C. Secretary;

i) The Preparation of minutes of all meetings.

ii) Notification to Members of all meetings.

iii) Correspondence.

iv) General Administration.

D. Treasurer;

i) The Preparation of the annual accounts.

ii) Income and Expenditure account.

iii)All financial business on behalf of the South Lancashire and Cheshire Club.

E. President;
To negotiate with outside bodies, and to ensure that the best interests of the South Lancs and Cheshire Club.

F. Sites Officer
To co-ordinate the search for new land that would be available for use by all club Members, and to promote the club through finding land to hold charitable rallies on.

G. Finds Reporting Officer:
To record Members finds and place them on the Voluntary reporting scheme whiole st keeping a liaison with Liverpool Museum.

9 - Voting
A. Voting at any meeting shall be limited to one vote per member on any issue under discussion.

B. All officers, other than the Chairperson, have the right to vote. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson of the meeting shall have use of the casting vote.

C. Unless specifically requested by at least one third of Members present, voting shall be by a show of hands.

D. A motion shall be deemed carried by a majority vote. All motions must be proposed and seconded.

10 - Constitution
A. At least one copy of the Constitution must be available at any meeting.

B. Each member will be issued with a copy of the constitution at the time of joining the club.

C. No alteration, deletion or addition to the constitution shall be made except by resolution carried by a majority vote of Members present at an annual General Meeting. Notice of which shall have contained particulars of the proposed alteration, deletion or addition.

11 - NCMD
The South Lancashire and Cheshire Metal Detecting Club will have two voting representatives at the National Council North-West meetings.

12 - Insurance
The South Lancashire and Cheshire Metal Detecting Club will arrange insurance for its Members through the National Council for Metal Detecting.

13 - By-Laws
A. The Club Members, at a Members Meeting have the power from time to time to make such by-laws (not inconsistent with the constitution) as they shall think expedient for regulating the conduct and affairs of the South LKancashire and Cheshire Club.

B. All such by-laws shall be binding upon Members of the South Lancashire and Cheshire club until replaced at another Members Meeting.

14 - Club Rules
A. Club rules may be changed, added to or deleted at any time upon the recommendation by the Officers and subject to being approved in a General Meeting by the Club Members.

B. No CVlub rules may be made which would conflict with the current constitution.

15 - Membership Fees.
A. A membership fee in accordance with the current scale of fees shall be required before a member may take part in any of the Club activities.

B. The scale of membership fees may be altered at any time upon the recommendation of the Officers and subject to being approved in a Members Meeting.

C. Payment of such a fee shall entitle a member to vote at meetings and the Annual General Meeting.

D. Any child under the age of 12 is welcome to full membership but must pay the annual NCMD insurance rate.

16 - Expulsion of Members
A. A Member may be expelled from the Club for bringing the club or hobby into disrepute, for breach of club rules, or any act considered to be not in the interest of the body of the membership.

B. A proposal for expulsion must be considered by the Officers and recommendation placed before a General Meeting for a vote.

C. There is no appeal procedure.

D. A member under threat of expulsion must be given notice of the nature of the complaint, by whom it was made and the right to reply to the Officers who will consider the case before making a recommendation.

17 - Termination of the Club
In the event of the club terminating, the monies and equipment held in the name of the club will be distributed at the discretion of the Officers sitting at the time of the termination.

By-Laws
The following by-laws, in support of the constitution have been agreed by the Officers and Members at a Members Meeting. These by-laws will be binding upon members until replaced or set aside (See Rule 13B).

1 ~ Annual Subscription fee per member will be £15.00, (£20.00 from April 2005) which includes NCMD membership and insurance.

2 ~ A further fee of 50 pence is required from all members each month on entry to the club.

3 ~ Visitors are required to pay the fee of £1.00 each month on entry to the club.