ARTS&WC CONSTITUTION 24/02/2016

ASLEF READING TRAINCREW SOCIAL & WELFARE CLUB

CONSTITUTION
1. Compliance with constitution
The club will be administered and managed in accordance with this
constitution.
2. The Name
The Clubs name is A.S.L.E.F. Reading Traincrew Social & Welfare, formally
known as A.S.L.E.F Reading Depot Social Club, and referred to herein as
The Club
3. The objects
To organise and promote the following: An annual Dinner & Dance;
A Christmas Members Christmas Drinks;
An annual reunion for Honorary Members, to be known as The Old
Boys Do;
Any Social function that the member(s) may wish, or that the social
committee may devise that it practicable to so;
Provide a link between active and retired members;
Provide a subsidised snack shop.
4. Application of club funds and capital assets
a. The clubs funds and capital assets may be applied only to those
ends which further the objects of the Club and in accordance with
members wishes that they will NOT be used:
To pay for the time of any member undertaking Club activities
(as distinct from reimbursement of legitimate expenses)
To support or affiliate to, any national party:
To purchase a Dwelling property:
b. The clubs funds and capital assets:
Savings for the Club assets may be invested into Savings
Account, Shares, Bonds or other means where invested
monies may earn interest.
5. Dissolution
If the members resolve to dissolve the Club, the Chairman, Secretary and
Treasurer shall remain in office for as long as it is necessary to dissolve the
Club as follows:
To notify all members in writing of the decision to dissolve;
To settle all outstanding bills and other liabilities;
To disperse any Club funds remaining after settlement of all
outstanding bills and other liabilities and close its bank accounts
and or building society accounts;
To disperse capital assets.
Dispersion means, in this context, giving the funds and capital assets (or
the proceeds from their sale), to whatever body or individual the members
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shall determine at the time of the decision to dissolve provided that such a
gift is constituent with the objects of the Club and does not benefit,
directly or indirectly, a member of the Club.
In the absence of a decision by the members as to dispersion, all funds
and capital assets (or the proceeds from their sale) shall go to the
Railway Benefit Fund.
6. Amendments
Any clauses contained within the constitution may only be amended at an
Annual General Meeting (AGM) or Special Meeting upon request where
members are present; any motion to amend this constitution is passed by
a simple majority of members present and voting.
7. Membership
Full Membership shall be confined to:a. All Rail staff based at Reading Station
b. All Rail staff transferred out or promoted from Reading Station
Associate membership
Associate Membership shall be confined to:c. Rail staff based outside of Reading Station
Honorary Membership
Honorary membership shall be granted to retiring full members or full
members who are granted ill health retirement/resettlement with at least
five years continual membership immediately prior to retirement or ill
health retirement/resettlement.
Honorary membership shall be granted to full members who take early
voluntary retirement with at least five years continual membership
immediately prior to taking voluntary retirement.
Partners of deceased full members shall be granted honorary members,
but will not be eligible to vote or serve as club officers or committee
members.
Honorary members nominate 2 committee members who will have voting
rights at committee and general meetings.
Associate and Honorary members are welcome to observe at Annual
General Meetings.
8. Membership Year and Fees
The membership fee shall be determined each year at the Annual General
Meeting.
Membership shall run from 1st January to 31st December.
9. Financial year
The financial year shall be the calendar year beginning 1 st January
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10.
Annual General Meetings and General Meetings
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) should be held in January of each year,
Where an AGM not being held in January a special meeting to discuss the
Clubs business must be held by the last date in March of that year.
Other general meetings may be held if:
The Principle officers of the Club so decide;
Requested in writing by at least 10% of the membership. The
request must state the nature of the business and submitted to
the Secretary, which is to be discussed and shall be held no later
than 28 days from receipt of the request unless the signatories
request a greater period.
As per clause 19
11.
Notice
The minimum notice period for an Annual General Meeting, Special or a
General meeting shall be 21 days. (This is due to Annual leave where
members may not be about to see notices and would like the chance to
address meetings)
The notice must have the following details: The type of meeting(AGM, Special or General)
Venue for the meeting
Start time
Planned duration for the meeting
Agenda list*
*Only at meetings are the agenda items are to be discussed By Officers and
Committee members
This notice must be issued to all members; email will be acceptable form
of issuing notice to members (for those who have supplied an email
address).
12.
Quorum
No business shall be transacted at any general meeting outside the times
declared in the notice unless a quorum is present when the business
starts. If no quorum has been achieved half an hour after the start the
meeting shall be declared non-quorate.
For an AGM, Special or General meeting to commence there must be a
quorum of 6 (Officers and/or Committee) and/or a minimum of 4 Full
members.
During any meeting 4 (Officers and/or Committee members must present
at all times, where the number is below this the meeting will be ended.
13.
Motions
All motions shall have a proposer and seconder.
A defeated motion cannot be put again in less than three months from the
time of its defeat unless the Chairman rules otherwise through emergency
circumstances.

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A motion cannot be negated or rescinded within six months of its
acceptance at a general meeting unless the Chairman rules that earlier
action is essential in which a motion to rescind or negate shall be notified
to all members and be put to a general meeting.
14.
Principal Officers for 2016
The Principle Officers of the Club for 2016 shall be:
CHAIRMAN: Vicky Brentnall
SECRETARY: Martin Boreham
SOCIAL SECRETARY: Anthony Beckett
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: James Pluck
TREASURER: Terry Holmes / Assistant: Geoff Lee
SHOP MANAGER: Martin Boreham
FRUIT MACHINE MANAGER: Terry Holmes / Anthony Beckett
RETIRED MEMBERS SECRETARY: Kenneth Cockell
WEB EDITOR: MARTIN BOREHAM
15.
Other Officers
The Club may appoint any other officer it requires in whatever manner it
decides at a General Meeting. Such appointments may be appointed for
whatever period the Club decides.
16.
Committee Members & Retired Committee Members for
2015:
The Club would normally consist of 7 Committee members and 2 Retired
members.
1. Nigel Houston
2. Brian Stone
3. Kai Smith
4. Alan Shepherd
5. Paul Sedgebeer
6. Debbie Joao
7. Dean Prendergast
8. Geoff Lee
17.
Use of bank accounts
Use of banking facilities must be countersigned by the Treasurer and at
least one other Principle Officer.
Officers authorised should be:
Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Shop Keeper
Social Secretary
The Club Bank Account HSBC Monthly Statements will be posted to the
Treasurers home address; this address will not be published within this
constitution.
All Bank books shall be kept with the Treasurer.
Only in exceptional circumstances can alternative arrangements by made,
these must be passed at a committee meeting, and at each subsequent
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committee meeting for a maximum of 2 meetings. After such time it shall
be necessary to call a general meeting.
18.
Auditors
The Club shall appoint a minimum of 2 auditors, who need not be a
member(s).
The auditors will audit the accounts at least annually, and submit their
report to the Annual General Meeting.
19.
Committee Meetings
The committee shall meet on a 3-monthly basis or when deemed
necessary, where officers will provide a report.
The dates for the meeting must be agreed at the previous meeting and be
advertised immediately to allow for funding application as per clause 25
The Secretary can call an emergency meeting within 7 days notice, all
Officers and Committee members must be notified of this in writing. Email
is an acceptable form of communication.
Where the Committee meeting is called it must have a quorum of five, 3
Principal Officers must be present throughout the entire meeting.
20.
Minutes
The minute book will be used at all meetings to record the meetings
activities and will be typed up and after they are taken as a true record will
be stored with the minute taker, and be brought along to every meeting.
The minutes will be made available for all members to see as long as a
request is made in writing and the reason why, this request must be sent
to the Club Secretary.
21.
Annual reports
The Principle Officers shall present an Annual Report at the AGM.
The Treasurer shall in addition present an Annual Financial account in
written form which shall be available to all members attending the AGM.
Where the treasurer if unable to attend the meeting the Chairman will
present the report to the meeting
22.
Bereavement grants
On Death in service of a full paying member, a special meeting will be
held to agree a nominal amount to be paid to the family of that member.
23.
Granting of funds
Any member looking for funding for external events must apply in writing
to the committee, stating what they are looking to do and how many
members will be involved.
*Grants should be based on a per member basis.
24.
Challenges to the Chairmans decisions
The ruling of the chairperson on any question within the constitution or on
any points of order or explanation shall be final unless challenged by at
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least 4 members. Any decision of the challenge is chaired by the Secretary
or other principal officer.
25.
Motion of no confidence in a Principle Officer
A motion of no confidence in a Principal Officer shall be made in writing by
at least 10 members or one twentieth of the membership whichever is the
greater. It shall be considered only at a special meeting convened for the
purpose.
26.
Fruit machine
The Club runs the fruit machine as its major source of income and the
following must be adhered by:
The Fruit Machine Manager or the Assistant Fruit Machine Manager are
responsible to ensure all readings from machine are correctly recorded
and the correct amount of money has been accounted for deposit any
money collected into the Club Bank account and then give receipts to the
Treasurer.
Changing the Fruit Machine is the done at the Fruit Machine Managers
discretion.
27.
Conduct
Members who attend functions and behave in an unsuitable manner or if
found to abuse, misuse, deface or theft of any money or equipment
supplied by the Club will not be entitled to any privileges gained through
membership, additionally any damage to articles or equipment that needs
replacing or repairing will be met by the member.
Members are responsible for their guests.
28.
Messroom Television
The Club will supply a working television into the Reading messroom
29.
Club Shop
The Shop Manager is responsible for all key holders and how the shop is
run.
All Shop Key Holders must be Full members and be based at Reading
depot.
30.
Selection for OFFICERS, COMMITTEE Members and
AUDITORS
Any full member based at Reading depot will be able to put their name
forward to be considered to stand for positions within the Club setup, if
there is more than 1 candidate wishing to stand for a position then a vote
will take place.
If the vote is for the Chairmans position the Chair will chaired by the
Secretary or other Principal Officer.
All Principal Officers and Committee Members must be Full paying
members and be based at Reading depot.
31.
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Monthly Prize Draws

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A Monthly draw will take place normally on the 1 st day of the new month a
members number being drawn from a random selection as seen fit by the
Membership Secretary.
The draw will only be for Full and Associate members
Prize money and is set at
1st prize 75
2nd prize 50
3rd prize 25
4th prize 10
All full and associate members who pay their subscription will be entered
into all draws
All draws will be displayed within the Messroom and on the Website.
32.
Voting
The Chairman will be allowed to vote on any motion that is being debated;
if the vote on the item that has been debated turns a 50/50 result the
Chairman has the casting vote or may chose to abstain, where the
chairman wishes to abstain from voting the resulting decision means the
motion falls.
33.
CLUB ADDRESS
The club address will be registered at
READING TRAINCREW MESSROOM,
READING STATION,
READING
BERKSHIRE
RG1 1LZ
34.
EVENTS
Where a member has put their name or asked another to put their name
down to attend an event, and fails to turn up for the event that is held,
any future event for a period of 12 months that that member wishes to
attend: they will pay the full amount for that event and when they attend
the event any money that is more that the required deposit will be
returned.
35.
COMMITTEE POSITIONS
Where members who wish to be considered to be on the committee and
are unable to attend the AGM, a request in writing must be sent to the
Secretary either via Email, text message or on paper into the Club
Membership box in the corridor.
36.
RETIRING MEMBERS
Any member (Full or Associate) who has 10 years continuous membership
with the club, will be entitled to 100.00 towards a retirement function,
any request for funds must be applied for in written form to the club
Secretary.

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We the signatories below agree the contents within this constitution are a true
and accurate record of accounts from the meeting held on the 24 th February
2016
Martin Boreham

Vicky Brentnall

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