1) Name
The Association will be known as the F3J UK Association, hereinafter referred to as "The Association".
2) Objectives
The objectives of The Association will be to encourage and further all aspects of F3J model flying (as defined by CIAM) in the British Isles and elsewhere by whatever means are considered appropriate by the committee.
3) Membership
Membership will be open to any person over the age of eight years. Junior members (aged 8 to 18) will pay a subscription of 50% of the full rate.
It will be a condition of membership of the Association that members will provide proof of current BMFA membership. Those who do not provide this proof will be offered a newsletter subscription only. These people will not be deemed to be members of the Association. The newsletter subscription rate will be the same as that of full membership.
The Committee shall have the power to recommend to the members nominations for life membership of the Association at no cost to the nominee. Any recommendation must be agreed by a simple majority decision of the members present at a General Meeting of the Association. Life memberships thus granted shall be conditional upon the member remaining a member of the BMFA.
4) Register of Members
The Membership Secretary will maintain an up-to-date register of members.
5) Committee
The Committee will be elected by the members of the Association and will consist of a Chairman*, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer*, a Membership Secretary*, a Newsletter Editor, a Competition Secretary*. The Chairman, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer will be considered to be Executive Appointments. Four members of the committee will constitute a quorum. The committee will be responsible for the organisation and administration of The Association.
All members of the Committee will normally hold office for a period of two years, and be eligible to hold further terms of office after re-election. Those posts on the committee marked as * above, will retire in odd numbered years, the remainder in even numbered years. Northern, Midland and Southern representatives may additionally be co-opted on to the Committee. Committee members may hold more than one post. Junior members will not be eligible to serve on the committee.
Members of the Committee who fail to attend three consecutive meetings without reasonable explanation should thereafter be excluded from the Committee.
The Secretary will maintain a record of all proceedings of the Association.
The Treasurer will be responsible for administering the finances of the Association and will present an up-to-date account of the funds to each committee meeting.
6) Banking
An account in the name of the Association will be established at a recognised bank. All cheques to be signed by the Treasurer and one other executive member of the committee.
7) Election of the Committee
The officers of the committee will be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. Persons nominated for election must confirm in writing that they are prepared to serve if elected and must be proposed and seconded by paid-up members. Nominations must be received by the Secretary at least fifteen days before the date of the AGM. In the event of insufficient nominations being received to fill all positions on the Committee, the elected members of the committee will have the power to co-opt any eligible member who is prepared to serve.
In the case of the Chairman, only existing members of the Committee are eligible for nomination.
8) Annual General Meeting
The AGM of The Association will be held at least once a year at a suitable centrally located venue, and if possible on a day designated for a BMFA F3J competition event. Notice of the AGM will be sent to all current members not less than 30 days before the date fixed. Resolutions to be included in the agenda of the AGM must have a proposer and two seconders, these to be current members of the Association, and will be received in writing by the Secretary at least 60 days prior to the next AGM and notified to the membership at least 30 days prior to the AGM. A copy of the agenda for the AGM will be made available to all those attending the meeting. Nominations for committee will be received 15 days before the date of the AGM.
The business to be transacted at the AGM will comprise:
a) Minutes of the previous AGM
b) Matters Arising
c) To receive a written Annual report from each Executive member of the Committee.
d) To review a statement of the funds of the Association, audited should the Committee so decide.
e) To elect a Committee to serve for the following year
f) To set the annual subscription for the following year
g) To appoint the auditors for the following year if recommended to do so by the committee.
h) To vote on resolutions listed on the agenda
9) Constitution
The constitution of The Association may only be changed by a resolution at a general meeting.
10) Extraordinary General Meeting
By resolution of the Committee or upon request in writing, signed by no fewer than ten members of the Association, the Secretary will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting. Notice of the EGM will be sent to all current members not less than 21 days before the date fixed. The notice will state the purpose of the meeting and contain the resolution/s to be debated. No further resolutions may be discussed.
11) Quorum
No business will be conducted at any General Meeting of The Association unless at least 10 or 10% whichever is the lesser, of the paid up members are present. In the absence of a quorum, the General Meeting will stand adjourned for seven days to a place and time appointed by the Chairman when business will proceed without further notice, with whatever members shall be present. In the event of an even number of votes being cast, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
12) Voting
All members over the age of 18 will be entitled to vote. Members that are present at a meeting will be entitled to vote. Proxy votes may be cast by representatives of eligible members who may attend meetings on their behalf. Proxy votes will be counted only if written proof of the right to cast a proxy is presented to the Secretary at the meeting. All decisions will be determined by a simple majority vote.
13) Rules
It will be a condition of membership that all members agree to abide by any rules which may from time to time be published by the committee, and shall be made available to any member upon request in writing.
14) Subscriptions
The amount of the annual subscription will be fixed each year by the AGM. Membership will normally run from 1st January each year until 31st December, excepting for the formation period of the Association which will be deemed to run until 31st December 2001. New members may join at any time throughout the year. Members whose subscription remains unpaid more than one month after the expiry date of their membership will cease to be members.
15) Newsletter
Every member of the Association will receive a copy, in either electronic or printed form, of the Association newsletter. The newsletter will be published at intervals determined by the committee.
16) Competitions
Competitions and fly-ins will be organised by the Association. The Competition Secretary will be responsible for the organisation of these events. All paid-up members will be entitled to attend, but may only participate in flying activities upon providing proof of current BMFA insurance.
17) Expenses
All reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by members of the committee on official Association business will be reimbursed. Such expenditure will have been approved by the committee in advance. Documentary evidence of any expenditure will normally be required by the treasurer. In the event of any dispute arising, this will be resolved by a simple majority of the Committee.
18) Dissolution of the Association
An EGM of remaining members must be held to decide the dissolution of the Association. This meeting will decide the treatment of any monies remaining in the account. This may either:
a) be divided equally by all paid-up members at time of issue of the EGM notice; or
b) donated to a fund or organisation concerned with the furtherance of the objectives of the Association;
or
c) donated to a registered charitable organisation.
Such decision will be made by a simple majority vote. Any Association assets will be sold and the proceeds treated as part of the funds for this purpose.
This Constitution was approved by members of the formation committee of the Association in August 2000
Signed:
John Stewart (Chairman/Newsletter)
Steve Harvey (Vice-Chairman)
Nick Evans (Secretary/Treasurer)
Terry Stuckey (Membership Secretary/Liaison Officer)
Colin Lucas (Competition Secretary)