Club Rules

Objective of the Club
To provide a regular meeting point for social contacts between retired professional and business men, and an opportunity to participate in activities of mutual interest.

Rules

1. Title The Club shall be called the Harrogate and District Probus Club.

2. Status The Club shall be independent of any other organisation and its affairs shall be conducted under the authority of its own membership.

3. Membership

3.1 Membership shall be open to professional and business men aged fifty five and over, residing in the Harrogate postal area, who have retired from their normal business or profession.
3.2 The restrictions regarding residence or age may be waived at the discretion of the Committee.
3.3 An applicant for membership shall have attended at least one previous meeting as a guest and have his application approved by the Committee.
3.4 The maximum membership may be limited by the Committee with the approval of the membership.
3.5 A member behaving unreasonably may be asked by the Committee to leave the Club after two previous warnings and after the approval of the majority of members attending a general meeting with advance notice of the matter. A meeting for this purpose shall require a quorum of no fewer than twenty five members.
3.6 A member who resigns because of ill-health may, at the discretion of the Committee, be offered honorary membership, permitting occasional participation in Club activities and without prejudice to an application for the resumption of full membership.

4. Subscriptions

4.1 Subscriptions are to be determined at each Annual General meeting (AGM) after receiving the Treasurer’s report.
4.2 Subscriptions must be paid within two months of becoming due or membership will lapse. Special circumstances, such as illness, will be considered by the Committee.

5. Constitution

5.1 Officers of the Club

5.1.1 The Officers of the Club shall be the President and up to nine other Committee Members, between whom the duties appropriate to the offices of Vice-President, Welfare Officer, Social Secretary, Treasurer, Speaker Finder, Walks Coordinator, Webmaster and Secretary shall be allocated in committee.
5.1.2 Officers of the Club may hold their posts for up to three years, after which they would normally stand down. However, in the absence of any other candidates and with the approval of the Committee, and Officer may put his name forward for re-election at the AGM.
5.1.3 After serving for at least one year, the President may wish to stand down. If the Vice President does not wish to take over, then there will be an election for a new President.
5.1.4 If, following an AGM, any post remains unfilled, the Committee will decide how to maintain cover for that post.

5.2 The Committee

5.2.1 The purpose of the Committee is to facilitate the smooth running of the Club in order to serve its members and to achieve the Club’s stated objective. Approval of the membership should always be sought before any action is taken to change what has been accepted by the majority of Club members as custom and practice.
5.2.2 Any member of the Club may propose or second members for election as an Officer at the AGM. Nominations, proposed and seconded, must be received by the Secretary not later than the Committee meeting preceding the AGM. Any member proposed for election as President must have been a member for at least one year.
5.2.3 Any vacancies amongst the Committee during the year may be filled by the Committee. Persons so appointed shall hold office and be empowered to vote until the next AGM, when they may then seek election in the usual way.
5.2.4 The Committee may co-opt up to two additional members. Co-opted members shall have the right to attend and speak at Committee meetings but not to vote.
5.2.5 The Committee may appoint sub-committees with a view to sharing the workload.
5.2.6 The Committee shall meet as required and not less than five times a year. A quorum shall consist of four elected members.

6. Meetings

6.1 An AGM shall be held each year at such time and place as shall be decided by the Committee and at least four weeks’ notice shall be given to members.
6.2 The Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting on the written request of no fewer than fifteen members and shall give to members at least four weeks’ notice of such meetings
6.3 Voting at all meetings shall be by show of hands or by ballot if so determined. In the event of an equal distribution of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

7. Accounts

7.1 An income and expenditure account for the period to the end of December each year shall be prepared and present for approval at the AGM after audit by two members appointed at the previous AGM.
7.2 The Committee shall appoint the Club’s bankers, and cheques shall be signed by two persons: those authorised being the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary.
7.3 In the event of the Club’s being wound up, the Club’s properties and assets shall be returned to the current full members, except for the President’s insignia, the lectern and the gavel and base, which shall be returned to the Rotary Club of Harrogate Brigantes.

8. Guests

8.1 Members may bring a male guest with them to normal meetings, but must advise the President and give him the guest’s name. The guest may not attend more than three times in one year.
8.2 Walks and social activities shall be open to guests of either sex. The Committee may also, as an exception, agree to guests of either sex attending an occasional normal meeting.