Membership Form

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CONSTITUTION AND RULES

1. TITLE

The name of the Club shall be “THE MECHANICAL HORSE CLUB” hereinafter referred to as the “Club”

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE CLUB

The objectives of the Club are as follows: – 

  1. To promote interest in the preservation and restoration of Mechanical Horses and other light articulated road tractor units and associated equipment.
  2. To promote historical research into all aspects of the production and operation of the Mechanical Horse and other light articulated road tractor units and associated equipment.
  3. To facilitate the collection and preservation of documents, photographs and exhibits relating to these vehicles.
  4. To facilitate the display of vehicles, equipment and historical material at public and enthusiast events, encouraging others to take an interest in the vehicles.
  5. To purchase and display vehicles on behalf of the Club and its membership, or in association with other bodies.
  6. To operate a spare part and technical information service to members on an optional subscription scheme.  
  7. To promote sales and literature, illustrations and other associated memorabilia at meetings and public events.
  8. To facilitate the association of members for their mutual benefit and interest.
  9. To regularly communicate with members by means of the publication of a newsletter.

3. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CLUB

There are four classes of membership

  1. Ordinary
  2. Family
  3. Life
  4. Honorary.

Ordinary membership is normally available to individuals who complete an application form and pay the required subscription, subject to acceptance of the Club Management Committee or the Club Chairman or secretary acting on their behalf. 

Family Membership is available to ordinary members, including their Spouse/Partner and also their children under the age of eighteen years of age, they will however only receive one copy of the Newsletter per family membership.

Life Membership is available to existing ordinary members on payment of a sum not less than the equivalent of ten years current subscriptions. Acceptance as a Life Member is subject to the approval of the Clubs Management Committee. Life members are subject to all the rules and conditions that apply to ordinary members and there is no provision for the refund of all or any part of the payment in any circumstances. 

Honorary Membership may be confirmed on a non-Club member who is deemed to have given long and/or exceptional service to the Club or its objectives. Such membership can only be recommended by the Management Committee and requires confirmation by a majority vote of the ordinary membership at an Annual or Special General Meeting. In exceptional circumstances honorary membership can be withdrawn on the recommendation of the Club’s management or at a special general meeting. 

4. MEETINGS

Members shall meet from time to time in a “General Meeting” One such meeting shall be designated the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. Other general meetings shall be held as and when the Clubs Management Committee decides, or by the request of not less than 10% of the Club membership. These meetings shall be known as Extraordinary General Meetings and will be convened by the Clubs Secretary. Guests may only attend the Annual General Meeting. They may not participate in any of the Club’s business.

Committee Meetings: Shall be held at least once a year, prior to the Annual General Meeting for the purpose of conducting the Club’s business, including preparation for the Annual General Meeting.

Notice of Meetings: Shall normally be given by the Secretary by written notice in the

Club’s newsletter as follows: – Twenty-one days notice to members, for the Annual General Meeting. Fourteen days to members for an Extraordinary Meeting. . Fourteen days to committee members for a Committee Meeting, or in exceptional circumstances lesser notice, by agreement with the Club Chairman.  

5. AGENDA ITEMS 

Shall be made available to members and /or committee members at least seven days prior to any meeting. Members must submit items for the agenda not less than ten days prior to a meeting. Only in exceptional circumstances will late items be considered under any other business and at the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting 

6. VOTING 

Only fully paid up members are entitled to vote at any meeting of the Club. Voting at an Annual General Meeting shall be by members present and motions carried by a simple majority vote except in the case of any alterations to the rules or constitution when a two-thirds majority shall be required. In the event of a voting tie then the Chairman shall be required to exercise a casting vote.

Members who are unable to attend may nominate a fellow member to cast a proxy vote on their behalf. The member must give prior notice to the Secretary of any such arrangement and the proxy vote must be recorded in the minutes. 

A Resolution to affect the dissolution of the Club must be undertaken by a postal ballot of all members and is to be presided over by the Club Chairman or in his absence the Club Secretary and in the presence of the Management Committee.

7. NOMINATION FOR OFFICE OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, INCLUDING THE POST OF CHAIRMAN, SECRETARY AND TREASURER

Nomination forms for these posts shall be made available to members not less than twenty-one days prior to an Annual General Meeting and returned not less than fourteen days to the Secretary prior to the meeting.

8. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB

The management of the club shall be vested in a Management Committee, the membership of which shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting. The Management Committee shall consist of the Clubs Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and at least three other members. This number may temporally increase, subject to the agreement of the committee by co-opting suitable persons from the ordinary membership to undertake specific duties for a period not exceeding one year, or until the following Annual General Meeting whichever period is shorter. The co-opted person may if agreed, be eligible for election by the membership or alternatively be co-opted for a further year. Co-opted members are not entitled to vote on matters before the Management Committee.

9. ELECTION OF OFFICERS TO THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are subject to nominations and re-election at each Annual General Meeting.  The other members of the Management Committee are to be elected on a three-year cycle and will normally serve for a three-year term of office after which time they may seek re-election at the appropriate Annual General Meeting.   

10.  ELIGIBILITY FOR ELECTION 

Only fully paid up members are eligible to hold any official position in the Club.

11.  SUBSCRIPTIONS 

The Management Committee shall, from time decide the minimum annual subscription rates for members. Annual subscriptions shall become due for payment on the first day of March each year.

Members whose subscriptions are not paid by the 31st of August in any year shall be notified by means of the Clubs newsletter sent to their last known address and one month thereafter any member still in arrears shall be removed from the register of members and shall be excluded from all privileges, benefits and activities of the Club.  

12. DISCIPLINE 

The Management Committee shall have the authority to suspend or withdraw membership from any member, after a tribunal panel has been convened to hear details of the alleged breach of conduct.

A tribunal panel shall be convened by the Club Secretary and will include not less than three members of the Management committee including the Chairman of the Club. The Club’s Secretary will act as Secretary to that tribunal panel.

The secretary of the Tribunal panel, on the instruction of the chairman, will write to the member concerned, outlining details of the allegations against them. If a satisfactory answer to the allegation is not forthcoming within a period of 14 days. The member concerned will be summoned to appear before this tribunal panel.  If requested, the member may be accompanied by one fully paid up member to act as a support and witness to the proceedings. The “support member” shall not be a member of the management committee and will not have any right of address to the tribunal panel. If the member concerned fails to appear at this tribunal, then the matter may be heard in their absence.   

The Secretary on instructions of the tribunal panel will write, notifying the member concerned, of any decision reached by this tribunal panel and details of any disciplinary action which may follow as a result, not more than fourteen days after the hearing has been concluded. 

Appeals procedure Any member who is subject to such disciplinary action must give notice to the Secretary of the tribunal panel of their intention to appeal against any part or parts of the tribunal panel’s decision, one month prior to the appeal being heard at the next General Meeting, when the disciplinary action will be confirmed or rescinded by majority vote of the membership present. In the event of a voting tie the Chairman will have the casting vote. 

Both the appellant and a designated committee member will be afforded the opportunity of addressing the membership present at this General Meeting. The appellant will only be allowed to attend that part of the meeting dealing with the appeal. The decision of the members present will be communicated in writing within fourteen days of the General Meeting. This decision is final and no further consideration will be given to the matter.

13. ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL CONTROL   

Maintenance of the Clubs accounts is the responsibility of the elected Treasurer who is subject to the decisions of the Management Committee. All members and officers of the Club must maintain the procedures agreed between the Treasurer and the Management Committee relating to the control of the Clubs finances.

The accounts of the club shall be subject to an annual audit undertaken by an auditor appointed by the Management Committee. No member of the Management Committee may act as an auditor.

The financial year of the Club shall be from the first day of March until the last day of February the following year.

14.  CLUB PROPERTY   

A record must be maintained of all property and goods belonging to the Club. All members of the Club are required to keep a personal record of all Club property in their procession or safekeeping and advise the secretary of any changes. All property must be returned to the custody of the Management Committee on the instruction of the secretary and a record must be made. Members must not dispose of any Club property without the express instruction of the Management Committee. Any transaction undertaken on behalf of the Club must be recorded in the Clubs property register.

15. MEMBERSHIP RECORDS     

Membership information and other Club records will be held on a computerised system and will only be used for Club purposes and will not be disclosed to any third party without the permission of the member concerned.

16.  COMPLAINTS PROCEEDURE

Any person or persons, who have any complaints about the running of the club, or of any individual or individual’s actions, must write to the Secretary giving full details of their complaint.   

17.  CONSTITUTION & RULES

Shall be supplied to each Club member. Membership of the Mechanical Horse Club implies acceptance of the constitution and rules of the Club and any amendments that may subsequently be enacted by the Management Committee after due notice is given to the members.