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Club Rules

updated 15 October 2021

1. Name of Club
1.1 The club will be called Devizes Canoe Club (hereinafter will be referred to as The Club) and
may also be known as DCC. DCC will be affiliated to the National Governing Body for
paddlesport, British Canoeing and will incorporate its rules and regulations.


2. Intent

2.1 These rules establish basic principles for the conduct of club affairs and align to British
Canoeing requirements for well-governed clubs.

2.2 In the event of any conflict between any rule or policy of the club and the rules and regulations
referred to in paragraph 1, the Club’s constitution and supporting rules and policies shall
prevail.


3. Background

3.1 The DCC Constitution is our primary governance document. The Constitution came into effect
when the Canoe Club become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2014.

3.2 As a CIO we are regulated by the Charity Commission and file a single annual report and a set
of accounts.

3.3 These rules supplement the Constitution and in case of any inconsistency or conflict, the CIO
Constitution shall prevail.

3.4 A company limited by guarantee may be established by the Trustees, subject to approval at a
General Meeting of the members, if it is deemed necessary in the future to conduct specific
activities on behalf of the Club, such as trading activity, within a limited company framework.


4. Responsibility for this policy.

4.1 Club Rules are sponsored by the Club Chair on behalf of the CIO Trustees and will be
approved by members at the AGM.

5. DCC Aims and Objectives
5.1 The aims and objectives of the club are:

5.1.1 To provide facilities for and to promote participation in paddlesport (canoeing and
kayaking) in the Devizes Community Area.

5.1.2 To develop the skills, health, and well-being of members.

5.1.3 To make a positive contribution to the wider community.

5.2 Club Trustees also commit to ensuring:

5.2.1 Effective governance of DCC assets and the built estate;

5.2.2 A duty of care to all members of the club; and

5.2.3 To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone.

6. CIO Powers
6.1 The CIO’s powers are described in detail in the Club Constitution.


7. DCC Membership

7.1 Membership of DCC is open to anyone, without exception, interested in promoting, coaching,
volunteering, or participating in paddlesport, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity,
nationality, sexual orientation, religion, or other beliefs.

7.2 The total membership of the Club shall not be limited, however, if the Management Committee
considers that there is good reason to impose a limit from time to time then the Committee shall
seek approval (retrospectively if necessary) for such a limit at the AGM.

7.3 Club membership shall consist of the following categories:

7.3.1 Junior Membership (8-18 years).

7.3.2 Student Membership (19-22 years and in full-time education).

7.3.3 Young Adult Membership (19-22 years).

7.3.4 Adult Membership (23-64 years).

7.3.5 Senior Adult Membership (65+ years).

7.3.6 Family Membership (2 adults and all children under 18 years).

7.3.7 Joint Membership (two adults in a relationship).

7.3.8 Social Membership (non-paddling).

7.3.9 Life Membership may be awarded by the Club’s trustees to recognise an exceptional
contribution.

7.4 Members in each category will pay membership fees, which shall be determined at the Annual
General Meeting and apply in the following membership year from 1 st April.

7.5 All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and, by joining the Club, will be
deemed to accept these Club Rules, Club policies and codes of behaviour that the Club has
adopted.

7.6 Members shall be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings or
be eligible for selection of any Club team provided the applicable subscription has been paid by
the due date and/or membership accepted by the Club committee.


8. Sports Equity

8.1 DCC is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development.
In doing so, it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

8.2 Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking
steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it
becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

8.3 The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally
within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious
belief, sexuality, or social/economic status.

8.4 The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free
from the threat of intimidation, harassment, and abuse.

8.5 All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote
equality of opportunity
.
8.6 The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to Club
Disciplinary, Dispute and Appeals policy.


9. Governance Committees

9.1 The affairs of the Club are managed by two complementary committees:

9.1.1 DCC Trustees Committee. The CIO Trustees must include the Chair, Treasurer, and
Club Secretary. Any adult member may stand as a Trustee. Trustees shall be elected
at the AGM. The Club’s Trustees meet infrequently to approve significant financial or
legal commitments on the club’s behalf, including investment in the built estate, and to
approve major policy changes. They are ultimately accountable to the Charity
Commission for the club’s effective governance.

9.1.2 DCC Management Committee. The CIO Trustees delegate operational management
responsibilities to a club management committee. The management committee meets
regularly, as often as required, to implement the club’s programme and ensure safe
and effective club operations. All members of the management committee have a
specific role within the club.

9.2 Meeting frequency and details of committee composition are in the CIO Constitution document.


10. Committee Membership

10.1 All Committee members must be members of the Club.

10.2 Any member who is under the age of 16 years shall not be eligible for election to the Trustee or
Management Committee.

10.3 Committees may establish any new roles required to ensure effective management of club
resources and operations including, but not limited to, the election of a Deputy Chair from
among its number.

10.4 Limitations to the term of office of Trustees are contained in the CIO Constitution. Management
Committee term of office is limited to one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.

10.5 If any post of any Club officer or committee member should fall vacant after the election at the
AGM, the Trustees Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding
AGM.

10.6 The committees will have powers to appoint and advisers as necessary to fulfil their business.

10.7 Members of the Club committees shall be indemnified by the members of the Club against all
liabilities properly incurred by them in performing their duties.

10.8 Under the Club’s Disciplinary, Disputes and Appeals policy, Committee members share
responsibility for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the Club
rules/regulations/constitution. Committee members will be appointed by the Chair to carry out
investigations into complaints, arrange hearings, decide appropriate sanctions, including
suspension or disciplinary action following such hearings, and conducting appeals.


11. Committee Meetings

11.1 Trustees’ meetings are convened by the Club Secretary 2-3 times per year on an ad hoc basis.
Management Committee meetings are convened by the Club Secretary no less than 4-6 times
per year under the constitution.

11.2 Only full committee members have the right to vote at Committee meetings.

11.3 Details of Trustee committee quorate decision-making are in the CIO Constitution
document.The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings
will be four including either the Chair or Deputy Chair.


12. Finances
12.1 The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club.

12.2 The financial year of the Club runs from 1st April and ends on 31st March annually.

12.3 All Club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of Devizes Canoe Club.

12.4 A statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General
Meeting and submitted to the Charities Commission under the governing rules for CIOs.

12.5 Independent inspection or professional audit of accounts will take place, as directed by the
Trustees, under the legal requirements for a CIO.

12.6 Signatories on the account include the Club Treasurer, Chair, and club Secretary. Other
officers may be appointed as joint signatories as required.

12.7 Payments from the CIO account may take place by cheque, online bank transfer or via
payment applications like Stripe and PayPal. As it is no longer possible to require payments
from the club account to bear the signatures of the treasurer and other officers, the club shall
require that any payment shall be authorised by a different officer to that making the payment
and that the two shall not be family related.

12.8 Our CIO status means that the charity (DCC) has a legal personality, and its members have
limited liability in the event the charity becomes insolvent.


13. Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

13.1 General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic
rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

13.2 The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) within twelve months and as soon as
possible after the end of the financial year to:

13.2.1 Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.

13.2.2 Receive a report from the CIO Trustees.

13.2.3 Approve the CIO’s annual accounts.

13.2.4 Receive a report from those responsible for inspecting or auditing the Club’s
accounts.

13.2.5 Elect the officers on the Club’s committees.

13.2.6 Agree on the membership fees for the following year.

13.2.7 Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.

13.2.8 Deal with any other relevant business.

13.3 Under the club’s constitution, we hold an AGM every year, to which all members are invited.
Important documents relating to the AGM, including the Trustees’ report to the Charity
Commission, annual accounts, and AGM minutes are published on the Club’s website and
circulated before the AGM every year.

13.4 The Club Secretary will provide at least 21 days’ notice of the AGM to all members.

13.5 AGMs may be held in a physical or a virtual environment.

13.6 Nominations for officers of the Committee will be sent to the Secretary before the AGM.

13.7 Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the Secretary before the AGM, who shall
circulate at least 7 days before an AGM.

13.8 All members have the right to vote at the AGM.
13.9 The quorum for AGMs will be 25% of the current membership
13.10 The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative, as well as the casting, vote at general and
Committee meetings.

13.11 An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the
Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The Committee shall also
have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the Committee members.

13.12 All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.


14. Amendments to the constitution

14.1 The CIO constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or
EGM.

15. Discipline, Disputes and appeals

15.1 Complaints may be made by anyone to any member of the committee.

15.2 The club’s disciplinary, disputes and appeals policy provides the governing framework
necessary to ensure fair consistent and effective management of disciplinary, dispute and
appeals matters within DCC
.


16. Safeguarding and Welfare

16.1 All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practise/abuse relating to the welfare of children,
young and vulnerable people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately under
BC and Club child protection policy and procedures.

16.2 The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection
concerns and may appoint deputies as they see fit.


17. Safety Policy

17.1 The Committee shall be empowered to draw up policies and rules for the safe operation of the
club and its canoeing activities. The Committee may delegate safety responsibilities to a
dedicated Safety Officer who will act on the Committee’s behalf to sponsor the Club’s Safety
and Operating Policy, risk assessments and other rules of procedure which should be adhered
to by all members.

17.2 The club’s Safety and Operating Policy and the Club’s Facilities Management Policy provide
the primary authorities for club safety.


18. Change of Club Status

18.1 Having converted the club’s status to a CIO in 2014, there is currently no means of converting
the club to any other legal form except for dissolution.


19. Dissolution of the Club

19.1 Procedures are described in the DCC CIO constitution.


20. Declaration

21. Devizes Canoe Club hereby adopts and accepts Club Rules 2021 as a current operating guide
regulating the actions of members
.

Affiliated to: British Canoeing, National Water Sports Centre, Adbolton Lane, Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, NG12 2LU
Tel: 0845 370 9500 or 0300 0119 500 Fax: 0845 370 9501 info@britishcanoeing.org.uk