Constitution Review">Constitution Review

DURSLEY ’91 PROBUS CLUB CONSTITUTION (Revised May 2025)

1. Title.

The club shall be called Dursley ’91 Probus Club (hereinafter called “the Club”)

2. Objectives.

The Objectives of the Club shall be to provide and promote social contacts and fellowship among retired and partially retired professional and business men.

2. Objectives.

The objectives of the Club shall be to provide and promote social contacts and fellowship among retired and partially-retired professional and business men.

3. Membership.

Membership of the Club shall be available to wholly or partially retired professional or business men residing in or having worked in Dursley and district. The maximum number of Members shall be decided from time to time by the Management Committee (see paragraph 10).

All applications for membership shall be made to the Secretary on the prescribed form which shall be completed and signed by the applicant and countersigned by two Members. Acceptance into membership shall be subject to the approval of the Management Committee whose decision shall be final.

In the event that any upper limit on the number of Members, as determined by the Management Committee, has been reached, the approved applicant’s name shall be placed on a waiting list to be maintained by the Secretary, and approved applicants shall then be admitted to membership in chronological order as and when vacancies arise.

The Management Committee shall, at their discretion, have the power to appoint Honorary Members who may be additional to any prevailing upper membership limit.

4. Meetings.

The Club shall normally meet in the morning of the second Monday of each month at a time and venue to be notified.

5. Guests.

A Member may bring a guest to a Club Meeting, but the same guest shall not attend more than three Club Meetings in any one year. A prospective member may attend Club Meetings as a guest of a Member before making an application to join.

6. General Meetings.

The Annual General Meeting (“AGM”), of which three weeks’ notice shall be given by the Secretary, shall be held in May of each year.

A Special General Meeting (“SGM””) may be called by the Secretary on receipt of a request, in writing, signed by not less than ten Members. At least three weeks’ notice of an SGM, specifying the business to be transacted and the precise resolution to be voted upon, shall be given to all Members.

Club rules may be amended at an AGM, or at a SGM called for that purpose. The proposed amendment shall be specified in the notice convening the meeting.

No business shall be raised at an AGM or SGM that is not on the agenda of that meeting.

7. Financial Year.

The Club’s financial year shall commence on 1st April and end on 31st March.

8. Subscriptions.

The subscriptions may comprise:

– Fee for joining the Club.
– Annual Subscription.

The renewal of each Member’s Annual Subscription becomes due with effect from the date of the AGM, at a rate determined by Management Committee, and notified to all Members at or before the AGM.

Each Member should pay his Annual Subscription on or before the date of the Club Meeting in June. Membership will lapse in the case of any Member whose Annual Subscription remains unpaid for three months after the AGM unless, at the discretion of the Management Committee, exceptional circumstances prevail e.g. long-term illness.

A Member joining the Club after 31st October shall pay half the Annual Subscription.

9. Officers.

The Officers of the Club shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

10. Management Committee.

There shall be a Management Committee which shall consist of the Officers, the immediate past-President and such number of other Members as the Committee shall decide. The Management Committee shall carry out a review before every AGM to decide the maximum size of the Management Committee.

The Management committee shall have the power to co-opt any Member or Members of the Club to serve on the Committee for the current year.

The duties of the Management Committee shall be to:

– Preserve the interests of the Members.
– Regulate the procedure and conduct at meetings of the Club.
– Arrange special functions, talks and visits.
– Control the finances of the Club.
– Deal with the general administration of the Club.

The Management Committee shall normally meet in the morning of the first Tuesday of each month. The quorum for Management Committee meetings shall be not less than four, or one third of the members of the Management Committee, whichever is the greater. The President and/or the Vice-President should if possible always be present.

11. Appointment of Officers and Management Committee.

The President shall be nominated by the Management Committee and his nomination shall be subject to endorsement at the AGM. His term of office shall be for one year. However, if circumstances arise whereby a second term of office is deemed to be necessary, this may be agreed by the Management Committee, subject always to endorsement by the AGM.

In the year immediately following his Presidency, a past-President shall, if possible, serve on the Management Committee in an ex-officio capacity.

The Vice-President shall be nominated by the Management Committee in anticipation of his succession to the Presidency in the following year. His nomination shall be subject to the endorsement at the AGM.

The Secretary and Treasurer shall be nominated by the Management Committee and their nominations shall be subject to endorsement at the AGM.

The existence of a vacancy or vacancies on the Management Committee will be announced to Members at the Club Meeting in January. Nomination forms to join the Management Committee or to continue to serve on the Management Committee must be presented to the Secretary, on the prescribed nomination form, proposed and seconded by two Members, not later than the Club Meeting in April. All nominations shall be subject to endorsement at the AGM.

12. President’s Casting Vote.

In the event of voting on any matter being equal, the President shall at any meeting have a second or casting vote.

13. Policy.

The Club shall be strictly non-political and non-sectarian. The Club shall not raise funds for or donate funds to charitable or religious organisations except where a visiting speaker specifically requests his/her fee is to be donated to a named charity. The club shall not expect members to solicit charitable donations from other members within the activities of the Club. Where it is thought appropriate, the Management Committee may approve a donation in lieu of the payment of a charge.

14. Accounts.

A statement of account for the period ending 31st March each year, duly audited by a person appointed for that purpose by the Management Committee, shall be presented to the AGM by the Treasurer.

15. Bank Accounts.

The Management Committee shall arrange for a bank account (or accounts) to be opened in the name of the Club and authorise three Officers, one of whom must be the Treasurer, to sign cheques and authorise payments on behalf of the Club. All cheques and other payments (other than petty cash payments of £10 or less) drawn on the Club’s account(s) must be signed or authorised by at least two authorised Officers.

The Treasurer shall report the Club’s financial situation to the Management Committee at each of its monthly meetings.

16. Disbandment of the Club.

Should the Club be disbanded, any balance of the Club’s assets remaining after payment of all debts shall be donated to such charitable cause, or causes, as the Management Committee may decide.