Constitution

FISH HOEK SURF LIFESAVING CLUB CONSTITUTION

1. JURISDICTION

This Constitution, with authorised amendments, shall be binding on all members of the Club and the Committee shall have the right to take disciplinary action to enforce the observance thereof.

2. NAME

The Club shall be known as Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Club.

3. AFFILIATIONS

The Club shall be affiliated to;

(a) Lifesaving South Africa (LSA)

(b) Lifesaving Association of Western Province Clubs (LWP)

4. HEADQUARTERS

The headquarters shall be the clubhouse at Fish Hoek Beach.

5. OBJECTS

The objects of the Club shall be to;

(a) study and practice the methods of surf lifesaving as taught by LSA,

(b) minimise the loss of life through drowning by providing efficient patrols and

apparatus on Fish Hoek Beach, or wherever necessary, to safe-guard the

surf bathing public and to render assistance on the beach,

interests of surf bathing and surf lifesaving,

(d) organise and conduct competitions and social functions for the benefit of the Club in achieving the above objectives,

(e) encourage and where possible provide facilities for the instruction in the skill of swimming for all ages.

6. STATUS

Membership of the Club shall consist of;

(a) all persons duly elected as members,

(b) volunteers only and no member shall receive remuneration for services

rendered,

7. NEW MEMBERS

(a) Application for membership shall be in writing with the signed.

recommendation of at least two members of the Club who are in good

standing.

(b) The applications shall be signed by the applicant and if under 18 years old,

by a parent or guardian.

(d) The Committee may grant or deny membership of the Club without giving reasons for denying membership and will give notice of the decision to the applicant.

(e) Any application for Active membership must include the time in which the

applicant took to complete the Club Swim Test.

(f) Membership having been granted, the new member shall be a Probationary member until the Junior Lifeguard Award (JLA) or Lifeguard Award (LA) or Qualifying Certificate (Q.C.) is passed.

(g) The JLA or LA or Q.C. must be attempted at least once within 3 months of becoming a Probationary member and must be passed within 1 year, failing which Probationary membership will expire and all privileges of

membership will cease forthwith.

(h) An ex-member, who wishes to rejoin the Club, may, should the application

be approved by the Committee, have the Entrance Fee waived, if the

applicant was in good standing and had a clear record when the applicant

left the Club.

(i) All Active members with LA or JLA may be called upon by the Committee or Club Captain to pass the Club Swim Test at any time.

8. MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall consist of the following categories:

(a) Nipper

i) A Nipper member is one who is between 8 and 14 years old or is

within the age specification as determined by LSA from time to time.

ii) Nipper members do not automatically become Probationary members

but must apply per clause 7.

iii) Nippers may make use of clubhouse facilities only during official

Nipper practice times as determined by the Nipper Officer from time

to time.

iv) Nipper members are exempt from paying the Entrance Fee but Annual

Subscriptions are payable.

(b) Probationary

i) All applicants for Active membership of the Club, who have been

approved by the Committee, shall be known as Probationary

members.

ii) Probationary members are subject to the Rules and Bye-laws of the

Club and are required to attend duties when and where directed.

iii) The Entrance Fee is payable upon application for membership to the

Club.

(c) Active

i) Active members shall consist of Senior Active members who are 18

years or older on the date determined by LSA from time to time and

Junior Active members who are within the age specification as

determined by LSA from time to time.

ii) All Active members must have passed the JLA or LA or Q.C. and attend duties at the Beach or elsewhere on dates and at a time as may be

specified by the Club Captain or Committee or duly authorised Patrol

Leader.

(d) Associate

i) On successful application as per clause 7a, c and d, the Associate

member shall be entitled to all Club privileges but shall not be

eligible to do duties on the Beach or compete in any competition run

under the auspices of LSA or LWP.

ii) The Associate member shall be eligible for election to any official

position in the Club with the exception of Club Captain.

iii) No person under the age of 25 years shall be eligible for Associate

membership unless incapacitated or for some other reason

satisfactory to the Committee, is unable to apply for Active

membership.

(e) Honorary

i) Any interested person may be elected as Honorary member by a two thirds

majority of the Committee present at a Committee Meeting.

ii) Honorary members are exempt from paying Entrance Fee and

Annual Subscriptions.

iii) Honorary membership is valid for 1 year and is renewable at the

discretion of the Committee.

(f) Life

i) Due notice must be given by a member or members to a meeting of

the Committee that it is the intention of that member or those

members to nominate a member or members for Life Membership.

ii) The Committee shall recommend for or against the resolution being

placed before the members at an Annual General Meeting of the

Club.

iii) Such resolution shall be carried by a two-thirds majority of those

members present and entitled to vote.

iv) Life membership may be awarded to members who have performed a

total of 10 years Active duty and are not under 25 years old, or who

have completed 8 years continuous service or 10 years broken

service as an official on the Committee, or Provincial Committee, or

as a National Official, provided in all cases at least 6 years have been

completed while as a member of the Club.

v) Life Membership may be awarded to members after 5 years

continuous service if the member is unable to perform further Active

duty for medical reasons.

(g) Country

i) Country membership may be granted to persons who apply for Active

membership but do not reside in the Cape Peninsula or surrounding

areas up to 60 kilometres from the clubhouse.

ii) Country members shall be required to perform at least 20 hours duty

per season and pass the annual JLA or LA retest.

9. BEACH DUTIES

(a) All Active members are required to perform beach duties.

(b) The following members are not expected to do beach duties:

i) Chairman

ii) Club Captain

iii) Life members

iv) Active members over the age of 30 years, provided that they have

completed 3 years of beach duties as a member of the Club.

v) Active members over the age of 40.

10. MEMBERSHIP FEES

(a) The Entrance Fee shall be determined annually by the Committee prior to

the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.) of the Club and changes to the

Entrance Fee shall be ratified by a simple majority of members present and

eligible to vote at the A.G.M.

(b) The Annual Subscriptions shall be determined from time to time by the

Committee and all members notified of such changes prior to 1 October

each year.

(d) Annual Subscriptions are payable before 31 October each year and an

extension may be granted by the Committee should any member find it not

possible to pay by the due date and applies for such an extension, failing

which all privileges of membership will cease forthwith.

11. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

(a) The annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held after the A.G.M. of

LWP each year.

(b) One-third of the Active members shall form a quorum.

exception of Nipper members and Probationary members who are not

entitled to vote.

(d) The Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote as well as a

deliberative vote.

(e) Notice of the A.G.M. shall be given at least 14 days prior to the date of such meeting.

(f) Failure of any member to receive notice shall not invalidate the meeting.

(g) Notice of amendments to the Constitution or matters to be included on the

agenda of the A.G.M. must be submitted in writing to the Secretary at least 30

days prior to the A.G.M.

(h) All voting must be by a show of hands unless the Chairman deems it

necessary to vote by secret ballot.

(i) The Chairman shall conduct the meeting in that capacity until its close

notwithstanding any election that may take place during the course of the

meeting.

(j) Members absent from the AGM of the Club may not appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf.

(k) Unless otherwise specified herein, all decisions which require a vote shall

be determined by a majority of votes exercised.

(l) Nominations for Office Bearers will be called for by the Secretary 30 days

prior to the date of the A.G.M.

(m) Further nominations shall be called for at the A.G.M. as specified on the

agenda.

(n) Should any nominee be defeated, that person may be nominated during the meeting for another position.

12. OFFICERS OF THE CLUB

(a) The Officers of the Club shall consist of;

i) President

ii) Honorary Vice President

iii) Chairman

iv) Vice Chairman

v) Secretary

vi) Treasurer

vii) Club Captain

viii) Vice Club Captain and Duty-Squad Co-ordinator

ix) Junior Manager \ Coach

x) Equipment Officer

xi) Club-house Manager

xii) Nipper Officer

xiii) Records Clerk

xiv) Education Officer

xv) Club Promotions Co-ordinator

xvi) Team Manager

xvii) Surf Boat Captain

xix) Honorary Medical Advisor

xx) Honorary Legal Advisor

xxi) Honorary Auditor

(b) No Junior may hold any official position other than Junior Manager \ Coach

and no Nipper or Probationary member is eligible to hold any official position

in the Club.

i) if necessary, a sub-committee may be formed to organise and control

the activities of Nipper members.

ii) A meeting of interested Club members will be held at least 30 days

prior to the A.G.M. of the Club each year, to determine the size and

composition of the sub-committee which shall be known as the Nipper

sub-committee. All such members of the Nipper Sub-Committee shall

become members of the Club.

iii) The Chairman of the Nipper sub-committee shall be nominated by the

Committee of the Club, to the position of Nipper Officer at the Annual

General Meeting (A.G.M.) of the Club.

13. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

(a) The Executive Committee of the Club shall consist of;

i) President

ii) Chairman

iii) Vice Chairman

iv) Secretary

v) Treasurer

vi) Club Captain

vii) Vice Club Captain and Duty-Squad Co-ordinator

viii) Equipment Officer

ix) Club-house Manager

x) Nipper Officer

xi) Records Clerk

xii) Education Officer

xiii) Club Promotions Co-ordinator

(b) The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional

committee members and sub-committees.

(d) A member may hold office of Chairman for 2 successive years and thereafter is eligible for re-election to this position after one year.

(e) The Executive Committee shall meet at least once in each month.

(f) Five shall form a quorum.

(g) The Chairman shall have a casting vote as well as a deliberative vote.

(h) Timely notice of Committee Meetings must be given by the Secretary.

(i) The time and place of Committee meetings shall be determined by the

Committee from time to time.

(j) Should any member of the Executive Committee be absent from three

consecutive meetings or otherwise neglect to perform duties of the position

without reasonable excuse the position may be declared vacant and the

Committee may elect another member to replace the member.

(k) The highest authority in the Club shall be the Executive Committee.

14. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

(a) The Executive Committee may, for any period, suspend from the privileges

of membership or otherwise deal with or expel any member who violates the

Rules and Bye-laws of regulations of the Club.

(b) No member shall consume liquor in the clubhouse or vicinity at any time

other than at an authorised Club function.

(c) Junior and Nipper members are not permitted to consume liquor at any time while wearing Club colours or at any competition or function organised

under the auspices of LSA or LWP.

15. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

(a) The Secretary, on direction of the Executive Committee or on request in

writing of 10 members of the Club, stating the business to be discussed,

shall call a Special General Meeting of members.

(b) 7 days notice shall be given and two-thirds of the active members shall form a quorum.

16. FINANCE

(a) The Treasurer shall be empowered to receive and acknowledge cash on

behalf of the Club.

(b) All monies received shall be banked in the name of the Club.

members of the Executive Committee to be decided at the first Committee

Meeting after the A.G.M. of the Club.

(d) Accounts must be passed for payment at Committee Meetings.

(e) The Honorary Auditor shall be appointed at the A.G.M. to audit the books of the Club.

(f) A copy the Annual Report and Balance Sheet shall be forwarded to

LWP within one month of the A.G.M of the Club.

(g) The financial year of the Club shall be 1 June to 31 May each year.

17. CLUB COLOURS

(a) The Club colours shall be black, turquoise and white.

(b) The Club Badge shall be an Albatross facing with outspread wings, in black and white with a turquoise background; surrounding the body of the

Albatross, a lifebuoy and beneath a scroll, the words “Fish Hoek”.

surrounding.

(d) No member shall be permitted to wear the Club Badge or Club costume until notified of successful application for membership and in the case of Active members, until the LA or JLA is passed.

18. ALTERATIONS TO RULES

No alterations or additions to the Constitution can be made except at the A.G.M. of the Club or a Special General Meeting called in accordance with clause 15 hereof.

19. HONOURS AWARD

(a) This award is for exceptional service to the Club and Lifesaving in General.

(b) The award is to consist of an Honours Scroll added below the Life Members’ Badge, a framed citation specifying the reasons for the award.

status.

(d) Nominations for this award shall be at the discretion of the Executive

Committee and shall be placed before the members at an Annual General

Meeting of the Club.

(e) Such resolution shall be carried by a two-thirds majority of those members

present and entitled to vote.

20. PROVISO

In the event of an emergency not within the scope of the foregoing Rules, the Executive Committee may deal with the emergency at their discretion and their decision shall be binding on the Club.

21. INDEMNITY

The Members of the Club ratify the terms and conditions of this Constitution and their acceptance thereof, at the same time indemnifying and waiving all claims against the Club, the Committee and / or the members of both, arising from the activities of the Club and all matters incidental thereof, arising from all or any causes of any nature whatsoever.

22. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB

(a) In the event of dissolution of the Club and winding up of the Club, LSA shall liquidate all the debts and liabilities of the Club and any assets that

remain shall be distributed at the discretion of LSA.

(b) No assets of any kind shall be distributed amongst the members of the Club.

(signed by):

CHAIRMAN: DATE:

SECRETARY: DATE:

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