CONSTITUTION OF THE FROME AND DISTRICT PISTOL CLUB.

1. The Club shall be called the "FROME AND DISTRICT PISTOL CLUB".

2. The object of the Club is to encourage skill in rifle and pistol shooting, by providing instruction and practice in the use of both rifle and pistol, to any of Her Majesty’s subjects; So that they may be better fitted to serve their country in the Armed Forces, Territorial Army or any other organisation in which their services may be required in defence of the realm in times of peril.

Range Management

3. Any ranges used by the Club shall be open for use at the times specified in the by-laws.

4. The Committee may make and amend club rules and regulations with regard to the use of the ranges, and may draw up conditions of all competitions, arrange handicapping and matches. The entry fees for all competitions must be paid before shooting. In such competitions, cards must be completed by the date specified. Failure to do so would normally entail disqualification, but relief may be granted by the Committee in exceptional circumstances.

5. Any by-laws and regulations made by the Committee under the above rule shall be published to the membership, and shall thereafter have all the force and effect of these rules, but shall be submitted for confirmation at the next Annual General Meeting.

6. The Club shall be affiliated to any rifle, pistol or shooting organisations which may be considered necessary by the Committee.

7.All shooting shall be governed by appropriate national governing bodies or regulations, or by the club's own regulations as appropriate and as agreed and published in advance, for the respective competitions.

Membership

8. The rules governing membership of the Club shall be as specified by the rules for Home Office Approved Clubs. These rules to form an appendix to the constitution. The Committee are empowered to make additional rules and to update rules in line with Home Office requirements without reference to a General Meeting; any such alteration is to be publicised to the membership.

9. The subscription shall be as determined by the Committee and ratified at subsequent General Meetings. This shall be payable in advance by the 1st April in each year. Any member whose subscription is not paid by 30th April, will be debarred from the privileges of membership.

10. The subscription for life membership shall be ten times the annual subscription of a full member. A life member to have exactly the same rights and status as a full member.

11. Junior membership is offered to those under 18 years of age, or under 25 and in full-time education.

12. Family membership is offered for co-habiting partners. Subscriptions to be set at full rate for the first partner, and half the normal full membership rate for the second.

13. A Country membership is offered to ex full members, who currently live more that 100 miles from Frome. Subscriptions to be set at half the normal full membership rate, but they have no voting rights at any general meeting.

Club Administration

14. The Club shall be managed by a President, Chairman and Committee of at least 8 (5 to form a quorum) who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in each year. All officers of the Club : e.g. Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, and all other officers who may be co-opted from time to time - to be ex-officio members of the Committee. The Secretary may convene Committee meetings, as and when required, by giving seven days notice.

15. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held as soon as possible after the end of the preceding calendar year. To form a quorum at least 10 current and full members or 10% of current and full membership (whichever is higher) shall be required to be in attendance. The date, time and location of the meeting shall be published in the Newsletter giving at least six weeks notice. The following business shall be transacted:- Election of Officers (including Auditor or Auditors) and Committee, receive the balance sheet and report of the Committee, revise and amend the rules and regulations (if necessary) and consider any other business. Motions to be considered by the meeting must be given to the Secretary and circulated to the membership at least 14 days before the meeting. Motions to the meeting need to be proposed and seconded by current and full members of the club. Motions not notified in this way may be debated and the decision passed to the incoming Committee at the recommendation of the meeting. An agenda of the meeting will be sent to the members, to arrive at least seven days before the meeting.

16. All officers standing for contested posts shall be elected by ballot, which may be secret. Also if more than ten members support a request for a secret ballot on any other motion at a General Meeting, a secret ballot shall be taken on that motion. The Secretary to ensure ballot forms are available if required for such a vote. Motions are carried by majority decisions by entitled persons

17. Motions may be amended before any vote, as a result of debate. In such cases, amended motions are voted upon first, and are either carried (in which case the matter is ended), or rejected (in which case, the original motion is then put to the vote).

18. Full, Life, Family and Junior members are all entitled to vote on motions put before any general meeting. Provisional and Country members may attend any general meeting, but have no voting rights.

19. The Chairman of the Club or Committee will only have a casting vote.

20. If any Member whose conduct on the range, or upon any premises occupied by the Club, or elsewhere, is unseemly objectionable, unsafe, or calculated to bring the Club into disrepute, the Committee may suspend such Member from Club activities and privileges pending an investigation. The Member will have the opportunity to appear before the Committee and be involved in such investigation. If the Committee decides to remove the Member from the roll of members, he/she will have the right of appeal at a Special General Meeting, provided such intention is given to the Secretary within 14 days of the Committees decision. If the decision is ratified at the Special General Meeting, the Member shall have no claim on the Club for any subscriptions or entrance fees paid.

21. Upon the requisition in writing, duly setting out the purpose, signed by 12 members and delivered to the Secretary, the Committee shall, within 14 days, convene a Special General Meeting of the Club.

22. Upon such requisition being duly served but not complied with, within 14 days, the requisitionists may themselves convene a special General Meeting of the Club by giving 7 days notice in writing to all Club members duly setting out the purpose for which such a meeting was being called. Any resolutions passed at such a meeting shall have the same force and effect as if they had been passed at a meeting convened by the Committee.

23. Any officer or member of the Committee may be removed by a two-thirds majority of the members present at any General Meeting convened under rules 15, 20, or 21, and such vote may be taken by secret ballot.

24. The Committee shall have the power to legislate on any point not provided for within the Club Rules.

Financial Management

25. The Committee may pay accounts and incur any normal liabilities on behalf of the Club. The Committee and officers are hereby indemnified by the Club, and its total membership, against any claim or demand in respect of any liability properly and bona-fide incurred on behalf of the Club.

26. The Secretary or any other officer or member receiving money on behalf of the Club shall forthwith pass same to the Treasurer.

27. The auditor or auditors shall examine the accounts at least once annually with the invoices and vouchers prior to the Annual General Meeting. The auditors shall append thereto a certificate to the effect that such are correct and represent fairly the expenditure and receipts of the Club, and its assets and liabilities, and that they may at any time inspect any book, document, or any other property of the Club, in the possession of any officer or member, and make a report thereon in writing to the Committee.

28. All assets of the Club shall be managed by the elected Committee.

29. In the event of the Club being wound up, the property and assets of the Club (after settlement of all debts and liabilities) shall be disposed of in a manner so directed at that time, by the decision of a Special General Meeting.

Appendix

Membership Rules of the Frome and District Pistol Club

1.Applicants for membership, must be sponsored by a full member of the Club, and by another person, who knows the applicant personally and is not a member of any shooting Club. Where applicants cannot give an FDPC member as their proposer, in order to be considered for sponsorship, they will need to obtain two written references from persons who have known them in a responsible capacity for at least 2 years.

2.Application for membership shall be made to the Membership Secretary. Such applications shall be considered at the next Committee meeting.

3.The duration of probationary membership shall be a minimum of six months unless terminated by the Committee within this period.

4.In order to be approved as full members, probationary members must attend instruction sessions during their probationary period and must satisfy the Committee that they are proficient in the safe use of firearms. In the case of Firearm Certificate holders or Full Members of another Club, the requirement may be met by attendance at normal Club sessions at the discretion of the Safety Officer.

5.Probationary members must be personally supervised by a full Club member who holds a Firearms Certificate when in possession of firearms and ammunition. This requirement may be waived for Firearms Certificate holders or Full Members of another Club if they have satisfied the Safety Officer as to their competence.

6.All members must complete the appropriate attendance register, and display their membership cards in an easily visible position whilst on any of the ranges the Club uses.

7.All members are to complete in full and sign the annual membership renewal form. Failure to do so within the notified time scale will be accepted as resignation from the Club and the police will be informed accordingly. This will be for all members except life members. For life members, failure to complete and return the form will result in all Club privileges being withdrawn and the police informed that contact with that member has been lost. Completion of a renewal form will be required in all cases, prior to Club privileges being restored.

8.The Committee shall ensure that the Club does not have more provisional members than full members at any time, and that the number of Life members does not exceed fifty.

9.The Club may hold up to twelve guest days a year at which persons known to the Club members may attend at the invitation of the Club Secretary. On these occasions guests may have access to firearms and ammunition, but must be constantly personally supervised while doing so. The Secretary must give the local police reasonable notice of such days.

10.Full members of any Club, who hold a personal Firearms Certificate, may attend and shoot at the Frome and District Pistol Club as visitors. They shall pay a range fee, to be set by the Committee.

Version 9 Agreed at AGM, February 2009.