Bracknell Amateur Radio Club Constitution

Date: 28th May 2025 – Version 2025.r04

  1. Identity: The Club shall be known as the ‘Bracknell Amateur Radio Club’. The abbreviations
    ‘Bracknell ARC’ and ‘BARC’ may also be used.
  2. Aim: The aim of the Bracknell Amateur Radio Club shall be to further the knowledge of, and
    to promote all aspects of Amateur Radio in Bracknell and the surrounding areas.
  3. Membership: Membership shall be open to all persons interested, at the discretion of the
    Committee.
    a. There shall be five classes of member:
    i. Full Members
    ii. Junior Members, those under 18 (21 and in Full Time Education) at the start
    of the membership year),
    iii. Senior Members (who are 65 or older at the start of the membership year)
    iv. Country Members (a member, who, by reason of their place of residence
    could not normally be expected to attend regular meetings).
    v. Honorary Members (having been previously appointed honorary status for
    major contribution to the club, by the Committee)
  4. Finances: The financing of the Bracknell Amateur Radio Club shall be carried out by annual
    subscriptions, attendance payments, commissions on Club sales (“Junk” sales), and by any
    other way approved by the Committee. Annual subscriptions shall be decided by the
    committee by 31st December of the preceding year. The annual subscription is payable
    within two calendar months of the AGM
    a. There will be a reduced subscription for Junior, Senior, and Country Members.
    b. There will be a reduced subscription for new members wishing to join the Club after
    1st July.
    c. The Committee may reduce any individual subscription at its discretion.

  5. Club Management: The Bracknell Amateur Radio Club’s affairs shall be administered by a
    committee. The committee is responsible for the Club’s property. The Committee shall
    comprise:
    a. A Chairman, who will be responsible for the conduct of meetings. The Chairman
    shall only have a casting vote.
    b. A Secretary, who shall be responsible for the general running of the Club, and who is
    responsible for ensuring that all members are made aware of the future programme
    of club meetings and activities.
    c. A Treasurer, who shall present a balance sheet of the Club’s accounts at the AGM
    and shall be responsible for managing the club finances.
    d. Additional members may be co-opted to serve on the Committee in specific roles
    making up a ‘Support Team’ as and when necessary.
  6. Conduct of meetings:
    a. The Annual General Meeting shall be called in December, January or February of
    each year, and the members of the Club shall be notified at least one month prior to
    the chosen date. The date of the AGM shall be chosen by the Committee. The
    business of the AGM shall include the election of the Committee, the presentation of
    the balance sheet, and the setting of annual subscription rates.
    b. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee at any time, or by
    a minimum of eight members.
    c. To call an EGM the date of the EGM and all motions to be considered by the EGM
    must be notified to all club members a minimum of two weeks prior to the proposed
    date.
    d. The voting on motions shall be by a show of hands and motions shall be carried by a
    majority of two-thirds of those present and eligible to vote. Committee members
    shall be elected by a simple majority in a secret ballot. Proxy or Postal votes may be
    accepted either on paper or in electronic format, by any member of the committee
    e. A quorum for an AGM or EGM is defined as the lower of:
    i. Twelve members or two-thirds of the current membership (to the nearest
    whole number)
    ii. This number of members present who are eligible to vote shall constitute a
    Quorate AGM or EGM subject to due notice of the AGM or EGM being given.
    iii. Members who have submitted a proxy or postal vote are considered to be
    present for the purposes of counting a quorum.
    f. All members who have paid their annual subscription are eligible to vote at an AGM
    or EGM. An AGM is always considered as being part of the preceding year, an EGM
    as being part of the current year.
    g. For clarification, notices may be delivered electronically or on paper. A notice is
    deemed to be delivered if emailed to the club member’s provided email address and
    no rejection or failure notice is received, or if sent by recognised postal service.
    In the event that an email is notified as failed, an alternative notification shall be sent
    in its place as soon as is reasonably practicable. If this second notice arrives later
    than the notice period specified for an AGM or EGM that will not invalidate the
    notification process.
  7. Constitutional and Other Changes
    a. This constitution may only be amended by a motion at a fully quorate AGM or EGM.
    Such a motion may make any changes to this constitution that it may wish. For a
    change to be made at an AGM, the proposal must be included in the agenda
    distributed with the AGM notice.
    b. A quorate AGM or a quorate EGM is competent to make any changes to club running
    or procedure that it may wish.
  8. Winding-up of the Club
    a. The decision to wind up the Club may be taken only at an EGM.
    b. The funds of the Club shall, after the sale of all assets and the payment of all
    outstanding debts, be disposed of as directed by members at the final EGM

    This constitution was last previously amended at an EGM held on 11 February 2025.