Constitution

1. NAME

The name of the Club shall be Centurion Chess Club. Hereinafter referred to the Club.

2. AIMS

2.1 The aims of the Club shall be to promote the game of chess and to organise activities for the players interested in playing chess at the Club.

2.2 The Club commits itself to the promotion of chess in a non-racial and democratic way, to provide equal rights for all chess players and administrators of facilitators under its jurisdiction.

2.3 The Club aims to participate actively in the League for Chess Club Teams and other competitions for Club organised provincially, nationally or internationally.

2.4 The Club aims to register annually with CHESS SA as an official chess club operating in SA.

3. POWERS

The Club shall have plenary powers to do any act directly or indirectly conducive to the attainment of its aims. Such powers shall include the power to:

3.1 acquire or alienate movable and immovable property;

3.2 borrow and lend money;

3.3 make or realise investments;

3.4 open and operate on banking accounts or accounts with any legally recognised financial institution;

3.5 raise funds by imposing levies of subscriptions

3.6 make or receive donations and

3.7 become associated with or affiliated to other chess bodies regionally or nationally having similar aims and to withdraw from any such body.

4. MEMBERSHIP

4.1 The Club shall have as members such individuals as are admitted to membership of the Club.

4.2 No person shall be admitted to membership who has not submitted an application form containing the statement: “I commit myself to the principles, rules and regulations contained in the Constitution of the Centurion Chess Club”

4.3 The Club shall be entitled to stipulate any conditions it considers desirable for the admission of new members, the continuance of membership or the termination of membership. These conditions shall be appended in Addendum A of this constitution.

4.4 Suspensions and or terminations of membership shall be dealt with at a properly constituted meeting or special general meeting called for that purpose exclusively.

5. MANAGEMENT

5.1 The Club shall be managed by an executive committee (called the Club Committee) consisting of a Chairperson (also known as the Club’s President), a secretary, a treasurer and one additional member. Other persons may be co-opted for particular duties by the executive committee or nominated at a general meeting. Depending on the needs of the Club the offices of treasurer and secretary may be held by one person. In all executive meetings of the Club, the President shall have the casting vote and who will preside at all meetings of the Club. In his/her absence another person will be nominated from those present at the meeting to preside at that particular meeting.

5.2 The members of the executive committee shall be elected once a year at the annual general meeting or at a special general meeting by members in good standing who have voting powers.

5.3 The executive committee may exercise all powers conferred on the Club in this constitution.

5.4 Meetings of the Club Committee: The executive shall meet with such frequency and at such times and places as it may decide as regulate its own procedure. A written record shall be kept of all decisions taken at such meetings and on request made available to any member of the Club. A quorum at a meeting shall consist of no less than three (3) of its elected members.

5.5 The executive committee shall be entitled to appoint any number of sub-committees as it considers advisable to assist in the proper management of the Club’s activities.

5.6 Decisions of the executive committee can be overruled by a decision taken at a properly constituted General Meeting. All decisions taken at and general meeting or special general meeting shall be binding on the executive.

5.7 The Club’s financial year shall be the same as a calendar year.

6. GENERAL MEETINGS

6.1 A general meeting of members shall be one of which at least 21 days’ notice has been given to members together with an agenda of the matters to be dealt with at the meeting.

6.2 At a General Meeting or a Special general meeting each individual member, age 18 and older, in good standing, i.e. paid up for the current financial year, shall be entitled to exercise one vote. Written proxies of absent members (provided they are in good standing and age 18 and older) shall be accepted if submitted to the secretary before the meeting commences.

6.3 At least one Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in one calendar year, at which the Club’s executive committee members shall be elected democratically.

6.4 All other general meetings shall be called special general meetings (SGM).

6.5 If the current executive fails to call an AGM, on a written requisition signed by at least one third of the members, a special general meeting shall be called within 14 days. The club committee may call a general meeting as often as it deems necessary. In all cases the reason for calling a general meeting must be specified with the notice.

6.6 The quorum at a general meeting shall be not less than 50% of the members, age 18 and older, including proxies. In case a quorum is not present the meeting shall proceed and a second meeting shall be planned for one week in the future at the same time and same venue. All matters that require a vote of 50% to be passed shall be listed in the minutes of the first (inquorate) meeting. After the first meeting the secretary shall distribute the minutes to all members. At the second meeting, one week later, the members present will be a valid quorum.

6.7 The Chairperson shall regulate the procedure at general meetings in accordance with the foregoing and generally accepted procedure and conduct at such meetings.

7. PROFIT OR GAINS

The Club shall apply any profits of gains in promoting its aims.

8. AMENDMENT of the CONSTITUTION

The Club Constitution may be amended at a properly constituted general meeting. An amendment will be passed only if two thirds of the persons present, who are members in good standing and age 18 and older, vote in favour of it. The exact wording of an amendment must be appended to the 21 days notice for the general meeting.

9. DISSOLUTION

The Club shall not be dissolved except on a resolution passed by not less than two-third of its members at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, of which at least 30 days notice had been given.

Surplus funds remaining after dissolution of the Club shall be disposed of in a manner decided by the general meeting at which the motion for dissolution was carried.

10. ADDENDA

Documents appended to the Constitution are not an integral part of the Constitution, though the stipulations are binding on all the Club’s members, the contents may be changed at general meetings from time to time by a simple majority of votes of members in good standing.

Approved at the Annual General Meeting of 21 September 2016