The Constitution

1 The Club

Mickey Cranks Ltd founded Mickey Cranks Cycling Club in September 2013, and due to its founding principles, it has become one of the largest Cycling Clubs in the county if not the country. This has in turn led to the need for a more formal structure managed by a Working Group of volunteers. The intention of this document is to set out the foundations by which The Club will be run by its volunteers on behalf of its members. Mickey Cranks Cycling Club will hereafter be referred to as ‘The Club’ or ‘MCCC’. The Club will be affiliated to British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials.

2 Aims and Objectives

(a) To be Inclusive and not exclusive.

(b) Remove as many barriers to club cycling as possible.

(c) To form a community of like-minded individuals who ride and socialise together.

(d) To promote the club within the local community of West Oxfordshire.

(e) To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club.

(f) To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone.

(g) To offer competitive opportunities in British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials.

3 Membership

a)    Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in Cycling, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

b)    The membership shall consist of full members only.

c)    All members will be subject to the regulations of the Constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted, including agreeing to adhere in principal to the guidance laid out in the document ‘Riding with the Cranks’.

d)    Members will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual General Meeting.

e)    All members and their partners will be eligible to attend club social functions

f)     All members will be affiliated with British Cycling (full membership optional but advised because it provides third party insurance) and Cycling Time Trials (full membership optional but currently free)

g)    All members will be eligible to race for MCCC in the Oxfordshire Road Race League (ORRL), subject to being a full British Cycling member with MCCC as their first claim. A Day Licence is required for ORRL races.

h)    All members will receive priority sign-on at club-organised races/events and represent MCCC in open events, subject to be a member of Cycling Time Trials with MCCC as their first claim.

i)     Individuals shall be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings or be eligible for selection of any Club team unless the applicable subscription has not been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Club.

4 Life Membership

The Club will run a Life Membership scheme to recognise individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Club. Candidates for Life Membership will be nominated by the Working Group and will subject to approval by vote at an AGM/EGM.

5 Sport Equality

a)    This Club is committed to ensuring that equality is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equality:

Sports equality is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

b)    The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

c)    The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

d)    All members of The Club have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

e)    The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.

6 Working Group

(a) The affairs of The Club shall be conducted by a Working Group, which shall consist of a Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary and various other roles that would encompass Race Co-ordinators, Ride Co-ordinators, Welfare, Social Media/Marketing, Club Kit, Website and Social activities. The Working Group are all volunteers and will hold their positions until they choose to stand-down, or are replaced by vote at the AGM.

(b) All Working Group members must be members of The Club.

(c) If the post of any Working Group member should fall vacant at any time, the Working Group will seek a volunteer from the current club membership to fill the vacancy, should there be more than one volunteer then it will go to a vote at the AGM.

(d) The Working Group will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of The Club.

(e) The Working Group will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe The Club rules/regulations/constitution. The Working Group will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

(f) The Working Group meetings will be convened by the Chairman of The Club and be held no less than 4 times per year.

7 Finances

(a) The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.

(b) The financial year of the club will run from 1st January and end on 31st December

(c) All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of The Club. 

(d) A statement of annual accounts will be independently audited and presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

(e) Payments are made from the Club bank account either via bank transfers or debit card which is held by the Treasurer. These payments are made based on spend approved by the Working Group. The authorised bank signatories are the Treasurer and Chairman.

(g) The Club will aim to be not for profit and any monies received will be re-invested to the benefit of its members. All members of The Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of The Club, however it is not foreseen that The Club will accumulate any debt.

(h) Club kit will be made available for purchase by members. All Club kit will be reviewed and approved by the Working Group and facilitated by the Club through a third-party manufacturer. All kit is purchased on a non-returns policy, unless the kit is faulty, in which case the member must deal with the third-party manufacturer direct.

8 Annual General Meetings

(a) General Meetings are the means whereby the members of The Club express their views on how The Club operates.

(b) The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of January to:

⦁ Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM. 

⦁ Receive a report from the Chairman. 

⦁ Election of Officers

⦁ Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts. 

⦁ Agree the membership fees for the following year. 

⦁ Deal with other relevant business.

⦁ Notice of the AGM will be given by The Club Secretary with at least 28 days’ notice to be given to all members.

9 Amendments to the Constitution

The Constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote of more than 65% at the AGM.

10 Discipline and appeals

(a) All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary.

(b) The Working Group will meet to hear complaints within 28 days of a complaint being lodged. The Working Group has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.

(c) The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 28 days of the hearing.

(d) There will be the right of appeal to the Working Group following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 28 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

(e) The Club will follow the safeguarding procedures and guidance given by British Cycling for children and vulnerable adults. The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns.

11 Dissolution

(a) A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM through a majority vote of 65% of the membership. (b) In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any of The Clubs funds. Any assets of The Club that remain following this will become the property of British Cycling

12 Declaration

Mickey Cranks Cycling Club hereby adopts and accepts this Constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.