RULES OF THE CLUB
Amended 2024
1. The name of the Club shall be the ‘Allard Owners Club’.
2. The objects of the club shall be the furtherance of social and sporting activities in the interest of motoring and in the Allard marque in particular.
3. a) The membership fee shall be adjusted as necessary, according to the financial needs of the club, by a general vote of members of the club at the Annual General Meeting,
b) Subscriptions are due on 1st January each year and should be received by 31st January.
4. a) Each prospective member must forward to the Membership Secretary a completed application form, together with the necessary fee.
* On first application to the Club, a prospective member shall, together with the form, be sent a copy of the Club rules as helpful information about what membership entails.
The application form shall carry the applicant’s full name, their postal address and email address. Applications can be made by email, online through the website or by post.
b) Couples, married or unmarried, and their children over 16 years of age and permanently living at the same address may apply for joint membership. Each joint member will be a full member of the club. This membership will be called ‘family membership’ and the annual subscription will be the same as for a single member.
c) Membership will be granted, subject to approval by the committee, and a membership number and copy of the rules being sent to them. The subscriptions of members elected after October 31st of any year shall carry forward to the end of the following year.
d) All candidate members must first be ratified at a meeting of the Committee. The election shall be by a vote; if more than 2 committee members vote against any candidate, the candidate shall be excluded. A candidate so excluded shall be notified in writing, their membership rescinded and the subscription returned.
e) Terms:
the payment of the subscription by a Member of the Club, or an applicant for membership, shall constitute an acknowledgement on their part that they are bound by the Rules of the Club, and that they accept the ruling of the Committee in all cases. No person shall be exempted from the effects of the Club rules; they will already have read the Rules and made the above acknowledgement.
f) Data protection:
Membership of the Club includes acknowledgement that the Club may store and maintain a member’s basic personal details & those of their Allard cars on the Club database, for the sole use of the AOC in maintaining historical records and a register of Allard cars and for conducting the business of the AOC.
5. a) The management of the Club shall be vested in a committee of between 7 and 15 members, consisting of the following officers: The President, US vice-President, Captain, Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, Membership Secretary, Competition Secretary, Archivist/Historian, Webmaster, Data Protection Officer, Registrar(s) and two to four further members.
b) Election to Committee:
At the Annual General Meeting, to be held not later than six months after the end of the Club’s financial year, 4
c) At every Annual General Meeting the vacated office of each of these four Members of the Committee due to retire, shall be filled by the election of a nominated person.
d) The four Members of the Committee to retire at AGM shall be the four who have been longest in office since their last election, irrespective of any change of their office since their last election.
e) where Members of equal seniority are due to retire, their retirement shall, in the absence of agreement, be selected by drawing a lot. A retiring member shall be eligible for re-election.
e) The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancies which might occur during the year.
* Notwithstanding any standing vacancies, the Committee shall retain its executive power.
f) Any member of the Committee shall immediately cease to hold office if they fail to attend at least four out of six consecutive meetings of the Committee, unless
(i) they can show good reason for their non-attendance, or
(ii) obtain special leave of absence from the Committee; notwithstanding, they shall remain eligible for re-election as a member of the Committee at any time during the year, at the discretion of the Committee.
g) Six Members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
h) The Committee shall meet as often as necessary; it shall exercise full management and governance over the conduct and affairs of the Club, and in interpreting the provisions within these Rules. In addition, they shall have full power:
i) to call and regulate their own meetings and proceedings.
ii) to elect new members of the Club.
iii) To elect sub-committees, and to co-opt individuals to assist with any special business.
iv) to provide for a ballot of overseas Members at the discretion of the Committee.
6. The financial year of the Club is from 1st January to 31st December.
7. The Annual General Meeting is to be held each year to
* receive the report of the Committee and
* the Hon. Treasurer’s Balance sheet;
* to elect Members of the Committee and
* to transact any special business not otherwise provided for in these rules.
However:
* no alteration shall be made to these Rules, except at an Annual General Meeting – or at a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose only.
* Any Member wishing to bring a proposal to alter or amend the Rules at any General Meeting, or to nominate any Member to serve on the Committee, shall
i) give notice thereof to the Hon. Secretary (or other named official) at least thirty (30) days prior to such General Meeting and
ii) shall forward with such notice, a copy of the motion or nomination s/he desires to propose.
iii) The agenda paper showing all such motions and nominations, together with all other matters to be dealt with at any General Meeting, shall be forwarded to all Members at least fifteen (15) clear days prior to such General meeting.
8. At least forty (40) days’ notice, specifying the place, day and time of any General Meeting, shall be provided to Club members in the form of Email, hard copy or phone call as appropriate; however:
* the accidental omission to give such notice to members or the non-receipt of such notice by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings at any General Meeting.
* No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum of the members be present at the commencement of the Meeting.
* A quorum shall comprise a minimum of seven members in attendance (including online meetings).
* If, within thirty minutes from the start-time appointed for the meeting, a quorum has not been established, the Meeting, if called at the request of Members, shall be dissolved.
* In any other case it shall stand adjourned to a date and place determined by the Committee.
* If a quorum has still not been established after that adjournment, then business may be transacted whatever the number of members present. The Chair shall preside at every General Meeting of the Club and of the Committee, and if he or she is not present, the members who are present at the meeting shall elect a stand-in Chair.
9) An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club shall be called by the Hon. Secretary within fourteen (14) days if
* directed by the Committee, or
* requested in writing by no fewer than twenty (20) members who, in their request, shall state the object of such Meeting and furnish to the Hon. Sec. a copy of any motion to be submitted to the vote of the members at the meeting.
10. Two Members, one from the Committee and one from the general body of members, shall each year be appointed ‘Honorary Auditor’ to audit the Accounts and balance sheets, a copy of which shall duly be supplied to each member.
11. If the conduct of any member (whether general or committee member) is, in the opinion of the Committee or of any twenty (20) Members of the Club (who should confirm this to the Committee in writing), considered prejudicial to the character, interests or reputation of the Club, the Committee shall call upon that Member to appear before them and explain his or her conduct. Failing such appearance or explanation, or if in the opinion of the Committee following due consideration, it is deemed desirable to expel the member, the Hon. Secretary shall, within five (5) working days, call an Extraordinary General Meeting to consider the matter. The decision of the members at the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be final.
12. Voting:
a) At all General and Extraordinary Meetings of the Club, every member whether personally present or not, shall have one vote only.
* members unable to attend any General or Extraordinary Meeting in person shall be permitted to vote by post or Email on any motion that is properly proposed.
* Votes by post or by Email must reach the Hon. Secretary or another nominated Committee Member prior to the Meeting.
* Votes must be given either in person, Emailed or posted.
* There will be no proxy voting.
b) The Committee may at its discretion hold a postal ballot of all members if a change to the rules is contemplated.
c) On any occasion when a motion is to be considered by all members of the Club, the vote required to pass the motion shall be by simple majority.
d) At all meetings of the Committee every person present shall have only one vote.
e) In the case of a tie in the number of votes, whether at a General, Extraordinary or a Committee Meeting, the President shall have an additional or casting vote. In the absence of the President, the vice-President or Captain shall carry the casting vote.
ENDS.