Purpose of this document
1. The Constitution over-rides these Standing Orders at all times. Should the Constitution be at variance with European directives, national legislation or other external administrative requirements, then a General Meeting should be called to resolve the issue at the earliest opportunity.
2. The Standing Orders are intended to ensure equal and fair treatment for all current and potential members.
3. The Standing Orders should be regarded as a true record of the current modes of operation of the Club.
4. The IVC Committee is empowered to change the Standing Orders at any quorate committee meeting for which the required period of notice and and clear statement of intent to modify the Standing Orders on the agenda are satisfied.
5. The Standing Orders should be ratified as current as an agenda item of every committee meeting regardless of whether they have changed or remain unaltered.
6. The current version of the Standing Orders should be openly available from a link on the home page of the Club website posted at the earliest reasonable time after making the change.
Membership and subscriptions
7(a). Potential members are required to attend at least three events before submission of an application to join the club, and
7(b)any individual attending events on three or more occasions will be deemed to have expressed an interest in joining Plymouth IVC and will be invited to join
7(c)further, it is reasonable to assume that guests brought by members to three or more published events, have already made such an expression of interest.
8. The current annual individual subscription is £15.
9. New members may be charged a subscription of one quarter of the annual subscription for each whole or part quarter year rounded up to the next whole pound until the end of the subscription year. New members joining after the Annual General Meeting and before the end of the calendar year should be charged the new rate of subscription and will become members from the date of joining until the end of the following year.
10. In the event that a part-year subscription is less than the current declared rate for the AIVC levy, the subscription should be the cost/person for the AIVC Levy rounded up to the next whole pound.
11. Lapsed members who wish to re-join in the year following their non-renewal will be treated as if they had not left the club and hence will be required to pay the full subscription for that year.
12. In the event of hardship or other extenuating circumstances, the Committee can reduce or waive the above subscription rate. Such concession (but not the full circumstances) should recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
13. Certain long-standing former members of the club who can no longer take a full part in many of the club activities due to changed circumstances, can be invited at the committee’s discretion to become a ‘Friend of Plymouth IVC’. This will allow the individual at no cost to receive all emails pertaining to club events and activities. This does not entitle the individual to vote at Club meetings nor propose anyone or stand for election to the committee. Such concession will be reviewed at regular intervals and if the committee decides it is necessary, the individual will be required to apply for full membership.
14. The Club will send a card to all members reaching a decade (nought) birthday, and a small gift (e.g. a bottle of wine) up to a maximum value of £15. The Club will be sensitive any member not wishing to publicise their age, although this will not preclude the sending of an appropriate card or gift.
Events
15. All established (i.e. more than six months membership) members are required to host an average of one event in any six month period.
16. Members who host a meeting in their own home, or a venue specifically hired for the event, may claim up to £30 for reasonable expenses incurred subject to documentary evidence that those costs have been incurred, provided the meeting has been included in the calendar of events for at least seven (7) days before the event starts. The funds available for entertaining at home can be increased by an agreed resolution of a quorate committee meeting.
17. If there is a specific event where this amount needs to be increased in advance, or for funding to secure a future event with a deposit, before the next committee meeting then this can be agreed by the committee and minuted at the next meeting.
18. Where an event which can only accommodate limited numbers is advertised, priority should be given to current members.
19. Members are neither expected nor required to attend every event.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
20. In order to permit communication about club activities between members, basic contact data will be stored by the club on password controlled website pages, for use by members. Additional data including subscription details will be stored and used by the club for internal administration purposes only. Personal Data will not be shared with any outside third party. Still and moving Images of club activities may be used for publicity. Please be advised that you can request to see what personal data the club holds about you, and you can ask at any time for your data not to be used for any of these purposes.
Disability Discrimination and Equality Act 2010
21. In the context of clause 2 of the constitution, members are encouraged to organise diverse events to provide an interesting and appealing programme and should not be restricted from doing so by disinterest or other constraints from individual members.
22. The health, safety and welfare of IVC members and their guests should always be considered in planning any event. Those attending should be aware of, and comply with, appropriate health and safety requirements. Due consideration should be given to the choice of a venue which provides facilities for those with any disability whenever possible without undue constraint on the more adventurous activities.
23. It is up to the individual to take responsibility for themselves when joining a walk organised by the club. They should establish that the walk is suitable for them and wear the appropriate clothing and shoes.