As a triathlon club with a BTF Bronze affiliation we abide by our club constitution, club rules and code of conduct. 

Club Constitution: 

1. Name

The club will be called Dacorum Triathlon Club and will be Community Club affiliated to Triathlon England.

 

2. Aims and objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:

• To offer coaching, training and competitive multisport opportunities in triathlon.
• To promote the club within the wider local community and the sport of triathlon including individual elements of swim, bike and run.
• To work with local facilities to provide training opportunities for the club.
• To provide an opportunity for social interaction and foster a community of those who share an interest in triathlon and related endurance sports in Dacorum and the surrounding area.
• To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club.
• To provide all its services in a way that is fair and inclusive to all club members.
• To ensure that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment.

 

3. Membership

Membership should consist of officers and members of the club.

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 conduct that the club has adopted.

Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

• Full member

Further membership categories and/or tiers may be added by a decision of the Management Committee or at the Annual General Meeting.

 

4. Membership

Members shall apply to the Club using the application process approved by the Management Committee, details of which will be made available on the club’s website

Members will pay an annual membership fee.  Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Management Committee or determined at the Annual General Meeting.

Fees will be paid annually in advance, due on 1 December for the following calendar year (i.e. 1st January to 31st December).  Membership will cease at the end of the calendar year unless membership is renewed and the new annual membership fee paid.

Members joining in-year pay the full annual membership fee.

The membership fee is non-refundable if a member resigns or their membership is terminated mid-year.

 

The club reserves the right to place applicants on a waiting list if the club has reached capacity.  The Management Committee will decide membership capacity annually at the AGM.

Membership is not transferrable.

Membership of the club is terminated if:

• the Member dies or, if it is an organisation, ceases to exists;
• the Member resigns by written notice to the Secretary;
• the Member fails to renew their membership and pay the new annual fee when it becomes due.
• following a disciplinary hearing, the Management Committee have decided that the appropriate disciplinary action is termination of membership.

 

 

5. Officers of the club

The officers of the club will be:

• Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Head Coach
• Events Co-ordinator
• Social Co-ordinator
• Communications Co-ordinator
• Quartermaster

Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-election for a maximum period of three consecutive years.  After this they must step down from that position, but will remain eligible for election to a different position.

An officer of the club may resign from his/her office by giving 14 days’ notice in writing to the Chair.  The officer must, on relinquishing their office, promptly hand to their successor in office or the Chair all documents, records, equipment, property, etc. belonging to the club.  In the case of the Treasurer, authority relating to the control of the Club’s bank accounts and/or other financial information must be transferred as soon as practicable and not later than 1 month after the date of resignation.

An officer shall vacate office if:

• he or she becomes incapable for medical reasons of fulfilling the duties of his or her office and such incapacity is expected to continue for a period of more than six months;
• he or she ceases to be a member of the Club;
• he or she resigns office by notice to the Committee;
• he or she is absent (without the permission of the Committee) from more than three consecutive meeting of the Committee, and two thirds of the Committee resolve to remove him or her from office.

The club will appoint a voluntary Welfare Officer, responsible for handling welfare and safeguarding issues in the Club.

The Welfare Officer must not hold any other Officer Positions in the Club, and also cannot hold any Coaching role or equivalent within the Club. The Welfare Officer will not be a member of the Management Committee.

 

6. Committee

The club will be managed through the Management Committee consisting of the officers named in section 5. above. Only these posts will have the right to vote at meetings of the Management Committee.

The Management Committee will be convened by the Secretary of the club and held no less than 3 meeting per year.  Any member of the Committee may request that the secretary convenes a meeting at any time by proposing the time and agenda for the meeting.

The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be: 3

The Committee may meet in person or by means of communication which allows all participants to hear each other.  An officer participating remotely will be treated as present, shall be entitled to vote and will be counted in the quorum.

The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

The Management Committee will have powers to appoint sub-committees as necessary and appoint advisers the as necessary to fulfil its business.

The Management Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The Management Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

 

7. Finance

All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.

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

The financial year of the club will end on: 31 December.

An independently verified statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

Any amounts drawn against club funds should be authorised by the Treasurer plus up to one other officer, this includes online access to the account(s).

Dacorum Triathlon Club operates as a non-commercial entity on a not-for-profit basis.

 

8. Annual General Meetings

Notice of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be given by the Club Secretary. Not less than 21 clear days’ notice to be given to all members.

The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Management Committee and a statement of the independently verified accounts.

Nominations for officers of the Management Committee will be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM.

Election of officers is to take place at the AGM.

All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

The quorum for AGMs will be 25% of membership.

The Secretary will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) within 30 days of:

1. a resolution by the Management Committee calling for an EGM to be held; or
2. the receipt of a request signed by one tenth of the total number of members of the club as at the date of the request, or 20 members, whichever is the lesser.

The resolution of the committee or a request by the members must specify the business for which the EGM is being call and no other business is to be discussed.

Notice of the date, venue and business for the EGM will be given by the Secretary no less than 21 clear days’ in advance of the proposed meeting date.

Where the EGM is called for the purpose of electing new Officers, proposed and seconded nominations for elected Officer positions must be received by the Chair or Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the EGM, in a format specified.

Where the EGM is called for the purpose of voting on changes to the constitution, any proposed change to the Constitution must be included in the Committee resolution or member request that calls for the EGM, and should be communicated with notice of the meeting in accordance with Section 10(b). Members may suggest amendments to the proposed changes, which must be received by the Chair or Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the EGM.

All members have the right to vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Each member shall have one vote.

Voting will take place by show of hands, unless the Committee makes a decision to implement an alternative voting method for a meeting, and notifies the membership of that change at least 21 days in advance of the meeting.

No business shall be dealt with at any general meeting unless a quorum is present. The quorum for a general meeting shall be one tenth of the Members of the Club as at the date of the meeting, present in person.

1. Where there is only one candidate for a Committee role, that person shall be ratified by a show of hands of members present at the EGM.
2. Resolutions put to the vote at a general meeting shall require the approval of a simple majority of Members present.

 

9. Conflicts of Interest

An Officer who has an interest in any transaction or other arrangement which the Club is proposing to enter into must declare that interest to the Committee and may not vote on that matter. A person shall be deemed to have an interest in an arrangement if any partner or other close relative or any firm of which that person is a partner or any limited company of which they are a substantial shareholder, director or employee, has an interest in that arrangement.

Provided that the Officer has declared their interest and that the Officer has refrained from voting on the matter, an Officer will not be prohibited from entering into an arrangement with the Club in which they have an interest and may retain any personal benefit gained from their participation in that arrangement.

Where an Officer provides services to the Club or might benefit from any remuneration paid to a connected party for such services, then:

1. the maximum amount of the remuneration must be specified in a written agreement and must be reasonable; and
2. the Committee members must be satisfied that it would be in the interests of the Club to enter into the arrangement (taking account of that maximum amount).

Officers shall not be paid any remuneration for carrying out their duties as members of the Committee, but may be reimbursed for expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with the carrying-out of those duties.

 

 

10. Discipline and appeals

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary.

The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 28 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.

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 7 days of the hearing.

There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 14 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

 

11. Dissolution

A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will become the property of Management Committee of Dacorum Triathlon Club with assets distributed evenly amongst the enrolled membership of the club at the date of dissolution.

 

12. Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

 

12. Declaration

Dacorum Triathlon Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.

 

Code of Conduct 

Age Group Athletes Code of Conduct

The British Triathlon Federation is the national governing body of triathlon in Great Britain as recognised by the International Triathlon Union. This document is the Organisation’s code of conduct specifically aimed at Age Group athletes, to offer guidance on good practice for the involvement in the sport of triathlon.

Rights

As a responsible athlete you will:

• Treat all persons within the triathlon community with dignity and respect.

• Treat everyone equally.

• Not discriminate against an individual or group on any grounds, including age, sexual

  orientation, socio-economic status, disability, race, occupation, religion or political

  persuasion.

• Challenge discrimination in whatever form it takes.

• Recognise that abusive language, bullying, harassment and physical violence will not be

  tolerated. Behaviour

  As a responsible athlete you will:

• Display a high standard of behaviour at all times. You should display courtesy and good

  manners towards others.

• Avoid swearing, abusive language and irresponsible behaviour. This includes behaviour that

  is dangerous to yourself and/or to others.

• Never engage in any inappropriate or illegal behaviour.

• Avoid destructive behaviour. Leave an event/training venue as you would like to find it.

• Report any poor behaviour by others to your Team Manager/club/coach/committee.

• Recognise and celebrate other athlete’s successful performances.

• Consistently promote positive aspects of the sport.

• If you are seeking or receiving coaching support from another coach, you should inform your

  current coach. Likewise, if you are a member of more than one club, both clubs should be made aware.

  Competition

  As a responsible athlete you will:

• Adhere to the ITU uniform and competition rules.

• Adhere to British Triathlon competition rules and British Triathlons code of Ethics

• Uphold the same values of sportsmanship in and out of competition.

• Cooperate fully with all others involved in the sport, including technical officials, team managers and support staff.

• Anticipate and be responsible for your own needs, in training and competition e.g. being organised, bringing appropriate equipment, being on time.

• Always thank coaches and officials that enable you to participate within the sport of triathlon.

• Adhere to the Anti-Doping Rules of the British Triathlon Federation which are the UK Anti- Doping Rules published by UKAD (or its successor), as amended from time to time. Such rules shall take effect and be construed as the rules of the British Triathlon Federation. You can find the UK Anti-Doping rules at http://www.ukad.org.uk/resources/document/uk-anti- doping-rules.

  The Anti-Doping Rules stipulate that any athlete can be tested at any time. British Triathlon also reserves the right to coordinate doping control.

• To young person’s (under 18’s) especially:

• Never accept lifts in cars or invitations into homes on your own without prior knowledge and consent of a parent/guardian/carer.

• Ensure you always have safe travel arrangements to and from training and racing.

• Report any accidental injury, distress or misunderstanding to a parent/guardian, Teammanager or welfare officer.