Constitution

1	Title	The Association shall be known as Ayr Writers’ Club
2	Constitution	Ayr Writers’ Club (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Club’) shall be affiliated to the Scottish Association of Writers. It shall be non-partisan and promote its objects without distinction to race, language, or religion.
3	Objects	The objects of the Club shall be the promotion of a mutual association of Writers for the common benefit of all and the encouragement of the art of writing in all its branches.
4	Functions	The functions of the Club shall be to promote the above objects and the policy of the Club as decided at Club meetings.
5	Membership	1.Membership shall be open to all persons accepting the above Objects and Constitution. 2.Any member who fails to pay his/her subscription within three (3) months from the beginning of the Club year, a written reminder having been sent, shall be deemed to have lapsed. 3.Life and Honorary Memberships shall be extended to such persons as the Club may choose to honour. 4.The Executive shall have the authority to recommend the suspension or cancellation of the membership of any person shown to be acting in a manner detrimental to the interests of the Club. Any person who is the subject of such a recommendation may, after 14 days written notice has been given to the Hon. Secretary, appeal against the recommendation at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club. The decision taken at this meeting shall be final.
6	Subscription	1.The annual subscription shall be such sum as may be agreed upon for any Club year at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. The subscription shall be payable at the first meeting of the Club year. (Normally the first Wednesday in September). 2.New members joining after Christmas in any one season, and all postal members, will pay half the annual Club subscription.
7	Officers	1.The Honorary Officers of the Club shall be:- President; Immediate Past President; Vice President; Honorary Secretary; Honorary Treasurer. 2.The President and Vice President may hold office for one year only; thereafter they may not be elected to the same office until one further year has elapsed. 3.The Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be elected annually and shall be eligible for reappointment annually. 4.In the event of the Presidency becoming vacant, the Vice President shall become Acting President for the remainder of the Club year. Should a vacancy appear in any other office the Executive Committee may recommend a replacement to be approved at the next Club meeting.
8	Executive	1.The Executive shall consist of a) The Honorary Officers and b) Six elected Members. 2.The six elected members of the Executive Committee may hold their places on the Committee for not more than 3 consecutive years. One half shall retire annually and shall not be eligible for re-election, unless for Honorary Office, until one further year has elapsed. 3.Vacancies on the Executive Committee (other than the Honorary Officers) may be filled by co-option. Such co-option shall be submitted to the next Club meeting for approval. 4.The Executive Committee shall be responsible to the Club members for the administration of the Club’s business, for the arrangement of meetings, outline of programmes, and the handling of funds. 5.Any Honorary Officer or Committee Member who is absent from any two consecutive Committee Meetings without adequate reason, shall be deemed to have resigned from office. 6.At Executive Meetings each Honorary Officer and Member shall have one vote with the exception of the President, who shall have a casting vote only. 7.Five members of the Executive shall constitute a quorum, providing at least one Honorary Officer is present.
9	Elections	1.All elections shall be by ballot. A show of hands will be substituted only by the agreement of the principals concerned and two-thirds majority of the members present voting. 2.Nominations for office must be received by the Honorary Secretary fourteen (14) days prior to the Annual General Meeting. Nomination Forms must be signed by the proposer and seconder, and countersigned by the nominee. Blank Nomination Forms will be made available by the Honorary Secretary, or his/her delegate, to members at least six weeks before the Annual General Meeting. 3.Delegates shall be elected to appropriate outside bodies and substitutes appointed at the same time.
10	Meetings	1.Club meetings shall be held in accordance with the printed syllabus of the Club. At Club meetings each member shall have one vote. In the event of an equal number of votes being cast, the President shall exercise a casting vote. One fourth of the members shall constitute a quorum. 2.The Annual General Meeting shall be held at least one week before the end of the session each year. 3.An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Honorary Secretary at the request of the Executive Committee and must be called upon the written request of not less than one fourth of the ordinary members of the Club. Seven days notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting must be given to the members in writing. 4.One third of the members shall constitute a quorum at the Annual General Meeting. In the case of an Extraordinary General Meeting, the quorum shall be one half of the members of the Club. 5.Members may invite guests to all ordinary Club meetings. No guest may attend more than two meetings in any one Club year. Members are personally responsible for the conduct of their guests.
11	Finance	1.The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible to the members for the collection of all monies and shall report thereon as required to any Committee or Club meeting. 2.A banking account shall be maintained in the name of the Club. All cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer and by the President or Honorary Secretary. 3.The financial year shall end on 31st March of each year. The accounts will be audited by two Auditors appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
12	Dissolution	1.The Club may be dissolved at the discretion of Club members. 2.The Club shall not be dissolved until an Extraordinary General Meeting, called for the sole purpose of discussing the proposed dissolution, has been held. 3.Following upon the Extraordinary General Meeting called on the matter of dissolution and if a decision is taken electing to dissolve the Club, the whole books of the Club shall be brought to a balance and a State of Affairs as at the date of dissolution shall be prepared and intimated to all members not less than ten days prior to a further Special Extraordinary Meeting of the Club, in order to confirm arrangements for the dissolution being finalised and disposal or gifts of the assets in such a way and manner as the Membership of the Club shall determine, on such conditions and in such amounts as not less than one half of the Club Membership shall determine, and the whole assets of the Club including endowments, (unless such endowments have been conceived for a specific purpose or purposes which can no longer be administered by the Club as a result of dissolution) shall with all speed be converted into cash and the proceeds applied (one) in payment of all debts and extinction of all obligations of the Club (two) in distribution of the free balance as above described.
13	Alteration to Club Constitution and Rules	The Constitution and Rules may be altered only by a three-fourths majority of members present at a General Meeting of the Club. Due notice as in para. 0.3 must be given.
14	Honorary Officers	The duties of the Honorary Officers will be made available to the Executive for their guidance and information.
6th December, 1989 Amended 6th May, 1992. – Clause 6.2 added. Amended 3rd May, 1995. – Clause 8.2 amended Amended 7th June 2006 – Clause 10.2 amended