Constitution

1. The name shall be ‘The Council of Southern Caving Clubs’.
2. The objects shall be:
   • a. To encourage the exchange of information between caving clubs and other similar bodies in the South of England.
   • b. The safeguarding of the interests of those clubs and individual cavers.
   • c. Maintaining friendly relations with similar bodies with a view to promoting and achieving objects of mutual interest.
3. Guiding principles shall be:
   • a. Respect for the autonomy and independence of action of all caving clubs. ‘Live and let live’.
   • b. The owners and tenants of property containing cave have the right to grant or withhold access. In certain cases caving clubs, singly or jointly and access bodies have the control of cave access delegated to them by owners. In such cases access for cavers should be granted as freely as possible throughout the country within the terms of those agreements.
4. Membership:
   • a. The Council shall consist of the delegates from members and elected officers. “Members” shall mean fully constituted caving clubs and access bodies who have been accepted by the council for membership and have paid the relevant subscription. An access body shall be defined as a formally constituted organisation, council or committee whose sole purpose is the management of access to caves. Caving clubs who have control of cave access on behalf of owners shall not be considered an access body for the purposes of this constitution.
   • b. A properly constituted club or access body becomes a member by signifying to the Council its wish to do so and paying the appropriate subscription for the membership sought.
   • c. Membership shall be conditional on acceptance by the Council.
5. Meetings:
   • a. A meeting of the Council shall be called by the Honorary Secretary or when ordered by a previous Council meeting. The Honorary Secretary shall give all members at least six weeks notice of meetings.
   • b. The Annual General Meeting shall be called for May.
   • c. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at the request of at least six members and may only transact business included in the notification of the meeting.
   • d. A quorum for the Annual General Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be twenty five percent of the paid up member clubs of the Council or eight members whichever is the lower.
   • e. An Ordinary Meeting of the Council shall consist of the Council Officers, and the nominee of each Member. It shall regulate its own business.
   • f. The Council shall meet not less than once a year to transact business. Each paid up Member club may nominate a representative for each meeting to vote on their behalf. Access body representatives do not have a vote.
   • g. Nominated representatives must present written authorisation from the Chair or Secretary of their Member organisation at or before the beginning of each meeting.
   • h. Nominated representatives shall only represent one member club during the meeting.
   • I. At all meetings each paid up Member Club shall have the right to veto.
6. Officers and Elections:
   • a. The Officers shall be a Chair, Honorary Secretary, Treasurer, and such others as the Council shall decide.
   • b. Officers shall be elected by Council to serve for a year and shall be eligible for re-election.
   • c. Notification to all members requesting nominations for officer posts shall be sent no later than 1st February. This provision shall not apply where an Extraordinary General Meeting has been called for the purpose of electing the chair or any officer.
   • d. Nominations for officer posts must be received by the secretary no later than 15th March for elections held at the Annual General Meeting or no later than eight weeks before an Extraordinary General Meeting called.
   • e. Nomination for all officer posts (including existing post holders) must be from a member.
   • f. Anyone standing for the position of Chair must be conversant with the recent business of the Council and have attended the majority of Council meetings in the last 2 years.
   • g. Members must be notified of nominations for officer posts no later than 1st April for elections held at the Annual General Meeting or no later than six weeks before an Extraordinary General Meeting called specifically for that purpose.
   • h. If no nominations have been received for any post by the deadline above, nominations may be taken from the floor at the Annual General Meeting at the chair’s discretion. The requirements of para f above shall not apply in this case.
7. Changes to the Constitution:
   • a. Any changes to the constitution must be approved at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting called to that purpose.
   • b. Motions for amendment to the Constitution must be sent to the secretary not less than eight weeks before the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting and notified to the membership not less than six weeks prior to the meeting at which they are to be discussed.
8. Subscriptions:
   • a. The annual subscription shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting. The Council’s financial and subscription year shall start on the 1st January.
9. Dissolution:
   • a. In the event of dissolution, the assets of the Council shall be given to other organisations of a similar nature. A motion for dissolution shall be passed if a two thirds majority of the members vote in favour at an Extraordinary General Meeting called specifically for this purpose. The right to veto does not apply to this meeting.
10. Logo:
    • a. No Member may make use of the Council’s name or logo without the express permission of the Council.
11. Interference and Mediation:
    • a. The Council shall not interfere in the affairs of Members unless specifically requested to do so by that Member.
    • b. The Council shall not mediate between Members unless requested by them in writing to do so.
12. Suspension and Expulsion:
    • a. Any member deemed to be acting against the interests of the Council may be suspended and subsequently expelled at an extraordinary general meeting by a two thirds majority vote. Any suspended or expelled member shall have a right of appeal against an order of expulsion or suspension. Such an appeal shall be heard at the next Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Council. The member must be sent a written notification of suspension and/or of expulsion to the last known address. Any member so suspended shall not be entitled to use any of the Council’s facilities, or receive any grants or other funds, save for the repayment of expenses properly incurred in executing the Council’s business.

History of this constitution: This new constitution was developed from the previous CSCC constitution by the ‘constitutional change subcommittee’. This subcommittee was formed and tasked by the 09 May 2015 AGM. The New constitution was approved by the EGM/AGM 26 Sept 2020

13 May 2020 - Chairman changed to Chair, sections 5g,6a,6c,6f,6h.

Copy of pre 2020 Constitution