The National Association of Tangent Clubs'

Tangent Grace:

'For all thy gifts we thank thee Lord and especially for the gift of continued friendship'

CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TANGENT CLUBS

NAME

1.1

The Association shall be called The National Association of Tangent Clubs' (hereinafter called The Association').

OBJECTS

2.1

The purposes of the Association shall be:

(a)

to link together Tangent Clubs

(b)

to promote amongst Tangent Clubs the continuation and extension of friendships made in Ladies' Circle

(c)

to help Ladies' Circle when requested.

MEMBERSHIP

3.1

The clubs constituting the Association shall be those affiliated from time to time.

3.2

Power of admission of clubs to affiliation and expulsion there-from shall be vested in the Executive.

3.3

Clubs can only be affiliated whose members comply with the following conditions:

(a)

every member shall be or have been, a member of Ladies Circle, the wife or female partner of a current or past member of Round Table.

(b)

the Club's rules contain provisions that:

(i)

transfer members are accepted.

(ii)

honorary members are appointed at the discretion of the Club.

OVERSEAS CLUBS

4.1

Overseas Tangent Clubs affiliated to NATC shall be deemed Associate Member Clubs.
(Overseas Clubs means any Club located outside the British Isles, that is, outside England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).

4.2

Associate Membership shall be subject to the following provisions:

(a)

Power of admission of clubs to affiliation and expulsion there-from shall be vested in the Executive.

(b)

The Executive shall determine the Affiliation Fee & Annual Associate Club Membership Fee.

(c)

Associate Member Clubs shall be entitled to adopt Aims & Objects, Membership Rules & Regalia of their own choosing.

(d)

The Associate Member Club shall be entitled to all the privileges enjoyed by other constituent Clubs of NATC except for the following:

(i)

No member of an Associate Club will be eligible to stand for National Office of NATC.

(ii)

No delegate of an Associate Club will be able to vote on financial matters at the AGM of NATC.

THE OFFICERS

5:1

The Officers of the Association shall be the National President, National Vice-President, Immediate Past National President, Secretary, Treasurer and a Sales & Regalia Officer who shall hold office until they resign or until their term of office expires, whichever happens first.

5.2

The Officers (with the exception of the National President and Immediate Past President) shall be elected for a term of three years, by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. Except that in the event of the resignation or death of an officer
in which event the person elected to replace such officer shall hold office for the residue of the period of three years.

5.3

The initial election of the Secretary shall be held one year before taking office.

5.4

The Executive may appoint from members of affiliated clubs another person to fill a casual Officer vacancy.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

6.1

There shall be an Executive Committee of the Association (herein called the Executive') consisting of the Officers of the Association.

6.2

The Executive shall meet as and when the National President shall direct.

6.3

The Association shall be controlled and managed by the Executive.

6.4

The Secretary Elect in the year before she takes office shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Executive without a vote.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

7.1

The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held during the month of April in each year.

7.2

The agenda for the business to be conducted at the Annual General Meting shall be determined by the Executive.

7.3

Resolutions and Nominations for National Office shall be forwarded to the Association's Secretary at least three months prior to the meeting. In the event of no nomination for any office being received by the closing date, nominations may be received for any such office until immediately prior to voting for that office.

7.4

Every affiliate club shall be entitled to one vote by a member delegated by name from each club. If a Tangent Club is unable to send a voting delegate from their own Tangent to the NAGM, a Proxy delegate may be nominated as follows:

The Proxy delegate must be an active Tangent member.

The Proxy delegate must attend the appropriate meeting and be given a clear mandate by the Tangent club she is voting for.

The Tangent club should register the name of their chosen Proxy delegate with the National Secretary by 12 noon on the day preceding the NAGM

7.5

Speeches from the floor shall be limited to three minutes.

7.6

Any motion defeated at an Annual General Meeting shall not be raised again for at least two years.

7.7

The year of the Association shall end on 30th April.

7.8

The National Annual General Meeting shall be held in the same locality and at the same date as the 41 Club Conference.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

8.1

In an emergency the Executive may arrange for a Special General Meeting to be held.

FINANCE

9.1

The financial year of the Association shall be from 1st January to 31st December following.

9.2

At its Annual General Meeting the Association shall approve a budget and also determine the capitation fee payable per member of each affiliated club for the year commencing at 30th April.

9.3

The National President's out of pocket expenses shall be reviewed annually.

9.4

The necessary travelling expenses of the National President and National Executive shall be met.

9.5

Any motion concerning financial matters can be raised at any Annual General Meeting under the Treasurer's report.

9.6

The Annual Accounts shall be independently reviewed by a member of a recognised professional body before the AGM, next following the end of the relevant financial year.

10.

RULES

10.1

The rules shall not be altered save by a majority of those delegates present and voting at a General Meeting of the Association.

10.2

All Club AGMs to take place before 30th April, so that the Directory of Club Secretaries can be circulated to all clubs as soon as possible in the Association year.

10.3

All Regalia to be ordered through the Regalia Officer.

10.4

That on receipt of an application to affiliate from a group of Circlers or Ex-Circlers, where an affiliated Tangent Club is known to exist, the National Executive should courteously extend the opportunity for the existing club to express their views.