CLUB CONSTITUTION 2024

1. TITLE

The name of the Club shall be “National Historic Speed Club”, hereafter referred to as ‘The Club’.

2. OBJECTS

i) To further interest in Sprinting and Hillclimbing for the owners and drivers of pre 1977 saloon, sportscars and racing cars.

ii) To provide members with information, advice and assistance on matters connected with Sprinting and Hillclimbing.

iii) To organise and promote an annual speed championship for club members in accordance with the Rules of the MSUK.

iv) To promote motor competitions in accordance with the Rules of Motorsport UK.

v) To afford members such benefits and privileges as it may be possible to arrange.

3. MEMBERSHIP

Any person regardless of their sex or gender identity of not less than 17 years of age shall be eligible for membership.

The membership shall consist of (a) Honorary Members (b) Competition Members (c) Social Members.

4. MANAGEMENT

The authority and responsibility for the transaction of the business of the Club and for its management shall be vested in a Committee, who, in addition to the powers and authorities by these rules expressly conferred on them, may exercise all powers and do all acts in furtherance of the objects for which the Club is established or done by the Club in General Meeting.

5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

The Chairman of the Club, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Committee shall be elected for a term of 3 years at the relevant Annual General Meeting and, after 3 years will be subject to termination of office by resignation at the relevant Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt other members as they deem necessary. The retiring officers and other members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election.

6. COMMITTEE

The Committee shall consist of not less than four and not more than 10 members, inclusive of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, who shall be ex-officio Members of the Committee. Committee members will complete a 3-year term and at the end of their term they will stand down, they will be eligible for re- election. Nominations of Candidates for election to the Committee must be received by the Secretary not less than seven days before the Annual General Meeting, with an intimation in writing signed by each Member nominated that he or she is willing to serve. Nominations of Candidates shall be signed by the member proposing them. The Committee shall have the power to appoint a Sub-Committee of not less than three persons to meet on its behalf in respect of any matter which is specially referred to such a Sub Committee.

7. MEETING OF COMMITTEE

The Secretary either of his own accord or by the direction of the Chairman shall unless otherwise agreed by all the Committee give at least 7 days written notice of a meeting. Four of the members of the Committee shall form a quorum.

8. VOTING OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Each member present at a meeting of the Committee shall be entitled to exercise one vote. The Committee shall vote by ballot if any member present so demands. A vote of one third against any application for membership shall exclude from membership.

9. ABSENCE FROM COMMITTEE

Any member of the Committee who shall, without sufficient reasons, absent himself from three consecutive Committee meetings may be called upon to resign his position upon the Committee.

10. DUTIES OF SECRETARY

It shall be the duty of the Secretary to attend in person or by deputy, all meetings of the club and all meetings of the Committee to take minutes of the proceedings. Such minutes shall be entered in a book and presented for confirmation at the following meeting.

11. BANKING

All moneys of the club shall be banked by the Treasurer in the name of the Club, and no disbursements shall be made therefrom except in accordance with the form or forms authorised by the Committee.

12. ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Applications of candidates for membership of the club shall be submitted to the committee by the secretary, and the election of such candidates shall be at the discretion of the Committee. The name and address and description of the candidate and names of his proposer and seconder, being members of the club, shall be stated on each application submitted to the committee, provided that in the case of a candidate who knows no member of the club, the committee shall be empowered to carry out the election after proper enquiries.

Membership of the club shall continue only for the period covered by the current subscription, and members shall be subject to re-election annually by the Committee. All applications must be made by an individual in his own correct name and be signed by the said applicant personally.

13. PROVISIONAL MEMBERS

Any candidate for membership of the club whose subscription has been accepted by the Secretary shall become a provisional member of the club. Provisional membership of any candidate shall only hold good until the meeting of the Committee next after payment of the subscription of such candidate.

14. SUBSCRIPTION

Members shall pay £20 per year to subscribe to the National Historic Speed Club, such membership also includes a complementary membership of the Classic Marques Sports Car Club. All members intending to take part in the NHSC championship must be dual members of the two clubs to compete in the championship to comply with the terms of the MSUK issued permit.

15. PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS

Annual subscriptions become due on the 1st January of each year.

16. NEW MEMBERS

Any member who has been notified of his election and who fails to pay his subscription within one month of such notification shall be again requested in writing by the Secretary or Treasurer to pay the same, and, if he fails to make payment within fourteen days thereafter his election shall be ipso facto, null and void. No newly elected member shall be entitled to any of the privileges of membership until after the payment of his first subscription.

17. NON-PAYMENT

Any member of the club who has not paid his subscription within two clear months of the date on which it became due shall be notified of the fact in writing by the Secretary or the Treasurer, and one month thereafter any member who has still failed to pay his subscription may, unless sufficient reason be shown to the satisfaction of the Committee be taken off the Register of members forthwith. No member whose subscription is in arrears shall be eligible to take part in any competitions organised by the club and under the rules of the Motorsport UK.

18. RESIGNATION

Any member wishing to resign his membership shall give notice in writing of such desire to the Secretary on or before the date on which his subscription would have become due for renewal in any year, otherwise he shall be liable to pay his subscription for the ensuing year. Also, any member ceasing, voluntarily or otherwise, to be a member of the club, shall thereafter cease to have any claim upon the property of the club or to enjoy any privileges of membership, but he or she shall remain liable for the payment of any debts due to the club from him to her.

19. USE OF CLUB NAME AND ADDRESS

The name and address of the club shall not be given by a member as his address for trade, advertising or business purposes or in connection with any legal proceedings.

20. LIFE MEMBERS

In exceptional circumstances Life Membership may be granted by the committee. Life Members shall be exempt from the payment of annual subscriptions. A member cannot become a Life Member until after re-election. Life membership can be terminated by the committee if the Life member is found to have acted in a manner unbecoming to the club’s objectives and ideals and those of MSUK or has been convicted of any criminal offence other than of speeding. It is the duty of any Life member to disclose any such conviction to the committee who will then deliberate and act accordingly.

21. HONORARY MEMBERS AND SOCIAL MEMBERS

The Committee may elect as Honorary Members all members of the Royal Families, and any persons distinguished for their political, scientific, literary, industrial and administrative capacities, or who have been distinguished in promoting the cause of motor sport in general or of the club in particular. Honorary membership can be terminated by the committee if the Honorary member is found to have acted in a manner unbecoming to the club’s objectives and ideals and those of MSUK or has been convicted of a criminal offence other than of speeding. It is the duty of any Honorary member to disclose any such conviction to the committee who will then deliberate and act accordingly. The Committee may elect Social Members at an annual subscription of £15. Social Members shall not be permitted to take part in any competitions organised by the club held under the Rules of the Motorsport UK.

22. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

It shall be the duty of the Committee if at any time they shall be of the opinion that the interests of the club so require, by letter, to invite any member to withdraw from the club within a time specified in such letter, and in default of such withdrawal to submit the question of his expulsion to a meeting of the Committee to be held within six weeks after the date of such letter. Members of the Committee shall be given at least 7 days’ notice that a question of withdrawal or expulsion is to be discussed at a meeting of the Committee. The member whose expulsion is under consideration shall be given at least 7 days’ notice of such a meeting and shall be allowed to offer an explanation of his conduct verbally or in writing and if two thirds of the members present shall then vote for his expulsion, he shall thereupon cease to be a member of the club.

23. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the club shall be held in the month of November in each year upon a date and at a time to be fixed by the Committee. The Annual General Meeting shall:

i) Receive from the Committee a full statement of accounts duly audited showing the receipts and expenditure for the year ending 31st March.

ii) Receive from the Committee a report of the activities of the club during the said year.

iii) Elect the Chairman, Vice Chairman, the Secretary and Treasurer of the club, and if appropriate, the Solicitor and Auditor.

iv) Elect the Committee.

v) Settle any payments due to the officers of the club and the Solicitor and Auditor.

vi) Decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided.

25. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

A Special General Meeting may be convened by direction of the Committee, or on a requisition of the Secretary stating the business for which the Special General Meeting is required and signed by not less than 4 members. If the meeting so requisitioned is not convened within 21 days, the said 4 members may convene such meeting. 15 members shall form a quorum.

25. GENERAL MEETING AGENDA

When members wish a matter to be discussed at a General Meeting, the text of such matters signed by at least two members shall be sent to the Secretary at least 14 days before the date of such meetings, so that it may be included in the agenda.

A copy of the agenda shall be sent to each member at least five days prior to the meeting, but the fact that any member has not received a copy of the agenda shall not invalidate the proceedings. No business which is not included in the agenda shall be discussed at the meeting unless every member present is in favour thereof. Should the proposer of any motion fail to move a resolution in respect of the relevant item on the agenda, then any other member shall be titled to do so.

26. VOTING AT GENERAL MEETING

Every person with a right to be present may exercise one vote. The Chairman shall not vote except in the exercise of a casting vote. At all General Meetings, except as provided in Rule 30, a majority of votes decides a resolution.

At any General Meeting any 10 members may demand a Poll, and thereupon the meeting shall be adjourned to a time and place to be named by the Chairman, and a postal vote shall be taken of all members of the club, the decision of the members, as shown by a postal vote, shall be reported to the adjourned meeting, and shall be deemed to be the decision of such meeting.

Proxies may only be validly appointed by a notice in writing which:

a) States the name and address of the Member appointing the proxy

b) Identifies the person appointed to be that Member’s proxy and the General Meeting in relation to which that person is appointed

c) Is signed by the Member appointing the proxy and is delivered to the Secretary not less than 48 hours before the time of the meeting

27. RIGHT TO BE PRESENT

No-one can take part in General Meetings unless he has been duly elected as a Member of the Club, and has paid his subscription according to the rules.

28. OBSERVANCE AND INTERPRETATION OF RULES

Every member binds himself to abide by the rules of the club, and also by any modifications thereof made in conformity with such rules, and also to accept as final and binding the decision of the Committee in all cases of dispute or disagreement as to the interpretation of these rules.

29. ALTERATION OF RULES

Any alterations may be made in these rules by a General Meeting provided (a) that details of the proposed alteration or alterations are included in the notice of the General Meeting and (b) that the resolution proposing such alteration is carried out by two thirds of those present and voting at such General Meeting or by two-thirds of those voting should a Poll be demanded as provided for in Rule 27.

30. EVENTS

All motor competitions organised by the club shall be held under the rules and requirements of the Motorsport UK.

Any member convicted of an offence arising out of his being in charge of a motor vehicle in any club event or on club business shall be thereupon be liable to expulsion from the club under Rule 23.

31. COPIES OF RULES

Every member shall be furnished with a copy of the club rules and regulations on election.

32. BADGES

Any badges issued to a member or for a club shall remain the property of the club. On termination of their membership, members shall deliver up such badges to the Secretary.

33. SAFEGUARDING POLICY

The club will comply with the policies set out by Motorsport UK:

34. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR)

The club will comply with the policies set out by Motorsport UK:

Data Protection - Motorsport UK

35.SOCIAL MEDIA

The club will comply with the policies set out by Motorsport UK:

36. CODE OF CONDUCT

Members must ensure they abide by the rules and regulations of the Club and Motorsport UK and:

a. conduct themselves in a proper manner at all times, in the best interests of UK motor sport

b. respect the decision of event officials

c. treat all competitors, marshals and officials equally with respect

d. maintain the highest standards of driving behaviour

e. not discriminate against individuals for any reason, whether as a result of race, colour, gender,marital status, sexuality, age, disability, occupation, religion or political persuasion.

Failure to comply with this Code may result in stringent sanctions being imposed by Motorsport UK and the National Court.

37. DISSOLUTION

The club may be dissolved by a Special General Meeting convened by direction of the Committee, or on the requisition of the majority of the members.

If the resolution of dissolution be duly passed, the Committee shall forthwith liquidate the affairs of the club, and if there be any surplus assets on realisation, these shall be disposed of at the discretion of the Committee.

NHSC – "The club for historic hillclimb and sprinting"