Constitution of British Chamber of Commerce Dragon Boat Team (Singapore)
15/12/2020
1. Name
1.1. This Society, the British Chamber of Commerce Dragon Boat Team (Singapore) may also be known as the “British Dragon Boat Team (Singapore)”, is hereinafter referred to as the “Team”
1.2. The Team is associated with The British Chamber of Commerce
1.3. The Team may race under the names “British Dragons Singapore” and “British Dragons”
2. Club Colours
2.1. The colours of the Team shall be red (Pantone 186), royal blue (Pantone 280), and white
3. Place of Business
3.1. The Society’s place of business shall be at [redacted for public version] or such other address as may subsequently be decided upon by the Executive Committee, as defined in clause 5.3, and approved by the Registrar of Societies
4. Objects
4.1. The object of the Team shall be to promote, develop and foster the sport of dragon boating and dragon boating related sports at all levels. In furtherance of the said object but not otherwise, the Team may from time to time:
4.1.1. promote and hold, either alone or jointly with others, dragon boat races and events
4.1.2. offer, give or contribute to dragon boat events and dragon boat races promoted and held by the Team
4.1.3. subsidise Team activities for Team members at the Executive Committee’s discretion
4.1.4. organise social events, gatherings for Team members in relation to dragon boating
4.1.5. establish and promote, or assist any other association or entity having objectives similar to those of the Team
4.1.6. buy, sell, and supply goods and services for the benefit of the Team and it’s members
4.1.7. raise funds, invite and receive contributions from any person, persons, organisations or incorporated entities by way of subscriptions and otherwise provided that the Team shall not undertake permanent trading activities in raising funds for the said objectives
4.1.8. do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the said objectives
4.2. The Team is non-denominational, non-political and a non-profit organisation
4.3. The Team welcomes members from all nationalities reflecting the diverse and multicultural construct of Singapore
5. Management and Committees
5.1. The administration of the Team shall be entrusted to the Executive Committee in consultation with the Full Committee whose roles are more particularly defined in Appendix 1
5.2. The Full Committee (FC):
5.2.1. comprises of an Executive Committee (EC) and other officers as set out in Appendix 1, “the Officers”
5.2.2. is bound by the terms of this Constitution of the British Chamber of Commerce Dragonboat Team (Singapore), “the Constitution”
5.2.3. the Officers will assist the EC in running the Team
5.2.4. the Officers will carry out their roles in consultation with the EC subject to any addition or removal as appointed or removed in accordance with this Constitution
5.3. The Executive Committee (EC)
5.3.1. must have an understanding of the Team’s current situation, direction as well as finances, and will make decisions for the Team that are fair, in the Team’s interests and in line with the Team’s ethos
5.3.2. will organise and supervise the daily activities of the Team
5.3.3. will be formed of: Team Manager/Captain, Men’s Captain, Ladies’ Captain, Treasurer and Team Secretary whose roles are defined in Appendix 1
5.4. Appointment
5.4.1. Each FC member shall hold office until the conclusion of the Annual Team Meeting, “the ATM”, following the date of the said member’s election. They will be eligible to remain as part of the FC should it be mutually agreed by the EC and ratified at the ATM
5.4.2. If at any time two or more people hold the same position (as set out in Appendix 1) on the EC or FC then only one person as designated by the Team Manager/Captain shall attend EC and FC meetings and cast a single vote on behalf of all the persons holding that position. The Team manager may require any or all persons holding the same position to attend EC and FC meetings but only the designated person shall have a single vote as above
5.5. Any member of the EC or FC absent from three consecutive meetings of the EC and FC, including the ATM and any Extraordinary Team Meetings, “ETM’s”, without consent of the EC, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, shall cease to be a member thereof
5.6. Vacancies
5.6.1. If a vacancy occurs in the membership of the FC for any reason, the EC may appoint a Team member to fill the vacancy, and the Team member so appointed will hold office subject to the Constitution. The person filling the vacancy shall be subject to this clause 5
5.6.2. Removal of EC or FC Members shall be carried out in accordance with clause 12
5.7. Committee meetings
5.7.1. The FC shall hold no less than four (4) meetings per year
5.7.2. An EC or FC meeting shall be quorate when all of the following conditions are satisfied:
5.7.2.1. at least 7 days notice was served electronically, unless all members entitled to attend agree otherwise
5.7.2.2. one of either of the Team Manager/Captain, the Ladies or the Men’s Captain are present;
5.7.2.3. an EC meeting shall require at least three members of the EC to be present;
5.7.2.4. an FC meeting shall require at least six members of the FC to be present
5.7.3. Decisions shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the members present and in the event of an equality of votes, the Team Manager/Captain or if absent, the chairperson who shall be appointed by the Team Manager/Captain shall cast the additional deciding vote.
6. Coaches
6.1. The EC may appoint and hire a Coach and/or an Assistant Coach
6.2. The EC will use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the Coaches observe their responsibilities as instructed by the Team Manager/Captain, Ladies’ Captain and Men’s Captain
6.3. The Coaches primary responsibilities are outlined in Appendix 1
6.4. Payment of Coaches
6.4.1. The EC will review the Coaches rates of pay each year and in consultation with the Coaches will agree their rates of pay for the upcoming year
6.4.2. The Treasurers will pay the Coaches monthly for the number of hours worked in accordance with the agreed rates of pay.
6.5. Removal of Coaches
6.5.1. The Team Manager/Captain will oversee an enquiry following which the EC will vote on whether remove or retain any Coach in office
6.5.2. Notice shall be served within 5 business days on the said Coach in writing, stating the date, time, and place of the enquiry, the proposal and the grounds on which the proposal for removal is based
7. Affiliation
7.1. The Team shall be affiliated with:
7.1.1. British Chamber of Commerce
7.1.2. Singapore Dragon Boat Association (SDBA)
7.1.3. International Dragon Boat Community (IDBC)
7.1.4. International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF)
8. Membership
8.1. Membership of the Team shall be open to all people interested in the aims of the Team.
8.2. A person wishing to join the Team should submit his particulars to the Team Secretary via email at secretary@britishdragonboat.com
8.3. A person is considered a member once an application has been submitted and the waiver form signed and full payment has been received by the Treasurer.
8.4. Each person admitted to membership shall be;
8.4.1. liable for such fees and subscriptions as may be fixed by the Team
8.4.2. bound by the Constitution
8.4.3. entitled to all advantages and privileges of membership
8.5. Membership categories shall be as listed below:
8.5.1. Gold membership (Full year)
8.5.2. Silver membership (Half year)
8.5.3. Bronze membership (Quarter year)
8.5.4. Honorary Life Member
8.6. Members shall pay a membership subscription which shall be determined each year by the Team at the ATM
8.7. In fixing the membership subscription the Team may fix different amounts of subscriptions for each category of membership
8.8. Membership is renewed by:
8.8.1. Submitting member particulars to the Team Secretary on a prescribed membership form
8.8.2. Paying the subscription fee
8.9. Any person’s membership may be terminated by the following events;
8.9.1. Resignation
8.9.2. Removal in accordance with clause 12
8.9.3. A Member’s annual membership fee remains unpaid after 1 month of falling due.
8.10. A copy of the Constitution can be viewed on the Team’s website (members only)
8.11. Honorary Life Member
8.11.1. may be bestowed on a member in recognition of outstanding service to the Team and dragon boating in general
8.11.2. The nomination must be approved by the EC and then the proposal will be put to the Team for them to vote via a link sent in advance of the ATM, the result of the vote to be announced at the ATM
8.11.3. shall carry with it all the association privileges including eligibility to hold any office in the Team
8.11.4. With the privilege to be eligible for up to 50% reduction on subscriptions
9. Team and Financial Year
9.1. The Team’s year and the financial year shall be from 1st January to 31st December.
10. Final Authority and meetings
10.1. The supreme authority of the Team is vested in the ATM of the members. The Team shall also hold ETM’s when called in accordance with this Constitution.
10.2. The ATM will be held each year not earlier than one month and not later than three months after the end of any financial year and shall be held at such time as decided by the EC
10.2.1. Only fully paid gold,silver and bronze members for the upcoming year are eligible to attend. Others may attend as guests at the discretion of the Team Manager/Captain
10.2.2. Notice of the ATM specifying the date, time, place and matters arising shall be advertised to all members at least 14 days prior to the date set for the ATM
10.2.3. The ATM shall include the following agenda items:
10.2.3.1. update on the activities of the Team in the preceding year from the Team Manager/Captain
10.2.3.2. financial statement for the past year and a budget for the coming year
10.2.3.3. reports from each of the current FC members
10.2.3.4. any alterations to subscription fees
10.2.3.5. any matter referred by the EC
10.2.3.6. voting on the new FC members and Honorary Auditors as defined in clause 11.1. If more than 50% of the members present at the ATM object to any member of the proposed new FC being appointed then the appointment of the whole FC will be the subject of an ETM. The written notice required in clause 10.6 shall be deemed served on the day of the ATM. The current members of the FC will remain appointed until the new FC is appointed at the ETM
10.2.3.7. voting on any amendments to the Constitution in accordance with clause 14
10.2.3.8. any motions proposed by any member provided that they have given notice of the proposed motion to the Team Secretary two (2) weeks before the ATM is due to be held.
10.3. If the EC or FC does not proceed to serve notice of the ETM ten (10) business days after the date of the receipt (but not including the date of receipt) of the written request to convene an ETM, the members who requested for the ETM shall convene the ETM by giving ten (10) days' notice to voting members of the Team
10.4. At least 25% of the total voting membership or thirty (30) voting members, whichever is the lesser, present at the ATM or any ETM shall form a quorum. Proxies shall not be constituted as part of the quorum.
10.5. In the event of there being no quorum at the commencement of the ATM or any ETM, the meeting shall be adjourned for half an hour and should the number then present be insufficient to form a quorum, those present shall be considered a quorum, but they shall have no power to amend any part of the Constitution.
10.6. At least ten (10) days' notice of an ETM shall be served on the voting members.The period of notice shall not include either the date that the notice is sent nor the date of the meeting. Notice of the meeting stating the date, time and place of meeting as well as the proposed motions, shall be sent by the Team Secretary to all voting members by the usual methods used to communicate with Team members
10.7. Voting at Team meetings
10.7.1. Issues arising at a ETM or ATM and which require a vote, shall be determined by a majority of the votes
10.7.2. In the event of an equality of votes, the Team Manager/Captain or if absent, the chairperson who shall be appointed by the Team Manager/Captain shall cast the additional deciding vote
10.7.3. Voting at an ETM or ATM will be by a show of hands, unless the TeamManager/Captain or chairperson calls for a ballot
10.7.4. Each Team member present at the meeting, subject always to clause 10.7.5, is entitled to one vote
10.7.5. Unless otherwise stated in this Constitution, voting by written proxy submitted to the Team Secretary at least 24 hours prior to the meeting is allowed for members that are overseas at the time of the ATM or any ETM
11. Audit
11.1. Two (2) former members of the FC shall be appointed as Honorary Auditors to review the financial statements and their findings will be an integral part of the final financial statement.
11.2. The accounts of the Team shall be audited by a firm of Public Accountants and Chartered Accountants if the gross income or expenditure of the Team exceeds $500,000 in that financial year, in accordance with Section 4 of the Societies Regulation
12. Disciplinary Action
12.1. Removal of EC/FC Members and any other member
12.1.1. The Team Manager/Captain will oversee an enquiry compromising the EC and the member, subject to clause 12.1.3, following which the EC will vote on whether to remove or retain any EC/FC member/s or other Team member within the Team
12.1.2. Notice shall be served on the said EC/FC or other Team member by email, stating the date, time, and place of the enquiry, the proposal and the grounds on which the proposal for removal is based. Any such notice will give at least 10 business days notice of the date of the hearing not including the date the email is sent or the date of the enquiry itself.
12.1.3. any Team member may appear at the enquiry but no more than (2) members may appear on behalf of either the EC or the Team member who is the subject of the enquiry
12.1.4. the decision of the EC is final unless an ETM is successfully called within 5 business days of the decision, including the date of the decision and the date of the successful request being submitted in accordance with clause 10.6
12.2. Grounds for the removal of any EC/FC or other Team member shall include but not be limited to
12.2.1. persistently refusing to or not complying with the Constitution; or
13. Prohibitions
13.1. Gambling of any kind, excluding the promotion or conduct of a private lottery which has been permitted under the Private Lotteries Act Cap 250, is forbidden on the Team’s premises. The introduction of materials for gambling or drug taking and of bad characters into the premises is prohibited
13.2. The funds of the Team shall not be used to pay the fines of members who have been convicted in court of law
13.3. The Team shall not engage in any trade union activity as defined in any written law relating to trade unions for the time bein
g in force in Singapore13.4. The Team shall not indulge in any political activity or allow its funds and/or premises to be used for political purposes
13.5. The Team shall not hold any lottery, whether confined to its members or not, in the name of the Team or its office bearers, EC or FC or members unless with the prior approval of the relevant authorities
13.6. The Team shall not raise funds from the public for whatever purposes without the prior approval in writing of the Assistant Director Operations, Licensing Division, Singapore Police Force and other relevant authorities
14. Amendments to the Constitution
14.1. The Team may from time to time amend the Constitution by way of a resolution at the ATM or an ETM called for that purpose.
14.2. Any proposed changes to the constitution shall be made available to the members at least 7 days prior to the ATM or ETM
14.3. Any proposed changes to the Constitution need a majority of two-thirds of the members voting, provided that a quorum of twenty five per cent of the membership or 30 members be present. Members may submit their votes by written proxy. Any proxy shall not count towards the quorum. Any written proxy as provided for in clause 10.7.5 must be received by the Team Secretary at least 24 hours prior to the relevant ATM or ETM
14.4. Any changes, ratified by the ATM or ETM,to the Constitution needs final approval in writing of the Registrar of Societies
15. Interpretation
15.1. In the event of any question or matter pertaining to day-to-day administration which is not expressly provided for in this Constitution, the EC shall have power to use their own discretion. The decision of the EC shall be final unless and until it is reversed at the ATM or an ETM
16. Disputes
16.1. In the event of any dispute arising amongst members that is not subject to proceedings set out in clause 12, they shall attempt to resolve the matter themselves. In the event that this does not resolve the issue, it should be referred to the EC to attempt resolution, following which either an ETM may be called or the members may bring legal proceedings.
17. Dissolution
17.1. The Team may be wound up if at an ETM it passes a resolution to wind up, and after the resolution is confirmed at a subsequent ETM called specifically for that purpose and held not earlier than 30 days after the date on which the resolution to be confirmed was passed
17.2. If any property and, or funds remain after the winding up or dissolution of the Team and the settlement of all the Team’s debts and liabilities, that property and/or funds must be given or transferred to another organisation in such manner as the ETM may determine or donated to an approved charity or charities in Singapore
17.3. No individual, whether associated with a member or not, may benefit directly or indirectly from the distribution of any property and/or fundraising on a winding up or dissolution
17.4. A Certificate of Dissolution shall be given within seven (7) days of the dissolution to the Registrar of Societies
Appendix 1:
Team Manager / Captain:
- - shall be responsible for the effective management of the Team
- - shall be the appointed chairperson and preside over EC meetings, FC meetings, the ATM and any ETM’s
- - deals with any issues within the Team
- - deals with race entries and deadlines in conjunction with Men’s and Ladies’ Captains, Team Secretary and Coaches
- - ensures the team follows all SDBA and IDBF rules (both as defined in clause 7)
- - attends meetings with other captains and officials, acts as an ambassador for the Team
- - liaises with the British Chamber of Commerce and other entities.
- - attends race draws and meetings
- - makes crew selection for races with the Coaches, Ladies’ and Men’s Captains
- - coordinates and manages the Team at training
- - coordinates and leads the Team on race days
- - liaises with the Coaches regarding training sessions, races, as well as fitness and welfare
- - is a signatory to the Team’s bank account
Ladies’ Captain:
- - deals with race entries and deadlines in conjunction with Team Manager/Captain, Team Secretary, Coaches and Men’s Captain
- - coordinates any ladies joint paddling events with other teams
- - assists Team Manager/Captain with any issues within the Team
- - attends meetings with other captains and officials, acts as an ambassador for the Team
- - attends race draws and meetings
- - coordinates and manages the Team at training
- - coordinates and leads the Team on race days in conjunction with Team Captain and Men’s Captain
- - assists the Coaches and Team Manager/Captain with crew selection for races regarding ladies’ and mixed boats
- - acts as Team Manager/Captain in the absence of the Team Manager/Captain
Men’s Captain:
- - deals with race entries and deadlines in conjunction with Team Manager/Captain, Team Secretary, Coaches and Ladies’ Captain
- - coordinates any men’s joint paddling events with other teams
- - assists Team Manager/Captain with any issues within the Team
- - attends meetings with other captains and officials, acts as an ambassador for the Team at functions
- - attends race draws and meetings
- - coordinates and manages the Team at training
- - coordinates and leads the Team on race days in conjunction with Team Manager/Captain and Ladies’ Captain
- - assists Coaches and Team Manager/Captain with crew selection for races regarding men’s and mixed boats
- - acts as Team Manager/Captain in the absence of the Team Manager/ Captain
Team Secretary:
- - shall keep all records, except financial, of the Team and shall be responsible for their correctness
- - shall keep minutes of all EC and FC meetings, the ATM and any ETM’s
- - shall maintain an up to date register of members at all times
- - shall ensure that information about all matters affecting the Team is communicated to members efficiently and expeditiously
- - reads and replies to all enquiries received from the Team’s website
- - sends out email bulletins regularly to all members of the Team
- - updates the database and distribution lists with new members of the Team details received from Treasurer
- - assists Team Manager/Captain and Men’s and Ladies’ Captains with race submissions as needed
- - sends race bulletins out via email prior to race day
- - updates the Team’s website with the non-design matters
- - updates events calendar
- - is a signatory to the Team’s bank account
Treasurer:
- - Manages the finances of the Team to the best of their ability and in the best interest of the Team
- - shall keep all funds and collect and disburse all monies on behalf of the Team
- - shall keep an account of all monetary transactions and shall be responsible for their correctness
- - provides detailed reporting to the EC each quarter, and reports to the members at the ATM on the financial position of the Team
- - is authorised to expend up to SG$ 500 per month for petty expenses on behalf of the Team;
- - will not keep more than SG$1000 in the form of cash
- - money in excess of SG$1000 will be deposited into the Team’s bank account within 5 business days
- - Withdrawals/payments from the bank account will be signed/approved by the Treasurer and either Team Manager/Captain or the Team Secretary. Any amount (individual or cumulative) in excess of $2,000 SGD in any 7 day period shall be notified to the Team Manager/Captain
- - works with the FC members to ensure payments have been made on time and in full
- - collects subscription payments from the Team’s members
- - Manages the Team database to accurately track and document Team members subscriptions and membership in conjunction with the Team Secretary
Team Administrator
- - creates, designs and amends the Team’s website. Keeps it up to date and relevant. Assists Team Secretary with any updates and/or changes to the website that cannot be dealt with by the Team Secretary
- - creates new email systems to incorporate dragon boat mailing list and straightforward updating
International Secretary:
- - responsible for all international contacts and events
- - attends IDBC (as defined in cause 7) meetings and promotes the views and interests of the Team; reports back on issues and updates Team Manager/Captain, Men’s Captain and Ladies’ Captain
- - liaises with other teams for mixed events and reports to Team Manager/Captain
- - updates Team Manager/Captain, Men’s Captain, Ladies’ Captain and Coaches on upcoming events and races both within and outside of Singapore
- - liaises with other teams, their representatives and/or any organisations, including but not limited to, any “barbarian” type single event organisations whose purpose is to attend dragon boat events outside Singapore
Social Secretary
- - organises all Team social events with the help of the FC and the Team members
- - organises after an race party at a Team sponsor’s venue or otherwise as required
- - arranges and manages water/100+/ice for practice as appropriate
- - orders sandwiches or a suitable alternative for race day
- - organises social events with other teams
- - liaises with the approved supplier to ensure that alcohol is purchased in accordance with a schedule agreed by the EC
- - arranges leaving do’s and presents for Team members as deemed appropriate by the EC
- - works with the Team Secretary to ensure the Team is aware of upcoming social events
Kit and Equipment Secretary:
- - responsible for ordering and sales of all dragon boat clothing and related items worn or used by the Team’s members
- - responsible for all dragon boat clothing and related items held in stock
- - provides stock and sales figures to Treasurer, Team Manager/Captain
- - deals with any changes to the design of items in consultation with the EC
- - maintains and arranges repairs or replacements of paddles and will provide an inventory as and when required by the Team Manager/Captain
- - maintains and arranges repairs or replacements of personal floatation devices and will provide an inventory as and when required by the Team Manager/Captain
- - ensures that all boats are in good working order and are complete including but not limited to the hull, head, tail, drum seat, steering arm, cover and trolley. Defects shall be notified to a member of the EC
- - arranges for repairs or replacement of items as agreed with the Team Manager/Captain. Any expenditure in excess of $500 SGD shall require the consent of the EC.
- - ensures all equipment is returned & stored appropriately after each practice or keeps a record of any items retained by Team members
Sponsorship / Marketing Secretary:
- - responsible for developing a sponsorship plan, and building and maintaining relationships with sponsors
- - maintains a clear understanding of the Team’s philosophy, ethos and direction
- - coordinates renewal of current sponsors and receipt of sponsorship money
- - keeps all Team advertising/comms updated with current sponsor details
- - approaches and/or sources potential new sponsors
- - ensures all specifications of sponsors agreements are met
- - provides point of sale material for relevant sponsors outlets
- - race date liaison with sponsors for anything they will provide for the benefit of the Team (food, beer and giveaways from sponsors)
- - ensure brand awareness of the Team is reflected throughout all it’s promotional material (including, but not limited to, all leaflets, business cards and literature)
- - ensures Team visibility at race events
- - coordinates, designs & arranges the printing of the Team’s promotional material
- - responsible for recruitment initiatives and drives for new Team members
- - coordinates write ups for the press including magazines
- - updates and manages social media
Coach
- - provides and conducts a structured and formalised training programme
- - provides competitive coaching and crew motivation
- - assists the Team Manager/Captain, Men’s Captain and Ladies’ Captain in making crew selections for races
- - where possible’ raises the Team’s profile and creates positive awareness of the Team
Assistant Coach
- - Assists the coach as directed by the Coach, Team Manager/Captain, Men’s Captain and Ladies’ Captain