1. Name of Club
The club will be called The Pall Mall Property Club (Hereinafter referred to as The Club) and it may also be known as PMPC.
2. Aims and Objectives of the PMPC
2.1. The Club was founded in 2003 by a group of individuals, some of whom still represent our present committee. The reason for its foundation was prompted from sheer frustration and an inability to find a true and respected meeting forum within property related sectors of the marketplace.
2.2. The Club is a non-profit voluntary association and all income including subscriptions, guest fees and sponsorship by third parties is applied for the benefit of the Club Members.
2.3. Since formation our Club has gone from strength to strength and is today well known for its professionalism and for the quality of its members and attendees, for which we are all justly proud.
2.4. The Club aims to provide a platform from which its Members and their guests can benefit and develop mutual business interests and relationships.
2.5. It further aims to promote and maintain a high level of professionalism from within and be an institution which is outwardly known and respected by all who come into contact with it or its Members.
2.6. To achieve these Aims and ObjectivesThe Club holds regular meetings of its Members and organises social and industry educational events. The meetings are informal in nature and are for the purposes of providing a forum for social and networking of the Members and their guests in a relaxed environment and social setting.
2.7. Whilst some meetings may be arranged with a guest sponsor, meetings shall not be for the promotion of direct business nor marketing of goods or services but Members shall be free to associate with each other and guests with a view to overall business development and Members are encouraged to promote networking with each other with a view to supporting and promoting overall business and prosperity for the Members and their businesses. Any business so conducted between Members and their guests shall be solely the responsibility of the individuals and their businesses and the Club shall not in any respect seek any financial reward nor accept any liability for business so conducted
3. Membership
3.1. Membership of The Club will be restricted to persons aged 18 and over, due to the provision of alcohol sales upon the premises at which meetings are held.
3.2. Membership will be open to any interested person over the age of 18 regardless of sex, disablity, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. In all respects the Club shall in relation to Membership comply with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 (or any legislation amending or replacing the Equality Act 2010.)
3.3. Admission to Membership shall subject to 3.2 above be at the absolute discretion of the Club Committee exercised in accordance with the duties of the Club Committee as set out in 4.9 below and a prospective member shall be admitted only upon receipt of and acceptance of an invitation to become a Member from the Club Committee.
3.4. Membership annual subscription fees shall be set by the Club Committee as set out in 5 below. In the event of any Member not paying the annual subscription fee within 2 months of the due date the Member may be suspended and/or in the event of continued non-payment their membership discontinued.
3.5. All Members joining the Club shall be deemed to accept the terms of this Constitution and any Bye-laws from time to time adopted by The Club and/or the Club Committee, in particular without prejudice to the foregoing generality, the requirement to conduct themselves in accordance with high standards of ethical, professional business and social behaviour and to act in a courteous and professional manner towards other Members and their guests. Members shall respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their business and/or profession, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.
3.6. It shall be the duty of each Member to respond to meeting invitations and to notify the Club Committee in advance of any meeting of there intended attendance at the meeting and provide the number and details of any guests they intend to invite to a meeting. The Member shall be responsible for the behaviour of their guest(s) at any meeting and in particular shall be responsible for payment of any guest fees it not being acceptable that a guest should pay their own guest fee. The Club Committee reserves the right to limit the number of guests attending any meeting and to refuse admittance of a specific guest to a meeting in circumstances where that individual has acted previously contrary to the Aims and Objects and or the provisions of 3.5 above.
3.7. A Member having duly paid the annual subscription shall be entitled to attend any meeting or social event of the Club without charge, save that they shall be liable to pay for their own purchases of any food, drinks or services not expressly provided for by the Club at any meeting or event
4. The Club Committee – Appointments & Responsibilities
4.1. Any member of the Club is encouraged to volunteer to assist and promote the Club and in particular to serve as a committee member.
4.2. The Club Committee shall be appointed from time to time by the existing members of the Club Committee
4.3. The Club Committee shall consist of not less than 4 members and not more than 6 members at any time.
4.4. The Key Official Roles and Titles shall be:
4.4.1. Chair
4.4.2. Vice Chair
4.4.3. Treasurer
4.4.4. Events
4.5. A Member of the Committee shall be responsible to devote such of their time to the operations of the Club in order that the Club shall operate in a financially sound manner and in accordance with the Aims and Objects.
4.6. There shall be no limit as to the time that a Member may serve upon the Club Committee but it is expected that a Member of the Club Committee shall resign if they consider themselves and/or are considered by the other Members of the Club Committee to:
4.6.1. not be fulfilling their duties as a Club Committee Member
4.6.2. be unable to or fails to attend at least 60% of meetings of the Club
4.6.3. act in any manner inconsistent with the standards required of a Member
4.6.4. act in any respect contrary to the Aims and Objects of the Club
4.6.5. act in any manner contrary to the responsibilities set out in this section
4.7. In the unlikely event of a Club Committee Member failing to resign in accordance with 4.6 above the Club Committee may by majority vote to remove the Member as a Club Committee Member
4.8. The Club Committee shall encourage the growth of Membership and shall invite prospective candidates to join the Club.
4.9. In considering inviting an individual to join the Club the Club Committee shall be minded as to the following criteria and attributes of membership for any prospective member:
4.9.1. to be engaged in or associated with the Property and Real Estate industry
4.9.2. to be of sufficient standing to promote the aims and objects of the Club
4.9.3. to be considered willing and capable of inviting suitable guests on a regular basis to meetings of the Club
4.9.4. not be connected to a business or organisation of which there is already a Member of the Club, it being the normal practice of the Club to accept only one individual as a member from any business or organisation
4.9.5. to maintain a balance in the membership of the Club such that there be no over representation of any area of professional practice or expertise and so to maintain the Club with a mixed and wide overall membership of professional practice and expertise
4.10. The Club Committee may suspend and/or remove a Member from membership in the following circumstances:
4.10.1. conduct or character of a Member likely to bring the club into disrepute including any conduct directly contrary to the aims and objects of the Club and/or should the Member act contrary to 3.5 above
4.10.2. fail to attend meetings on a regular basis and the Club Committee shall annually before sending out requests for payment of subscriptions, consider the attendance of each Member and in circumstances where a Member has without good cause (having been notified by them to the Club Committee) failed to attend at least 2 meetings during the previous subscription year shall consider their removal from Membership
4.10.3. fail to pay the subscription payment within 2 months and/or persistently fail to make payment of the subscription payment or guest fees or attempt to avoid payment of guest fees
4.10.4. fail to act in accordance with the rules and procedures of any venue at which meetings are held or in any respect bring the Club into disrepute with the venue and/or management and staff of that venue
4.10.5. allows their guests to act in a manner inconsistent with the Aims and Objects of the Club and/or contrary to the matters set out at 3.5 above
4.11. The Club Committee and in particular the Treasurer shall be responsible to ensure the good financial management of the Club and shall:
4.11.1. Maintain a bank account of the Club with a sufficient number of the Club Committee Members mandated to operate the said bank account and to be given the authority and practical means of so doing in accordance with any requirements of the bank and the mandate under which the bank account is operated
4.11.2. Ensure that all funds of the club are deposited in the bank account and that no funds of the Club are utilized for any purpose other than one strictly in accordance with the operation of the Club and its aims and objects
4.11.3. Review periodically the financial standing of the Club so as to ensure that:
4.11.3.1. the Club is able to pay for all of its activities out of available funds
4.11.3.2. any financial liability of the club for its activities is paid without delay
4.11.3.3. the annual subscription to be set and charged to Members is such that there is a reasonable expectation that the same will be sufficient to cover the budgeted activities of the Club for the year without incurring any loss or profit on the basis that any operating deficit or surplus of funds in any one year shall be carried over to the following year and taken into account in budgeting for the financial management of the Club in that following year.
4.11.3.4. sufficient reserve funds are maintained in the bank account to ensure the continued operation of the Club
4.11.3.5. subscriptions are collected and in the event of non-payment by any Member consideration is given to their removal a s a Member
4.11.3.6. no funds of the Club are utilsed for personal gain of any Club Committee member save that a Club Committee member shall be entitled to receive payment of out of pocket expenses incurred solely and exclusively in performing their duties as a Club Committee Member and further the costs of and associated with any meeting of the Club Committee shall be paid from the Club funds
4.11.3.7. guest fees are collected and utilised to defray the costs of the meeting of the Club at which the guest attended and/or deposited in the Club bank account and a record shall be maintained of all guest receipts and payments made out of the same
4.11.3.8. sponsorship money is collected and utilised to defray the cost and/or purpose for which the sponsorship has been accepted and/or is deposited in the Club bank account and a record shall be maintained of all sponsorship receipts and payments made out of the same
4.11.3.9. prepare and approve annual accounts of income and expenditure together with details of any reserve funds held upon behalf of the Members and to prepare an annual budget for future operation and activities of the Club
4.12. Save in relation to any dishonesty upon behalf of the Cub Committee Member a Club Committee Member shall not be held liable for any decision or action undertaken bona fide for the benefit and operation of the Club and the Members shall hold the Club Committee Members wholly indemnified from any such personal liability arising
4.13. the Club Committee, having regard to the matters set out in 4.11 above shall set the rate for the annual subscription and the guest fees that shall be payable for any event or meeting of the Club
4.14. the Club Committee shall have the power to make any Member of the Club who has over a long period served and promoted the interests of the Club a lifetime Honorary Member and such Honorary Member shall continue as a full Member of the Club without any requirement to pay subscriptions and to regularly attend meetings
4.15. the Club Committee shall organise meetings and events and approve the funding of and expenditure upon such meetings and events having regard to the matters set out in 4.11 above
5. Membership Subscriptions
5.1. Shall be paid annually and within 28 days of the sending of the request to the Member for payment.
5.2. Shall be in such amount as is set by the Club Committee in accordance with 4.12 above.
5.3. In the event of a Member resigning their membership or being removed from Membership no part of the annual subscription nor any part of the reserve funds held by the Club shall be repayable to them.
5.4. In the unlikely event of the Club ceasing to operate then any subscriptions or reserve funds remaining after payment of all liabilities of the Club shall be paid out equally to each Member of the Club
6. General Meeting
6.1. A General Meeting of the Members shall from time to time be held as determined by the Committee along with the arrangements and agenda for such meeting. There shall be no requirement for an Annual General Meeting
6.2. The agenda for a General Meeting shall be prepared by the Club Committee and shall be distributed to all Members by email not less than 14 days in advance of the time and date for the meeting.
6.3. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 10 members present.
6.4. Votes at a General Meeting may be given either personally or if a Member is unable to attend the General Meeting by proxy. A vote of those present at the meeting shall be by show of hand unless The Club Committee decides that any vote should be upon written ballot. In regard to proxy votes, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing and delivered by email to the Chair of the Club Committee not less than 3 days before the meeting and the member shall appoint either the Chair of the Club Committee or another named Member who is to be present at the meeting. The email appointing a proxy need not be formal providing that the same makes clear that the Member will not be attending the meeting and that they wish to appoint a proxy to vote upon their behalf
7. Amendment of the Constitution and Bye Laws
7.1. This Constitution shall only be amended at a General Meeting at which 75% of those voting in person or by proxy shall approve the proposed amendment.
7.2. Any Bye Laws published by the Club Committee for the better functioning and regulation of the Club may be reviewed and amended from time to time by the Club Committee at their absolute discretion providing that any Bye Law shall not be inconsistent with any matter set out in this Constitution