Club Membership

[Sheann]

I have been a member of our village social club for 45 years, it is run by volunteers and owned by the members. However the current committee have refused to take our membership subscriptions this year. Tonight there is the AGM - 6 months later than it should have been. We have a suspicion that the committee want to sell the place, does anyone know the legal ins and outs of this - as they have not taken subs are we still entitled to a share if they sell t, also can they do this without our permission? We do not want it sold, can we put a stop on it?

[janbee]

Ask your local Citizens Advice Bureau. I wish you well with these bully boys.

[baza]

Have you read through the rules when the club was set up and any ammendments? That would be my first shot.

[thegreens]

You will need to refer back to the club rules as to how the club is legally formed. This is not an unusual scenario, normally there is someone in the background waving brown envelopes and murmuring about planning permission. Presumably the trust deed will give you guidance

good luck

[tamborine]

Check here if its registered. There are legal procedures for funds.

http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/showcharity/registerofcharities/RegisterHomePage.aspx

[carrust]

Have a solicitor take a look at the social clubs constitution. Hopefully, you'll have one that's member.

[bednobs]

it might make a difference how many "we" there are. Are you saying all members own the building?

[buildersmate]

As one of the above says, you need to get a copy of the constitution by which the club was set up. Tambo assumes it is a registered charity; that is possible but more likely it is not. Charity status may help, in that the charity commission would have to approve any attempt to change the constitutional arrangements or sell assets.
These clubs are often owned by the members and sometimes there is a trust deed which establishes trustees, whose role is to run the club.
Quite often these clubs have significant assets in the form of land or buildings and land that is very valuable.
You are right to be concerned but until you find what the rules are on changing things, you can't work out how is pulling what strings.

[Peter Pedant]

.... and it is extremely likely you are a registered charity
and extremely likely you are au incorporated association

and you do need the constitution
and also the last audited accounts - where did they send them ? if anywhere ?


and if an unicorporatedassociation ask them this
if we made a loss - would the committee ante up the moulah or would they pass on the loss to each member ?

and so fi they make aprofit .....

also check who had the land before the village social club
it may be omly used for this and then revert back to the original owners

good luck

[Peter Pedant]

it is extremely UN likely you are a reg charity
much more likely you are an unincorporated


sorry

[ToraToraTora]

your club rule book should have all the answers. Generally things like subs and club dissolution are pretty well fundemental. In my club for example they'd need 3 quarters of the memebrs to agree to dissolution.

[fudge2610]

i agree