Section Committee

The Northern Section Committee

Guidance for Section Officers

Most of this guidance is taken from an old Club Handbook from 1993/1994 and has been adapted to suit the current practice of the Northern Section. To reiterate: it is guidance, not regulation. Tradition assumes that each Section Secretary would also be the membership processor for the section. There is no requirement within the Articles for this and it is completely legitimate for the two posts to be held separately. For this reason this document describes them as individual positions. As most communication within the Club is electronic rather than by letter, officers need a basic familiarity with email, word-processed documents and spreadsheets. As section membership secretaries work with the Capitation Officer that role is listed for completeness.

Chairman

This post is, according to Article 81, held by the Secretary unless the Committee elects another member.  The Chairman encourages, cajoles and co-ordinates the Section Committee, and helps promote the Section.

Secretary

•          Organises and supervises the running of the Section (see below for Northern Section specifics);

•          Prepares the agenda for such Section Officers meetings as are required;

•          Minutes Section Officer meetings

•          Prepares the agenda, signing-in sheet and officer nomination forms for the Section Annual General Meeting;

•          Accepts nominations for Section committee positions for election at the Annual General Meeting;

•          Minutes the Annual General Meeting;

•          Co-ordinates changes in Section policy and ensures smooth running of Section;

•          Ensures at least one Committee member attends each Section event;

•          Acts as National Committee Representative unless another member is specifically appointed to do so;

•          Notifies ALL National Officers of Section changes, e.g. officers, venues;

•          Acts as Section Chairman if one is not elected or is absent.

•          Organises the bookings for venues for Section events (in conjunction with the Treasurer and Social Secretary)

•          If not also Membership Secretary, forwards membership enquiries to the Section Membership Secretary

Membership Secretary

•          Accepts memberships (new and renewal);

•          Checks payments and notes in Section records;

•          Sends Welcome Pack which includes membership card and literature to new members;

•          Accepts payment in cheque or cash for new members and renewals and pays into Central Fund account. Sends a Banking Return of this transaction to the Capitation Officer who records on a Lodgement Sheet and these Sheets are sent to the National Treasurer quarterly for payment of the capitation to each Section.

•          Answers membership queries;

Treasurer

•          Banks income from events and national funds;

•          Supplies Committee members with stamps etc.;

•          Makes appropriate payments and keeps cash books etc.;

•          Prepares annual accounts, presents them to the Section AGM and forwards a copy to the National Treasurer;

•          Arranges changes of authorized signatories with the Bank.

Social Secretary

•          Compiles the Section Calendar of Events for the year and submits 2 monthly to the Journal Diary.

•          Organizes and supervises the organization of events;

•          Handles receipts and payments for events, in association with the Treasurer;

•          Is constantly on the lookout for new ideas and people to run events, assisted by the rest of the Committee;

•          If unable to attend an event, ensures at least one other Committee member attends;

•          Gets to know as many other Sections as possible in order to promote the Section, arrange joint events, and find new ideas;

•          May write Section News for the Journal, in association with the Secretary;

•          Liaises with other Social Secretaries to avoid date conflicts:

•          Ensures, in conjunction with the Section Webmaster, that the section website is up-to-date.

National Committee Representative

•        Is the Section Secretary unless another committee member is elected to the post as per Article 81

•        Is a Director of The BMW Motorcycle Club Ltd

•        Attends three National Committee meetings each year to represent the Section

•        Appoints a substitute delegate if unable to attend a National Committee meeting as per Article 37

Capitation Officer

•        The Capitation Officer receives a Banking Return from each Section showing the exact amount banked for cheques and cash received each month for New Members and Renewals.

•        These Banking Return figures are entered onto a Lodgement Sheet for each Section.

•        Each quarter the Online figures of payments are then added to the Sheet and Capitation is calculated.

•        The Lodgement Sheets are then sent to the National Treasurer and he/she then pays the amount of Capitation due for the quarter into each Section Bank Account.

Northern Section Secretary details from Lynn who's held the post for years.

The Secretary’s job is much simpler without membership. As Membership is about to become more complicated with moving back to January subscription renewing I feel it would be easier for me to keep this on for another year whilst the changeover takes place.

The Secretary sees to the general running of the Section throughout the year. It is particularly busy when the AGM is due in October. Nomination forms must be printed and completed by those members taking up positions of Secretary, Treasurer, Social Secretary, plus 2 other committee members, and handed in to the Secretary 1 month before the meeting so that these proposals can be included in the Agenda to be typed.

A month prior, a pre-AGM takes place for the committee to attend and talk about the following year. The Secretary should take Minutes at this meeting and distribute to the committee after. Any proposals from the members should be first talked about at the pre-AGM and then at the AGM if thought necessary to vote on.

The Secretary should have basic computer skills for sending and answering emails, producing forms and typing up Minutes.

A signing in sheet must be at the door on the AGM day where full and associate members have to sign in in order to vote. This also shows the number of voting members there.

Voting slips can be printed.

An Agenda setting out the order of the meeting is printed and distributed in the hall.

The previous years Minutes must be available to view on the Section Website currently updated by Stewart Lowthian who is also a committee member and our National Committee Representative.

The Secretary should also introduce himself/herself to new members at a meeting, show them the refreshments and, if possible, not leave them standing on their own.

The Secretary also helps set up the kitchen and refreshments and helps clean up at the end of the meeting making sure everything is tidy and all electrics are turned off and the building alarmed before exit.

It is a commitment to attend the monthly meetings.  To be one of the first to arrive to open the building and start setting up the water heater etc.

It is polite if the other committee members can let you know if they will/or not be attending.

Tea, coffee, sugar, biscuits and kitchen running goods (Clean teacloths & dishcloths) are at the meetings. Stock must be checked and refilled. A float from the Treasurer is kept by the Secretary for this purpose.

Till recently I kept the banner and microphone. Plus, for many years, all the monthly refreshments, towels, cleaning equipment, etc in the car boot.

Any further details required, please ring me anytime :

Lynn Sumner

01772.431324

Mobile: 07775.760596