Rules & Guidelines

1. That this Club be called "YEOVIL CYCLING CLUB".

2. That Membership to consist of President and Vice-President, a committee who shall be elected annually, and members.

3. Club colours: Green, Yellow and White. The approved design of the Club Jersey is green, white, yellow and the words "YEOVIL CC" running up each side and on the sleeves. Alteration to club jersey to be decided at a General Meeting or full ballot of Club membership and will require a two thirds majority of votes cast.

4. The purposes of the club. The purposes of the club are to promote the amateur sport of Cycling in Yeovil and the surrounding area and community participation in the same.

5. Membership. Membership of the club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis. The club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating. The club committee may refuse membership or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the club or sport into disrepute (see British Cycling website for Code Of Conduct). Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members.

6. Property and Funds. The property and funds of the club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the Rules. The club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, event expenses, post event refreshments and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002. The club may also in connection with the sports of the club: sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment; employ members (though not for riding) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the committee without the person concerned being present; pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests; indemnify the committee and members acting properly in the course of running the club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the club (but only to the extent of its assets).

7. Winding up the club. The members may vote to wind up the club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting, support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting. The committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the club's affairs. After settling all liabilities of the club, the committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following: to another club with similar sports purposes which is a charity; to another club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC; to the club's national governing bodies for use by them for related community sports.

8. Priority. Where there is any conflict between any of the above Rules ("Key Rules") and any other rules, the key Rule(s) will take priority. Interpretation of all the Rules must be consistent with the statutory requirements for CASCs (which means Community Amateur Sports Clubs).

9. That each candidate proposed for membership, must forward to the Membership Secretary a signed application form, giving his or her full name and address. In the case of an applicant under 18 his or her date of birth should be stated and the application must be endorsed by a parent or guardian accepting the club's terms and condition as stated on the application form. The Committee have power to approve or reject such application.

10. That the Annual Subscriptions shall be determined by the AGM each year. The categories of membership shall be as follows: Under 18 (at the beginning of the year); Full time students; Adult (1st & 2nd claim) (18 years of age and over). Subscriptions are due and payable upon the 1st January each year. Members whose subscriptions are not paid by January 31st, shall cease to be Members, but upon rejoining shall pay the full annual subscription. Subscriptions of new Members who join after January 31st will pay 1/12th the annual fee for each full month of the year remaining to December 31st.

11. Anyone shall on ceasing to be a Member return to the General Secretary, or other responsible Official, any property of the Club that may be in his or her possession.

12. That the Annual General Meeting of the Club, at which Officers and Committee for the ensuing year will be elected, shall be held in September. The accounts of the Club shall be balanced and audited as at August 31st each year and published at the AGM. Special General Meetings: a Special General meeting to be called by the General Secretary (a) if directed by the Committee, or (b) if required by not less than 10 members, who shall state their application and objective in writing.

13. The General Secretary shall make available, on request, to any Member, a copy of the Agenda at least five days prior to the Meeting.

14. The Quorum of Annual General Meetings shall be a minimum of ten Club Members.

15. Proposals intended for presentation at the Annual General Meeting should be made in writing and be in the hands of the General Secretary 14 days prior to the Meeting.

16. No alteration of Rules shall be made unless notice in writing is given to the General Secretary 14 days prior to the meeting, so that it may appear on the Agenda of an Annual General meeting, and a two thirds majority of Members present shall be necessary to pass the resolution.

17. That the Club shall be managed by the Officers, who shall consist of the Chairman/Chairwoman, General Secretary, Treasurer and a Committee of elected officers. Where a position on the committee has to be filled, a member may be co-opted with full voting rights, into that position, subject to review at the next General Meeting. A quorum at any Committee Meeting shall consist of five Members inclusive of Officers. The above named Officers to be automatically members of the Committee. All members of the committee have the right to vote. The Chairman/Chairwoman may only use his/her vote if a casting vote is required.

18. That any Member of the Committee who fails to attend three consecutive Committee Meetings without giving satisfactory reasons for his or her absence, shall be notified at the discretion of the Committee that if absent on a fourth occasion, he or she will no longer be a member of the Committee, any vacancy shall be filled by the next candidate on the voting list.

19. All matters discussed at Committee Meetings shall be available to the membership.

20. That the Committee have power to expel, or otherwise deal with, any Members guilty of conduct detrimental to the interests and/or reputation of the Club.

21. No expenditure in excess of £100 of Yeovil Cycling Club funds shall be permitted without the authority, fully and specifically minuted, of the Club's Committee. The Committee shall not grant such authority without due consideration of a comprehensive statement of cost. Where the nature of the service, facility or equipment to be procured allows it, competitive quotations are to be obtained and the Committee is to select the quotation which it deems to be the most cost-effective. Any financial commitment made in the name of Yeovil Cycling Club without such authority shall remain the total responsibility of the individual(s) making the commitment, with no liability attached to the club, its Committee or its Members.

22. Cheques must bear the signature of 2 of the following: Treasurer, General Secretary, Chairman/Chairwoman or an authorised committee member.

23. That the Committee shall have power to decide all questions not provided for in these rules.

24. Club property, including trophies, to be stored in a secure location(s), with only authorised members having access. The loan of any club equipment to third parties has to be approved by the committee in advance. An inventory of the equipment to be held by the General Secretary, any members using the equipment must notify the General Secretary if any is lost, damaged or stolen within 7 days.

25. Any member of the Club conducting pre-arranged business on behalf of the club shall be entitled to reclaim all reasonable expenses. The Committee will have the final decision on the amount that can be reimbursed for any particular claim.

26. A working float of £50.00 shall be available to the Secretary.

27. President and Vice-President shall be honorary members.

28. That the duties and responsibilities of Officers be as follows: Chairman/Chairwoman — to preside at General and Committee Meetings and use a casting vote if necessary; be one of those to sign cheques; endorse all bills and accounts when passed by the Committee; as the Senior Official endeavour to co-ordinate the work of others; and to advise concerning Club policy and urgent business. Vice Chairman/Vice Chairwoman — to deputise for the Chairman/Chairwoman in his/her absence. General Secretary — to convene General Meetings and Committee Meetings in accordance with the rules, to record minutes of such meetings; to maintain an up to date set of Club Rules; to retain for future reference all minute books, racing and attendance records, and official documents; to generally conduct the business of the Club as instructed. Treasurer — to keep accurate accounts of all Club funds and club assets; to pay bills as approved by the Committee; be one of those to sign cheques; to present a summary of income and expenditure at Committee Meetings and prepare the Annual Statement of Accounts, presented to the AGM in September. Time Trials Secretary — to organise Club events as instructed; keep a record of times returned and courses used; carry out C.T.T. regulations as applicable; hold and be responsible for the Club watch. Road/Track Racing Secretary — to promote all Road & Track Races in accordance with B.C. Regulations. Records Secretary — to maintain a record of individual and team aggregate Club records, co-ordinate timekeepers and assistants, and supervise record rides; co-ordinate claims and perform BAR calculations for club trophies. Editor — to collect copy, edit and circulate the Club Newsletter and/or website. Press Secretary — to issue reports of Club activities and fixtures to the Press. Membership Secretary — to maintain an up-to-date Membership Register, collect subscriptions, issue Membership Cards, and distribute club activity information to new members. Runs Secretary — to organise club runs, based on the ability and requirements of the participating cyclists. Taunton Vale Cycle Racing Association Representative — to represent the club at association meetings and communicate its activities to club members. Welfare Officer — to ensure protection of children and vulnerable adults. Youth Development Officer — to encourage the participation and development of Under 18 members.

29. The following Officers shall be appointed by the committee: Timekeeper(s) — to time events promoted by the Club, private time trials or attempts on Club Records, ensuring C.T.T. regulations are complied with. Handicapper(s) — to handicap competitors in club Handicap Events. Delegates — to put forward the Club's policy at meetings and report back to the General Committee. Racing Sub Committee — to assist and advise the race organiser(s) in promoting Club events.

30. Sub Committee Secretaries shall keep minutes of their meetings. Such minutes to be submitted to the General Committee for approval at the meeting following that of the sub-committee.

31. All Time Trials to be held under the regulations of Cycling Time Trials Ltd. Entry fee for Club events to be determined at the Annual General Meeting. Entries to Club events to be made on the Club Standard Entry Form.

32. Road Records are recognised at 5 miles, 10 miles, 25 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles, 12 and 24 hours at events run in accordance with CTT regulations or as 'Straight out' rides, and Yeovil to Taunton and back, Yeovil to Weymouth and back, Yeovil to Salisbury and back, Yeovil to Exeter and back, Yeovil to Weston and back, Yeovil to Minehead and back, Yeovil to London and back, and Around Somerset.

33. The Entry Fee to be £5 plus officers expenses for place to place record attempts.

34. Turning Points of all records to be determined by the Committee and points of passing on the "Around Somerset".

35. Rides may start at any point and in either direction, provided they finish at the same point.

36. When notice of two or more attempts are received for the same course, starting at the same time, and within ten miles of the same place the interval to be at least 30 minutes. The notice first accepted shall have priority and the Secretary may require other notices to be amended.

37. Any Member attempting a Record shall give a minimum of 28 days notice for a proposed attempt and at least 14 days notice in writing to the Record Secretary, stating time of start, place of start, and route to be followed. The rider must sign a disclaimer to indemnify the club against any claim, before starting the attempt.

38. A rider may use any route he may choose consistent with road traffic regulations; subject to approval by The Committee.

39. Record attempts must generally be in accordance with R.R.A. Rules. All Records must be attempted unpaced. Rider(s) attempting Records must ride entirely alone and unassisted and may not be preceded by any mounted helper in sight. They may however, be followed by mounted witnesses who must not, whilst they are mounted, approach within 50 metres, or coach them by audible signals, except that the approved Timekeeper may approach or pass rider(s) for the purpose of timing a finish or checking a turn.

40. In any attempt on Records, the rider(s) when dismounted must wheel or carry their machines without assistance whilst covering any portion of the course or route.

41. Motors may be used for all purposes except as far as pacing is concerned. When a motor vehicle is used it must have on board the Approved Timekeeper, or an Approved Official.

42. The entire onus of proof shall rest with rider(s) making the claim, but the Committee may procure or use any evidence bearing on the ride in question.

43. In all attempts on Records the approved Time Keeper must be present at the start and finish.

44. Rider(s) having given notice in accordance with Rule 33, may postpone or cancel a ride up to within 48 hours of the time of start.

45. No ride must be allowed to start more than 30 minutes after the scheduled time, but restarts are permitted within the half hour stated.

46. All rides must be timed with a watch approved by the Committee, in Hours, Minutes and Seconds, excepting the Yeovil to London and back, when the next full Minute shall be recorded.

47. It shall be at the discretion of the Committee to reject any claim where they consider that the interests of the sport would be injured.

Standards of Riding and Behaviour on Club Runs

The Club Runs should be a place where everyone feels welcome and secure. These are social runs which we split into groups in order to put riders of a similar ability together. We take rider safety very seriously, which includes both physical and mental welfare.

Club runs are not training rides nor are they the exclusive preserve of any subset of riders. They should be open to all club members provided they comply with the guidelines below. If a rider makes a mistake, as we all do from time to time, education and guidance should be offered. If that guidance does not lead to an improvement then please let the runs leader, or any member of the Committee, know in a timely fashion so the matter can be dealt with promptly.

The pace of each group should be dictated by the slowest rider in each group. Riders are expected to ride as a group and look after one another. Individual riders should be aware of the abilities of others and adopt a pace suitable for all, not constantly accelerating off the front. If a rider is in a group that is not suited to their ability then ask them to consider moving down, or up, a group.

The Club operates under BC Guidelines with regard to safeguarding and inclusivity. This means everyone has the right to be a club member and participate in the club activities. We expect all riders to behave with civility and tolerance at all times.

Basic rules to be observed when riding in a group so that the ride is safe and enjoyable:

• Ride steadily. Keep a steady line and a constant speed while in a group. Any sudden change is magnified as it reaches the back and so can have dramatic consequences.
• Ride two abreast where it is safe to do so but always be prepared to single out when necessary. Ride immediately behind the rider in front — do not overlap either forwards or sideways. Never ride more than two abreast.
• When approaching a hill, anticipate the gradient and change gear in good time. Missing a gear change on a steep slope can bring you to a sudden halt — not a good thing for the riders behind you!
• The group should always wait for riders who have a problem be it mechanical or otherwise. The group should collectively ensure that no-one is left behind and that anybody who is dropped has no health problems, knows where they are and is able to get home. Riders towards the rear have a responsibility to keep the rest of the group informed about riders who have any problems.
• It is essential that every rider remains constantly aware of what is going on around them, especially the position and movement of other riders in the group. To minimise the risk of an accident you must ride with care and consideration for all other road users.
• You must communicate to your fellow riders when you intend to change position or speed on the road or when you see a potential hazard.
• Keep to the left if riding slowly uphill, to allow faster riders to overtake safely.
• Remain within sight of the next rider behind you; the whole group can then quickly be made aware if someone has stopped for any reason.
• Tell another member of the group if you intend to leave the ride at any time.
• Do not "undertake" by passing to the left of a rider.
• Do not "overtake" by passing between riders.
• Do not overlap the rear wheel of a cycle in front of you. Viewed from the side there must be daylight between your front wheel and the rear wheel of the rider in front.
• On very quiet roads, with long sight lines, it may be acceptable to ride in large groups, but the default position is to split into small groups of no more than 8 with a gap of at least 4 car lengths between each group. This enables drivers to overtake by leap-frogging from one gap to the next.
• Try not to ride in a gap between groups; either catch up with the group in front or drop back to join the group behind.

Most importantly enjoy the ride, have fun, be safe and considerate.

These are purely guidelines and they will remain under review as we assess how road conditions and weather warnings impact the club runs. The information below is to inform club riders what is likely to happen if a weather warning is issued, or another hazard is likely to affect the route.

It is entirely down to the individual to decide if the route is within their ability, how the weather will affect their performance and that the risk of any unexpected hazard is acceptable to them — e.g. if there is a flooded or particularly muddy section on the route. Individuals that leave the group they started with must ensure their decision to leave is communicated to another member of the group.

The Route Planner, acting on behalf of the Club, will do their best to ensure the route is safe and suitable, under normal circumstances, for the abilities/number of riders likely to attend.

In the event of a severe weather warning the following criteria will apply:

• Red warning: for high winds, heavy rain, snow and icy conditions (things we cannot mitigate against) the ride will be cancelled. For heat (or other items that can be managed) a decision will be made when sufficient information is available.
• Amber warning: as per Red Warnings.
• Yellow warning: the event organiser can decide if it is safe to go ahead. If unsure, they can refer it to three club members (ideally the Chairman, route planner and one other committee member) who will review whether to cancel.

If a ride is cancelled, that decision will be communicated to the riders as soon as is practical via social media or email.

Remember, you should have the following with you when you are out and about, whether alone or on a club ride:

• A good pump and a couple of spare tubes, plus some decent tyre levers. Don't forget you need the right tubes (valves) if you are riding deep section rims.
• A mobile phone is a good idea. More essential is some identity and emergency contact details — professional ID tags are inexpensive, or simply print out the information and carry it in a plastic bag with your tubes, including any relevant medical information. Your YCC membership card carries your emergency contact details.