Saving the world on a Sunday afternoon
The fully ratified, complete version of the BathLARP Constitution is here: Constitution
This HTML version is for ease of reference and look-up.
The name of the group shall be BathLARP.
The objectives of BathLARP will be:
1. To encourage participation in Live Action RolePlay (LARP) in the local community.
2. To organise and run a weekly LARP using the TonyLARP ruleset except where agreed by the members that it would not be practical (e.g. over Christmas) or safe (e.g. adverse weather conditions).
In furtherance of the objects, but not otherwise, the Committee may exercise the power to:
1. Publicise and promote the work of BathLARP and organise meetings, external events etc.
2. Invite and receive contributions and raise funds where appropriate, including the levying of reasonable fees from members participating in events, to finance the work of BathLARP, and to maintain a bank account to manage such funds.
3. Work with groups of a similar nature and exchange information, advice and knowledge with them, including cooperation with other voluntary bodies, charities, statutory and nonstatutory organisations.
4. Take any form of action that is lawful and reasonable which is necessary to achieve the objects of BathLARP.
5. Temporarily suspend BathLARP’s physical activities when advised to do so by authorities (e.g. Government, Emergency Services, landowners, WHO etc.) at a local or national level, i.e. in cases of local or national emergency, without need for a quorate member vote. Physical activities must resume when reasonable to do so.
1. Membership shall be open to anyone who has an interest in assisting BathLARP to achieve its objects and is willing to adhere to the rules of BathLARP and TonyLARP.
2. Where it is considered that membership will be detrimental to the objects and activities of BathLARP, the Committee or any member of BathLARP shall have the power to request that a membership be refused or an existing membership be terminated via an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) – the reason must be given as part of the request for an EGM.
3. Membership will run from October 1st to September 30th each year.
4. The membership fee will be set in the September General Meeting. Membership fees for existing members will be collected between October 1st and October 31st each year. If the fee is not paid by October 31st, membership will be revoked until the fee is paid.
5. New BathLarp joiners are given 3 games free to decide if they wish to become a member.
6. Membership confers the following rights:
a. Member may attend General Meetings and discuss club-wide proposals.
b. Member has a vote in any club-wide matter.
i. Members may choose to relinquish their right to vote by informing the Committee of their desire to do so in writing. A member who has relinquished their right to vote may reclaim that right by informing the Committee in writing. Any such change to voting rights will take seven (7) days to take effect, from the date that the Committee receives the communication, and persists across membership renewals. A member who has relinquished their right to vote does not count towards the numbers needed for votes and meetings.
c. Member may use club-owned equipment.
d. Member may call for and be counted towards the calling total for an EGM.
1. The Management Committee (referred to herein as the Committee) will consist of:
a. Chair and Vice-Chair. One should be a student of Bath University. If no student stands anyone may apply.
b. Secretary
c. Treasurer
2. The Committee will be elected on a yearly basis at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
3. All members of the Committee have a right to vote at any Committee Meetings.
4. The official Committee handover will occur between the AGM and the September General Meeting; the new Committee will be charged with arranging a Handover Meeting, at the culmination of which they will assume their roles.
5. If a member of the Committee wishes to step down during their appointment, the Committee must organise an EGM.
6. In addition, the following Non-Elected Officers will also be appointed, each with their own specific rules:
a. Character Ref
i. The Character Ref is responsible for all matters relating to the TonyLARP rules and character management.
ii. The Character Ref is considered a full member of the Committee.
iii. The Character Ref may voluntarily choose to step down to the position of Character Ref Minion at any time.
iv. If the Character Ref steps down or is removed, the members may choose to elect any member of the club to the position of Character Ref, with the order of precedence being:
1. Character Ref Minion (CRM)
2. Probationary Character Ref Minion (PCRM)
3. Previous CR, CRM or PCRM
4. Any member
v. If the Character Ref is removed, he cannot become a Character Ref Minion or Probationary Character Ref Minion in the same year.
b. Character Ref Minions (CRMs)
i. The CRMs exist to support the Character Ref and are not considered part of the Committee.
ii. There will be initially 2 CRMs; more may be added at the Character Ref’s discretion.
iii. If there is a free post for CRM, a new CRM may be elected at the next General Meeting.
c. Probationary Character Ref Minion (PCRM)
i. The PCRM is considered to be the same as a CRM in terms of duties.
ii. The post of PCRM is held for one year; at the end of that year the PCRM must either step down or stand for CRM if a post is available.
iii. The PCRM is elected at the AGM.
iv. The post of PCRM may only be held once.
d. Campaign GMs
i. The Campaign GMs are elected by the Committee between the start of the Committee’s tenure and September 1st. They are not considered part of the Committee.
ii. The Campaign GMs will organise and run the Low Level Campaigns, including any social events.
iii. The Campaign GMs will step down at the end of their Low Level Campaign, after providing all necessary debriefs.
e. Webadmin
i. The Webadmin is responsible for running, maintaining and developing the BathLARP website and BladesDb Game Management System. The Webadmin is not considered part of the Committee.
ii. The Webadmin and Committee will agree to abide by the Webadmin Contract
iii. The Webadmin may choose to appoint any Webadminions he sees fit.
7. Any member of the Committee, including the Non-Elected Officers, may be removed from their position at any time via an EGM or at the AGM; this may be proposed directly or anonymously.
The following meetings will be held by BathLARP:
1. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
a. Will be held at the Spring residential event or within 15 months of the previous AGM if it becomes impossible to hold it at the Spring Residential.
b. Will be used for committee elections and any Serious Matters Arising.
c. Will be run by the Chair or Vice Chair.
d. Can only be held with at least half of the membership either attending or voting via email.
e. Minutes will be taken by the Secretary and confirmed with all present before going into the archive.
2. General Meetings
a. Will be held in December, June and September, or as close to these times as feasible.
b. Will be assumed to be held, and only cancelled if there are no matters arising.
c. Will be used primarily for general club matters, Committee-lead club proposals and treasurer reports.
d. The date, time and venue will be organised by the committee with at least 3 weeks notice.
e. The agenda will be made public as soon as the date, time and venue are arranged.
f. Can only be held with at least half of the membership either attending or voting via email.
g. Any vote will have the possible categories of ‘Accept’, ‘Reject’, ‘Rework’ and ‘Abstain’.
i. ‘Accept’ must receive more that 50% of the non-abstaining votes for the proposal to be accepted (that is, ‘Accept’ must be greater than the sum of ‘Reject’ and ‘Rework’).
ii. ‘Rework’ is provided to allow members to indicate that whilst they consider that the problem the proposal seeks to address is one that needs solving, the proposed solution is not an acceptable solution for the problem.
iii. Minor changes to proposals (i.e. changes that act as clarifications to the proposal and do not materially change its intentions) may be proposed prior to or at the meeting. Such changes will be voted on by members present at the meeting on an ‘Accept’ or ‘Reject’ basis, prior to the main vote on the proposal, and with no minimum attendance requirements applied. A 2/3 majority of votes is required for such changes to be accepted. Any accepted minor changes will be carried forward into the text of the proposal to be voted on under 6.2.h.
h. Will be run by the Chair or Vice Chair.
i. Minutes to be taken by the Secretary and confirmed with all present before going into the archive.
3. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs)
a. Will be held if requested by 15 members or one third of the club, whichever is the smaller number, or the Committee demonstrates there is a reasonable and urgent need to do so; the request must include the matter to be discussed. Only the matter to be discussed to be discussed at the meeting.
b. The time and venue will be organised by the committee within 2 weeks of the request being made. A reasonable date, time and venue will be organised by the committee with at least 3 weeks notice and within a reasonable timeframe.
c. The matter to be discussed will be presented to the membership at the earliest possible opportunity.
d. Can only be held with at least two-thirds of the membership either attending or voting via email, except in the case of EGMs to elect officers to committee vacancies which only require quorum as defined in 6.2.g
e. Will be run by a nominated person from calling group
f. Any vote taken may only have the categories of ‘Accept’ or ‘Reject’. No rework option will be considered; minor changes may be made at the meeting under the same rules as at a General Meeting (see 6.2.h.iii).
g. Minutes will be taken by the Secretary and confirmed with all present before going into the archive.
4. Committee Meetings
a. Will be held at least every six to eight weeks.
b. Will be used for drafting club-wide proposals to be presented at General Meetings, general club organisation (traders, kit maintenance etc) and for disciplinary matters.
c. Will be attended by the Committee and any members invited to attend.
d. The agenda will be made public once time/venue organised; points to be contracted or expanded as necessary in order to provide the necessary level of detail to the members.
e. Can only be held with at least three members of the Committee present; the Character Ref may choose to be represented by one of the CRMs or PCRM if he cannot attend.
f. Will be run by the Chair or Vice Chair.
g. Minutes will be taken by Secretary and confirmed with all present before going into the archive.
1. Any money acquired by BathLARP shall be paid into an account operated by the Committee in the name of BathLARP. All funds must be applied to the objects of BathLARP and for no other purpose.
2. The following members of the Committee will be designated as signatories of the bank account:
a. Treasurer
b. Character Ref
c. At least one of the Chair, Vice Chair or Secretary, however this may not include the student member.
If someone wishes to stand for one of these posts but is unable to handle finances for legal reasons it must be made clear during their nomination.
3. Any income/expenditure shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer who will be accountable to ensure funds are utilised effectively and that BathLARP stays within budget. Official accounts shall be maintained and made available to any member on request.
4. A financial report will be given at the AGM and each General Meeting.
5. The BathLARP financial year will run from October 1st to September 30th each year.
Proposals for amendments to this constitution or the dissolution of BathLARP must be conveyed to the Secretary formally in writing. The Committee will then arrange an EGM under the rules outlined previously to discuss such proposals or add it to the agenda for the AGM if raised within one month prior.
Any changes to this constitution must be agreed by a two-thirds majority vote at the meeting.
BathLARP may be dissolved if deemed necessary by the members in a two-thirds majority vote at an EGM. Any assets or remaining funds after debts have been paid shall be returned to their providers or transferred to local charities or similar groups at the discretion of the Committee.