Members Rules

Byelaws

Caravan And The Country Code

Rally Rules

General Information And Guidance For Rally Marshals

Notes For Members

1.

The name of the Club is "THE COMPASS OWNERS CLUB"

2.

The aim of the Club is to promote the interests and fellowship of Compass Caravan and Motorhome owners, and to foster relations with organisations with similar aims.

3.

Every member of the club shall own a Compass Caravan or Motorhome and any rallies attended must be in the said caravan or motorhome.

4.

The joining fee shall be £1.00 and £15.00 for the Annual Subscription, or such a sum as the Committee may determine at each Annual General Meeting.

5.

Membership of the Club shall consist of the member and partner and family. The member and partner to be entitled to vote.

6.

On payment of the joining fee and first subscription the applicant shall become a member of the Compass Owners Club. Upon receipt of a membership card the applicant is then entitled to all of the privileges of membership and shall be deemed to have agreed to abide by these rules and byelaws.
The rules of the Exemption Certificate state that enrolling on a Rally is not permissible, therefore members must be in possession of a valid membership card to attend a rally. Membership must be for a longer period than that associated with one event.
If a member leaves the Club on ceasing to possess a Compass Caravan or Motorhome, and subsequently rejoins before five years have elapsed, then the £1.00 joining fee shall be waived.

7.

Annual Subscriptions shall be due and payable on the first day of January in each year, to be paid on or before that date to the Membership Secretary.

8.

A member has the right to resign at any time by written notification to the Secretary.

9.

If subscriptions for the year are not received by the Membership Secretary by 31st March, then the members name will be deleted from the membership list and therefore will not be entitled to attend Club functions or receive the Newsletter etc. Those joining in the final four months of the year will have their Membership extended to 31st December of the following year. The Management Committee also has the right to expel any member whose conduct is in any way injurious to the general interest of the Club and any such member shall, from the date of expulsion, forfeit all rights and privileges of Membership.

10.  (a)

An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held once a year for the election of Officers and Management Committee and for any other business in accordance with the rules and byelaws.

A Special General Meeting may be called in accordance with the byelaws. Any General Meeting shall be held at a time and place decided upon by the Management Committee.

Voting members at the Annual General Meeting shall be registered paid up members and their partner or one other nominated family member over 18. Each member is to have one vote on each question. In the case of equality of votes the Chairman to have a second casting vote.

Any voting member is eligible for election to the Management Committee or election to post of Officer of the Club.

11.  (a)

The Management Committee of the Club shall consist of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer (designated officers of the Club): Membership Secretary, Rally Secretary, Advertising Secretary, Equipment Officer (designated members with special responsibilities) not more than ten other Members to be included in the future. Five Management Committee Members, with at least one being an Officer of the Club shall be sufficient to form a quorum.

The Management Committee of the Club shall exercise the powers given to it by these rules and any other management powers as it may take at the members' request.

Sub-Committees may be appointed and members co-opted onto these Sub-Committees for any special purpose decided by the Management Committee.

The Management Committee shall be responsible for the co-ordination of the rallies and any other functions for the members of the Club.

All reasonable expenses of Officers and Management Committee incurred on behalf of the Club will be met from Club funds.

The Management Committee may from time to time, make, vary and revoke these Rules and Byelaws not consistent with these rules for the regulation of the affairs of the Club and the conduct of the members. These Rules and Byelaws shall be submitted to the Annual General Meeting for members approval and if so approved shall be binding upon the members until revoked.

One Management Committee member may be appointed by the factory.

12

All notices required by the Club rules shall be sent to the last address furnished by the member to the Secretary and all changes of address must be notified to the Secretary.

13

Minutes of the Committee Meetings should be published in the first Newsletter following the date of the Committee Meeting.

1.

The Annual General Meeting of the Club is to be held in a central location and on a date to be decided by the Management Committee.

2.

At least 28 days' notice of the meeting shall be given to Club members.

3.

The proceedings of the meeting shall not be deemed to be invalid by the accidental non-receipt of or omission to give notice of the meeting.

4.

If a period of 18 months has elapsed since an Annual General Meeting any 20 members may call upon the Management Committee to convene a meeting for a date within one month of the notice, by giving notice signed by them addressed to the Management Committee. If the request for such a meeting is not carried out by the Management Committee within 21 days from the date of notice, the requesting members may then convene a meeting, provided this meeting complies with the provisions relating to notice to be given to members, and is held within three months of the date of requisition.

5.

Special General Meetings may be called at any time by the Management Committee. 28 days notice shall be given to each member and no other business other than that specified in the notice shall be transacted at a Special General Meeting.

6.

Notice of Motion for the Annual General Meeting must be received by the Secretary at least 49 days prior to the date of the meeting.

7.

Voting at General Meetings shall be by show of hands except where election of Officers and members of the Management Committee is contested. Only members entitled to attend and vote, present in person at the meeting, shall be entitled to vote upon any resolution or motion, or in any election.

8.

No business shall be transacted unless at least ten members are present, other than the election of Officers and members of the Management Committee.

9.

The Chairperson shall preside at General Meetings, or, in his absence, the Vice-Chairperson. If neither Officer is present within a reasonable time of that appointed for the meeting, then the meeting shall choose its own Chairperson.

10.

The Honorary Secretary should take the minutes of General Meetings manually unless he/she wishes to record the meeting electronically. In which case the agreement of the members will be sought.

11.

Members of the Management Committee elected at the meeting shall hold office until the date of the following Annual General Meeting.

12.

The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary shall be elected at the first and all subsequent Annual General Meetings of the Club and shall hold office until the following Annual General Meeting, when they shall be eligible for re-election.

13.

Should a vacancy occur on the Management Committee, it may be filled by co-opting a member until the Annual General Meeting.

14.

Nominations for the election of Officers and Management Committee must be proposed and seconded by members of the Club, the name of each nominee, together with that of his/her proposer and seconder, must be given in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 49 days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. The proposer or seconder need not necessarily be present at the meeting.

15.

Should either no names or an insufficient number of candidates be proposed for election by the date for nominations, then candidates may be proposed at the meeting without notice by members of the Club or by the Management Committee.

16.

If the number of candidates duly proposed and seconded exceeds the number to be elected, then voting shall be by ballot of members at the Annual General Meeting.

Every member of the Compass Owners' Club by virtue of his/her membership shall be held to agree to abide by the Caravan Code and the Country Code.

Guard against all risk of fire.
Fasten all gates.
Keep dogs under proper control.
Keep to paths across farmland.
Avoid damaging fences, hedges and walls.
Leave no litter.
Safeguard water supplies.
Protect wild life, wild plants and trees.
Go carefully on country roads.
Respect the life of the countryside.

Rules for the mutual benefit of members attending at rallies shall apply as follows:

1.

Caravans must be pitched where directed by the Rally Marshal and members must be prepared to re-site caravans if required for any circumstance.

2.

Only normal equipment (such as waste containers, fresh water tank & gas cylinders) to be stored under the caravan/motorhome and the pitch must be maintained in a tidy state during the stay and on departure.

3.

All solid waste to be removed from the site by the member unless other arrangements are notified at the time.

4.

No part of any chemical toilet shall be filled or washed at a tap provided for the supply of drinking water, and that an approved chemical fluid or tablets NOT BLEACH should be used in the chemical toilet.

5.

Waste water must be collected into a suitable receptacle and this water must not be allowed to overflow.

6.

Safety First:

Do not exceed five mph on the site - this rule will be rigidly enforced by the Rally Marshal and only fully qualified and licensed drivers are to drive on the site.

Avoid unnecessary use of vehicles on grassed areas.

Park cars on the offside of caravans (i.e. Right hand facing towbar and do not cause obstructions.)

No ball games, kite flying or dangerous games near or between caravans/motorhomes and also avoid any unnecessary noise in the proximity of caravans/motorhomes especially between 11pm & 8am.

Dogs are to be kept on a lead of reasonable length and exercised in the area designated. Cats or other pets must not be allowed to roam.

Laundry to be dried on window racks only. No wires to be strung from caravans/motorhomes, trees, etc.

Animals are not allowed in any premises used for social events except with the permission of the organiser.

Generators used by ralliers during a Compass Owners Club rally should only be operated between the hours of 10am and 8pm each day, with the exception of use for emergencies and by a rally marshal for evening gatherings.

7.

The Compass Owners Club cannot accept any liability in respect of any accident, loss or injury sustained by or occurring to any person or property attending any function organised by the Club.

8.

It is strongly recommended that all members keep available approved fire fighting equipment within the caravan/motorhome and a fire bucket of any colour, filled with water, is to be placed at the front of each unit. Also: do not leave young children in the vans without supervision.

10.

A deposit of £2 (non-returnable) is required for each Rally, unless it is a Holiday Rally or a Special Event where the deposit will be set by the Rally Marshal.

1.

When approaching occupant of land, make sure the landowner is agreeable to a rally being held on his land. It is easy for trouble to occur through disagreement between tenant and owner. Explain to them that the Club holds an Exemption Certificate, which exempts them from obtaining planning permission from the Local Authority for rallies up to five days duration. A specimen copy of this is available from the Rally Secretary.

2.

If necessary mention where we have previously held rallies, pointing out in all cases we have been invited to make a return visit.

3.

The cost for hiring a hall for the A.G.M is met from Club funds.

4.

Arrange for an Elsan disposal point. It is only necessary to arrange disposal of refuse at the longer or holiday rallies. Strong bags may be supplied to members on request to take their refuse away with them.

5.

Site layout should allow ample room for each caravan/motorhome, either in lines or circles to suit the shape and contour of the site. At least 10 paces (30 feet) should be given between each peg and caravans/motorhomes should be sited with the offside front corner over the peg. At least 40 feet should be allowed between rows of vans as a roadway, included in this distance is the towbar- Also suitable fire equipment should be placed adjacent to the towbar.

6.

The Club has a Third Party Liability Policy to cover all rallies. This however does not cover the cutting up of turf or tearing up the surface with spinning wheels.

7.

A £1 token payment should be paid to the driver of the towing vehicle by each member being towed on or off the rally site.

8.

Be careful when putting out direction signs. Local Highway Authorities can take exception to these and it is a reportable offence to damage any Highway signs.

9.

All plaques will be in standard Club format and 12 will be sent automatically direct to the Marshal. If this number is likely to be exceeded the Rally Secretary should be informed 14 days in advance and additional plaques will be obtained.

10.

When drawing up details for the Rally Secretary, give the exact location of the rally including any road numbers. Try to ensure the position is clear from any direction. Avoid awkward roads and steep hills. If possible add O.S. grid references. Obtain emergency telephone number if possible.

11.

Draw up a list of members attending, paying particular attention to their first names, car/motorhome registration numbers and home county. Special attention should be given to first time ralliers and include a 'First Time Ralliers welcome letter' with their paperwork. Ensure that all participants are fully paid up members. (Such members now have a current year sticker)

12.

Note the position of the nearest telephone, the address & phone number of local Doctors and any members on site with First Aid training.

13.

Competitive events, games and visits to places of interest may be arranged. Also note should be made of local Churches, service times and other places of interest in the district.

14.

Remind members that when driving on the site the speed limit is 5 mph also that ball games or kite flying near or between the caravans is not permitted. Dogs are to be kept on a lead at all times and exercised in the areas designated. Cats must not be allowed to roam.

15.

Collect the rally equipment from the previous Rally Marshal or Regional Representative. At the end of the rally the equipment should be returned to the Regional Representative or the next Rally Marshal.

16.

A form of balance sheet will be sent to each Rally Marshal in advance by the Rally Secretary. Return this form with a list of members attending, along with a cheque/postal order (£1 for each unit attended) and include the name of the person writing the rally report. Send this to the Treasurer as soon as possible (but no later than 14 days) after the rally

17.

Above all try to leave a good impression locally, particularly with the landowner, Local Authority and local residents.

18.

The above has been drawn up to cover most situations, but if you have any doubt on any matter ask any Management Committee member or your Regional Representative who will assist in any way possible.

19.

Do not worry about the occasional grumbler, they are far outnumbered by the appreciative members.

20.

If you wish to run a rally in a National Park Contact the Rally Secretary in the first instance because there are special rules that apply to these locations, if an Exemption Certificate is to be used.

21.

The Rally Marshal can expect the full backing of the Management Committee.

When sending a deposit for a Rally please make the cheque payable to the Rally Marshal concerned, NOT The Compass Owners Club. If you require an acknowledgment of your rally booking please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.

Would ralliers please settle their accounts in cash as soon as possible after receiving their envelope from the Marshal.

Unless stated in the rally information, rallies begin at 4pm on the starting date. Members wishing to arrive before this time please contact the Marshal to ascertain if this is possible.

Don't forget to display your Compass 2005 Membership sticker in your caravan window.

All rally fees are approximate. Please return booking slips with a non-refundable £2.00 booking fee (£10 for continental rallies) to the rally Marshals at least two weeks before the rally starts to ensure a plaque and allow Marshals to organise any social event with reliable numbers.

The venue telephone number (if included) is for emergencies only.

When requiring any information regarding putting rallies into the Events Programme please do not hesitate to contact the Rally Secretary.

Please remember do not rinse any part of toilets at drinking water taps.