http://www.1in12.com
The 1 in 12 Club
21-23 Albion Street
BRADFORD
West Yorkshire
BD1 2LY
UK
Tel: (01274) 734160
E-mail: info@1in12.com
The 1 in 12 Club started
in 1981, evolving from the local Claimants Union Originally the Club organised
social events in various local pubs and clubs. There was no need for a Constitution
at that time - the Club was run by its members at weekly meetings held in local
pubs (traditionally on a Sunday).
However, when the decision was made to go for a building of our own, we had
to face up to the legal requirements of running a Club that sold alcohol. There
were 3 legal models available:
1) A "public "bar. It’s hard to get new public licenses and
the decision to allow such by the council and the magistrates is at their discretion.
Also the cops have automatic access at all times. A non-starter really.
2) A private "proprietary" club. Which has members but is owned and
controlled by an individual or company (like Arthur Daley’s club). Not
for us.
3) A private members club owned and run by its members. Providing that certain
legal requirements are met, then the "licence" (technically a "Registration
Certificate") cannot be refused! Also, the cops have no automatic right
of entry to such a club. This is the law under which traditional Working Mens
Clubs operate. The basic idea is that, since the club and all its assets, including
the booze, are already owned by the members, then no booze is technically sold
to them. Hence no public licence is needed. However, the specific legal requirements
that have to be met are quite strict. This is the option we chose.
We originally knew nothing about these matters. However, a couple of books,
essentially DIY Club guides, were obtained from the "Club and Institute
Union". This is the association to which most working mens clubs affiliate
and although, as an organisation, they are reactionary and sexist, these books
are very useful. The books, "500 points in Club law" and "Club
bookkeeping and financial control" cost around £11 each (1995 prices)
and can be bought from the CIU (tel: 0171 2260221). These gave us the background
info on the law we needed, plus the outline of a standard Club constitution
which we could adapt for ourselves. This we completed in 1987.
There was, as expected, trouble with the cops who opposed our initial attempts
to get our "Registration Certificate", claiming we weren’t going
to be a "bone fide members club". In the end a face to face meeting
resolved the problems and we were granted our Registration Certificate by local
magistrates in May 1988 and the Club building opened for business that month.
This certificate has to be renewed periodically (initially after 1 year, later
every 5 years).
In 1991 we took out a loan with Sam Smiths brewery for £12,500. They insisted
on changes to the constitution to ensure that, if the Club went bust, they got
first crack at any assets. These changes were finally approved in February 1995,
giving the current constitution.
How the Club runs in practice.
The 1 in 12 Club is 2 separate things; firstly and most importantly it is a
group of people who work together to promote certain political ideals and social
change; secondly it is a building housing a members social club. The constitution
was brought into being to deal with this second function, but at the same time
remain true to the first.
The Constitution actually plays no noticeable part in the real life of the Club
- it’s essentially a legal document that sets out the bottom line legal
position and safeguards members legal rights with regard to the Club and its
physical assets.
The day to day affairs of the Club are managed by the bar stewards and active
Club members and volunteers. The running of the Club is controlled by the weekly
"Sunday" meetings (the "General Committee" in the constitution).
This is where all the important (and often trivial) business is discussed and
decisions are taken. All members are welcome to these meetings.
Once a month the "Bar Collective" (aka "The staff & Finance
Committee") meets, made up of those members elected at the Annual General
Meeting, the bar workers and any other interested members. This concentrates
on employment and financial matters and reports to the following Sunday meeting
with any recommendations.
In the future things may change. The building could close (if we went bust,
for instance) but the 1 in 12 Club could continue in its primary form - that
group of like-minded people with a common cause. The constitution would then
become irrelevant. Or the Club could increasingly focus on the social and business
side of its affairs and loose its political edge. This has been the fate of
most "working mens" clubs, many which started with overtly political
aims. Balancing both objectives is the difficult bit. In the end it is the membership
who will decide what happens. http://www.1in12.go-legend.net/constitution.html