Scottish Social Clubs

[FreakyFriday]

I am a member of a club in Scotland run by a committee elected by the members. The current committee recently readmitted a member who had previously been sine died for assaulting a member of a previous committee.

Can someone let me know what the consequences are for club members and also committee members if this individual assaults someone in the club again?

I could ask for an EGM but such is the clique within this club (surprise surprise) that it would have no effect. But I know it's just a matter of time until it happens again.

[leclerc]

Re: Scottish Social Clubs

If its a club then I assume it's a members only club. The rules of the club is where you go. They can ban the person again for an indefinite period if the rules allow for this. You could if you feel that it will happen again resign from the committee and club and find another one over this matter or perhaps gage the feelings of others on the decision.

[stivis]

Re: Scottish Social Clubs

A bit late in the day, but the club will have (or should have by-laws,and or a constitution)in which a disiplinary procedure will exist.
I'm at a loss at to how a member "sine died" gets re-admitted with out documentation(as are you)
All you can do is get the minutes of the meeting were the member was sine died ,and of the meeting where they were readmitted,I'd be willing to bet that one doesn't exist,
If the sine died one is the only one that exists then ..It's still in place......

The committee are elected by the members to work on behave of the members,the are not above the members.they have no precedent over the members(something they fail to understand)

What to do ?
Write and ask for an explanation of the facts,(was the desision appealed etc)
If they fail to provide any request a EGM.
If that doesn't happen then
Write and tell them the liabilities of their action, lies with them only ie they are responsible If you can get another member or two countersign that's all the better

clique within this club

I abhore cliques

[labman]

Re: Scottish Social Clubs

Assault is a crime and as such should be reported to the police, so the answer to the question re assault is report it to the police and press charges.

As regards the readmittance of the member to the committee, it should be stated clearly on what grounds a person can be admitted to the committee. As long as the constitution is adhered to, there's not much you can do about it. Having said that, constitutions should also have a section allowing for extraordinary meetings if sufficient people call for one. If you have sufficient following in this to be able to win a motion proposed in an extraordinary meeting, you may be able to get the member removed.

[stivis]

Re: Scottish Social Clubs

To clarify, Sine Died is the past verb of Sine Die..........and means in this case ... banned without limit of time ..forever.......
for that to be lifted would mean an appeals process, and that's on the face of it hasn't been done ....the committee just did it, without recourse to the membership.

Whether the assault was reported to the police,is not the point.the sine die was a result of the action by the barred member,who has been re-admitted,a point to remember is that they were barred without limit of time, not for a specific period

The member has been re-admitted without due process, and FreakyFriday is worried of a repeat offence and the consequences to the membership

If the Sine Die is in place the likelyhood of any future offence is nil,

In my opinion the liability lies with the committee, they allowed the member back,without the consultation of the membership.That being said at least a letter voicing concern,must be sent

[labman]

Re: Scottish Social Clubs

Stivis,
Thanks for your grammar lesson - I do remember my O' Level Latin, and believe you mean the past tense rather than the past verb. Grammatically it is not possible to turn a phrase of Latin origin into an English phrase. However, your understanding of the term is flawed. If one defines sine died as being acceptable, it means postponed without any planned date for a future review meeting.

As long as the constitution allows it, there is no reason why a committee cannot then plan a date for a review meeting which would then mean the ban was no longer 'sine died.'

Without seeing an agenda for the meeting where the decision was reviewed, along with the constitution ensuring that the meeting was held with the agenda have been given with sufficient notice, the meeting was quorate etc... then it is simply not possible to state the member has been re-admitted without due process.

Due process may have been followed and to corrupt the Latin even further, the member may have been legitimately un-sine died.

As for the comment about the assault being reported as not being the point, Freaky Friday asked what the consequences would be if an assault took place again, so I think it is very relevant and to the point.

A committee in the sense of a club usually means a group of people to whom the care of the membership is committed (hence committee). They do not usually need to refer back to the membership to make a decision, but again it is impossible to say without seeing the constitution, trust deed or similar governing this particular club.

I too hate cliques, and have fought many in the past. The committee may well have acted against the best interest of its members, but it is then for the aforementioned members to do something about this.