,
2013 HANDBOOK
Hon. Secretary
Peter Galloway
Marine Parade, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3AG
Telephone (01424) 430120
HASTINGS AND ST.LEONARDS ANGLING ASSOCIATION
RULE AND HANDBOOK
Rule 1. NAME.
The Association is called "The Hastings and St. Leonards Angling Association".
Rule 2. OBJECTS.
The object of the Association is to provide facilities for and promote participation of the whole community in the sport of sea angling.
The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards promoting the objects of the Association as set forth in this constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the members of the Association.
Rule 3. PREMISES.
The Association premises shall be situated at Marine Parade,
Hastings, East Sussex. TN34 3AG
RULE 4. BUSINESS OF THE ASSOCIATION.
The business of the Association shall be conducted by a President, Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Bar Manager, Commodore, and ten Committee Members. Seven to form a quorum
(Four of whom must be elected Committee Members).
Officers are eligible to vote at Committee Meetings.
The Committee have power to co-opt to their number any member whose services they consider to be of value to the Association.
A co-opted member will have no voting rights.
Rule 4A. APPEALS COMMITTEE
For the sole purpose of ruling on appeals against refusals of or expulsions from membership an Appeals Committee shall be formed. This committee shall consist of all Vice-Presidents not currently serving as an Officer or Committee Member under Rule 4. The quorum for all meetings of this committee shall be three. All decisions reached by this committee shall be binding both on the appellant and the main committee. No further appeals shall be heard.
Rule 5. ANGLING.
That fair angling by rod and line only will be permitted.
Any member proved to be guilty of unsportsmanlike behaviour or infringement of the rules whilst angling, including angling in any open or closed competition or festival, will be expelled from the Association as laid down under Rule 18.
Rule 6. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE.
The Officers of the Association shall consist of a Chairman,
HonorarySecretary, Honorary Treasurer, Bar Manager,Commodore, and 10 Committee men who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association.
In order to attract suitable candidates, job descriptions will be attached to some or all Committee member posts.
The term of office for each Officer and member of the Committee shall be 2 years: each Officer and Committee member may be nominated for re-election at the end of each said term of office.
Candidates for election to the above positions must have had full membership of the Association for a minimum of one year before the AGM. Their Proposer and Seconder must have had full membership of the Association for a minimum of three consecutive years.
Members nominated for Officers positions, if unsuccessful, are eligible to stand for Committee if there are vacancies on the Committee at the AGM.
Nominees under this rule shall not be Officers or Members of the Committee of any other local sea angling club.
The names and addresses of each candidate, the Proposer and the Seconder must be in the hands of the Hon. Secretary by the 31st January. If sufficient names to form a full Committee have not been received by the Hon. Secretary by the said date, then nominations for Committee will be accepted from the floor at the AGM.
That the President be elected for a term of three years.
The Committee & Officers shall meet at least once in each calendar month, and at such other times as may be deemed necessary.
Non-attendance for three consecutive Committee Meetings by any Committee Member or Officer, without a satisfactory explanation given in writing will result in an assumed resignation of that member from the Committee or office held.
The Committee shall have power to appoint sub-committees for any purpose connected with the Association, and may delegate any of its power to such sub-committees.
Minutes to be kept of sub-committee meetings and submitted to full Committee for ratification and appending in the Committee minute book. The proceedings of any Committee/sub-committee shall be properly recorded in minute books of record kept for that purpose.
The President, Chairman, Vice-Presidents, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer will be deemed as ex-officio members of any Association sub-committees.
Officers may serve and hold two positions if they are not opposed in either position. If opposed, a choice must be made which position to stand for, but if elected to two positions will only have one vote.
The Committee may make or amend byelaws, consistent with these rules, for the conduct of members and the governing of the affairs of the Association. A copy of these byelaws will be made available for inspection, on request by any member. No byelaw can change a rule of the Association.
RULE 7. FINANCIAL BENEFIT.
Members are banned from making contracts with the Association, or deriving any financial benefit from it, without the consent of the Association Committee. No Association Official can be an employee of the Association.
RULE 8. SIGNING OF CHEQUES.
Three Officers shall be vested with the authority for drawing on the funds of the Association. One of the signatories shall be the Treasurer of the Association. One of the other two Officers to co-sign each fully completed cheque.
RULE 9. THE POWER TO BORROW.
The Committee have the power to raise loans/funds on behalf of the Association.
Rule 10. FINANCE.
All the non-recurring expenditure shall come before the Committee for their approval before payment of the said expenditure.
The Officers and Committee shall review the financial position of the Association at the July meeting each year, and are empowered to alter charges and/or Subscriptions to be brought into operation on the 1st of January ensuing.
All Subscriptions are due on the 1st January and, until paid, no member may use the Association's facilities or weigh-in fish.
The Committee shall have the power and duties of entering into contracts and setting conditions of employment of Association staff in the best interest of the Association.
The Committee have the power to restrict entry into the Association by holding all ticket events and members will be charged admission for themselves and for their guests as the Committee from time to time may decide.
Rule 11. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.
There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Association held in March in each year, or as soon as possible thereafter.
The purpose of the meeting shall be for the election of Officers; members of the Committee; auditors; wine and entertainment subcommittee, and presentation of the accounts and reports from the Officers.
The accounts of the Association shall be examined annually by an independent accountant or auditor, as appointed at the Annual General Meeting, the report and balance sheet to be presented to members before the Annual General Meeting in each year.
At least 14 days prior notice will be given before the date is fixed for the Annual General Meeting, the Secretary shall send notice to all members of the Association, stating the date, place and time of the meeting.
Any proposed alterations to the Rules of the Association to be sent to the Hon. Secretary by the 31st December. This is to allow inclusion of the proposed alterations, or new rule in the A.G.M. agenda and to allow all members to be notified.
Motions that require a vote will not be taken from the floor.
Alteration or change of rules can only take place at the A.G.M. or an EGM.
Change of rules will take effect from the 1st of January of the year after the AGM or EGM.
Rule 12. QUORUM FOR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS.
The quorum for this meeting shall be 30full members.
No motion shall be put to a meeting attended by fewer than that number.
Rule 13. VOTING.
At the Annual General Meeting of the Association voting will be confined to the full members of the Association, each of whom should have one vote.
In the case of a tie, the motion should be lost (there cannot be a Chairman’s casting vote).
A simple majority should be sufficient for ordinary motions put to the meeting, but alterations in rules or amendments to the constitution must receive a majority of two-thirds of the members present.
Voting for the positions for Officers, Committee, Vice Presidents and Life Members will be by ballot. All other motions shall be decided by a show of hands.
Only full members that have paid their subscriptions in full for the current year and Life Members will be entitled to attend and vote at the A.G.M. or EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS.
Members entitled to vote are only those attending such a general meeting.
At Committee meetings, each Officer or member of the Committee to have only one vote.
Voting at Committee Meetings will be by ballot for suspensions and terminations of membership, and by a show of hands for all other motions.
Should a motion of no confidence be placed against an Officer or member of the Committee at a Committee Meeting and if two-thirds of those present vote by ballot for this motion then that Officer or Committee Member will stand-down from that position immediately.
Rule 14. PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT AND LIFE MEMBERS.
Any member wishing to nominate a President, Vice President or Life Member will submit in writing before 31st of December the name of their nominee and their reason for same, to the Committee for consideration as to his suitability for nomination at the A.G.M.
The Committee may put forward the name of any person they consider to have served the Association in selfless and meritorious manner, to the Annual General Meeting in order that this Honour be considered by the membership present. These Honours are not bestowed lightly.
This will ensure that these members are persons who truly deserve the Honour bestowed on them.
Rule 15. ELECTION OF MEMBERS.
Membership of the Association shall be open to all persons irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs; or of age, sex or disability except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of sea angling as a particular sport.
There shall be only one class of member, although reductions in subscription will be available to those under 18 or over 60. Junior members are not precluded from full membership, with voting rights, if the full membership fee has been paid.
Every applicant for membership must complete an application form for membership, which will be considered at the next meeting of the Committee. There must be an interval of at least 48 hours between nomination and admission to membership.
The Association may refuse membership or expel from membership only for good and sufficient cause, such as conduct or character likely to bring the Association or the sport into disrepute. Appeal against such a decision may be made to the Appeals Committee as outlined in Rule 4A.
No applicant who is rejected may re-apply for membership until twelve months has expired from the time of that rejection.
Elected members or named associated members will not hold the Association responsible for personal injury, personal property loss or damage, sustained by them whilst on the Association’s premises.
Rule 16. SUGGESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS.
All suggestions or complaints regarding the Association must be addressed to the Chairman or Secretary, in legible written form, signed by the member concerned, within 14 days of the occurrence, dispute or infringement, and it will be brought before the Committee at the meeting following the receipt of the suggestion or complaint.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary or other authorised Officer instructed to do so by the committee or on receipt of a legible written request, supported by a petition with each page headed with the full specific details countersigned by a minimum 30 full members of the Association. Only the subject detailed on the request shall be discussed at such a meeting, which shall be held not less than 21 nor more than 31 days after receipt of the request. The quorum for such a meeting shall be 25 full members and a minimum of 70% of the signatories to the petition attending.
RULE 17. ADMISSION OF MEMBERS.
Admittance to the club will be by security system only.
Rule 18. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS.
Any member abusing Association property to the extent of causing damage will be held responsible (financially and otherwise) at the Committee's discretion.
Any member not complying with the Association rules/bye-laws will be dealt with under this rule.
If, in the opinion of the Committee, the conduct of any member either inside or outside the Association is such as to cause injury to the Association's reputation or is againstthe interests of the members as a whole they may, as they think fit, suspend that person from membership or warn the member as to his future conduct. Where the member is suspended, the Secretary shall send notice of the suspension to the home address of the member and shall summon him to attend before the Committee to explain his conduct. If the Committee, on hearing any evidence that may be called, and after affording the member a fair and honest hearing, decides that the offence is of a serious nature and by a vote of not less than two-thirds of the Officers and Committee present, they may either suspend that member for a period of not less than (3) months or immediately terminate that person's membership. All notices will be sent by recorded delivery to the last known address held by the Association of that member, and shall be deemed to have been delivered to him or her two days after the date of posting of that letter.
The member who has either been suspended, or had membership terminated by the Committee, has the right to make an appeal within 2 months of the receipt of the notice. All such appeals will be heard by the Appeals Committee referred to in Rule 4A.
The member suspended will not be eligible to stand for any position on the Committee or as an Officer until a period of 3 years has passed from the date at which the suspension ends, before the A.G.M. (Suspension is not to be interpreted as expulsion)
No member who has been expelled may re-apply for membership until a period of five years has elapsed from the date of this expulsion.
Rule 19. ADMISSION OF GUESTS OF MEMBERS.
Only full members (not associate members) may introduce guests to the Association. Not more than 3 guests may be admitted at any one time for one member The member MUST sign in guests and MUST enter their names and addresses in the visitor's book kept for the purpose at the entrance to the Association.
The same guest may only be signed in on one occasion per month, and not more than four times per annum.
The member must accompany his guests while on Association premises and is responsible for ensuring that the rules of the Association are strictly observed and the guests may only remain while their host is present in the Association.
No member introducing a guest shall permit said guest to make a purchase of any excisable refreshments while on the premises.
No person who has been expelled or suspended under any rules of the Association shall be admitted as a guest or visitor to the Association’s premises.
The member signing in guests must draw their attention to the following: -Guests are respectfully informed that they enter the Association premises entirely at their own personal risk and that no responsibility is accepted for damage or loss of their property or to their person.
The member signing in the guests will ensure that all Association rules are adhered to. If the member’s guests do not adhere to Association rules that member signing in their guests will be dealt with as if they had not complied with Association rules themselves.
Non-compliance with this rule will be dealt with under Rule 18.
The names and addresses of all members of the Association, the names and addresses of any bona fide guest entertained by any member shall be properly recorded in books of record kept for the purpose and all such records shall be available at any time for inspection by any police officer acting in the execution of his duty or any person duly authorised by the justices.
Rule 20. ADMISSION OF VISITORS.
The Association shall admit as visitors, members of affiliated Associations or members of visiting sports teams who are playing matches against the Association. Such persons shall sign the special visitors' book, stating the name of their Association or organisation.
a) There may be admitted to the Registered premises of the Association persons other than members and their guests, and subject to the conditions set out in section (b) hereof such persons may play the gaming machines on the Association premises and intoxicating liquor may be supplied to them by and on behalf of the Association for consumption on the said premises and not elsewhere.
b) The conditions are that the persons admitted to the registered premises of the Association shall be persons of the following category or description, i.e.