Constitution
North East Region - England Fencing
The region shall be known as “North East Region - England Fencing” (referred to as ‘The Region’ in this document). The North East Region is defined as the area covered by the following local authorities.
Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar & Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland
The Region also has historic responsibility for Cumbria, which is being transferred (November 2009) to the responsibility of North West region in line with the 2009 regional configuration of Sport England offices. Development activities in receipt of funding or other support from Sport England Regional Office at Durham are not available to members or clubs in Cumbria. Development support from the Manchester office of Sport England to North West Region of England Fencing will include projects relating to Cumbria.
Until this anomaly is rectified by the formal transfer of responsibility for Cumbria to the North West Region of England Fencing, Members of England Fencing and affiliated Clubs in Cumbria will remain as full members of the North East Region as described in this constitution, with the specific exception that any development support and funding for Fencing in Cumbria will be co-ordinated with North West Region.
LAWS
All laws, bye-laws, regulations and policies of the Region shall comply with the laws, bye-laws, regulations and policies of England Fencing Ltd and British Fencing Association Ltd, according to their responsibilities as defined in the Home Countries Agreement, or any successor document. In any conflict between the Region and England Fencing, EF takes priority.
OBJECTIVES AND POWERS OF NORTH EAST REGION
a)To encourage, support, promote and develop the sport of Fencing within the North East Region.
b)To plan, provide, arrange and co-ordinate training and development opportunities for Fencers, Coaches, Referees, Armourers and Volunteers within the Region through the implementation and monitoring of locally agreed Strategies and Whole Sport Plan.
c)To carry out fund raising, make grant funding applications, and undertake social and promotional activities on behalf of Clubs and members within the Region.
d)To organise North East Regional Competitions and Championships to be held within the above areas.
e)To co-operate with other Statutory and Voluntary bodies involved with the promotion of fencing or sport in general within the Region,
f)To support clubs and individual members within the Region in their local and Regional application of National Policies that promote Equality, Diversity, and the Health, Safety and Welfare of those involve in the sport.
g)To operate bank account(s) in the name of NorthEast England Region; hold funds and (within available resource) to make grants and employ staff in support of the Regional objectives.
h)To act as a conduit for representations on regional and local issues to England Fencing ltd and to formulate, consult locally and present Regional responses to national consultations.
i)To work closely and constructively with neighbouring Regions (North West and Yorkshire) and with Scottish Fencing,
j)To provide regional support for nationally identified Coach Educators, Elite Athletes, professional coaches, development officers and trainers, ensuring the highest level of compatibility with national governing body development initiatives.
k)To issue newsletters, bulletins, mailshots press releases and posters and to maintain a regional website and other information resources about fencing for members and public access.
l)To select Fencers to represent the Region in inter – regional team or individual competitions in accordance with the competition rules, and to provide team management and support.
m)In support of these objectives the Committee may from time to time establish subcommittees acting under agreed Terms of Reference, or working parties with powers to implement agreed policies.
n)With the approval of members, the Committee may delegate authority for local delivery of parts of these objectives that may advantageously be managed at a sub regional or County level to a member - led County Union or other locally accountable Committee or to a Regional Development Officer or equivalent postholder.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to England Fencing affiliated clubs and individuals who are paid-up members of British Fencing residing or regularly fencing within the Region, or born within the Region: A member may not be in dual membership i.e. with another Region
CONSTITUTION
1)The elected officers of the Region shall be Honorary Chairman, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Inclusion Officer, Honorary Youth Representative, Honorary Competitions Co-ordinator; Honorary Public Relations officer, and Honorary Regional Welfare.
2)Elected members shall retire (but be eligible for re-election) at each AGM. An Honorary President and Honorary Vice Presidents may be appointed by an AGM or EGM in appreciation of outstanding service to fencing in the region. The Honorary President and Honorary Vice Presidents shall have no routine duties, but one of their number may temporarily chair an AGM or EGM for the purposes of an election if the post of Chairman is contested. They may attend regional Committee meetings, but may not vote, and their presence does not constitute part of a quorum.
3)The Regional Committee shall include “ex officio” as an adviser any Child Protection or Welfare Officer appointed by England Fencing Ltd and having responsibility for Safeguarding and Protecting Children and Vulnerable Adults within the Region. An officer appointed for this purpose may take part in discussion of any items of business at Committee meetings, but is not a voting member and does not constitute part of a quorum. This officer is accountable to officers of England Fencing Ltd and (for reasons of confidentiality) is not required to give any report on specific cases to the Committee.
4)The ordinary business of the Region shall be conducted by a Committee consisting of the Elected officers. In addition, the committee shall have the power to co-opt such non-voting members as may be required from time to time..
5)The Honorary Treasurer shall maintain a bank account(s) on behalf of the Region, which shall require a minimum of two members of the Committee, including the Honorary Treasurer, as authorised signatoriesElected and co – opted officers must annually declare any pecuniary or other business interests that they, their spouse or civil partner, or parent or child, or step parent or step child may have in activities or organisations that have or may potentially have transactions or exert influence with Fencing at national regional or local level. If any matter under discussion by the Committee raises a potential conflict of interest, the Officer(s) concerned will immediately declare their interest and take no part in the discussion or any vote. At the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting, an officer may be asked to withdraw for part or all of any discussion in which a commercial or sensitive matter in which they have an interest is under consideration or could influence the outcome or their presence or could inhibit full expression of other members’ views. If the meeting becomes temporarily inquorate as a consequence of a member’s withdrawal, discussion of the matter must be deferred until a quorate meeting can be held. An interest in a quoted or listed public limited company not exceeding 5% of the issued share capital of that company does not constitute an interest for the purposes of this clause.
6)All members of the Committee must be paid-up members of England Fencing Ltd and must, prior to election, declare any affiliation to a club or clubs within the Region: affiliation to or membership of a club shall not however constitute a declarable interest under clause (5) above unless the member is a paid coach or employee or a principal organiser of that club
7)The Committee may appoint a representative or representatives to such other organisations as may invite views or representation from the Region.
8)For the Committee to conduct business, a quorum of three elected officers must be present.
9)Alternatively, if all voting members of the Committee acknowledge receipt of an email sanctioned by the Honorary Chairman and circulated by the Honorary Chairman or Honorary Secretary, detailing a proposal, and a simple majorityof voting members clearly indicate their support forthat proposal by email, the Chairman may declare the decision to be enacted without calling a meeting. The Hon Secretary shall maintain a list of agreed email addresses for this purpose.
10)The Committee shall convene an Annual General Meeting of the Region once in each Calendar Year with no more than 15 months, and no less than 9 months between each Annual General Meeting. At least 4weeks notice shall be given. Notice may be served by means of a posting, in not less than 12 point print, on the Region’s website, and by email or letter to each affiliated club within the Region, or by other equivalent methods. Individual notifications need not be sent to individual members.
11)At each Annual General Meeting, the Honorary Treasurer shall present written accounts detailing the financial transactions of the Region since the last AGM, and the Agenda shall contain an item inviting the voting members to comment on, and to approve or refuse to approve these accounts. In the event that the voting members refuse to approve the accounts, the Chair, in conjunction with the members, shall word a resolution acceptable to the voting members, detailing the actions required by the Honorary Treasurer to rectify the situation. Once approved, details of the accounts of the region should be submitted on request to the Treasurer of England Fencing Ltd and be posted on the Regional website.
12)There is no requirement for Independent Examination and certification of accounts unless the membership so determines, or a legal requirement comes into force.
13)Any 10 members of the Region eligible to vote at an Annual General Meeting, with the written support of no fewer than 3 clubs within the Region, may require the convention of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) upon written application to the Honorary Secretary of the Region. The meeting must be convened within 2 calendar months of the application. Such written application must contain the substance of the matter to be discussed. All other arrangements for an EGM (including notice and voting rights) shall be the same as for an AGM. No business may be transacted at an EGM other than that notified in the original application.
a)A notice of the General Meeting may be served by means of a posting, with suitable prominence, on the Region’s website, and by email or letter to each club within the Region, or by all methods. Such notice shall be deemed sufficient to all voting members.
14) Within 28 days following the AGM the Region shall notify England Fencing Ltd. of the names and contact details of the elected officers of the Region.
15) Conduct of General Meetings:
a)The Agenda of any AGM or EGM shall be published at least 7 days before the meeting, either by a posting, in not less than 12 point print on the Regions website, or by email or letter to each affiliated club, or by both methods.
b)Any item to be discussed at an AGM (other than the standing requirement of the Regional Accounts, and the minutes of the previous AGM) shall be proposed and seconded by eligible voting members, and communicated to the Honorary Secretary of the Region at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.
c)After an AGM or EGM has been notified each club shall advise the Honorary Secretary in writing (or by e-mail) at least 7 days prior to the meeting, of the name of their representative. The Chair shall also announce at the beginning of the meeting the number of Proxy votes properly registered.
d)For an AGM or EGM to be quorate, the minimum attendance shall be a) at least two of the currently elected officers, or one officer and one Honorary President or Honorary Vice President, plus at least 4 other eligible voting members of the region. In the event that a properly notified meeting should not produce a quorum, the Chairman shall cause a new meeting to be convened within 90 days, with the same notice requirements as the original meeting. If a second such meeting is also inquorate, the Chairman (or in their absence any other elected officer) shall notify the Board England Fencing Ltd, who shall have the authority to make such provision for the administration of the Region as they deem necessary, until such time as the Board of England Fencing Ltd is satisfied that proper Regional governance is restored.
e)The following persons shall be eligible to attend and vote at General Meetings:
i)Honorary President and Honorary Vice Presidents
ii)Members of the committee serving at the time of the start of the meeting
iii)A duly appointed representative of each paid-up club within the Region, but any such representative may not represent more than one club
iv)Individual paid-up members of England Fencing or another Home Country who are at least 18 years old at the time of the general meeting, and are resident in the Region. Membership details may be checked at the general meeting. Under – 20 membershipshall be counted as full membership for this purpose.
f)In the event of a person entitled to a vote, being unable to attend, they may register their proxy vote, in writing or by e-mail, at least 5 days in advance, with the Chair of the meeting. Such a proxy vote may direct the Chair to either a) cast the vote for/against/abstain on any particular agenda item, or b) empower the Chair to cast the vote at their discretion.
g)In all ordinary business (excluding constitutional amendments) a simple majority is required to pass a resolution. This shall be decided by a show of hands, or at the request of two or more voting members or by direction of the Chair, by a direct count of votes, the method to be determined by the Chair.
h)In a contested election for an elected post, the Chair will invite a show of hands in support of each candidate except that any candidate may call for a secret ballot. If there are only two candidates, the candidate with the largest number of vote will be duly elected. If there are 3 or more candidates, any candidate with 51% or more of the votes in the initial ballot will be duly elected. If no candidate achieves 51%, then a second ballot will be taken, with only the 2 candidates with the most, and 2nd most votes from the first ballot being eligible.
i)In the event of any tied vote, the Chair shall have a second, casting vote.
ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Alterations to the constitution may only be made at an AGM, or at an EGM expressly convened for that purpose, and require a 2/3rds majority of eligible voters present and voting, or voting by proxy, at the meeting to support it for the amendment(s) to be passed. Notice and quorum requirements are the same as for ordinary business defined above.
REGULATIONS AND BYELAWS
Laws, bye-laws, regulations and policies of the region, relating to any aspect of Regional governance shall be drawn up by the Committee, or by a sub-committee appointed by the Committee for that purpose. However all laws, bye-laws, regulations and policies of the region shall not conflict with those of British Fencing Association Ltd. or England Fencing Ltd.
DISSOLUTION
In the event that an AGM or EGM, by two thirds majority, votes for the dissolution of the Region, or in the event that the Region is unable to assemble a quorate AGM for a period of 2 successive years, the assets of the Region shall be held in Trust by England Fencing Ltd, or its successor body in law to be restored to Regional Control on establishment of a new Regional Committee in accordance with this constitution.