CONSTITUTION OF ROSS ON WYE ANGLING CLUB (last updated on 12/12/2022 after the Annual General Meeting on 9/12/2022.
1 TITLE
1.1 The Club shall be called Ross-on-Wye Angling Club, hereafter to be referred to as “the Club”.
2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
2.1 To foster and promote the sport of angling, both coarse and game, with rod and line at all levels.
2.1.1 The Club will be affiliated to the Angling Trust and will adopt the rules and codes where appropriate.
2.1.2 To encourage anglers in the conservation of fish species and numbers and in the protection and conservation of their angling environment and its ecology
2.1.3 To encourage the safe handling and return to the water where caught with minimum stress of all fish.
2.1.4 To purchase, lease, rent or otherwise obtain waters and provide fishing and access rights for the benefit of the Club and make waters available to its members.
2.1.5 The Club is a non-profit making organisation. All profit and surpluses will be used to maintain or improve the Club’s fishing.
2.1.6 To ensure an on-going commitment to the fair treatment of all anglers with no discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or social class.
3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 The following are eligible for membership:
3.1.1 Priority of membership shall be given to anglers who live within the local area as defined by the Club.
3.1.2 The membership of the Club will be a maximum of 350 (excluding junior members) of which no more than 35 shall be salmon anglers.
3.1.3 Membership of the Club shall be open to any person completing a membership application form and paying the relevant subscription/joining fee as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the Club Members and accepting the rules and byelaws of the club.
3.2 There shall be 9 classes of membership available. These are:
3.2.1 Local Full Member;
3.2.2 Country Full Member;
3.2.3 Local Concessionary Member;
3.2.4 Country Concessionary Member;
3.2.5 Local Salmon Member;
3.2.6 Country Salmon Member;
3.2.7 Intermediate Member;
3.2.8 Junior Member (Under 16 years of age);
3.2.9 Honorary Life Member.
3.3 It is the responsibility of all club members to read and familiarize themselves with the constitution, rules and codes of conduct of Rosson-Wye Angling Club.
4 OFFICERS
4.1 The officers of the Club shall be as follows:
President – an honorary position
Executive Officers consisting of:
Chairperson
Vice Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Membership Secretary
Non-executive Officers:
Head bailiff
Health and safety officer.
5 ELECTION OF OFFICERS
5.1 All officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from, and by, the members of the Club.
5.2 All officers are elected for a period of one year and may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year.
6 GENERAL COMMITTEE
6.1 The affairs of the Club shall be controlled by a General Committee:
6.1.1 The General Committee is comprised of the executive and nonexecutive officers of the Club and seven other members elected from, and by, the members of the Club.
6.1.2 Non-officer members of the General Committee are elected at the Annual General Meeting and stand for up to three years. Retiring General Committee members are eligible for re-election.
6.1.3 The General Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than six times per year.
6.1.4 The quorum required for business to be agreed is 8 members including at least two executive officers.
6.1.5 The secretary shall keep all the relevant books of the club, take minutes of the meetings and circulate these to committee members, conduct correspondence and generally carry out the business of the club
under the direction of the General Committee.
6.1.6 If an officer or General Committee member fails, without just cause, to attend three consecutive meetings or 50% of meetings in a single year they will forfeit their position on the General Committee.
6.2 The duties of the General Committee shall be:
6.2.1 To control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the members including:
– the power and authority to act on behalf of the Club in all matters, including the addition of new rules and rule changes (to be ratified at AGM); the purchase, rent and loan of equipment, and all things necessary for the smooth running and wellbeing of the club.
– delegated powers to enter into contracts and agreements on behalf of the Club. These contracts and agreements are to be reported to the next AGM following their agreement but no financial figures with reference to rents and leases, including bids in progress will be given.
– the General Committee, acting as authorised, are entitled to indemnity from the members and will be indemnified against any risk, expense, liabilities and legal penalties reasonably incurred on behalf of the Club.
6.2.2 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by members. The Club shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign Club cheques: two from the chairperson, treasurer, secretary and membership secretary.
6.2.3 To ensure the Club’s accounts are audited every 5 years or on the change of treasurer.
6.2.4 To co-opt additional members of the General Committee as necessary. If the General Committee has a full complement, co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote.
6.2.5 To make any byelaws of the club to govern the control of the fishing and waters held by the club.
6.2.6 To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
7 TRUSTEES
7.1.1 The General Committee shall elect three Trustees. Trustees will be members of the Club, and shall hold office until death, resignation or removal by the General Committee. During their period of office, a
Trustee will receive Honorary Membership.
7.1.2 The property of the Club, but not cash or bank accounts, shall be vested in the Trustees to be dealt with by them as the General Committee shall from time to time direct by resolution.
7.1.3 Trustees will only enter into contracts when authorised by the General
Committee and the Trustees will be indemnified and protected from
any liabilities and legal penalties they may incur by the Club against
any claim made. In all leases, contracts and agreements provision will
be included stating that they, the Trustees, are acting on behalf of the
Club and that in no case will their personal liability exceed the amount
by which they are indemnified out of the Club funds.
7.1.4 The Trustees will not be held responsible for any debts, whether
incurred in the past, present or the future. These will be the
responsibility of the Club.
7.1.5 Trustees are entitled to receive advanced notice of all General
Committee meetings and to attend but they will have no voting rights.
7.1.6 Members of the club have the right of appeal to the Trustees, in
complaints and grievances that the committee cannot resolve. The
decision of the Trustees is final and binding on all parties, including
the committee.
8 GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on the first Wednesday of December each year. Written notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to members 21 days before the date by circulating a copy of the notice to every member at their email address and posting a notice on the Club’s website. Members must advise the secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the Annual General
Meeting at least 14 days before the meeting. The secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting to members not less than 7 days before the meeting.
8.2 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:
8.2.1 Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting.
8.2.2 Receive and approve the accounts for the year from the treasurer.
8.2.3 Receive the annual reports of the General Committee.
8.2.4 Elect the officers of the Club.
8.2.5 Review Club subscription rates and agree them for the forthcoming year.
8.2.6 Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from members 14 days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.
8.2.7 Review honorariums for the officers.
8.3 Nomination of candidates for election of officers shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting date. Nominations can only be made by members and must be seconded by another member.
8.4 Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee, or on receipt by the secretary of a request in writing, from not less than 10 members of the Club. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given.
8.5 At all General Meetings, the chair will be taken by the chairperson or, in their absence, by the vice chairperson.
8.6 Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those members attending the meeting. In the event of equal votes, the chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
8.7 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 12 members and 4 officers of the Club including 2 from the chairperson, secretary and treasurer.
8.8 Each member of the Club shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings.
9 ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
9.1 Any proposed alterations to the Club Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a member of the Club and seconded by another member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those members present at the meeting, assuming that a
quorum has been achieved.
10 COMPLAINTS AND GRIEVANCES
10.1 Members of the Club whose conduct is inappropriate or who decline to abide by any of the Rules or Bylaws may be expelled or suspended by a resolution passed at a meeting of the disciplinary subcommittee
(consisting of two executive officers and one General Committee member) where their entrance fee and subscriptions may be forfeited. Members shall have the right to appeal in person to the General Committee with regard to any decision affecting themselves made by the disciplinary subcommittee, provided that notice of such appeal be submitted to the secretary, in writing, within seven days of notification of the decision. An Executive Committee (consisting of the other 2 executive officers and 3 General Committee members) will make the final decision, which is binding on all parties including the General Committee
11 DISSOLUTION
11.1 If at any General Meeting of the Club, a resolution is passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
11.2 If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting, the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified
in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club.
11.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the members of the Club unless the amount is greater than £17,500. If less than this figure, the assets shall be given or transferred to an organisation having objects similar to those of the Club.
