Constitution
Milnrow Sea Anglers.
CONSTITUTION (December 2011)
1. NAME – The Club shall be called MILNROW SEA ANGLERS
2. OBJECTIVES
- The objects of the Club shall be to promote Sea Angling and good fellowship and encourage participation in the sport irrespective of sex, race, religious beliefs and/or cultural, language, sexual identity/gender identity, age or disability.
- To especially encourage youngsters into Sea Angling and to provide better access help and support to disabled anglers to take part in Sea Angling.
- To indulge in Sea Fishing from Charter Boats, Members own small boats and Shore Fishing.
- To hold regular meetings at a place where the members of the Club can commune with each other on the subject of Sea Angling.
3. The Club shall appoint a committee to manage the proper business of the club
Positions of office shall be :
- CHAIRMAN,
- SECRETARY,
- TREASURER,
- SHORE SECRETARY,
- YOUTH DEVELOPMENT & FUND raising officer
- GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBER
- PUBLICITY OFFICER (Vacant)
The whole to constitute the ‘COMMITTEE’.
All officers to be elected by vote of the members at the Annual General Meeting.(A.G.M.).
All Committee members shall retire from office prior to each A.G.M., but shall be eligible for re-election.
All prospective committee members shall have been members of the club for more than 12 months
4. RESPONSIBILITY OF OFFICERS
- CHAIRMAN – To take charge of meetings. To ensure correct procedure. In any Vote on club business the Chairman shall have a casting vote
- SECRETARY – To record as minutes all relevant discussion and procedure. To take any action necessary in accordance with decisions made by the Club. Generally conduct the business of the Club. To keep a record of all members, to plan and book Sea Fishing venues and facilities to enable the membership to carry out the objectives of the club. This position shall include free membership of the club, Insurance premium payable
- TREASURER – To keep a record of receipts’ and payments , which may be referred to at any meeting, and to provide for audit a balance sheet which will be brought before the A.G.M. . This position shall include free membership of the club, Insurance premium payable
- SHORE SECRETARY, to plan organise and promote shore fishing within the club
- YOUTH DEVELOPMENT & FUND raising officer shall look after the interests of all junior members and explore opportunities to raise funds for the club.
- GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBER to maintain a list of the clubs assets and assist any committee member to carry out their duties and to undertake special projects at the bequest of the committee
- PUBLICITY OFFICER shall report on the business and events of the club in all forms of media including the Clubs Website ,Forums, Press and Face book and any other approved form of media
5. MEMBERSHIP
The Club shall consist of the following classes of members,
- Ordinary Members Current ordinary membership shall be capped at 40 members
- Junior
Membership in any class may be limited by the Committee subject to confirmation at the next General Meeting (G.M.)
Insurance: Fishing memberships are subject to compulsory Insurance premium WFSA
ORDINARY MEMBERSHIP
Every applicant for Ordinary Membership shall answer the relevant questions as required on the Club’s membership form. The Committee may refuse any application without stating a reason.
Minimum age for Senior Membership shall be eighteen(18) years.
Every successful applicant for Ordinary Membership shall, upon payment of the first annual subscription fee, become a member of the Club and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the Rules of the Club.
TEMPORARY MEMBERSHIP
The Committee shall have power to elect Temporary Members on such terms as they may determine. Currently £2.00 plus £4.00 for insurance premium
JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP
There shall be no minimum age requirement for Junior Membership.
All applications for Junior Membership must be signed by a parent / guardian, who will be bound to take responsibility for the behaviour, conduct and any actions made by the same applicant.
The subscription fee for Junior Membership shall be determined by the members..On acceptance of membership, a Junior member shall be bound by the same terms as laid down in Rule 7.
Junior Members are only allowed to fish club Boat and Shore trips when accompanied by a parent or guardian until they reach the age of 16.
Junior Members attaining the age of eighteen (18) years, shall take precedence on any waiting list for Senior Membership..Should a Junior member apply for Senior Membership upon reaching eighteen years of age Then, the full senior fee will be due in the year following their Eighteenth birthday
Junior members are to be subsidised on Blue Mink 2 Fleetwood trips and Jensen Rhyl by £10 when accompanied by an adult parent or guardian All bait costs and travel expenses are payable.
6. SUBSCRIPTION
The annual subscription payable by Ordinary Members shall be such a sum as the members shall determine from time to time in General Meeting. It shall be payable on acceptance to Ordinary Membership and thereafter, annually, at the FEBRUARY ANNUAL General Meeting. If the subscription has not been paid by the MARCH Main Meeting the defaulter shall, subject to a contrary decision of the Committee, immediately cease to be a member of the Club. Prospective members on the waiting list shall be offered their place .Members with in credit balances in their club account will have their subscriptions transferred to cover their continued membership unless they formally resign their membership
7. RESIGNATIONS
A member may resign his membership at any time by notice in writing to the Secretary, but a member whose written resignation is received by the Secretary after his Subscription for the current year has become due shall be liable for his/her subscription for that year.
8. EXPULSIONS
The Committee shall expel from the Club any member for conduct which, in it’s opinion is injurious or tends to be injurious to the interests of the Club, or its objectives, or its members, or angling, or which contravenes the Club’s byelaws.
Before expelling a member, the Committee shall inquire into his or her conduct and they shall be given a reasonable opportunity to defend and justify themselves either in writing or by appearing (upon being given fourteen (14) days notice of the Special Committee meeting) before the Committee, and the Committee’s power to expel shall be on a majority vote of those present at the meeting.
An expelled member shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership, but shall remain liable for any dues or debts to the Club which became payable or were incurred before the date of expulsion.
Members shall be made aware of the disciplinary policy which is appended to this constitution
9. MEETINGS
The Club shall meet on the first TUESDAY of each month from 8.45 P.M. onwards at the Milnrow Working Men’s Club Dale Street Milnrow. During the period April to September inclusive the members will meet each week, During the period October to March inclusive the members will meet on the first and third Tuedays of the month and on the Tuesday preceding any club fishing trip.
Presentation
The Presentation of the clubs trophies shall take place on the first Tuesday of February each year
10. PROCEDURE AT MEETINGS
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (A.G.M.)
The A.G.M. shall take place on the first TUESDAY in December in each year to receive and consider the audited accounts and annual balance sheet prepared by the Treasurer, to appoint officers and to fill vacancies on the Committee and to decide on any proposal(s) submitted by the Committee or by an Ordinary or Honorary member.
The financial year shall be from 1st January to 31st December (inclusive).
All proposals for consideration at the A.G.M. must be signed by the proposer and seconder and submitted in writing to the Secretary, not less than Fourteen (14) days prior to the A.G.M..
The Committee reserve the authority to refute any proposal which, in their opinion, may cause any serious detriment to the Club, it’s structure or it’s members
The quorum at any Committee meeting shall be four (4).
11. PROCEDURE
Ten (10) members ( not including temporary members ) shall form a quorum at any G.M..
At every G.M., the Chairman, or in his absence, a member elected by the members present, shall take the Chair. All Ordinary and Honorary members present shall be entitled to vote and, in the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
The business on the agenda sheet shall take precedence. When it is finished, other business may be transacted by permission of the Chairman.
If a first amendment is made upon an original motion, no second amendment will be taken into consideration until the first be disposed.
If the amendment is carried, it displaces the original motion and itself becomes the motion, whereupon any further amendment may be moved.
If the first amendment be negative, then a second may be moved, but only one amendment shall be discussed at a time.
All questions shall be decided by a show of hands –MAJORITY VOTE.
Business to be conducted within the foregoing framework, with the Chairman’s decision absolute and final.
Any business under discussion may be passed to the Committee, provided it is by majority vote.
The ruling of the Chairman upon points of order shall be absolute and with no right of appeal.
Any matter which arises between meetings and does, in the opinion of the Secretary, require immediate attention, can be discussed by the Committee and any action taken shall be considered final.
12. EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS
The Secretary may, at any time, if he considers circumstances warrant, call an emergency meeting.
An Extraordinary Meeting may be called at the request of a two-thirds majority of members present at any monthly meeting.
13. INDEMNITY
The Officers of the Club, being the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer or any member of the Committee so authorised by the Committee shall not incur any personal liability for any duties properly carried out on behalf of the Club, and any Officer so acting shall be entitled to be indemnified from Club assets.
14. . MANAGEMENT
The management of the Club shall be vested in the Committee (except as otherwise provided by these rules).
15. INTERPRETATION
The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the Club rules and Byelaws, and the decision of the Committee upon any question of interpretation, or any matter affecting the Club not provided for by the rules or Byelaws, shall be final and binding on the members.
In the Club rules and Byelaws, where the context permits, words importing the masculine shall include the feminine, and words importing the singular shall include the plural, and vice-versa.
The headings to these rules are for ease of reference only and are not to be taken into account in their interpretation.
16. RULES
The Rules are set out in the Appendix to the constitution and any Rules made under paragraph 19.2 of this rule shall be binding upon the Members until repealed by the Committee, or by a resolution of a General Meeting, subject to any amendment made under paragraph 19.2 of this rule.
The Committee shall from time to time make, repeal or amend all such byelaws as they deem expedient (provided that they shall not be inconsistent with these rules) to take effect unless set aside at a General Meeting.
17. DISSOLUTION OF CLUB
If, at any General Meeting a resolution for the dissolution of the Club is passed by a majority of the Members present and at a Special General Meeting held not less than six (6) weeks later (of which not less than four (4) weeks written notice has been given to each Member) and at which not less than one-half of the Members are present, that resolution is confirmed by a resolution passed by a majority of two-thirds of the Members voting on it, the Committee must immediately, or at such future date as is specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the property of the Club and, after the discharge of all liabilities, must divide such property equally in proportion to the amount each Ordinary Member has paid in subscription among all the Ordinary Members and, on the completion of the division, the Club will be dissolved.
18. AMENDMENT OF RULES
These Rules may be added to, repealed or amended by a resolution passed at any Annual or Special General Meeting by a majority vote of the Ordinary and Honorary Members voting on it.
19. MILNROW SEA ANGLERS CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
As an angling club we have a duty of care to safeguard all of our junior members, young people and vulnerable adults from harm. All young people have the right to protection from abuse. It is the intent of the Milnrow Sea Anglers to create a safe environment in which to have fun, learn and develop, and will seek to ensure this by adopting, using and promoting the Child Protection Policy appended to this constitution.
20. ANTI DISCRIMINATION POLICY
The club has an active anti discrimination policy and does not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race, religious belief and / or culture or language, sexual identity or gender identity, age, appearance or disability.
21. The club shall affiliate to the Welsh Federation of Sea Anglers and take advantage of their Club Insurance
22. The club shall be an offshore member of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution RNLI