1. TITLE
1.1 The Club shall be called The Sowerby Angling Society (‘the Society’).
2. OBJECTS
2.1 To foster and promote the sport of angling providing opportunities for recreation for its Members and guests.
2.2 To conserve and enhance the natural environment of the waters controlled by the Society.
3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1 The following are eligible for membership:
3.1.1 Application for membership of the Society shall be open to any person completing a membership application. All applications will be discussed and approved or otherwise at the Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’).
3.2 There shall be three classes of membership available. These are:
3.2.1 Full Member;
3.2.2 Honorary Member;
3.2.3 Concessionary Members (juniors under 16, seniors 65 and over and registered disabled members).
3.3 The maximum number of Full Members shall be 40 or such other number as the AGM may from time to time determine.
3.4 If a Member wishes to resign, notice must be given to the Secretary at or before the AGM. If notice is received after the AGM the member is liable for payment of the annual subscription for the following year.
3.5 Only Full and Honorary Members shall have voting rights; Junior Members may contribute to meetings but shall not vote.
4. EXPULSION
4.1 Any Member of the Society whose conduct is inappropriate or who is in serious or persistent breach of the Society Rules may be expelled or suspended by a resolution passed at a meeting of the AGM; following a resolution to expel or suspend, the Member’s entrance fee and subscriptions may be forfeited.
5. OFFICERS
5.1 The Officers of the Society shall be as follows:
(a) Chairman
(b) Secretary
(c) Treasurer
6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
6.1 All Officers shall be elected at the AGM from and by the Members of the Society.
6.2 All Officers are elected for a period of one year, but may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year.
7. COMMITTEE
7.1 The affairs of the Society shall be controlled by a Committee comprising the Officers of the Society and up to seven (and no fewer than three) other Members elected from and by the Members of the Society at the AGM. The Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than once per year.
7.2 The duties of the Committee shall be:
7.2.1 To control the affairs of the Society on behalf of the Members.
7.2.2 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Society through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members. The Society shall maintain a bank current account and the following officers shall be authorised to sign Society cheques: Treasurer and Chairman.
7.2.3 To co-opt such additional members on the Committee as the Committee considers necessary. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Committee.
7.2.4 To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chairman shall be entitled to an additional or casting vote.
7.3 The quorum of the Committee shall be three.
7.4 In the absence of the Chairman a temporary Chairman shall be appointed at a meeting of the Committee. Such temporary Chairman shall be entitled to an additional or casting vote.
8. GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1 The AGM of the Society shall be held not later than the end of March each year. 21 clear days written notice shall be given to Members of the AGM by circulating a copy of the notice to every Member.
8.2 The business of the AGM shall be to:
8.2.1 Confirm the minutes of the previous AGM and any General Meetings held since the last AGM Meeting.
8.2.2 Receive the accounts for the year from the Treasurer.
8.2.3 Receive the annual report of the Committee from the Secretary.
8.2.4 Elect the Officers and Committee Members of the Society.
8.2.5 Review Society subscription rates and agree them for the forthcoming year.
8.2.6 Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members seven days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.
8.3 Special General Meetings may be convened by the Committee, or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing, from at least ten Members of the Society. At least 14 days notice of the meeting shall be given.
8.4 Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made at the AGM and must be seconded by another Member. Nominations can only be made by Members and must be seconded by another Member.
8.5 At all General Meetings, the chair will be taken by the Chairman or, in his/her absence, by a deputy appointed by the Society or by Members attending the meeting.
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 Chairman shall be entitled to an additional or casting vote.
8.7 A quorum for a Meeting of the Society shall be four Members and three Officers of the Society.
8.8 Subject to Rule 3.5 and 8.6, each Member of the Society shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings.
9. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
9.1 Any proposed alterations to this 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 Society 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. DISSOLUTION
10.1 If at any General Meeting of the Society, a resolution is passed calling for the dissolution of the Society, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
10.2 If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the Members present at the meeting, the Committee shall as soon as reasonably possible proceed to realise the assets of the Society and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Society.
10.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Society, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Members of the Society, but shall be given or transferred to some other voluntary organisation having objects similar to those of the Society.
11. RULES
11.1 The Society shall establish and maintain a set of rules (‘the Rules’) which shall apply to all Members and guests. Every Member is bound by the Rules and may be subject to disciplinary action or expulsion under clause 4 of the Constitution if a breach of the Rules occurs.
11.2 The Rules may only be amended at the AGM and shall be subject to periodic review by the Committee who shall make recommendations to the AGM following such review (including a recommendation that the Rules shall remain unchanged).
12. GENERAL
12.1 The Society may subscribe to organisations whose objectives complement the Society’s objects. Any decision to subscribe to such an organisation shall only be taken at the AGM.
12.2 Notices may be served personally, by post or electronically.
12.3 The Committee’s interpretation of the Constitution and Rules is final.
This Constitution was approved by a Resolution of the Society on 4th May 2011.
Sowerby Angling Society 