CONSTITUTION OF THE READING AND DISTRICT ANGLING ASSOCIATION
1. The Association shall be called the Reading & District Angling Association (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”.
2. The object of the Association shall be to promote the amateur sport of angling amongst its members in the Reading & District area by providing and maintaining fisheries and related social and other facilities. Further, to make Rules and implement them for the benefit of its
members.
3. Membership of the Association shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
The Association may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The Association will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
The Association may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Association or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to a meeting of the Executive Council.
Membership of the Association is divided into two different classes and shall consist of the following groups:
(a) Full Members (b) Honorary Life Members .
4. The Association, being a voluntary organisation shall not operate for the profit of its members; and there shall be no distribution of assets, funds or surpluses to members or other persons during the existence of the Association. All surplus income or profits are re-invested in the
Association.
5. The Association shall not be dissolved so long as 50 members remain and then only by an Extraordinary General Meeting of members called by the Executive Council.
6. The Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer from time to time shall be deemed the Trustees of the Association, be appointed by deed, and operate under the provisions of the Trustees Acts.
7. The Trustees shall sign all papers in connection with the legal requirements of the Association and shall hold all fisheries and properties in trust for the benefit of the Association.
8. The Executive Council shall consist of the Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, and the Fisheries Officer together with twelve other members of which at least four should be a member of an Affiliated Club. The findings of the Executive Council on all matters shall be final
and binding on all members. The Executive Council shall delegate the day to day running of the Association to the Management Committee, consisting of the Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer and Fisheries Officer. The Management Committee shall have full executive powers, shall control the day to day running of the Association and shall be responsible for making strategic decisions affecting the Association.
Constitution and General Rules and Standing Orders
1. Name: The name of the Association shall be the Reading and District Angling Association, hereinafter referred to as the Association.
9. Objects: The objects of the Association shall be to promote the amateur sport of angling amongst its members in the Reading & District area by providing and maintaining fisheries and related social and other facilities. Further to make rules and implement them for the benefit of its members.
10. Membership: Membership of the Association shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. The Association may have different classes of membership and subscription
on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The Association will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people
participating. The Association may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Association or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to a meeting of the Executive Council.
(a) Membership of the Association is divided into different classes and shall consist
of the following groups:
(a) Full Members
(b) Honorary Life Members.
(b) Junior. OAP & RDP Members: A member who has not attained the age of 17 years on or before the 16 June, shall be considered a Junior member, and need not purchase a Senior member’s permit until the following season. An ‘OAP’ member shall be 65 years or more on that same date; an ‘RDP’ member is one who is a registered disabled person and is in receipt of either invalidity benefit or severe disability allowance.
(c) Honorary Life Members: A member who has been accepted by the Executive Council for outstanding services to the Association. Any one serving nine years as an Officer of this Association shall automatically become an Honorary Life Member
11. (d) Appointment of Trustees: The Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer from time to time shall be deemed to have been nominated as Trustees of the Association. Upon the resignation or removal of the Chairman, General Secretary or Treasurer from their respective offices in the Association, they shall be deemed to have resigned or been removed as such Trustee. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination
the Chairman is nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Association within the meaning of the Trustees Act 1925, Section 36, and he shall by deed appoint the person or persons so nominated as the new Trustee or Trustees of the Association and the provisions of the Trustees Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such deed of appointment shall, in favour of a person dealing bona fide and to the value of the Association or the Executive Council, be conclusive evidence of facts so stated. The Association shall indemnify and keep indemnified each of the Trustees, other officers of the Association and the members acting properly in the course of running the Association, from and against any liability howsoever incurred in the proper. Running of the Association, except for willful wrongdoing or fraud on the part of the relevant Trustee, officer of the Association or member.
12. (a) Executive Council: The Executive Council shall consist of the Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer and the Fisheries Officer plus a further 12 members at least of which four should be a member of an Affiliated Club The findings of the Executive Council on all matters shall be final and binding on all members. The Executive Council shall meet on a monthly basis (normally the second Monday in each month) and the quorum for a meeting of the Executive Council shall be one half of the total of Executive Council members, excluding the Chairman.
The Executive Council shall delegate the day to day running of the Association to the Management Committee, consisting of the Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer and the Fisheries Officer. The Management Committee shall have full executive powers, shall control the day to day running of the Association, and shall be responsible for strategic decisions affecting the Association. The Management Committee shall report to the Executive Council at the monthly meeting of the Executive Council.
(c) Election of Officers and Members of the Executive Council: All Officers and members of the Executive Council shall hold office for a term of three years. Elections for vacant seats shall be held at every A.G.M. Nominations for these positions when they become vacant will be advertised on the Association’s website and in the monthly Information Sheet Should any Executive Council member miss
three consecutive meetings without reasonable cause their membership of the Executive Council shall be decided by the Executive Council. The Executive Council shall have full power to co-opt members to fill vacancies or for any other purpose they deem necessary.
13. Officers’ Duties:
Chairman: To conduct all meetings with control, see that the business on the agenda is carried out and provide fair time for discussion on all points. In the event of a tie on the proposition to give a casting vote. The Chairman can terminate all discussions when in his opinion a reasonable time has elapsed.
Vice Chairman: Shall be elected by the Executive Council to take over the responsibilities of
the Chairman in his absence. General Secretary: To deal with correspondence and all general business. To call all Executive Council, Delegates’ and General meetings and to provide agendas for same. To report to the Executive Council, Delegates’ meeting and to affiliated clubs through the Monthly Information Sheet.
Treasurer: To receive and disburse all monies on behalf of the Association. To issue season and guest permits. To keep such books and accounts as may be required, submit them annually for audit and to provide a Trading statement to the A.G.M. Auditors shall be announced in the October Information Sheet meeting. Match Secretary: To make all arrangements necessary for matches as agreed by the Executive Council. To keep records of matches, entrants and entry fees received and specimen fish weighed in. To report to the Executive Council, Delegates’ meeting and through the Monthly Information Sheet.
Fisheries Officer: To prepare an annual appraisal of work requirements for the upkeep of the Association fisheries and property. To recruit and control a select body of members and to do, or have done, such necessary training as to enable this group to undertake skilled fisheries work or the supervision of other work groups. To report to the Executive Council, and through the monthly Information Sheet.
Minutes Secretary: To keep minutes of all meetings in record form and to present same to the Chairman for signature. To work with other Officers on aspects of the general correspondence in reference to the business of the Association.
Trustees: To sign all papers in connection with the legal requirements of the Association and to hold all fisheries and property in trust for the membership. Should any further posts be created the duties of those officers shall be laid down by the Executive Council.
14. Finance: The Financial Year of the Association shall end on 31 December.
15. Dissolution: The Association shall not be dissolved so long as 50 members remain and then only by an Extraordinary General Meeting of members called by the Executive Council. At least 21 days notice of this meeting will be given and at which not less than three quarters of
those voting, support that proposal. The Management Committee shall then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Association’s affairs and settling all liabilities of the Association. The Executive Council shall authorise that the net assets remaining shall be given or transferred to another registered CASC, a registered charity or the sport’s governing body for use by them for related community
sports.
16. Information:
Meetings: The Annual General Meeting being held on the first available Monday in March and be advertised on the Association’s website. Members may raise discussions on any issue by submitting details to the General Secretary one month in advance of the meeting. Notice
of intending to attend must be given to the General Secretary at least twenty eight days before the meeting.
The business of the AGM will be to receive the following:
(a) The Minutes of the last A.G.M. as previously circulated to members for approval
(b) General Secretary’s Report
(c) Fisheries Officer’s Report
(d) Treasurer’s Report
(e) Auditor’s Report
(f) Match Secretary’s Report
(g) Election of Officers and Executive Council Members
(h) Voting on resolutions and amendments.
Nominations for vacancies on the Executive Council must be in the hands of the General Secretary prior to the second Monday in February.
Standing Orders:
(a) The Chair shall be taken at the time and the place stated on the notice convening the meeting.
(b) The business on the agenda shall take precedent; when completed other business shall be taken, time permitting.
(c) Members must confine their remarks to the subject under discussion. The ruling of the Chairman shall be final and without appeal.
(d) Except for Executive Council resolutions no motion shall be discussed unless seconded.
(e) When a proposition has been made and seconded, the proposer shall be the first to speak followed by the seconder, and then general discussion shall be allowed, the proposer shall wind up the debate.
(f) If the amendment is carried it shall displace the original proposal and become the proposition, whereupon any further amendments may be moved. Monthly Information: In order to keep members fully informed, a Monthly Information Sheet will be compiled each month following the Association’s Executive Council meeting (normally the second Monday in each month), this will be displayed on the website. The contents will consist of reports from the General Secretary, Match Secretary and Fisheries Officer and be of a factual nature.
10 Club affiliation: Any Angling Club or Angling Section of a bona fide Sports or Social Club can apply for Affiliation. This must be in writing and will be decided by the Executive Council. Their decision will be final.
Affiliated Clubs: Clubs affiliated to the Association are permitted to sell RDAA permits and are also entitled to match booking on Association controlled waters, provided that, participants in such matches are in possession of a valid association permit or day ticket.
(i) Permit Sales: Affiliated Clubs will have the right to sell RDAA Permits but must request quantities and pay for them by 1 st June. The numbers should be based on their previous year’s sales. Any unsold and returned by 1 st September will be refunded. The names and details of each recipient must be provided to the Association for the Permit to be valid.
(ii) Match Bookings: Each affiliated club shall be permitted a maximum number of= Sunday bookings per season as decided by the Executive Council. The Executive Council will have the power to remove this right if the numbers participating in matches drop below five and their judgement will be final.
(a) Affiliated clubs shall request dates and venues for matches on the form distributed by the due date, to the Water Booking Secretary for inclusion in the next season’s fixtures. The Water Booking Secretary shall have full discretion as to the allocation and venues, and, every effort will be made to render the dates required to clubs but these cannot be guaranteed. Matches on other days of the week may be booked on the application and granted at the discretion of the Executive Council.
(b) Affiliated clubs will be expected to visit their booked venue at least a week prior to the booking and carry out any necessary work by hand only. If they consider it to be too much for them then the Fisheries Officer must be notified at least one week before the booking. The Association has the right to sell match bookings to non-affiliated clubs at an agreed minimum price.
17. Rules: None of these rules foregoing and hereafter shall be altered, amended, rescinded or added to except at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting and then only by a 75% majority of the members present. Rules alterations will only take place every
three years commencing from 2019 Written notice of any motion to be moved at the A.G.M. shall be submitted by a member to the General secretary prior to the second Monday in November so that they may be published in the December Information Sheet, together with any motions to be tabled by the Executive Council.
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Executive Council of the Association by the General Secretary serving not less than fourteen days’ notice to the members These rules foregoing and hereafter will be binding for a period of three years from the date printed below before the above paragraph can be implemented except at the discretion of the Executive Council.
The Executive Council shall be the sole authority for interpretation of these rules and its decision on any point either within or outside of these rules, providing it affects the Association, shall be final and binding upon all members.