CONSTITUTION
NAME
1. The society shall be known as the Leighton Angling Society, herein after referred to as “The Society”.
OBJECTIVES
2. The objectives of the Society are to:
a. Promote the sport of angling.
b. Preserve wildlife.
c. Conserve the countryside.
d. Organise competitions.
3. Membership shall be open to all, but will be restricted to the limit stated within the terms of the Riparian Owner’s Licence. Members are expected at all times to conduct themselves in a sporting and responsible manner and to abide by the fishery rules and regulations of the society and those of the Environment Agency. Classes of membership are:
a. Full. Anyone, male or female, aged between 21 and 65 years.
b. Junior. Any child up to the age of 16 years on 1st January. Note that a full member must accompany Junior members on the Society’s waters at all times. Junior members are not entitled to vote at General Meetings – see paragraph 8 below.
c. Student. Anyone over the age of 16 years, but under 21 years on 1st January.
d. Pensioner. Anyone of 65 years of age, or more, on the 1st January, and previously having five years continuous membership.
e. Disabled. Anyone who is a Registered Disabled Person or is a Disabled Badge holder.
f. Life Member. Anyone nominated and approved by a General Meeting.
g. Honorary Member. An individual who, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, has provided specific meritorious services to the Society.
The Committee has the right to terminate membership of the society or to refuse any application for membership and will if requested specify the reason for doing so.
4. Membership fees shall be set each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) – see paragraph 8 below.
MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
5. An Executive Committee consisting of a Chairman, an Honorary Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer shall manage the Society. The Executive Committee may co-opt, as may be deemed necessary, up to three additional Temporary Executive members. The society may also elect a President who may be invited to attend committee meetings but shall not be eligible to vote.
6. Executive Officers shall be elected annually at the AGM.
7. Any member wishing to become an Executive Officer must have at least two years continuous membership and be nominated by another member to the Hon. Secretary, in writing, at least four weeks before an AGM. At the AGM a third member must second the nomination. If there is more than one nomination for the post, there shall be a vote by those members who are present and entitled to vote. If there is a tie, the Chairman shall have the casting vote. All potential Executive Officers must disclose any conflict of interest with the Society’s aims e.g. membership of anti-blood sports organisations, at the time of their nomination. Anyone elected who is later found not to have disclosed such information will be immediately removed from office and banned from the Society.
MEETINGS
8. There shall be two types of General Meeting:
a. Annual General Meeting. The AGM will normally be held in February each year and will be formally notified to all members by the Hon Secretary at least two weeks in advance.
b. Extraordinary General Meeting. The Executive Committee may also call an EGM at any time. EGMs will be used to deal with major and /or urgent Society business that cannot wait until an AGM.
9. The Executive Committee shall meet as frequently as deemed necessary, but in any event not less than once per annum. Minutes of such meetings will only be produced if a major decision, that would have to be put to the membership at a General Meeting, has to be made.
FINANCE
10. The Hon. Treasurer shall manage the Society’s finances. He/she shall ensure that the Society’s accounts are independently audited annually and that a formal report is presented to the AGM.
11. The financial year for the Society’s accounts shall run from 1st January to 31st December.
12. Honoraria. The Secretary/Treasurer of the Society plus the Match Secretary and Water Bailiffs shall receive honoraria. The AGM shall set the levels.
DISCIPLINE
13. Complaints. Any complaint from a member of the Society must be sent, in writing, to the Hon. Secretary who will notify the other Executive Officers. The matter will be dealt with by the Executive Officers, except where they consider that the membership should be consulted. It will then be dealt with at a General Meeting – see paragraph 8 above. The Hon. Secretary will notify the complainant in writing of the outcome. If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome he/she must lodge an appeal, in writing, within 4 weeks of receiving the outcome from the Hon. Secretary. The Executive Committee will consider the appeal and its decision shall be final.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
14. Amendments to this constitution can only be made at a General Meeting – see paragraph 8 above. Any proposed amendment must be put in writing to the Hon. Secretary at least 4 weeks before the General Meeting, or it will not be considered. For the proposed amendment to be adopted, at least 60% of the members present and entitled to vote must be in favour.
DISSOLUTION – DISPOSAL OF FUNDS
15. If, for reasons beyond the Society’s control, the Society needs to be dissolved, the membership shall be informed at a General Meeting – see paragraph 8 above. Any remaining Society funds at the time of dissolution shall be equally distributed among the then members of the Society.
Approved at the Annual General Meeting of 26th February 2005.