Constitution

1. Affiliation
   The Club shall be affiliated to the Angling Trust, the Trout and Salmon Association and/or such other similar clubs, associations and societies as the Club’s committee referred to in clause 7.1 (the “Committee”) may from time to time decide.
2. Aims and Objectives
   2.1 The Club is an unincorporated, not-for-profit association
   2.2 The aims and objectives of the Club are:
   2.2.1 to provide facilities to its members including the organisation and provision of angling;
   2.2.2 to promote the Club and angling within the local community;
   2.2.3 to ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club;
   2.2.4 to provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone; and
   2.2.5 to promote such other non-political, sporting, social and recreational activities as the Committee may from time to time decide.
3. Trustees
   3.1 There shall at all times be not less than two but not more than three trustees of the Club (the “Trustees”)
   3.2 The Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removed from office by a simple majority resolution of the Committee
   3.3 Where, by reason of any such death, resignation or removal, it shall be deemed expedient to appoint an additional Trustee or Trustees, the Committee, at their sole discretion, shall by a simple majority resolution nominate the person or persons to be appointed as the new Trustee or Trustees.
   3.4 All property and assets of the Club are vested in the Trustees for and on behalf of the Club’s members from time to time, to be dealt with by the Trustees in such manner as the Committee may from time to time decide.
   3.5 The Trustees shall be indemnified by the Club against any liabilities, costs and expenses arising in connection with the vesting in the Trustees of the Club’s property and assets
   3.6 The Committee shall be authorised to borrow for the purposes of the Club any such amount of money, either at one time or from time to time, and at such rate of interest and in such form and manner and upon such security being given, as the Committee may from time to time decide.
   3.7 The Trustees shall at the direction of the Committee make all such dispositions of the Club’s property and assets or any part thereof and enter into such agreements in relation thereto as the Committee may from time to time decide.
4. Membership & Fees
   4.1 All applicants to membership of the club are expected to be responsible persons of good standing.
   4.2 Club membership is open to all those interested in promoting, volunteering or participating in angling, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, secual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
   4.3 The Club’s membership shall consist of the following categories:
   4.3.1 Adult Membership: open to those aged 18 or over when joining the Club or renewing their annual subscription.
   4.3.2 Joint Membership: open to spouses/partners aged 18 or over when joining the Club or renewing their annual subscription. Any existing member can take advantage of Joint Membership without having to pay another entrance fee. New members will pay a joint entrance fee and annual subscription.
   4.3.3 Junior Membership: open to those between 12 and 17 (inclusive) years of age when joining the Club or renewing their annual subscription. Under 12’s are free when accompanied by an adult member.
   4.3.4 Senior Citizen/Disabled Membership: open to those who are senior citizens or disabled (on production of satisfactory documentary evidence) when joining the Club or renewing their annual subscription.
   4.3.5 Honorary and Life Honorary Membership: Life Honorary members may be elected by the Committee at their sole discretion. Honorary Members may be elected for one year or such other period as may be determined by the Committee at their sole discretion.
   4.4 All members aged 12 or over must be in possession of a current Environment Agency Licence and must carry their licence when fishing the Club’s waters at all times.
   4.5 The annual subscription for Club membership shall be such sum the Committee, in their sole discretion, shall determine on an annual basis to be necessary for the proper running of the Club.
   4.6 Applications for membership or the renewal of existing memberships shall be accompanied by the fee appropriate to the class of membership required.
   4.7 Membership renewals shall be payable on or before 1 April in each year. After this date the appropriate entrance fee will be required.
   4.8 All members will be subject to the rules of this Constitution and, by joining the Club, will be deemed to accept the rules of this Constitution and such other rules, regulations and/or codes of practice as the Committee shall publish from time to time.
   4.9 The Committee reserves the right at all times to refuse or rescind membership.
5. Expulsion
   5.1 The Committee may expel from the Club any member for conduct which, in their opinion, is injurious or tends to be injurious to the interests of the Club, its objects, its members and/or angling in general.
   5.2 Before expelling a member the Committee shall enquire into his or her conduct and the member shall be given a reasonable opportunity to defend or justify himself/herself, either in writing or by appearing before the Committee, as he/she shall elect.
   5.3 The Committee’s power to expel a member shall be on a simple majority vote of those present at the enquiry. An expelled member shall forfeit all rights and privileges of Club membership.
6. Sports Equity
   6.1 This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity: “Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.”
   6.2 The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.
   6.3 The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.
   6.4 All Club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.
   6.5 The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to Club disciplinary procedures.
7. Management
   7.1 The management of the Club shall be conducted by a committee (the “Committee”) which shall consist of the Trustees together with up to [8] adult members (the “Officers”) as selected by the Committee from time to time.
   7.2 The Committee shall be responsible for all aspects of the management and operation of the Club and for the adoption of all policies, codes of practice, rules and procedures that affect the Club and its members.
   7.3 The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the Club’s Constitution. The decision of the Committee on any question of interpretation or of any other matter affecting the Club shall be final and binding on all members.
   7.4 All Officers must be members of the Club of at least [3] years’ standing; their term of office shall be for [one] year[s] and they shall be eligible for re-election by the Committee at its sole discretion.
   7.5 If the post of any Officer becomes vacant, the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy at their sole discretion.
   7.6 Officers cannot be trustees, committee members and/or officers of any other angling club.
   7.7 In respect of each Committee meeting, the Committee shall have power to co-opt any advisers and up to [two] adult members to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business. Co-opted members shall have no right to vote at Committee meetings.
   7.8 Committee meetings will be convened and held not less than once a month on at least [10] months per year.
   7.9 The Committee shall elect a Chairman, who shall have a casting vote at Committee meetings.
   7.10 The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings shall be [six] (not including co-opted members).
   7.11 The Trustees and Officers shall be remunerated in return for their services to the Club on an annual basis at such rates and on such basis as the Committee shall agree from time to time. Such remuneration shall be in addition to and separate from the reimbursement of expenses incurred by the Trustees and Officers on behalf of the Club, as agreed by the Committee from time to time.
8. Finances
   8.1 The financial year of the Club will run from 1 November and end on 31 October in each year.
   8.2 All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the Club.
   8.3 Any cheques drawn against Club funds should hold the signatures of two Trustees or Officers approved by the Committee from time to time.
9. Amendments to the Constitution
   The Constitution shall only be amended through agreement by the Committee at their sole discretion.
10. Site and Angling Rules
    10.1 The attention of all members is drawn to:
    10.1.1 the Site Rules, which apply to each water individually, which can found in the Club’s Waters Book, under the name of each water quoted; and
    10.1.2 the Angling Rules which can be found on Club membership cards.
    10.2 All members shall be bound by the Site Rules and the Angling Rules.
11. Discipline and Appeals
    11.1 The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the Constitution.
    11.2 All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Committee.
    11.3 The Committee will meet to hear complaints within 90 days of a complaint being lodged. The Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action, including the termination of membership, as it shall in its sole discretion decide.
    11.4 The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 30 days of the hearing.
    11.5 Before his/her membership is terminated, the member shall have:
    11.5.1 the right to defend himself/herself before the Committee, either in person or in writing; and
    11.5.2 the right to appeal the Committee’s decision to the Chairman.
12. Dissolution
    12.1 A resolution to wind-up or dissolve the Club can only be passed by the Committee at their sole discretion.
    12.2 On the winding-up or dissolution of the Club, after provision has been made for all its debts and liabilities, any assets or property that remains available to be distributed or paid, shall not be paid or distributed to the Club’s members but shall instead be transferred to another body (charitable or otherwise) with objects similar to those of the Club. Such body shall be determined by a resolution of the Committee, at its sole discretion, at or before the time of winding-up or dissolution.