About Us /  Constitution

IZAAK WALTON ANGLING SOCIETY

(Worcester)

CONSTITUTION

1    TITLE

1.1  The Society shall be called the “Izaak Walton Angling Society”, hereafter referred to as “the Society” and shall be

     affiliated to those organisations agreed by the General Committee.

2  OBJECTS

2.1 To provide suitable angling venues for members of the Society.

3  MEMBERSHIP

    The following membership is available:

3.1 Senior Members (also referred to as Eligible Members))

    Application for Senior Membership is open to all who complete the Society’s application form.  Membership is

    completed by payment of the relevant subscription as determined by the General Committee.

3.2 Junior Members (non voting)

     Boys and girls who are under the age of eighteen on 1st January in the current year may be accepted as Junior

     members of the Society on payment of the appropriate annual subscription. To retain membership of the Society a

     full subscription becomes payable on the next 1st January after reaching the age of eighteen

3.3 Complimentary Members (non voting unless elected to the General Committee, then become Eligible Members)

     The General Committee may offer complimentary membership where they feel this is appropriate.

3.4 Honorary Life Members (also referred to as Eligible Members). The Annual General Meeting can offer Honorary Life

     Membership to up to four senior members in recognition of service to the Society.  No subscription shall be

     payable by Honorary Life Members.

4   EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

4.1  Members of the Society whose conduct is inappropriate or who decline to abide by any of the Rules or Bylaws

     may be expelled or suspended by a resolution passed at a meeting of the General Committee where the entrance

     fee and subscriptions may be forfeited.  Members shall have the right to appeal in person to the General

     Committee with regard to any decision affecting themselves, providing that notice of such appeal be submitted to

     the Honorary Secretary, in writing, within seven days of notification of the decision.

5   OFFICERS

     The Officers of the Society shall be as follows:

5.1  Non-Executive Officers (Honorary positions)

      President

      Vice Presidents (maximum 2)

5.2  Executive Officers

      Chairperson

      Honorary Secretary

      Honorary Treasurer

6    ELECTION OF OFFICERS

6.1  All Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, from, and by, the Eligible Members

     attending the meeting.

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    GENERAL COMMITTEE

7.1.1 The affairs of the Society shall be controlled by a General Committee comprising of the Executive Officers of the

      Society and up to sixteen other Members elected from, and by, the Eligible Members of the Society  attending the

      Annual General  Meeting.  The General Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than twice a year.

7.1.2 A quorum for the General Committee shall be 5 Eligible Members of which 2 must be Executive Officers.

7.2  The duties of the General Committee shall be:

7.2.1 To manage the affairs of the Society on behalf of the Members including appointing Trustees.

7.2.2 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Society through the Honorary Treasurer.  These should be

        available for reasonable inspection by Members and should be audited before every Annual General Meeting.

        The Society shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign Society

        cheques: the Chairperson; Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary, minimum 2 signatures required.

        To authorise the Honorary Treasurer to maintain appropriate investment accounts for surplus funds.

7.2.3 To co-opt additional members of the Committee as the Committee feels this is necessary.  Co-opted members

        shall not be entitled to vote on the Committee.

7.2.4 To review Society subscription rates, entrance fees and day ticket charges and agree them for the forthcoming

        year.

7.2.5 To review the Society’s Rules.

7.2.6 To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote.  In the case of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be

        entitled to an additional casting vote.

8      GENERAL MEETINGS (Annual or Special)

8.1    The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held not later than the end of March each year.  Reasonable

       written notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting by circulating a copy of the notice to

       every member at their home address.  Members must advise the Honorary Secretary in writing of any business to

       be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least by the end of December preceding the Meeting.

8.2   The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:

8.2.1  Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings held since the last

        Annual General Meeting.

8.2.2  Receive and approve the audited accounts for the year from the Honorary Treasurer.

8.2.3  Receive the annual report of the Committee.

8.2.4  Elect the Honorary Auditors.

8.2.5  Elect the Officers of the Society (refer to section 5), and other General Committee Members (refer to section

         7.1.1).

8.2.6 Transact such other business received in writing by the Honorary Secretary from Members in accordance with

         section 8.1 and included on the agenda.

8.2.7  Consider Any Other Business at the Chairman’s discretion.

8.3  Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee, or on receipt by the Honorary Secretary of

      a request in writing, from not less than 10 Senior Members of the Society.  Reasonable notice of the meeting shall

      be given.

8.4  Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made at the Annual General Meeting.  Nominations can

      only be made by an Eligible Member and must be seconded by another Eligible Member.

8.5At all General Meetings, the chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by Eligible Members attending the meeting.

8.6Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority vote from those Eligible Members attending the meeting.  In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

8.7A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 10 Eligible Members of which 2 must be Executive Officers.

8.8Each Eligible Member of the Society shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings.

9ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

9.1Any proposed alterations to the Society’s 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 an eligible Member and seconded by another eligible Member. Such alterations shall be passed by a simple majority of those eligible Members present at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.

10DISSOLUTION

10.1If at any General Meeting of the Society, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Society, the Honorary Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Society to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.

10.2If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the eligible Members present at the meeting, the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Society and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Society.

10.3After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Society, the remaining assets shall not be distributed amongst the Members of the Society but shall be given to some other organisation having objects similar to those of the Society.