BRITISH SPEARFISHING ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

2003

  1. NAME

    1. The association shall be called the British Spearfishing Association, (B.S.A.)

     

  2. THE ASSOCIATION

    1. The B.S.A. is the official association within United the kingdom to represent the sporting activity of spearfishing.

  3. THE AIM

    1. B. S. A. is a non-profit making organisation of strictly civil nature.

    2. The aim of the association is to support anti pollution legislation, and to observe conservation of fish species in a good and realistic manner.

    3. To discourage others from catching or taking from the sea undersized or restricted species.

    4. To discourage the taking of fish by foul means this to include artificial breathing aids.

    5. To encourage and develop the sport of spearfishing.

  4. OBJECTIVES

    1. To have competitions for all classes and age groups and decide annually on British Champions for classes as agreed.

    2. To coach and develop a national squad for international competitions

    3. To encourage clubs and internal competition

  5. RECOGNITION

    1. To continue being founder members of British Under Water Association (B.U.S.A.) and actively participate at Committee level.

    2. To be affiliated to C.M.A.S. the world underwater federation.

  6. PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY

    1. To establish information, reports and writings to publicise and inform others of spearfishing and its happenings.

    2. To establish and maintain good public relations towards other users of the sea professional and sporting.

    3. To communicate and co-operate with authorities dealing with the environment within the sea with particular reference to fish.

  7. INSURANCE

    1. Members are covered by third party insurance.

  8. MEMBERSHIP

    1. The membership is to be open to all interested in spearfishing.

    2. All persons less than fourteen years of age being thirteen shall be not eligible for membership.

    3. Any person who wishes to become a member must pay an annual subscription and will not be entitle to insurance cover or any lottery winnings until the date the membership officer receive subscription payment.

    4. The committee may refuse membership without explanation.

    5. Types of membership

      1. Senior member competes in national championships, covered by

        2. insurance and lottery.

      2. Junior member competes in national championship, covered by

        3. insurance and lottery.

      3. Associate member covered by lottery

      4. Honorary member competes in national championship, covered by

        5. insurance and lottery.

      5. One day member competes in one day national, covered by

        6. Insurance for the day.

      6. Safety Boatmen covered by insurance for the day.

     

  9. SUBSCRIPTION

    1. The annual subscription shall be £15.00 for senior competitors, £9.00 for junior competitors, £6.00 for associate members, no fee for honorary members. Subscription shall be due on joining the association and thereafter on the 14th of January each year.

    2. The annual subscription fee shall be determined from time to time by the committee.

  10. RESIGNATION

    1. A member shall cease to be a member if he or she gives written notice to the secretary of his resignation; subscription shall not be refundable.

  11. EXPULSION

    1. The committee shall have power to expel a member when, in their opinion, it would not be in the interests of the association for him to remain a member. A member shall not be expelled unless he is given (14) days notice to attend a meeting of the committee and written details of the complaint made against him.

    2. The member shall be given an opportunity to appear before the committee to answer complaints made against him and not be expelled unless at least two thirds of the committee then present vote in favour of his expulsion.

  12. COMMITTEE

    13.

    1. The committee shall consist of the Chairman, Vice-chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership secretary, Records office, Team manager, Newsletter magazine editor, and elected general members.

    2. OFFICERS DUTIES

      3. Chairman:

      To chair all meetings of the association, except any sub committee.

      To respond to any correspondence in a reasonable time.

      Represent the B.S.A. at B.U.S.A. meetings.

      Delegate any action he deems necessary.

      Reprimand any committee member for neglect of duty.

      Edit all correspondence representing the association.

      Vice-chairman

      Support Chairman.

      Chair meetings, in the Chairman’s absence.

      Affect any rule changes allowed by the constitution.

      Secretary:

      Take minutes of all association meetings.

      Send minutes and agenda to all committee officers, 7 days before committee

      meetings.

      Send minutes, agenda, and any proposed rule changes to membership 7 days before

      A.G. M.

      Treasurer:

      Provide membership at AGM with loss and profit sheet and balance sheet

      Provide committee up to day accounts

      Membership secretary:

      Keep records of all members

      Collect and keep records of all subscriptions and past on to Treasurer

      Inform record office and competition organisers of paid up members

      Records office:

      Keep records of all special catches including British Records

      Keep records of all total catches from competitions

      Keep records of all championships

      Update membership of championship progress, before next competition

      Team manager:

      Organise squad dives for top ten over 2 years

      Organise and manage British team for international competitions

      Select teams for international duty.

      TEAM SELECTION POLICY:

      The team manager or acting team manager, shall select any interested competitive members, who's last two years results put them in the top ten over that period, if due to lack of interest, selection may be extended to any interested members, all team selection must be verified by the B.S.A. COMMITTEE, any COMMITTEE MEMBER who has an interest in team selection, may not be eligible to vote except team manager or acting team manager.

      News letter magazine editor:

      To prepare and issue at least 2 Crystal Clear magazines a year

      General members:

      To support committee in any way possible.

       

    3. The committee members shall be proposed seconded and elected by vote at the annual general meeting each year and shall remain in office until their successors are elected at the next Annual General Meeting. Any vacancy occurring by resignation or otherwise may be filled by the committee.

    4. Committee meetings shall be held not less than once every three months and the quorum of that meeting shall be (four). The Chairman and the Secretary shall have discretion to call further meetings of the committee if they consider it to be in the interests of the association. The Secretary shall give all the members of committee not less than seven days written notice of a meeting. A simple majority shall make decisions of the committee and in the event of equality of votes the Chairman (or the acting Chairman of that meeting) shall have a casting or additional vote. The Secretary, or in his absence a member of the Committee, shall take minutes.

    5. In addition to the members so elected, the Committee may co-opt up to two further members of the association who shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting. Co-opted members shall be entitled to vote at the meetings of the Committee.

    6. The Committee may from time to time appoint from among their number such sub -committees as they may consider necessary and may delegate to them such of the powers and duties of the Committee as the Committee may determine. All sub-committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Committee.

    7. The Committee shall be responsible for the management of the Association and shall have sole right of appointing and determining the terms and conditions of service of employees of the association. The Committee shall have power to enter into contracts for the purposes of the Association on behalf of all the members of the Association.

    8. The members of the Committee shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the assets of the Association for all expenses and other liabilities properly incurred by them in the management of the affairs of the Association.

  13. HONORARY AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

    1. The Annual General Meeting if it thinks fit, may elect a President and vice-president. A President or vice-president need not be a member of the association and on election shall be an honorary member of the Association.

    2. The Committee may elect any person as an honorary member of the Association for such period as they think fit and they shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership except that they shall not be entitled to vote at meetings and serve on the Committee

    3. Associate members are not allowed to compete in national competitions unless they pay the difference to become a competitive member before entering. And are not covered by the Associations Insurance.

  14. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

    1. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held no later than November to transact the following business.

      1. Agree that last years minutes are a true record.

      2. Any correspondence.

      3. Officers reports.

      4. To receive and consider the accounts

      5. Election of officers

      6. To decide on any motions which may be duly submitted in accordance with rule 15 b)

      7. Proposals for competition venues dates and back up dates

      8. Any other business

    2. Notice of any motions proposed and seconded to be moved at the Annual General Meeting shall be given to Secretary not less than 14 days before the meeting.

    3. Any motions not carried at General Meeting may not be proposed again for a period of thirteen months of any further General Meetings.

    4. Only competitive members who attend General Meetings may vote on motions.

    5. Any motions affecting competition rules at an Annual or Special Meetings shall be made by a simple majority of members present and in the event of equality of votes the Chairman (or the acting Chairman of the meeting) shall have a casting or additional vote. The Secretary, or in his absence, a member of the Committee, shall take minutes at the General Meeting.

    6. Any motions affecting constitution at an Annual or Special Meeting must be carried by a majority of at least {two- thirds} of members present at the General Meeting.

     

     

  15. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

    1. The Committee may call a Special General Meeting at any time. And Special General Meeting shall be called within {28} days of receipt by the Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by not less than {one third} of membership, stating the purposes for which the meeting is required and their motions proposed.

    2. The secretary shall send to each member (at his last known address) written notice of the date of the General Meeting together with the motions to be proposed there, at least {14} days before the meeting

    3. The quorum for the annual and special General Meeting shall be {one quarter} of the membership.

  16. BYE LAWS

    17. The Committee shall have power to make, repeal and amend such bye-laws as they may from time to time consider necessary for the well being of the association, which bye-laws, repeals and amendments shall effect until set aside by the Committee or at a General Meeting.

  17. FINANCE

    1. All moneys payable to the Association shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in a bank account in the name of the Association. No sum shall be drawn from that account except by cheque signed by two of the three signatories that shall be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Any moneys not required for immediate use may be invested as the Committee in their discretion thinks fit.

    2. The income and property of the Association shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Association and no part thereof shall be paid by way of bonus, dividend or profit to any members of the Association, save as set in Rule 20 c).

    3. The Committee shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any officer, member or employee of the Association and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Association.

    4. The financial transactions of the Association shall be recorded in such manner as the Committee thinks fit by the Treasurer.

  18. BORROWING

    1. The Committee may borrow money on behalf of the Association for the purposes of the Association from time to time at their own discretion for the general upkeep of the Association or with the sanction of General Meeting for any other expenditure, additions or improvements.

    2. When so borrowing the Committee shall have power to raise in any way any sum or sums of money and to raise and secure the repayment of any sum or sums of money in such manner or on such terms and conditions as they think fit, and in particular by mortgage of or charge upon or by the issues of debentures charged upon all or any part of the property of the Association.

    3. The Committee shall have no power to pledge the personal liability of any member of the Association for the repayment of any sums so borrowed.

    4. The Custodians shall at the discretion of the Committee, make such dispositions of the Association, property or any part thereof, and enter into and execute such agreements and instruments in relation thereto as the Committee may deem proper for giving security for such monies and the interest payable thereon.

  19. PROPERTY

    1. The property of the Association, other than cash at the bank, shall be vested in not more than four Custodians. They shall deal with the property as directed by resolution of the Committee and entry in the minute book shall be conclusive evidence of such a resolution.

    2. The Custodians shall be elected at a General Meeting of the Association and shall hold office until death or resignation unless removed by a resolution passed at a General Meeting.

    3. The Custodians shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the property of the Association for all expenses and other liabilities properly incurred by them in the discharge of their duties.

  20. DISSOLUTION

    1. A motion to dissolve the Association shall only be proposed at a Special general meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least [three-quarters] of the members present.

    2. The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Committee shall be responsible for the winding-up of the assets and liabilities of the Association.

    3. Any property remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Association shall be divided equally among the members of the Association at the date of dissolution.

     

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