Keswick Anglers Association Constitution 2025
- Title
1.1 The Association shall be called Keswick Anglers Association and shall be affiliated to the “The Angling Trust”
- Objects
2.1 To foster and promote the sport of Fishing at all levels, providing opportunities for recreation and competition.
- Membership
3.1 The membership shall consist of Local Members, Country Members, Concessionary Members, Youth Members, Junior Members, Honorary Members and Temporary Members.
3.1.1 Local Members who reside within an 8 mile radius of Keswick Town Centre.
3.1.2 Country Members who reside outside an 8 mile radius of Keswick Town Centre.
3.1.3 Concessionary Members who must be 65 years and over.
3.1.4 Youth Members between 12 and 21 years old.
3.1.5 Country Youth Members who reside outside an 8 mile radius of Keswick Town Centre.
3.1.6 Junior Members under 12 years old.
3.1.7 Honorary Member who are honoured by the Association.
3.1.8 Temporary Members who are members with no voting rights whilst they hold a visitor permit.
3.2 The Committee shall have the right to refuse membership without any explanation.
- Expulsion Of Members
4.1 Members of the Association 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 Committee where their subscriptions may be forfeited. Members shall have the right to appeal in person to the Committee with regard to any decision affecting themselves, provided that notice of such appeal be submitted to the Secretary, in writing, within seven days of notification of the decision.
- Officers
5.1 Management of the Association shall be carried out by the Committee. Officers of the Association shall be as follows:
◦ President – Non-Executive Officer
◦ Chairperson
◦ Vice Chairperson
◦ Treasurer
◦ Secretary
◦ Membership Secretary
◦ Bailiff
- Election Of Officers
6.1 All Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association from and by the Members of the Association.
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.
- General Committee
7.1 The affairs of the Association shall be controlled by the Committee comprising of the elected Officers and up to 12 Members elected from and by the Members of the Association. The Committee will meet as and when necessary.
7.2 The duties of the Committee shall be to control the affairs of the Association on behalf of the Members.
7.3 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Association through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members and should be independently examined before every Annual General Meeting. The Association shall maintain a current and optionally a savings account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign Association. The Treasurer Membership Secretary must both sign Association cheques.
7.4 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.
- General Meetings
8.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held not later than the end of January each year. 21 clear days notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting by any method the committee deem to be appropriate. Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least 14 days before the meeting. The Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting to Members not less than 7 days before 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.
8.2.2 Receive the accounts for the year from the Treasurer.
8.2.3 Receive the annual report of the Committee from the Secretary.
8.2.4 Appoint independent examiners of the accounts.
8.2.5 Elect the Officers of the Association (President, Chairperson,Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Bailiff) and other General Committee Members.
8.2.6 Review Association subscription rates and agree them for the forthcoming year.
8.2.7 Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members 14 days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.
8.3 Special General Meetings may be convened by the Committee, or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing, from not less than 15 Members of the Association. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given.
8.4 Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made in writing to the secretary at least 14 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting date. Nominations can only be made by Members and must be seconded by another Member.
8.5 At all Meetings, the chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by the Committee Members attending the meeting.
8.6 Decisions made at a Committee Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Members attending the meeting. In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
8.7 A quorum for Committee Meeting shall be 5 Members including Officers.
8.8 All full members except members aged 18 years and over with the exception temporary members may vote at a General Meeting. n.
- Trustees – The Keswick Anglers Association has to have Trustees to hold a legal estate in land such as a lease.
9.1 There must be at all times at least two and no more than four Trustees of the Association.
9.2 The Association agrees to indemnify the Trustees in respect of any liability that may fall upon them as a result of them being Trustees of the Association.
9.3 The Association will ensure that all the activities are fully and properly insured.
9.4 If any future Contracts or Leases are entered into by the Trustees there should be a Statement that the liability of the Trustees shall be limited to the extent of the assets for the time being which are under their control as Trustees of the Association and that they should have no liability after they respectively cease to be Trustees of the Association.
9.5 The Trustees shall hold office until death, resignation or removal from office. A Trustee may resign by giving not less than 21 days notice but if required to do so may remain in office until such time as a replacement Trustee has been appointed.
9.6 Nominations for new Trustees shall be made by the officers and the Chairman is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Association within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustees Act 1925.
9.7 The officers shall have the power to remove any Trustee from office by a simple majority at any committee meeting.
- Alteration To The Constitution
10.1 Any proposed alterations to the Association Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting. Convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alterations or amendment must be proposed by a Member of the Association and seconded by another Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those Members present at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.
11. Dissolution
11.1 If at any Committee Meeting of the Association, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Association, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Association to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
11.2 If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Association and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Association.
11.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Association, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Full Members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to some other voluntary organisation having objects similar to those of the Association.