Constitution

Club Officers and Committee

Rules of the Association

1. Title
   1. The Club shall be called the Shefford & District Angling Association Ltd hereafter to be referred to as ‘the Club’.  For the foreseeable future the registered office will be 12, Church Square, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 1AE.  Company No. 5430106.  This address is subject to change at the discretion of the Directors
2. Objects
   1.  To foster and promote the sport of angling for recreation
   2. To subscribe to organisations deemed to be of benefit to the Club.
3. Alterations to the Constitution
   1. Any proposed alteration to the constitution may only be considered at the AGM or SGM convened with the required written notice of the proposal
   2. Any alteration must be proposed by a member of the club and seconded by another member of the club.  Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than 75% of those members present, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.
4. Memorandum and Articles of Association
   1. Wherever a conflict arises between the constitution/rules and the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the latter shall prevail.
   2. Memorandum and Articles of Association may be viewed by appointment with the Club Secretary.
5. Dissolution
   1. The Limited Company may be dissolved by the Directors and Company Secretary whereby all debts and liabilities will be discharged in line with the Memorandum and Articles of Association
6. Directors and Company Secretary
   1. Directors and Company Secretary (will have served at least 2 years as an Officer of the Club) shall be elected by Officers/Committee of the Club and shall remain in office until their appointment is terminated by resignation or Committee vote.  This must be carried by not less than 75% of the vote.
   2. A quorum shall be not less than 5 Committee members including the Club Secretary and/or Chairperson.

Club Officers and Committee

1. Membership
   1. Membership of the Club shall be open to any person paying the relevant annual subscription.
   2. There shall be 4 classes of membership available. These are:
      1. Adult
      2.  Junior (under 17 years of age)
      3. Concessionary (EA concessionary rod licence holders)
      4. Couple (husband and wife, or cohabiting partners)
      5. Life (may be awarded to members who have shown meritorious service to the Club)
   3. The committee (with agreement from the directors) can use its discretion to offer discounted membership to any member who has voluntarily assisted the club beyond the call of normal duty.
2. Expulsion of members
   1.  Members of the Club 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 their subscriptions may be forfeited.
   2.  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 Club Secretary, in writing, within seven days of notification of the decision.
3. Officers
   1. The Officers of the Club shall be as follows:

      President	Chairperson	Vice Chairperson
      Club Secretary	Treasurer	Membership Secretary
      Minute Secretary	Publicity Officer	Fisheries Officer
      Head Bailiff	Match Secretary

      
      
   2. All Officers (will have served at least two years as a committee member) shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from, and by, the Members of the Club.
   3. With the exception of the President, all Officers are elected for a period of one year, but may be elected to the same office or another the following year.  Their appointment may be terminated by their resignation, or they bring the Club into disrepute.
4. General Committee
   1. The affairs of the Club shall be controlled by a General Committee comprising of the Officers, and not more than ten other members (will have been a club member for at least 3 years) elected from, and by, the full Members of the Club. The General Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than four times per year.
   2. The duties of the General Committee shall be:
      1. To control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the Members.
      2. The accounts will be available for inspection at each AGM. The Club shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign Club cheques: two from the Directors and Company Secretary.
      3. To co-opt additional members to the Committee as the Committee feels necessary.  Co-opted members shall be entitled to a vote on the Committee
      4. To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote
      5. A Quorum shall be five Committee members including the Club Secretary and/or Chairperson.
      6. Any Committee member failing to attend three consecutive committee meetings without satisfactory explanation shall cease to be a member of the Committee.
   3. The Committee (including Directors) has the power to seek legal action and to appoint a member to instruct a solicitor to represent and to take legal action on behalf of the Club.  Any member so appointed shall be deemed to be indemnified against all personal liability in respect of such action.
   4. The Committee (with agreement from the Directors) has the power to introduce or amend club rules, and to limit or suspend fishing on any water, without prior notice to members.
5. General Meeting
   1. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the end of March each year. The date of the Annual General Meeting will be printed in the Membership Club book. Members must advise the Club Secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least one calendar month before the meeting.
   2. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:
      1. Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any Special Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting.
      2. Receive the audited accounts for the year from the Treasurer.
      3. Receive the annual report of the Committee from the Club Secretary.
      4. Elect the Officers of the Club and General Committee.
      5. Transact such other business received in writing by the Club Secretary from Members one calendar month prior to the Meeting and included on the agenda.
   3. Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee, or on receipt by the Club Secretary of a request in writing, from not less than ten percent of all Members of the Club.  At least one calendar month's notice of the meeting shall be given.
   4. Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made in writing to the Club Secretary at least one calendar month in advance of the Annual General Meeting and voted in at the Meeting.  Nominations can only be made by Members and must be seconded by another Member
   5. At all Meetings the chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by the Club.
   6. Decisions made at all General Meetings shall be by a majority vote of members present at the meeting.  In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
   7. Each Member of the Club shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings.  Voting will be by card only.
6. Water Bailiffs
   1.   The Committee (who are all Water Bailiffs) appoint additional Water Bailiffs to enforce club rules.
   2. Water Bailiffs are authorised to endorse or confiscate the Membership Card of any person believed to be in breach of club or EA rules and bylaws, and may also ask the person to leave the water.
   3. Water Bailiffs are authorised to inspect any member’s rigs and tackle.  Use of any rig or tackle considered to be unsafe will be reported to the Committee.
   4. Members have the right to see the Water Bailiff’s card, which is issued by the Committee.
   5. Any complaints about a Water Bailiff’s actions must be made to the Head Bailiff within 24h of the incident.
7. Membership Cards
   1. Membership Cards and EA licences must be carried at all times whilst on club waters, and must be produced if asked for by a Water Bailiff
   2. Membership Cards must also be produced if asked for by any other member producing their own Membership Card.
   3. Membership Cards and Club keys are not transferable and remain the property of the Club at all times.
8. Fish Theft
   1. All fish must be returned alive to the water from which they have been caught.
   2. Fish deaths must be reported to an Officer of the Club.
   3. No fish should be taken away alive or dead without the express permission of the General Committee, to do so may give rise to a civil or criminal prosecution under Schedule 1 Section 2 of the Theft Act.
9. Prohibited Activities      Members may be banned for breaking any club rule (see 2.1) including carrying out any of the following prohibited activities (unless the activity has been authorised by the General Committee):
   1. The deliberate disfigurement or mistreatment of any fish
   2.  Conducting any act that may cause nuisance to any other member.
   3. Bringing the Club into disrepute.
   4. Being in possession, or under the influence, of alcohol, illegal drugs or chemicals (e.g. solvents) whilst on club waters.
   5. Leaving litter of any kind at club waters, car parks or the adjoining land.
   6.  Bringing metal or glass containers onto club waters.
   7.  Leaving any baited rod unattended.
   8. Leaving gates unlocked after entering or leaving a water.
   9.  Camping in tents, vehicles or caravans whilst on club waters.
   10. Swimming, or using a dinghy or boat (including bait boats) on club waters
   11. Causing damage to banks, shrubs, trees, fences, mowing-grass or any other crops adjoining the fisheries.
   12. Being accompanied by a dog or carrying a gun on the land adjoining the fisheries.
   13. Digging bait on the banks of club waters.
   14. Lighting fires or barbeques.
   15. Using audiovisual equipment without a personal earpiece.
   16. Obstructing farm roads or gateways.
10. Night Fishing 
    1.     A member is deemed to be night fishing if they are present at a club water between the times stated in the table below, whether actively fishing or not.
    2. Members are allowed to fish up to a maximum of five consecutive nights on Club waters, before taking at least a one night break before they night fish any of the Club’s waters again.
    3. Junior members can only night fish if accompanied by a member over the age of 18, who will be responsible for the Junior member at all times whilst they are night fishing.
    4. From midnight on 15th June 2008, members can only night fish at the Airman Pit or Willington Lake if they are also in possession of a Night Permit.
    5. Night fishing is not permitted at Broom Lake(except in club events); to do so will lead to the member being expelled from the Club.
11. Night Permits
    1. Applications for a Night Permit to night fish at the Airman Pit and Willington Lake must be made by post to the Registrar, and include two recent passport sized photos (application forms can be obtained by downloading from the club web site or by sending a stamped SAE to The Registrar, SDAA Ltd, PO Box 59, Shefford SG17 5UZ).
    2. The Committee has the right to refuse applications for Night Permits.
    3. Night Permits for Adult, Concessionary and Couple members cost £40.  Night Permits for Junior members cost £20.
    4. Night Permits are valid from date of issue until 3.45am on 15th June 2010.
    5. Night Permits are not transferable and remain the property of the Club at all times.
    6. Only Night Permit holders are allowed to be present at the Airman Pit and Willington Lake during the hours that define night fishing (i.e. no guests or visitors, whether fishing or not).
    7. Night Permits must be carried whilst night fishing at the Airman Pit and Willington Lake, and must be produced if asked for by an authorised Water Bailiff or any other member producing their own Night Permit.
    8. Failure to abide by the rules and bylaws of the Club and the EA may result in a Night Permit being withdrawn.
12. Swims
    1. Only fish from marked swims on waters where pegs are provided.
    2. Members are responsible for the swims they occupy and any litter must be removed before and after fishing.
    3. Members can only occupy a single swim at any one time and tackle should not be cast in such a way as to interfere with any adjacent swims, including those on the opposite bank.
    4. When a swim is not actively being fished, all items of tackle must be removed and the swim vacated.
13. Rod Limits
    1. No more than two rods may be used by any angler.
    2. The distance between the butts of the rods must not exceed two metres.
    3. Where anglers share a swim, the total number of rods used must never exceed four.
    4. Night Permit holders will be permitted to use three rods at Willington Lake from 1st November to 28th February, provided they have the appropriate number of EA rod licences.  When fishing with three rods, they must be placed so that the distance between the butts of the outside rods does not exceed three metres.
14. Rigs
    1. Fishing is by rod and line only.
    2. A wire trace must be used when fishing for pike and zander.  Where double or treble hooks are used, semi-barbless or barbless patterns are recommended
    3. No ‘bent hook’ rigs are allowed on club waters.
    4. All terminal rigs must be constructed so as to prevent leads and excessive lengths of line remaining attached to fish in the event of a line breakage.
15. Tackle
    1. Anglers must always be in possession of an assembled landing net whilst fishing.
    2. All landing nets, keepnets and keepsacks must conform to EA bylaws
    3. You must not keep more than one fish in a single keepsack, and it is recommended that fish under 10lbs are not retained in keepsacks.
    4. All anglers targeting larger species of fish should use an unhooking mat.
    5. Only shelters specifically designed for fishing (e.g. bivvies and umbrella overwraps) can be used.
16. Fish Baits
    1. Fish for use as live bait must only be used on the water from which they have been caught, and only during the same period of fishing. Fish live baits must only be retained in a standard keepnet conforming to EA bylaws.
    2. A maximum of ten live baits can be used in any one day, and any unused live baits must be returned to the water from which they were taken.
    3. No live bait must exceed 20cm in length (measured from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail).
    4. Fish for use as dead bait must be sea fish or commercially frozen dead baits.
17. Crayfish
    1. It is illegal to use crayfish, of any species, whether alive or dead, and whether whole or in part, as bait.
    2. To prevent the spread of alien species to other waterways, the EA recommends that signal crayfish if caught are immediately killed and carefully disposed of.  However, anglers unsure of the difference between native white-clawed crayfish and signal crayfish should immediately return any crayfish caught alive to the water from which they were caught.
    3. Crayfish traps must not be used without the express permission of the Committee.
18. Guest Tickets
    1. Guest tickets at £10 per day must be obtained in advance from specified tackle shops.  If the guest subsequently becomes a member of the Club during the same season, they may claim a £10 discount on their membership.  Details are given on the guest tickets. 
    2. Each member must accompany their guest at all times and will be held responsible for their guest.
    3. One guest per member per day.
    4. Members may take their guest to any Club water.
19. Non Paying Juniors
    1. Juniors up to age 11 years can fish for free with a single rod if supervised by a member who is their parent/guardian, occupying the same swim.
    2. Non-paying juniors are not permitted to night fish.
20. Reporting Rule Breaking
    1. Any member being a witness to the infringement of these rules of the rights and liberties of the Club shall at once inform an Officer of the Club.