Preliminary

1.The Society is known as the Godalming Angling Society. This Constitution comprises the rules of the Society and the conditions of membership. It was adopted at a meeting of the members of the Society held in 1984 and subsequently revised.

2.The object of the Society is to provide angling and angling related facilities for its members.

Membership

3. The membership of the Society shall consist of those persons who are members at the date of adoption of this constitution and other associate persons who are accepted as members.

4. There shall be no limit to the number of members.

5. Every candidate for Junior, Young adult or Ordinary membership shall make application to the Society and become a member using the method of application as prescribed by the General Committee. Applicants under the age of sixteen years at the date of application must state their date of birth and will be considered for junior membership only. Young Adult members must also state their date of birth and will allowed a reduced subscription rate until their 25th birthday.

6. The election to Ordinary membership shall be by the process agreed by the General Committee or a sub-committee appointed by them for that purpose. Applicants shall become a member of the Society on payment of due entrance fee and subscription as appropriate. Any application for membership would only be refused on reasonable grounds at the discretion of the General Committee.

7. Members shall receive proof of membership and a receipt of their subscription payment. Members are responsible for familiarising themselves with the Society 's rules and bye-Laws, fixture list and description of waters prior to commencing fishing. These may be displayed on the Society web site or any other media as approved by the General Committee.

8. The amounts of entrance fees and annual subscriptions shall be fixed by the General Committee. Annual subscriptions are due and payable on or before the 1st of July each year.

9. Junior members whose sixteenth birthday occurs during a season can apply for young adult membership. They will be exempt from entrance fees but pay annual subscriptions at the current rate. Young Adult members are exempt from joining fees. Once they reach their 25th birthday they must then pay the full ordinary adult membership fee.

Executive Officers and General Committee

10. The affairs of the Society and its administration in all matters not reserved to the members in General Meeting shall be managed by the Trustees and the General Committee.

11. The General Committee shall Comprise:

(1) Executive Officers namely: the President, Life Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents, Trustees and Society Chairman.
(1) The President. A president shall be appointed by the General Committee.
(2) Life Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents who shall be appointed from long standing Society members or former Officers, neighbours, or people who are able to advise and assist the Society. They and the President shall be entitled to receive Minutes of General Committee meetings and attend General Committee meetings.
(3) Society chairman Shall be appointed by the General Committee from long standing General Committee Members or former Officers to undertake the role as defined in the document Role of the GAS Society Chairman. The Society Chairman shall have a casting vote at meetings where they are the appointed Chairman in the case of there being a split vote.
(4) Trustees , who bear responsibility for the Society’s assets on behalf of the members. Shall be appointed from long standing General Committee Members and Officers or former Officers.

(2) The Elected Executive Officers, namely: the Secretary, Treasurer, Match Secretary, Fishery Management Secretary, Membership Secretary, Head Bailiff, Junior Organiser, and such other Officers as the Society in General Meeting determine. An assistant to each officer may be appointed if appropriate.
(3) Not more than twelve Ordinary Members elected by the Members in General Meeting.
(4) Any executive officer or trustee can be appointed (or removed) only by a majority vote at a meeting comprising not less than two thirds (2/3rds) of the Trustees and Elected Executive Officers.

12. All Members of the General Committee including the Elected Executive Officers but excluding the Executive Officers shall be annually elected by the Members at the Annual General Meeting and shall serve for one year but be eligible for re-election.

13. The Elected Executives Officers and such other Officers of the Society shall act in all matters accordance with the directions of the General Committee. During the absence or incapacity of any officer his Deputy or Assistant shall assume all responsibility of that officer.

14. The General Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-Committees for such purposes as it deems appropriate. A sub-Committee shall comprise not less than one member of the General Committee and such members as the General Committee shall decide.
15. The General Committee shall meet not less than once in each calendar month and not less than eight committee members present in person shall comprise a quorum.

16. The General Committee may in addition to the elected Officers and members elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) co-opt not more than three members. Co-opted members shall either be elected as committee members or retire from office at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting following their appointment.

17. The General Committee may regulate their own proceedings by Standing Order or otherwise as they may think fit. The elected chairman of any General Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.
18. No person may be elected to serve on any Committee of the Society who is a member of a Committee on any other Angling Society.

19. No person under the age of twenty five years shall be entitled to hold office in the Society.

Trustees

20. A trustee shall hold office during his or her life or until he or she resigns by notice in writing to the Secretary . The General Committee shall take steps as soon as reasonably possible to have any vacancy in the office of Trustee filled by the Society by the appointment of a new Trustee or Trustees who shall thereafter take appropriate steps to have the property of the Society vested in the names of the Trustees as constituted after such appointment.

21. All property of the Society shall be vested in the Trustees for the time being and shall be held on trust by them for the use and benefit of the Society.

22. The Trustees have power to sell, lease, mortgage and pledge any property of the Society for the purpose of raising or borrowing money for the benefit of the Society in compliance with the directions of the General Committee.

22. (a) In pursuance of the authority vested in the Trustees by the Members of the Society, the Trustees shall be indemnified by the Members of the Society out of the assets of the Society from and against any liability, costs, expenses or payments whatsoever which may be properly incurred or made by them or any one of them in the exercise of their duties or relation to any property of the Society vested in them, or in relation to any legal proceedings, or which otherwise relate directly or indirectly to the performance of the functions of a Trustee of the Society.

Should the assets of the Society be insufficient to satisfy such liability, costs, expenses or payments the Trustees shall be entitled to a personal indemnity from the individual Members of the Society. The limit of any individual Member's indemnity in this respect shall be a sum equal to one year's subscription at the then current rate of that category of Membership unless the Trustees have been authorised to exceed such limit by a General Meeting of the Society.

General meeting

23. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society shall be held in April in every year on such day as in the opinion of the General Committee is most suitable. Notice of the day, time and place of the AGM shall be given to all Members at least 21 days before such date.

24. An Extra Ordinary General meeting (EGM) may be summoned at any time by the General Committee or shall be so summoned on a requisition in writing to the Secretary signed by not less than 20 members stating the purpose of and the resolution or resolutions to be put to such EGM and accompanied by a remittance of £250.00 as a contribution to the cost of such meeting. An EGM shall be convened by a notice of not less than 28 days which in the case of a requisitioned EGM shall be despatched within 21 days of the receipt of the requisition. The contribution payable with a requisition shall be refunded if so decided by a majority vote of those present and entitled to vote at the EGM concerned. The only business conducted at such EGM shall be concerning the resolution or resolutions stated as in the requisition.

25. The business of an AGM shall be to transact the following:
(A) To elect a Chairman of the meeting who need not be a Member of the Society
(B) To approve the Minutes of the previous AGM or any subsequent EGM.
(C) To approve independently verified accounts of the Society to the end of the last preceding financial year.
(D) To receive the reports of the elected Officers namely secretary, treasurer, head bailiff, FMC secretary, junior organiser and match secretary
(E) To elect Officers for the ensuing year. In all cases a person must be proposed and seconded for the position of elected Executive Officers before the meeting.
(F) To elect the General Committee members . All nominations for the General Committee to be received in advance of the AGM and voted on by ballot paper if more than 12 members offer themselves for election. (Nominations to be advised to the secretary at least 28 days prior to the AGM)
(G) To inform members of the subscriptions set by the General Committee.
(H) To consider any other resolutions set out in the Notice of the Meeting
(I) To consider any other business at the discretion of the chairman.

26. Any Member who wishes to put a proposal to a General Meeting or wishes to have a particular matter discussed at a General Meeting shall notify the Secretary in writing or by email to GAS with their detailed proposals and in the case of the AGM not later than the first Wednesday of February preceding the AGM. Any amendments to these proposals will be circulated at the start of the Annual General Meeting and must be communicated to the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the day of the Meeting.

27. A copy of the accounts of the Society prepared by the Society Accountant made up to the end of the preceding Financial Year will be made available at the commencement of the Annual General Meeting or on application thereafter to the Treasurer.

28. All members are entitled to attend General Meetings of the Society. Members are entitled to one vote each on every resolution and such vote may be cast in person at the Meeting or by writing or email to GAS signed by the member and received by the Secretary 24 hours before the commencement of the meeting. A member who has so written to the Secretary clearly signing his or her wishes shall be deemed to be present at such a meeting for the purpose of counting the votes in respect of the resolution concerned. Junior Members may at the discretion of the Chairman speak at the General Meetings but have no right to vote.

29. Resolutions put to a General Meeting by the Chairman of that meeting shall be passed by simple majority of those present and entitled to vote, unless otherwise stipulated in the Constitution.

30. Every question to be submitted to any Meeting of the Society or the General Committee or any sub-Committee shall be put to the Meeting by the Chairman and his decision as to the wishes or sense of the meeting shall be conclusive unless his decision is challenged by any Member properly present. If the Chairman’s decision is challenged, a vote of those present shall be taken.

Subscriptions, Finances and Accounts

31. Subscriptions are due and payable to the Society by Ordinary Members excluding the General Committee on or before the 1st July each year without demand. A Member whose subscription is in arrears on the 1st July shall not be entitled to any of the rights and privileges of Membership. Thereafter the Membership of the Society by a person in arrears of the subscription shall be at the discretion of the General Committee and liable to pay a Late Entrance Fee.

32. The Treasurer shall keep proper records of accounts as will enable the accounts to be prepared by the Society Accountant ready for presentation as a true and fair view to A.G.M each year and to give an accurate report and statement to the General Committee concerning the finances of the Society at any other time.

33. The income and property of the Society and all money received by or on behalf of the Society shall be used solely for the furtherance of the objects of the Society. No portion shall be paid by way of dividend, bonus or profit to any member of the Society. This shall not prevent the payment in good faith or remuneration for services actually rendered by him or her or them to the Society.

34. Reasonable office, travelling and subsistence expenses incurred by Officers and Members of the Society or by any person duly authorised may be paid by the Society. All claims for expenses must be sent to the Treasurer who may require such information in regard thereto as they may think fit.

Bye-laws

35. The General Committee may from time to time vary and revoke Bye-laws (not inconsistent with this Constitution) for the regulation of the internal affairs of the Society and the conduct control and administration of the Society's Fisheries, the admission of guests and the management and rules of competitions

Conduct of Members

36. It is the duty of every member to guard and protect the interests of the Society and the reputation of the Society and its Members at all times. Any Member who is or becomes aware of any matter or conduct which requires action should report this to the Secretary.

37. The General Committee may suspend or terminate the Membership of any Member if they consider that such a Member has offended against this Constitution or the Bye-laws. No such suspension or expulsion shall be made unless the member has been given reasonable opportunity of appearing personally before the General Committee or such other Committee appointed by the General Committee for the purpose. A person may appear with one other person to assist him or her as a ‘McKenzie Friend’. In the case of a Junior, one or both parents may attend. Alternatively, a person may submit his case in writing to answer the complaints made against him. The Member shall be given a statement in writing of the complaint made against him or her and at least seven days’ notice to appear before the General Committee or other Committee appointed for the purpose.

Notices

38. Each member is responsible for ensuring that the contact details (address, email and telephone number) held on our membership platform (Clubmate) is current.

39. The accidental omission to give notice of a Meeting to or the non-receipt of notice of a Meeting by any Member shall not invalidate any proceedings or resolutions at any Meeting of the Society or any Committee thereof.

Alteration of Constitution

40. This Constitution may be revoked, added to or altered by a majority comprising two thirds or more of the members present at any General Meeting or Extra Ordinary General Meeting of the Society. Prior notice must have been given specifying the proposed revocation, addition or alteration.

Exclusion of Liability

41. Save for proven fault, neither the Society nor any Officer shall be liable to any Member or guest of a Member for loss or damage to property or injuries sustained in or about the Society's premises and waters.

Dissolution

42. The Society can pass in General Meeting a resolution of its intention to dissolve by a majority comprising two thirds or more of the Members present. In this event the General Committee and the Trustees shall take immediate steps to discharge all debts and liabilities of the Society. Any remaining assets of the Society are to be vested, given or transferred to another organisation or organisations having objects similar to those of the Society. No part of the assets of the Society shall be paid or distributed among the Members. Upon the disposal of the remaining assets of the Society shall for all purposes be dissolved.

Interpretation

43. Any matter not provided for in these Rules or any difference of opinion concerning the purport or interpretation of any Rule should be referred in writing to the Secretary of the Society. The matter will then be considered by the General Committee. The decision of the General Committee shall be binding upon all parties.
44. Where the interpretation so requires, the masculine shall include the feminine and the singular shall include the plural.