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UUFA rules

Name

1. The name of the Association shall be the United Usk Fishermen’s Association.

Objects

2. The object of the Association shall be:-
   1. To safeguard all the fishing interests and the amenities connected therewith in the area of the River Usk Catchment.
   2. To represent Fishing interests and amenity interest in the area of the Usk River catchment at Public or Private Inquiries if, in the opinion of the Committee of the Association, such representation is desirable or necessary.
   3. To nominate persons to represent the Fishing interests on any statutory or voluntary body if in the opinion of the Committee of the Association such representation is required, desirable or necessary.
   4. To consider and make representations on all matters affecting the fishing interests and the amenities of the whole of the River Usk catchment.
   5. To organise coarse fishing in the River Usk during the winter months in co-operation with the Riparian Owners and Fishing or Angling Clubs.
   6. To promote or hold either alone or jointly with any other Association, Club, or persons, meetings, competitions and matches for Fishing or Casting , and to offer, give or contribute towards prizes, medals and awards therefore.
   7. If the Committee sees fit, to establish promote or assist in establishing or promoting, and to subscribe to or become a member of any other Associations or Clubs whose objectives are similar, or in part similar, to the objects of the Association, or the establishment or promotion of which may be beneficial to the Association or to the fishing and amenity interests on the River Usk.
   8. To do all such other lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects or any of them.

Membership

3. All persons, Clubs, bodies, organisations or Associations, interested in the preservation of the Fishing or the amenities of the River Usk or its tributaries, shall be eligible for membership of the Association, whether practising Fishermen or not, and have paid the requisite Subscription, shall be deemed to be and remain Members of the Association until the next renewal date or unless they deliver to the Hon. Secretary Notice in writing that they wish to resign.

Subscriptions

4. Subscriptions shall be payable as follows:-
   1. Annually and deemed to be due in advance on the 1^st January in each year (the annual renewal date)
   2. The rate of Subscription shall be determined by the Association in a General Meeting.
   3. With effect from 1^st January 2008 the annual subscription shall be £10.

NOTE: If further funds become necessary, Members will be asked to subscribe as and when the need arises (Individual Ordinary Members from Angling Clubs and Associations will be welcomed, and will be able to exercise voting powers in their own right irrespective of the fact that their Club or Association has a vote).

ALL subscriptions shall be payable to the Hon. Secretary or Hon. Treasurer and shall entitle the members to receive a membership ticket.

President and Officers

5. 1. There may be a President of the Association who shall, if appointed, be elected at the Triennial General Meeting and hold office until the next Triennial General Meeting.
   2. The Officers of the Association shall be a Chairman, a Vice– Chairman, an Honorary Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer. They and the President, if appointed, shall be proposed, seconded and elected by a show of hands at the Triennial General Meeting of the Association after nomination at the Meeting, unless a Secret Ballot is demanded by a majority of the members present.
   3. The President, if appointed, and Officers, shall hold office for three years, or until the Triennial General Meeting, when they shall retire but be eligible for re-election.

Committee

6. The Committee shall consist of the following:-
   1. President (if appointed).
   2. Chairman.
   3. Vice-Chairman.
   4. Hon. Secretary.
   5. Hon. Treasurer.

   And not more than 6 other members.

   Four members of the Committee will form a Quorum at Committee Meetings.

Election of Committee

7. The election of the members of the Committee shall take place at the Triennial General Meeting in the following manner:-
   1. The 6 other members of the Committee (hereinafter called the Principal Members) shall as far as possible be chosen so as to represent the following areas:-
      1. The tidal waters to Usk.
      2. Usk to Crickhowell Bridge.
      3. Crickhowell Bridge to Brecon Bridge.
      4. Brecon Bridge to the source.
      5. The industrial rivers.
      6. Coarse fishery interests.

      And it shall be ensured that all nominees are willing and able to attend Committee Meetings before they shall be proposed as members of the said Committee.

   2. The 6 principal members shall be proposed, seconded and elected by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded by the majority of members present.
   3. In addition to the 6 principal members there shall be elected at the same time and in the same manner 6 deputy members each one of whom shall be assigned to a principal member and who shall be entitled to attend meetings and represent the principal member at such meetings in the absence of such principal member.
   4. In case there shall not be a sufficient number of candidates nominated the Committee shall appoint any such further principal deputy members as may be necessary.
   5. All members and deputy members of the Committee shall hold office for three years or until the next Triennial General Meeting when they shall retire but be eligible for re-election.
   6. A deputy member shall be entitled to be elected a principal member notwithstanding that he or she has already served a triennial term.

Duties of the Association Towards Sectional Interests

8. The Association shall not take action in the name of the Association contrary to an sectional interest, recognised by the Association.

Vacancies on the Committee

9. Any casual vacancy on the Committee (or amongst deputy members) shall be filled by the Committee and any member so chosen shall retire at the following Triennial General Meeting but shall be eligible as a candidate for election on the Committee at such Triennial General Meeting.

Additional Powers of the Committee and the Chairman or Vice-Chairman

10. The Committee and the Chairman or Vice-Chairman in addition to the powers herein specifically conferred on them shall have the following powers:-
    1. To exercise control over the finances of the Association.
    2. To carry out the general management and day to day business of the Association and to exercise all such administrative powers as may be necessary for properly carrying out the objects of the Association in accordance with the Rules including the power to act where possible on written answers to questionnaires sent to all members without calling General Meetings.
    3. To call a special General Meeting of the Association when required, and shall be bound to do so within 42 days of receiving a requisition signed by 12 members of the Association.
    4. To make, repeal and amend such Byelaws as they may from time to time consider necessary for the well being of the Association which Byelaws, repeals and amendments shall have effect till otherwise determined by a General Meeting of the Association.
    5. To appoint from among their number such Sub-Committees as they may deem necessary or expedient and may depute or refer to them such of the powers and duties of the Committee as they may determine. Such Sub-Committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Committee.
    6. To co-opt any person or persons to serve on the Committee for any limited or special purposes at such times and in such manner as the Committee consider necessary or advisable from time to time.
    7. The Chairman or in his absence the Vice-Chairman shall be empowered to summon Special General Meetings of the Association and also Committee meetings.
    8. The Committee shall be empowered to decide whether or not any business of the Association is suitable for decision by proxy or postal voting.

Notice of Meetings

11. The secretary shall at least 7 days before any General Meeting either send a written notice to all members of the Association or cause an advertisement to be inserted in the South Wales Argus, the Abergavenny Chronicle and the Brecon and Radnor Express newspapers. The notice of such meetings shall state the time, when, and the place where the meeting shall be held and the business that shall be brought before it.

Date of Triennial General Meeting

12. Commencing in September 1956, General Meetings of the Association shall be held once in every three years in the month of March of every third year. The date, time and place of the meeting shall be fixed by the Committee and at the Triennial General Meeting the following business shall be considered:-
    1. To receive from the Committee a report, balance sheet and statement of accounts.
    2. To elect a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, an Hon. Secretary, an Hon. Treasurer, to elect a Committee and to appoint an auditor for the ensuing year.
    3. To decide on any resolution which may be submitted to the meeting.
    4. To consider any other business at the discretion of the Chairman.

Notice of Motions

13. Any member desirous of moving any Resolution affecting the Rules and Bye-laws of the Association:-
    1. At the Triennial General Meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the Hon. Secretary not less than 21 days before the 1^st day of February each year of such Triennial General Meetings.
    2. Or at a Special General Meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the Hon. Secretary not less than 21 days before the date of such Special General Meeting provided that no such resolution shall be deemed to have passed unless it is carried by a majority by not less than two thirds of the members then present at such General Meeting and entitled to vote.

Chairman

14. At all General Meetings of the Association and at all Committee Meetings the Chairman or in his absence Vice-Chairman his or their absence a member selected by the Meeting shall take the Chair.

Voting Powers

15. Every member present at a General Meeting or a Committee Meeting and entitled to vote, shall have one vote on every motion and in the case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

Quorum

16. The Quorum at all General Meetings shall be ten members.

Financial Year

17. The financial year of the Association shall end on the 31^st August, in each year, to which day the accounts of the Association shall be balanced.

Appointment of Auditors

18. At every Triennial Meeting of the Association two members of the Association, not being officers or members of the Committee shall be elected to serve as Auditors for the ensuing three years. A vacancy occurring in the office of auditor during the period shall be filled by the Committee. Auditors shall audit the Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet and shall certify the same before presentation to the Triennial General Meeting.

Profits by Members

19. No member of the Association shall, except for professional services rendered at the request of the Committee, receive and profit or emoluments from the funds or transactions of the Association.

Bank Account

20. The Banking Account in the name of the Association shall be operated by the signature of the Hon. Treasurer.

Duties of Hon. Secretary

21. The Hon. Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Association. He shall keep full and correct minutes of all proceedings and a register of all members of the Association which shall both be open at all reasonable times to inspection by members of the Association.

Duties of Treasurer

22. The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Association and make up the Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet of the Association to the 31^st day of August in every year, which shall, after audit, be placed before the Triennial General Meeting of the Association.

ByeLaws

Procedure at Meetings (General or Committee)

1. Motions, Counter-motions, or amendments, should, if possible, be made in writing and handed to the Chairman and must be proposed and seconded before discussions.
2. A Counter-motion or amendments must be discussed and voted on before taking a vote upon the original motion.
3. Subject to the discretion of the Chairman the mover of a motion, counter-motion or amendment may speak twice – first when proposing his resolution and secondly as the last speaker on the subject. Other members may speak once only on each Resolution.
4. Speeches are limited to five minutes duration except by special permission of the Chair and except an official statement submitting the action of the executive for approval.
5. All speeches must be addressed to the Chair.
6. A resolution cannot be rescinded at the same meeting at which it is adopted.
7. The Chairman may divide a motion into parts and take a vote upon each part.
8. Discussions upon the Minutes of a previous meeting shall be confined to questions of fact, e.g. whether certain statements or motions were actually made or carried etc. If it is desired to reopen a discussion this must be done as a new motion.
9. Voting at General Meetings or Committee Meetings shall (unless a Poll is demanded by a majority of Members present), be by a show of hands, or otherwise as the Chairman may direct.
10. At any meeting (unless a Poll is demanded by a majority of Members present) the Chairman’s decision as to the result of voting on any question shall be final and an entry in the Minutes Book, signed by the Chairman of the Meeting shall be conclusive of the terms of any resolution of its having been passed.
11. If a Poll is demanded by the majority of Members present at a Meeting, it shall be taken immediately.
12. The Committee shall except where otherwise in the Rules or herein provided, regulate its own procedure.
13. Meetings of the Committee shall be called by the Hon. Secretary as and when necessary to consider the business of the Association. Additional meeting may be called by the Hon. Secretary and shall be called by him if requested by the Chairman, or the Vice-Chairman or any two members of the Committee.
14. All Members of the Committee shall be summoned to Meetings by at least 3 days notice in writing.