Rules & Constitution

NAME
1. The name of the Society shall be ‘The Tring Anglers’.

OBJECTS
2. The objects of the Society shall be:

a. To organise anglers for the better enjoyment of their sport.
i. by bringing them together at the waterside and socially.
ii. by providing them so far as is possible, with access to fishing waters.
iii. arranging contests of angling skills between themselves and with members of other Societies.
iv. by seeking affiliation of the Society with Associations of Angling Societies so as to bring The Tring Anglers into wider and advantageous contact with their fellow anglers.

b. To encourage in every way the sport of angling by legal methods using rod, pole and line.
i. by setting an example in fair fishing and discouraging all unfair methods.
ii. by supporting all efforts, local and national, to maintain good fisheries and preserve fish life.
iii. by respecting the views of other people with whom we share our waters.

MANAGEMENT
3. The Officers of the Society shall consist of a President, who shall be the head of the Society, Vice-President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Match Secretary, Honorary Fisheries Officer, Honorary Membership Secretary, Honorary Junior Secretary, and Honorary Public Relations Officer, Honorary Webmaster, Reservoir Officer and Assistant/Deputy Reservoir Officer.

4. The Committee shall consist of elected Officers of the Society and five other members, who shall be eligible to act as Officers in case of emergency and to assist the Elected Officers in the performance of their duties at the request of such Officers.

5. The day to day running of the affairs of the Society shall be in the hands of the Committee and Officers or at the discretion of the committee who will be responsible. They will have the power to appoint sub-committees for specific purposes. They will also have the power to appoint club members as Administrators to deal with routine matters such as (but not limited to) the upkeep of the club’s membership records, maintenance of the club’s web-site, distribution of email, PO box mail, and day-to-day banking transactions. The appointed members will be reimbursed in line with the then-current Honoraria. The appointments will not carry Committee status and may be reviewed as necessary by the Committee. Members being considered for appointment must disclose membership of / commitments to other angling clubs and organisations.

6. The Officers and other members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The President and Vice-President shall serve for five years, the Officers three years (subject to Committee approval) and all others for one year. All may be eligible for re-election at the end of their term of office. All Committee members who do not receive honoraria and have served three years or more to receive full membership for their remaining time on the Committee.

6a. Members who stand as Officers or Committee should have been members of The Tring Anglers for two years in the case of Committee members and three years in the case of Officers or at the discretion of the Committee as per rule 5.
6b. Members of the Committee including Officers, should declare all other angling clubs, societies and interests of which they are members and the positions held in the aforementioned angling clubs, societies and interests. The process of declaration to take place at the time of nomination, at the first Committee meeting after the AGM or the first Committee meeting after election, if elected between AGM’s.

7. Nominations for Officers and other places on the Committee shall be made at the meeting preceding the AGM and must be proposed and seconded by members of the Society. Nominees must attend at least one meeting before the AGM Should there be more than one nomination for Officer or more than five nominations for Committee positions, the nominations concerned shall be subject to a ballot at the AGM

8. Should the Office of Chairman fall vacant during the year, the Vice-Chairman shall take the position. Should any Office other than Chairman fall vacant it shall be filled by an existing Committee member nominated, seconded and elected by the Officers of the Committee at the first Committee meeting subsequent to the vacancy occurring. This appointment runs until the next AGM when election to the said Office will be carried out under rule 7. Should a place on the Committee fall vacant during the year it shall be filled at the first opportunity by nomination and election at a Committee meeting. The conditions of such an election shall be as laid down in rule 7, except that nomination and election shall take place at the same meeting. Any members who put themselves forward for Office or Committee should attend 9 meetings out of 12, unless prevented by illness or other emergency.

9. Non-Committee Vice-Presidents
Persons suggested for position of Non-Committee Vice-Presidents may be proposed and seconded at any time, by any member(s) but the decision to appoint shall rest with the current committee. As the title suggests, a non-committee VP will play no part in Committee meetings or decision making and will only have voting rights as a member of the Club. If a person so appointed is found to act in a manner which in the view of the committee has harmed the reputation and good name of the Club, the Committee may remove that person from the position and notify them of the decision in writing. This position carries no honorarium.

MEMBERSHIP
10. Membership of the Society is open to all persons who are interested in angling and are prepared to support the objects of the Society. Junior & Cadet members may only be accepted with their parents, or guardians, permission. A Junior member shall be under 17 years of age and a Cadet member shall be under 12 years of age, on the 1st April of the season to which membership is applied. Each member shall attach a current passport sized photograph of them to their membership book and sign in the appropriate place. Adult members shall be honorary bailiffs for the Club/Society. All those who registered their names at the inaugural meeting on 21st November 1947 are ipso facto members.

11. Nominations for membership should be forwarded to the Membership Secretary on the Society’s application form or from the web site or tringanglers1947@gmail.com, with full payment of the fee due by electronic or physical method. Subject to approval, documents will be forwarded to the nominee. The Committee reserve the right to reject applications for membership or renew membership if in the view of the Committee the member has acted in a manner not in keeping with the aims and objectives of The Tring Anglers.

11a. A temporary membership slip may be issued at approved outlets which will be valid for up to six weeks and is non-transferable.
11b. Concessionary membership is available to State retirement pensioners, registered disabled, juniors from the age of 12 to 17 years, students up to the age of 21 years in full time education and cadets up to 12 years of age on the 1st April of that membership term. Members of the Society shall at all times fish in accordance with the angling rules of the Society. When fishing other club or association waters, members will fish in accordance with the rules of that club or association.

12. Members shall not fish any of the Society’s waters during the closed season other than those to which a closed season does not apply and are notified as being open. Members of the Society will carry proof of membership at all times whilst fishing any of the Society’s or associated waters. This must be available for inspection by an official bailiff or other member upon request.

13. If it is proved at any time to the satisfaction of the Committee that a member has acted in a way contrary to the objects or derogatory to the interests of The Tring Anglers, the Committee shall have the power to take the appropriate action in the circumstances. The member will have the right to appeal by giving written reasons for the appeal, to the Secretary within one month. The appeal must be dealt with at the next Society meeting after the appeal is lodged and the member concerned must attend. The members at the meeting where the appeal is heard must have a secret ballot after hearing the Committee’s reasons for imposing a penalty and the reasons for the appeal.

13a. Ensure that your swim is clear of litter when leaving the fishery. Strong action will be taken against offenders under the above rule.
13b. If any member is found committing a violation of the club rules, their card/book may be endorsed by a bailiff or Committee member or the matter referred to the Committee under rule 13. For a second endorsement the membership card/book will be removed and the matter automatically referred to the Committee.

SUBSCRIPTIONS
14a. All subscription rates will be reviewed and set by the Committee (as per Rule 16 at a Committee meeting. The new rates and fees will be communicated to the membership at least one week in advance of the AGM. All subscriptions are due on 1st April each year for the following season.
14b. Members not able to show their book to an official bailiff shall be liable to pay for a day ticket. THIS IS NOT REFUNDABLE.
14c. In case of special hardship or other exceptional circumstances the Committee may, at its discretion, exempt a member from payment of a subscription for one year.

FINANCE
15. The funds of the Society shall be held by the Honorary Treasurer in the name of The Tring Anglers. Any cheque drawn in the name of the Society shall be signed by the Honorary Treasurer and one other duly authorised Officer.

16. The Committee shall have the power to adopt such financial measures as may seem to be expedient in the interest of the Society.

17. The Honorary Treasurer shall keep the Committee informed of the state of the Society’s finances and at the end of each year of office shall prepare a full statement of the Society’s accounts for presentation at the AGM. A member or a qualified professional proposed by, but not on the Committee of the Society, shall be appointed at the appropriate time each year by the Committee to act as Honorary Auditor, they shall audit the Society’s accounts which shall be approved by the Committee before a statement of them is presented by the Honorary Treasurer to the AGM.

MEETINGS
18. The Annual General Meeting shall be held on the first available day in March each year, venue announced via The Tring Anglers media sites. Entrance will be by membership card only. At this meeting the President shall deliver his/her address. The Honorary Treasurer shall make his/her report and present his/her statement of the Society’s accounts for approval. The Officers and other members of the Committee shall be elected in accordance with rule 7.

19. Ordinary meetings will be held on the same night as Committee meetings. One hour shall be allowed for members to comment on matters related to the Society and hear relevant reports from Officers.

20. Meetings of the Committee (or any sub-committee) shall be held at the discretion of the Committee (or sub-committee).

21. At all meetings the Chair shall be taken by the Chairman of the Society, or in his absence by the Vice Chairman, or failing that, by another from among their number nominated by the Committee.

22. At meetings of any sub-committee a Chairman shall be appointed from among their number by the sub-committee concerned.

23. All voting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes registered. In the event of a tie, the Chairman of the meeting shall have the casting vote; but shall NOT otherwise vote.

24. At meetings of the Committee a quorum shall consist of FIVE members.

25. The Honorary Secretary shall keep a record of proceedings of all Committee meetings; also a record of any recommendations made by a sub-committee.

BAILIFFS
26. Bailiffs shall be appointed by the Committee as and when they consider it necessary. Bailiffs shall be provided with proof of their appointment in the form of a badge including their photograph, which they must wear in a prominent position when bailiffing club waters.

ALTERATION TO THE RULES
27a. The rules of the Society shall not be added to or altered except at the Annual General Meeting or an extraordinary meeting. Proposals for rule changes must be given in writing to the Committee at or before the previous Committee meeting.
27b. The rules to be reviewed annually at the discretion of the Committee.

DISSOLUTION
28a. The Society shall not be dissolved so long as it has FIFTEEN members.
28b. If the Society is dissolved, its assets shall be realised and all its debts and liabilities shall be discharged. The remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Members of the Society, but shall be given or transferred to some other voluntary organisation having objects broadly similar to those of the Society.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
29. Club matches and fixtures will be run by the match sub-committee under the jurisdiction of the Match Secretary.

30. The club captain will be the angler gaining the most points in the club championship in the previous season, the vice-captain the runner up.

31. Those members wishing to fish for the club in representative matches (such matches being published in advance), should nominate themselves to the Match Secretary. Where more names are advanced than there are places available, final selection will be by the Match Secretary / match sub-committee ( except in the case of National squad selection ) based on a combination of current performance on similar venues, last season championship placings and elimination matches, as appropriate.
31a. Club match points are awarded as follows: Match winner 100 points, second 99 points, third 98 points and so on down to the angler with the lowest weight. In addition section winners will receive a further 10 bonus points and section runners-up a further 5 bonus points. Bonus points will only apply to the true first and second in each section and not by default, i.e. on an inter-club match a Tring member might gain 100 points by catching the top Tring weight but they would not get the bonus points unless they finish first or second in a section.
31b. Only two thirds of club matches bearing points will be deemed to count towards the overall, Rivers and Canal championships. This is to ensure that those fishing representative matches for the club are not penalised.

NIGHT FISHING
32. Night fishing is defined as one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. Check in the daily papers as the times change from day to day. These times can be sourced on the internet and club website