1. TITLE
The Association will be known as TAUNTON DEANE SHOOTING ASSOCIATION and for the purposes of the Constitution and Rules shall be referred to as the “Association”.
2. CONSTITUTION
Each Member of the Association will be entitled to a copy of the Constitution and Rules of the Association. The Secretary, who shall be supplied by the Committee (as defined in Rule 13) with copies of the Constitution and Rules, shall be bound to deliver to each Member copies thereof upon such payment, if any, as the Committee may from time to time determine.
3. OBJECTS
a) To encourage Members in the collection, historical study and use of all types of firearms and ancillary equipment and to promote interest in all aspects of history involving the use of firearms.
b) To promote in the Association and with the public at large concepts of safety in the handling and storage of firearms.
c) To develop and promote shooting as a sporting skill and to encourage a level of achievement sufficient to enable Members to participate in competitions.
4. MEMBERSHIP
a) The membership year of the Association will commence on 1st October and end on the 30th September.
b) Application for membership of the Association must be made upon the Association’s approved form and is open to all members of the public who are not legally restricted or prohibited from holding a firearm or shotgun certificate.
c) A person applying for membership of the Association must be proposed by a full Member of the Association.
d) The applicant must provide a second referee who, from personal knowledge, is able and willing to vouch for the applicant’s fitness to be a member of the Association, with special regard to the very particular matters that such membership represents.
e) Any applicant seeking membership of the Association must sign a Declaration that they will adhere to the Constitution and Rules of the Association.
f) All applicants not in possession of a current Firearm Certificate will spend a minimum of the first 3 months of membership as Probationary Members. Probationary Members will be expected to attend a minimum of 10 shooting sessions within the first 3 months of membership and prove to the satisfaction of the Committee that they are fit to hold a Firearm Certificate (part of this is to undertake a Marksmanship Test as defined by the Committee). On expiry of this 3 months (or extended period) the Committee shall decide whether to approve such Probationary Member, decline the application of such Probationary Member or extend the probationary period.
g) All applications will be reviewed by the Committee of the Association which, at its discretion, will decide whether the applicant be accepted or rejected for any membership category or be requested to extend their probationary period. The decision of the Committee on an application and/or extension of a probationary period are final.
h) Membership is not transferable.
i) The Committee shall maintain a register of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the Members of the Association under the terms of the Date Protection Act 1998. Members are responsible for advising the Secretary of any change in their personal details within one month of the change. Details of those who cease to be Members will be removed from the register.
j) Members are required to notify the Secretary immediately if their Shotgun or Firearm certificate has been refused or revoked.
5. CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Members shall cease to be Members:-
a) By nonpayment of membership fees in accordance with Rule 7(c).
b) By expulsion.
c) By resignation.
d) By non renewal of membership whether by the Committee or otherwise.
e) By death.
6. CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP
There will be five classes of Membership:-
a) Full Member – full rights to vote at all General Meetings
b) Junior Member (under 12 for Air section only) and (over 12 to under 18 for FAC firearms) Junior Members will not have any voting rights.
c) Family Member – up to three members of the same family living at the same address.
d) Probationary Member – Probationary Members do not have any voting rights.
e) Life member – Restricted to existing life memberships which were granted under a previous constitution. No new life memberships will be granted.
7. MEMBERSHIP FEES.
a) A person applying for membership of the Association must pay a joining fee with their application. Such joining fee may be determined by the Committee from time to time.
b) The membership fees will be reviewed annually by the Committee and submitted for approval to the membership of the Association at an Annual General Meeting.
c) Membership fees will be invoiced prior to the end of the membership year and payment will be required by the start of the relevant membership year. Any Member failing to pay the fees due within 30 days of the start of the relevant membership year will be deemed to have resigned from the Association (Unless prior arrangements have been agreed with the Association).Such persons will be required to pay the full joining fee on re-application.
d) Membership and joining fees once paid are non refundable.
8. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
a) The Association’s accounting year will end on the 31st August or such other date as may be determined by the Committee.
b) The annual accounts of the Association may be but are not required to be audited. The Committee will determine whether an audit will be conducted.
c) All items of expenditure (with the exception of utility bills) above £100 plus VAT must be approved by the committee in a minuted meeting or by the membership at an AGM or EGM.
d) Items of expenditure exceeding £3,000 plus VAT must not be incurred without prior approval by the Association at either an A.G.M. or E.G.M.
9. NON MEMBERS
Non members will not be admitted to any Association event or the shooting range except under special arrangements approved by the Committee in writing and the Committee will comply with Home Office Requirements regarding these arrangements when applicable. Non members who do not hold a Firearm certificate or a Shotgun certificate shall not be permitted to enter or use the shooting range.
10. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association will take place during September (or at such other time as the Committee should determine) in each year.
a) The Secretary will give no less than 28 days written Notice to Members of the date, time, location and proposed agenda of the Meeting together with voting information and instructions.
b) The quorum for a Meeting will be the lesser of 10 Full Members or 10% of the Full Members in either case present in person or by Proxy. If a quorum is not present, no business may be transacted other than to adjourn the Meeting until the next convenient date.
c) At the A.G.M. (including any reconvened AGM) the Chairman will present a report for the year. The Treasurer shall present the accounts and balance sheet and the Association’s Officers may if requested, give individual reports. The Association shall consider the business of the Association including approval of Membership fees pursuant to Rule 7(b), Committee elections or such other business as may be submitted to the Secretary or any Motion that has been proposed in accordance with Rule 10(d) below.
d) Notice of items for consideration at the AGM must be submitted in writing, to the Secretary, at least 14 days before the date of the AGM. Such items must be proposed and seconded by Full Members.
e) No other business than those items noted for consideration pursuant to Rule 10 (d) above shall be brought before the AGM.
11. EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Association shall be called by the Secretary in the following cases:
a) On the request of the Committee.
b) On the written request of not less than 10 Full Members.
c) Such meetings shall be held at least 14 days after the receipt by the Secretary of the direction or request. The Secretary shall notify all Full Members of the Association of the Meeting, the place, the time, date and voting information and instructions along with the reason for which it is called.
d) Should the Secretary not call an EGM in the manner required within 14 days after he has been so directed by the Committee, or after the receipt by him of a duly signed request, any other Committee Member may call such a Meeting giving Notice as is prescribed herein.
e) No other business than that for which the EGM was called shall be brought before such a Meeting.
f) The quorum for an EGM shall be in accordance with Rule 10(b) above.
12. VOTING
a) Each full Member present and eligible shall be entitled to one vote on each motion
b) Any motion or motions proposed at any general meeting (being either an AGM or an EGM) shall be passed by a simple majority of Members present and voting subject to c) below. Where a simple majority is not achieved on any motion such motion shall not be carried.
c) Voting shall be by a show of hands or by giving a proxy vote submitted in the prescribed form to any Committee Member or by a postal vote.
d) The Chairman shall have a deciding vote at any Meeting in cases where an equal number of votes are cast for or against a motion.
e) Any resolution to be put to the Members may be validly passed by way of a general meeting or by the Members in writing as may be appropriate and references to resolutions passed by the Members shall have effect as if they included references to a written resolution of the Members. A resolution may be proposed as a written resolution by the Committee.
13. COMPOSITION AND ELECTION OF THE COMMITTEE
a) The Association shall have a Committee comprising of a minimum of 3 Executive Officers, being: – Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. In addition further committee post may be created as is deemed to be required for the effective governance of the Association.
b) A Committee Member, once elected, will serve a term of one year and may apply to be re-elected at the next AGM following the expiry of this term.
c) Should any Committee Member for any reason cease to serve on the Committee the Committee may co-opt a Full Member to replace him until the next AGM.
d) All elections to Committee posts shall take place at an AGM.
e) All Committee posts shall be open to any Full Member of the Association.
f) Nominations for candidates for Committee posts shall be made in writing to the Secretary and shall be proposed and seconded by Full Members.
g) No candidate shall be proposed for more than one Committee post.
h) Each full Member shall have one vote for each vacancy.
14. REMOVAL FROM THE COMMITTEE
a) Any Committee Member not attending three consecutive meetings shall cease to be a Committee Member unless he is, in the reasonable opinion of the Committee, able to provide an adequate explanation for such absence.
b) A Member will cease to be a Committee Member immediately upon any of the following:
1. The Vote of the Members of the Association.
2. Being found to be guilty by a majority decision of the Committee Members, of conduct which is likely to have a serious adverse effect on the Association or bring the Association or any of its Members into disrepute and/or has failed to observe the terms of the Associations Constitution and Rules.
3. The death or the retirement of the Committee Member.
4. Receipt of a registered practitioner’s (who is treating that Committee Member) written opinion stating that the Committee Member has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a Committee Member and may remain so for more than 3 months.
15. CHAIRMAN.
The Chairman shall be concerned with strategic development of the Association. He will take the Chair at all meetings including Committee Meetings. Should the Chairman not be available the remaining Committee Members will elect an acting Chairman who shall be a Committee Member.
16. SECRETARY.
The Secretary shall call and organize all meetings of the Association. He will prepare Agendas, take Minutes at meetings, and direct the general day to day organization of the Association. He will organize and co-ordinate external shooting days at specified venues together with other duties to be specified by the Committee from time to time
17. TREASURER.
The Treasurer shall monitor all accounts opened in the name of the Association at such Bank and in such manner as the Committee decides. The Treasurer shall keep financial statements and records of the Association as the Committee shall direct and shall provide the Committee or, at the discretion of the Committee, a general meeting with details of the current financial status of the Association and details of any monies received and expenditure incurred.
18 POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
a) The Committee shall be responsible for the day to day management of the Association and shall purchase all such articles and do all such things as it may deem necessary for the carrying out of the objects of the Association.
b) Nothing in these Rules shall enable the Committee to declare any dividend or make any monetary grants to Members or apply the Association funds except for the purposes specified in Rule 8 and Rule 20.
c) The Committee shall meet not less than 3 times in a calendar year, three Members of the Committee shall form a quorum
d) No officer or Committee Member of the Association shall have power to order goods or dispose of the funds of the Association except as defined in Rule 8.
e) No position within the Association incurring salary, profit or other form of remuneration shall be held by any Member unless authorized by an AGM.
f) In addition to Rule 13(c) the Committee may co-opt a Member of the Association to serve on the Committee as a non-voting Member for a period of up to two consecutive AGM’s. The co-opted Member may not form part of a quorum but shall be entitled to receive notice of and attend all meetings of the Committee.
19 TRUSTEES
a) The Association shall have a maximum of four Trustees.
b) Trustees shall have been Full Members of the Association for a minimum of three full membership years.
c) The Secretary of the Association shall act as Secretary to the Trustees but shall not be a Trustee
d) The Trustees shall be appointed at an AGM by resolution of the Full Members or in extenuating circumstances a Trustee may be appointed at an EGM.
e) Trustees shall serve office for a maximum of 5 years and may then be reappointed for a further term of 5 years. For the avoidance of doubt, a Trustee may only serve a maximum of two terms. All Trustees will sign a Deed of Exit, when voted into office, this Deed of Exit will be held by the Secretary and would only be invoked at end of term or as detailed at 19(f).
f) A Trustee shall cease to hold office if:-
1) He ceases to be a Full Member of the Association.
2) A registered medical practitioner who is treating that Trustee gives a written opinion to the Association stating that the Trustee has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a Trustee and may remain so for more than 3 months.
3) He resigns his office by Notice to the Secretary of the Association (but only if at least two Trustees will remain in office when the Notice of Resignation is to take effect).
4) He is absent without permission of the Trustees from all meetings held within a period of one year and that the other Trustees unanimously resolve that his office is vacated.
5) If he refuses to act at all times in accordance with the reasonable instructions of the Committee.
6) He is, in the opinion of the majority of the Members at an EGM, found guilty of conduct which is likely to have a serious adverse effect on the Association or bring the Association or any of its Members into disrepute and/or has failed to observe his duties as a Trustee or the terms of the Association’s Constitution and Rules.
g) A Trustee may be invited to attend a Committee Meeting but will have no voting rights.
h) All the property including any land belonging to the Association shall be vested in the Trustees who are responsible for representing and acting for the benefit of the Members of the Association. No Trustee or Member shall have any personal rights or ownership to such property. No personal liability shall attach to any Trustee, except to the extent of such funds of the Association as may be actually received by him or when he acts in breach of his duties as a Trustee of the Association.
i)Trustees may regulate their proceedings as they think fit, subject always to the Constitution and Rules of the Association.
j) The Secretary of the Association shall call a meeting of the Trustees at the request of the Committee, or in extreme circumstances when he feels it is appropriate.
k) The quorum for the transaction of business of Trustees shall be three.
l) The Trustees at each meeting may appoint one of them to act as Chairman of the meeting.
20. APPLICATION AND INVESTMENT OF FUNDS.
a) All monies received by the Association shall only be applied towards carrying out the objects of the Association for the benefit of the Members.
b) Nothing shall authorize any investment of funds in any manner contrary to Law.
c) The Association may subscribe to any charitable or other institution any annual or other sum which may be necessary to secure to Members of the Association the benefits of such institution.
21. ACQUISITION OF LAND AND BORROWING POWERS.
a) The Trustees may hold, dispose, purchase or lease any land or buildings and may sell, exchange, mortgage, lease or build upon the land with power to alter, remove and re-build any buildings as may be appropriate to the needs of the Association from time to time.
b) The Trustees may obtain advances of money on behalf of the Association and may use any asset of the Association as security on such terms as may be beneficial to the Association.
22. SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
a) Disputes between Members or a Member and an Officer of the Association shall be heard by the Committee upon receipt of a written request within 14 days of the dispute and submitted to the Secretary and containing full details of the complaint. The Committee shall decide the form of redress if necessary which shall include but not limited to suspension, suspension of voting rights, expulsion or probation. The Committee’s decision in such circumstances will be final.
b) Disputes between a Member and the Association shall be resolved by the Committee. Any decision by the Committee shall be final.
c) Any dispute not dealt with by this Constitution shall, at the request of the Committee, be determined by a Solicitor nominated by the President of the Law Society, acting as an Expert and their decision shall be final and binding. The fees and expenses of such expert and the cost of the expert’s appointment reasonably incurred shall be payable by the Association.
23. MISCONDUCT OF MEMBERS
Any Committee Member at the direction of the majority of the Committee Members present shall have power to order the withdrawal from the Association’s meeting places of any Member whose conduct is rude, threatening, abusive or inappropriate and such Member shall have no right of re-entry to such meeting place or any other property of the Association unless authorized by the Committee. In such circumstances, the Member is not permitted to enter the Association’s premises for any purpose other than to attend a disciplinary meeting, such meeting to be held in accordance with Rule 25. If the next meeting of the Committee shall be within 3 days of such removal, the Member may appear before them and have his case heard by waiving the length of notice required by Rule 26.
24. SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
a) The Committee shall have the power to reprimand, suspend (for a period not exceeding 12 months) or expel any Member who shall infringe any Rule, By-law or Range Orders (written or verbal) or whose conduct brings either the Association into disrepute or in the opinion of the Committee renders him unfit for membership.
b) The Committee shall also have powers to review, extend or alter any disciplinary decision if a Member fails to abide by the terms of a disciplinary decision.
c) A disciplinary hearing will be heard by the Committee.
d) Any Member so appearing shall (subject to waiving their right to receive notice) receive at least 3 clear days notice in writing of the date, time and location of such meeting. Such notice shall also contain a statement outlining the reasons for the disciplinary action.
e) A Member appearing before the Committee under this Rule may be accompanied by any other Member of their choice.
f) The discretion of the Committee shall be unfettered and final and nothing in this Rule shall prevent or be deemed to prevent the Committee reaching a decision which seems in their absolute discretion to meet the requirements of the case before it.
g) Every Member shall attend and shoot at a minimum of three Association Range Meetings in each Association year and in the event of failure to do so they may be called upon by the Committee to provide an explanation for this failure. In the event of no satisfactory explanation being given, the Member in question may render himself liable to be reprimanded, suspended or expelled from the Association as herein before set out.
h) A suspended Member shall not be entitled to use the Association premises nor to attend any General Meeting or vote at any election, nor to hold any office during suspension but he shall remain liable to pay his membership fees.
25. AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION AND RULES.
Amendments to the Constitution and Rules may be authorized at an AGM or at an EGM called for that purpose or by Postal/Proxy Vote.
26. BY-LAWS AND RANGE ORDERS.
The Committee shall have the power to make such By-Laws or Range Orders as it deems necessary for the good governance of the Association, its ranges and shooting grounds. Such By-Laws, Range Orders or any other orders shall be posted in a conspicuous place at meetings of the Association and shall be delivered by the Secretary to any Member requesting them upon payment of such reasonable fee as the Committee may determine.
27. DISSOLUTION
The Association may at any time be dissolved by the consent of not less than 75% of the Full Members of the Association testified by their signatures to an instrument of dissolution in the form approved by the majority of Members present at an EGM called in accordance with Section 11. In the event of the Association being wound up the property and assets (if any) after payment of all proper debts and liabilities shall be paid or distributed amongst the Members. All decisions relating to Dissolution to be authorized by not less than 75% of Full Members present.
28. INTERPRETATION.
a) In this Constitution words denoting the masculine gender shall be deemed to also denote the feminine.
b) A reference to a requirement includes any regulation, rule, official directive, request or guidance (whether or not having the force of Law) of any regulatory, self-regulatory or other authority or organization.
29. VALUE ADDED TAX
Where under any provisions of these Rules or any amendment thereto, any sum of money payable to the Association by a Member by way of subscription or otherwise attracts Value Added Tax (VAT) unless any Rule specifically provides to the contrary, the Member shall be responsible for the amount of VAT at the rate attributable to such a sum.
30. PRESS RELEASES.
All press and public communications must be agreed by the Committee before being made or released for publication.
