Constitution

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ULSTER BRANCH of the

IRISH AMATEUR ROWING UNION

Constitution of the Ulster Branch I.A.R.U.

The following document is the current Constitution of the Ulster Branch I.A.R.U. All alterations, additions and deletions have been included, the latest being at the October 2000 Annual General Meeting.

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

THE IRISH AMATEUR ROWING UNION ( ULSTER BRANCH )

1 TITLE

There shall be a Branch of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union

(hereinafter referred to as the “I.A.R.U.”) to be known as “ the Irish

Amateur Rowing Union ( Ulster Branch )” ( hereinafter referred to

as “the Ulster Branch” ).

2 MEMBERSHIP

(a) Membership of the Ulster Branch shall be open to Rowing

Clubs in Northern Ireland affiliated to the I.A.R.U. as

defined in the Articles of Association of the I.A.R.U.

(b) For the purpose of these Articles “ Northern Ireland

comprises the Parliamentary Counties of Antrim, Armagh,

Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tryone, together with

the Parliamentary Boroughs of Belfast and Londonderry.

forward to the Honorary Secretary of the Ulster Branch such

application in writing accompanied by the affiliation fee of

£25.00.

(d) Upon election to membership of the Ulster Branch each

Club shall pay to the Ulster Branch a subscription of £25.00

and in each succeeding year an annual subscription of £25.00

each, such subscription to be paid to the Honorary

Treasurer of the Ulster Branch not later than the

commencement of the Annual General Meeting ( hereinafter

referred to as “the A.G.M.” ). Any Club which has not paid

its subscription for the succeeding year by the

commencement of the A.G.M. shall forfeit its voting rights

at the A.G.M. and shall cease to be a member of the Ulster

Branch until such time as all arrears of subscriptions are

paid by it to the Honorary Treasurer of the Ulster Branch.

(e) All Clubs will receive a copy of the relevant Code of

Conduct as determined by the Committee and a copy of the

Articles of association. Each Club will be obliged to sign and

return an acknowledgement that they have read and agree

to abide by the Code of Conduct and the Articles of

Association.

3 I.A.R.U.

It is a condition of continued membership of the Ulster Branch that each Club shall remain affiliated to the I.A.R.U. and shall adhere to and observe:-

(a) The Articles of Association of the I.A.R.U.

(b) The Rules for Competitive Rowing of the I.A.R.U.

(d) The Rules for the University Championships

as laid down by the I.A.R.U. and as amended from time to time.

4 OBJECTS

The objects of the Ulster Branch shall be to promote the sport of rowing in Northern Ireland and in particular:-

(a) To act for and represent the I.A.R.U. in Northern Ireland, as directed by the I.A.R.U.

(b) To appoint representatives of the Ulster Branch to any relevant body in Northern Ireland.

(d) To encourage and assist the formation of new Clubs.

(e) To promote the standard of rowing and coaching, to hold examinations and any other activities conducive to the furtherance of rowing

(f) To negotiate with the Government in Northern Ireland and any public or local Authority in respect of any matter concerning the interests of rowing.

(g) To sponsor coaching schemes in Northern Ireland and to negotiate for grant aid and sponsorship as may be available to the Ulster Branch from time to time.

(h) To at all times observe the current rules of the I.A.R.U. in relation to performance enhancing substances, drugs and drug testing.

(i) Providing equal opportunities for successful participation by all sections of the community.

5 OFFICERS & COMMITTEE MEMBERS

(a) The Officers of the Ulster Branch shall be the Chairman,

Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary

Treasurer.

(b) The Committee of the Ulster Branch shall consist of:-

(i) The Chairman

(ii) The Vice-Chairman

(iii) The Honorary Secretary

(iv) The Honorary Treasurer

(v) The President of the I.A.R.U.

(vi) The Honorary Secretary of the I.A..R.U.

(vii) All Ulster Representatives on the Executive of the I.A.R.U. including the University Representative when that person represents a Club in Northern Ireland and the I.A.R.U. Executive member representing Ladies Rowing when that person represents a Club in Northern Ireland.

(viii) 2 ordinary members, who may be co-opted if necessary

(ix) The Rowing Convenor

6 ELECTIONS

(a) The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be elected at the A.G.M. and candidates must be proposed and seconded by ordinary members of the Ulster Branch entitled to vote.

(b) In the event of a vacancy in any of the offices referred to in 6 (a), the Officers of the Ulster Branch shall have power to appoint another person to fill the vacancy until the next A.G.M.

7 HONORARY SECRETARY

(a) The Honorary Secretary shall convene all Ulster Branch meetings. He shall transact all business incidental to his Office and such matters as he is directed to by the Committee.

(b) On retirement from Office he shall hand over to his successor or to the Chairman of the Ulster Branch all books and papers pertaining to his Office.

(c) The Honorary Secretary shall send a written agenda for every Committee meeting to be called to every Committee member and give a written 7 days notice of such meeting and this procedure may only be breached in the case of an emergency, the fact of which must be confirmed by the Committee at the next meeting thereof.

8 HONORARY TREASURER

(a) The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for the funds of the Ulster Branch and keep a proper account of all monies received by and paid by him, deposit the funds of the Ulster Branch at a bank to be approved by the Committee, produce the books of account properly balanced together with the Bank Book and vouchers at the end of each year or when called to do so by the Auditors.

(b) All cheques drawn on the funds of the Ulster Branch shall be signed by the Honorary Treasurer and countersigned for sums over £100.00 by either the Chairman or the Honorary Secretary.

(c) The Honorary Treasurer shall present to the A.G.M. a Balance Sheet and an Income and Expenditure Account, both of which have been duly audited.

(d) On retirement from Office he should hand over to his successor or to the Chairman of the Ulster Branch, all the books and papers pertaining to his office and cash belonging to the Ulster Branch.

9 OFFICERS CONDUCT

No Officer may make any agreement or give any

undertaking on behalf of the Ulster Branch without the

subject of such agreement or undertaking being approved at

a properly recorded meeting of the Committee except in

the case of an emergency when the facts must be confirmed

by the Committee at the next meeting thereof. Failing

which, such Officer shall be liable to discipline in such a

manner that the Committee thinks fit including by fine or

suspension from the Committee.

10 DONATIONS

(a) Any monies or gifts donated by any individual or individual’s organizations, government or otherwise or company, private or public for the purposes of representing rowing activity under the jurisdiction of the Ulster Branch or the I.A.R.U. shall be paid or given to the Ulster Branch who will properly administer the expenditure of such funds and in the case of monies or property donated for representative activity directly under the jurisdiction of the I.A.R.U. such monies or property shall be paid or given by the Ulster Branch to the Treasurer of the I.A.R.U.

(b) Clause 10 (a) shall not be interpreted or deemed to cover sponsorship obtained by any Club for its own rowing activities provided that such activities are not under the direct jurisdiction of the Ulster Branch.

11 ASSETS

The Committee acting for and on behalf of the Ulster

Branch shall be empowered to purchase, acquire, lease, sell,

mortgage or otherwise dispose of such property as it thinks

necessary to further the objects of the Ulster Branch as

defined in Article 4, subject to Article 10.

12 TRUSTEES

(a) The property of the Ulster Branch is vested in Trustees

(b) The number of Trustees shall not exceed 3 and shall not be less

than 2 and the Trustees shall be elected at the A.G.M.

may attend meetings of the Committee if so invited.

(d) The Trustees shall dispose of or otherwise deal with the

property of he Ulster Branch in accordance with the directions

given to them by the Committee of the Ulster Branch ( of which an

entry in the minute Book shall be conclusive evidence ), save that

where a majority of the Trustees; or where there are less than

three Trustees, one Trustee is of the opinion that any direction

given to them by the Committee is not in accordance with the

best interests of the Ulster Branch , they or he, shall direct the

Committee to request a General Meeting of the Ulster Branch to

consider the matter and the Trustees or Trustee shall comply with

the decision of the General Meeting of the Ulster Branch ( of

which an entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence ).

(e) The Trustees shall be indemnified against all risk and expense

incurred by them in their capacity as Trustees of the Ulster Branch

by the Ulster Branch

(f) Each Trustee shall hold office until death or resignation, unless

removed from office by resolution of the Ulster Branch at a

General Meeting.

(g) Subject to the foregoing the general management of the property

of the Ulster Branch shall be entrusted to the Committee of the

Ulster Branch.

13 COMMITTEE DUTIES

(a) A quorum of the Committee shall be at least 3 members of the Committee, 2 of whom must be elected Officers of the Committee.

(b) The affairs of the Ulster Branch are to be managed by the Committee.

14 SUB-COMMITTEES

(a) The Committee of the Ulster Branch shall have the power to appoint from time to time Sub-Committees as it thinks fit to carry out the objects of the Ulster Branch and may appoint as members of such Sub-Committees such persons as it thinks fit.

(b) The elected Officers of the Committee shall be ex-officio members of all such Sub-Committees.

(c) No action or decision of such a Sub-Committee shall bind the Ulster Branch until it has been ratified by the Committee.

15 GRANT APPLICATIONS

Any application from any Club or individual to the Sports

Council for Northern Ireland and / or the Department of

Education for Northern Ireland for a grant for rowing capital

equipment or for rowing activity competition or travel in

connection therewith must be notified to the Committee of

the Ulster Branch.

16 CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

The Committee shall determine, operate, and keep under

review a Child Protection Policy. In keeping with this, the

Committee shall appoint at least 1 person who will have a

remit for Child Protection. This will include attending

relevant training courses liasing with relevant agencies when

necessary and bringing to the attention of the Committee

any incidents or information deemed appropriate.

17 COMPLAINTS & INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE

The Committee shall determine, operate and keep under

regular review, a Complaints and Investigation Procedure for

members.

18 DISCIPLINARY MATTERS

The Committee shall refer any disciplinary matter to the

I.A.R.U.

19 APPEALS PROCEDURE

(a) A Club may appeal a decision of a complaint. The appeal

must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary within

14 days of the Club being notified about the outcome of

the complaint procedure.

(b) The Appeal will be heard by a committee appointed by

the I.A.R.U. executive.

20 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

(a) The A.G.M shall be held prior to the 31^st October each year

on a date decided by the Committee. At least 14 days

notice of the meeting shall be given by notification in

writing to each of the Clubs affiliated to the Ulster Branch.

(b) The Ulster Branch at each A.G.M. shall:-

(i) Receive the Report of the Committee and

make such orders with regard to the same as

seems proper to the Ulster Branch.

(ii) Receive the Balance Sheet and the Income

and Expenditure Account for the 12 months

preceding 31^st March together with the

Auditor’s Report on them and make such orders

with regard to the same as seems proper to the

Ulster Branch.

(iii) Elect the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman,

the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary

Treasurer of the Ulster Branch.

(iv) Appoint an Auditor for the next succeeding

year.

(v) Consider any resolution submitted in

accordance with Article 17.

(vi) Consider any other business that the Chairman

in his discretion allows.

21 SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

(a) The Honorary Secretary shall at the direction of the

Committee or upon receipt of a Requisition signed by the

Honorary Secretary of any affiliated Club, summon a

Special General Meeting of the Ulster Branch.

(b) A Special General Meeting shall be convened not less than

7 and not more than 21 days from the date of the

direction of the Committee or the receipt of the

Honorary Secretary of the Ulster Branch of the

Requisition from an affiliated Club. Notice of the Meeting

shall be given to all affiliated Clubs in writing.

set out in the Notice sent to each affiliated Club shall be

dealt with.

(d) A Requisition shall state the reason for a Special General

Meeting and be accompanied by a fee of £10.00 which

shall be forfeited to the funds of the Ulster Branch, should

the Requisition be deemed by the Special General

Meeting to be frivolous.

22 VOTING AT ANNUAL OR SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

(a) The official representative of each Club must be a bona

fide member of that Club and at a General Meting shall

be entitled to 1 vote.

(b) Each elected Officer of the Committee for the time

being shall be entitled to 1 vote.

on the request of any official representative of a Club

there shall be a secret ballot.

(d) In the case of a tie the Chairman shall have a casting

vote.

(e) A quorum at a General Meeting shall be 6 persons entitled

to vote at a General Meeting.

23 ULSTER BRANCH STATUS

(a) The Ulster Branch shall seek recognition as an organization so that it may be recognized as a Governing Body to allow it to fulfill the aims laid down in these Articles of Association.

(b) The Committee shall take all necessary steps to affiliate to such organizations and appoint Representatives to such organizations, membership of which it considers conducive to the interests of rowing.

24 RELATIONSHIP WITH THE I.A.R.U.

Nothing in these Articles of Association shall affect the

position of the I.A.R.U. as the authority of rowing throughout

Ireland.

25 ALTERATIONS TO THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

(a) No alteration, deletion or addition to these Articles of Association may be made except by the vote of a majority of not less than two-thirds of those present and entitled to vote at a General Meeting. The Notice convening a Meeting for this reason shall state the alteration, deletion or addition proposed.

(b) No alteration of or addition to these Articles of Association shall take effect until approved by the Executive Committee of the I.A.R.U.

26 INTERPRETATION

All questions as to the correct interpretation of the Articles of

Association of the I.A.R.U. and of the Ulster Branch, the Rules

for Competitive Rowing, the Rules for I.A.R.U.

Championships, the Rules for the University Championships of

Ireland and the Bye-laws of the I.A.R.U. shall be referred to

the I.A.R.U. Executive Committee whose decision thereon

shall be final.

Includes amendments up to AGM October 2000

@ 11/04/05 BE

Last modified: 04/17/05