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A D Constitution
Note. There is a printable PDF leaflet link at the foot of this page + an Adobe reader download link if needed
CONSTITUTION
The full title of the Association shall be the (hereinafter referred to as the “Association”) 2. DEFINITIONS and ABBREVIATIONS Throughout these Rules the following defined terms will be used: a) “Association” shall mean the Access Class Association (UK). b) “The Committee” shall mean the Committee of the Access Class Association (UK). c) “The Rules” shall mean the rules governing the conduct of the Association in the United Kingdom. d) “The Association Register” shall mean the register of members to be kept as hereafter provided in Clause 9. e) “The Access Dinghy” shall mean the range of sailing boats designed by Chris Mitchell of Australia and made by a builder approved by him in accordance with his drawings and specifications, and known under the name of the Access Dinghy. f) “The Access Dinghy Racing Rules (UK)” shall mean the rules relating to the management and requirements of racing in the United Kingdom, including any variations to the ISF Racing Rules of Sailing and Royal Yachting Association prescriptions. The definitions of special needs used within the Constitution and the General Rules of the Class and the Access Dinghy Racing Rules are offered as broad guidance only. (ii) Intellectual - includes conditions such as learning difficulties, Downs Syndrome etc (iii) Emotional – Includes specific conditions such as Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Prada Willy Syndrome, or psychiatric conditions both psychotic and neurotic. (iv) Sensory- includes deafness and blindness but does not include disorders of taste, smell or touch. h) “Members shall mean those persons defined in Clause 9 below 3. OBJECTS 1. To promote and develop the interests of the Access Dinghy Class in the United Kingdom and to represent the interest of all owners, sailors and supporters of the Class. 2. To achieve fulfillment of the design purpose of the Access range of dinghies in the UK the ADA(UK) will encourage, support and enable the widest possible range of people including all ages, culture, emotional state, ethnicity, financial status, gender, intellectual level, sailing ability level, physical mobility, sensory ability, sexuality, social status, or weight to become Access Dinghy sailors, helpers and supporters. 3. To encourage and foster, for all Access Dinghy sailors in the UK, the enjoyment and fellowship of recreational Access Dinghy Sailing at individual, club and national level covering all sailing activities including cruising, training and racing. 4. To ensure that all people with special needs described in the Association’s Objects receive an equal priority status within the decision making of the Association. 5. To take all actions practicable to ensure that all activities and events supported by the Association are fully inclusive, in that any Access sailor with special needs, at all degrees of severity, be they physical, intellectual, emotional or sensory, are able to participate fully. 6. To actively promote, encourage and support, individuals and groups to enable Access Dinghy sailing as shore helpers, buddy sailors, support boat crews, race officers, drivers (for traveler events), event organisers, caterers, administrators, fundraisers and committee members and make available full membership of the Association to such people. 7. To promote, co-ordinate and provide the organisational structure for racing 8. To negotiate at International level with the Access Dinghy Foundation, (formed 9. To maintain the production one-design character of the range of Access Dinghies ensuring that any permitted developments of the rules and/or equipment takes full account of a sailors safety and the needs of Access sailors with special needs, at all degrees of severity, be they physical, intellectual, emotional or sensory. 4. MANAGEMENT a) The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Committee, comprising not less than six and not more than twelve members of the Association and will be elected annually by members at an Annual General Meeting. b) The maximum number of candidates that any one organisation may put forward for election to the Association Committee is three. c) At its first meeting to be held immediately after the Annual General Meeting of the Association, the Committee shall elect from amongst themselves the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Association, who shall hold office until their Successors are elected to office. d) An Honorary Secretary shall be elected by the Committee, upon such terms as the Committee may think fit who shall be responsible under the supervision of the Chairman for keeping correct Minutes and records of all Committee and General Meetings and for communicating the decisions of the Committee to members of the Association, and to the Secretariat of the International Association (the Access Dinghy Foundation) if required and for keeping a register of members. e) An Honorary Treasurer shall be elected, who shall cause proper books of account to be kept of all income and expenditure and of all dealings with the assets of the Association, shall present an annual financial statement at each Annual General Meeting and shall circulate annually to all members a report and an income and expenditure account. f) The Designer, Chris Mitchell or his nominated representative and a representative nominated by SS Marine ltd/the manufacturer, shall have the right to attend and speak at all Committee Meetings but shall have no voting rights unless elected as a Committee member. g) The Committee shall have powers to co-opt any person to assist it, whether a member of the Association or not. h) No member shall serve on the Committee as Elected Member for more than three years at the end of which period he/she shall retire, but shall be eligible for re-election. i) The Committee need not fill a vacancy arising in the Committee unless the total number of Committee Members has dropped below the minimum of six. Committee Members appointed to fill vacancies shall remain in office until the expiry of the term of office of the person whose position they have filled. j) The date and venues of Committee meetings shall be arranged by the Committee at their respective meetings or may be called at any time by the chairman or by any two Committee members respectively upon not less that three weeks notice being given to the other members of the Committee including the nominated manufacturer representative and any co-opted members. The notice of the meeting shall include an agenda. k) In the event that the Chairman is unable to attend any meeting of the Committee, the Secretary or any other member of the Committee nominated for that purpose may represent the Chairman and vote at such meeting of the Committee on his behalf. l) In the absence of the Chairman of the Committee the Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman. In the absence of both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, the meeting shall be adjourned to a later date unless the Chairman and vice chairman have made specific arrangements to cover their absence. m) At meetings of the Committee half the number of the Committee then in being rounded up to the nearest whole number shall form a quorum. n) Each Committee member shall have one vote. Decisions shall be reached by a simple majority, and in the event of an equality of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have an additional vote o) The Committee shall have power to make recommendations to the members in general meeting, or by post, or by electronic means for alteration in, or additions to, the Rules. p) The Committee will arrange an Annual National Championship of the Class, Access Dinghy Traveler Series and shall co-ordinate such other regional racing as may be required by the membership. 5. POWER of the COMMITTEE a) The Committee shall be empowered to perform all functions of management and administration according to these Rules. b) The Committee shall determine all matters concerning the Rules, including interpretations. c) Power to declare a postal vote giving members at least 14 days notice. 6. GENERAL MEETINGS The General Meeting of the Association will be held annually (the AGM) in any place judged by the Committee to be most convenient to the majority of members of the Association and the time and place to be at the Committee’s discretion. a) The business of the AGM shall comprise: (i) Chairman’s Report.
c) At least 28 days notice, together with a copy of the agenda shall be given to all Members of any General Meeting. d) At any General Meeting decisions shall be limited to matters on the agenda except at the discretion of the Chairman. e) At any General or Extraordinary General Meeting decisions shall be by simple majority. Voting to be by show of hands unless a poll is demanded by not fewer than three of the members present In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have an additional vote. f) At any Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association, twelve members shall form a quorum. 7. POSTAL NOTICE OF MEETINGS AND BALLOT PAPERS a) Notice of meetings or ballot papers shall be deemed to be served if posted (by airmail if overseas) or sent electronically to the last known address of the member. b) Non-receipt of notices or ballot papers by members, or of postal votes by the Association, shall not invalidate the proceedings of meetings, or the result of a postal ballot. 8. ACCOUNTS The Committee shall ensure that : a. Proper books of account be kept giving particulars of: b. They operate bank accounts at all times and that ALL monies belonging to the Association except cash required for immediate use shall forthwith be paid into the Association’s bank account which shall be in the name of the Association. c. They control the use of all funds of the Association available after any approved expenditure to ensure a maximum of income. d. The Committee shall appoint, on such terms as it may think fit, an Inspector who shall certify the annual financial statement. e. Draft annual accounts and report are prepared and approved by them and submitted to the Inspector for approval and that a copy of the annual financial statement, duly inspected, is prepared for presentation at a General Meeting and shall, not less than fourteen days prior to such General Meeting, be sent to every member of whose address the Committee is aware. f. Where applicable all tangible assets and their Public liability are insured with a reputable Insurance Company 9. MEMBERSHIP and VOTING RIGHTS a) Membership of the Association shall be open to: (i) any full or part owner of an Access Dinghy including individuals, corporations or Associations or nominated representatives of such bodies. b) Members shall be bound by the Rules. c) Each Member shall be entitled to a vote at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association. d) The Hon Secretary shall keep a Register of Members together with a record of their last known addresses. 10. SUSPENSION OF MEMBERSHIP A member may be suspended membership by the Committee for: a) gross violation of the rules. b) committing an unlawful act in relation to the Association or one of its members, c) for any un-sportsmanlike and/or bullying and/or unfair discrimination of any kind or any conduct contrary to the interests of the members of the Association. The duration of the suspension shall be fixed by the Committee but may not exceed two years and a suspended member shall during such period be precluded from racing arranged by the Association or enjoying any other rights of membership.
An Officer may be removed from office by the Committee for a willful and unjustifiable act of commission or omission detrimental to the Association or to its members. Any decision under this section will, where practicable, be by written ballot and decided by a simple majority vote of the Committee. 12. APPEALS Any dispute as to the interpretation of this Constitution and the Class Rules may be made to the Committee whose decision shall be final and binding. 13. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION The Constitution shall only be amended at the Annual General Meeting, provided not less than twenty-one days notice of such proposed amendment has in each case been given
For an easily printable PDF version click the following link Access Class Association (UK) Constitution If you do not have a PDF reader you can download Adobe Reader free. click this link for the download page Adobe Reader
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ACCESS CLASS ASSOCIATION (UK)
