Thames Rowing Council
Constitution

CONSTITUTION

1. The name of the Council shall be the Thames Rowing Council (hereinafter referred to as TRC).

2. The Council shall provide services to members of Rowing Clubs in the region, which are affiliated to the Amateur Rowing Association, as a single entity with two committees co-ordinating activities for groups of clubs, upriver and down river of Hampton Court Bridge.

3. The objects of the Council shall be

a. To uphold and improve the safety of rowing and sculling as recognised and maintained by the ARA within the TRC region which covers the Thames and neighbouring water upriver of Westminster Bridge, together with any other area which it is invited to take into the region.

b. To assist and support regattas (including processional races) situated or held within the TRC's region and which are affiliated to the ARA, including the provision of

i. communication and safety equipment and

ii. umpire training and monitoring

c. To assist and support the establishment of rowing and sculling where possible and to augment existing facilities

d. To encourage the widest knowledge and appreciation of the skills associated with rowing and sculling by providing education in coaching, and other activities.

e. To discourage any club or regatta which, in the opinion of the Council, is responsible for any action which may bring the sport into disrepute and to recommend disciplinary action to the Amateur Rowing Association.

f. To represent the interests of the members of the TRC on ARA commissions and other official bodies and to provide a forum for discussion by member clubs and regattas.

RULES

4. The Council shall consist of

a. Members of clubs situated within the region, one representative of each only shall be entitled to vote at General meetings.

b. The Secretary (or nominated representative) of regattas situated within the region who may also vote at General Meetings.

c. The elected and appointed representatives of the ARA Divisions and clubs within the region

d. Members of the Thames Regional Umpires Commission, hereafter referred to as the TRUC.

5. If required, each affiliated club and regatta within the region shall pay a subscription and/ or levy to be fixed at the Annual General Meeting of the Council.

6. The Council shall in each year before 30th November hold its Annual General Meeting, of which at least 14 days notice shall be given to members in writing. The business of the AGM shall be:

a. To receive and consider the Annual Report and Accounts.
b. To elect a President
c. To elect Vice Presidents (not more than three)
Chairman
Deputy Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Safety Officer
Regatta Co-ordinator
Umpires Chairman

d. To fix the amount of subscription / levy for the ensuing year.

e. To fix the date of the next meeting

f. To transact any other business of which written notice has been given to the Secretary at least 21 days in advance of the meeting. These meetings are to be chaired by the President.

7. A special General Meeting may be called by a resolution of the Committee, giving 14 days' written notice, or by a request in writing signed by twelve voting Council members and stating the business to be discussed.

8. At a General Meeting of the Council all members may attend but only those eligible under Rules 4a and 4b may vote. Twenty five individual voting members shall form a quorum. If a General Meeting is not quorate a further meeting shall be convened within twenty eight days to conduct the business; no quorum shall apply for this meeting.

If a subscription and / or levy due in any year has not been paid then the member concerned shall not be eligible to speak or vote at any meeting.

9.

i. The general management of the Council shall be conducted by a General Committee comprising the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Safety Officer, Regattas Co-ordinator and Umpires Commission Chairman.

The President, Vice Presidents and the elected representatives of the ARA divisions within the region may attend any committee meeting, ex officio.

The meetings shall receive and consider reports on safety, coach education, regattas and umpire training.

ii. The members so elected shall be eligible for re-election except that the Chairmanship and Deputy-chairmanship shall alternate between upriver and down river representatives annually. (see also rule 10)

10. There shall be two committees responsible for the day to day activities for members defined as comprising clubs and regattas in ARA divisions 10, 11, 12, 13, & 14 and 15, 16, 17, 18, & 19 respectively. They shall be chaired by the Chairman or Deputy Chairman, according to their affiliations, and comprise a Secretary, Coach education Co-ordinator, and four members representing Clubs Regattas, Women and Juniors. All these members should be elected at the AGM by the representatives of the appropriate member clubs and regattas.

Each Committee shall have the power to co-opt other members as may be found necessary from time to time to assist in the conduct of its members' requirements, e.g. in Veteran Rowing or Rowing for the Disabled.

11. The committees shall exercise their powers and duties by resolutions passed at meetings at which FOUR members personally shall form a quorum. In the event of any office falling vacant during the year committees shall fill the vacancy until the next AGM. They shall meet at least two times each year.

12. The General or other committees shall nominate suitably qualified persons delegates at any meeting, where representation is appropriate, who shall report to the Chairman or Deputy Chairman on decisions taken or recommendations made. However the TRC will not actively engage in the development of new clubs, nor the expansion of existing facilities, without resolution of the General Committee.

13. A General Meeting of the Council shall appoint Trustees for the property and assets of the Council, not fewer than two nor more than four in number.

14. The Council may receive and shall administer contributions from the ARA and other bodies towards Regional expenses. The Council may receive monies for the benefit of the Region in return for services provided for clubs and regattas and others within or without the Region.

15. The Council may alter or add to the Rules at any AGM provided that notice in writing of any proposed alteration or addition be sent to the Hon. Secretary before 1st October, or at any Special general Meeting called on fourteen days' notice and as stated in paragraph 7. no alteration or addition shall be proposed unless notice thereof has been sent to the members with the notice convening the meeting and no such alteration or addition shall be made unless two thirds of those present shall vote for the same.

16. FINANCE

The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances and shall keep a bank account in the name of the Thames Rowing Council, accounts to be audited annually by an Auditor appointed by the Council and presented to the Annual General Meeting. The income and property of Council shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Council, and no portion of them shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly to members except for reasonable and proper remuneration in return for services actually rendered.

No expenditure of the TRC funds may be committed without the explicit approval of the Treasurer or, in his absence, the Chairman. This shall also apply to the disposal of assets.

The Treasurer shall be alternate signatory of all accounts which handle financial assets of the TRC. No such accounts shall be opened without the authority of the Treasurer or the Chairman. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman shall be alternate signatories of the TRC current and deposit accounts.

An Equipment Officer shall be appointed with full authority to manage the provision of communications and safety equipment on behalf of the Council, except that a quarterly financial statement and activity report shall be made to the Treasurer.

Any member of the committee may be remunerated for services to be undertaken on behalf of the Council, subject to a source of funding being available. this shall permit the employment of staff, part-time or full-time. Such appointments must be on a fixed term contract basis, linked directly to the funding arrangements.

17. Dissolution.

If the Committee by simple majority decides that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary to dissolve the Council it shall call a Special general Meeting, at which a simple majority shall be sufficient to pass the resolution. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to some other institution having similar objects to that of the Council, and which prohibit the distribution of its or their income among its or their members to an extent at least as great as imposed in our Finance Clause.

18. The Council may appoint subcommittees in support of Resolutions passed under Clause 12.

Links:

• Regional pages

• Northern
• East Midlands
• Eastern
  • also Eastern pages on ARA website
• WAGS