LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY  AMATEUR  SWIMMING ASSOCIATION

                                                         (Affiliated ASA East Midland Region)

 

                                                 RULES  OF THE COUNTY ASSOCIATION

 

1        NAME OF THE ASSOCIATION

This Association shall be called the "Lincolnshire County Amateur Swimming Association", hereinafter referred to as the "County Association".

 

2  OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the County Association shall be :-

(a)  to encourage the arts of swimming, water polo, synchronised swimming, diving and lifesaving within the County of Lincolnshire (as pre-1972 County Boundary).

(b)  to make arrangements to hold championships and competitions for any of these disciplines.

(c)  to select and govern teams and individuals to represent the County Association.

(d)  those of the ASA.

(e) the County Association shall implement the ASA Equity and Equal Opportunities policies.

(f)  the County Association is committed to treat everyone equally within the contest of his or her        activity, regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, religion, disability or political persuasion.

 

 

3  COUNTY AFFILIATION

The County Association shall be affiliated to the Amateur Swimming Association (East Midland Region).

(a)  the County Association believes that the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility and that all children and young people have a right to have fun, be safe and be protected from harm.

(b)  the County Association shall in accordance with ASA laws adopt the ASA Child protection Procedures; and

(c)  members of the County Association shall in accordance with ASA laws comply with the ASA Child protection procedures.

 

4  MEMBERSHIP

All swimming, water polo, diving and synchronised swimming and lifesaving Clubs, Associations and Leagues affiliated to the Amateur Swimming Association (East Midland Region) or to the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) directly and whose headquarters are situated within the County shall be eligible for membership, subject to approval by the Executive.

 

5  FINANCE

5.1 FINANCIAL YEAR

The Financial Year shall end on 31st August.

 

 5.2 SUBSCRIPTIONS

The Subscriptions of all affiliated Clubs, Associations and Leagues shall be assessed annually by the Executive Committee at the Executive Meeting immediately preceding the Annual General Meeting.  The Subscriptions so assessed shall be reported to the Annual General Meeting and shall be due on 1st January of the following year.

If such Subscription should remain unpaid by 31st January a reminder will be sent. Any organisation still in default by 31st March shall be deemed to be no longer affiliated to the County Association.

 

5.3  APPLICATION OF FUNDS

All funds and other property of the County Association shall be applied to the furtherance of the objectives of the County Association.  No funds or other property of the County Association shall be paid to, or be distributed among, the members of the County Association.  The County Executive shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the property of the County Association for all the expenses and other liabilities properly incurred by them in the discharge of their duties.

 

5.4 DISSOLUTION OF THE COUNTY ASSOCIATION

In the event of dissolution, the funds remaining shall be devoted to objects similar to those of the County Association.

 

5.5 FINANCIAL DEFICIT

If, at the end of the financial year, the Balance Sheet, should show  deficit, each affiliated Club, Association and League shall be liable for a levy proportionate to the annual subscription of such

organisation.

 

6  COUNCIL AND GENERAL MEETINGS

 

6.1 COUNCIL

The County Association shall be governed by the Council, consisting of :-

the President

                        the President-Elect

                        a maximum of three Vice-Presidents

                        the Hon. Life Members

                        the Past Presidents

                        the County Officers:

                                    Hon. Treasurer

                                    Hon. General Secretary

                                    Hon. Minute Secretary

                                    Hon. Championship and Age Group Secretary

                                    Hon. Masters Secretary

                                    Hon. Water Polo Secretary

                                    Hon. Fixture Secretary

                                    Hon. Coach

                                    Hon. Assistant Coach

                                    Hon. Diving  Secretary

                                    Hon. Synchro Secretary

                                    Hon. Education Officer

                                    Hon. Facilities Officer

                                    Hon. Royal Life Saving Society Officer

                                    Hon. Records Officer

                                    Hon. Public Relations Officer

                                    Hon Open Water Secretary

                                    Hon Disability Secretary

                                    Hon Swimming Officials Secretary

                                    Hon Welfare Officer

                                    Hon Officials Secretary

                                    Hon Volunteer Coordinator

                                    Hon Development Officer

                        and two Delegates nominated by each affiliated Club, Association and League.

 

Delegates from seven affiliated Clubs, Associations or Leagues, together with six from the President. President Elect, Vice-Presidents and Hon County Officers shall form a quorum.

 

6.2 ANNUAL  GENERAL  MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the COUNCIL shall normally be held on the first Saturday in December.

The  date and  venue for  the  next  Annual  General Meeting  shall  be decided at each Annual General Meeting.   It should be selected in consultation with  the President-Elect.

 

 

The purpose of such Meeting shall be :-

(a)  to receive the annual reports of the Hon. Officers of the County Association.

(b)  to confirm the nominations, from the preceding Executive Meeting, of the President and President-Elect.

(c)  to elect Vice-Presidents, from those eligible, to fill vacancies for the following year.

(d)  to elect the Hon. Officers for the following year.

(e)  to appoint, for the following year, one or more Hon Financial Advisers.

(f)   to appoint one or more Hon. Trophy Trustees for the following year.

(g)  to appoint an Hon. Medical Adviser for the following year.

(h)  to confirm the election of Hon. Life Members as nominated by the Executive  Committee.  A Register shall be kept of such Hon. Life Members.

(i)   to approve any changes to the Rules of the County Association.

 

6.3 SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

A Special General Meeting of the Council may be called for a stated purpose :-

(a) by the Executive Committee or

(b) on a written request to the Hon. General Secretary from no fewer than four affiliated Clubs, Associations or Leagues.  The Hon. General Secretary must arrange for such Meeting to take place within twenty-eight days of receipt of a valid request. No other business shall be discussed at such Meeting.

 

6.4 NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS

The Hon. General Secretary shall give at least fourteen days’ notice of every General Meeting to the Secretary of each affiliated Club, Association and League and to the President, President-Elect, Vice-Presidents, Past Presidents, Hon. Life Members and all Hon. Officers of the County Association, stating the business of such Meeting.

 

6.5 VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS

Except where a ballot vote is taken, a Delegate shall vole by holding up a Delegate's Card.

 

7  NOMINATIONS

The Executive Meeting immediately preceding the Annual General Meeting shall:-

 

7.1 PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT-ELECT and VICE-PRESIDENTS

(a) Nominate  the  President  who shall usually stand for two years.  The  nominee  for President will normally be the President-Elect of the current year.  If the President-Elect should be unable to serve, then the longest serving Vice-President or a Past President may be nominated by the President.

(b)   Nominate  the President-Elect who will normally be the longest serving Vice President or a Past President.

(c)  Provide a list of those Executive Committee members eligible for nomination for any Vice-Presidential vacancies.  Only those who have served on the Executive Committee for a minimum period of three years shall be eligible for nomination.

 

7.2 HONORARY OFFICERS

Receive written nominations and make proposals for the Hon. Officers of the County Association for the following year.

 

7.3  MEMBERS

Nominate Hon. Life Members to mark exceptional service to the County Association.

 

8 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

 

8.1 THE EXECUTIVE

The Executive shall be the managing body of the County Association. It shall transact the business of the County Association and shall observe and enforce the Rules of the County Association and the orders of its Council.

 

8.2 CHAIRMAN

The President shall have the right to act as Chairman at all Meetings of the County Association.  If he declines, is unable to act or is absent then the same shall apply with respect to the President-Elect. If neither is available, the meeting shall elect a Chairman from members present. The Chairman shall have the right to vote on every motion and if there should be an equality of votes, shall have- the right of a casting vote.

 

8.3 COMPOSITION

The Executive Committee shall consist of the members of the Council, except that there shall be only one Delegate nominated by each affiliated Club, Association and League.  Substitute Delegates will be permitted.

 

8.4 MEETINGS

Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at about two monthly intervals.  The first meeting shall be held in January when dates for the remaining meetings of the year, and for the first meeting of the following year shall be decided.

Delegates from five Clubs. Associations or leagues together with five from the President, President-Elect, Vice-Presidents and Hon. County Officers shall form a quorum.

 

 8.5 EXECUTIVE  SUB-COMMITTEES

The following shall be standing Sub Committees of the Executive Committee

Emergency Committee

Planning Committee

Championship and Age Group Committee

Swimming Committee

Water Polo Committee

 

The following shall be Ex-Officio Members of all  Sub-Committees,  with full voting rights :-

                        President

                        President-Elect

                        Hon. General Secretary

                        Hon. Treasurer

 

Any Sub-Committee shall have power to co-opt members for any special purpose.  Such co-opted members shall not have voting powers.

 

8.6 DUTIES

The duties of the Executive Committee shall be :-

(a)  to appoint, at the first meeting of the year, members, as required, to the Sub-Committees and subsequently to fill any vacancies should they occur.

(b)  to appoint any special Sub-Committees which may be considered necessary or desirable.

(c)  to elect Clubs, Associations and Leagues as members of the County Association.

(d)  to control the finances of the County Association.

(e)  to fill any vacancies which may occur amongst Officers of the Executive Committee.  A vacancy shall be deemed to have occurred if any Officer, other than the President, President-Elect, Vice-Presidents, Past Presidents or Life Members, shall have been absent from three consecutive Executive Committee Meetings, without having received leave of absence or having given a valid

explanation.

(f)  to suspend or expel any affiliated organisation or committee member.  If at any meeting of the Executive Committee a resolution is passed by a majority of at least two-thirds of those voting, to

the effect that an affiliated Club, Association, League or member of Committee has rendered themselves unworthy to continue to be affiliated or to remain a member, such organisation or member

shall cease to belong to the County Association.  Notice of such motion must have been previously included in the agenda for that meeting.  The offending party may appeal to a Special General Meeting of the Council by giving notice to the Hon. General Secretary within 14 days of the said meeting.  The offending party shall remain a member of the Association until the appeal has been

decided by the Council.

(g)   to exercise all other powers which may be necessary for the proper conduct of the affairs of

the County Association and which do not conflict in any way with the Rules of the County Association.

 

9  EMERGENCY COMMITTEE

This Committee shall consist of the Ex-Officio Members, Hon. Championship and Age Group Secretary, Hon. Fixture Secretary, Hon. Coach and Hon. Water Polo Secretary, together with three other Members of the Executive Committee.

Four shall form a quorum.

Its duties shall be:

(a)  to deal with any urgent business which may arise.

(b)      to present a full report of its decisions to the next Executive Committee meeting.

The Hon. General Secretary shall act as secretary to this Committee.

 

10.  PLANNING COMMITTEE

This Committee shall consist of the Ex-Officio Members and the Immediate Past President.

Three shall form a quorum.

Its duties shall be :-

(a)  to review past activities of the County Association.

(b)  to make recommendations for improvements to the working of the County Association.

(c)  to make recommendations for the development of the activities of the County Association.

(d)  to present a report of its recommendations to the next Executive Committee meeting.

The Hon. General Secretary shall act as secretary to this Committee.

 

11.  CHAMPIONSHIP AND AGE GROUP COMMITTEE

This Committee shall consist of the Ex-Officio Members, Hon. Championship and Age Group Secretary, Hon. Fixture Secretary, Hon Masters Secretary, Hon Coach/Assistant Coach and three other Members of the Executive Committee.

Five shall form a quorum.

Its duties shall be:-

(a)    to make all arrangements for holding County Championships, other Competitions and  trial matches.

(b)  to recommend dates for County Championship and Age Group galas and to decide upon the venues, once dates are agreed and offers to host galas have been received by the Committee.

(c)  to recommend any changes to the format of galas and to the qualifying times for accepting entries.

(d) to make all necessary arrangements to comply with safety requirements as detailed in current ASA Laws.

(e)  to cause Minutes to be kept of its proceedings and to present these to the next Executive Committee meeting.

The Hon. Championship and Age Group Secretary shall act as secretary to this Committee.

 

12  SWIMMING COMMITTEE

This Committee shall consist of the Ex-Officio Members, Hon. Championship and Age Group Secretary, Hon. Coach, Hon. Assistant Coach, Hon. Records Officer, Hon. Fixture Secretary, Hon Masters Secretary and one other Member of the Executive Committee.

Five shall form a quorum.

Its duties shall be :-

(a)  to make all necessary arrangements to hold Inter-County matches and/or competitions and to decide on venues for home events.

(b)  to select representative teams for such matches and competitions.

(c)   to make all necessary arrangements to comply with safety requirements as detailed in current ASA Laws.

(d)  to cause Minutes to be kept of its proceedings and to present these to the next Executive Committee meeting.

The Hon. Fixture Secretary shall act as secretary to this Committee.

 

13  WATER POLO COMMITTEE

This Committee shall consist of the Ex-Officio Members, Hon. Water Polo Secretary and two representatives from each affiliated Club and League having Water Polo activities.

Five shall form a quorum.

Its duties shall be :-

(a)  to organise an annual County Club Championship tournament.

(b)  to arrange training and trials for selection of County Senior and Junior Teams.

(c)  to arrange Inter-County matches for County Senior and Junior Teams.

(d)  to appoint a County Water Polo Coach or Coaches.

(e)  to make all necessary arrangements to comply with safety requirements as detailed in current ASA Laws.

(f)  to cause Minutes to be kept of its proceedings and to present these to the next Executive Committee meeting.

Selection of County Water Polo teams shall be the responsibility of the Hon. Water Polo Secretary and the Water Polo Coach or Coaches.

The Hon. Water Polo Secretary shall act as secretary to this Committee.

 

14 SWIMMING OFFICIALS COMMITTEE

The Committee will consist of ex-officio members and the members of the Midlands officials testing team.  Its duties will be:-

a) To arrange courses for people who wish to take their officials examinations utilizing the members of the Midlands Course Leaders and liasing with the clubs.

b) To arrange practical tests for those candidates who are successful in the theory examinations.

c) To encourage and provide, where possible, assistance to aid those officials who wish to advance.

d) To be responsible for the Midland Course Leaders list from the Lincolnshire ASA standpoint ie adding and removing official as required.

e) To be responsible for the updating of the Officials list in the Lincolnshire ASA handbook.

 

15  EXPENSES

County Officers, Committee Members, Delegates or Officials attending a Meeting or Event at the request of the Executive Committee or a Sub-Committee may claim relevant expenses, provided that they comply with any arrangements made by the Executive.  All sub committee meetings are deemed to be at the request of the Executive Committee, thus travelling expenses may be claimed by those attending.

Delegates of affiliated organisations attending the Annual General Meeting and Executive Committee meetings shall be responsible for any expenses that they may incur. 

Competitors selected to travel on behalf of the County Association shall be asked to contribute a sum, as agreed by the Executive, towards any costs incurred.

 

16. SELECTION OF COUNTY TEAMS

All affiliated Clubs shall be expected to place their members at the disposal of the County Association, which shall have the power to select any members it considers proper to represent the County Association.  Those members invited to take part in a match or contest shall, by the date requested, confirm their acceptance or otherwise of such invitation with the County Officer who sent them details of their selection.  Those not responding to the invitation or not having an acceptable reason for declining the invitation may render themselves ineligible for future selection.

 

A member of an affiliated Club shall, after representing the County Association be entitled to a County Association Badge and Certificate.  The Hon. Fixture Secretary shall maintain a Register of those presented with such Badges and Certificates.

 

17. COUNTY COMPETITIONS

All County competitions shall be conducted under the Laws of the ASA, where applicable.

The County Executive shall be the Promoter of all Events which it organises or are organised on its behalf.  For each such Event the County Executive may delegate its duties as Promoter to a nominated person.

 

18. ALTERATION TO COUNTY ASSOCIATION RULES

Notice of any proposed alterations shall be sent in writing to the Hon. General Secretary to arrive not later than 30th September, together with the names of the proposer and seconder who must be Officers of the County Association, members of the Executive Committee or Officers of affiliated Clubs, Associations or Leagues.  The Executive Committee may also propose alterations at the Meeting immediately preceding the Annual General Meeting.

Changes may only be approved at an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, and notice of such Meeting shall give details of all proposed changes.

Changes may only be made to these Rules if those voting in favour of the changes constitute at least two-thirds of those voting.

 

19. RESIGNATIONS

Any Club, Association or League wishing to resign from the County Association shall give notice in writing to that effect to the Hon. General Secretary by 30th September otherwise such organisation shall be held liable for its subscription for the following calendar year.

 

20. INTERPRETATION OF THE COUNTY RULES

Any question as to the correct interpretation of any of the "Rules of the County Association", or any other question not herein provided for, shall be referred to the Emergency Committee.  Any amendments to these rules must be subject to approval by the Regional ASA.

 

Revised 18th December 2007