Gloucester & District Society of Rugby Union Referees
FOUNDED 1892
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
Adopted as amended at AGM 20 May 2008
1. TITLE
1.1 The name of the Society is the Gloucester and District Society of Rugby Union Referees,
hereinafter referred to as 'the Society'.
2. AFFILIATION
2.1 The Society is an equal partner with the Bristol Referees' Society in the Gloucestershire
Federation of Rugby Union Referees (GFRUR), through which it is a full member of
the Rugby Football Referees' Union (RFRU) and an associate member of the
Gloucestershire Rugby Football Union (GRFU)
3. AIMS OF THE SOCIETY
3.1 The aims of the Society are to
a. Provide officials, as appropriate, to those clubs paying fees to the Society, to others who ask the Society for its services and to matches played under exchange arrangements.
b. Assist all members to achieve their objectives within the Society.
3.2 In support of these aims the Society will
a. Recruit, train and appoint referees, touch judges, coaches and advisers.
b. Assess and grade referees, touch judges, coaches and advisers.
c. Manage the development of all members, within the resources available.
4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Membership shall be open to any person having an interest in the aims of the Society.
4.2 A member is one who has paid the Annual Subscription, except where the context
indicates otherwise; for example, Life Members, visiting officials given
temporary membership and new officials prior to being graded by the Society.
4.3 A member may resign at any time by so advising the General Secretary. A member who resigns will not be entitled to any refund of subscription.
4.4 Members are expected to act in the best interests of the Society at all times. The Committee shall have the power to suspend or terminate the membership of any member whose conduct, in the opinion of the Committee, justifies such an action. Any member who wishes to appeal against a disciplinary decision of the Committee should do so in writing to the Honorary Secretary, RFRU, through the General Secretary of the Society, within 28 days of being notified of the Committee's decision.
4.5 The Committee may offer Life Membership to any person whose contribution to the Society, in the opinion of the Committee, merits such recognition. Life Membership becomes effective from the date of acceptance by the person concerned.
5. MEMBERS' SUBSCRIPTIONS
5.1 The Committee shall recommend to members, for ratification at the AGM, the rates of Annual Subscription for the following season.
6. THE COMMITTEE
6.1 The Society shall be managed by the Committee, which shall be elected at the AGM. A committee member may hold more than one appointment.
6.2 Where two or more nominations are received for an appointment, a vote shall be taken amongst those present at the AGM. The nominee with the highest number of votes shall be elected.
6.3 The Committee shall consist of the following:
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Immediate Past Chairman*
General Secretary
Finance Manager
Referee Development Officer
Training Coordinator
Society Adviser and Coach Development Officer
Society Disciplinary Officer
Referee Appointments Secretary
Members' Representative
* Only in the year immediately following the retirement of an incumbent Chairman: the appointment shall be automatic but shall receive formal confirmation by members at the AGM
Responsibilities of Committee members are shown in the Schedule to this Constitution.
6.4 The Committee shall be vested with powers, and shall exercise these powers provided
that it shall do nothing inconsistent with the Constitution and Rules or the general
policy of the Society as determined by a General Meeting.
6.5 Any member of the Society who wishes to meet with the Committee should apply
through the General Secretary, and should indicate the matter to be discussed.
6.6 The Committee may invite a representative of any organisation to attend its meetings.
6.7 The Committee may form standing or ad-hoc working groups. The functions of each
working group shall be defined by the Committee. The Chairman of the working group
shall report on its activities, as required by the Committee.
6.8 Each Committee member should, where possible, appoint a deputy in order to provide
continuity in the absence of that Committee member. The deputy may attend Committee
meetings and, in the absence of the Committee member, will have full voting rights. In
the absence of the Appointments Secretary, another member of the Committee is always
assigned to manage referee appointments.
6.9 The Committee may invite other members to accept responsibility for specific functions
in support of individual Committee members. Committee members may form sub-
committees to help undertake their responsibilities. In both cases, the Committee
member responsible for the activity shall be accountable to the Committee for any
actions of a non-committee member.
6.10 The Committee may nominate a member to represent the Society as required. The
representative shall be guided by, and be answerable to, the Committee.
6.11 The Committee may co-opt members to fill any vacancy occurring on the Committee or
its working groups. Co-opted membership shall lapse at the next AGM, but the member
may stand for election.
6.12 The prior agreement of the Committee is required for unplanned expenditure by a
Committee member of over £100. No other member of the Society has any power of
unplanned expenditure or commitment to expenditure.
6.13 The Schedule to the Constitution and Rules may be changed by the Committee as and
when required. Such changes will be notified to members.
7. MEETINGS
7.1 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
7.1.1 The Society shall hold an AGM of members on a date to be decided by the Committee.
7.1.2 The Agenda for the AGM shall be agreed by the Committee and not less than 21 days
notice given to all members.
7.1.3 Nominations for Committee membership must be proposed and seconded to the General Secretary at least 7 days before the AGM. The proposer and seconder must be present at the AGM, or must have submitted a written proposal, signed by both, to the General Secretary not less than 7 days before the AGM. In all cases, nominees must have declared a willingness to stand for election.
7.1.4 The Annual report on the activities of the Society during the previous year shall be
prepared by the Committee and circulated to all members prior to the AGM. The
report shall include a statement by the Finance Manager on the current financial
position of the Society.
7.1.5 The Chairman shall present the report to the Society at the AGM.
7.1.6 The outgoing Committee will present an annual Society Plan to the membership for
discussion and as a guide for the incoming Committee.
7.2 Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
7.2.1 An EGM shall be called when requested by a majority of the Committee or following
a request by not fewer than 20 members. The request must be in writing, addressed to the General Secretary, and shall specify the matter to be raised.
7.2.2 An EGM shall take place within 2 months of the date on which a request is received
by the General Secretary. The calling notice must be dispatched to Society members
in accordance with Rule 7.1.2 and must indicate the purpose of the meeting.
7.3 Ordinary General Meetings
7.3.1 The Society will meet monthly at a time and place determined by the Committee, but
normally during the months of August to March.
7.3.2 Copies of the Annual Audited Accounts will be circulated to members, for acceptance
at a General Meeting within 3 months of the end of the financial year. Two auditors, for the following year, shall be nominated by the Committee for approval by the Society at the General Meeting at which the Annual Audited Accounts are accepted.
8. PRESIDENT
8.1 The President of the Society is an honorary appointment normally for a two-year
period. The Committee shall nominate a President-elect to the appropriate AGM for
acceptance by a simple majority vote of those present. The President's duties shall be
determined by the Committee.
9. AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES
Amendments to the Constitution and Rules shall only be made at an AGM or EGM, by a simple majority vote of members present. Proposals for any amendments must be
submitted in writing to the General Secretary not less than 14 days before the date of
the AGM/EGM.
10. DISSOLUTION
10.1 The Society can be dissolved by resolution of an AGM or an EGM, and this will take
effect if a simple majority of members present so agree.
10.2 In the event of the Society being dissolved, the Committee shall realise the assets
of the Society and shall distribute them on the basis approved by members who
attend an EGM called to agree the disbursement of funds /assets.
11. INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES
11.1 The Committee shall have the power to determine any question which may arise
concerning the interpretation of any part of the Constitution and Rules.
Schedule [to be revised for 2008/9 season]
Committee Responsibilities
| Chairman |
Management of the Society and its overall relationships with external organisations
Strategic and business planning.
In alternate years, to chair the Gloucestershire Federation of Rugby Union Referees in conjunction with the Chairman of the Bristol Referees’ Society. |
| Vice – Chairman |
Assists & Deputises for Chairman.
Chairman of Grading Committee
Maintenance of Society Plan |
| General Secretary |
Membership.
Society handbook.
Contact with clubs (Gladrefs, Code of Conduct).
Liaison with outside bodies.
Society newsletter (Glad Tidings).
Publicity, PR and media relations.
Legal matters.
Information Technology.
Whistler trophy.
Secretarial support to the Society (correspondence, records).
Insurance. |
| Finance Manager |
Management of finances.
Society accounts.
Collection of subscriptions and fees.
Payment of expenses.
Budgetary planning and control.
Sponsorship.
Merchandise.
Social activities (e.g. Annual Dinner). |
| Referee Development Officer |
Recruitment.
Induction.
Development of referees and touch judges.
Referee performance.
Points of Law.
Fitness training and testing.
Member of the Grading Committee |
| Training Coordinator |
Training programmes, equipment and materials.
Course and examination, administration and Training. |
| Society Adviser and Coach Development Officer |
Recruitment.
Training.
Development Appointments.
Administration of all reports
Member of Grading Committee |
| Society Disciplinary Officer |
Liaison with the GRFU on all disciplinary matters. |
| Referee Appointments Sec. |
Administration of local and exchange appointments.
Liaison on Federation and SWAG appointments.
Reappointment activities.
Member of Grading Committee. |
| Members’ Representative |
As a full member of the Committee, represents members’ views and concerns views to the Committee.
Fitness Training. |
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