Notes on revised EAOA Constitution

There are no radical changes in this revision, mainly updating details including the most recent changes made last year and correcting or clarifying issues that have been superseded by time.

Changes to be noted:

  1. When the committee is quorate defined.
  2. Posts of committee officers and co-opted members clarified; voting members redefined.
  3. Membership classes have been redefined to clarify and fit in with the constitutional changes made last year.
  4. The section on Finance has been updated to reflect last year's changes.
  5. Quorum for General Meetings defined - the proportion of quorum :EAOA total membership will reflect that of the proportions used by BOF for the AGM quorum.
  6. Details of business and timings have been defined.
  7. A new section on procedures has been added, however, this is simply a reorganisation of paragraphs previously used in the constitution.
  8. We have added the specification that the constitution may only be altered at a general meeting - this was not explicit before. The requirement for seconders was not specified before.
  9. Proxy voting - a time limit for notification of proxy voting has been specified.
  10. The paragraph on dissolution is totally new as this area was not covered before.

Constitution of the East Anglian Orienteering Association

1. Title and purpose:
The Association shall be called the 'East Anglian Orienteering Association' (abbreviated to EAOA) hereafter referred to as the Association. The objects of the Association shall be to encourage, promote and control the sport of Orienteering (as defined in the Constitution, Rules of Competition and Bye Laws of the British Orienteering Federation (BOF) in the area of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and those areas mapped and operated by member Clubs. Adjustments may be made to this area if approved by the British Orienteering Federation.

2. Management:
a The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by an Executive Committee which shall meet and act as required for the efficient conduct of the Association's affairs, but in any event, not less than twice yearly. This committee shall carry out the decisions of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) or any General Meeting. An appropriate officer shall maintain a Minute Book and record in it the names of all present and the business of the meetings. A quorum shall consist of not less than one third of the voting members of the committee.
b The executive committee shall consist of:
i A chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, who shall be elected annually at the AGM and shall not normally serve in their respective posts for more than three consecutive years. If an officer holds more than one post they shall be entitled to one vote only. Officers shall not be paid but may claim the refund of expenditure on Club business.
ii A fixtures secretary, Points East editor, and junior squad manager will be appointed by the committee, either from club representatives or from outside the committee, and invited to attend committee meetings. Those attending have power to vote.
and in addition
iii One representative of each club having an independent affiliation to BOF and EAOA.
c The executive committee shall have the power to:
i Appoint additional officers, but these shall not have a vote if they come from outside the committee.
ii Constitute sub-committees as deemed necessary.
iii Fill any vacancy that may occur amongst the officers.

3. Membership:
Members of the Association are defined as:
a Individual club member: Person who has joined a club which is affiliated to the BOF and EAOA, that club having paid the club capitation fee laid down by the Association, or persons who are not members of a club but who have paid the membership fee laid down by the Association.
b Family club member: One or two adults and any number of children under 18 who have joined a club which is affiliated to the BOF and EAOA that club having paid the club capitation fee laid down by the Association.
c Junior member: Any young person under the age of 21 who pays an individual subscription to an individual club affiliated to the Association. Full-time students who pay an individual subscription to an individual club affiliated to the Association are classified as junior members.
d Honorary Life Membership. This may be granted on approval of the AGM to persons who have given outstanding service to Orienteering and have been recommended by the Executive Committee for such membership. Such membership shall be free of subscription.
e Where a club is affiliated to more than one BOF region, only those club members living within the East Anglian region and/or wishing to be members of the Association, shall be included in the calculation of the total number of members in that club.
f Each club shall provide the Association with a full list of its membership by 1st April each year, upon request, in order to identify who is eligible for EAOA trophies, to receive Points East and to vote at EAOA meetings.

4. Finance:
a The Association shall be financed by the capitation fees paid by affiliated clubs in accordance with the formula laid down by the Association, event levies and any other suitable means. Capitation fees, membership fees and event levies can only be varied or imposed by the Association in General Meeting.
b The financial year of the Association shall be the calendar year. An accurate account of the finances of the Association shall be kept by the Treasurer, and shall be available for all reasonable inspection. The accounts shall be balanced at 31st December each year and submitted, after independent audit, to the AGM.
c The auditors of the accounts shall be appointed at the AGM.
d The audited accounts must be circulated with the notice of the AGM.
e All cheques written against Association funds shall be signed by two of the authorized signatories, who shall be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the Association.
f The capitation fee payable by a club in the current calendar year shall be calculated by multiplying the total number of that club's family and senior membership units at the end of the preceding year by the Association individual membership fee set at the AGM in the preceding year, using the formula: Club Capitation fee = AxB/C, where A is the total sum decided by a General Meeting to be raised during the following year from clubs affiliated to the Association, B is the total number of that club's family and senior membership units at the end of the previous calendar year and C is the sum of the total number of family and senior membership units in all of the clubs affiliated to the Association at the end of the previous calendar year.
g Any club which decides not to pay the Club Capitation Fee for the year following an AGM must give notice to the Treasurer of the Association by the end of the year prior to that AGM.

5. General Meetings:
a The Association's Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than 30th June each year. The business of the AGM shall include reports on the Association's activities during the previous year; and inspection of the Association's accounts; the setting of club fees; and the appointment of officers.
b Notice of the intention to hold an Annual General Meeting shall be given in writing at least 14 days prior to the meeting to all members of the Association, and the Agenda shall accompany this notice. A quorum for the AGM shall be (pro rata with BOF quorum) members.
c An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Executive Committee, or on application to the Secretary in writing, supported by the signatures of at least 20 voting members of the Association. On receipt of such an application, the Secretary shall arrange for the meeting to be held within (28) days and will give members (14) days notice of the meeting and of the business to be conducted. Only the item of business for which the meeting was called can be discussed at an EGM. Minutes are to be taken. A quorum for an EGM shall be (pro rata with BOF quorum) members.

6. Procedures:
a A simple majority of those voting members present (including members appearing by Proxy) shall suffice to pass a resolution at Executive Committee meetings and at General Meetings of the Association, except that two-thirds majority shall be required to pass a resolution at General Meeting amending the constitution or dealing with those financial matters reserved to the Association in General Meeting in Clause 2a above.
b All motions to general or monthly meetings must be proposed and seconded by voting members of the Association.

7. Constitutional amendments:
a No alteration to these rules shall be made except at a general meeting of the Association.
b Any amendment to the constitution shall be proposed and seconded by voting members of the Association in writing to the secretary at least one calendar month before the General Meeting at which it is proposed to introduce the amendment.
c A written copy of any proposed amendment shall be circulated with the notification of the intention of holding a General meeting.

8. Proxy voting:
Any voting member of the Association may appoint any other member to vote as his proxy at a General Meeting of the Society. The appointment must be notified to the Secretary 7 days before the meeting in question.

9. Dissolution:
a The Association shall be dissolved upon a resolution to that effect being passed by a majority of two-thirds of those members present at a general meeting.
b Following this resolution, the officers of the Association shall proceed to realise the property of the Association and then discharge all debts and liabilities.
c After discharging all debts and liabilities, and remaining assets shall be donated to constituent clubs affiliated to the Association in proportion to the capitation fee for that year.

Constitution revised March 2000