Constitution

The objectives of the Association shall be:
(a) Competition

• to promote County Championships
• to encourage, advise and support other organisations which promote competition within the County
• to select and manage County teams in Inter County events

(b) Communication

• to communicate with the Association’s Members through a regular Newsletter, a web site and any other suitable method
• to communicate with the governing bodies on behalf of the Association and its Members
• to represent the County and its Members, should the Members so wish, in any other situation which might encourage the development of the sport in the County

• Any application for membership must be made in writing and shall be accompanied by the appropriate Affiliation Fee and a copy of the applicant’s constitution and rules.
  The existing Membership will be advised of the application and given 28 days in which to offer a view to the Officers on its acceptance or rejection. The Officers shall then consider it and provisionally accept it or reject it. The application shall be put to the following AGM with a recommendation from the Officers.
  Membership of the Association shall normally commence from the date of the meeting of the Officers at which the application is provisionally accepted by them.

b) Past Presidents and Life Vice Presidents.

• Life Vice Presidents having been duly proposed, seconded and elected at an AGM shall continue thereafter for Life.

• 5.1 The Officers of the Association shall be; the President, the President Elect, the Chairman, the Honorary Secretary, and the Honorary Treasurer.
• 5.2 The Officials of the Association shall be; the Trustees, the Honorary Promotions Secretary, the Honorary Officials Secretary, The Honorary Trophies and Awards Secretary, The Honorary Communications Secretary, The Honorary Team Managers Secretary, the Honorary Endurance Secretary.
• 5.3 All Officers and Officials shall be appointed by election at the AGM. Should the Office of President become vacant between AGMs the President Elect shall assume the Office of President. Should any other Office become vacant between AGMs the Officers shall make an appropriate intermediate appointment as soon as possible.
• 5.4 All Officers and Officials retire from Office at the AGM but shall be eligible for re-election. Such re-election shall be without restriction with the exception of the President who may not hold Office for more than two consecutive years. Any Officer or Official may be removed from office between AGMs by a simple majority of votes cast at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) convened in accordance with Article 8.4) subject to the person whose removal is proposed having the prior right to address the EGM.
• 5.5 The duties of the Officers and Officials shall be as generally set out in Appendix 1 to this Constitution.

• 6.1 The general management and control of the business of the Association between General Meetings shall be vested in a committee of the Officers and Officials of the Association.
• 6.2 The Officers and Officials shall coordinate the conduct of the affairs of the Association including its finances, and facilitate communications with external organisations, Parent and Governing Bodies. The Officers shall report their conduct to General Meetings of the Association. Two Officers and two Officials shall constitute a quorum for action on behalf of the Association.
• 6.3 The Officers and Officials may appoint sub committees as they see fit.

• 7.1 All funds, monies and properties of the Association shall be vested in two Members of good standing elected as Trustees from amongst representatives of Members, Past Presidents and life Vice Presidents at the AGM having due regard for the Objectives, and held by the Trustees for use in furtherance of the Objectives.
• 7.2 The funds of the Association shall be maintained in such Bank Accounts as the Trustees may recommend and the Officers acting under delegated authority of the General Committee may decide. The authorised signatories for withdrawals from the Association’s accounts shall be the two Trustees and the Hon Treasurer, the signatures of any two being sufficient authority for the Bank to make payment.
• 7.3 All monies received by any person on behalf of the Association shall be passed as soon as possible to the Hon Treasurer who will issue a receipt. The Hon Treasurer shall pay all monies received from any source whatsoever, without deduction, to the credit of one of the Association’s Bank Accounts and shall keep such accounts and pay such debts as the Officers may direct or the Trustees agree.
• 7.4 The Financial Year of the Association shall be from 1st October to 30th September.
• 7.5 Two Auditors, one of whom shall be a qualified accountant or financial manager having qualifications generally recognised within the accountancy profession, shall be appointed at the AGM. They shall make an examination of the Accounts of the Association at the end of the Financial Year and report thereon to the AGM. At any other time, if so required by the General Committee, they shall make an examination of the Accounts and report to that Committee.
• 7.6 The rates of Affiliation Fees shall be set at the AGM or an EGM called for that purpose and shall be effective from the beginning of the next Financial Year.
• 7.7 Affiliation Fees shall become due on the first day of the Financial Year. Any Affiliated Organisation whose Affiliation Fee remains unpaid on 1st May shall be liable to expulsion or suspension of Membership at the discretion of the General Committee. Such Organisation shall not be entitled to be represented at any Management Group, General or Sub Committee Meeting, nor shall its members compete in team competition in any Warwickshire County Championship or other event organised by the Association until liabilities to the Association are discharged.
• 7.8 The funds, monies and property of the Association shall be solely applied to its stated object unless otherwise agreed by the Trustees upon Dissolution, and no Officer, Official, Member or member of an Affiliated Organisation shall receive payment for his or her services unless provided in his or her professional capacity.

• 8.1 The quorum for any General Meeting of Members of the Association shall be nine, of whom at least three shall be Officers.
• 8.2 An AGM shall be held during the first two months of the Financial Year. Not less than six weeks’ notice of the convening of the AGM shall be sent to all Members, Trustees, Auditors, Officers and Officials. The Notice shall invite nominations for Officers, Officials, Vice Presidents, Life Vice Presidents and Auditors and invite proposals for changes to the Constitution. Nominations and Proposals should be made at least two weeks before the AGM so that the Committee can consider them and advise the Nominee/Proposer on them to give him/her an opportunity to revise or withdraw them. Nominations for Officers, Officials and Auditors will not be considered unless explicitly endorsed by the nominee and would not normally be considered if made at the AGM without prior notice.
• 8.3 The ordinary business of the AGM shall be:

• i) To receive apologies for absence.
• ii) To receive the Annual Report of the Officers and Officials
• iii) To receive, consider and accept a Report of the Treasurer the Accounts, Balance Sheet and report of the Auditors.
• iv) To elect the Officers and Officials of the Association
• v) To elect Life Vice Presidents (additional to those currently holding this honour for outstanding service to athletics over a number of years).
• vi) To elect the Auditors
• vii) To elect any Association representative to other bodies (e.g. CAU).
• viii) To consider and vote upon amendments to the Constitution:
• ix) To set Affiliation Fees.
• x) To consider other relevant business at the discretion of the Chairman.

• 8.4 On receipt of a written request by three parties, each being a representative of a different Member or an Officer, stating the business to be considered, the Hon Secretary shall call an EGM to be held not later than three weeks from receipt of the written notice. Notice of this EGM, which shall consider only the business for which it has been called, shall be sent to all those eligible to receive notice of an AGM not less than seven days before the date fixed for the EGM
• 8.5 The Officers may organise General Meetings of the Association to communicate their actions to the Members of the Association or to receive the views of the Members on any subject of interest to the Association. The Secretary shall endeavour to give Members at least two weeks notice of such meetings.

• 9.1 The Officers, Officials and representatives of Affiliated Organisations shall be entitled to attend and speak at any General Meeting and vote subject to the provision that clubs, bodies and associations being affiliated for more than one discipline shall be entitled to three votes, with other affiliated clubs, bodies and associations limited to one vote.
• 9.2 Past Presidents and Life Vice Presidents shall be entitled to attend and speak at any General or Management Group Meeting but may not vote unless otherwise qualified to do so.
• 9.3 Except for proposals relating to amendments to the Constitution and to Dissolution, all proposals made or questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes cast. A proposal to amend the Constitution or Dissolve the Association shall be carried if having the support of at least two-thirds of the votes cast.

• 10.1 Life Vice President: May be awarded by a General Meeting to any person who has given outstanding active service over a number of years to athletics within the County.
• 10.2 Any Athlete who represents the County as a member of a County Team at any level shall be entitled to wear a County Vest where competition rules allow or require.

The Chairman shall preside at General Meetings and meetings of the Officers. In the absence of the Chairman the President or President-Elect shall preside, or in their absence the meeting shall elect a Chairman from those present. The Chairman shall be an ex-officio member of all Sub-committees.

The President shall preside in the absence of the Chairman, and shall normally undertake the duties of representing the Association at such functions as may be necessary or appropriate. In the absence of the President the President Elect shall preside and undertake such duties.

The Honorary Secretary shall maintain a register of names, addresses and contact details for all Members, Officers and Officials. S/he shall normally attend and take minutes at General Meetings, meetings of the Officers and maintain a historic record of those meetings. The Hon Secretary shall issue notice of General Meetings and conduct such correspondence as may be necessary on behalf of the Association. S/he shall be an ex-officio member of all Subcommittees.

The Honorary Treasurer shall receive monies and make payments on behalf of the
Association using such bank accounts as may be agreed with the Trustees.
S/he shall:-

The Trustees are vested with the funds and properties of the Association, and shall supervise its financial management, and as they see necessary give advice to the Officers and report to the General Committee.

The Honorary Promotions Secretary(s) shall have particular responsibility for the satisfactory organisation and promotion of WCAA events and championships.
S/he shall:-

The Honorary Trophies and Awards Secretary shall have particular responsibility for the presentation of awards at all County events and the recovery and engraving of trophies in readiness for presentation at County events. S/he shall also maintain an historic record of trophy winners and placings.

The Honorary Officials Secretary shall have particular responsibility for maintaining a record of Technical Officials in the County, manage the selection and appointment of officials to WCAA events and events involving WCAA teams.
S/he shall:-

The Honorary Team Managers Coordinator shall have particular responsibility for the appointment of team managers and support of them in their duties of team selection and team support at Inter County events.
S/he shall:-

The Honorary Communications Secretary shall have particular responsibility for the publication of the Association’s aims and achievements through the Association’s newsletter (the “Bear”), the Association’s web site and any other suitable method. S/he shall assist other bodies in communicating with the Members of the Association if appropriate.

The Honorary Endurance Secretary shall have particular responsibility for the management of the Warwickshire Road Race League. S/he shall appoint others as necessary to help him/her fulfil that role. S/he shall encourage the development of Road Running and endurance athletics in a wider sense.