Manchester & District Swimming and Water Polo Association

CONSTITUTION

Under jurisdiction of Annual General Meeting.
All Laws of the Amateur Swimming Association
are binding upon the Association

1.-    This Association shall be called "THE MANCHESTER AND DISTRICT SWIMMING AND WATER POLO ASSOCIATION", hereinafter called the Association. All clubs affiliated to the Northern Counties A.S.A. and within a radius of 15 miles of the Manchester Royal Exchange or Clubs approved by the Council and sanctioned by the Northern Counties A.S.A. outside the 15 mile radius shall be eligible for election as members at any Council Meeting. Applications from Clubs seeking affiliation to the Association shall be confined to one application per Club in any one year. Notice of application shall be circularised to all affiliated Clubs by the Hon. Secretary at least 21 days prior to the date of the Council Meeting at which the application is to be considered. Such Clubs, who must be Proposed and Seconded by two Affiliated Clubs to be elected with the agreement of two-thirds of those present and voting.

2.-    The objects of the Association shall be to promote teaching, coaching and competitions for swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming.

3.-    Any matter not provided for in these rules shall be dealt with by the Council.

4.-    All assets and property of the Association shall not be paid to or distributed amongst the member clubs or officers but shall be applied towards the objects of the Association. In the event of the dissolution of the Association the assets shall be devoted to objects similar to those of the Association and to other purposes approved by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue and the Northern Counties A.S.A.

5(a)-    The Association shall be governed by a Council comprising a President, Immediate Past-President, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Life Members, Honorary Vice-Presidents & Emergency Committee (10) with power to act, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Water Polo Secretary, Hon. Assistant Water Polo Secretary, Hon. Diving Secretary, Honorary Swimming Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Championship Secretary, Honorary Age Group Organiser(s), Honorary Minutes Secretary, Hon. Trophy Controller Medical Officer and a Delegate from each Club.

The election of Officers shall take place at the Annual General Meeting to be held on the second Monday in January, twenty to form a quorum. The Council shall have the control of the affairs of the Association. At the Annual General Meeting the Council shall also elect a Solicitor, two Auditors, four Trustees of Trophies, Trophy Controller; and the Water Polo Referees Board, comprising the Hon. Water Polo Secretary and three other members.

5(b)-    The following have voting rights:

            i)    Each member club through its delegate - one vote.

            ii)    Each life member - one vote.  

            iii)    Each of the Association's Officers irrespective of their club's vote. - one vote.  

  iv)    Each Vice President may vote in Council on any subject that they have been asked to investigate on an 'ad hoc' basis.  

            v)    Proxy votes may be accepted at Council's discretion from any attending club.  

            vi)    Where an activity is administered by more than one elected officer - one vote.

6.-    The Council at its Annual General Meeting may elect Honorary Life Members following written nomination submitted at the October meeting.

7.-    Nominations for Office shall be made at the November Council Meeting. The names of the candidates nominated shall be circulated with the notice convening the Annual General Meeting.

8.-    The Annual Subscription shall be £30.00 per club (to be reviewed annually at the A.G.M.) 

8.(a)-    This will cover entry to Programme "A", "B" and Team Competition swimming leagues and will be due for payment before 1st March. 

8.(b)-    Three handbooks shall be provided free to each affiliated club. Clubs wishing to withdraw from the Association shall give notice in writing of withdrawal on or before 1st March or will be held liable for the current year's subscription.

8.(c)-    The Associations books shall be closed as at the 30th of September each year.

8.(d)-    The Association shall organise at least once in each year, a fund raising activity. The Council shall appoint one or more persons to organise the activity.

9.-    The Council shall have the power to suspend or expel any members or club who shall infringe any rule of this Association or whose conduct shall, in the opinion of two thirds of those present and voting, render them unfit to belong to the Association. Fourteen days notice shall be given by the Secretary to such members of club of their being summoned before the Council, and such notice shall contain a statement of the complaints brought against them.

10.-    Cases arising out of breaches of the Rules of the Association, or in connection with the competitions shall be decided by the Council in the presence or absence of those concerned at the following Council meeting. All parties concerned shall receive FOURTEEN days notice of the meeting.

11.-    No new rule shall be made, nor any existing rule be altered or rescinded, unless after fourteen days notice has been given to all affiliated clubs and each member of the Council, and then only if approved by at least two thirds of those present and voting at the Annual General Meeting held in January or at a meeting specially called for the purpose. Notice of motion for any alteration or addition to the rules to be sent to the Secretary by the November Council meeting for consideration at the Annual General Meeting or twenty eight days prior to the convening of a Special Meeting.

12.-    Any person selected to swim or play for the Association in a representative match, and failing to appear, shall not be allowed to take part in any of the Association's competitions until a satisfactory explanation is given.

13.-    Notice of suspension by the competent authority of any person from this Association's competitions shall be passed to the Honorary Secretary of each League or Association in which the suspended person may also be competing.

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