DRAFT RULES FOR BASC CLUBS AND SYNDICATES

DRAFT RULES FOR BASC

CLUBS AND SYNDICATES

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DRAFT RULESThe following Draft Rules should meet the basic requirements of most clubs/syndicates and they can be amended for your own particular circumstances e.g.different categories of membership, more Officers or Executive Committeemembers, a larger quorum or specific local general rules. Some clubs may usethe external services of a Secretary, Treasurer or Minutes Secretary so the term“Hon.” has not been used in the following draft. Adoption of rules should be ata General Meeting and every member must receive a full set of the rules togetherwith updates as they may occur. Please note - all clubs must agree to thethree rules in bold type (rule 3, rule 6 and rule 14).

(1) Name

The club / syndicate shall be called ……………………………………………………………hereinafter “the shoot” and this title shall be strictly adhered to at all times.

(2) Objects

The objects of the shoot shall be:

(a) To promote the interests of shooting.(b) To maintain and uphold the best interests of sportsmanship in shooting.(c) To maintain proper conservation of all game and the management of

habitat under the shoots jurisdiction.(d) To encourage a better understanding of shooting as a sport.(e) To provide social and other amenities for its members.

(3) Membership

(a) The membership of the shoot shall not exceed …………. full andprobationary members in addition to juniors, seniors, students,associate and supporter members.

(b) Anyone wishing to join the shoot must meet the criteria that theExecutive Committee, or the members in General Meeting, mayfrom time to time decide. Details of the current criteria will beavailable from the Secretary.

(c) By virtue of membership, all members of the shoot shall become,

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and remain during their membership, members of the BritishAssociation for Shooting and Conservation Ltd (BASC) in theappropriate category.

(4) Subscriptions

Entrance fees and subscriptions shall be confirmed at each Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions are due on and mustbe received no later than

(5) Resignation

(a) A member shall cease to be a member if he gives written notice to theSecretary of his resignation.

(b) Failure to renew subscription by the due date will be taken as themember’s wish to resign.

(6) Discipline

Every member must comply with the Rules of the shoot and anyinfringement may result in the implementation of the shoot’sdisciplinary procedures. The Executive Committee, on proof to itssatisfaction and in its absolute discretion, shall have the power todiscipline or expel any member whomsoever, whose conduct (whetherby act or omission) it considers to be contrary to the best interests ofthe shoot, or detrimental to the good name of the sport of shooting.The committee must act in good faith and not from any maliciousmotive.

Conduct that could result in expulsion should be considered by aspecial meeting and not just as a matter of an ordinary meeting. Thenormal rules for club meetings must apply.

The principles of natural justice should be followed when consideringany conduct that could result in disciplinary action and especially whenexpelling a member:

• The member MUST be provided with written notice of themeeting and the charges of misconduct

• The member MUST be given the right to answer to those charges• The member MUST be given the right of appeal to be heard by an

independent tribunal / appeals committee. This includes therequirement that the Chairman of the tribunal/appeals


committee/tribunal was not a member of the Executive Committeethat disciplined or expelled the member.

The member should be notified of the Executive Committee’s decisionwithin seven days of the decision. The Executive Committee shall havethe power to suspend a member with immediate effect frominvolvement in shoot activities pending the outcome of any appeal.

The member should be give 14 days in which to notify the ExecutiveCommittee of his wish to appeal their decision. The ExecutiveCommittee will then establish or notify the Appeal Committee and theappeal should be heard within a further 14 days. The member shouldbe notified of the Appeal Committee’s decision within seven days. Themember shall remain a member of the shoot until the process isconcluded.

The independent tribunal should consist of a Chairman and a minimumof two other members of the shoot. To ensure that a decision can beproperly reached, it is advisable to have an uneven number of tribunalmembers sitting or provide the Chairman with a second and castingvote.

(7) Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall manage the affairs of the Association untilotherwise determined by the shoot in General Meeting. The Executive Committeeshall exercise all the powers of the shoot save as by those rules required to beexercised by the members in General Meeting. No resolution in General Meetingshall invalidate any prior act of the Executive Committee that would otherwisehave been valid. The decision of the Executive Committee on any matter notspecifically provided for in these rules shall be final and binding on the members.

(a) The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman,Secretary, Treasurer, Field Warden and at least four other electedmembers.

(b) The Executive Committee members shall be proposed and seconded inaccordance with Rule 9 (d) and elected by a show of hands at the AnnualGeneral Meeting each year and shall remain in office until the completionof the next Annual General Meeting following their appointment. TheExecutive Committee may fill any vacancy occurring by resignation orotherwise.

(c) The quorum for Executive Committee meetings shall be five.(d) The Executive Committee shall hold its meetings at such dates, time and

place as it may from time to time decide.


(e) The Secretary shall call meetings of the Executive Committee at therequest of the Chairman or at the request of any three members of theCommittee so long as seven days’ notice is given in writing to all membersof the Executive Committee.

(f) Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be made by a simple majorityand in the event of equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shallhave a casting or additional vote.

(g) The Secretary, or another person nominated by the Executive Committee,shall take Minutes of the meeting.

(h) The members of the Executive Committee shall be indemnified by themembers of the shoot against all liabilities properly incurred by them inthe management of the affairs of the shoot.

(i) The Executive Committee may from time to time appoint from among itsnumber, and from other members within the shoot, such sub-committeesas they may consider necessary and may delegate to them such powersand duties as the Executive Committee may determine. All sub-committees shall report their proceedings to the Executive Committee andshall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of theExecutive Committee.

(8) Officers and Honorary Members

(a) The officers of the shoot shall be a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, aTreasurer, a Secretary and they must all be fully paid-up members of theshoot.

(b) The officers shall be proposed and seconded in accordance with Rule 9(d)and elected by a show of hands at the Annual General Meeting and shallremain in office until the completion of next Annual General Meetingfollowing their appointment. The Executive Committee may fill anyvacancy occurring by resignation or otherwise.

(c) The Annual General Meeting may elect a President and Vice-Presidents.A President or Vice-President need not be a member of the shoot and onelection shall, ex officio, be an honorary member of the shoot.

(d) The Executive Committee may recommend to the members in a GeneralMeeting, any person as an honorary member of the shoot and they shallbe entitled to all the privileges of membership except that they shall notbe entitled to shoot on land over which the shoot has permission to shootother than by virtue of the shoot’s guest arrangements, or to vote atmeetings and serve as officers or on the Committee.


(9) Annual General Meeting

(a) The Annual General Meeting of the shoot shall be held each year in themonth of ………………………. The date of the Annual General Meeting mustbe notified to each member in writing at least 28 days before such ameeting.

(b) The meeting shall transact the following business:

(i) To receive the Chairman’s report of the activities of the shoot during theprevious year.

(ii) To receive and consider the accounts of the shoot for the previous yearand the Treasurer’s report as to the financial position of the shoot.

(iii) To elect the Auditor.(iv) To elect the officers and other members of the Executive Committee.(v) To confirm entrance fees and subscriptions proposed by the Executive

Committee.(vi) To decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted in accordance

with rule 9(d).

(c) No other business shall be transacted except with the permission of thechairman of the meeting.

(d) Nominations for election of members to any office or for membership ofthe Executive Committee shall be made in writing by the proposer andseconder to the Secretary not less than 21 days before the Annual GeneralMeeting. Notice of any resolution proposed by members to be moved atthe Annual General Meeting shall be given in writing to the Secretary notless than 21 days before the meeting.

(e) An agenda for the Annual General Meeting, stating the business to beconducted, must be sent in writing to each member at least 14 daysbefore such a meeting.

(10) Special General Meeting

The Chairman or a majority of the Executive Committee may call a SpecialGeneral Meeting on seven days’ written notice to the whole membership. TheSecretary, on receipt of a written request signed by not less than 20% of thecurrent membership entitled to vote, shall forthwith call a Special GeneralMeeting on seven days’ written notice to the whole membership. The writtennotice to the whole membership shall state fully the business to be conductedat the Special General Meeting and no other business may be transacted.


(11) Procedure at the Annual and Special General Meetings

(a) The President, Chairman, or in their absence a member selected by theExecutive Committee, shall take the chair.

(b) Each member present shall have one vote and a simple majority shallpass all motions requiring a decision on a show of hands. In the event ofan equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a casting oradditional vote.

(c) The Secretary, or another person nominated by the Executive Committee,shall take Minutes at Annual and Special General Meetings.

(12) Alteration of the Rules

The rules may only be altered by resolution at an Annual or Special GeneralMeeting provided that the resolution is carried by a majority of at least 60% ofmembers present and voting after due notice has been given.

(13) Executive Committee Rulings

The Executive Committee shall have power to make, repeal and amend rules, asthey may from time to time consider necessary for the well-being of the shoot.These rules, repeals, and amendments shall have effect until they can be ratifiedby members in a General Meeting.

(14) General Rules

(a) No person shall be allowed to participate in any shooting or other activities unless he is a fully paid up-member or unless heis a guest of the shoot in accordance with the guest daymembership scheme.

(b) Every member in any shoot activity shall carry a currentmembership card that is not transferable and must be producedon demand by any shoot officer, police officer, or owner or lessorof shooting rights held by the shoot or their agent, or any otherauthorised person.

(c) Every member shall hold such licences and certificates as maybe required by the law for the kind of shooting or shoot activitythat they are engaged in.

(d) All shooting shall be conducted in accordance with legislation inforce and any agreement, lease or licence validly entered intoand agreed by the Executive Committee.


(e) Members shall undertake to keep their dogs under strict controlat all times and shall not allow them to cause a nuisance to thepublic, trespass or chase livestock or interfere with othermembers’ shooting.

(f) No member shall pass beyond the limits over which the shoothas permission to shoot except to recover wildfowl shot on orover the shoot’s land and then only with the permission of theadjoining occupier, and in any case the member’s gun shall beleft securely within the boundaries of the land over which theshoot is permitted to authorise shooting.

(g) No member shall sell or be engaged in the sale of shot migratorywildfowl or cause others to sell such shot wildfowl on his behalf.

(h) It is a condition of membership that every member shall makehimself available for such wardening duties and other workparties and shoot activities as the Executive Committee shallreasonably decide.

(i) It is a condition of membership that members shall report anycontravention of these rules or any bylaws to the ExecutiveCommittee.

(15) Finance

(a) All money payable to the shoot shall be received by the Treasurer, or hisnominated assistant and deposited in a bank account in the name of theshoot. No sum shall be drawn from that account except by a cheque orwritten instruction signed by the Treasurer and one other designatedsignatory who shall be a member of the Executive Committee. Anymoney not required for immediate use may be invested by the ExecutiveCommittee, such action to be ratified by the members at the next AnnualGeneral Meeting.

(b) The income and property of the shoot shall be applied only in furtheranceof the objects of the shoot and no part thereof shall be paid by ways ofbonus, dividend or profit to any members of the shoot, save as set out inrule 18(c).

(c) The Executive Committee shall have power to authorise the payment ofremuneration and expenses to any officer, member or employee of theshoot and to any other person or persons for service rendered to theshoot.

(d) The Treasurer will maintain a record of all the financial transactions of shoot.


(16) Borrowing

(a) The Executive Committee may borrow money on behalf of the shoot forthe purposes of the shoot from time to time at their own discretion for thegeneral upkeep of the shoot or with the sanction of a General Meeting any other expenditure, additions or improvements.

(b) When so borrowing the Executive Committee shall have power to raise inany way any sum or sums of money and to raise and secure therepayment of any sum or sums of money in such manner or on such termsand conditions as they think fit, and in particular by mortgage of or chargeupon or by the issues of debentures charged upon all or any part of theproperty of the shoot

(c) The Executive Committee shall have no power to pledge the personalliability of any member of the shoot for the repayment of any sums soborrowed.

(d) The Trustees shall, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, makesuch dispositions of the shoot’s property or any part thereof, and enterinto and execute such agreements in relation thereto as the ExecutiveCommittee may deem proper for giving security for such monies and theinterest payable thereon.

(17) Property

(a) The property of the shoot, other than cash at the bank, shall be vestedin not less than two and not more than four Trustees. They shall hold theproperty upon trust for the members of the shoot in accordance with thedirections of the Executive Committee.

(b) The Trustees shall deal with the property as directed by resolution of theExecutive Committee and entry in the minute book shall be conclusiveevidence of such a resolution.

(c) The Trustees shall be elected by the members in a General Meetingfollowing nomination by the Executive Committee and shall hold officeuntil death or resignation unless removed by the members in a GeneralMeeting.

(d) The President, or in his absence the Chairman, is nominated as the personto appoint new Trustees within the meaning of section 36 of the TrusteeAct 1925. A new Trustee shall be nominated by the resolution of themembers in a General Meeting and the President shall by deed dulyappoint the person so nominated by the members in a General Meetingas the new Trustee of the shoot and the provisions of the Trustee Act1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in anysuch deed of appointment shall in favour of a person dealing bona fidewith the shoot or the Executive Committee be conclusive evidence of thefact so stated.


(e) The Trustees shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the property of theshoot for all expenses and other liabilities properly incurred by them in the discharge of their duties.

(18) Dissolution

(a) In the event that the shoot becomes insolvent the Executive Committeeshall forthwith take steps to wind up the shoot by realising its assets andsettling amounts due to secured, preferential and unsecured creditors andto advise the members.

(b) Save in the event of the shoot becoming insolvent a resolution to dissolvethe shoot shall only be proposed at a Special General Meeting and shall only be carried by a majority of at least 75% of the members present andvoting.

(c) The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and themembers of the Executive Committee shall be responsible for the winding-up of the assets and liabilities of the shoot. Due allowance must be madewithin the shoot’s finances to indemnify the Trustees until all currentleases have expired.

(d) Any property remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities ofthe shoot shall be divided among the current members of the shoot at the date of dissolution, in accordance with the method agreed at thedissolution meeting.

Summary

Note: Minimum number of members to affiliate is six.

A completed application, including a full list of your members and copy of yourrules should be sent to BASC - acceptance of draft rules in full, part or minimumof 3, 6 and 14 only.After clearance has been completed (if necessary), BASC will send to the ClubSecretary/Shoot Captain and Affiliation pack, including an Affiliation certificateand a copy of the Shoot Captain’s Guide. In addition, each member of the club/syndicate will receive a MembershipCard/Rule Book, the bi-monthly members’ journal and any other circulationsissued, direct to their home address.

Signed: Date:(Club Secretary/Shoot Captain)

Print name

Please sign and retain this copy for future reference.


British Association for Shooting and ConservationMarford MillRossettWrexhamLL12 0HL

Telephone 01244 573000www.basc.org.uk


DRAFT RULES FOR BASC CLUBS AND SYNDICATES

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