Sussex County Fencing

Sussex Union Constitution

Constitution of the Sussex County Fencing Union

The union shall be known as the Sussex County Fencing Union (hereinafter referred to as the "Union").

1. The Union shall comprise the geographical counties of East Sussex and West Sussex (hereinafter referred to as the "County").

2. The Union is administratively related to the British Fencing Association (hereinafter referred to as the "BFA") and the BFA South East Region (hereinafter referred to as the "Region").

3. The objects of the Union shall be:
a. To organise County closed competitions at Senior, Novice and Schools (National Age Group) levels and such Open competitions as the Union Committee may from time to time determine.
b. To organise coaching within the County.
c. To organise courses (personal Performance, Refereeing, etc.) within the County.
d. To ensure proper administration and use of funds and the submission of audited accounts annually to the Union Annual General Meeting and to the Region.
e. To keep proper administrative records including minutes of committee and general meetings.
f. To provide two representatives to serve on the Region committee.
g. To publicise and promote fencing within the County.
h. To undertake such other duties as the Region committee may from time to time request.
i. To advise the BFA, the Region or any other organisation on any matter relating to fencing within the County.

4. Membership of the Union shall be open to clubs and schools within the County that are affiliated to the BFA.

5. The officers of the Union, hereinafter known as the Committee, shall consist of: An Honorary Chairman, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer, a Team Captain and a minimum of three elected Members.

6. The Committee shall have the power to combine any of these offices except the office of Chairman if circumstances dictate this. This Committee shall also have the power to co-opt individuals, including professionals, onto the Committee on a temporary basis from time to time and fill vacancies which arise between one Annual General Meeting and the next if circumstances dictate this. Professionals shall serve on the Committee in accordance with the conditions of the BFA byelaws.

7. The Committee shall have the power to appoint a President and/or Vice-Presidents. Such persons shall be entitled to attend Committee meetings but will not be entitled to exercise a vote. They may be fencers or non-fencers, amateur or professional. Such appointments shall be on an annual basis, or on such other basis as the Committee may decide.

8. No meeting of the Committee shall be deemed convened unless a quorum of at least four members is present. Each member of the Committee shall be entitled to exercise one vote on any matter. In the case of equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

9. An Annual General Meeting of the Union shall normally be convened in June, to precede the Annual General Meeting of the Region. The Honorary Secretary will give fourteen days written notice of such a meeting to all affiliated clubs. The Committee shall be entitled to alter the date of the Annual General Meeting as circumstances may from time to time dictate.

10. A quorum of the Committee or any five affiliated clubs shall be entitled to call an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss and vote upon any matter on written application to the Honorary Secretary. Such an application an application shall include a summary of the business to be discussed at the meeting. Upon receipt of such an application, the Honorary Secretary will circulate a Notice of Meeting together with an Agenda no less than fourteen days before the Meeting is to be convened. No business other than that specified in the Agenda will be conducted at an Extraordinary General Meeting.

11. Each affiliated club within the Union will be entitled to send one or more representatives to attend Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings of the County. Each affiliated club will be entitled to exercise one vote only on any matter. In addition, each member of the Committee shall be entitled to exercise one vote. In the event of equality of voting, the Honorary Chairman shall have a casting vote.

12. The Union shall hold a bank account, which will be administered by the Honorary Treasurer. Payments out of the account will be sanctioned by one signature from among the following members of the Committee:

a. Honorary Chairman b. Honorary Secretary c. Honorary Treasurer No payment or withdrawal in excess of £150 shall be made unless approved by the Committee beforehand. 13. The Union's financial year will run from 1 July to 30 June each year.

14. The Committee shall have the power to offer financial assistance to any individual or team representing the Union in a competition or otherwise participating in a competition which is considered likely to bring credit to the Union or its members, at the Committee's discretion.