Golf Club Managers Association                                                 

GOLF CLUB MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION –

SOUTH WEST REGION

CONSTITUTION

INTRODUCTION
In these rules:

the “Region” means The Golf Club Managers’ Association – South West Region.

     “Rules” means the Rules of the Region.
     “Members” means current Members of the Region.
    “National Association” means the “Golf Club Managers’ Association”

“Committee” means the Regional Committee as defined in rule 5 herein.

     “Manager” means the Regional Manager
     “Immediate Past Captain” shall mean the Captain of the Region whose term of office immediately     succeeded that of the current Captain of the region.

TITLE

The Region shall be called “The Golf Club Managers’ Association – South West Region”.
The Region will primarily serve members from clubs within the Region’s borders as defined by the National Association.

OBJECTIVE

To meet at the Annual General Meeting and at least twice annually to provide the opportunity for Members of the Region to discuss and exchange ideas on golf club management, and other business related matters, and to facilitate networking and communication.
To provide the opportunity to play golf, enhance professional working relationships and exchange views and obtain advice.
To participate in golf competitions and fixtures arranged by the region.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Region shall be confined to persons who are members of the National Association, having qualified under the current Rules of the National Association.

The Region shall consider the election of Honorary Life Members as appropriate and shall nominate such Members for election at the AGM.
Regional Honorary Life Membership is not transferrable to another region.
Any Member intending to resign from the Region shall give notice in writing to the Manager by 31st December.
Members shall be deemed to have resigned from the Region should they fail to pay their subscription by the due date or cease to be members of the National Association.
Members by joining the Region will be deemed to have accepted the Rules and Bye-laws of the Region.

EQUALITY

The Region, in common with the National Association, is fully committed to supporting the principle and practise of equality of opportunity.  No Member should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, disability, race, parental or marital status, pregnancy, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender reassignment or should be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.

MANAGEMENT OF THE REGION

There shall be a Regional Committee which shall consist of seven elected members of the Region who shall be the Captain, Vice-Captain, Past-Captain, Manager and three ordinary members.
At least 50% of those voting at Regional Committee Meetings shall be managers in post where possible.
The ordinary members shall serve for two years after which they may offer themselves for re-election at the AGM.

In the event of a Committee vacancy arising during the year, between AGM’s, the Committee may at their discretion, co-opt replacement/additional members who will serve until the following AGM when they may seek election in the prescribed manner.
The Committee shall meet a minimum of twice a year at approximately six monthly intervals with a minimum of four Committee Members required to form a quorum.
The Past-Captain, or in their absence the Captain, shall chair all meetings of the Committee.
Decisions taken will be by simple majority of those Committee Members present, and will be minuted by the Manager. In the event of the failure to reach a clear decision there shall be no casting votes.

DATA PROTECTION

The Region collects and maintains personal information in order to carry out its functions as a Region of the National Association, provide membership services and comply with certain statutory obligations. All personal information is treated with the utmost confidentiality and with appropriate levels of security in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998

THE CAPTAIN OF THE REGION

Shall be a member of the Region.
Shall be elected to office at the Annual General Meeting.
Their term of office shall be for one year from the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected.
They shall be nominated by the Past-Captain

THE VICE CAPTAIN OF THE REGION

Shall be a member of the Region.
Shall be elected to office at the Annual General Meeting.
Their term of office shall be one year from the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected.
They shall be nominated by the Captain

THE REGIONAL MANAGER

Shall be a member of the Region
Shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.  Nominations for this office are to be submitted to the current Captain at least 21 days prior to the Annual General Meeting. There shall be no restriction of the number of years the Manager may serve.  The Regional Manager shall have honorary membership of the National Association, the relevant fee will be covered by the region. 
The Manager shall convene a meeting of the Committee a minimum of twice a year or more if necessary.
The Terms of Reference for the Manager will be determined by the Committee, following the guidelines produced by the Association. The main responsibilities are: -

Preparing and maintaining Annual accounts for the Region which shall be signed by either the Captain or the Immediate Past Captain and thereafter within 30 days a copy of the balance sheet will be forwarded, for filing purposes, to the National Association.
Overseeing all payments on behalf of the Region.
Maintaining a bank account in the name of the Region.
Taking minutes at all meetings and committee meetings and distributing them as appropriate after such meetings.
Co-ordinating annual fixtures.
The Manager, shall attend National Committee Meetings and the National Conference as representative of the Region.
The Manager shall receive an annual honorarium which shall be determined by the Committee.
The Manager shall be reimbursed for all reasonable travel and subsistence expenses.
The Region shall pay for the Manager's National Association Subscription.
The Manager will not pay a Regional Subscription.

CHAIRMAN
The Past-Captain shall chair regional and general meetings.  In their absence the Captain will act as Chairman and in their absence the Vice-Captain.  In exceptional circumstances in the absence of all three of the aforementioned the Chairman may be nominated from those Members present.  However, there must be at least four Members present to form a quorum.

GOLF SECRETARY

In the event that the region appoints a Golf Secretary, to assist the Regional Manager in organising the annual matches, the Golf Secretary will be afforded honorary membership of the National Association.  The fees will be covered by the region. 

GENERAL MEETINGS
The Annual General Meeting shall be take place in Spring each year. 
A minimum of 28 days’ notice of such meeting shall be given “by email” or in writing to every member, stating the date, time and place of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be conducted.
The purpose of the meeting shall be to elect the Regional Officers, receive the financial statement of accounts, set subscriptions for the next year and vote on resolutions received.
Any resolutions to be put before the meeting must be notified in writing to the Manager at least 21 days prior to the Meeting and details of such resolution shall be given in writing to every member at least 14 days prior to the meeting.
Voting, except for matters as in 13.1 below, will be by simple majority.
All members of the region are entitled to vote at General Meetings.

The Committee may, upon giving at least 28 days’ notice, call an Extraordinary General meeting, and shall be bound to do so on receiving a requisition signed by at least seven Members of the Region stating the purpose for which they desire the meeting to be called and the requisition to be put to the meeting.

RULES, REGULATIONS & BYE- LAWS

No Rule of the Region shall be repealed or altered and no new rule shall be introduced unless voted upon and agreed save by 75% of all the Members present in person at a General Meeting of the Region.
Notice in writing of the intention to propose a new rule or alteration, with particulars thereof, shall be placed in writing to the Regional Manager at least twenty-one (21) days prior to a General Meeting of the Region.
All Members shall be bound to submit to the Rules and Regulations and Bye-Laws of the Region and shall accept as final the Committee's interpretation thereof and decisions thereon.
The Committee is empowered to make, repeal and amend from time to time such Bye-Laws as they may consider necessary for the administration of the Region. These shall be binding on Members until set aside by a General Meeting of the Region.
No Rule of the Region shall contradict a National Association Rule.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

The annual subscription is to be determined at the Annual General Meeting.  All annual subscriptions shall be payable in advance on 1st January.
Members whose subscription has not been paid by 1st February shall not be entitled to exercise any of the privileges of membership until such sums have been paid.
The name of any Member so in arrears on the 1st February shall at the discretion of the Committee be erased from the Register of Members.
Such Members, on application to the Committee, may be reinstated on payment of their outstanding subscriptions.

ANNUAL COMPETITIONS, MATCHES AND FIXTURES

These will be arranged (co-ordinated) annually by the Manager in conjunction with the Committee and a list of fixtures shall be circulated to all Members prior to November 30th of the current year.
All current Members are eligible to play and the individual conditions of each competition will be agreed by the Committee (See Competitions Bye-Laws)
All trophies remain the property of the Region and may be held by the respective competition winner until the Annual General Meeting the following year.
The Region is responsible for the insurance and engraving of such trophies and trophy winners must therefore return the relevant trophy in good time to the Manager to enable it to be engraved before it is awarded to the next winner.
A list of all trophies and the current holders shall be kept by the Manager.
Representation in National Events and Meetings shall be determined by qualification or if not appropriate by selection taking into account any rules set by the National Association.

WINDING UP

If the Region is wound up or dissolved then, after settling all liabilities and debts of the Region, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to the adjacent regions as agreed with the National Association.

NOTICES
Any notice that is required to be served in writing may be served either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such Member at their address or by email to the email address of such member as notified to the Manager.
Any notice served by post shall be deemed to have been served 48 hours after it was posted. Notice sent by email shall be deemed to have been served 12 hours after it is sent.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION CAPTAIN
Regions are invited to submit, to the National Association, suitable candidates for the post of National Captain prior to the 1st April each year.