ISAC - Constitution & Rules

Rules and Constitution

The rules and constitution of Ipswich Sub Aqua club are shown below.

1 OBJECTIVES The objectives of the Ipswich Sub-Aqua Club, hereinafter called "the Club", shall be based on those of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC). Viz.:

1.1	To promote underwater exploration, science and sport and to promote safety in those activities.
1.2	To provide a centre of expertise where training on the sport may be given.
1.3	By affiliation with other organizations having similar objectives, and by meeting with other member clubs of the BSAC, to promote the widest exchange of knowledge and experience.
1.4	By maintaining the highest standards of diving theory and practice, sustain recognition of the BSAC as the governing body in the UK for all such organized activity.

2 GENERAL
2.1	In the event of matters not covered by the constitution of the Club, the Club Chairman is empowered to deal with them after consultation with the Committee and subject to approval at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM).
2.2	In the event of the dissolution of the Club, all funds and residual property of the Club shall pass to the RNLI.
2.3	Under normal conditions, tile introduction of new rules or constitution of tile Club and/or amendment of existing rules shall be allowed only at an AGM. Exceptionally, they may be temporarily modified at an Extraordinary General Meeting.

3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1	Grades of membership shall be defined by the BSAC but in addition may include a non-voting President and Vice-P residents; these to be elected at an AGM.
3.2	Only full members of the Club shall be voting members.
3.3	Membership of the Club, subject to rule 3.5 and the following conditions, shall take effect from the date of payment of the appropriate fees to the Club Treasurer.

	Full diving membership of the Club shall require:

	3.3.1	the possession of a diving medical certificate completed by a GP, or completion of a self-certification medical form, both of which are acceptable proof of fitness as defined by the BSAC.
	3.3.2	where the applicant is already a paid-up and qualified member of the BSAC, or other body recognized by the BSAC as a qualifying body, evidence of this status, or
	3.3.3	where the applicant is not already a paid-up and/or qualified member of the BSAC, or other body recognized by tile BSAC as a qualifying body, successful completion of a swimming test as defined by the BSAC.

3.4	Members may be selected to become Honorary Members of the Club, subject to the approval of the membership at an AGM. Honorary Membership may only be awarded only to members who have served the Club well for a number of years, or who have distinguished themselves within the sport of Sub-Aqua Diving.
3.5	The normal minimum age for membership of the Club shall be 14 years, however it is required that a parent or guardian of all members under the age of 16 years shall accompany, and accept full responsibility for, the child member at all Open Water dives. The maximum number of trainees under the age of 16 years undergoing simultaneous initial/Ocean Diver training shall be limited to two.
3.6	The Committee (see rule 4. 1) shall reserve the right to refuse any person membership without giving a reason.
3.7	If any member does anything which may be likely to bring direct discredit to the Club, he/she may be disciplined by the Committee. If appropriate the Committee may, after 14 days written notice, suspend and or dismiss a member. In each case the member may appeal to a properly constituted General Meeting of the Club. In the case, of an upheld or unchallenged dismissal, no refund of membership will be payable.
3.8	All new members shall be given a copy of the rules on joining.

4 COMMITTEE

4.1

The management of the Club shall be undertaken by a Committee, hereinafter called "the Committee", comprising:

Chairman	Diving Officer
Secretary	Training Officer
Treasurer	Expeditions Officer
Fund Raising Officer	Engineering Officer
Committee Member 1	Equipment Officer
Committee Member 2	Membership Secretary

4.2

The Committee will hold office following its election at an AGM until its dissolution at the next AGM.

4.3

Members of the Committee shall be proposed, seconded and elected at each AGM.

4.4

The Diving Officer shall be appointed by the outgoing Committee from amongst the membership and shall be announced at the AGM. The term of the appointment shall be for one year.

4.5

One member of the Committee shall be appointed as Vice-Chairman at the first Committee meeting following the AGM.

4.6

The following qualifications shall be required of Committee members:

4.6.1

The Chairman shall have previously served on the Committee for at least one year.

4.6.2

The Diving Officer shall be an appropriately qualified diver.

4.6.3

The Training and Expeditions Officers shall be appropriate experienced divers.

4.6.4

The Engineering Officer shall be appropriately qualified.

4.6.5

The Treasurer, Equipment Officer and Engineering Officer shall normally have been members of the Club for at least one year. In exceptional cases, e.g. when no so qualified people are to stand in these posts, this requirement may be waived.

4.6.6

The Secretary shall not necessarily be a member of the Club, but in this Case he/she shall not have a committee vote.

4.6.7

The Chairman shall not seek re-election to extend his term of office to more than three consecutive years.

4.6.8

The Committee shall not appoint a Diving Officer such that his term of office extends for more than two consecutive years.

4.7

Vacancies occurring during the year on the Committee may be filled by co-option. These co-opted members shall have full voting rights. Any post falling vacant shall first be offered to members who were proposed and seconded at the previous AGM.

4.8

The Committee may co-opt other members onto the Committee for specific purposes. These co-opted members will not have a committee vote.

4.9

Deleted.

5 FINANCE
5.1	The Committee shall hold and administer all funds and property of the Club.
5.2	All cheques signed on behalf of the Club shall be signed by a combination of the Treasurer and one of the following: Chairman, Diving Officer or Secretary when the latter Post is occupied by a member of the Club.
5.3	The Club shall be entitled to apply a monetary levy on all members in the event of financial stress. Any member not discharging this obligation within 14 days of the amount becoming payable may render himself/herself liable to dismissal.
5.4	All fees payable to the Club as a result of membership shall be decided by the Committee, The monetary value of these fees shall be in force from September to the following September.
5.5	The fees payable to the BSAC for attendance of the Club's Diving Officer and official observer at the annual Diving Officers' Conference shall be met by tile Club,
5.6	Payment shall be made to Officers of the Club for reasonable expenses incurred by them on behalf of the Club. Claims for such expenses must be submitted to the Treasurer and approved by the Committee.
5.7	Upon successful completion of each separate examination, the ISAC will refund to a member the single entry fees paid for the theory and practical examinations taken for the Open Water Instructor qualification and for the full single entry examination fee for the Advanced Instructor qualification.
5.8	With the exception of trainees, anyone renting any item or items of club equipment from ISAC will have to pay a cash deposit, of £20 per item or £50 for a full set of diving equipment (a full set comprising of one cylinder, one stab jacket, and one set of regulators). When the equipment is hired out a return date will be agreed between the Club and the person hiring the equipment. The deposit will be returned if the equipment is handed back to the club on or within 10 days of the agreed return date. If the equipment is not returned within this time the deposit will be retained by the Club. Any trainee renting club equipment will not have to pay a cash deposit however a return date for the equipment will still be agreed. If the equipment is not returned by the trainee on or within 10 days of the agreed return date the trainee will be liable to pay a sum equal to the cash deposit for the equipment that has not been returned.

6 MEETINGS
6.1	All elections will be decided by secret ballot and by a simple majority.
6.2	All other proposals shall be decided by a simple majority except where the proposer, or the Chairman, requests a larger majority and this request is agreed by the meeting. The proposal shall be decided by secret ballot if requested by the proposer or the Chairman, otherwise voting shall be by a simple show of hands.
6.3	At all general meetings where a proposal is to be heard, voting on any subsequently proposed amendments to the main proposal shall be undertaken before the vote on the main proposal. In the event that an amendment has been carried, only the amended form of the main proposal shall be put to the vote.

	ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
6.4	The AGM of the Club shall be held during October of each year.
6.5	All members of the Club shall receive, from the Secretary, at least 28 days written notice of the AGM.
6.6	The quorum for the AGM shall be 40% of the total number of full members.
6.7	All proposals to be beard at the AGM must be received by the Secretary, properly drafted and seconded at least 14 days before the date of the meeting. These proposals shall be displayed at the pool for at least one meeting before the AGM.
6.8	Amendments to these proposals may be proposed at the AGM.
6.9	The Agenda for the AGM shall include:
	6.9.1	Apologies for absence.
	6.9.2	The minutes of the previous AGM.
	6.9.3	Matters arising
	6.9.4	Reports from Officers
	6.9.5	Proposed rule changes
	6.9.6	Election of the new Committee
	6.9.7	Proposals in respect of which due notice has been received
	6.9.8	Any other business - no new proposals may be made under A013

	EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
6.10	An extraordinary meeting of the Club (EGM) may be called at the discretion of the Committee, providing that five members of the Committee agree. Alternatively, an EGM will be called as a result of the Secretary receiving an appropriate petition signed by 20% of the full members of the Club.
6.11	The quorum for an EGM shall be 25% of the number of full members.
6.12	At least seven days notice of an EGM and of the proposals to be made shall be given to each and every member.
6.13	Amendments to these proposals may be proposed at the EGM.

	COMMITTEE MEETINGS
6.14	The Committee shall hold a meeting at least monthly.
6.15	The quorum for a Committee meeting shall be five and should preferably include: Chairman (Vice-Chairman), Secretary, Treasurer and Diving Officer.
6.16	The President may sit, but ' not vote, at a Committee meeting. Vice-Presidents may attend Committee meetings but may not sit in that capacity.
6.17	At full meetings of the Committee, as required under 6.14, the agenda shall provide time for non-Committee members to be heard.

7 DIVING
7.1	All ISAC dives shall require the prior authorization of the Diving Officer.
7.2	All full members shall be in possession of either a current diving medical certificate or they shall have completed a self-certification form declaring themselves fit to dive.
7.3	Visiting divers shall produce evidence of a diving standard acceptable to the BSAC and of an acceptable medical standard before being eligible to take part in ISAC dives.
7.4	Other diving clubs joining with the ISAC for the purpose of a single dive shall not be the responsibility of the ISAC. They shall be informed of this rejection of responsibility.
7.5	The upward grading of members who have fulfilled the requirements of the BSAC shall be at the discretion of the Diving Officer. In cases of dispute between a member and the Diving Officer, the case may be referred to the Committee for its consideration.
7.6	HISTORY
	Issue 1: January 1986
	Issue 2: November 1988
	Rule 5.8 modified to include examination fees and advanced instructor.
	Issue 3: October 1990
	Rule 3.6 typographic change
	Rule 5.6 deleted
	Rule 5.7 changed to clarify expense claim procedure
	Rule 5.8 changed for consistency
	Rules re-numbered to reflect changes.
	Issue 4: October 1993
	Rule 3.3.iii amendment to swimming test and deletion of Appendix A.
	Issue 5: October 1997
	Rule 4.1 amended to change Assistant Equipment Officer for Membership Secretary
	Issue 6: October 1998
	Rule 4.9 amended to allow the Octopush representative to vote at committee meetings.
	Issue 7: October 1998
	Rule 3.5 amended to allow a reduction in membership to age 14.
	Issue 8: October 2002
	Rule 3.3.1 amended to encompass the new self-certification method of certifying a divers fitness.
	Rule 3.5 amended to reduce the normal age for membership to 14.
	Rule 4.9 deleted as the Octopush team is no longer a part of the Club.
	Rule 5.7 amended to incorporate the recent changes to the BSAC’s range of instructor qualifications.
	Rule 5.8 added.
	Rule 7.2 amended to encompass the new self-certification method of certifying a divers fitness.
	Ipswich Sub-Aqua Club
	18^th October 2002