(Accepted at the AGM April 2008); (Amended at the AGM April 19th 2010); (Amended at the AGM April 18th 2011)
(Amended at the AGM April 14th 2012)

CONSTITUTION
1.    Name
   The name of the organisation shall be “The Millom and District Angling Association” and will
    be referred to hereafter as “M&DAA”.

2.    Objects    
    a)    The object of the M&DAA shall be to foster interest in all matters connected with game and
            coarse fishing and to encourage good practice in angling and the preservation of fish.
                                        b)   The M&DAA shall affiliate to such angling bodies as shall be from time to time decided.

3.    Membership
a)    Membership shall be open to all interested persons who have a bona-fide interest in game and coarse fishing, up to a numerical limit as determined by the Executive Committee.  
b)    There shall be seven categories of membership these being Senior, Ladies, Junior, Student (over 17), Old Age Pensioner, Honorary Life and Honorary Member.
c)    Application for membership shall be made in writing upon the M&DAA’s application form signed by the applicant and enclosing a stamped addressed envelope. Acceptance shall be subject to the decision of the Executive Committee.
d)    The Executive Committee shall have the right to refuse membership to any person.
e)    Membership of the M&DAA shall be liable to termination for breaches of the M&DAA’s Rules, at the discretion of the Executive Committee.  Membership is conditional on acceptance of the Constitution and Rules of M&DAA
f)    Any member dismissed by an Executive Committee decision, shall have the right to attend a special meeting of the Executive Committee, or a General Meeting of M&DAA members, to contest with or without supporting witnesses, the decision of the Executive Committee.

4.    Subscriptions
a)    The annual subscription and joining fee for Senior, Ladies, Junior, and OAP membership shall be decided upon at the Winter Executive Committee meeting for the forthcoming year and ratified by the following AGM.
b)    O.A.P. concessionary membership is only given subject to at least two years as a Senior Member. Any person joining M&DAA as an O.A.P. must pay the full Senior Member subscription for two years before qualifying for concession, plus the entrance fee.
c)    Easy payment terms or deferred payment may be offered to members who are experiencing financial difficulties on agreement with the Treasurer and General Secretary.
d)    Subscriptions will be due from the 1st January each year.  Members from whom subscriptions have not been received by 31st January in any year will no longer be considered to be members of the M&DAA (subject to Clause 4b. above) and must re-apply in writing as in Clause 3c. above, and will be subject to a late payment administration charge. Membership fees are payable to the Treasurer together with a stamped addressed envelope for the membership card.

5.    Officers and Committee
a)    The Executive Officers of the M&DAA to be elected at the Annual General Meeting for a term of one year (unless appointed to “Life” in that position) shall be President, Vice-President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and General Secretary.
b)    The AGM shall also elect not more than 11 other members to the Executive Committee each for a term of one year.
c)    The Executive Committee members shall retire each year but may stand for re-election (unless holding “Life” Office).
d)    At least FIFTEEN Committee members of the Executive Committee including the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer must reside within a radius of 25 miles from Millom Station.
e)    The Chairman shall at his/her discretion have the power to establish a new Executive Committee in the event of the Executive Committee ceasing to function; however, this may arise.  The Chairman shall have the power to remove from office any member of the Executive Committee if he/she deems this to be appropriate, subject to prior consultation with the other members of the Executive Committee.
f)    Any Executive Committee member who is absent from two Executive Committee meetings within their term of office without reasonable cause or apology shall be presumed to have resigned.

6.    Duties of the Executive Committee
a)    The management of the M&DAA shall be vested in the Executive Committee as elected in Clause 5a and 5b.above and contracts and agreements entered into by the Executive Committee shall be deemed to be entered into by the M&DAA.
b)    The Executive Committee, so elected, shall conduct the business of the M&DAA.  It shall have the power to appoint sub-committees for specific purposes and define their duties.
c)    The Executive Committee shall decide the M&DAA’s programme of activities or make bye-laws as may be required from time to time, having regard to the wishes of the members.  Any such bye-laws to be ratified at the next AGM by the members.
d)    The Executive Committee shall resume its responsibilities at the close of the Annual General Meeting.
e)    The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt any member to any committee or sub-committee position.
f)    The Executive Committee shall meet as required to conduct the business of the M&DAA and extra meetings may be called by the Chairman and/or General Secretary, or at the request of four members of the Executive Committee.
g)    A quorum for an Executive Committee meeting shall be four or 25% of Executive Committee members whichever is least, one of whom must be the Chairman or Secretary.
h)    The Executive Committee shall manage the affairs of the M&DAA with due regard to the welfare of the M&DAA, protecting the M&DAA’s integrity and the wishes of the members.
i)    All business transacted by the Executive Committee shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members of the Executive Committee present. In the event of the votes being tied the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
j)    The Executive Committee shall have the power to decide on any matter not covered by the
   Constitution, Rules or Standing Orders for meetings, and their decision shall be final.

7.    General Meetings
a)    The Annual General Meeting of the M&DAA shall be held in the month of April or as near to    the end of the tax year as practicable each year to receive the annual reports from the Officers    (as laid down in Clause 5a), and the accounts for the previous year, to elect Officers and Committee for the forthcoming year, to consider alterations to Constitution and Rules, to transact general business and any other business as admitted by the Chairman.
b)    Written notice of the meeting along with a copy of the Agenda and Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting, by electronic mail, posted or delivered by hand, shall be in the hands of each member not less than SEVEN days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.  The names and addresses recorded by the Secretary on the 1st January shall be conclusive evidence of who is entitled to receive such notice.  Any meeting shall not be invalidated on account of some accidental error, omission or irregularity on the list or on account of some accidental failure to post notice unless it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Chairman that at least ten members have not been sent notices.
c)    A quorum for which shall be 20% of the membership or 10 members whichever is the lesser.
d)    The members at the Annual General Meeting shall have the power to appoint a member to Honorary Life President, Honorary Life Vice-President, Honorary Life Membership, invite a member to Vice-Presidency or award Honorary Membership as proposed by the Committee.
e)    The General Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting at the discretion of the Executive Committee (as in Clause 5a & 5b), or within TWENTY-ONE days of receipt of a  written request of TEN members entitled to attend and vote at General Meetings.
f)    Each member (Senior, OAP, Lady, Student, Honorary Member or Honorary Life Member) is entitled to one vote provided they have held membership for at least one month prior to the meeting.
g)    No vote shall be given by proxy or post at a General Meeting.
h)    Any member is entitled to bring along a guest/guests who will not be able to propose or second a motion, or to take part in the discussions or entitled to a vote.

8.   Standing Orders for Meetings
a)    Minutes shall be made of all resolutions and proceedings of General Meetings and of meetings of the Executive Committee.  Any such minutes, if signed by the Chairman at the meeting to which they relate or at which they are read, shall be received as conclusive evidence of the facts therein stated.
b)    No business shall be transacted until the minutes of the previous meeting have been dealt with; thereafter items of business shall be taken in the order appearing on the Agenda unless agreed otherwise or at the discretion of the Chairman.
c)    Each Officer of the M&DAA as laid down in Clause 5a and 5b above shall be entitled to one vote at an Executive Committee meeting. At General meetings each Officer and all members as laid down in Clause 7f shall be entitled to one vote.  In the event of the votes being tied the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
d)    All Officers and members entitled to vote attending an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting shall have the power to vote on any motion or any amendment and the Executive Committee shall act upon the result of such vote, if carried.
e)    Only one amendment shall be before a meeting at any one time and if, when put to the meeting the amendment is carried, the original motion shall fall, and the amended motion which is then the substantive motion, can be subject to further amendment.  If the amendment is not carried, a further amendment to the original motion then may be moved and considered.
f)    At any time no two persons shall speak at the same time, the Chairman at all times shall have priority of speech.  All speeches must be addressed to the Chair and no person other than when presenting a report or with the expressed permission of the Chairman may speak at any one time on any subject for a period in excess of three minutes.
g)    No motion can be discussed until it has been proposed and seconded. The first speaker shall be the proposer of the motion followed by a speaker against the motion. The next speaker shall be the seconder of the motion followed by a second speaker against the motion and so on giving a balanced debate.  If there are no speakers against the motion, then after the first speaker the motion shall be put to a vote. If the ensuing discussion has continued for not less than fifteen minutes without any decision being made the closure of the discussion can be moved by any member who has not taken part in the discussion.  Thereupon the Chairman must put the closure motion to the meeting; if this is agreed, no further discussion can be permitted and the Chairman must put the motion under discussion to the meeting for a decision.
h)    Upon the Chairman putting a motion to the meeting the decision of the majority shall thereafter be deemed the resolution of the meeting, and appropriate action shall be taken.  Unless a poll is demanded by no less than ten members before or on declaration of the show of hands.
i)    If such a poll is demanded it shall be taken in such a manner and at such a time as the Chairman directs and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded.
j)    Any motion in any way amending, repealing, or adding to these Constitution and Rules shall only be admitted providing that notice of the proposed motion has been given to members following the procedure outlined under Clause 7b. Such a motion shall not be passed unless voted for by two-thirds of those members present and entitled to vote at a General Meeting.
k)     Amendments to the Constitution and Rules after the inception may be made at any properly convened Annual General Meeting and must be minuted and voted on.  Once the total number of amendments reaches twelve (12), a new Constitution and Rules must be drafted.
l)    In any election of Officer, if there are two or more nominees who have been seconded, then each nominee shall be given the right to address the meeting for no longer than three minutes to say why they would like to be elected to that office.  After all the nominees have addressed the meeting they must then leave the meeting room to allow for a debate as under Clause 11k, before voting takes place. Upon a majority vote, all nominees will return to the meeting room to be informed of the result of the vote by the Chairman
m)    In all matters of debate and procedure not specified in these Standing Orders, the ruling of the Chairman shall be final.

9.     Finance
a)    The M&DAA shall be non-profit making.  All monies and purchases shall be used to maintain or improve the M&DAA’s facilities or assets.  No profit or surplus will be distributed other than to another non-profit making body or to members on the winding up or dissolution of the M&DAA or M&DAA assets may be sold and all funds held in account until a new Association of a similar nature is formed on a decision made by more than two-thirds of members at an AGM or Special General Meeting.
b)    All monies due to the M&DAA must be paid to the Treasurer unless otherwise specified by the Executive Committee.  All monies to be banked as soon as possible in an account decided by the Executive Committee. The Treasurer may keep to hand a small sum of petty cash the amount of which is decided by the Executive Committee.
c)    The Treasurer shall give a duplicated receipt for all monies received and receive a signed written invoice for all monies paid out.
d)    All payments, other than petty cash payments shall be made by cheque signed by any two of the Chairman OR General Secretary AND the Treasurer.  All three informed of any withdrawals.
e)    The Treasurer will prepare an audited report of income and expenditure along with a balance sheet to be presented at the Annual General Meeting each year.
f)    No member of the Executive Committee or M&DAA shall be liable for any monetary loss in the event of the M&DAA being dissolved.
g)    The financial year of the M&DAA shall end on the 31st December in each year.
h)    The Executive Committee shall have the authority to raise funds as required.

RULES
10.    Conduct and General
a)    All members shall conduct themselves in a manner that does not contravene the ideals of the M&DAA, or is likely to be injurious to the M&DAA or is otherwise objectionable in any respect whatsoever.  Members will comply with the M&DAA’s Constitution and Rules.
b)    The members of the M&DAA shall collectively and individually promote the principles of fair play and cultivate sportsman like conduct at all times.
c)    Members shall not leave litter of any kind.
d)    Members shall not commit any nuisance liable to bring discredit on the M&DAA.
e)    All members shall seek to promote a spirit of harmony and common purpose in the M&DAA, and shall respect the rights and wishes of fellow members.
f)    The minimum size of game fish to be taken away from any M&DAA water shall be Brown Trout 10 inches; Migratory Trout 10 inches; Salmon 12 inches – from nose to fork in tail.
g)    Fishing with a natural minnow is strictly prohibited.
h)    Ground baiting is strictly prohibited.
i)    Damage to fences, gates, crops or property will not be tolerated and all gates used by members must be closed after use. Members are requested not to walk across farmer’s field, but to keep to the field edges and the river bank.  Membership will be suspended if this is not adhered to.
j)    Mushrooms and any other produce are the property of the farmer or landowner and must not be removed by members, unless permission is granted by the farmer or landowner.
k)    Every member must carry their Membership Card and any person not in possession of a Membership Card must leave the water.
l)    Spinning in low water conditions on rivers is prohibited.
m)    The trout, sea trout, salmon and coarse fishing seasons to commence and finish as stated on the Environment Agency rod licences.
n)    It is clearly understood that a ticket issued for any M&DAA waters is for ONE ROD AND LINE ONLY, and that the line must be cast with the rod only and not by hand.
o)    All foul-hooked fish must be returned to the water immediately, with as little damage as possible.
p)    No treble hooks to be used when worm fishing.
q)    A single hook no larger than that permitted by EA byelaws to be used for worm fishing.
r)    No member to fish any holding pool for more than three hours.  After this period, the member should move to another stretch of water.
s)    Not more than four members to fish any holding pool at any one time.
t)    No ledger to be less than 1 foot 6 inches from the hook.
u)    All junior members fishing the River Annas, Bootle to be accompanied by an adult at all times.
v)    Maggot fishing is banned on all M&DAA waters with the exception of a combination of fly and maggot for fly fishing only.
w)    Float fishing with worm and prawn/shrimp is permitted on some M&DAA waters.
x)    Bubble float and fly fishing is only permitted on Devoke Water and not on any other M&DAA waters.
y)    Etiquette – members not fishing the fly are asked to allow a fly fisherman to fish through the water (rivers only).

11.  Legalities
 a)    The M&DAA disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the personal safety of members regardless of age; and for member’s property; and for any damage that members may cause to third parties in any way and at any time except where this may be covered by the M&DAA’s insurance.
       b)    M&DAA accepts no responsibility for any person of M&DAA fishing waters which are not
               retained or under control of M&DAA.  All members are individually responsible for ensuring
               the extent and exact location of M&DAA waters before fishing under their membership.
       c)    All Newsletter contents and all other material published remain the property and copyright of the M&DAA.  Permission to use any published material must be made in writing to the Executive Committee and any permission given must be confirmed in writing before publication.
a)    This Constitution and Rules supersedes all other Constitutions and Rules and amendments.

12.  Trustees     
The M&DAA Trustees shall be Mr. D. New, Mr. G. Taylor and Mr. J. Murray. The Trustees shall act as directed by the Executive Committee in any dealings regarding any land or property that is registered in their names on behalf of the M&DAA and shall hold office until death or resignation.  Trustees shall be indemnified out of the assets of the M&DAA against any risk and expense incurred by them in pursuance of their office.

13.   Ownership of Property
The M&DAA may receive and disclaim property of any nature whether or not it is subject to any express condition or trusts.  The M&DAA may purchase or otherwise acquire and hold property of any nature and may sell, lease, mortgage or otherwise deal with the same.  Any property belonging to the M&DAA other than cash should be under the control of the Treasurer for the time being and should be vested in the names of not more than four or less than two trustees who may be appointed or replaced by the members of the M&DAA at an AGM.