Organisation

 

RIBBLE FISHERIES CONSULTATIVE ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION AND RULES

  1. The Association shall be called “The Ribble Fisheries Consultative Association” hereafter referred to as the Association.
  2. The area within the purview of the Association comprises the catchment of the River Ribble and its tributaries, including all tidal reaches.
  3. The object of the Association is: “To safeguard and promote the interests of owners, lessees of fishing, and anglers, by developing sustainable fisheries and maximising the riverine environment, through consultation with the Environment Agency and other bodies with similar aims and objectives”.
  4. Membership
    1. Membership is open to all persons with an active interest in achieving the object as in statement 3 above, through the available membership options listed at the end of this document,
    2. Membership will run for 12 months from the 1st January each year,
    3. The Council of Management can confer honorary membership on any person they think suitable, and such nominations shall be confirmed at the Annual General Meeting,
    4. Notice of resignation should be sent to the Secretary in writing with not less than three month notice.  Subscriptions paid for the year of resignation will not be refunded in whole or in part.
  5. Subscriptions
    1. Each member shall pay the appropriate annual subscription.  Such subscription shall be agreed from time to time by the Council of Management,
    2. All subscriptions are due in advance on the 1st January for the twelve months following, except in the case of new members enrolling after that date n the year,
    3. Any member whose subscription is outstanding at 31st March in any year shall have his/her/their membership suspended, pending payment, and shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership until payment is made.
  6. Officers
    1. The Officers of the Association shall consist of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Pollution Officers, who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and will hold office until the next Annual General Meeting, and will be eligible for re-election.  These Officers shall be ex-officio’ members of the Council of Management – hereafter referred to as the Council.
    2. All officers of the Association shall be eligible for expenses, actual and as determined from time to time by the Council
  7. Council of Management
    1. The Council of Management – hereafter referred to as the “Council”, shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting and its members will hold office until the next Annual General Meeting at which they will be eligible for re-election.
    2. Membership of the Council of Management.
      1. Every angling club or fishery in membership of the Association is entitled to nominate a representative to the Council and is encouraged to nominate a second (preferably younger) non-voting representative.
      2. There may also be a representative of the commercial net fishery.
      3. Such persons as in the opinion of the Council possess special qualifications or knowledge, or are otherwise eligible as desirable members shall be elected under the same terms of office as other members of the Council. 
      4. New nominations for the membership of the Council should be sent, in writing, to the secretary at least two weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting.
    3. The Council shall meet at least three times year exclusive of the Annual General Meeting.
    4. One third of the members of the Council will constitute a quorum.
    5. The Officers of the Association shall have the power to call an Extraordinary meeting of the Council.
    6. A special meeting may be requisitioned if supported by at least one third of the membership of the Council.
    7. The Council shall have powers of co-option at their discretion.  It shall also have powers to appoint sub-committees and working groups for such general or specific purposes as it may decide.
  8. Standing Committees
    1. The size, membership and remit of Standing Committees shall be determined by the Council.
    2. Each Standing Committee shall appoint a Chairman who shall:
      1. Be an appointed member of the Council.
      2. Be able the co-opt other interested parties or people with specific knowledge and expertise,
      3. Be responsible for calling meetings as required.
      4. Be responsible reporting to the Council on the work of the Standing Committee.
  9. Meetings
    1. There shall be a General Meeting of the Association in either June or July of each year.  The Secretary will give all members at least three weeks notice of the time and place of such meeting.
    2. Agenda items and proposals for consideration at the Annual General Meeting should be forwarded to the Secretary, in writing, by 30th April.
    3. The Council shall have powers to call Extraordinary General Meetings.
    4. The Secretary shall convene a Special General Meeting on written request, signed by at least 40% of the membership, or at any time at the request of the Council.
    5. The Secretary shall convene such a meeting, with a specified agenda, within 28 days of receiving such a request.
  10. Representation and Voting
    1. General Meetings
      1. All members as defined at the end of this document, shall be invited to attend the Annual General Meeting or other such General Meetings specially convened.
      2. All members attending are entitled to one vote.
      3. Only matters on the agenda may be voted upon.
      4. The Chairman shall have a second and casting vote where a vote is tied.
    2. Council Meetings
      1. All accredited members of the Council are entitled to one vote except as specified in Item 7 clause b above.
      2. The Chairman my, at his discretion, allow voting on non-agenda items.
      3. The Chairman shall have a second and casting vote where a vote is tied
  11. Finance
    1. A duly audited statement of Income and Expenditure shall be prepared annually and published in the Annual Report.
    2. The Bankers of the Association shall be one of the major clearing Banks as decided by the Council.
    3. The auditors shall be approved and voted upon at the Annual General Meeting.
    4. The banking accounts(s) shall be operated, and cheques signed, in such a manner as may be determined by the Council.
  12. Reports
    1. An annual report on the activities of the Association shall be published and a copy furnished to each member, and in any event, produced to the Annual General Meeting.
    2. A half yearly report will be sent to all members of the Association.
    3. Other/special reports will be made available as determined by the Council.
  13. Rules and their Review
    1. The Council may, at any time, institute new rules or amend existing ones, as they consider being in the best interests of the Association.   Such amendments to be confirmed at the next Annual General Meeting.
  14. The Press and the public may be admitted to General Meetings of the Association, but without prejudice to the right of the Chairman to require the press and public to withdraw.
  15. Interpretation Clause
    1. In this constitution and rules, the term angling club shall refer to any recognised angling body with an interest in the Ribble Catchment.
    2. Membership Categories
      Angling clubs/associations;
      Riparian owners;
      Individual members;
      Corporate individual members – (whereby all members of a club have become individual Members of the Association.)
      Council of Management appointees.
    3. Addendum
      1. Organisational Flow Chart

 

Agreed A.G.M. 2005

Amended September 2006

 

 

RIBBLE FISHERIES CONSULTATIVE ASSOCIATION STANDING COMMITTEES

Standing Committees

 

Ribble Fisheries Consultative Association Committee Briefs

 

Introduction

The decision to move to a committee structure by the RFCA was prompted by the view that the new RFCA needed to modernise the way it ran itself and become more accountable and democratic to its members. Coupled with this is a desire by the Council of Management to have a more managed and organised programme, which meets the needs of the Ribble Catchment as well as the aspirations of individual members.

The Committee structure agreed by the Council of Management is as follows:

  • They are arranged basically on a geographic basis since it is believed this will be the most efficient way of operating.         
  • Clubs and riparian owners having an interest in that area will be asked to provide members of the committee in the first instance. These are people who have an intimate knowledge of the water and who are committed to maintaining it.
  • It is anticipated that the Geographic Committees will be permanent but that specific interest committees such as the Barrage or Nets will be time related.   Once their function has gone they will cease.

Suggested Standing Committees are as per the above diagram.

Generic Brief for Geographical Committees

Each Committee will elect a Chairman who will have the responsibility of calling meetings in a place decided, and reporting back to the Council of Management.  The Chair may depute this latter task to another member of the Committee if they so wish.

Each Committee will elect a Secretary.   If the Committee so decides the office of Secretary may rotate amongst its members.

Once constituted the Committee may co-opt anyone who they think a fit person to help with the work.

Reasonable expenditure for meetings will be met by the R.F.C.A.

The Geographical Committee will be responsible for:

  • Compiling a local knowledge database.
  • Generating a local contacts list (Council Officers, local voluntary groups/bodies etc.)
  • The cultivation of local funding sources and funding activities.
  • Seek to persuade all clubs within the area to be a part of the committee and that they are kept abreast of its work.

The following is a list of issues, which regularly crop up at the Council of Management; but is not intended to be limiting.  The specialist knowledge of the Geographical Committee may well have an issue specific to them that needs action.

  • Riverine Environment:
    • Banks, Vegetation, Gravels, Obstructions, Riverbed, SSIs, Water-Abstraction, Flows/Levels, Quality, Pollution, Agriculture/Farm practices.

      Any conservation measures proposed by the committee should first be communicated to the Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust to get their views. This is important to prevent duplication and to maximise the effect.
  • General: 
    • Stocking policies, E.A. Catch limits, Access Issues, Poaching/Bailiffing, Relationships/Contacts with the E.A. for the area.

 

Purposes and Action

What the Management Council does not want are more talking shops. Yes, we want a greater understanding of issues and how they affect the whole catchment but above all we want more informed decision making at all levels. Clubs, riparian owners and interested parties working together, at the geographical level, to improve the river.

Any decision that is binding on the R.F.C.A. must be approved by the Council of Management; likewise requests for publicity or specific communication.

The RFCA acting has a cohesive, organised and determined body united in common understanding.

We would hope that the Geographical Committees would not just bring problems to the Management Council but possible solutions, perhaps in draft papers submitted in advance.

It must be understood that the RFCA is a consultative body only.

We cannot pass decisions binding on other organisations. We must therefore ensure that our views are of the highest quality having the maximum support within our constituency. Only in this way can we have the greatest influence.

 

Committees

 

Publicity / Communications

  1. General publicity & communications with members and outside organisations on behalf of Ribble anglers and owners.
  2. Create & maintain a website.
  3. Create a communications network with local tackle dealers etc.
  4. Work closely with other Agencies to further our objectives
  5. (e.g. R.S.P.B., Environmental Groups, etc.)

 

N.L.O. and Netting

  1. Gather information so as to enable the Association to be fully conversant with the legal requirements and be aware of avenues of pressing the Association views.
  2. Prepare papers on the subject for the Council of Management.
  3. Meet the E.A. and the netsmen as required.
  4. Build up a knowledge base of all netting activities on the river and their impact on migratory species.
  5. Prepare sample letters of objection should they be necessary.

 

Preston Barrage

  1. Gather information so as to enable the Association to be fully conversant with the proposals and be aware of all avenues for pressing the Association views.
  2. Prepare papers on the subject for the Council of Management.
  3. Attend meetings about the proposals as necessary.
  4. Seek co-operation from other interested parties.
  5. Seek information as to the impact of the proposals.
  6. Create a local contacts list (Council Officers, local voluntary groups/bodies etc.)
  7. Prepare sample letters of objection should they be necessary.

 

Calder Catchment

As set out for Geographical Committees above

 

Hodder Catchment

As set out for Geographical Committees above

 

Upper Ribble Catchment

As set out for Geographical Committees above

 

Lower Ribble Catchment

As set out for Geographical Committees above

 

 

 

Agreed January 2006

Amended November 2006