Constitution for ‘Trampoline East’

Title

The name of the association shall be “Trampoline East” (henceforth “the association”).  The area of control will be defined as the sport of Trampoline Gymnastics within the East of England (Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire).

Objectives

The association will enhance the sport of Trampoline Gymnastics within the area of control by:

  1. Developing plans and policies which will help increase participation and performance in the sport wherever it may be safely undertaken within the region;
  2. Promoting the safety & wellbeing of its members at all times;
  3. Acting as liaison between its members and the recognised regional and national governing bodies of the sport (currently “Eastern Counties Gymnastics Association” and “British Gymnastics” respectively);
  4. Providing regular regional competitions in which its members may participate;
  5. Establishing and organising regular training squads as may be appropriate from time to time;
  6. Supporting the development of technical expertise and relevant skills of its members;
  7. Raising funds by any lawful means, purchasing and holding assets and engaging the services of individuals or organisations in the furtherance of these objectives.

Membership

Membership to the association is automatic for any club meeting the following criteria:

  1. Any trampoline or gymnastics club registered to the recognised national governing body for the sport of Trampoline Gymnastics;
  2. Is registered with ECGA;
  3. Is actively participating (i.e. running dedicated recreational and/or competitive sessions) in the sport Trampoline Gymnastics, within the association’s area of control;
  4. Has paid the association’s relevant subscription/joining fee as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the association’s members;
  5. Has not had their membership denied or their membership cancelled by the association and its members at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.

Clubs who satisfy these criteria will be defined as a “member club”.  Clubs and organisations unable to satisfy these criteria may apply to become non-voting associate members.

As there are many structures/entities/affiliations under which clubs operate, for the purposes of Trampoline East affiliation/voting, any of these shall be deemed a single “member club” if any of the below apply:-

  • A common “club” committee exists
  • Common financial reporting/ownership exists
  • Competing regularly as a single entity
  • A common registration with BG
  • A common registration with ECGA

All current members of each member club will automatically become “individual members” of the association, however individual members do not accrue any voting rights.

Fees

The annual membership fee to the association will be determined at the Annual General Meeting.

Committee

The committee is empowered by this constitution to oversee the day-to-day management of the association, its policies, procedures and actions in the furthering of the association’s objectives.

Officers

The Executive Officers of the committee are as follows:

  • Chair
  • Vice-Chair
  • Secretary
  • Coaching Courses Co-ordinator
  • Communications Officer
  • Competitions Co-ordinator
  • Double Mini Trampoline Co-ordinator
  • ECGA Representative
  • Judging Co-ordinator
  • TPD Co-ordinator
  • TRI Squad  Co-ordinator
  • Welfare Officer

The Non-Executive Officers of the committee are as follows:

  • County Representatives (one for each of the counties in the association’s area of control)
  • Schools Co-ordinator
  • Schools Treasurer

Election of Officers

Executive Officers

All Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the association by the member clubs of the association.

To be considered for election into any executive office, an individual must:

  • have an active involvement with a member club;
  • be aged 18 or over; and
  • Receive a nomination from member clubs not less than 21 days before the Annual General Meeting.

County Representatives must have an active involvement with a member club based within that county, and be voted through their county organisation.

All Officers other than the TRI Squad Co-ordinator are elected for a period of one year, the TRI Squad Co-ordinator being a two-year appointment, but all may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year.

Should there be any position vacant for whatever reason more than 28 days before the next Annual General Meeting, the Executive Officers may agree to co-opt a suitable individual into any vacant position.  This can be achieved by simple majority vote at any committee meeting.  Such co-option will be valid only until the next Annual General Meeting.

Non-executive Officers

Such officers will be agreed by the executive committee by simple majority vote either at the Annual General Meeting or any other committee meeting.

Committee Meetings

Committee meetings will be held not fewer than three times per year.  Additional committee meetings shall be held as and when required as determined by the Chair.

Votes on any matter may be held either at a committee meeting or via ‘e-vote’ (via email) in any intervening period, provided a quorum has been reached.  A quorum will be deemed to have been reached if 3 members of the Executive Committee are present at a committee meeting, or have participated in an e-vote.

In the event of a tie, the Chair shall have the deciding vote.

Official minutes will be produced by the association’s secretary which will detail the nature and outcome of all votes held by the committee.  E-votes will be recorded on the minutes relating to the committee meeting immediately following that e-vote.

General Meetings

The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the end of October each year.

28 days clear notice will be given to member clubs regarding any General Meeting by circulating the notice to every member club via their registered email address(es) using the [email protected] forwarder.

Member clubs must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be brought up not less than 14 days before the Annual General Meeting.

The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:

  1. Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any other General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting;
  2. Receive the accounts from the Treasurer;
  3. Receive the annual report from the Committee from the Secretary;
  4. Elect the Executive Officers of the association;
  5. Review the association’s fees for the coming year;
  6. Transact such other business received by the secretary not less than 14 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

Extraordinary General Meetings may be held by majority vote from the association’s committee, or upon the written request of not fewer than five member clubs.  At least 28 days will be given by the Secretary should an extraordinary meeting be called.

Each member club will be entitled to 1 (one) vote at the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary General Meeting.

Votes must be made in person.

For the absence of doubt, a vote will be accepted by the member club’s secretary, or their nominated deputy in their absence.

Where the member club’s secretary is not able to present themselves to a vote for whatever reason, they may appoint a proxy not less than one week prior to the date of any General Meeting.  The request to appoint a proxy must be made in writing or email to the association’s Secretary not less than 7 days prior to the General Meeting to be considered valid.

A quorum for any General Meeting shall be 5 member clubs and 2 executive officers of the association, including 1 from the Chair; Vice Chair and Secretary.

Alterations to this Constitution

A decision to alter the association’s constitution may only be considered at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting provided a valid written request for the matter to be brought up for discussion has been submitted to the association’s secretary.

Dissolution

If at any General Meeting of the association, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the association, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the association to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.

If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the Members present at the meeting, the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the association and discharge all debts and liabilities of the association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be transferred to such other organisation or organisations (having objects similar to the association) as the General Meeting or the Executive Committee (in the absence of direction from the General Meeting) may determine.