Constitution of the Association - Attached are the proposed new Constitution and Rules for Surrey Squash (two separate documents). In terms of the current Constitution, these need to be approved at the Extraordinary General Meeting by a three-fourths majority of the members present or represented.
Our current Constitution is, with respect, no longer fit for purpose in many ways and hence a detailed comparison is difficult. However, the main differences are set out below. (Please note that the term “new constitution” means the new constitution together with the rules):
1. The name is changed from “The Surrey Squash and Racketball Association” to “Surrey Squash”. This is in line with the change of name of the National Governing Body to England Squash.
2. The new constitution sets out a much broader object.
3. It is more specific about how the organisation will fulfil its object.
4. It has clearly defined powers.
5. It provides very clear membership requirements.
6. It allows for the payment of a county affiliation fee.
7. It defines conflicts of interest.
8. It provides more detailed requirements for taking decisions, eg holding of meetings, etc.
9. There is a comprehensive section on trustees covering such matters as eligibility, duties, appointment (see below), taking decisions, eg holding of meetings.
10. It provides for the election of between three and six trustees who are responsible for managing the organisation and who can delegate the management to a committee who are elected at the AGM (see below).
11. It provides for four office bearers and four other committee members and allows for the co-option of up to two additional committee members. The chairman must be a trustee. This compares with four office bearers in the current constitution which also allows other members to be co-opted (seemingly without any restriction on numbers).
12. There are more matters that must be considered at the AGM.
13. There are more clearly defined administrative requirements, eg on meetings, voting and the provision of either audited or independently verified accounts.
14. The new constitution will compel us to be more professional with our finance and administration in order to meet the requirements of the Charity Commission. For example, the accounts will have to be independently examined.
All recipients of this email are invited to attend the EGM but only voting members of the SSRA are entitled to vote.
It would be very helpful if each club or organisation intending to be represented at the AGM would, please, notify the Honorary Secretary (Colin Watson - see contact details below) of their named representative in advance of the meeting.
No further business may be considered formally at the EGM but the Chairman (Patrick Fleming) and the members Squash Committee would be happy to discuss any urgent matters informally after the meeting has been closed.
Colin Watson
Secretary on behalf of
Surrey Squash and Racketball Association
