FEDERATION CONSTITUTION

NAME

The name shall be “The Chichester Harbour Federation”.

OBJECTS

The objects of the Federation are:

1. To promote goodwill and fellowship between members.
2. To organise social, cruising and racing events under the flag of the Federation.
3. To co-ordinate the yachting activities of members for their mutual advantage.
4. To agree upon the physical characteristics and positioning of racing marks within the Harbour, and to allocate club responsibility for each mark.
5. To represent the views of members collectively to the responsible Harbour Authority regarding:
   1. Navigational buoyage, marks and lighting;
   2. Charges and Harbour Dues;
   3. Bye-laws;
   4. The administration and preservation of the Harbour generally and the facilities provided;
   5. Development policies insofar as they affect yachting interests;
   6. Any matters not mentioned above which the Council deem to be the concern of the Federation.
   7. Subject to approval of the Federation Council, the Federation may affiliate to other Organisations or Associations in the interest of furthering these objects.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership is open to organisations in the following categories:

1. All clubs which are recognised by the Royal Yachting Association and whose headquarters are within the bounds of Chichester Harbour.
2. All other clubs and organisations operating mainly on the waters of Chichester Harbour and based on the shores of the Harbour, whose constitution is approved by the Council.
3. Yacht and boat building and repair yards, or combinations thereof, which are situated on the shores of Chichester Harbour and who are members of their own trade federation, or who have been in business in the Harbour for at least five years.
4. Sailing schools and charter companies, or combinations thereof, which are based on and operating in Chichester Harbour, and which are recognised by the Royal Yachting Association and who are members of their own trade federation or have been in business in the Harbour for at least five years.
5. Candidate organisations must be duly proposed and seconded in writing by existing members. Election to the Federation shall be the prerogative of the Council and shall be decided by a show of hands. A two-thirds majority vote from those attending shall be required to elect.

BUSINESS

1. The Business of the Federation shall be conducted by the Federation Council. The Council shall hold its Annual General Meeting during November or December. There shall also be a Spring General Meeting, at which the accounts shall be presented; and a Fixtures Meeting, at which the fixtures for the following year shall be made. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held at the request of at least ten members. Three weeks notice shall be given to the Honorary Secretary of the proposed date of the Extraordinary General Meeting.

THE FEDERATION COUNCIL

1. COMPOSITION

   The Council shall comprise a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, an Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, an Honorary Assistant Secretary, an Honorary Sailing Secretary and an Honorary Youth Co-ordinator, who shall be the Officers; two representatives appointed by each Category A membership; and one representative appointed by each membership in Categories B, C and D: together with the Federation representatives on the Conservancy Advisory Committee, if not otherwise included in the foregoing.

2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

   The Election of Officers shall normally take place at the Annual General Meeting, and those elected CHICHESTER HARBOUR FEDERATION 2019 · 2 9 shall take office immediately after that meeting. Officers shall retire annually at the Annual General Meeting, but they shall be eligible for reappointment with the exception that neither the Chairman nor the Vice-Chairman shall serve in that capacity for more than six years.

3. APPOINTMENT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS

   All Council members shall retire annually at the Annual General Meeting, except that Advisory Committee members shall retire after the term laid down in the Conservancy Act. All council members shall be eligible for re-election.

4. VOTING POWER

   Members of the Council shall have one vote each, except where only one member representing a Category A Club is present he shall have two votes. In the event of a tie the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second, casting vote. Any member organisation which is more that six months in arrears with its subscription shall not be entitled to vote until such arrears have been paid.

CHAIRMAN’S COMMITTEE

There shall be a Chairman’s Committee comprised of the Officers of the Federation and such other members as shall be appointed by the Council from its members, so that the total membership of the Committee shall not be less than ten. The Committee membership shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman’s Committee shall be empowered to carry out the Council’s business within the framework of general policies upon which the Council may from time to time decide. The Chairman’s Committee shall have power to co-opt members to fill any vacancies occurring during the year.

REGATTA COMMITTEE

There shall be a Regatta Committee empowered to organise and run the annual Chichester Harbour Federation Regatta Week. The Regatta Committee shall comprise the Chairman and Honorary Sailing Secretary of the Federation, together with the Race Officers of the Regatta and such other members as may be appointed by the Council from the Federation Sailing Clubs. The total membership of the Regatta Committee shall not be less than ten, and such that no one Sailing Club’s representatives shall be able to have a voting majority on the Committee. The committee members shall be appointed by the Council at the Fixtures Meeting and the Regatta Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to fill any vacancies occurring during the year. The Honorary Sailing Secretary shall submit an income and expenditure account after each Regatta to the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. Regatta monies shall be noted separately and an appropriate cash reserve shall be carried forward each year, clearly identified in the accounts and based upon recommendation of the Regatta Committee as to amount, available to underwrite non recoverable costs in the event of the Regatta not being able to take place or being restricted in the following year.

CHICHESTER HARBOUR CONSERVANCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Federation is represented by four members on the Advisory Committee. These shall be appointed by nomination and election by the Council. Nominees must belong to a member organisation of the Federation.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

The subscription rates shall be determined by the Council. Subscriptions for the current year shall fall due on 1st April.

ARREARS OF SUBSCRIPTION

The Hon. Secretary shall inform the Council at the Annual General Meeting of all member organisations in arrears with subscriptions. Any member organisation which is more than six months in arrears with its subscription shall not be entitled either to propose any resolution or to vote at Council meetings until such arrears have been paid. If the arrears remain unpaid, such membership may be terminated at the discretion of the Chairman’s Committee.

FINANCE

The Accounts of the Federation shall be kept by the Hon. Secretary and Treasurer who shall produce an audited balance sheet for the past calendar year at the Spring General Meeting of the Council.

AUDITOR

The Council shall appoint an Honorary Auditor annually at the Annual General Meeting.

AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION

The Constitution may be amended, after due notice in writing has been given, by the Council. Any proposed amendments shall normally be put to the Annual General Meetings but may go before an appropriately convened Extraordinary General Meeting or Spring General Meeting. For approval the amendment shall require a two thirds majority vote of those present.

(Revised December 2017)