ARCB Constitution

Information

CONSTITUTION – MAY 2021

ASSOCIATION OF REFEREES CONNACHT BRANCH

DEFINITIONS

“Connacht Rugby” means the Connacht Branch of the IRFU.

IRFU means the Irish Rugby Football Union.

General Meeting shall mean any meeting of the Association where all members are entitled to attend (e.g. Monthly General meetings, AGM or Special General Meetings).

1. NAME

1.1 The name of the Association shall be “The Association of Referees Connacht Branch IRFU” (Hereinafter referred to as the Association).

1.2 The Association shall have the status of associate to Connacht Rugby and is bound by the rules of Connacht Rugby.

2. OBJECTS

2.1 The objectives of the Association are to:

To facilitate the playing of rugby football matches through the provision of referees and other relevant officials,
To promote active participation in rugby football refereeing and associated activities, and
To develop the referee skills of the Associations members.

2.2 These objects are enhanced by the associations ‘Mission Statement’ which may be amended by a passed motion at the Associations’ Annual General Meeting.

3. MEMBERSHIP

3.1 A person shall become a member of the Association by election at any general meeting of the Association. A member shall be deemed to be elected by a simple majority vote of the meeting and receipt of the annual membership.

3.2 The members shall pay Membership fees as fixed, by the executive annually, from the date of election to membership. Should a member fail to pay his/her annual subscription due for any year before the Association’s Annual General Meeting they shall cease to be a member.

3.3 The nature and extent or the privileges attached to membership of the Association shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

4. OFFICERS

4.1 The Officers of the Association shall be The President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.

4.2 Officers shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

4.3 No Officer shall hold the same office for more than five consecutive terms. The five-year term shall not apply to members co-opted pursuant to Clause 5.2.

4.4 An Officer must be a member of the Association, who is not in arrears with their membership payment.

5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

5.1 The management of the Association shall be vested in the Executive Committee, which shall comprise the Officers and five other members comprised as follows:

The immediate Past President of the Association,
The Chairman of the Rugby Committee,
Two Ordinary Members, elected annually at the Annual General Meeting, and
The Connacht Rugby appointee (non-voting).

5.2 The Committee shall be entitled to fill by co-option any vacancies that may occur for any post that becomes vacant during the term of the Committee.

6. DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

6.1 The Executive Committee shall meet as required, provided the committee meets a minimum of six times in the rugby season. The times, location (including remote participation) will be agreed by the Executive Committee at the previous meeting.

6.2 A meeting of the Executive Committee may be called at the request of the President, or four members of the Executive Committee, or the Branch. Not less than seven-days notice of the meeting shall be given to the Executive Committee Members.

6.3 An executive meeting shall require a quorum of 50% of the voting members (rounded up). Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be by majority vote of the members present.

6.4 The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the management of the Association in accordance with this Constitution and shall have all necessary powers, including, inter alia:

To appoint standing committees;
To fix the date of the Annual General Meeting;
To appoint working committees;
To approve appointments to any sub-committee of Connacht Rugby;
To set the annual membership fees;
From time to time to make or repeal procedures and regulations required for the operation and well-being of the Association; and
To act, at all times in the interests of the Association and its members.

7. STANDING SUB-COMMITTEES

7.1 There shall be three Standing Sub-Committees established within eight weeks of the AGM for the purposes of administering and developing the association. These shall be:

Rugby Sub-Committee;
Finance Sub-Committee; and
Administration Sub-Committee.

8. RUGBY SUB-COMMITTEE

8.1 The Rugby Sub-Committee shall be chaired by the Rugby Chairman. The Rugby Chairman shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

8.2 The Rugby Sub-Committee shall comprise of a minimum of three members, one of whom shall be designated as the Deputy Chairman.

8.3 The Rugby Committee shall be responsible for all ‘on field’ matters relating to the association, including:

The selection of match officials;
The appointment of evaluators, reviewers, coaches and mentors (collectively called “assessors”);
The monitoring of referees and assessors;
Identifying education and coaching requirements; and
Grading of referees and assessors.

9. FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE

9.1 The Finance Sub-Committee shall be Chaired by the Honorary Treasurer

9.2 The Finance Sub-committee shall be responsible for all aspects of finance related to the Association, including:

Managing the accounts of the association;
Collecting membership fees;
Fund raising and sponsorship; and
Managing international ticket allocations.

10. ADMINISTRATION SUB-COMMITTEE

10.1 The Administration Sub-Committee shall be Chaired by the Honorary Secretary

10.2 The Administration Sub-Committee shall be responsible for aspects of administrative services for the association, including

Maintaining membership records;
Maintaining the Association Web presence; and
Arranging Social Events.

11. OTHER SUB-COMMITTEES

11.1 The Executive Committee may appoint Sub-Committees and Working groups (including further sub-groups reporting to Standing Committees) to assist in the management and development of the Association. Scopes and briefs for these shall be agreed by the Executive Committee.

12. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS (AGM)

12.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held annually a location and date fixed by the Executive Committee. The Executive will endeavour to conduct the AGM in May of each year. At least 14 days-notice shall be given of the date and location of the AGM.

12.2 The business of the AGM shall be to:

Receive the reports of the Rugby Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer;
Elect the Officers;
Elect the Ordinary Members; and
To consider any items of special business or other matters that may forward the interests of the Association, including changes to the Associations “Mission Statement”.

13. NOMINATIONS AND MOTIONS

13.1 Nominations for Officers must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 10 days prior to the AGM.

13.2 Nominations for Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee may be made either in advance to the Secretary or from the floor at the AGM, each nomination will require a nomination and a seconder.

13.3 Motions must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 10 days prior to the AGM. Motions may be subject to amendment proposals at the AGM and voted on accordingly.

13.4 All Officers, Ordinary Members and Motions are ratified by the members present using the ‘first past the post’ voting system.

14. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

14.1 The Honorary Secretary shall at any time convene a Special General meeting of the association in the following circumstances.

14.2 If directed by the Executive Committee.

14.3 Upon receiving a request from the Connacht Rugby Honorary Secretary.

14.4 Upon being requested in writing by ten Members of the Association.

15. CHAIRPERSON

15.1 The Association President or in his absence the Senior Vice-President or Junior Vice-President or a Chairman elected (by the majority of members present at the meeting) shall occupy the chair of all Meetings, including meetings of the Executive Committee, except where stated otherwise.

16. QUORUM

16.1 The quorum at an Annual General Meeting or Special General meeting shall be at least 15 members.

17. ATTENDANCE AND VOTING

17.1 Attendance at meetings is confined to Members of the Association and invited delegates from the Branch, IRFU or others (as invited by the Executive Committee). Only paid up Members of the Association are entitled to vote.

18. TECHNOLOGY

18.1 The Executive Committee may permit attendance at meetings (including the AGM or Special General Meetings) by remote technology. Where remote technology is to be used, this must be included in the notification of any meeting and the Executive Committee may place restrictions on the level of remote participation.

19. AMMENDMENTS

19.1 No amendment shall be made to this Constitution unless approved by a two thirds majority of those present at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting convened in accordance with Clause 14 above.

19.2 In the event that the Associations activities are impacted by special events, such as Government Mandates, Pandemics or other Force Majeure, the Executive Committee may amend or alter the affected provisions of this constitution temporarily.

20. HONORARY SECRETARY

20.1 The duties of the Honorary Secretary shall include:

To call and notify potential attendees of all meetings of the Association, Executive Committee and Sub-Committees in respect of which they are appointed Secretary;
To summon the Annual General Meeting and any Special General Meetings of the Association;
To keep Minutes as necessary of the Meetings of the Association and of the Committee respectively and of such Sub-Committees to which they may be appointed Secretary;
To maintain the correspondence of the Association;
To keep all records and registers of the Association; and
To carry out any other duties as may be assigned to them from time to time by the Executive Committee.

21. HONORARY TREASURER

21.1 The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for safe keeping of the funds of the club, their duties will include:

Managing the Associations Accounts;
Keeping records;
Preparation of Financial Statements;
Preparing a financial budget for the Association; and
To manage the Finance Sub-Committee.

21.2 The Honorary Treasurer shall be the authorised nominee with responsibility for the disbursement of the Associations funds and assets.

22. DISCIPLINARY

22.1 The Association and its members are subject to the disciplinary rules, regulations and procedures of Connacht Rugby.

22.2 Notwithstanding Clause 22.1, where a member has conducted themselves in a manner which, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, is detrimental to the interests of the Association. The Executive Committee may by a two thirds majority vote refer the matter to the President of the Association, who may convene a Disciplinary Committee.

22.3 The format of any Disciplinary Committee is at the discretion of the President. Any such format must afford any member due process to represent themselves.

22.4 The Disciplinary Committee may impose sanctions, which can include suspension or exclusion of the member from membership of the Association.

22.5 A member so excluded/suspended shall have right to appeal the decision of the Disciplinary Committee at the next General Meeting of the Association, at which, a vote by secret ballot of all the members present shall decide by a simple majority to uphold or rescind the Disciplinary Committee decision.