Our Constitution

1. NAME

The name of the Society shall be the Plymouth Rugby Referees Society. The Society shall be constituted in accordance with Bye Law 2 (d) of the Plymouth & District Rugby Combination and subject to its Bye Laws.

2. OBJECTS

The objects of the Society shall be:

(a) To provide competent referees for clubs of the Plymouth & District Rugby Combination as requested and other rugby union games upon application to the Hon Referees Appointments / Re Appointments Secretary.

(b) To maintain and improve the standard of refereeing.

(c) To foster discussion on all matters relating to refereeing and to seek to establish uniformity of interpretation of the Laws of the Game.

(d) To promote the interests of its referee members and provide an effective recruitment and training structure to safeguard the future of the society.

3. MEMBERSHIP

There shall be the following categories of members:

(a) Honorary Life Members – on the recommendation of the Executive Committee the Annual General Meeting shall have the power to elect Honorary Life Members in recognition of past services to the Society.

(b) Associate Members – These may be elected and their membership terminated at any time by the Executive Committee.

(c) Active Members – These shall be referees who have attended an RFU Entry Level Referee Award Course (ELRA) as referred to in Rule 9 (f) or have been accepted from other Referees Societies with suitable qualifications and who in each case, have been placed and remain on the Active List as referred to in Rule 9 (b).

(d) Assessors / Advisors – Any person currently appointed to monitor, coach and /or assess the performances of Active referees.

4. BADGES, SWEATERS AND TIES

All members shall be entitled to wear the Societies tie, sweater jersey badge and blazer badge which shall be supplied at the member’s expense.

5. SUBSCRIPTIONS

All categories of Members other than Honorary Life Members shall pay an annual subscription the amount of which shall be determined each year at the AGM.

6. OFFICERS

The Officers of the Society shall consist of, President – Chairman – Vice Chairman – Honorary Secretary – Honorary Appointments & Re-appointments Secretary – Honorary Treasurer – Society Assessment & Development Officer – Recruitment & Retention Officer -Training Officer – Discipline Officer – Child Protection Officer – 2 Committee Members – Hon. Auditors – Website Manager-.

7. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The management of the Society shall be in the hands of an Executive Committee which shall consist of Chairman – Vice Chairman – Honorary Secretary – Honorary Appointments & Re-Appointments Secretary – Honorary Treasurer – Society Assessment & Development Officer – Recruitment & Retention Officer – Training Officer and one further representative who may be appointed annually by the Plymouth and District Rugby Combination, such representative deemed to be an associate member of the Society if not already a member.

8. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

(a) The Officers of the Society and the Elected Members shall be elected at the AGM, from members of the Society as follows: President and Chairman every two years and the remainder every year. The normal method of election shall require nomination by a proposer and seconder to be given in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days before the meeting with the written consent of the nominee. If vacancies still exist after the normal election has been held then an emergency election may be held. Nominations by a proposer and seconder would be taken from the floor together with the nominees own personal consent to stand.

The AGM shall have power in the absence of written nominations or if otherwise necessary, to decide to accept all nominations from the floor at the meeting, or not to fill all of the vacant appointments, or to allow one member to hold more than one appointment.

(b) The President and Chairman shall serve for a period of two years and should not under normal circumstances be re-elected to the same post. All other Officers and Members of the Executive Committee shall serve for the ensuing year. Replacements for any Officers or elected Members who cease to serve before the expiration of the said term shall serve until the subsequent AGM and may then stand for election for a further period in all cases

(c) The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies including the circumstances of Rule 8 (b) above and to co-opt additional members for such special services or purposes as it deems necessary.

(d) Retiring Officers and Members of the Executive Committee shall be eligible for re-election for the following term, with the exception of the President and Chairman who may not be re-elected to the same post other than according to the circumstances of Rule 8 (b) above.

9. APPOINTMENTS AND GRADING COMMITTEE

(a) This shall consist of the Hon. Appointments & Re Appointments Secretary- Hon. Assessment & Development Officer and the Training Officer.

(b) An Official Active List of all referees shall be kept by the Hon. Appointments & Re-Appointments Secretary. Names may be added or removed from the list at any time.

(c) Appointments of referees to matches shall be made by the Hon. Appointments & Re-Appointments Secretary as directed by the Appointments and Grading Committee.

(d) The Grading of Referees shall be carried out under the control of the Appointment and Grading Committee which has the power to co-opt such additional members as is deemed necessary for the purpose. The Hon. Assessment & Development Officer shall arrange Two Grading Meetings in each season following which each referee shall be notified in confidence of any changes to that referees grading.

(e) It is a requisite by the RFU that all referees should attend an Entry Level Referees Award (ELRA) Course prior to starting refereeing or shortly afterwards which are provided by the Local RFU Providers at frequent intervals throughout the year.

10. MEETINGS

(a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held before the end of May in each year and not less than seven days notice shall be given to all members.

(b) A Special General Meeting – EGM shall be called by the Hon. Secretary within twenty-eight days of being requested to do so by;

(i) A resolution of the Executive Committee specifying the purpose thereof.

(ii) Receipt of a request signed by Ten Members specifying the purpose thereof.

(c) The Executive Committee shall hold meetings on such occasions as it is deemed necessary. Minutes of all Executive Meetings shall be made available to all member of the Executive Committee.

(d) The Appointments and Grading Committee shall hold meetings as specified in Rule 9 (d) and on such additional occasions as it is deemed necessary.

(e) A Quorum of any committee or sub-committee shall be persons representing a minimum of One Third of the members on any such committee.

11. VOTING

(a) All categories of Members shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting.

(b) The Chairmen of any meeting shall have a casting vote in addition to his own.

(d) Voting shall be decided by a simple majority of those members voting.

12. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

The Executive Committee shall have the power to request the resignation or to terminate the membership of any member without being required to state its reasons.