NORTH EAST DISTRICT ASSOCIATION OF

SCOTTISH GOLF LIMITED

CONSTITUTION

          1     THE ASSOCIATION

1. 1. The Association is called the North East District Association of Scottish Golf Limited, hereinafter referred to as the Association.
   2. The Association is a federation of subscribing Golf Clubs located in the district covered by the former Counties of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire and Kincardineshire.
   3. The Association shall be a non-profit making body.

2   OBJECTS

2.1 The Objects of the Association are to support Scottish Golf Ltd in fostering and maintaining   high standards for male amateur golf in the District and to collaborate and co-operate with all local and national bodies and initiatives promoting the development of the game.

0. 2. The Association responsibilities will include:
1. Boys, Youths, Men’s and Senior tournaments and championships.
2. The identification of interested and talented youngsters.
3. Coaching, team selection and management.
4. Discharge devolved responsibilities of the handicapping system.
5. Promoting the spirit and application of the rules of golf.
6. Safeguarding amateur status.
7. Facilitating course rating.
8. Implementing the protection procedures of vulnerable groups.

3    MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Membership is open to Golf Clubs located in the district which have male members and a        constitution and rules appropriate to a golf club.

3.2 Member clubs will automatically be affiliated to Scottish Golf Limited.

3.3 Member clubs shall pay an annual subscription determined by the Executive Committee based on their membership numbers during the previous year. Subscriptions will be payable in advance from November each year. Any club whose subscription is not in the hands of the Association in January will be reported to the Executive Committee, who thereafter shall have the power to delete such Club from membership of the Association.

3.4 Any Club wishing to withdraw from membership must send written notice not later than the 30^th September, otherwise such Club shall be liable for the subscription in respect of the year commencing 1^st October following.

4.  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
   1. The responsibilities will be discharged by an Executive Committee elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
   2. The composition of the committee, who must be members of a golf club within the association, shall be as follows:-

1. President
2. Vice President
3. 2 members from the Aberdeen area
4. 1 member from the Banffshire area
5. 1 member from the Buchan area
6. 1 member from the Donside area
7. 1 member from the Kincardine & Deeside area
8. 3 other members.

     If there are insufficient nominations from c) to g) above, then the number of other members shall be increased to bring the committee number up to a minimum of nine.

     Any positions that remain unfilled may be by co-option by the committee.

1. 3. The President and Vice President may be elected for a maximum of 2 consecutive years but they and all other committee members are eligible for re-election as members of the committee.
   4. The members of the committee will take up office at the end of the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected.
   5. The Executive Committee shall meet at least 4 times a year. A special meeting may be called at the request of four members of the committee.
   6. Six members shall form a quorum at an Executive meeting.
   7. The Executive reserve the right to appoint Honorary Vice Presidents as deemed appropriate.

5. DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee must:

1. Appoint a secretary and a treasurer, who need not be a member of an associated club. Those duties may be combined in one person.
2. Define the duties of the secretary.
3. Define the duties of the treasurer.
4. Decide the annual remuneration of the secretary and treasurer.
5. Control and apply the finances of the District.
6. Prepare a detailed annual budget and determine the per capita rate for annual subscriptions from member clubs.
7. Interpret this Constitution, and decide all questions in connection with Matches, Competitions and Tournaments promoted by the Association.

6. GENERAL MEETINGS
   1. Each Club may appoint one member to act as its representative to attend and vote at General Meetings or Special Meetings of the Association. Clubs with a membership exceeding 450 shall be entitled to appoint two representatives. No representative may act for more than one club.
   2. The Annual General Meeting of representatives shall be held in the month of December. Notice shall be given to member clubs by the secretary at least 21 days beforehand. A copy of the Annual Statement of Accounts shall be made available before the meeting.
   3. The Annual General Meeting shall:-

1. Receive a report on the activities of the Association.
2. Receive and approve a report from the Independent Accountant including a statement of accounts and balance sheet for the previous year.
3. Receive a current budget statement.
4. Elect the office bearers and members of the Executive Committee.
5. Appoint an Independent Reporting Accountant.
   4. A Special General Meeting may be called by the Executive Committee at any time or called by written request signed on behalf of at least ten Member Clubs. Any requisition will specify the business to be transacted and it will not be competent to deal with any other business. The Secretary shall, within ten days of the receipt of the requisition, notify all members of the Executive Committee and all member Clubs. Notices of amendment must be received by the Secretary within seven days thereafter. The meeting must be held within 28 days of the receipt of the requisition at a venue decided by the Executive Committee.
   5. At all meetings the President, whom failing, the Vice President, whom failing, a member of the Executive Committee, appointed by the meeting, shall take the chair. The Chairman shall have the casting vote in addition to any vote he may otherwise have.
   6. Twenty shall form a quorum at a General or Special Meeting of the Association.
   7. The Association may elect Honorary Vice Presidents who shall have no voting rights unless nominated as a representative of a member Club.

7. FINANCE
   1. The financial year shall end on 31^st October in each year.
   2. The funds of the District shall be derived from:

1. The annual subscription as provided in Clause 3.3 above.
2. All entry monies which may be received from competitions and championships.
3. All contributions that may be received from other sources.
   3. The Scottish Golf Financial Guidelines for Best Practice (Appendix) shall be complied with.

8. ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION

The Constitution of the Association shall not be altered or added to without the approval of two-thirds of those present, and voting, at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting convened for this purpose.

As amended and approved at the AGM on 11^th December 2011.

Amended from Scottish Golf Union to Scottish Golf Limited as per the AGM 10th December 2017.

Appendix – Scottish Golf Financial Guidelines for Best Practice.

1. There should be an annual budget prepared by the Treasurer in conjunction with the various convenors and should make due allowance for capital expenditure. It should be consistent with the Districts aims and objectives and within the Districts means and be approved by the Executive committee.
2. There should be an Annual Report or Statement from an Independent Reporting Accountant attached to the annual accounts. The reporting officer should state his/her professional qualifications and be independent of the Executive committee. The officer should advise the committee of any shortcomings in the records and procedures annually and his/her appointment should be confirmed at the Annual General Meeting.
3. The Annual Accounts and the related reports should be circulated to the member clubs at least 7 days before the AGM, a copy of the Annual Accounts should be sent to the financial controller at Scottish Golf at this time. The Treasurer should give a financial report to the AGM and be available to answer questions and the Independent Reporting Accountant should also be present.
4. The Treasurer should have proven financial skills and acknowledged integrity and be capable of maintaining appropriate accounting records and implementing sound financial stewardship. Where wages/salaries are processed or the District is VAT registered the Treasurer should have a current working knowledge of legislation involved and take steps to ensure he remains up to date with new developments. Alternatively, the Treasurer needs to ensure that appropriate professional support is retained for these functions.
5. There should be two signatures required on cheques or money transfers over a value of say £500 with the second signatory having sight of the supporting documentation.
6. All expenditure, including expense claims, requires suitable receipts or invoices for support. Procedures should be implemented for authorisation of all expenditure independent of the spender by convenors or office bearers before settlement is made by the Treasurer.
7. At each Executive meeting there should be a financial report on financial performance against budget. The report should close with a declaration on all bank account balances. Pass books or bank statements should be brought to the meeting and examined by a person independent of the Treasurer to ensure that reported balances are consistent with bank records.
8. There should be an annual reconciliation of subscription revenues to member Club per capita returns. As subscriptions are received they should be banked regularly (at least weekly) with a comparison of previous years per capita numbers compiled seeking explanation from Clubs where variances occur.
9. There should be procedures to ensure regular banking of competition entry monies (at least weekly) and a reconciliation of entry monies versus number of players for all tournaments.
10. Back up procedures should be applied to any computer records with suitable remote storage.
11. All paper and computer records should be maintained for a minimum of six years.
12. The Treasurer should ensure District assets, including trophies, are fully insured at replacement value.

The above guidelines are seen as a minimum level to ensure the integrity of the District finances