1. To set and maintain a high standard of technical and practical knowledge and ability for game angling instruction and to maintain this instruction on the plane of a responsible profession.
2. To administer the Association’s own qualifications and to support high standards of technical competence in such other qualifications for game angling instructors that may at any time involve the Association.
3. To promote the Association and recognition of the professional and technical competence of its Members.
4. To seek and maintain official recognition of the Association nationally and internationally. Membership
5. The Association shall consist of Members with a Management Committee (see below, Paragraph 13) and Sub-committees (see Paragraphs 37 to 45).
6. Membership shall be open to practicing game angling instructors holding a qualification recognised by the Association. Recognised qualifications (Rules, Paragraph 1) shall be those agreed and minuted at an Association General Meeting (AGM or EGM, see Paragraphs 24 to 32). Members may vote at the Association’s meetings.
7. Members shall for the purpose of electing members’ representatives on the Management Committee (see Paragraph 13b) be counted and vote in the membership constituency defined by their higher-ranking qualification or qualifications.
8. Life Members may be elected at an AGM by vote on a recommendation of the Management Committee. They shall be members of recognised standing, normally having contributed substantially to the Association and instruction in game angling.
9. Vice Presidents may be elected at an AGM by vote on a recommendation of the Management Committee for particularly distinguished contribution to the Association. Upon election, a Vice President automatically becomes a Life Member of the Association.
10. Subscriptions shall be determined annually at the AGM, to be paid as stated by the Rules.
11. Membership may be withdrawn by the Management Committee in the event of:
12. Rules for disciplinary matters and procedures for adjudication of cases shall be set by the Management Committee (see Paragraph 20). Management Committee and Officers
13. The Affairs of the Association shall be governed by a Management Committee of the Association (the Committee) made up as:14. The President shall hold Life Membership of the Association (see Paragraph 7).
15. One individual shall not hold more than two of the elected positions within the Association in any one year.
16. A qualified person shall be appointed by the Management Committee to review the Association's accounts.
17. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt a Minutes Secretary and up to three additional Association Members to work and vote on Association business. Such co-opted Committee Members will have full voting rights at Committee meetings, but may not themselves cons-titute a quorum of the Management Committee. Co-opted Members shall serve on the Committee only until the next AGM following their co-option. If their continuing membership of the Committee is needed for Committee business, it shall be submitted to a vote of the Association Members at the AGM. In any year the Committee should include at least nine but not more than twenty two individuals.
18. The Committee may invite individuals who are not Members of the Association to attend Committee meetings or other meetings of the Association, for all or part of such meetings. Such individuals may be invited to make presentations and/or to take part in discussion at meetings but will have no vote.
19. At Committee meetings:20. The Management Committee shall be responsible for setting the Association’s Rules and for the general running of the Association’s business and shall meet at least twice in any 12 months. Committee business may also be carried out via telephone ‘conference calls’ or electronic means provided that a majority of Committee members are in advance aware of such ‘meetings’ and able to contribute. The Chairman, Administrator/Director and/or Secretary and Treasurer shall report the Committee’s business to the AGM. Administrator/Director
21. The Management Committee may appoint a person to a remunerated post as Administrator/Director to carry out the work and administration of the Association as may be agreed and necessary. This appointment shall be made on terms to be mutually agreed between the Committee and the person appointed. He/she shall report to the Management Committee, and may attend its meetings and take part in discussion but may not vote in Committee meetings.
22. The Administrator/Director may appoint one or more paid Assistants to undertake work for the Association, subject to approval by the Committee. Assistants may attend and contribute at Committee meetings but will have no vote.
23. Alternatively any one of the Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer may similarly delegate work for the Association. General Meetings of the Association Annual General Meetings
24. The Association's Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held at intervals not exceeding 18 months once in every calendar year at a time and place notified to members at least two months in advance.
25. Thirty members not being elected Officers (see Paragraph 13a) shall, with the Officers present, constitute a quorum.
26. In the event of no quorum being present at the notified AGM, a second date within 10 weeks shall be set and notified to members. If a quorum (see Paragraph 25) is not present at the deferred AGM, those present shall be limited to conducting the necessary business detailed in Paragraph 27a to 27e.
27. The business of the AGM shall be:28. Motions to be put to the AGM shall be notified at least six weeks before the meeting to the Administrator/Director or, by default, to the Secretary.
29. The Agenda for the AGM, the accounts and any other supporting documentation shall be circulated at least 21 days before the meeting.
30. At an AGM, motions must be duly proposed and seconded and may then be carried by a simple majority of members present and voting, except for proposals affecting this Constitution which shall be dealt with under Paragraph 33. Extraordinary General Meetings
31. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) may be called by any member who shall submit for consideration at such a meeting one or more proposals duly proposed, seconded and supported by at least thirty members. On receipt of such a request and proposal, the Secretary or Administrator/Director shall call an EGM within four months and notify all members at least two months beforehand. The quorum for an EGM shall be the same as that for an AGM (see Paragraph 24). If no quorum is present, the EGM shall be deferred and re-notified as under Paragraph 26 to consider the business specified as above. All General Meetings
32. Minutes for both Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings shall be circulated to all members within 60 days of the said AGM or EGM.
33. Changes to this Constitution shall be proposed at an AGM or EGM. Changes gaining majority support shall be considered by the Manage-ment Committee and their substance put to a postal vote of all Assoc-iation members within 60 days of the said AGM or EGM. Returned postal votes shall be counted 24 days after the voting papers were posted to the members. Changes accepted by a two-thirds majority of votes returned in a postal vote of members (i.e. greater than 67% of the votes polled) shall be formally adopted for immediate implementation. Members shall be informed of the result of the vote and any implemented change without delay. Rules (see ‘ Rules of the Game Angling Instructors' Association’ on following pages)
34. Rules for the conduct of the Association’s business, the award of the Association’s qualifications and the conduct of members in the practice of game angling instruction shall be set by the Management Committee.
35. Members shall be provided with a copy of the current Constitution and Rules on joining the Association.
36. Changes to Rules shall be notified to all Members and become effective 30 days after notification has been mailed. Sub-Committees Standards and Practices sub-committee
37. The Standards and Practice Committee (S&PC) shall be formed under an elected S&PC Chairman to prepare and subject to ongoing review the Association’s Codes of Practice and the Syllabuses set for the Association’s qualifications. The S&PC Chairman shall have discretion to direct the conduct of S&PC business within this Constitution and the Association’s Rules and shall report such business at meetings of the Management Committee and to the AGM.
38. Members of the S&PC, including a deputy chairman, shall be appointed within two months of the AGM by the (elected) S&PC Chairman in consultation with the Management Committee who shall approve the appointments. A majority of S&PC members shall hold the Association’s APGAI qualification.
39. Changes to the Association’s Codes of Practice, recommended by the S&PC, shall be approved by the Management Committee and reported at an AGM before being put into effect in the activities of the Association.
40. Changes to the Association’s Syllabuses made by the S&PC shall be approved by the Management Committee before being put into effect.
41. The S&PC shall also be responsible for enquiry into complaints, from the public or Members, regarding standards or other disciplinary matters, in each case reporting satisfactory resolution or making recommendations for action to the Management Committee. Assessors and Examiners sub-committee
42. The Assessors and Examiners Committee (A&EC) shall be formed under an elected A&EC Chairman, who shall hold the Association's APGAI qualification, and have discretion to direct the conduct of A&EC business within the Constitution and Rules of the Association and shall report such business at meetings of the Management Committee and to the AGM.
43. The A&EC shall provide testing procedures for identifying suitable applicants for the Association’s qualifications, and shall oversee the training, appointment and organisation of the Association’s corps of Assessors.
44. Members of the A&EC including a deputy chairman shall be appointed within two months of the AGM by the (elected) A&EC Chairman in consultation with the Management Committee who shall approve the appointments. A majority of A&EC members shall hold APGAI.
45. The A&EC shall offer experienced trained members for appointment as Assessors to conduct the Association’s tests for award of qualifications and to undertake similar work for STA and other bodies, as may be required. Affiliated Organisations
46. GAIA recognises the responsibility of STA in its role as the game-angling Governing Body in the UK for conducting a programme for award of qualifications in game angling within the UK national programme for sports coaching qualifications. Co-operation between GAIA and STA includes recognition of the awards made by STA as qualification for GAIA membership (Paragraph 6) and employment of GAIA members as tutors and assessors within the STA programme.
47. The Management Committee may, on behalf of the Association, invite other bodies involved in game angling instruction to accept ‘Affiliated Status’ on terms agreed between the Committee and the controlling management of the affiliated organisation.
48. Affiliated Organisations will be notified of Association activities and their members may be invited to closed events ordinarily open only to Members.