The RINIWA Constitution

Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Wargames Association Constitution

Version 3 (23rd June 2007)

The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland Wargames Association ("the
Association") exists to represent the competition wargamers of the island
of Ireland internationally and to promote the wargaming hobby throughout
Ireland. The Association is not a political organisation and has no views
on issues of nationality for residents of the island of Ireland.
Membership

2.1 Membership shall be open to all persons over the age of 16 who apply
for membership, pay the first year’s annual subscription and whose
membership is approved by the Committee.

2.2 To apply for membership the form set out in Appendix 1 (or an updated
version approved by the Committee) must be lodged with the Secretary. The
Secretary must refer all applications to the Committee as soon as practicable.
When the Committee has made their decision, the Secretary must inform the
applicant of their approval or rejection and, if approved, enter their name
in the register of members.
The annual subscription fee shall be as determined by the Committee.
The Secretary shall keep and maintain a register of members in which shall
be entered the full name, address and date of entry of the name of each member.
Termination of Membership

5.1 Any member who is has not paid their annual subscription within 3 months
of it becoming due ceases to be a member.

5.2 The Committee may, by resolution, remove inactive members from the membership
if: the person is no longer resident on the island of Ireland and has not
participated in any public wargaming event in Ireland for at least 13 months;
or the person has not participated in any public wargaming event in Ireland
for at least 25 months.

5.3 Before removing the member the Committee must issue to the member a written
warning (via email) of impending removal. Between 14 and 28 days after issuing
the warning the Committee must consider any written response by the member
and decide whether to confirm or revoke the resolution. The Secretary shall
then notify the member of the Committee's decision.

5.4 The Secretary shall make an entry into the register of members, recording
the date on which the member ceases to be a member.
The Association in general meeting may, by special resolution, expel a member
of the Association.
Suspension of Members

7.1 The Committee may, by resolution, suspend a member from membership until
the end of the next general meeting if the Committee is of the opinion that
the member has; refused to comply with this Constitution; refused to comply
with the Regulations currently in force; or been guilty of conduct unbecoming
a member or prejudicial to the interests of the Association.

7.2 Before suspending the member the Committee must issue to the member a
written warning of impending suspension. Between 14 and 28 days after issuing
the warning the Committee must consider any written response by the member
and decide whether to confirm or revoke the resolution. The Secretary shall
then notify the member of the Committee’s decision.
Committee of Management

8.1 The Committee of Management shall mange the affairs of the Association.
The Committee shall consist of two members from the Republic of Ireland and
two members from Northern Ireland, each of which shall be elected for a term
of one year at the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

8.2 A member of the Association may only occupy a position on the Committee
for the state in which the member resides on the day of the Annual General
Meeting.

8.3 In the event of a vacancy occurring in the Committee, the Committee may appoint a member of the Association to the committee to serve until the end of the next Annual General Meeting. The new Committee may then decide to re-allocate the Association officer posts among the Committee
members.
The Association shall have four officers: President, Vice-President, Treasurer;
and Secretary. Officers must be members of the Committee and shall be elected
by the members of the Committee at the first committee meeting held after
the Annual General Meeting. Officers shall hold office until the end of the
next Annual General Meeting.
The Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) within 4 months
of the end of May. The Committee shall decide the time, date and place of
the AGM. The ordinary business of the AGM shall be –

a) to confirm the minutes of the last AGM and any general meeting held since
that meeting

b) to receive from the Committee reports on the transactions of the Association
during the last financial year

c) to elect the members of the Committee

d) to nominate an auditor, who is not a member of the Committee, to verify
the accounts prepared by the Treasurer

The AGM may transact special business of which notice is given as set out
below.
Extra-ordinary General Meetings (EGM) may be called at any time by the Committee.
The Committee must call an EGM if requested in writing by members representing
not less than 50% of the total number of members resident in Northern Ireland
or members representing not less than 50% of the total number of members
resident in the Republic of Ireland.
Notice of Meetings

12.1 The Secretary shall give notice to each member of any general meeting
of the Association at least 21 days before the meeting is scheduled. The
notice must state the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature
of the business to be transacted at the meeting. No business other than that
set out by the notice convening the meeting shall be transacted at the meeting.

12.2 Any member wishing to bring business before a general meeting must give
notice of that business to the Secretary at least 28 days before the general
meeting is scheduled for approval or rejection by the Committee. Items approved
must be included in the notice calling the next general meeting.
Proceedings at Meetings

13.1 No item of business shall be transacted at a general meeting unless
a quorum of members is present during the time when the meeting is considering
that item. The lesser of 20 percent of members or 10 members shall constitute
a quorum.

13.2 If within half an hour after the appointed time for the commencement
of a general meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting if convened upon
the requisition of members shall be dissolved and in any other case shall;

(a) stand adjourned till such time and place as the chairperson at the time
of the adjournment shall specify, and

(b) if adjourned to another day, notice of the adjourned meeting must be
given, and

(c) if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour
after the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting, the members
present (being not less than 5) shall be a quorum.

13.3 The President shall preside as chairperson at each general meeting.
If the President is absent then the Vice-President shall preside as chairperson.
If neither is present, members shall elect one of their number to preside
as chairperson for the meeting.

13.4 All members whose subscriptions have been paid in full and who are not
currently suspended have one vote at general meetings. The chairperson may
not vote unless there is an equal vote in which case the chairperson has
the casting vote.

13.5 Votes may be made personally or by proxy. Proxy votes must be authorised
by using the form in Appendix 2. The Secretary must be informed by the member
appointing a proxy at least 24 hours before the meeting.
Election of Committee Members and Vacancy

14.1 Nominations of candidates for election as members of the Committee must
be made in writing to the Secretary using the form set out in Appendix 3
at least 28 days before the date fixed for the AGM. All members of the current
committee are automatically nominated as candidates unless they have given
notice to the Committee that they will not stand at least 35 days before
the date fixed for the AGM.

14.2 The Committee must specify in the notice calling the AGM the names of
the candidates for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and the
procedures for any ballot if required.

14.3 If there are more nominations than positions for a particular state
then a ballot must be held for these positions. The Committee shall nominate
one or more members who are not candidates to act as returning officers to
conduct the ballot. Each member resident in Ireland may cast one vote for
each of not more than two candidates in the member’s own state of residency
on the day of the election. The two candidates with the highest number of
votes are elected to the committee. If there are more candidates having an
equal number of votes than the remaining available positions in a state then
a second round of voting between those candidates only will occur at the
AGM.

14.4 Officers of the Association become vacant if the officer: ceases to
be a member of the Association, resigns from office by notifying in writing
the Secretary or is removed from office by the Association.
Proceedings of Committee

15.1 The Committee is expected to meet several times a year at such times
and places as it decides, although many of these meetings will in fact be
via email. The President or any two members of the Committee may convene
special meetings of the Committee. At least one member from Northern Ireland
and the Republic of Ireland are required for a quorum.

15.2 If present, the President shall be chairperson of Committee meetings,
otherwise the Vice-President shall be chairperson. If neither is present,
a chairperson shall be elected by and from the Committee members present.

15.3 If all members attending a meeting are physically present then questions
arising shall be determined in a poll taken in whatever manner the chairperson
decides. If any member present at a meeting requests an email poll on a question
then the question must be determined by an email poll taken in whatever manner
the chairperson chooses.

15.4 All email polls must have notice sent to all committee members within
24hours, the poll is void if fewer votes are cast than would be a quorum
and the poll is concluded after 7 days.

15.5 For all polls, each member of the Committee has one vote, if there is
an equality of voting then the issue is not carried.

15.6 Any member of the Committee who does not participate in at least 25%
of the email polls during one term of office shall not be eligible for
re-election the following year.
The Secretary shall keep minutes of the resolutions and proceedings of each
general meeting and each committee meeting together with the names of persons
present at committee meetings.
The Treasurer shall maintain a suitable record of the financial transactions
of the Association. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual statement of account,
to be presented at the AGM. This statement shall be audited by another member,
and presented to the full membership.
The Association in general meeting may, by special resolution, remove any
member of the Committee before expiration of the member’s term of office
and appoint another member instead to hold office until the expiration of
the term of the removed member.
This constitution may be changed or amended by a simple majority of the
membership at a General Meeting.
In the event of the winding up, by special resolution, of the Association
the assets of the Association shall be evenly divided in half. One half of
the assets shall be donated to a government-registered charity operating
in Northern Ireland and the other half to a government-registered charity
operating in the Republic of Ireland. The charities involved shall be identified
in the special resolution.
Except as otherwise provided for in this constitution, the Secretary shall
keep all records of the Association. All records of the Association shall
be available for inspection and copying by any member of the Association
upon request.

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