BSAC

The following Rules are promulgated by Council of BSAC under the powers conferred by Article 46(A)(1) of its Articles of Association ("the Articles")

1.The Officers of BSAC shall have the following duties:-

1. The Chairman The Chairman shall be spokesman for BSAC and shall further its interests to the best of his ability. He should address the Annual General Meeting on the affairs of BSAC. He shall preside at the Annual General Meeting Extraordinary General Meeting and meetings of Council.
   
   
2. The Honorary Secretary
   
   1. The Honorary Secretary shall keep the minute books of all proceedings of BSAC of Council and of sub-committees of Council. He shall convene meetings prepare agendas record transactions at meetings deal with BSAC correspondence and maintain in good order and safe-keeping all records documents and books of BSAC. He may be assisted in all his duties by such person or persons as the council may approve.
      
   2. He shall present a report to the Annual General Meeting.
      
   3. He shall invite nominations of candidates for Council prepare ballot papers receive notification of any special business proposed by members and give all the notices required by the Articles and by statute in the manner and at the times there prescribed.
      
   4. He shall be present whenever the Seal of BSAC is affixed to any instrument and he shall sign all instruments so sealed in accordance with the provisions of Article 54.
   
   
   
3. The Honorary Treasurer
   
   1. The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial administration required by the Articles and by statute. He shall keep proper books of account of all sums received and expended on behalf of BSAC other than by Branches and shall record the assets and liabilities of BSAC so as to show a true and fair view of the state of its affairs and explain its transactions. He may be assisted in all his duties by such person or persons as Council may appoint.
      
   2. He shall prepare a statement of income and expenditure and a balance sheet to the Accounting Reference Date each year which he shall cause to be examined by BSAC auditors and presented to Council not less than 21 days before each Annual General Meeting.
      
   3. He shall effect in the name of BSAC and keep records of all investments by Council. He shall arrange for all such monies and securities to be deposited at such branch of such bank as Council may direct to the credit of an account in the name of BSAC for which cheques or other orders shall be signed by not less than two signatories authorised by Council.
      
   4. He shall be responsible for the calling in and collection of all debts and of subscriptions from Branches and affiliated bodies and for the discharge of all liabilities of BSAC out of BSAC funds as Council may direct.
   
   
   
4. The Diving Officer
   The Diving Officer shall be the adviser to Council on all technical aspects of diving and shall be responsible for diving arrangements in connection with BSAC activities. He shall prepare diving regulations for approval and publication by Council in which shall be laid down the standards of training and experience and theoretical knowledge required for the purpose of BSAC diving examinations. He shall arrange for examinations to be held and certificates of qualification to be issued to those who attain the required standard in such examinations. He shall report to the Annual General Meeting on all matters which fall within his responsibilities and may be assisted in his work by such person or persons as Council may approve.

2.Publications

1. Council shall publish or cause to be published a magazine.
   
2. Council shall for the better management and safety of underwater activities cause to be published and may sell a Diving Manual which shall be revised as necessary and shall include diving regulations which shall lay down safety precautions examinations qualifications and training.

3.Branches
A Branch shall adopt Bye-laws not in conflict with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of BSAC or with these Rules in such form as such Branch may approve which provide for:

1. The management of the Branch which shall be vested in a committee (of which the majority shall be 18 years of age or over):-
   
2. In the case of an Ordinary or a Snorkelling Branch elected and consisting of at least 5 members of which the officers shall be Chairman Secretary Treasurer and Diving Officer.
   
3. In the case of a Special Branch in a committee of which the officers shall be Chairman Secretary Treasurer and Diving Officer.
4. An Annual General Meeting of the Branch and the Business thereof.
   
5. The dissolution of the Branch.
   
6. The suspension of Branch members from taking part in the activities of the Branch subject to a right of appeal to the members of the Branch in general meeting.
   
7. Other matters as necessary for the proper management of Branch affairs.

4.Youth Branches

1. A Youth Branch shall be managed by such persons and in such fashion and its activities shall be subject to such regulations as Council may from time to time prescribe.
   
2. The provisions of Rules 5 through 7 below shall have no application to Youth Branches or Youth Members save as expressly decreed by Council.

5.Activities

1. A member of any Branch may participate in the activities of any other Branch that is able and willing to accept him.
   
2. Activities of BSAC or of Branches shall be undertaken only with the authority of Council or of a Branch committee as appropriate. Activities involving diving shall required the appointment by Council or Branch committee as appropriate of a person to control and supervise that activity who shall be called the Expedition Leader.
   
3. To secure safety and discipline on diving expeditions the Expedition Leader may suspend for the duration of the expedition any member who fails to obey orders given by such leader for the said purpose. All such suspensions shall be promptly reported to the Branch Committee.
   
4. No member may take part in any aqualung or open water activity unless they have complied with the requirements for medical examination as laid down by Council from time to time.
   
5. All watercraft (other than hand propelled watercraft) used by a Branch or by any member of the Club on Branch or Club activities must be insured for Third Party risks with a minimum indemnity limit of an amount stipulated by Council from time to time. All policies in existence now or in the future must be endorsed to indemnify Council for the time being and any employer of BSAC and affiliated Clubs and Branches.

6.Subscriptions

1. Membership other than Honorary Life Membership conferred by Council shall entail the payment of a subscription at the time of joining and annually thereafter. The subscription shall consist of a portion due to BSAC and an additional levy retained by the Branch. If a Branch committee wishes to appoint a person to honorary membership of the committee wishes to appoint a person to honorary membership of the Branch it shall on his behalf pay to BSAC that portion of the subscription appropriate to his class of membership which is due to BSAC.
   
2. On receipt of an initial subscription for Full Diving Membership the BSAC shall issue a copy of the Diving Manual to the joining member or to such member's branch. A re-joining Full Diving Member who is not entitled to pay a reduced subscription must own or purchase a copy of the current edition of the Diving Manual.
   
3. A Full Diving or Associate Member shall be entitled to a reduction in the amount of the subscription due to BSAC if such Member belongs to the same family and is a member of the same household as another such Member who pays a full subscription.
   
4. A Branch committee shall arrange to collect from its members and to transmit to BSAC whatever sum is due to BSAC in respect of their membership. In addition to that sum a Branch committee may also in its discretion impose a levy reasonably appropriate to the circumstances of a particular Branch such levy being retained by the Branch for its own purposes.
   
5. Where a member belongs to more than one Branch at the same time the portion of the subscription due to BSAC shall be payable in respect of one of the Branches only but each Branch shall be entitled to require its own levy from such a member.
   
6. Alterations to the portion of the initial and annual subscription that is to be paid to BSAC shall be announced by Council in the next issue of BSAC magazine and a full report shall be submitted to the next Annual General Meeting. The new rates shall not come into effect until one month after the formal publication date of the issue of the magazine announcing the new rates. A statement of correct rates will be made to Branch treasurers and published in every issue of the magazine.
   
7. A member may change his class of membership if otherwise eligible to do so on payment of the appropriate subscription:
   
   1. on achieving his fourteenth birthday in the case of a Junior member;
      
   2. solely at the time of expiry of his last subscription in all other instances.

7.Payment of Subscriptions

1. Subscriptions shall be payable annually on the anniversary of the first day of the month in which a member joined or rejoined. Branch committees shall be responsible for issuing a receipt to members in a form prescribed by Council in respect of members' initial and annual subscriptions.
   
2. Any member who has resigned or has been deemed to have resigned:
   
   1. may within twelve months of the expiry of his last subscription renew his membership on payment of the then current year's subscription which shall continue to be renewable as in 7(A) above.
      
   2. may at any time beyond twelve months of the expiry of his subscription apply to rejoin the Club.
3. A member may at the time of paying his initial entry subscription pay for his Diving Manual separately and deduct the cost from the portion of his initial subscription due to BSAC.
   
4. A member may at the time of paying his initial entry subscription pay for his BSAC magazine separately and deduct the cost from the portion of his subscription to BSAC.

8.Amendments
These Rules may be amended by a procedure similar to that required to amend one of the Articles.


The British Sub-Aqua Club

Telford's Quay, Ellesmere Port, South Wirral, Cheshire CH65 4FL, United Kingdom
Telephone: 0151 350 6200 Fax: 0151 350 6215
Internet: www.bsac.com