Constitution

The following constitution is in effect as of 1st May 2000. Text in italics is not part of the constitution but reflects interpretations of it. This version was superceded on 1st October 2007 by the Constitution of BAFRA Ltd.

Rules of
The British American Football Referees' Association

• Title

1. The title shall be The British American Football Referees' Association hereinafter referred to as the Association

   Aims and objectives

2. The aims of the Association shall be:
   1. To improve the standard of officiating by training and examination, and by any other means
   2. To enable all American football games in Britain to have neutral officials
   3. To promote and uphold the status of officials both collectively and individually
   4. To co-operate and to cultivate good relations with all bodies concerned with American football, for the betterment of the game
   5. To take such action or make such representation as an Association, or in conjunction with others as may be considered desirable, in the interests of American football in Britain in general or for the benefit of officials and officiating in particular

   Membership

3. Membership shall consist of:
   1. Full members. Persons aged 18 or over who wish to actively engage in officiating in Britain
   2. Associate Members. Persons interested in officiating in Britain but who do not wish to do so actively
   3. Junior Members. Persons under the age of 18 years who wish to participate in American football officiating
   4. Honorary Members. Individuals whose services to American football in Britain are such that the Directors and Members consider them worthy shall be granted Honorary Membership
4. Resignations from membership shall be in writing and shall reach the General Secretary or his/her Deputy not later than the first day of November, otherwise the subscription for the current year shall be due.
5. The Executive Board have the right to expel from membership, or otherwise deal with, any Member who has contravened the Rules or brought discredit to the Association or its aims, but only provided such Member has had the opportunity to appeal it in person or in writing to a general meeting of the Board.
6. The annual subscription shall cover the year from the first day of October to the last day of September. Subscriptions shall be due on the first day of October and shall be payable by the first day of November, after which the Board shall have the authority to remove a defaulting Member's name from membership of the Association.
7. The rates of all subscriptions shall be determined or adjusted as may be necessary from time to time by the Directors.

   Management

8. The affairs of the association shall be managed by an Executive Board in accordance with the policies determined by the Members. The policies shall be determined by:
   1. Resolution at a General Meeting and the agreement of the Executive Board
   2. Resolution at a General Meeting and a postal referendum of all Members
   3. Resolution at an Executive Board meeting and a postal referendum of all members
   4. A postal referendum of all Members
9. The Board may delegate its authority and may co-opt members to act in any capacity, or may fill any vacancy.
10. The Members shall have full control of the funds and assets of the Association, and shall approve a bank into which all monies due to the Association shall be paid.
11. Members shall authorise the Directors to be signatories on behalf of the Association. The signatures of any two shall be sufficient. The Director of Finance may be sole signatory up to a limit that shall be determined from time to time by the Board. The limit is currently set at £500.

    Executive Board

12. The composition of the Executive Board shall be 6 Directors.
13. The Directors shall be the
    1. President
    2. General Secretary
    3. Director of Finance
    4. Director of Operations
    5. Director of Training
    6. Director of Youth and Development
14. The Directors shall be elected each year by a postal ballot of all Members
15. Election for the position of Directors shall be held in September of each year. Such elections shall be administered by a Returning Officer appointed by the Executive Board to whom nominations should be sent by the last day of August.
16. Nominations for the position of Directors shall be proposed and seconded by Members of the Association. Only members who were registered on the last day of August of the current year shall be eligible to stand or vote in such elections.
17. The term of all Directors shall begin on the first day of January of the year following elections and shall end on the last day of December of that year.
18. The responsibility of the Directors are as laid out in Appendix 1.

    Meetings

19. An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in the first quarter of each year.
20. Dates of meetings shall be notified in advance in the Association's newsletter, or by individually addressed notice.
21. General Meetings shall be called by the Executive Board or at the written request of not less than 20% of those entitled to vote.
22. A quorum for General Meetings shall be 20% of those entitled to vote
23. The Executive Board shall meet as frequently as required but shall meet at least once in each calendar year.
24. The quorum for meetings of the Board shall be 3 directors
25. Meetings of the Executive Board shall be chaired by the President, or by any other Director in the event of his/her absence.
26. Any individual attending a meeting or of any committee shall declare an interest when a matter they have a direct personal interest is discussed.
27. Minutes of all Committee meetings shall be kept and shall be circulated to respective members.
28. Decisions of all Committees shall be subject to confirmation by the Executive Board.

    Committees

29. Committees shall be formed and disbanded by the board from time to time. Such committees may include:
    • Finance Committee
    • Operations Committee
    • Disciplinary Committee
    • Examinations Committee
    • Rules & Mechanics Committee
    • Social Committee
30. The Directors shall be ex-officio members of all committees
31. The responsibilities and duties of the Committees shall be determined by the General Meeting, appointments to Committees shall be made by the Executive Board.

    Voting

32. At General Meetings, Executive Board meetings and Committee meetings a simple majority shall be sufficient to carry a motion. The chairman of the Board or any Committee shall exercise an additional casting vote in case of a tie.
33. Voting in all elections shall be done using the system of single transferable vote.

    Postal Referenda

34. A postal referendum of all members may be called to decide the Association's policy. Notice of any alterations shall be proposed by the Executive Board, by resolution of a General Meeting or by 10% of the Members of the Association who shall give written notice to the General Secretary or his/her deputy. The referendum shall be held not more than 12 weeks after such notice is given.

    Assets of the Association

35. None of the funds or assets of the Association shall be paid to or distributed among Members of the Association except when approved by the Board.

    These Rules

36. These rules shall only be altered by referendum of all Members. Notice of any alterations shall be proposed by the Board, or shall be proposed and seconded by 10% of the Members of the Association who shall give written notice to the General Secretary or his/her deputy. The referendum shall be held not more than 12 nor less than 6 weeks after such notice has been given.
37. The Executive Board shall be the authority for the interpretation of these rules and shall have the authority to decide on any point not covered by them.
38. Each Member of the Association shall be provided with a copy of these rules.

Appendix 1

Responsibilities of the Directors

1. Office
2. Assigned

• Responsibilities of Office

1. Responsibilities of Office cannot be transferred or shared. They are deemed to be the responsibility of the nominated Director and it is that Director who assumes full accountability for activities related to the responsibility.
2. The responsibilities of office are:
   • President - is the chairman of the Executive Board. He/she is the BAFRA spokesperson and general co-ordinator of BAFRA activities.
   • General Secretary - is responsible for membership registration, and the protection and discrimination of the information relating to membership. He/she is the secretary of the Executive Board and arranges meetings for all Committees. He/she is responsible for general communications and correspondence, and for the proper administration of Committees formed by the Board.
   • Director of Youth and Development - is responsible for liaison with the organisation related to youth American football.
   • Director of Finance - is responsible for the financial control and reporting of BAFRA funds. The duties include accountants and auditors liaison, maintaining proper bank accounts, liaison with debtors, negotiations with leagues on administration & fee rates, preparing, maintaining and reporting budgets and overall control of payment of officials' expense claims. In conjunction with the Director of Operations he/she determines the status of games.
   • Director of Operations - is responsible for league liaison in order to establish, maintain and resource league schedules for officials. He/she is responsible for the administration of selection policy and for the collation and reporting of game related incidents. In conjunction with the Director of Finance he/she determines the status of games.
   • Director of Training - is responsible for the evaluation of training needs and the programmes required to fulfil those need for the Association. He/she is responsible for the administration of the assessments and grading programmes and of examinations.

   Assigned Responsibilities

3. Assigned responsibilities are those which the Directors are assigned by the Executive Board. These may be shared or changed according to the wishes of the Executive Board.
4. The current list of responsibilities is maintained in the members handbook.