LDAS RULES
L.D.A.S RULES (Amended 22 2 23 at AGM)
1. TITLE. The Society shall be known as Leatherhead and District Angling Society. (LDAS)
2. OBJECT OF THE SOCIETY. To promote and encourage freshwater angling to all members regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation as set out in the The Equality Act 2010
The Society is also committed to compliance with Part 7 of The Equality Act 2010.
3. COMPOSITION. The Society shall be composed of Senior members over the age of 17 years, Senior Citizen members over the age of 65 years and Junior members whose 17th birthday falls after the April 1st. Junior members under the age of 12 years must be accompanied by an adult. Honorary membership may be granted by the committee.
4.OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE. The governing body shall be a President, Vice President and Committee which will consist of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Membership Secretary, Hon Treasurer, Hon Secretary, Membership Secretary, and any other officers that are deemed necessary and appropriate. The committee shall not be less than twelve members who have been members of the LDAS for more than one year.
4a No member who is an Officer or Committee member of any other angling body (other than those to which the Society is affiliated) is eligible to hold office in or serve on the Committee of the Society. Quorum of 5 for any Committee Meeting. The Committee has power to fill any vacancy which may occur during the year. Should any Committee member be absent from three consecutive meeting without explanation, he or she shall be deemed to have resigned.
4b Nominees for the posts of The Chairman, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer and Membership Secretary can be put forward by committee members and voted on at the AGM, when the required notice of voting is advised to all members, not less than two weeks before the AGM.
5.GENERAL MEETINGS. The Annual General Meeting shall take place in February each year on a date deemed suitable by the Committee. All motions for the AGM must be submitted in writing 14 days prior to the meeting. Special meetings may be convened on requisition giving fourteen days’ notice and signed by not less than 10 members. That any person interested may attend the AGM but only those who were members of the Society during the preceding subscription year are entitled to vote. The Committee have power to call a Special Meeting at any time. The business to be transacted at a Special Meeting must be declared in writing on the notice convening the meeting and no other business shall be dealt with. Twenty members shall form a quorum.
6.ALTERATION TO RULES may be made at AGMs or Special Meetings only.
7. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE. The Committee shall have power to alter any bye-law, fishery rule and competition rule for the regulation and smooth working of the Society.
8.TRUSTEES. All Cups and Trophies and other property of the Society shall be vested in three Trustees, who shall consist of the Chairman, Hon Secretary and Treasurer. The Trustees shall be responsible for all monies in payment of accounts passed by the Committee and discharged by cheque signed by any two trustees. The Society shall indemnify the Trustees against any liability they may incur by reason of any act done or obligation entered into by them with the prior sanction of the Committee.
9. AUDITORS. Two auditors shall be elected at the AGM.
10.SUBSCRIPTIONS. The Society’s subscription year runs from 1st April to 31st March. The subscription rates shall be those as agreed upon at the AGM. Categories of subscription to be Senior Member, Young Senior, Juniors, Disabled, Senior Citizen and Family Membership for 4 comprising two seniors and 2 juniors, Family Membership for 2 comprising one Senior and one junior. Juniors aged six years or under can visit and fish for free when accompanied by an adult member.
10a. Temporary Day Membership will ONLY be sold for use at Ashtead Park or the River Mole. Temporary Day Membership will not be available for use at Long Copse. Temporary Day Memberships are sold on the basis that they can be redeemed against a new membership in the name of the holder, if applied for within four weeks of the date of the voucher.
10b GUEST MEMBERSHIPS: Members are
permitted to purchase, a minimum of 48hrs in advance, a temporary one-day guest
membership (at a maximum of two per member) which will entitle the guest to
fish club waters under the applying member’s personal supervision on the
nominated day. The cost will be reviewed annually by
the committee. The temporary membership must be purchased via the LDAS online
facility and will be limited to three occasions per season. The guest angler will also need a rod licence
if over 12 years of age.. A member may
use this request up to three times per session.
11. FINANCE. It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to oversee the safe handling of the Society’s monies by members of the committee and any other approved member of the Society. He shall ensure that all liabilities of the Society as directed by the committee are met. Committee members or other approved member of the Society who shall receive monies owned by the Society shall hand these to the Treasurer or shall deposit them into the LDAS bank account without undue delay. They shall then hand to the Treasurer documentation recording those deposits, which documents may be in electronic form. Committee members and any other approved members of society who shall incur expenses, which have been approved by the committee, shall recover these expenses on production of receipts or other documentation to the Treasurer within a reasonable time of incurring the expense. The Treasurer shall close the Society’s books on 31st December each year and prepare an Income and Expenditure Account with a balance sheet as of that date. Such accounts shall be audited and presented to the members for approval and adoption at the Society’s AGM.
12. DISCIPLINE. Members must comply with all LDAS rules and bye-laws. Any member whose conduct brings discredit upon the Society may be expelled or suspended at the discretion of the Committee; in any event 7 days’ notice shall be given to the member in question to enable him or her to appear before the committee. Members so expelled shall forfeit any prizes due and shall cease to have any claim on the assets of the Society.
13.SUB COMMITTEES. Sub committees will be formed by the discretion of the committee.
14.AFFILIATIONS. Should the Society be affiliated to any other Angling Association or body, such affiliations and subsequent renewals shall be agreed at an AGM. The committee shall inform senior members of the Society of any pertinent information received from or concerning any such affiliations.
22nd February 2023
PRIVATE FISHERY RULES
All fish must be returned alive to the water. Any person removing fish from a fishery shall forfeit his/her right of membership.
No fish should be introduced into any water without prior consent of the committee.
Fishing must only be carried out from dawn until dusk.
A valid, current membership card with photo ID must be carried at all times when fishing any fishery.
All senior members are empowered to act as bailiffs.
No rubbish, paper, bottles or any other litter to be left on the Society’s waters or banks. All members must ensure no litter is left behind after leaving your swim.
No dogs, radios, firearms or tents to be taken onto a fishery. No fires allowed.
Members should ensure that no damage is caused to any notices, trees, banking, fences, crops and gates; no interference with drains and overflows or livestock and wildlife.
Members must keep to paths and edges of meadows.
No boats allowed on any waters unless used for the purposes of fishery maintenance and only then with prior consent from the Committee. Motor vehicles, motorbikes and other forms of transport to be parked in authorised parking areas only.
No form of container for preserving a catch other than a keepnet (matches only) shall be used. Keepnets must conform to Angling Trust (previously NFA) standards. No keepnets allowed except for club matches or with Committee permission.
Members should maintain a minimum of 15 yards (13.7metres) between anglers when fishing: unless otherwise agreed by all parties.
Any member who breaks these rules or whose conduct brings discredit upon the Society may be expelled or suspended at the discretion of the Committee.
All large Carp, Tench, Bream and Barbel are to be weighed and returned to the water as quickly as possible.
Only barbless hooks are to be used.
ALL floating baits and any bread methods are banned at Long Copse ponds.
For Long Copse and Ashtead Park, the maximum size hooks are No.12 barbless. Rule added 21st August 2024