Windmill Angling Club
Rules & Constitution

(1) The Club shall be called ‘THE WINDMILL ANGLING CLUB’.

(2) Windmill Angling Club aims to ensure that the club and all its members are fully compliant with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. To encourage diversity of gender, ethnicity, age and accessibility throughout Windmill Angling Club and in angling participation generally. Windmill Angling Club, from the Committee to all our Members will endeavour to reflect the diverse culture of our country and to build bridges with all communities. Everyone we come into contact with will be treated the same regardless of gender, gender reassignment, age, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation and we will ensure no member is unlawfully discriminated against in any angling activity that we can influence. Everyone involved in angling should respect the rights of all others and support them in participating in and enjoying fishing.

(3) Membership should consist of officers and members of the club. The Club shall be managed by a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Match Secretary, Minutes Secretary, Fisheries/Working Party Officer, Website Officer, Data Protection Officer, Club Welfare Officer, Assistant Club Welfare Officer and Aerator Officer. Any three members of the elected Committee members shall form a quorum. The elected Committee Members for 2025 are:

President & Honorary Auditor – Ray Boden
Chairman – Mark Bowden
Secretary – Pete Boyce
Treasurer, Data Protection Officer, Assistant Welfare Officer & Website Officer – Andy Southern
Match Secretary & Minutes Secretary – Stuart Drabble
Welfare Officer & Aerator Officer – Craig Watson-Parke
Fisheries Officer & Working Party Officer – Bob Hallworth

(4) All members will be subject to the regulations of the Rules & Constitution and by joining and remaining a member of the club, will be deemed to accept and abide by these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted. Members of the club whose conduct is inappropriate or who decline to abide by any of the club Rules and Constitution may be expelled or suspended by the Committee where their entrance fee and/or subscription will be forfeited. Members shall have the right to appeal in person to the Committee with regard to any decision affecting themselves, provided that notice of appeal be submitted to the Secretary in writing within 14 days of notification of the decision.

(5) Windmill Angling Club has 4 registered Trustees, Stuart Drabble, Mark Bowden, Robert Hallworth and Andrew Southern. They have been registered with the club’s solicitors (Jane Ambler, Bennetts Solicitors, 37 Market Place, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 1DY) for the purposes of administering property, land and assets in the event of rule 6 being initiated. Any trustee of the Windmill Angling Club automatically relinquishes their trusteeship once their membership to the club has lapsed or they have been expelled and they are no longer a member.

(6) The Club shall only be wound up, or this rule changed, if two-thirds of the membership present at a General Meeting vote in favour and if two-thirds of the membership present at a further General Meeting, held not later than three weeks later, also vote in favour. In the event of the Club being wound up, all funds of the Club are to be donated to the Angling Trust for the betterment of angling.

(7) The total membership of the Club shall be decided by the Committee on an ongoing basis.

(8) Applications for membership must be in writing/text/email or via the website enquiry form to the Committee. All new members will serve a 12 month probationary period. Ideally, during this first year, new Members should attend at least two meetings and two work parties. (These stipulations are COVID or other healthcare issues allowing and are at the discretion of the Committee).

(9) Any new Member who has a smartphone and currently uses WhatsApp should join the Windmill Angling Club WhatsApp group, or supply other reasonable forms of high-speed communication that the Committee can access.

(10) New members who have held their membership less than 12 months have no voting rights.

(11) Subscriptions and initial entrance fees are set annually by the Committee and subject to approval by the members. Annual subscriptions are due each January and failure to renew by 31st January may result in the forfeiture of membership or repayment of the initial entrance fee, at the Committee’s discretion.

For members joining after October, the membership fee is waived for the following year. Non-refundable subscription fees for members joining or renewing during 2025 are as follows:

• Adult and Senior Members: £40
• Honorary Members: £0
• Junior Members (under 18 years old): £0
• All new members are also required to pay a one-off joining fee of £30.

A Senior Member is a member who is 65 after the third Monday in March 2025. Once any member has reached the age of 80, they will automatically be made an Honorary Member if they have held their membership with the club for a minimum of 10 years

By default, the Partner/Spouse of a Member or Senior Member is considered an associate member. However, the Partner/Spouse must be accompanied by the Member when fishing. To ensure full insurance coverage for the Partner/Spouse, the Treasurer must be notified before the couple goes fishing. A “Temporary Membership” will then be issued, and a record of the date and the Partner/Spouse’s contact details will be maintained.

(12) Members donating money to the club should specify whether it’s a “Small Pool Donation” or a “Fish-Specific Donation” for buying fish for Hunters Pool. In EXTREME EMERGENCIES, the Committee may seek permission from “Fish-Specific” donors to use funds for other purposes, with the commitment to replenish the fund at the earliest opportunity.

(13) All membership cards, whether physical or digital, remain the property of Windmill Angling Club and must be surrendered or deleted upon instruction from a Committee Member. Where digital membership cards are stored on a phone, tablet, or other devices, they must be permanently deleted if the membership is terminated or is not renewed.

(14) An up-to-date Environment Agency Rod Fishing Licence is required to fish any of the club’s waters. Members of the Committee or Baliffs have the right to view the licence and can immediately expel anyone that can not produce proof of their licence.

(15) At the discretion of the Committee, a person who has not attended any function, two years in succession, may be deemed liable to pay the current entrance fee as well as their annual subscription or even be expelled from the Club. A function is a working party, a club meeting or a fund raising activity.

(16) All Members who are not elected/volunteered onto the Committee must attend at least one working party. Failure to do so may result in expulsion from the Club. Members who genuinely cannot attend working parties, through working commitments, ill health, old age, disability, etc., must inform the Committee prior to the start of the year’s working parties.

(17) The Annual General Meeting to be held on a date decided by the Committee. Members must submit Notices of Motion, proposed by one member and seconded by another, in writing via letter/email/WhatsApp, to the Secretary at least 28 days before the Annual General Meeting. The Secretary will confirm receipt.

(18) Poachers shall not be admitted to, nor allowed to remain in the Club.

(19) Junior Members may be admitted to the Club at the discretion of the Committee and issued with membership free of charge. No junior will be allowed to fish unless accompanied by one of the Parents or Guardians named on the Junior’s membership card. A Junior Member is defined as being under 18 years of age on the date of joining or renewing their membership of the Club.

(20) All large fish are to be landed with a suitably sized landing net, approximately a minimum size of 22″ long x 19″ wide, not retained in a keepnet and returned to the water preferably with the aid of a landing net.

(21) Knotless keepnets only must be used and be of a minimum size of 6 feet long by 18” in diameter. It is recommended that when fishing for Carp that suitable and adequate tackle is used.

(22) Prohibited baits include ‘boilies’, tiger or any other nuts. Only 1kg of Groundbait per angler per day to be used on Club Waters.

(23) If a fish is caught and placed on the ground in anyway, the use of an Unhooking Mat is mandatory.

(24) Any pictures taken of fish by an angler should be done as quickly as possible with the fish on or close to the ground. At all times, the welfare of the fish must take priority over everything else.

(25) Only barbless hooks to be used on all Club Waters at all times.

(26) All fish to be returned to Club Waters unless diseased.

(27) During extended dry periods, low water levels, oxygen depletion, or high temperatures that could harm fish, the Committee may temporarily ban Keepnets and limit or ban Groundbait use.

(28) The Closed Season, 15th March to 15th June inclusive, is currently lifted on all Club still waters, except at the discretion of the Committee.

(29) To protect our fish stocks, all nets used at any of the club’s waters must be clean and dry. Any guest fishing a club water must agree to this prior to entering and the condition of their nets is the responsibility of the accompanying member.

(30) If a fish is caught and has a wound, members must ensure they use the Fish Care Kit located either on the Shed or the North Bank. Follow the instructions inside the kit if it won’t overly stress the fish. After use, inform the Committee via WhatsApp so the kit can be restocked.

(31) No dogs, radios, MP3 players, weapons or night fishing (i.e. one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise) allowed on any club water.

(32) No litter or discarded tackle to be left on club waters. Anglers are required to remove any discarded litter and/or line in the vicinity of their peg before fishing and after fishing. Line must be taken away or disposed of in the line bins around club waters. Carelessly discarded fishing line is unacceptable and in contravention of the Environment Protection Act 1990.

(33) A combination lock is employed at Hunters Pool and the combination number will be altered and the change notified annually. This number must not be divulged to anyone outside of the club under any circumstances.

(34) An Extraordinary General Meeting can be called at the request of any seven paid-up club members. A quorum in such case shall consist of 30% of the total membership.

(35) No alteration to these rules can take place unless they are ratified at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the special purpose of such alterations. Proposals for such changes shall be in writing duly proposed and seconded by a paid-up member and in the hands of the Secretary no later than 28 days prior to these meetings.

(36) The Club’s financial year runs from 1st January to 31st December. The Treasurer will prepare an audited Balance Sheet, which will be shared at the Annual General Meeting and on the club’s WhatsApp group. Membership also follows the same calendar year.

(37) When requesting to participate in a match, the peg fee must be paid immediately into the Club’s bank account as per standard procedure. Any member who submits their name for a Club Match (or any other event that may result in financial loss to the Club) will be held responsible for the cost unless exceptional circumstances apply. Members who fail to attend a booked match without prior notice will face a 12-month match ban, at the discretion of the Committee. Additionally, Club Members submitting visitors’ names will be responsible for any costs incurred.

(38) The Club shall not be held responsible for damage, injury, or loss of any member’s or visitor’s personal belongings whilst on Club Waters or at an organised Club activity. All members and guests fishing or visiting Club waters do so at their own risk.

(39) MATCH RULES. An up-to-date and modernised list of Match Rules is held by the Match Secretary and a copy may be obtained on request. The Match Secretary reserves the right to amend these rules on the day if conditions or local rules dictate. Participants will be informed verbally prior to the start of the match. A minimum match fee will be charged and the amount will be decided annually by the Committee. The actual peg fee charged on the match day may be above this minimum fee and that amount will be at the discretion of the Match Secretary or his appointed deputy. Surplus fees will contribute towards club funds. A bait limit of four pints of loose feed and 3kg of Groundbait apply in all Club Matches, unless the local venue rules stipulate that lower amounts have to be used.

(40) Any Cups or Trophies won in club competitions remain the property of the club at all times and must be surrendered after 1 year or when the member leaves the club. This does not apply when it is a timed Cup/Trophy that lasts for one event only.

(41) Only one guest (Temporary Member) to be allowed to fish on Club Waters in the presence of their sponsoring Member. The proposed fee for such a visit will be decided by the Committee on an annual basis. Agreement must be obtained from a Committee Member by the sponsoring member prior to the visit and, the guest must provide their contact details. There will then be a record kept of the date fished and the contact details of the “Temporary Member” for insurance purposes. The current fee of £20 must be paid to the Treasurer either before or shortly after the visit. The sponsoring member will be responsible for the guest’s actions while fishing and any money owing to the Club for the visit. The maximum frequency for any guest to fish Club waters is twice per season. Should the guest go on to join Windmill Angling Club within the same season, the Entrance Fee will be reduced by the Guest Fee (the fee will be regarded as a contribution to their joining fee). A Junior guest is free of charge, but there must be an accompanying parent or guardian and, if they are not a current member, will be liable to pay the £20 fee.

(42) The club employs a ‘WhatsApp’ group to aid general communication about the Club’s activities, all members are encouraged to participate with appropriate relevant information regarding the club and its waters, examples being reminders of key dates, news, concerns or reports about the quality of the fishing with photos of catches encouraged. Please ensure any humorous content is also related to fishing and will not cause offence to any other member of the club, especially in relation to rule 2. Access to this group is on the condition that it will remain strictly private and will not be shared externally.

(43) All actions from every meeting will be recorded in the minutes and followed up at the subsequent meeting or communicated on the WhatsApp group and website as soon as possible.

(44) In addition to the Membership ‘WhatsApp’ group, an additional group will be used by the Committee to manage the formality of club business so as not to overload the membership with such background communication.

(45) Windmill Angling Club have a Safeguarding Policy that protects potentially vulnerable members such as children (under 18 years of age) and/or adults at risk and have a Club Welfare Officer to oversee safeguarding matters on our behalf. We reserve the right to check, where required, whether a member, volunteer or employee is currently under investigation for abuse, prior to and whilst working for us. ALL members are required to read the Safeguarding Policy and advise the club of any possible issues that may arise as a result of this document.

(46) In case of pollution report the facts immediately to the Environment Agency. Emergency hot line number is 0800 807 060. Also report the facts to the Committee.

(47) Windmill Angling Club are registered by the Cefas Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) under the Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 as an operator of an Aquaculture Holding at Hunters Pool, Hunters Pool Lane, Mottram-St-Andrew, Macclesfield, Cheshire grid reference SJ88197801. We also hold a permit to introduce and keep fish in an inland water issued under Regulation 6 of the Keeping and Introduction of Fish (England and River Esk Catchment Area) Regulations 2015, permit reference: SP/EW038-P-079/18632/02. In order to comply with these regulations, no member is allowed to remove fish from Hunters Pool or introduce fish to Hunters Pool, without the written authorisation of the Committee. If fish are moved or introduced, the Committee are obliged to update the club’s Stocking Record which can be inspected at anytime by officers of the Environment Agency.

(48) Data Protection Under the Data Protection Act, we have a legal duty to protect any personal information we collect from you. GDPR legislation superseded the Data Protection Act (in 2018) and gives you more rights. Any personal information is private and confidential. Your data is stored on a secure server, temporarily on a laptop for transport to meetings and a back up is on a memory stick kept in a residential property. This data is only accessible by Andrew Southern, Mark Bowden and Craig Watson-Parke and is used only for the purposes for which you provide that information. Should any of the aforementioned committee members leave the committee they will surrender the data they hold back to one of the other two. We will not sell or pass on your information to any other third parties under any circumstances. We will only retain the data you have provided to us securely and responsibly for as long as we are legally required to. If you are under 18, always check with a parent or guardian before divulging personal information.

(49) Leptospiral Jaundice (Weils Disease) Precautions must be taken against Weils Disease (an infection caused by bacteria carried in infected rat’s urine) and other infections are as follows: a) As a general hygiene precaution always your hands and forearms thoroughly before eating, drinking, or smoking b) Take immediate action to wash thoroughly with clean water any cut, scratch or abrasion on the skin and then apply a waterproof dressing c) The wound or abrasion should not be allowed to come into contact with any sewage or natural surface water. d) If the wound gets infected or you experience illness, seek medical advice and your recent activities to those taking care of you.