Scottish Clay Target Association Limited

The By-laws of the SCTA

(Per Article 22 of the Articles of Association)

These by-laws are as drafted and amended from time to time by the Management Board of the Scottish Clay Target Association Ltd (hereinafter referred to as the SCTA or Association). The by-laws are as provided for in article 22 of the SCTA articles of association. No rule or by-law should be inconsistent with, affect or repeal anything contained in the memorandum or articles of association of the SCTA and in this event the memorandum or articles of association will take precedence over the rule or by-law.

1. Membership Application & Membership Categories
Membership of the Association is open to individuals who as fully paid up members are entitled to be present at any convened general meeting of the SCTA and vote. Affiliated membership is open to any ground or club providing facilities for clay target shooting and which has previously been inspected and approved by the SCTA. Affiliated membership does not provide any voting rights although a maximum of 2 representatives of any affiliate may attend a convened general meeting of the SCTA.

All applications for membership and affiliation must be made on the prescribed application form, available from the Association Secretary and the appropriate fee must accompany the application. Admission to membership is at the discretion of the SCTA Management Board.

By accepting membership each individual and affiliate acknowledges the SCTA as the sole arbiter and source of appeal in Scotland for all matters concerned with the sport of clay target shooting and is bound by the Association's memorandum & articles of association and published byelaws

Categories of membership and the requisite subscription rates are as those approved on an annual basis at the Association's AGM and as subsequently published in the annual renewal notice distributed to all members.

2. Withdrawal Of and Resignation From Membership
The Management Board at their discretion reserve the right to withdraw membership at any time from any member or affiliate subject to any appeal procedures allowed for in the Association by-laws or articles. Notwithstanding such an appeal the decision of the Management Board to withdraw any membership will take immediate effect from the date of their decision.

Any member or affiliate may resign their membership at any time strictly subject to written notice being issued to the Association Secretary. Until receipt of such written notice the Association will be entitled to assume that the role and responsibility of Association membership remains with the individual or affiliate.

On resignation, refund of any membership subscription fee will not be made in any circumstance.
Membership ceases on death and is not transferable.

3. Subscriptions and Membership Renewal
Annual subscriptions are due and payable on 5th January each year at the rate set by the Association's AGM and as contained in the renewal notice issued to all members prior to the subscription due date.

Failing receipt of the full subscription amount by the due date all benefits of membership including insurance cover will cease with immediate effect and without further notice.

In the event of subscriptions remaining unpaid after 1 March of the subscription year the Management Board at their discretion may remove the defaulting member or affiliate from the Association membership.

Any member failing to renew their subscription by 1 March of the subscription year will have all prior and subsequent shoot scores disregarded for all team selection and classification purpose in that subscription year.

4. Selection of International or Representative Teams
The selection of Teams to represent Scotland in the sport of clay target shooting shall be solely the responsibility of the Association's Management Board comprising the appointed Directors of the SCTA. Any individual member of the SCTA is eligible for consideration to represent Scotland, subject to the following

Their membership is fully paid to date and paid in accordance with the "subscription and membership renewal" by-law outlined above.

and They were born in Scotland or one of their parents was born in Scotland.

or They have been domiciled in Scotland for four years immediately preceding the date of the competition for which they seek selection.

Having previously shot for any other Country will be a disqualification from the selection process unless the Management Board rule otherwise and / or the Country previously represented, via their governing body confirm in writing that they have no objection to the individual now representing Scotland.

and They are not the subject of any pending disciplinary proceedings and / or ban imposed by the Association or any other sport governing body.

The full process and procedure for team selection is as outlined in the Association's most recent annual information bulletin distributed to all members. Failure to comply with this process and procedure in its entirety may at the discretion of the Management Board invalidate a member's application for team selection.

5. Disputes and Grievances
Any dispute, grievance or disagreement on any aspect of the Association's process and procedures must be noted in writing and sent for the attention of the Association Secretary. The Management Board will only consider such matters on receipt of written advice duly signed by a member or members. Any complaint or grievance between members and / or affiliates will also only be considered and reviewed by the Management Board on their receipt of the facts in writing from the parties concerned.

The Management Board's decision on any complaint, dispute, grievance or disagreement will be final and binding on all concerned subject only to an appeal to the Association's AGM if appropriate and provided for. Such an appeal notwithstanding the Management Board's decision will be complied with immediately on announcement of their decision.

Disputes and grievances, which properly fall within the remit of the Association's code of conduct and disciplinary process, will be dealt with exclusively by that process per (6) under noted.

6. Disciplinary Process
All disciplinary matters will be dealt with under the Association's " code of conduct " as per appendix (a) of these byelaws. Further copies may be obtained from the Association Secretary. On joining the SCTA, members agree to abide by the byelaws and "code of conduct".

The Association and its Management Board reserve the right to instruct such legal advice as they think necessary to protect the interests of the Association and its members. The right is also reserved to inform any other body which may have a legitimate interest in the matter e.g. governing bodies for clay target shooting within other countries, team selection boards etc.

Full details of the disciplinary process and associated appeals procedure etc. are contained with the "code of conduct" per appendix (a).

7. Use of Banned Substances
The Association fully support the code of conduct relating to banned substances drafted by The Scottish Sports Council (sportscotland) and the UK Sports Authority a full draft (including a list of banned substances) is available on request via the Association Secretary.

Any member participating in any shooting event using or reasonably suspected of using any banned substance or alcohol will be subject to the Association’s disciplinary process and liable for disqualification from the event and subsequent expulsion from the Association.

All members must if requested to do so take part in any "drugs testing" organised within an event by a recognised authority e.g. sports council or governing body. Failure to do so will result in immediate expulsion from the event and subsequent implementation of the Association’s disciplinary process.

8. Affiliated Ground and Clubs
Affiliated membership is open to any ground or club providing facilities for clay target shooting and which has previously been inspected and approved by the SCTA.

All such grounds and clubs must fully comply with the health and safety regulations and al legal requirements. It is incumbent on the ground or club to be fully aware of the regulations and if in doubt to seek information and assistance via the Association Secretary in the first instance.

Full and appropriate insurance must be held by affiliated ground and clubs, an up to date copy of the employer"s liability certificate being posted within the clubhouse.

A qualified safety officer must be appointed by the ground or club and all safety requirements advised by the SCTA in writing to the ground or club complied with.

If the Association's "block insurance" cover is utilised then it is incumbent on the ground or club to ensure payment of the premium when due, payment being made direct to the insurers. It should be noted that in addition to the conditions laid out in the policy document the "block policy" remains in force only whilst the ground or club remains a fully paid up affiliate of the Association.

Subject to the ground or club having a "regulation" layout with "regulation" targets they may apply to host selection and / or registered shoots. Such shoots are open only to members of the Association and other recognised governing bodies for clay target shooting. It is the responsibility of the ground or club to check that all persons entering the event are fully paid up members of the respective associations.

The Management Committee at its discretion may refuse or restrict the granting of selection and or registered shoots to any affiliated ground, or apply specific conditions to the granting of such shoots.

When hosting selection or registered events the host ground or club must ensure the necessary financial returns and scores from the event are submitted to the Association Secretary on the requisite forms within ten days of the event, failing which the scores will be disregarded for all selection classification purpose. A list of such disregarded shoots will be published in the Association's news bulletin.

Affiliated grounds and clubs are expected to promote the SCTA and actively encourage their members to join as individual members of the Association.

9. Classification
Subject to a member competing in the requisite number of selection and / or registered shoots they will receive a classification based on their scores returned from such shoots. The number of scores required and the date and location of all such shoots are published in the Association's annual information bulletin. The resulting classification will be published in the subsequent year's information bulletin.

It is the responsibility of the member to ensure their correct membership number is given to the shoot organisers. Only when a correct membership number is provided will scores be recorded for classification purposes.

The published classification list notwithstanding, should a member have a 'higher classification' obtained via another Association affiliated to the International Clay Target Shooting Council then it is incumbent on the member to ensure the higher classification is given on entry to any shoot. Failure to comply with this may result in action being taken against the member under the Association's code of conduct.

10. Promotion of Association
Members agree to support and promote the Association and encourage membership of the Association. They also agree that neither by deed or conduct will they bring the Association into disrepute.

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