ST ALBANS SUB-AQUA CLUB

REGULATIONS

Approved by the Committee on  2nd September 2019

As a limited company we are bound by the Articles of Association, which set out the high level rules for meetings etc.   Copies are available on request from the Club Secretary, and are available to all members on the Club website at www.sasac.co.uk.   From time to time the committee may make additional decisions regarding the running of the club – these can be found in the minutes of the committee meetings. Some (but not all) of these have been brought together in this document for ease of reference. These Regulations need to be read in conjunction with the Articles of Association, with which they share a common numbering system.   These Regulations are subordinate to:- The Articles of AssociationAny decisions made by the Committee after the date of approval aboveAny decisions made by the Committee before the date of approval above on matters about which these Regulations are silent.   These Regulations take precedence where they conflict with decisions made by the committee before the date of approval above.   Dates in brackets refer to the Committee Meetings at which the clause was approved.

CONTENTS

A – Relationship with the British Sub Aqua Club

B – Membership

C- Diving Activities

D – Committee matters

E – Equipment

F- Social Activities

G – Premises

H- Bar

I – Finances

J – Risk Assessment

K- Welfare

L- Changes to the Regulations

A – Relationship with the British Sub Aqua Club

1. Under clause L2(b) below, these Regulations shall contain no references to the relationship between St Albans Sub Aqua Club and the British Sub Aqua Club.

B – Membership

1. Membership Rates and Categories [3/6/19]

1. Full Diving Membership £140
2. 50% discount for concessions (see B10)
3. Includes the use of all Club facilities
4. Trainees may have extra costs. See B5
5. Family Membership included. Spouse and up to three children (under 18) included (Swimming Membership benefits only). Own children only. All must be registered with Membership Secretary. (See B9).

• Snorkelling
• Full Snorkelling Membership £96
• Family Membership additional £34. Spouse and up to three children (under 18) included (Swimming Membership benefits only). Own children only. All must be registered with Membership Secretary. (See B9)
• 50% discount for concessions (see B10)
• University Snorkeller – £12. In full time education requiring living away from home during term time.
• Includes:-
  • ·         use of the Clubhouse
  • ·         use of Cottonmill Pool,
  • ·         use of Westminster Lodge pool.
  • ·         all club equipment and facilities relating to snorkelling
  • coxing (or assisting with coxing) whilst in support of club diving or snorkelling
• But excludes:-
  • activities directly related to diving (including the compressor, scuba diving cylinders, regulators).

• Swimming Membership £75
• Family membership additional £55 – Couple and up to three children (under 18) included (Swimming Membership benefits only). Own children only. Extra children £5 each. All must be registered with Membership Secretary.
• Winter membership – £35. Valid October to March only. (11/3/19)
• Includes:-
  • ·         use of the Clubhouse
  • ·         use of Cottonmill Pool,
• But excludes:-
  • ·         use of Westminster Lodge pool.
  • activities directly related to diving or snorkelling (including the compressor, boats, scuba diving cylinders, regulators).

• Social Membership £27
• Includes:-
  • use of the Clubhouse, including the bar and the poolside,
• But excludes:-
  • ·         use of Cottonmill Pool,
  • ·         use of Westminster Lodge pool.
  • activities directly related to diving or snorkelling (including the compressor, boats, scuba diving cylinders, regulators).

Social members may, subject to BSAC membership, suitable qualifications, the Club’s rules, and the Insurer’s requirements, cox the Club Boat on diving or snorkelling expeditions.

• Westminster Lodge Swimming Membership £96

Benefits are identical to Snorkelling membership, except that there is no expectation of snorkelling activities. The club no longer offers this class of membership.

• Voting Rights and Membership of the British Sub-Aqua Club (see Article B1)
  • Adult members of any category, who are also members of the BSAC have full voting rights. (Class 1)
  • Adult members of any category, who are not members of the BSAC have restricted voting rights. (Class 2)
  • Members under 18, of any category, regardless of BSAC membership have no voting rights. (Class 3)
• Junior Membership,
  • Junior Membership (under 18) entitles the member to all the benefits of a Full Diving or Snorkelling Member except as restricted below, and shall only be available to those who are the responsibility of at least one Responsible Adult who must:-
    • be a member of the Club and (23/09/13 – DO Report)
    • agree to accompany the Junior Member on all Club trips (excluding pool training and theory lessons) to take responsibility for the Junior Member’s welfare and discipline, and be either:-
      • the Junior Member’s parent or legal guardian, or
      • another adult, who with the agreement of the Club and the Junior Member’s parent or legal guardian, is willing and able to act “in loco parentis”.
  • The minimum age will be 12 for Junior Diving members, and 8 for Junior Snorkelling members [23/09/13].
  • Junior Members will automatically become Full Members on their 18th birthday, and shall have full rights and obligations from that date. 
  • Junior members may not:-
    • serve at the bar,
    • buy or consume any alcohol on Club premises
    • stand for election to the Branch Committee or as a director
    • vote (see Article B1)
    • attend the Clubhouse, or use Cottonmill Pool unless accompanied by a Responsible Adult except by special permission of the directors. .
• Membership of Parent Organisations:-
  • All diving members must maintain BSAC membership, and all snorkelling members must maintain either BSAC or BOA membership. [22/07/19]
• All memberships run for one year from 1st April – new memberships at other dates are pro-rated
• Trainees also pay the following costs when they join:
  • Course materials and administration – £73 (March 09)
  • Kit hire – Refer to clause E18
  • There are no other direct costs for training although trainees are expected to cover instructors’ daily costs when visiting open water sites.
• BSAC membership may require  a medical self –certification.
• The above costs do not include BSAC/BOA membership rates
• Family Membership is available to parents and children who reside at the same address. Includes all children under age of 18 unless the children are snorkellers/divers in which case they pay the relevant amount for their own membership.
• The Concessionary rate is available to:-
  • those who are
    • State pension age [11/02/13] or over, or
    • under 18, or
    • under 23 and in full time education on 1st April of the membership year
  • others suffering hardship (at the discretion of the committee)
• Payment by instalments shall generally not be allowed, except in cases of genuine hardship in which case the Membership Secretary is authorised by the Committee to collect the full amount in any reasonable way.
• Guests
  • Guests may be invited up to three times a year, as well as to an unlimited number of ticketed events. They are entitled to use all facilities available to Social Members (see above) but must obtain permission from the Diving Officer, or the appropriate director, before using any additional facilities.  
  • Each member may invite a maximum of three guests at a time. A family counts as one member.
  • Guests of Swimming Members may use the buildings (excluding pool) only. They are not permitted onto the poolside except by special permission of the committee (for example, organised BBQs). [25/9/18]
• Non-member snorkellers using the Club’s pool facilities at Westminster Lodge will be charged £4 per person per session. A list of all such persons must be supplied to the Club in advance. (10/1/11)
• Definitions
  • Clubhouse – The club’s buildings on Cottonmill Lane, St Albans.  
  • Cottonmill Pool – The Club’s own swimming pool at Cottonmill Lane, St Albans.
  • Westminster Lodge pool – Use of the facilities at Westminster Lodge leisure centre for the periods that have been hired by the Club.
•  Waiting List

1. The Club may limit the number of members in any category, and may need to maintain a “waiting” list for applicants. The Club shall determine how this list is to be administered – whether by a queuing or lottery system – and may prioritise certain applicants at its sole discretion. [3/6/19]

• Applicants applying for Swimming membership who are (or who are the spouse or child of) current established Diving or Snorkelling members, or who are applying for Winter Swimming Membership, would not normally be expected to join the waiting list (at the sole discretion of the club). [3/6/19]
• In order to avoid applicants bypassing the waiting list, those joining as snorkelling (or diving?) members, must either have some qualification, or be in training. [Oct 2018]
• No refund will be given to new members who drop out of training mid course, unless there are exceptional circumstances. The club is unable to refund external costs such as BSAC membership, training packs etc. [11/3/19]

C- Diving Activities

1. When dive trips are advertised on the board, or by word-of-mouth to other members, it must be made clear if any member(s) of the trip is benefiting (eg a free or discounted place) or if costs are not being allocated equally. 
2. Members must be aware that if they put their names onto a list for a dive and do not pay a deposit, they are only registering their interest in the trip. Until they pay a deposit, they have not reserved their place. (22/07/19)
3. The club will assist with the organisation of an interesting and progressive programme of diving and will provide support as detailed in Appendix Three. (9/11/09)
4. The official in charge of the (Westminster Lodge Pool) session, shall be the Diving Officer, or any other competent member appointed by the Diving Officer.
5. Free swimming during the Westminster Lodge pool session is only permitted during the first 20 minutes of the session and shall be in the designated roped off area of the pool only. Divers will keep to the near side during this period. Underwater Hockey shall not commence until after this 20 minute period. Masks or swimming goggles shall be worn by swimmers after the 20 minute period, and they shall not use the area roped off for underwater Hockey unless taking part. This rule will be applied or waived at the discretion of the Pool Marshal on the night.(26/01/12)
6. The Club Boat(s) may only be coxed by a Member who
   1. holds the minimum qualification of BSAC Diver Cox’n, RYA Level 3 powerboat, or equivalent as approved by the Diving Officer., or
   1. is under the instruction or supervision of such a Member, or
   1. is a Competent Boat Handler (defined as a Member who has successfully completed the BSAC Boat Handling Course or equivalent) and who is coxing the boat ONLY for the duration of the qualified Diver Cox’n’s dive.
7. The Club Boat(s) may be used by snorkelling members, but diving members have priority. (22/01/18)

D – Committee Matters

1. Any MAJOR motion carried at a General Meeting (AGM or EGM) cannot be subsequently changed by the Committee, except where this is not possible due to safety or legal reasons – which must be notified to the general membership.  [EGM 30/10/13]

E – Equipment

1. Kit only for the use of FULL DIVING MEMBERS OF SASAC and not for friends / partners etc.
2. Kit is be returned clean / washed
3. Any faults arising during its use must be reported to the equipment officer as soon as possible so that effect repairs can be made
4. All kit on loan / hire from SASAC will be the responsibility of the person who signs for it. Any losses or damage apart from fair wear and tear will be charged to the person responsible for that kit.
5. A loan period will be from a Wednesday to a Wednesday and will be charged at currently £5 per piece of kit.
6. All kit must be returned before the start of the pool session time so it can be used for training, unless agreed in advance.
7. It is the responsibility of the person signing for the kit to ensure it’s serviceability before leaving the club house.
8. SASAC committee reserve the right to ask a member NOT to fill any cylinder, even if it is in test if they believe it to be in a dangerous condition. The Committee decision on this will be final.
9. The Air cupboard is for the use by any FULL DIVING MEMBER of SASAC.
10. Training for this is freely available and a written set of instructions are posted on the inside if the air cupboard door.
11. The cylinders filled MUST be in current structural test in accordance with IDEST test regulations.
12. The air station is rated to 232bar, any SASAC member filling a cylinder with a lower working pressure then 232 bar MUST be in attendance at all times.
13. AIR/ NITROX can be filled to 300 bar but this is only available through the blending panel in the compressor room so must be done by a qualified nitrox blender and they must be in attendance at all times.
14. SASAC members must not fill cylinders for non-club members.
15. SASAC can supply air / nitrox fills to non members, but only by prior arrangement with Equipment officer as they will be charged for.
16. Access to the compressor room is strictly controlled. For safety reasons as the compressor will start with out warning.
17. Access to the Oxygen is only available to qualified Nitrox blenders that are registered with SASAC. We will accept any training agency Blending certificate, but any one NOT trained within the club will have to pass a competency test first.

1. Kit Hire Prices

New members for the duration of their  ocean diver training In the pool / open water	FREE [22/07/19]
Ocean Divers, from the time they qualify for one year. Kit must be signed out and returned after each use.	£65 [22/07/19]
Instructors training any grade of diver both pool and open water	FREE
Any committee member using club kit either pool or open water if available	FREE
Anyone else either receiving training or pleasure diving open water	£5 per item
Club kit can be used by anyone who is suitable qualified on a Wednesday evening as long as it is available	FREE

1. Clause deleted

• Open water club regulators have a maximum working depth of 20m. (2/8/10)

• Members (or non-members) may advertise their own diving equipment for sale on the club noticeboard. (18/10/10) or on the club website. They may not bring equipment for sale to display at the club.

F- Social Activities

1. Children’s parties shall be limited to a maximum of ten children. [Sept 2018]

G – Premises

1. Any member is entitled to free hire of the premises for any event, provided that
2. it is available
3. the event is open to all members, and has been advertised
4. the hiring member can arrange setting up, clearing away and bar staff
5. it is for members and their guests only

• Club hire rates are (revised in SS Report 11/03/19):
• Bar                              £50
• Pool                             £80
• Lecture Room             £50

Rates are per session (morning, afternoon, evening) and may be varied at any time by the Committee.

Exceptional costs (for example extra rubbish collections, special cleaning etc) are not included in the above rates and will be charged separately. [29/10/12]

• Rules regarding private hire etc.
• Licensing laws must be adhered to. The bar must close and the premises vacated on time.
• Refer to clause H2 below – Only alcoholic drinks purchased at the bar may be consumed on the premises. (Licensing Act 2003 62(6))
• It is illegal to smoke inside the clubhouse. Smokers please use the car park at the front., not the poolside [15/07/13]
• The pool cannot be hired for private exclusive use at weekends or public holidays from 1 June to 30 September.
• Bar staff are all unpaid volunteers. The Club cannot therefore guarantee that they will be available. It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure that bar staff and keyholders to open/close are available, and if no Members are available to run the bar, the bar cannot open
• Although it is illegal to give the bar staff “pecuniary benefits” (money), the hirer might like to consider thanking the bar staff by non-monetary means. (maybe free drinks or a small gift).
• Although members are requested not to access the premises during a private hire (e.g. to fill cylinders or pick up equipment), this cannot be guaranteed. [03/06/13]
• Read and understand section H of the Articles.

• Any member is entitled to a set of keys to the premises. These keys shall be restricted to those necessary to enter the building and provide access to the poolside, unless prior approval of the committee has been given for access to the bar, bar store, compressor room, equipment storage room, or any other restricted area. Keys are charged out for a one-off fee of £25 [15/07/13], of which £10 is a deposit, refundable upon return of the full set of keys. This deposit shall be retained if the keys are not returned within one year of the member leaving the Club. These charges to be waived for members whose official positions required them to have keys. [23/09/13]

• Deleted (03/04/17)

• In the event of the intruder alarm being triggered while the premises are unoccupied, the system will automatically send a recorded message to a number of volunteer keyholders. The nature of their response will depend on the circumstances, but no keyholder may attend alone. The Alarm System Response Procedures are set out in APPENDIX TWO, which, for security reasons, is not for general release to members or the general public. It shall be restricted to members of the Committee, or any such person that the Committee shall authorise. (19/10/09)

H- Bar

1. The Considerate Neighbour Policy, referred to in clause H8 of the Articles: requires the following actions to be taken no later than 11pm on all evenings that the Club is open:-
2. all external doors and windows to be closed.
3. external poolside lights to be turned off
4. all members and their guests to move inside from the poolside or the car park
5. music to be turned down to a level that will not cause disturbance
6. members and their guests must leave the premises quietly

• Alcohol shall not be supplied to members on the premises otherwise than by or on behalf of the club.[Licensing Act 2003 s 62(6)]
• It should be remembered that members of Clubs or Associations, who are attending an official event at the Club, are not full members, and are not permitted behind the bar.

I – Finances

1. Members spending their own money on behalf of the Club should ask the Treasurer for reimbursement using the official expenses form (19/5/11) (See Appendix Five), which will be made promptly. Money must not be taken from the bar till to reimburse expenses.

• For official club training dives only (dives that are open to all divers and logged and approved by the DO (7/4/11)), instructors may claim back from the Club the costs of entry fees to diving venues such as Stoney Cove. (18/10/10)

J- Risk Assessment

1. See the separate Risk Assessment file.  The latest Risk Assessment was approved by the Committee on 16/04/18.

• All use of Cottonmill Swimming Pool shall be in accordance with the Pool Safety Operating Procedures (Separate Document).

• Non-members (including dogs – 04/08/14) are not permitted to use Cottonmill Swimming Pool without special Committee permission. (13/01/14). This restriction does not apply to guest instructors who are also BSAC members. (28/04/14). Private hire guests are only permitted to use Cottonmill Pool if a qualified lifeguard is present. (05/09/16)

• Any electrical equipment used on the poolside must be plugged into sockets which are protected by a LCD device. (02/11/15)

• There is an accident book kept on the premises, which must be used to keep a full and proper record of any accident or incident which may occur at the clubhouse and (Cottonmill) pool. (26/06/17)

• The use of snorkels by children of Swimming Members is not permitted. (26/06/17)

• All members who are entitled to use Cottonmill Pool must attend the compulsory Safety Briefings. (3/6/19)

K – Welfare Policy

1. The Club’s Privacy Policy is shown at Appendix Four. (18/10/10)

L – Changes to these Regulations

1. These Regulations may be amended by the Committee at any properly constituted Committee Meeting, or by any other means that are in accordance with the Articles of Association
2. These are low level regulations, and must not contain anything relating to:-
   1. The Club’s incorporation as a Limited Company
   1. The Club’s relationship with the British Sub-Aqua Club
   1. The supply of alcoholic beverages, or any other matter relating to the Club’s licensing under the Licensing Act 2003.
   1. Any other matter which would create an obligation to notify, or send a copy of these Regulations to, any external body. 
      

APPENDIX

PROTOCOL FOR CLUB SUPPORT FOR DIVE TRIPS

The club wants to assist with the organisation of an interesting and progressive programme of diving and will provide support at three levels. As with all such programmes the club reserves the right to review these terms at any time. In all cases these facilities are only available to diving members of the club.

Training Dives

It’s unfair on a training officer to book trips on their own account and thus the club will book

these in its own name and take responsibility subject to the following criteria:

• A maximum of three boat bookings will be allowed each calendar year, of a maximum

of four days each or a total of 12 days

• The support will only extend to diving activities, not accommodation.

• The trips will be held open for trainees and instructors until four weeks before the

event when they will be opened up to club membership generally.

• The TO may book these dives only in consultation with the DO

• The club will pay the deposits for the dives and take responsibility for the final

payment. However it is expected that all deposits will be collected within a short

period of people booking on dives and the final payment will be collected four weeks

before the dive takes place so that last minute drop outs do not cost the club money

General Dive Trips

The club will provide cash flow support only for general diving trips in the UK and all

bookings remain the financial responsibility of the organiser. This is designed to allow the booking of diving trips pending collection of deposits from participants and therefore will always be a relatively short term commitment by the club. The following criteria must be followed:

• The club’s overall exposure at any one time under this facility will be £5000. The

facility can only be used to make deposit payments as it is expected that trip

participant will pay their share of the final costs in time for the organiser to pay the

provider

• The use of this will be subject to Committee approval – but the committee will

consider requests between committee meetings.

• The trip must meet the rules regarding cost transparency and BSAC safe diving

practices.

• Accommodation will only be included when it is either part of the overall package or

must be booked at the same time to ensure the trip can proceed

• Payment will be made to the organiser so that there is no doubt that the booking is

not in the clubs name

• The organiser will collect deposits from participants as soon as possible after

advertising the dive

• Any shortfall in numbers on a dive will be the financial responsibility of the organiser.

• After advertising the dive, the organiser will pay back the Club in the shortest possible

time, and must in any case pay back to the Club no later than six weeks prior to the

dive.

• The Committee will review the progress of all loans on an ongoing basis, and reserve

the right to demand that the money be repaid.

‘

Expeditionary’ Style Trips

If a member of group or members wants to organise a trip that is out of the ordinary and will require exceptional support they may put a case to the committee.