To All Society Secretaries Copy to all Officers
Div Secretary
03 February 2000

PROPOSED SOCIETY RULE ADDITION
Discussion at the November Delegates' Meeting (Minute 199u refers) resulted in it being agreed that I would consider the question of the disbanding of a Society. It was also agreed that I put forward a suggested form of words so that each Society could consider these and incorporate them into their Society Rules at their next AGM. I am pleased to put forward the following suggestion:

"In the event the members decide to close the Society,
• All monies left following the settling of any outstanding debts shall be donated to the Referees' Association Benevolent Fund
• Any training aids owned by the Society shall be donated to the Surrey County Referees' Association Training Officers' Committee (SCRATOC) for their use in training referees within the County
• Any trophies owned or used by the Society covered by any formal written agreement shall be disposed of in accordance with the agreement
• Any trophies owned or used by the Society but not covered by a formal written agreement shall be donated to the Surrey County Football Association
• The Society Minute Books, Membership Lists, final Accounts and other general Society records to be lodged with the Secretary, for the time being, of the Surrey Referees' Association County Committee."

Obviously, each Society has the right to change the wording (or not adopt it at all) but I suspect that very few Societies have provision in their Rules for disbandment and this is something that should be covered.

The most important items are obviously the residual monies and their disposal but, equally, it is important that the Society's records are kept centrally (rather than with the Society Secretary at time of closure, for example). The question of the destination of records is one where the RA has a national policy (I checked!) and the suggested wording conforms to this.

I am not expecting any Society to disband but provision needs to be made.

I am happy to expand on the thinking behind any particular point should you wish to contact me and would be grateful if you would put this proposal to your Society Committee for their consideration so that your Rules can be updated at your next AGM.