Purpose and Mission 

The UKCA General Committee is responsible for determining the future direction of our association, making rules, managing projects, issues and determining policy for standards and training programmes. The General Committee is responsible for the operational running of the UKCA this includes communicating with members, writing policies, marketing, access and promoting the association, meetings and training courses. A committee member will sit for 2 terms (2 years).
UKCA General Committee responsibilities
  • Work to achieve the goals set out by the UKCA and the board of directors.
  • Develop a diverse, open and inclusive population of members, professionals and affiliated centers.
  • Create content and resources for members.
  • Set dates and approve courses in accordance with demand.
  • Promote the UKCA nationally and internationally. 
  • Administer canyoning awards and certification. 
  • Ensure training standards are being upheld.
  • Ensure professional members are working within their remit.
  • Communicate with other organisations or persons regarding canyoning related issues such as access.
  • Review feedback from trainers, Instructors and students.
  • Issue appropriate sanctions, when necessary. 
  • Set fees for courses, events and memberships.
  • Organise events, meet ups and training course dates.
  • Ensure the website is up to date.
  • Administer the website and membership platform.
  • Expansion of membership benefits and resources.
  • Review policies and standards annually.
Membership The General Committee is open to all paying UKCA members (Recreational - Professional). Committee members can apply to sit on the committee, they will be voted in during elections. A committee member will serve 2 terms (2 years).   The committee shall have a minimum of three members and a maximum of nine members. The board may fill vacancies on the committee and may remove a member from the committee at any time without cause. The committee will be made up of officers holding positions within the committee. These positions are:
  • Chairperson
  • Vice Chairperson
  • Training Coordinator
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer 
  • Scotland Representative
  • Wales Representative
  • England Representative
Chairperson The General Committee Chairperson shall –
  • Preside at all regular Committee, special meetings and invited Board Meetings.
  • Serve as the spokesperson for the General Committee, including attending Board of Directors meetings or sending a designee.
  • Oversee the operations, events, training courses, safety and budget of the Committee.
  • The Chairperson is a non-voting position unless the Chairperson’s vote is needed to break a tie.
  • Creates a purposeful agenda in collaboration with the board of directors.
  • Serves as the contact for committee issues.
  • Sets goals and objectives with the board and ensures they are met.
  • Holds members accountable for attending meetings.

Vice Chairperson 

The General Committee Vice-Chairperson shall - 
  • Act in place of the Chairperson in the latter’s absence.
  • Oversee volunteer development, recognition, and succession planning
  • This is a voting position unless acting in the Chairperson’s place.
  • Assists the Chairperson in their duties
  • Arranges elections

Secretary 

The General Committee Secretary shall - 
  • Serve as the recording officer for the General Committee
  • Record, distribute and archive minutes from all Canyoning Committee meetings
  • Compile meeting agendas
  • Manage Canyoning Committee homepage on ukcanyoning.org
  • Act in the place of the Committee Chairperson in the event that both the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are absent
  • This is a voting position unless acting in the place of the Chairperson

Treasurer

The General Committee Treasurer 

  • Receive reports from the BoD Treasurer & verify against expectations
  • Approve reimbursement requests (Except chair approves Treasurer’s reimbursement requests)
  • Provide quarterly budget reports to the committee
  • Act in the place of the Committee Chairperson in the event that the Chairperson, Vice
The Chairperson and Secretary are all absent.
  • This is a voting position unless acting in the place of the Chairperson

Governance

The UKCA General Committee shall be governed by the UKCA Board of Directors. The General Committee shall be responsible for the governance of the Activity, including but not limited to making rules and determining policy for members and courses, managing the budget, and furthering Committee interests. The Board of Directors may create, restructure, or dissolve sub-committees to carry out purposes of the UKCA, appoint committee officers and members, and delegate to sub-committees powers and duties.

Meetings

UKCA General Committee meetings shall be held on a regular basis, as determined by its members, but not less than four times per year. The Chair or any two other Officers may call for a special meeting in advance of the next regularly scheduled meeting with 5 days’ notice to the Activity Council members. Regular meetings and a proposed agenda shall be announced a minimum of 2 weeks in Advance. A quorum of appropriate members must be present for a vote on any matter. 50% of the voting members plus one Executive Committee member shall constitute a quorum for a regular meeting. Whenever a Committee Officer other than the Committee Chairperson chairs a Committee meeting they assume the duties and authorities of the Committee Chairperson, for the duration of the meeting.

Decisions of Consequence

While committee members make hundreds of decisions as delegated by the Chairperson, the following decisions must be brought before the committee for a vote:
  • New course or CBD proposals
  • Major changes to an existing structure (eg. splitting course curriculum into two courses, Restructuring Trainer process).
  • Procedural exceptions (eg. making an exception to a written minimum requirement for equivalency)
  • Granting, suspending, and removing professional status
  • Unbudgeted expenses over £100 
  • Operational changes that will negatively impact revenue relative to the budget