High Newton

Disciplinary Policy

Disciplinary Policy

WADAA Rules & Disciplinary Policy

Anglers should be familiar with all WADAA rules, including those for individual fisheries, before starting to fish. These can be found on the Club’s website.

We hope the following disciplinary procedures are not seen as being overbearing. It is vitally important to ensure that all members follow club rules, many of which are in place to ensure that we do not breach rules and conditions which form part of lease agreements with our landlords.

Whilst fishing, you may encounter our Fishery Officer, whose job it is to ensure all anglers follow our rules, as well as helping to protect the Club from poachers and oversee the welfare of our waters. You may also meet members of the WADAA Board, all of whom carry Warrant Cards, to provide additional support to the Fishery Officer.

Any of these people may ask you to produce your Membership Card or Day Ticket. Additionally, they may ask to check your tackle to ensure our fishing rules are being observed.

At Bigland Tarn and Farletonview Fishery the landowners are also authorised to check tickets.

WADAA has a 3-level Disciplinary Policy designed to deal with rule breaches, from minor infringements right up to those involving actions deemed to represent gross misconduct. There is be no binding definition of gross misconduct or a serious breach of rules. Each case has to examined on its own merits.

LEVEL 1 – If a member is found to be in breach of WADAA rules whilst fishing, the most likely action will be a bank-side warning, together with a reminder of the relevant rule/s. A record of the infringement will be logged and sent to the Association Officer for future reference.

LEVEL 2 –  A Level-2 breach could be a repeat of a previously recorded Level-1 action, or may be a single more serious breach, such as early entry to one of our Fisheries, or late exit, for example.

The following process will follow:

  1. The Fishery Officer/Warrant Card holder may ask the member to leave the water, confiscate their card and impose a temporary suspension.
  2. The Fishery Officer/Warrant Card Holder, as soon as reasonably possible, will make notes of the rule breach/event, i.e. place, date, time, name of member and photos taken (if appropriate). The date and time that notes were made will also be recorded.
  3. The Administrative Officer will be notified of the suspension as soon as possible and will be provide with full written details.
  4. The Chairman or Deputy will be notified as soon as possible.
  5. Upon receipt of information of suspension, the Chairman/Deputy will contact the member to request a verbal explanation, if they have not already provided a written account of the incident themselves.
  6. The Chairman/Deputy may consult with other Board members to gauge the veracity of the rule breach/incident.
  7. The Chairman/Deputy has the authority to impose an immediate term of suspension should the member involved accept responsibility for the breach of rules.

LEVEL 3 –  A Level-3 incident represents the most serious rules breach and has the potential to lead to permanent expulsion from WADAA. The following procedure is designed to be fair and equitable whilst protecting the Club’s interest and that of it’s landlords.

A member may be suspended or expelled from WADAA (with no right to any refund of subscriptions paid) if that member acts in a way which, in the reasonable opinion of the directors, amounts to a) a serious or persistent breach of Club rules or b) which amounts to a serious or persistent breach of the Articles of Association or c) which is contrary to the objects and aims of the Company.

  1. A report of a breach in any of the above categories may be communicated to the Board of Directors (via the Club’s Administrative Officer) by the WADAA Fishery Officer, by a director, or by a member of the Club. In the case of a member, this should be made in writing and should include details and/or evidence, if possible, of the alleged breach. Ideally, the name of a witness should also be provided. Any WADAA landlord, or member of the public may also report incidents which may potentially form a rules breach under the terms of this policy.
  2. Upon receiving a complaint of a breach of rules, the WADAA Chairman (or Deputy), in consultation with two or more directors, will decide if a WADAA Disciplinary Panel should sit to consider if further action is appropriate.
  3. If a Disciplinary Panel sits, the person against whom the complaint is being made will be informed in writing and will be given 14 days to provide a written response to the complaint made against them. They will also be invited to attend the Disciplinary Panel.#
  4. The Disciplinary Panel will comprise a minimum of three directors (this can include a director who has reported a rules breach) with any decisions taken being by majority voting.
  5. The Disciplinary Panel will consider all relevant information and evidence. They will consider whether action, in the form of a suspension or expulsion, should be taken against the member.
  6. If it is decided that no suspension or expulsion is necessary the member will be notified of this in writing.
  7. If the Disciplinary Panel decide to suspend or expel the member, the reasons for this will be notified to the member in writing.
  8. The member has a right of appeal if they believe the Disciplinary Procedure has not been followed, or if new evidence comes to light. Any appeal must be received by the directors, in writing, within 14 days of the member being notified of the Disciplinary Panel decision.
  9. An appeal will be heard by an Appeal Panel comprising three directors (not including any of the directors who formed the original Disciplinary Panel). The member will have the right to make their case to the Appeal Panel (either face to face or in writing as the Appeal Panel determine) and may also produce documentary evidence (including witness statements) if the member wishes to do so. The Appeal Panel will investigate further as they see fit and will then decide by a majority vote whether the suspension or expulsion should be upheld or rescinded.
  10. The decision of the Appeal Panel is final.