This page offers some information on the structure and function of Regional Council, and where to find out more.
"The affairs of the Society shall be supervised by the Council..."
(SCAS Constitution 8.1, April 2003)
Regional Council is the body - in fact a large committee - responsible for the general management of the society. It does not manage day to day activities, but sets general policies and, through the various officers' and officials' reports, approves the actions taken in SCAS's name on a day to day basis. It also operates as a forum in which the different Counties can discuss any common interests, and represents the only administrative body within SCAS where all the different activities of the region, including the judges' committee, coaching committee, counties and SCAS officers and officials can inform each other of their activities through the Region.
It performs this function through meetings at which it receives reports from officers and officials, and considers any relevant business of a more general kind.
All officers and officials of the region are answerable to Council, including the Executive Committee, for actions taken between council meetings.
The Constitution specifies an executive, additional elected officers, County representatives, and a range of ex officio appointments. For a quick overview of the different members, and how they are appointed, look here. For a full list of the current members of Council, consult the SCAS "Green Book" (Annual Report and Directory), or look here.
Check the Council Structure table for a summary of who appoints each member of council.
Council meets four times a year, including one meeting immediately before the Annual General Meeting of the Society.
Council takes most of the major decisions about the running of the society. For more information on the things Council is responsible for, see "What Council Does".
Meetings are run under the direction of the Chairman, according to a previously circulated agenda set by the Secretary in consultation with the Chairman.
The agenda normally covers the usual apologies, approval of minutes and matters arising, followed by reports from all Officers and Officials. Recurrent business, such as annual appointment of Officials, appears as required. Non-recurrent, "one-off" business is either given a notified agenda 'slot' or treated as the catch-all "any other business".
Council operates as a formal committee, with voting for acceptance of minutes and proposals following discussion. Since it is quite large, it is sometimes necessary to delegate consideration of complex or detailed problems. These matters, which vary a lot in complexity, are dealt with in a variety of ways, including appointment of temporary working groups, co-opted members, delegation to an existing member of council or, sometimes, structured discussions within council meetings. In general, the aim is to bring an issue to a point where recommendations can be made, considered and approved by council.
For an archer wanting to know more about SCAS Council activities and decisions, the formal route is through the Club, which is represented on the County Committee. The county appoints representatives to Council, and the county's representatives can be approached for information. SCAS minutes are usually circulated to County Secretaries as well as Council Members.
At the Chairman's discretion, individual members of the Region (those who pay a fee direct to the region instead of through a club) may attend council meetings as observers.
In future, council minutes, agendas and papers are intended to be available on this website, though confidential matters (for example disciplinary matters that have not yet become public) will not be included in publicly available minutes.
The best way to affect a Council decision is to get involved in Council activities! New members are vital to keep the Region alive, and it is generally true that "decisions are made by those who turn up".
To influence a decision on a proposed action or discussion, speak first to your county's SCAS representatives or raise it at a County Committee meeting. Normally, the SCAS representatives will take account of views expressed to them, and will always put forward a view supported by their county committee. This route is guaranteed to get your views heard if the county supports them.
If action is to be proposed, the formal route is again to write a proposal, get it approved by the County, and send it to the Regional Secretary for inclusion on the Council Agenda.
Most of the day to day business, including the decisions that work requires, is done by the officers and officials carrying out their jobs. They will, where necessary, talk to each other - for example, the treasurer will often have a say in Tournament budgeting. However, some urgent issues which would normally need Council consideration do arise. When that happens, an Executive committee consisting of the President, General Secretary, Treasurer and Chairman of Council handles matters (usually by phone or email rather than a separate meeting). The outcome will normally be reported back to Council under the Secretary's report.