CONSTITUTION OF UPPER BEEDING FOOTBALL CLUB

 

1.         Name

 

The club shall be called Upper Beeding Football Club (the Club)

 

2.         Registered Address

 

The registered address shall be that of the Club General Secretary

 

3.         Objects

 

The objects of the Club shall be to arrange association football matches and social activities for its members.

 

4.         Status of Rules

 

These rules (the Club Rules) form a binding agreement between each member of the Club.

 

5.         Rules and Regulations

 

(a)        The Club shall have the status of an Affiliated Member Club of The Football Association by virtue of its affiliation to/membership of The Football Association. The Rules and Regulations of The Football Association Limited and parent County Association and any League or Competition to which the Club is affiliated for the time being shall be deemed to be incorporated into the Club Rules.

(b)        The Club will also abide by The Football Association’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct and the Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Policy.

 

6.         Club Membership

 

(a)        The members of the Club from time to time shall be those persons listed in the register of members (the Membership Register) which shall be maintained by the Club Secretary.

(b)        Ordinary Membership: This class of membership is for those persons who wish to participate in and / or any physical activities directly connected with association football.

 

(c)        Social Membership: This class of membership if for those people who are supporters of Upper Beeding Football Club who wish to be involved in the wellbeing  of the Club and its social activities.s

(d)        Persons may apply for membership as ordinary or social members on signing a league registration form or club membership form and delivering it to the Club. Election to membership shall be at the sole discretion of the General Management Committee. Membership shall become effective upon an applicant’s name being entered in the Membership Register accompanied by payment of the appropriate membership fee..

(e)        Persons refused membership have the right of appeal against the original decision  in person (accompanied by another person of their choosing) to the General Management Committee.

(f)        Ordinary & Social members shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings of the Club. A parent or guardian may represent the interest of a child when voting at a General Meeting with the proviso of one member one vote.

(g)        Existing members will not have the benefit of membership for the following season until they have paid that seasons membership fees

(h)        The Football Association and parent County Association shall be given access to the Membership Register on demand.

(i)         Honorary Life Membership:  The General Management Committee shall have the power to nominate or elect Honorary Life Members of the club. Such members shall not pay any subscriptions and shall be entitled to the same rights as Ordinary and Social Members.

 

7.         Annual Membership & Match Fees

 

(a)        An annual fee payable by each ordinary & social member shall be determined from time to time by the General Management Committee. Any fee shall be payable on a successful application for membership and annually by each member. Fees shall not generally be repayable. However, the  General Management Committee shall be able to authorise either a partial or full refund in exceptional circumstances.

(b)        The General Management Committee shall have the authority to levy further subscriptions i.e. Match Fees from the ordinary members as are reasonably necessary to fulfil the objects of the Club.

 

8.         Resignation and Expulsion

 

(a)        A member shall cease to be a member of the Club if, and from the date on which, he/she gives notice to the General Management Committee of their resignation. A member whose annual membership fee or further subscription is more than 2 months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.

(b)        The General Management Committee shall have the power to expel a member when, in their opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Club for them to remain a member.

(c)        Expelled members have the right of appeal in person against the original decision (accompanied by another person of their choosing) to the General Management Committee.     

(d)        A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any, of the Club Property.

(e)        In the event of a member’s resignation or expulsion, his or her name shall be removed from the Membership Register.

 

9.         General Management Committee

 

(a)        The management of the affairs of the club shall be the responsibility of the General Management Committee (GMC) and shall consist of the following Club Officers: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, General Secretary. Chair of Football Management Committee or nominated deputy, elected at an Annual General Meeting.

(b)        Each Club Officer and GMC Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting unless otherwise resolved at a Special General Meeting. One person may hold no more than two positions of Club Officer at any time.

(c)        Decisions of the GMC shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the GMC meeting. The Chairperson of the GMC shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. The quorum for the transaction of business of the GMC shall be three

(d)        Decisions of the GMC shall be entered into the Minute Book of the Club to be maintained by the General Secretary.

(e)        Any member of the GMC may call a meeting of the GMC by giving not less than 7 days’ notice to all members of the GMC.

The GMC shall hold not less than four meetings a year.

(f)        An outgoing member of the GMC may be re-elected. Any vacancy on the GMC which arises between Annual General Meetings shall be filled by a member proposed by one and seconded by another of the remaining GMC members and approved by a simple majority of the remaining GMC members.

(g)        Save as provided for in the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association and the County Association to which the Club is affiliated, the GMC shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules.

 

10.        Football Management Committee

 

(a)        There shall be a Football Management Committee, This committee shall consist of a Chairperson,  Secretaries for the Men’s, Ladies, Boys & Girls teams, a Fundraising Secretary, Team Managers,   plus up to 3 other members 

 (b)       The Football Management Committees shall have the power to set up sub committees as they see fit.

(c)        The Football Management Committee shall be responsible to the GMC for its conduct. Rules relating to this committee shall be drawn up by the GMC

             

11.        Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings

 

(a)        An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in each year to:

 

(i)   receive a report of the activities of the Club over the previous year

(ii)  receive a report of the Club’s finances over the previous year

(iii) appoint the Club President, if appropriate. (Note:- the Club President will usually remain in   office for a period of 3 years)

(iv) elect the officers of the Club including Club Custodians and members of the GMC

(v)  consider any other business.

 

 (b)       Nominations for election of members as Club Officers or as members of the GMC shall either be made in writing to the General Secretary in advance or alternatively in person at the AGM. Each nomination shall have a proposer and seconder both of whom shall be existing members of the Club.

(c)        Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the General Secretary not less than 21 days before the Meeting.

(d)        An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called at any time by the GMC and shall be called within 21 days of the receipt by the General Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by not less than thirty ordinary members (or if at any time the membership falls below 30 in number by one fifth of the total number of ordinary members) stating the purposes for which the Meeting is required and the resolutions proposed. Business at an EGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM.

(e)        The General Secretary shall publish a written notice of the date of a General Meeting together with the resolutions to be proposed at least 14 days before the Meeting.

(f)        All subjects for the agenda of the AGM or EGM must be advised in writing to the General Secretary 7 clear days before the meeting takes place.

(g)        The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 15 ordinary members entitled to vote.

(h)        The Club President or in their absence a member selected by the GMC, shall take the chair. Each ordinary member present shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the Meeting shall have a casting vote.

(i)         The General Secretary, or in their absence a member of the GMC, shall enter Minutes of General Meetings into the Minute Book of the Club.

 

12.        Club Teams

 

At its first meeting following each AGM the GMC shall appoint a Club member to be responsible for each of the Club’s football teams. The appointed members shall be responsible for managing the affairs of the team. The appointed members shall present to the appropriate Football Committee at its last meeting prior to an AGM a written report of the activities of the team.

 

13.        Club Finances

 

(a)        A bank account shall be opened and maintained in the name of the Club (the Club Account). Designated account signatories shall be the GMC Chairperson, the General Secretary and the Treasurer. No sum shall be drawn from the Club Account except by cheque signed by two of the three designated signatories. All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in the Club Account.

(b)        The income and assets of the Club (the Club Property) shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club.

(c)        The GMC shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.

(d)        The Club shall prepare an annual Financial Statement in such form as shall be published by The Football Association from time to time.

(e)        The Financial Year will end on the 31st day of May. The accounts will be made up to that date and audited annually by an auditor appointed by the GMC

(f)        The Club Property, other than the Club Account, shall be vested in not less than two and no more than four custodians, one of whom shall be the Treasurer (the Custodians), who shall deal with the Club Property as directed by decisions of the GMC and entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence of such a decision.

(g)        The Custodians shall be appointed by the Club in a General Meeting and shall hold office until death or resignation unless removed by a resolution passed at a General Meeting.

(h)        On their removal or resignation a Custodian shall execute a Conveyance in such form as is published by The Football Association from time to time to a newly elected Custodian or the existing Custodians as directed by the GMC On the death of a Custodian, any Club Property vested in them shall vest automatically in the surviving Custodians. If there is only one surviving Custodian, a Special General Meeting shall be convened as soon as possible to appoint another Custodian.

(i)         The Custodians shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the Club Property for all expenses and other liabilities reasonably incurred by them in carrying out their duties.

 

14.        Code of Conduct

 

A Code of Conduct, enforced by the GMC through the Football Management  Committees, shall be issued to all Club Officers, ordinary members and parents.

 

15.        Dissolution

 

(a)        A resolution to dissolve the Club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the ordinary members present

(b)        The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the GMC shall be responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.

(c)        Any surplus assets remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be used for the purposes of football’s governing body in the local community.