NEWS

 

Old Citizens Football Association – Club Constitution

1. Name of Club

The club will be called Old Citizens Football Association (Hereinafter will be referred

to as The Club), and may also be known as Old Citizens. Old Citizens will be

affiliated to the John Carpenter Club (JCC). Colours will be red and black.

2. Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:

• To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in football
• To promote the club within the local community and football
• To manage the Club’s accounts
• To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
• To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone

3. Membership

(a) Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching,

volunteering or participating in football, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity,

nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

(b) The membership will consist of the following categories:

• Full member
• Part-time member
• Ad hoc member

(c) All members will be subjected to the regulations of the constitution and by joining
the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club
hasadopted.

(d) Members in each category will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual

General Meeting.

(e) Individuals shall not be eligible to take part in the business of the club, vote at

general meetings or be eligible for selection of any club team unless the applicable

subscription has been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by

the Club committee.

4. Sports Equity

(a) The club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its

development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England

definition of sports equity:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising

inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture

and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in

society.

(b) The club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat

everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender,

race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality, or social/economic status.

(c) The club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an

environment free of intimidation, harassment and abuse.  

(d) All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and

promote equality of opportunity.

(e) The club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously,

according to club disciplinary procedures.

5. Committee

(a) The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee which shall consist of the

Chairman, Treasurer, and Secretary, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

(b) All committee members must be members of the Club.

(c) If required, the committee can elect a Vice-Chair from among its members.

(d) The term of office shall be for one year, and the members shall be eligible for

re-election.

(e) If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until

the succeeding Annual General Meeting.

(f) The committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and

rules that affect the organisation of the club.

(g) The Committee will have powers to appoint any advisers to the Committee as

necessary to fulfil its business.

(h) The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who
infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for
taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

(i) The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club, and be held

no less than twice per year.

(j)  Only the posts above will have the right to vote at committee meetings.

(k) The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings

will be three.

6. Finances

(a) The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.

(b) The financial year will run from May 1st and end on April 30th.

(c) All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.

(d) A statement of accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General

Meeting.

(e) Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of the treasurer

plus up to two other officers.

(f) All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial

liabilities of the Club.

7. Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

(a) General Meetings are the means whereby members of the Club exercise their

democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

(b) The Club shall hold Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of July to:

• Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
• Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.
• Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the accounts.
• Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts.
• Elect the officers on the committee.
• Agree the membership fees for the following year.
• Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
• Deal with any other relevant business.

(c) Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary, with at least 14 days notice

to be given to all members.

(d) Nominations of officers for the committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the

AGM.

(e) Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM,

     who shall circulate them at least 7 days before an AGM.

(f) All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

(g) The quorum for AGMs will be 10.

(h) The Chairman of the Club will hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at

general and committee meetings.

(i) An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) will be called by an application in

writing to the secretary supported by at least 10% of members of the club. The

committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by a decision of a simple

majority of the committee members.

(j) All procedures shall follow those above for AGMs.

8. Amendments to the Constitution

The constitution will only be changed by agreement by majority vote at an AGM

or EGM.

9. Discipline and Appeals

(a) All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the

welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly

and appropriately in accordance with the club’s child protection policy and

procedures. The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the

event of any child protection concerns.

(b) All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and

submitted in writing to the secretary.

       (c) The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 14 days of

        a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate

        disciplinary action including termination of membership.

        (d) The outcome of the disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the

        person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint  

        was made within 14 days of the hearing.

        (e) There will be right of appeal to the Management Committee following

        disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal

        within 30 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

10.        Dissolution

            (a) A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through

            a majority vote of the membership.

            (b) In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any club funds.

            Any assets of the club that remain following this will become the property of the

            JCC.

11.        Declaration

            Old Citizens FA hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating

            guide regulating the actions of members.