CLUB CONSTITUTION DANDSHASTINGSYOUTH
May 2019
D & S HASTINGS YOUTH
Club Constitution
1. Name Of Club
The Football Club will be called D & S Hastings youth,(hereinafter will be referred to as the Club) and may also be known as D & S F.C.
D & S Hastings Youth Football Club is affiliated to the English Football Association through the Sussex F.A
Affiliation Number: U-SUS 2860.
2. Our Clubs Aims And Objectives
A. To recruit young adults under the age of sixteen (any gender).
B. Offer competitive opportunities in coaching.
C. Promote the club in the local community and surrounding areas.
D.Ensure a duty of care and wellbeing to all its members and staff.
E. We want to be seen as to provide services that are fair to everyone.
F. To look professional and uniformed in what we do on and off the pitch and set a high standard for other clubs to follow.
G. To have fun.
3. Membership
A.Membership/affiliation with our club is offered to anyone who is interested in promoting the club in a positive manner. You can coach,volunteer or participate in football, regardless of sex,age,disability,ethncity,nationality,sexual orientation,religion or other beliefs.
The membership shall consist of the following categories,
Head Coach, Assistant Coach.
As the club grows there will be more coaches added.
B. All members will be subject to the club's regulations of this constitution and by joining the club it will be deemed to accept these regulations, policies and code of conduct.
C. Members in each category (not exhaustive) will complete an annual registration form/documentation and pay membership fees (where required), as determined by our Annual General Meeting (Minutes will be taken at every meeting).
D. All members/individuals who play a part within the club can attend and vote at general meetings and be eligible for selection for any team (age appropriate) when the applicable registration documentation has been completed and signed and subscription has been paid in line with the club's pay to play policy and / or membership has been agreed by the club committee.
4. Sports Equity
A.This club is commited to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following FA Anti Discrimination Action Plan vision:
English football wants everyone to have the chance to be actively involved.
There should be no barriers to involvement or development and football should always operate in a safe, fun and friendly environment.
B.The club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone involved equally within all aspects of football and the game,regardless of age, gender, ability, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexuality or social/economic status.
C. All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.
D.Commitment is key for everyone having the right to take part and enjoy football in an environment free of threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.
E. The team selection will not be deemed discriminatory as long as the team's direction, goals and selection policy for the forthcoming season are agreed and signed up by all team members and coaching staff and are informed /published by the 1st of August each year. Any amendments that occur during the season without player and coaching staff consultation and agreement, selection complaints raised to the committee, may be deemed discriminatory and will be addressed appropriately.
F. The club adopts all the FA regulations, policies and codes of conduct.
5. The Committee
A. Affairs of the club shall be conducted by a committee which shall consist of
The Chairman, Club Secretary, Treasurer, Welfare Officer, ordinary members.
B. All committee members must be members of the club.
C. The term of office shall run for 2 years, and members shall be eligible for re-election.
D. Members shall be elected at the general meeting.
E. If any executive officer or ordinary committee member position 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 have powers to appoint advisers to the committee as necessary to fulfill its business.
G.The committee will be responsible for adopting new policies, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.
H. The committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club codes of conduct, policies, rules, regulations and constitution.The committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following any hearings.
I.The committee meetings will be convened by the Chairman or Secretary of the club and to be held every quarter or sooner if need be. Minutes of these meetings will be recorded. Only the posts named above will have the right to vote at at committee meetings.
J. The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be two people.
Discipline and appeal committee meetings will be a minimum of two people.
These will include Chairman, Secretary, and any other members.
6. Finances
A. The club treasurer will be responsible for all finances of the club.
B. The financial year will run from the 1st August to 31st July.
C. An account has been set up.
D. A book keeper has been brought in to set up the profit and loss accounts for the year.
E. An audited statement of annual accounts will have the treasurer's signature on it when any cheques, cash, monies have been drawn down at the end of each year to show transparency.
F. All members of the club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the club.
7. Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings
A. The general meetings are the means whereby the members of the club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the club's affairs.
B.The club's Annual General Meeting shall be at anytime during June and August of each year.
The point of the AGM is to
i) Approve the minutes of the previous year's AGM.
ii) Receive reports from the Chairman or Secretary.
iii)Receive Treasurer's report and approval of annual accounts.
iv) Agree membership, kit and training fees for the following year.
v) Agree home pitch and training placement.
vi) Consider any proposed changes to the constitution.
vii) Deal with anything else that needs addressing.
C. All members will be given 14 days' notice via the club secretary of the AGM.
D. Nominations for executive officers and ordinary members of the committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM.
E. Any proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate at least 7 days before an AGM.
F. Every member has the right to vote at the AGM.
G. The quorum will be 3 at AGM.
H.The chairman of the club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings.
I. A special general meeting (SGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10 per cent of the members of the club. The committee shall also have the power to call an SGM by decision of a simple majority of the committee members.
J. All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.
8. Amendments to the constitution
The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or SGM.
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 safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures. The club's welfare officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns.
B. All complaints regarding any members should follow the clubs complaints procedure.
10. Data Protection/Cookie and GDPR policies.
Please refer to this policy which can be found on our website.
11. Dissolution of the club
A. A resolution to dissolve the club can be passed at an AGM or SGM through a majority vote of the membership.
B. In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with the club's funds. Any assets of the club that remain following this will become the property of Stelios Michael.
12. Declaration
D & S Hastings Youth Football Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of its members.
Name: Stelios Michael
Position: Chairman
Date:18th May 2019
Name: Dennis Ireland
Position: Secretary
Date: 18th May 2019