(draft for approval)

1. Name and Status

The club will be called NEWMARKET HOCKEY CLUB and will be affiliated to ENGLAND HOCKEY. The colours of the club shall consist of Navy and Yellow and will be worn by members when playing a match. The alternative is Navy and White if there is a colour clash.

The club is a Community Amateur Sports Club and shall be administered by a General Committee.

2. Aims and objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:

• To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in HOCKEY (field hockey) to all whatever their ability, ethnic origin, culture, religion or gender.

• To promote the club within the local community and the playing of HOCKEY.

• To provide mutual support and care between all members of the club and ensure that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment.
• To support local Sport Development initiatives including work with local schools in order to raise the profile of HOCKEY in the area.

3. Membership

Membership should consist of officers and members of the club. Except for The President and Vice-presidents who are elected at the Annual General Meeting, membership requires a commitment to support the aims and objectives of the club, the payment of
the appropriate membership fee and participation in some club events.

All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of conduct that the club has adopted by joining the club.

Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

1. full playing member

2. student or youth playing member

3. junior (15 or under) playing member

4. junior trainee member

5. associate or social member

6. life member

7. The President and Vice-presidents.

Members must treat all members and guests with courtesy and consideration at all times. All members have the right to attend and vote at General Meetings and to attend meetings of the General Committee except when considering disciplinary matters.

Playing members have the right to play and be coached in hockey at an appropriate level and the responsibility to pay their membership fee and pay match fees at the proper level and meet other commitments to pay or attend events.

Junior trainee members have the right to attend coaching events at an appropriate level and may participate in games arranged for them. They have the responsibility to behave in a safe manner and be attentive to coaches or others trying to teach hockey.

Other members have the right to receive a fixture card, to participate in social events and to watch coaching and games. They have the responsibility to support the club and meet their commitments in that regard.

4. Membership fees

Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the General Committee or determined at the Annual General Meeting. Fees will be paid: annually with effect from 1 October each year. The General Committee can make special arrangements for new members joining as players after 1 January each year.

5. Officers of the club

The officers of the club will be:

1. Chair

2. Vice Chair

3. Secretary

4. Treasurer

5. Captains – Men, Ladies, Youth/Juniors

   1. Team captains and vice-captains

6. Membership Secretary/Officers

7. Club Coach

8. Fixtures Secretary

9. League Officials

10. Social Secretary

11. 5 members without portfolio.

Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-appointment.

6. Committee

The club will be managed through the General Committee consisting of:

1. Chair

2. Vice Chair

3. Secretary

4. Treasurer

5. Captains (managers or section representatives)

6. Membership Secretary/Officers

7. Club Coach

8. Social Secretary and

9. 5 other officers.

Only these posts will have the right to vote at meetings of the General Committee.

The General Committee will be convened by the Chair or Secretary of the club and will hold no less than NINE MEETINGS per year.

The quorum required for business to be agreed at General Committee meetings will be FIVE.

The General Committee will be responsible for:

1. the good financial management of the Club and members’ money;

2. the good administration of the Club

3. adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

The General Committee will have powers to co-opt members, to create sub-committees and engage advisers to the General Committee or sub-committees as necessary to fulfil its aims, objectives or the directions of its members as resolved at a General Meeting.

The General Committee will be responsible for arranging disciplinary hearings of members who bring the club or the game of HOCKEY into disrepute. The General Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following
such hearings.

Disciplinary Hearings will be chaired by the General Committee Vice Chair (or such other person appointed by the General Committee if the Vice Chair is not available) and may engage advisers from England Hockey or others to ensure the hearing is fair, the outcome and the award is proportionate. Disciplinary Hearings will consist of the Chair (being the club Vice Chair) and two other elected officers. The Club Coach, Team Captain of the respondent and section manager will be entitled to make representations at any hearing.

7. Finance

All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club. The General Committee shall commit club monies to meet the aims and objectives of the Club. The General Committee has authority to delegate financial commitment to other officers for specific purposes.

The Club Treasurer will be responsible to the General Committee for the finances of the club. The Treasurer will present an audited statement of annual accounts at the Annual General Meeting.

The financial year of the club will end on 30 April each year.

Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer plus up to two other officers.

8. General Meetings

The Club Secretary will give notice of any General Meeting to members at the time with not less than TEN clear days’ notice. The quorum for General Meetings will be ELEVEN members.

All members have the right to vote at General Meetings.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be convened between the beginning of May and the end of July every year.

The AGM will report to members from officers of the General Committee about its activities and provide a statement of the audited accounts.

Elections of officers are to take place at the AGM and nominations for officers of the General Committee will be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM or taken from the floor of the meeting.

The agenda for the AGM will allow members to raise any matters of concern for consideration by the membership. This shall not enable any change to the constitution, rules, regulation or financial commitments of the Club (or the like) for which an Extraordinary General Meeting is more appropriate.

Extraordinary General Meetings – The General Committee has the right to call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) outside the AGM. The General Committee must convene an EGM upon receipt of a written request signed by SEVEN members. Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM except only items on the agenda can be considered.

9. Discipline and appeals

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary. Such complaints shall be dealt with both separately from other business and without undue publicity in accordance with the natural rules of justice to allow the respondent to retain their dignity.

The General Committee will meet to hear complaints within FIFTEEN days of a complaint being lodged. The committee will then decide if a Disciplinary Hearing is necessary and make arrangements for a hearing, if it is. The date of the hearing must give the person against whom the complaint was made, the respondent, time to prepare and make arrangements to attend. The committee shall invite the complainant to make representations to the hearing and can require the complainant to attend if they believe it necessary to take the matter further.

If the complainant is REQUIRED to attend and fails to do so, the case can be dismissed.

The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing with reasons to the respondent within TEN days of the hearing.

There will be the right of appeal to the General Committee by the respondent within FIVE days of the receipt of the Hearing notification or award. The appeal application must give the grounds and say what elements are thought to be wrong. The committee should consider the appeal within FIFTEEN days of the Secretary receiving the appeal. The appellant may attend and make a statement and the committee may ask questions. In its adjudication, the committee may set aside the Hearing and require a fresh one, may change the outcome or award or confirm the outcome or award.

The outcome of the disciplinary process shall be notified to the person who lodged the complaint FIVE to TEN days after the process is complete.

10. Dissolution

A resolution to dissolve the club can be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership. If the General Committee cannot convene a quorate AGM or EGM, those who are authorised to sign cheques can dissolve the club.

In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club are vested in trust with those who are authorised to sign cheques who will pass what remains after debts are paid to local charities, clubs or like organisations with compatible objectives.

11. Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

12. Declaration

NEWMARKET HOCKEY CLUB hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the rights and responsibilities of members.

 

SIGNED:                                                                 DATE:

NAME:

POSITION: Club Chair

SIGNED:                                                                 DATE:

NAME:

POSITION: Club Secretary