Constitution
1. NAME
The name of the Association is:
Loughside Football Club (hereinafter called “the Club”)
2. OBJECTS
2.1 The objects of the Club shall be to achieve greater community participation in sport and healthy recreation by:
(i) providing quality facilities for junior clubs, local primary and secondary schools and voluntary and community organisations;
(ii) promoting the development of sporting events, competitions and activities;
(iii) encouraging participation in sports and recreation by members of all communities;
(iv) assisting the mental, moral and physical development of its members through age related practice, coaching and participation in playing football;
(v) providing a safe environment for members to participate in soccer;
(vi) encouraging proper attitudes to the game of football and promoting high standards of discipline and sportsmanship.
2.2 In furtherance to the above objects, the Club may:
(i) provide, maintain and equip premises and facilities designed to carry out the objects of the Club;
(ii) encourage and promote an active child protection policy and all other appropriate policies;
(iii) write, print, publish, distribute and sell books, periodicals, magazines, pamphlets, posters, sound and visual recordings, films and communications in any form, as shall further its objects;
(iv) organise or assist in organising practice classes, coaching, workshops, training courses, meetings, competitions, events and activities consistent with the objects of the Club;
(v) recruit, train and employ volunteers with relevant skills to carry out the work of the Club;
(vi) employ such paid staff (not being members of the Executive Committee) as may be necessary for the furtherance of the above objects upon such normal and reasonable terms and conditions as the Club may decide;
(vii) co-operate to such an extent as may be necessary with voluntary and statutory agencies and the inhabitants of the area of benefit so as to advance the said objects;
(viii) raise funds and invite or receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation or otherwise;
(ix) purchase, take, lease or exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any property and any rights and privileges necessary for the attainment of the said objects and construct maintain and alter any buildings or edifices so necessary as aforesaid;
(x) affiliate to the Northern Ireland Boys Football Association and any other organisations that the members feel appropriate;
(xi) support or subscribe to such charities and charitable purposes as may be recommended by the Management Committee;
(xii) do all such other lawful things as may be necessary to the attainment of the above objects.
3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1 The following shall be eligible for membership of the Club, irrespective of sex, race, nationality, religion or political opinion:
(i) people living in the Shore Road / York Road area who subscribe to the objects of the Club and whose applications for membership are accepted by the Committee;
(ii) other interested individuals or locally-based organisations may upon application to and with the approval of the Committee be admitted as Affiliated Members and shall have the right to attend General Meetings and vote.
3.2 The Management Committee shall have the right:
(i) to approve applications for membership; and
(ii) for good and sufficient reason to terminate the membership of any member PROVIDED THAT the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Management Committee before a final decision is made.
3.3 The Group shall have the power at Annual General Meetings to fix an annual or other form of membership subscription. It shall not however be obligatory for the Group to fix an annual or other form of membership subscription but if so fixed it shall be a qualification for membership that such subscription shall be fully paid up.
4. GENERAL MEETINGS
4.1 The Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.) of the Club shall be convened on a date decided by the Management Committee and the interval between one AGM and another shall not exceed thirteen calendar months.
4.2 The business of the A.G.M. shall include:
receiving the Annual Reports of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer;
receiving the audited or independently examined accounts of the Club, including the accounts of all Sub-Committees;
appointing an auditor or independent examiner for the accounts;
electing a new Management Committee;
considering proposals to amend the Constitution, if such proposals are presented.
4.3 A Special General Meeting of the Club shall be called at seven clear days' notice by the Secretary on the written demand of not less than half the Members of the Club for the time being or by the Chairperson of the Club or by the Management Committee. The notification of the Meeting shall include a statement of the business to be transacted.
4.4 The quorum of all General Meetings including the A.G.M. shall not be less than eight members of the club.
In the event that no quorum is present at a General Meeting of the Club, the meeting shall stand adjourned and be reconvened fourteen days later, and those members present at the meeting shall be deemed to form a quorum.
4.5 The Club shall adopt and actively use a Child Protection Policy monitored by a designated officer(s) to ensure that this Poicy is adhered to. The designated officer’s role is to deal with all issues arising from the Child Protection Policy in the strictest confidence and to record the minutes of all meetings regarding Policy issues. If a disclosure of a serious nature is reported to him/her, he/she is morally and duty bound to pass it on to Social Services.
4.6 Subject to clauses 10 and 11, voting at all General Meetings, including the A.G.M., shall be by simple majority on a show of hands or by ballot as the meeting may decide. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson shall have a second and casting vote.
5. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
5.1 Subject as hereinafter mentioned, the policy and general management of the affairs of the Club shall be directed by a Management Committee (hereinafter called "the Committee") which shall consist of not less than six members.
5.2 The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Assistant Secretary and two Treasurers, who shall be the Officers of the Club, shall be elected annually by and from the members of the Committee at their first meeting following the Annual General Meeting.
5.3 Any casual vacancy on the Committee may be filled by the Committee and any person appointed to fill a casual vacancy shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Club and shall be eligible for re-election at that Meeting.
5.4 The quorum at meetings of the Committee shall three members.
5.5 Voting shall be by simple majority. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote.
5.6 The Committee may appoint such special or standing committees as may be deemed necessary by the Committee and shall determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. The Committee shall have the power to enlist the services of any person who will be of benefit to the Club for any specific purpose. Such persons will not thereby become members of the Club. All acts and proceedings of such special or standing committees shall be reported back fully and promptly to the Committee.
5.7 The Management Committee shall have the power to publish and administer by-laws as they deem necessary to govern the activities of the Club.
5.8 A member of the Committee shall cease to be a member:
(i) upon giving the Secretary of the Club written notice of his/her intention to resign;
(ii) upon failing to attend three consecutive meetings of the Committee without giving a reason approved by the Committee.
6. THE CLUB'S YEAR AND AUDIT
The Club's year shall run from 1st July to 30th June. Once at least in every year the Accounts shall be audited or examined by a competent person appointed by the Annual General Meeting.
7. FINANCE
The income and property of the Club from wherever it is obtained, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the purposes of the Club as set forth in this Constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly in any manner by way of profit to any member of the Club. Provided that nothing herein shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of the Club or the repayment of out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the course of the Club's business by any Officer or other member appointed to act on behalf of the Club. The Club, or its Treasurers on its behalf, shall cause proper books of account to be kept with respect to all sums of money received and paid out by the Club and the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditure take place.
An account shall be opened in the name of the Club at a Bank to be approved by the Committee into which monies received on behalf of the Club shall be paid by the Treasurers or other responsible officials. Cheques for the payment of all accounts shall be signed by one of two persons appointed by the Committee and also by one of the Treasurers as the Committee may decide. Other bank accounts may be established for special purposes and such accounts shall be in the name of the Club, and subject to similar regulation and management by the Committee.
8. TRUSTEES
The Club's members may appoint and may terminate the appointment of one or more groups of Trustees of not less than three persons to act as Trustees for the purposes of holding any monies or property belonging to the Club. The title to all or any such real and/or personal property which may be required by or for the purposes of the Club shall be vested in these Trustees who shall hold such property in trust for the Club. The appointment and termination of appointment of these Trustees shall require not less than a three-quarters majority vote of members within each Section at a General Meeting. The Trustees shall act under the consent of the Club as determined by the assent of not less than three-quarters majority vote of members within each Section at General Meeting and, by similar regulations, the members in General Meeting shall have power to fill vacancies among the Trustees.
9. INDEMNITY
The Club may indemnify and keep indemnified every Officer, member or employee of the Club from, and against, all claims, demands, actions and proceedings (and all costs and expenses in connection therewith or arising therefrom) made or brought against the Club in connection with its activities, the actions of its Officers, members and employees, or in connection with its property and equipment.
The Treasurer may effect a policy of insurance in respect of the indemnity aforementioned.
10. ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
Alterations to the Constitution shall receive the assent of not less than two-thirds majority of the members of the Club present and voting. A resolution for the alteration of the Constitution shall be received by the Secretary at least twenty-one clear days before the Meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward. The Secretary shall give members at least fourteen clear days' notice of such a Meeting and shall include notice of the alterations proposed. Provided that no amendment shall be approved which would cause the Club to cease to be a charity at law.
11. DISSOLUTION
The Club may be dissolved at any time by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a general and quorate meeting of the Club of which at least twenty-one clear days' notice shall have been given to all members of the Club.
Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Club, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Club, but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Club as the Club may determine.
SCHEDULE
DISCIPLINARY AND APPEALS PROCEDURES
1. Disciplinary Procedures
1.1 The Disciplinary Committee will consist of three members chosen from the six members nominated at the start of that season, one from each age group from under 10’s to under 15’s.
1.2 All complaints must go to the Secretary in writing. The Secretary will select and chair all Disciplinary Committee meetings in a non-voting capacity.
1.3 A Disciplinary Committee meeting must take place within fourteen days after the Secretary has received a complaint. All parties involved may be invited to attend individually (or junior members with parents) or to submit a written response.
1.4 The Secretary will inform in writing both the member who made the complaint and the member who is the subject of their decision within seven days of a decision being made by the Disciplinary Committee.
1.5 When the Disciplinary Committee deems a complaint to be of appropriate severity, the Disciplinary Committee has the right to invoke any of the following disciplinary procedures:
a) verbal recorded warning;
b) written recorded warning;
c) suspension
d) expulsion.
1.6 Any member served with any of the disciplinary procedures has the right to appeal.
2. Appeals Procedure
2.1 A member may appeal a decision of the Disciplinary Committee in respect of a disciplinary matter or a complaint. The appeal must be made in writing to the Secretary within fourteen days of the member being notified about the outcome of the complaint or disciplinary procedure. The Appeals Committee will hear the appeal.
2.2 The Appeals Committee will consist of three members of the main Committee excluding the Secretary and designated child protection officer. The Appeals Committee will have the power to confirm, set aside or alter any sanction imposed by the Disciplinary Committee. No person can sit on both the Appeals Committee and the Disciplinary Committee.
2.3 Following the appeals procedure, if any party is not satisfied then the matter can be taken to the Governing Body of our sport.