CAMBRIDGE CITY KORFBALL CLUB CONSTITUTION – Affiliated to the English Korfball Association
1. CLUB NAME
1.1.The name shall be CAMBRIDGE CITY KORFBALL CLUB (hereinafter called “the Club”).
2. STATUS
2.1. The Club is formed as a voluntary body for the amateur sport of Korfball. The Club will be a member club affiliated to the Cambridgeshire Korfball Association (hereinafter called “the CKA”) and the English Korfball Association (hereinafter called “the EKA”).
3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
3.1. To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in korfball.
3.2. To promote the Club within the local community and korfball community.
3.3. To promote wide participation.
3.4. To encourage fair play and sportsmanship.
3.5. To provide all its services in a way that is fair and equal to everyone (both present and future members), in accordance with section 12.1. 3.6. To ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club.
3.7. To adopt the EKA duty of care guidelines for korfball clubs and area associations including the Child Protection Guidelines.
3.8. To adopt the EKA Codes of Conduct for staff & volunteers, coaches, parents, players & spectators.
4. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CLUB
4.1. The Club shall consist of the officers and the members.
4.2. There shall be eleven classes of membership available:
4.2.1. Adult squad membership (18+); employed4.2.2. Adult club membership (18+); employed
4.2.3. Family membership (2 adults and up to 2 children)
4.2.4. Student squad membership (full-time students in Higher Education)
4.2.5. Student club membership (full-time students in Higher Education)
4.2.6. Junior squad membership (under 18)
4.2.7. Junior club membership (under 18)
4.2.8. Junior training membership (7-14)
4.2.9. Tyke memberhip (3-7)
4.2.10. Honorary life membership
4.2.11. Concessionary (Adult, Junior, Tykes)
4.3. Any person may apply for membership by completing a membership application form and paying the relevant membership fee.
4.4. In applying for membership a person agrees to abide by the Constitution of the Club and abide by the rulings of the Management Committee and Codes of Conduct that the Club has adopted.
4.5. The Management Committee shall be responsible for considering applications for membership.
4.6. The Management Committee shall have the power to award honorary lifetime membership.
4.7. Members may resign from membership at any time by giving written notice to the Club Secretary.
4.8. Each individual player is classified as a member of the Club. The player can be represented by a parent/carer.
4.9. All members involved in National competitions shall be affiliated to the EKA via the Club.
4.10 The membership fees and criteria for the concessionary rate shall be set annually at the Annual General Meeting (hereinafter referred to as “the AGM”)
5. MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB
5.1. The management of the affairs of the Club shall be vested in a club Management Committee (hereinafter referred to as “the Committee”).
5.2. The Committee is to be elected annually at the AGM.
5.3. The Committee will be comprised of the following elected officers:
5.3.1. Chairperson
5.3.2. Membership Secretary
5.3.3. Fixtures Secretary
5.3.4. Treasurer
5.3.5. Refereeing Officer
5.3.6. Senior Development Officer
5.3.7. Youth Development Officer
5.3.8. Publicity Officer
5.3.9. Junior Co-ordinator
5.3.10. Child Protection Officer
5.3.11. Tournament Officer
5.3.12. Social Secretary
5.4. The Committee shall be responsible for appointing the following:
5.4.1. Head Coach
5.4.2. Youth Coach
5.4.3. Assistant Coaches as appropriate.
5.5. Team Captains will be appointed by the Head Coach.
5.6. The duties of the officers are set out in the Appendices hereto.
5.7. The Committee has the power to appoint sub-committees as necessary and appoint advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business. 5.8. The Committee may fill any vacancy in respect of the elected officers to act until the next AGM.
5.9. An officer of the Committee should not have any financial interest in any contract entered into the Club UNLESS this interest has been declared to the Committee.
5.10. The Committee shall determine any questions as to interpretation of the Constitution.
5.11. The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policies, Code of Conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the Club.
5.12. 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.
5.13. A minimum of 4 Committee meetings shall be called by the Chairperson as necessary during the year.
5.14. If petitioned by over 50% of the Committee, the Chair shall call an Emergency Committee meeting within 10 days of receiving the petition. At least 5 days written notice of this meeting shall be given to all officers of the Committee.
5.15. Meetings may be in person, or by telephone/video conference, by email or by internet.
5.16. A quorum for Committee meetings shall be 5 elected officers.
5.17. Elected officers will have one vote. In the event of equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
5.18. Any member of the Committee failing to attend three consecutive Committee meetings without satisfactory reasons in the judgement of a majority of the Committee shall be deemed to have resigned their position.
6. ELECTION OF THE COMMITTEE
6.1. The Committee shall be elected at the AGM by the members of the Club.
6.2. All officers are elected for a period of one year but may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year.
6.3. Nominations for officers, duly seconded and with the consent of the nominee, should be received by the Secretary not less than 14 days prior to the AGM. If no nominations are received for a particular office, nominations will be considered from the floor at the AGM.
6.4. In the event that there is a single nomination for an office or that the existing officer is willing to continue, a vote will be taken to confirm their position.
6.5. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded by more than 33% of voting members present.
6.6. Candidates for offices may not vote for themselves.
6.7. No person under the age of 18 years may be elected an officer of the Club.
7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
7.1. The date of the AGM is to be decided by the Committee.
7.2. Not less than 21 clear days written notice of an AGM or EGM is to be given to all members.
7.3. Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any items for the agenda at least 14 days before the AGM or EGM.
7.4. The Secretary shall circulate the agenda 7 days before the meeting.
7.5. All members may attend.
7.6. No member may take part in the business of the AGM if their membership fees are not fully paid at the date of the AGM.
7.7. The ordinary business of the AGM shall be:
7.7.1. To approve the minutes of the previous AGM and/or any EGM;
7.7.2. To receive reports from the officers of the Club;
7.7.3. To receive the audited accounts from the Treasurer;
7.7.4. To elect the officers;
7.7.5. To set the membership rates and criteria for the concessionary rate for the forthcoming year;
7.7.6. To transact any other business included in the Agenda.
7.8. The quorum of the AGM or EGM shall be not less than 25% of the membership, including not less than 50% of the elected officers, on the date that the AGM or EGM is taking place.
7.9. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary signed by not less than 7 members. The EGM will be held within 28 days of receipt of a valid application.
7.10. Voting at AGMs and EGMs shall be by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded by 33% of voting members present. In the event of voting being equal, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
8. FINANCE AND FUNDING
8.1. All funds raised by or on behalf of the Club shall be used to achieve the aims and interests of the Club and for no other purpose.
8.2. The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club.
8.3. The financial year of the Club ends on 31 July.
8.4. Proper accounts shall be kept of all sums of money received and paid out by the Club.
8.5. The funds of the Club shall be lodged at a Bank or Building Society in an account in the name of the Club and all cheques, drafts etc., drawn on these accounts shall be signed by two officers, one of whom must be the Treasurer.
8.6. Statements of Accounts will be drawn up annually and presented to the AGM.
8.7. The Statements will be audited by a person who is not a member of the Club and who is independent of the Treasurer. The Auditor will not necessarily be a qualified auditor.
9. PROPERTY STAFF AND INDEMNITY
9.1. Responsibility for all property owned or leased by the Club and for the employment of paid staff and volunteers rests with the Committee.
9.2. The Committee shall be indemnified by the Club against all costs and losses for which they may become liable by reason of duty performed for or with the authority of the Committee.
10. TRUSTEES OF THE CLUB
10.1. The Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary of the Club are appointed, for all intents and purposes, Trustees and legal owners of all trophies, property and funds of the Club and will deal with the same according to instructions from the Committee.
11. REVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION
11.1. The Constitution shall be reviewed on an annual basis.
11.2. Amendments to the constitution shall only be agreed at an AGM or at an EGM called for that express purpose.
11.3. Additions to or alterations of the constitution shall be submitted to the Secretary not less than 14 days before the date of the AGM or EGM or request for a special meeting of the Club members. Amendments to the constitution, proposed at least 14 days in advance, will be resolved at the AGM/EGM. No amendments to the constitution may be proposed from the floor of the meeting.
11.4. In the event of a proposal for amending the constitution being submitted the Secretary shall inform the membership of the proposed motion not less than 7 days before the relevant meeting.
11.5. Any amendments to the proposed motion duly proposed and seconded shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary not later than 14 days before the said meeting.
11.6. Any alteration to the constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of those members present at the meeting, providing that a quorum has been achieved (as defined in clause 7.8 above).
11.7. Any alteration, addition or amendment approved at an AGM or EGM will come into effect immediately.
11.8. In the event of any question or matter arising which is not provided in the constitution such question or matter shall be dealt with by the Committee whose decision shall be final.
12. EQUALITY
12.1. No participant, volunteer, job applicant, or employee will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, social background, sexual orientation, age, colour, race, ethnic origins, religious belief, disability, or will be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which are not relevant to performance.
13. DISCIPLINE AND APPEALS
13.1. The Committee shall have the power to take appropriate disciplinary action against any member should a complaint against them be upheld and shall have the authority to terminate the membership of any member guilty of conduct deemed to be to the detriment of the Club.
13.2. All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary within 28 days of the offence complained of. 13.3. The Committee will meet to hear complaints within 14 days of a complaint being lodged.
13.4. The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who made the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.
13.5. There shall be the right of appeal to an Appeals Committee against any disciplinary decision made by the Committee following disciplinary action being announced.
13.6. The appeal should be lodged with the Secretary in writing within 7 days of receiving notice of the disciplinary decision being taken.
13.7. The appeal should normally be considered within 14 days of it being received by the Secretary.
13.8. The Appeals Committee shall consist of 3 independent people. These will be chosen by the Committee (and then agreed by the appealing player, such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld) and will include a (non-Club) member of the CKA and a representative from the EKA. The final person chosen will also be independent from the Club (which includes relatives of Club members).
13.9. The outcome of the appeal should be notified in writing to the person who made the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing. 13.10. The Committee will refer disciplinary matters on to the EKA Disciplinary Committee in appropriate cases.
14. DISSOLUTION
14.1. If at any general meeting of the Club, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, the Secretary shall immediately convene an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the dissolution.
14.2. If the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the full members present at the meeting, the motion shall be carried.
14.3. Committee shall proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club. Any remaining assets shall be transferred to the Cambridgeshire Korfball Association. 14.4. No member shall obtain any asset from the Club.
15. DECLARATION
15.1. Cambridge City Korfball Club adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operative guide regulating the actions of member.
Last updated March-2012.