HERTFORD HOCKEY CLUB CONSTITUTION

In this document the following terms are used:

“Association” for Hertford Cricket and Hockey Association.
“Sports Club” for either Hertford Cricket Club or Hertford Hockey Club.
“Organisation” for the combined Association and Sports Clubs.

1. The Club

The name of the Club shall be ‘The Hertford Hockey Club’. The Club shall be affiliated to relevant County Regional and National Hockey Organisations and whilst based at Balls Park shall be a member of the Hertford Cricket and Hockey Association.

2. Aims and Objectives

The aims of the Club shall be:

a) the provision of facilities for the playing of hockey, recreation and refreshment for the benefit of its members;
b) to offer coaching and competitive opportunities in hockey;
c) to promote the club within the local community and hockey;
d) to ensure a duty of care to all members of the club;
e) to integrate men and women, players of all ages, races and abilities
f) To promote an enjoyable social life

3. Membership

Membership shall be available to all members of the community, without discrimination, on application. Type of membership, e.g. full playing member, under 18 playing member etc., level of subscription and voting rights at General Meetings shall be as determined at the Annual General Meeting.

4. Management

a) The management of the Club (except as otherwise provided by these Rules) shall be deputed to a Committee, supported by Sub-committees as determined by the Committee.
b) The Club shall elect or appoint elected officers as Representatives to the HCHA Management Committee.
c) The Committee shall consist of the following officers of the Club: the President, the Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Captains and other officers as determined by the Committee.
d) At the Annual General Meeting, the officers of the Club shall be elected to the Committee and such election shall be by ballot. Candidates for election shall be nominated by two members of the Club and such nominations shall reach the Secretary at least three days before the date of the Annual General Meeting. Should no one be elected to a post the Committee may appoint a candidate.
e) All members of the Committee shall retire from office at each Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election at the same or any subsequent Annual General Meeting.
f) The Committee shall have power to make regulations for the management of hockey and discipline of members and to authorise the expenditure of money for the purposes of the Club.
g) The Committee shall be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the Club.

5. Vice-Presidents

Vice-Presidents of the Club shall be elected, from members of the Club previously nominated by the Committee, at the Annual General Meeting.

6. Honorary Life Members

The members in General Meeting shall have power to elect any member previously nominated by the Committee as an Honorary Life Member. She/he shall be eligible for election to the Committee and entitled to vote as a member of the Club.

7. Junior Members

Under 18 full playing members shall be considered as full members with full voting rights unless otherwise determined by the AGM at the start of each season. No member shall be permitted to purchase or consume intoxicating liquor upon the premises of the Club whilst under the age of eighteen.

8. Subscriptions

Annual subscriptions shall be determined from time to time by the members in Annual General Meetings, and shall be due and payable on or before 1st November in every year, or by new members within one month of joining at a pro-rata rate.

9. Subscription in Arrears

If any member shall fail to pay her/his subscription within one calendar month after it has become due, the Treasurer shall request her/him to pay the same. If she/he should fail to pay her/his subscription within six calendar months of it becoming due, the Committee shall be empowered to suspend the membership of the offending member until all arrears have been paid in full.

10. Registration of Members with HCHA

All members except those under 18 shall be registered as members of HCHA. Such registration shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of HCHA and any fees payable remitted to HCHA.

11. Match Fees

All playing members shall pay a fee for each match in which they play, unless the Committee shall direct otherwise. The fee shall be determined from time to time by the members in Annual General Meeting.

12. Application of Profit

The Club shall be non-profit making. No money or property of the Club or any gain arising from the carrying on of the Club shall be applied otherwise than for the benefit of the Club as a whole or charities or other sports clubs that are registered as community amateur sports clubs as agreed by the Committee.

13. Accounts

Full accounts of the financial affairs of the Club duly audited by the auditors shall be delivered to every member with the notice convening the Annual General Meeting. The accounts for the year shall be closed on 31st May each year.

14. General Meetings

An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held after the end of the season but before the end of July. At the Annual General Meeting the following business shall be conducted:

a) The presentation and (if accepted) the adoption of the Chairman’s/Secretary’s report.
b) The presentation of the provisional accounts for that season and the presentation and (if accepted) the passing of the accounts for the previous financial year ended on 31st August prior to the meeting, which accounts shall first have been audited by the Club auditors.
c) The election of the President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Fixture Secretaries, Team Captains and vice-Captains, other officers and the Hon. Auditor.
d) The election if required of representatives to the General Committee of HCHA.
e) Such other business as shall have been communicated to the Secretary and included in the notice of the meeting sent by him to the members, or such other business as shall be declared to be of urgent importance by the Chairman.

15. Extraordinary Meetings

An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee or at the request of the President or not less than ten members. Such requests shall state the purpose for which the meeting is required.

16. Notice of Meetings

The Secretary shall give at least seven days’ notice before any General Meeting is held, by sending to every member by email or other means, a notice of the meeting stating the time when and the place where it will be held and the business to be transacted.

17. Quorums

At all meetings of the Committee, five shall form a quorum. At all General Meetings, ten shall form a quorum. The Chairman of any meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

18. Votes

At all General Meetings of the Club all members shall be entitled to vote except those whose subscription is unpaid or in arrears.

19. President

The President of the Club shall preside at all General Meetings of the Club but if she/he shall be absent the Chairman shall preside. In the absence of both, some other member shall be elected at the meeting.

20. Expulsion of Members

The Committee shall have power to expel any member who shall offend against the rules of the Club or whose conduct shall in the opinion of the Committee render him unfit for membership of the Club. Before any such member is expelled the Secretary shall give him seven days written notice to attend a meeting of the Committee and shall inform him of the complaints made against him. No member shall be expelled without first having an opportunity of appearing before the Committee and answering complaints made against him nor unless two-thirds of the Committee vote in favour of his expulsion.

21. Guests

Any member shall be entitled to introduce guests to the Club provided that no person whose application for membership has been declined or who has been expelled from the Club or any other Club in the organisation shall be introduced as a guest.

22. Visitors

There may be admitted to the registered premises of the Club the following persons as well as members and their guests:
a) members and officials of visiting clubs on the day of their respective matches;
b) Guests of the persons defined by sub-clause 22 (a); and intoxicating liquor may be purchased by persons defined by sub-clause 22 (a) for consumption on the premises and not elsewhere.

23. Modification of Constitution

No alteration or addition to these rules shall be made except by a resolution carried by a majority of the members present at a General Meeting, the notice of which shall have contained particulars of the proposed alteration or addition. The Secretary shall, as soon as possible after the making of any such alteration or addition to these rules, give written notice of such alteration or addition to the Chief Officer of the Police and to the Clerk of the Local Authority of the District in which the Club is situated.

24. Casual Vacancies

The Committee shall have power at any time to fill any casual vacancies among the offices. Any officer so appointed shall hold office only until the next following Annual General Meeting but shall then be eligible for re-election.

25. Interpretation

If any dispute or difference of opinion shall arise at any meeting of the Club and its Committee, whether as to the meaning and effect of these Rules or otherwise, the decision of the Chairman of such meeting shall be final.

26. Disciplinary

Subject to the powers of the governing bodies of hockey and the rules and constitutions of the leagues or associations to which the Club is affiliated, the Management Committee shall have the power to discipline in such a manner as it sees fit, but subject to below, a member who has been guilty of conduct considered by the Club to be disgraceful or prejudicial to the interests of the Club, the leagues, the game of hockey or The Hertford Hockey Club

On receipt of notification of facts or circumstances that a member may have been guilty of such conduct the Management Committee shall have the power to:
a) Appoint and constitute a Disciplinary Committee and
b) Make such terms of reference and regulations as it considers necessary for the conduct and proceedings of such Disciplinary Committee.
c) A member who has been the subject of disciplinary action by the Disciplinary Committee has the right to an Appeal Committee, consisting of such of the honorary officers of the Management Committee who have not served on the Disciplinary Committee concerning the subject of the appeal and who agree to serve on such Appeal Committee.

27. Dissolution

A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership. To attain this majority at least two thirds of the membership of the Club must vote and at least two thirds of those voting must be in favour of the proposal.

In the event of dissolution such that the Club ceases to operate as a viable club any assets of the Club that remain will become the property of Hertford Cricket Club provided the Club is still a member of the Hertford Cricket and Hockey Association and is operating as a community amateur sports club.

In other circumstances and alternatively such assets will be granted to another community amateur sports club or clubs, a governing body of England Hockey for use in community related sport or a charity as agreed at the meeting to resolve dissolution.

28. Declaration

Hertford Hockey Club hereby accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.

Signed

Nicholas R A Bentley

Nik Bentley Chairman Date 12.12.19

Lee Barber

Lee Barber Treasurer Date 12.12.19

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