1. Name & Affiliation

The name of the group shall be Gowerton Hockey Club which involves Hockey and will be affiliated to the National Governing Body of the sport Hockey Wales.
 

  1. Aims

The aims of Gowerton Hockey Club will be:

AIMS

  • Aim to play and promote Hockey
  • Aim to promote physical activity and health
  • Aim to foster social connections and community through sports and/or recreational activities
  • Aim to support skills and inclusivity within the community and/or sport group
  • Aim to offer the sport coaching and competition opportunities to all (junior/senior/all) members 
  • Aim to provide duty of care and protection to all Club members 
  • Aim to make sure all Club members are treated equitably 

 

  1. Membership

Membership is open to anyone who:

  • Who is a participant/player within the community or sports group
  • Membership fees are paid
  • Abides by groups code of conduct

There will be an annual membership fee which will be agreed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and will be payable by all members.

A list of all members will be kept by the membership secretary.

 

3.1 Ceasing to be a member

Members may resign at any time in writing to the secretary.

Any member who has not paid their membership fee for several months will be contacted by the committee, who will then decide whether that member is deemed to have resigned.

 

Any offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may be asked not to attend further meetings or to resign from the group if an apology is not given or the behaviour is repeated. The individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Club committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

 

  1. Equal Opportunities

Gowerton Hockey Club will not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race (including colour, ethnic or national origin), sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religious or political belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status or age.

 

  1. Officers and committee

The business of the group will be carried out by a Committee elected  by the membership of the Club. The Committee will meet as necessary and not less than four times a year. 

The Committee will consist of a minimum of 3 members. 

 

5.1 Officers

The officers’ roles are as follows:

Chair, who shall chair both general and committee meetings

Secretary, who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers

Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts

In the event of an officer standing down during the year a replacement will be elected by the members. 

Any committee member not attending a meeting without apology for three months will be contacted by the committee and asked if they wish to resign.

 

5.2 Elections

Elections will be held annually before the beginning of Club season. 

Elections will be held online via voting system.

Emails will be required to be input into the voting system to validate the vote is from a member.

 

  1. Meetings

6.1. Annual General Meetings

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held within fifteen months of the previous AGM.

All members will be notified in writing at least 3 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time.

The quorum for the AGM will be 10% of the membership or 5 members, whichever is the greater number.

At the AGM:-

The Committee will present a report of the work of Gowerton Hockey Club over the year.

The Committee will present the accounts of Gowerton Hockey Club for the previous year.

Any proposals given to the Club Committee at least 7 days in advance of the meeting will be discussed.

 

6.2 Special General Meetings

The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting at the request of the majority of the committee or at least 5 other members giving a written request to the Chair or Secretary stating the reason for their request.

The meeting will take place within twenty-one days of the request.

All members will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda, and notice may be by telephone, email or post.

The quorum for the Special General Meeting will be 10% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the greater number.

 

6.3 Committee Meetings

Committee meetings may be called by the Chair or Secretary. Committee members must receive notice of meetings at least 7 days before the meeting.

The quorum for Committee meetings is three Committee members.

 

  1. Rules of Procedure for meetings

All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to.

If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present. If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.

 

  1. Finances

An account will be maintained on behalf of the Association at a FCA Registered Electronic Money Institute (EMI) agreed by the committee. Minimum of Treasurer and one committee member will have Full Access to authorise payments to the Community and Sports Account.

The two signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.

 

The purpose of the Community & Sports Account is for the receiving and reconciling of community money, including membership fees, community funds, donations, fund raising funds, grants, and community sales.  

Payments out are for running cost expenses, capital expenditure, donations, rents, suppliers, contractors, limited companies, sole traders, HMRC, not for profit organisations and community members.

For payments such as BACS payments, faster payments, standing order payments or direct debit payments, a requisition note will be emailed and agreed between Treasure and one other committee member.

 

Cash deposits cannot be paid directly to the Community and Sports Accounts, so cash deposits will be;

Firstly, recorded with a completed signed Cash Deposit Declaration detailing the source of the cash fund with supporting evidence include but not limited to cash payments from members, cash received from fund raising events or cash donation from an individual.

 

Secondly, if a cash donation  from an individual person, company or group is over £100, the Treasurer will confirm the ID of the payee and documented evidence that the ID has been reviewed and confirmed.

 

Thirdly, deposited into a UK bank account of one of the registered officers and then immediately transferred to the Community & Sports Group Account.

 

Finally, the Treasurer will securely file the Cash Deposit Declarations and confirmations of ID checks for individuals who made cash payments over £100, to meet the AML obligations of the Community and Sports Group Accounts terms and conditions.

 

Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at each meeting.

 

All money raised by or on behalf of Gowerton Hockey Club  is only to be used to further the aims of the group, as specified in item 2 of this constitution.

 

  1. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

 

 

  1. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group.

If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a club or organisation with similar aims and objectives or a  local charitable organisation. The organisation will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.

  1. Other Requirements

None.