1. Name
The Club shall be called Cumberland Netball Club (hereinafter called the Club).
2. Affiliation
The Club shall be affiliated to Middlesex County Netball Association of England Netball.
3. Aims and Objectives
3.1
The objectives of the Club shall be to provide for the promotion of netball at all levels, training and competitive opportunities for players, individual development of players, coaching and officiating opportunities, voluntary opportunities, and the utilisation of netball courts and other facilities incidental to the playing of netball.
The Executive Committee shall have the power to do any other act directly and necessarily connected to the achievement of the objectives, including effecting insurance, the raising of funds to invite and receive contributions, to borrow money, to invest the Club’s money, to let buildings or other property to employ staff and to undertake joint activities.
3.2
The aims and objectives of the Club should be consistent with the furthering of equal opportunities for all groups in netball. Details set out in the Club’s Equity Policy.
4. Membership
4.1
The Club shall consist of the officers and the members.
4.2
Membership of the Club shall be open, and not unreasonably restricted on the grounds of sex, race or of political, religious or other opinions, to any person in the area prepared to accept and support
the objectives of the club. Further details are set out in the Club’s Equity Policy.
4.3
In accepting membership a person agrees to abide in the constitution of the Club and the rulings of the Club Executive Committee.
4.4
Members under the age of 16 shall be considered as junior members.
4.5
Junior members shall not have the right to vote at meetings, but are entitled to elect a representative who shall have the right to vote as a full member of the Club and officer of the Executive Committee.
4.6
Members and junior members may resign from membership at any time by giving notice to (the club secretary).
5. Membership Fees
5.1
The Officers of the Club Executive Committee shall stipulate membership fees at the Annual General Meeting. Distinctions will be made between members who are in full-time employment, members who are in receipt of benefits or in full-time education, and junior members.
5.2
Annual membership fees fall due on 1st September of each year and are payable to Cumberland Netball Club via the Club Treasurer. An individual may make an application to the Club Treasurer to pay membership fees in two instalments, one on 1st September and one prior to 1st January of each year. This will be agreed at the discretion of the Executive Committee. All membership fees are non-refundable.
5.3
Members that join after 1st January will pay half the full membership fees.
5.4
The Club Executive Committee may decide upon other charges or subscriptions at its discretion.
6. Officers
6.1
The officers of the Club shall be President, Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Umpire Secretary, Enquiries Secretary, Affiliation and Membership Secretary, Development Officer, Coaching Secretary, Equipment & Kit Secretary, Social Secretary, Tournaments Secretary, Junior Representative, Team Representatives (for each team playing regular competition), Safeguarding Officer, Sponsorship Secretary, Marketing & Publicity Secretary, Volunteer Co-ordinator.
6.2
These officers shall hold office for a period of 12 months. All officers except team representatives will be elected annually at the Club Annual General Meeting (see paragraph 9). All officers shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-appointment. Team representatives shall be nominated and voted onto the Committee by each team at the start of the season and within four weeks of the first match being played. Team representatives from the previous season will remain on the Committee until the new season representative has been elected.
6.3
Any casual vacancy occurring may be filled by a member of the club (upon a majority agreement of the Executive Committee) or a current member of the Executive Committee.
7. Executive Committee
7.1
The management of the Club shall be vested in the Executive Committee hereinafter called the Executive Committee.
7.2
The Executive Committee shall act for the members. Liabilities incurred shall fall upon the membership (provided the Executive Committee act in accordance with the constitution, in honesty and good faith).
7.3
The Executive Committee shall comprise of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Umpire Secretary, Enquiries Secretary, Affiliation and Membership Secretary, Development Officer, Coaching Secretary, Equipment & Kit Secretary, Social Secretary, Tournaments Secretary, Junior Representative, Safeguarding Officer, Sponsorship Secretary, Marketing & Publicity Secretary, Volunteer Co-ordinator.
7.4
Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be convened by the Secretary, and shall meet as required but not less than 5 times a year.
7.5
The quorum for the transaction of business at Executive Committee meetings shall be one more than half the total number of officers. (Note this quorum will differ for General meetings.)
7.6
Every decision at a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be determined by a majority of the vote of the Executive members present and every voting Executive member having one vote. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
7.7
The interpretation of the Club constitution shall be vested in the Executive Committee, who shall decide all questions relating to the Club, save those specified in or involving an amendment to the constitution (see paragraph 14).
7.8
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for considering any application for membership and shall decide if this application should be accepted. The decision shall be in accordance with a non-discriminatory policy specified in 4.2.
7.9
The Executive Committee may delegate some or all of its powers and decision-making to a sub-committee. Any sub-committee must act only within the authority delegated to it by the Executive Committee.
7.10
No member of the Executive Committee shall own or hold any interest in land belonging to the Club unless he or she is doing so as a trustee. A member of the Executive Committee may not have a financial interest in any contract entered into by the Club except where he or she was supplying the goods or services to the Club at or below the fair market price and on normal trade terms.
8. Finance
8.1
All monies raised by or on behalf of the Club shall be applied to further the objects of the Club and for no other purpose.
8.2
The Club Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Club.
8.3
The financial year of the Club ends on 31st May.
8.4
Proper accounts shall be kept of all sums of money received and paid out by the club.
8.5
A statement of accounts up to and including this date, shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.
8.6
The funds of the Club will be lodged at a bank or building society in an account in the name of Cumberland Netball Club, and all cheques, drafts etc. drawn on these accounts shall be signed by any two of the following officers: Treasurer, Secretary, Chairperson, Membership & Affiliation Secretary, Development Officer, Equipment & Facilities Secretary.
9. Annual General Meeting and Other Meetings
9.1
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held in every year during the month of June when the annual report of the Executive Committee and the statement of accounts up to the end of the financial year shall be presented.
9.2
Not less than 21 days notice of the date of the AGM shall be given to all members by the Secretary.
9.3
The AGM shall elect such officers of the Club as it may from time to time determine.
9.4
Nominations for officers can be received in writing by the Secretary in advance of the AGM (but no more than 30 days prior to the AGM) and can be accepted from the floor of the meeting. Nominations can only be accepted from persons eligible to vote at the AGM.
9.5
The dates of the general meetings and of the Executive Committee meetings shall be determined at the previous meeting. In addition, the Chairperson or Secretary may call a meeting when s/he considers it necessary or desirable, or upon the written request of ¼ of the number of members of the Executive Committee.
9.6
All members shall be entitled to vote at general meetings of the Club and shall have equal voting rights.
9.7
The quorum for general meetings shall be 20% of members present and eligible to vote.
9.8
An Extraordinary General Meeting EGM shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary signed by not less than 15 members. The Executive Committee shall have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of its members.
An EGM will be held within 60 days of receipt of a valid requisition.
10. Voting Procedures
10.1
Each member shall be entitled to one vote.
10.2
A motion shall be carried by a simple majority of those present and voting, except when the motion is a constitutional amendment, which shall require a two-thirds majority.
10.3
The Chairperson shall have a casting vote in addition to a deliberative vote.
11. Property and Staff
11.1
Responsibility for all property owned or leased by the Club and for the employment of paid staff and volunteers rests with the Executive Committee.
12. Complaints, Discipline and Appeals
12.1
All complaints shall be made in writing to the Secretary, who shall submit them to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will respond no later than 5 days after the next scheduled Executive Committee meeting, unless the complaint is of an urgent nature, deemed so by the Secretary. Urgent complaints will be dealt with by the Executive Committee within one week.
12.2
If the complainant is not satisfactory with the outcome they may appeal to the Executive Committee, and the Chairperson (with the backing of the Committee) will respond directly to the appeal. The outcome of the appeal is final.
12.3
The Executive Committee shall have the power to take appropriate disciplinary action against any member and shall have the authority to terminate the membership of any member guilty of conduct deemed to be to the detriment of the Club.
12.4
There shall be the right of appeal to the Executive Committee against any decision made by an officer of the Club.
12.5
The appeal should normally be considered within 14 days of it being received by the Secretary.
13. Dissolution Procedures
13.1
In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, and following the discharge of all debts and liabilities, any assets at the time of dissolution shall become the property of England Netball, or another club having similar objectives to the club. No member shall obtain any asset from the Club.
13.2
The Club may be wound up on a resolution of the members, passed by a two thirds majority at a special meeting convened for that purpose upon the request of 15 members of the Club. At least 14 days notice of the meeting shall have been sent to all members of the Club.
13.3
In the event of the passing of the resolution to wind up the Club or to amalgamate with another Club the members of the Club shall appoint a representative committee which shall be empowered to distribute the assets, including cash and investments in hand, to England Netball or Clubs having similar objectives as their own.
14. Review of the Constitution
14.1
This constitution shall be reviewed on a yearly basis.
14.2
Amendments to the constitution shall only be agreed at AGMs or meeting called for that express purpose.
14.3
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 with a request for a special meeting of Club members. No resolution involving an amendment to the constitution may be proposed or amended from the floor of a meeting.
14.4
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 ten days before the AGM.
14.5
Any amendments to the proposed motion duly proposed and seconded in like manner shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary not later then five days before the said meeting.
14.6
Any alteration to the constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.
14.7
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 Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final.
15. Agreement of the Constitution
The constitution, originally written by a sub committee of the executive committee as club rules and regulations, and agreed by the executive committee in 2003, are voted and agreed each year at the AGM. Amendments are proposed and agreed as above.
