Devizes Badminton Club Constitution

 

1. The Club shall be Called “DEVIZES BADMINTON CLUB” (hereafter called “the Club”)

2. The club shall be affiliated to “Badminton England” and the “Wiltshire Badminton Association”. (Sport’s Governing Body, County Association, League)

3. Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the Club shall be:

To provide the opportunity for the members to participate in Badminton, and to provide competitive and coaching opportunities for its members.

To further the interest of the game of Badminton wherever possible and promote the club in the local community.

To provide duty of care and protection to all club members.

To make sure all club members are treated equally and fairly.

To organise such events as the members shall desire.

4. Membership:

The Club shall consist of the Officers and the members.

Membership of the club shall be open to anyone interested in badminton on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

Devizes Junior Badminton Club is a subsidiary club of the club and as such will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.

In accepting membership, a person agrees to abide by the constitution of the Club and the rulings of the Club Committee.

Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Executive/Management Committee at the Annual General Meeting.

Fees will be paid either: annually or termly. Other arrangements can be made for payment but must be agreed by the treasurer and one other executive committee member.

Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

Full or adult member, Student or concessionary member, Junior member or Junior coached member

5. Officers:

The officers shall be:

Chairman

Secretary,

Treasurer

Head coach

Assistant coach

Welfare officer

Fixtures Secretary.

All Officers of the Club shall retire annually, but shall be eligible for re-election.

The election of all Officers of the Club shall take place at the Annual General Meeting

(AGM) of the Club.

Any Officer not wishing to stand for re-election should advise the Secretary of this intention at least one month before the date of the AGM.

6. Club Committee:

The management of the Club shall be vested in the Club Committee.

The Club Committee shall comprise the Officers, Team Captains and two other members.

The junior members will be represented by two junior members on the committee.

The other members shall be elected at the AGM of the Club.

The Club Committee shall have the power to create and fill casual vacancies in its membership, and to create and fill any other office which in its opinion is necessary.

Meetings of the Club Committee shall be convened by the Secretary, and this committee shall normally meet at least three times during its term of office.

The quorum necessary for the transaction of business for the Club Committee shall be four members present and eligible to vote.

Every question at a meeting of the Club Committee shall be determined by a majority of the vote. In the event of an equality of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

The interpretation of the constitution of the Club shall be vested in the Club Committee, who shall decide all questions relating to the Club save those specified in, or involving an amendment to, the constitution.

The Club Committee shall be responsible for considering any application for membership and shall decide if this application should be accepted.

The Club Committee shall be empowered to form rules which shall be binding on all Club members.

The Club Committee may employ professional officers at its discretion.

7. Club Policies:

The club adopts the following policies and Codes of Conduct as laid out in (Appendix 1):

BADMINTON England Equality Policy.

BADMINTON England Safeguarding & Protecting Young People policy.

BADMINTON England Codes of conduct for players, coaches, volunteers, officials and parents.

Set of rules for children and young people.

Regarding conduct of all levels of club representatives please see the separate attachments for Officials, Adults players and junior players.

8. Subscriptions:

Annual membership fees shall be stipulated by the Club Committee (or at an AGM) for the following categories of member: playing members, non-playing members, junior playing members.

Annual membership fees are due no later than the 1st of October of the current year and are payable to the Treasurer.

The Club Committee may bestow the accolade Honorary Member on any person at its discretion.

9. The Annual General Meeting (AGM):

The AGM of the Club shall be held during the month of April when the Annual Report of the Club Committee and the audited statement of accounts made up to 31st of March shall be presented.

At least 30 days preliminary notice of the date of the AGM, inviting nominations and resolutions, and at least 14 days’ notice specifying the date, place and hour, together with the agenda, proposed amendments to the constitution and nominations for the Officers and the Committee members, shall be given to all members by the Secretary.

Nominations for the Officers and the other members must be received by the Secretary at least 7 days before the date of the AGM.

The Quorum necessary for the transaction of business at an AGM shall be six members eligible to vote.

Where a vacancy exists for the position of Club Officer as a result of there being no candidate available for election then nominations for such a vacancy may be taken from the floor of the AGM provided such nominations are properly proposed and seconded by members of the club and provided also that the nominee or nominees accept such nomination.

Nominations can only be accepted from persons eligible to vote at the AGM.

10. Extraordinary General Meeting:

A Special General Meeting of the Club shall be convened on a resolution of the Club

Committee, or within one month of receipt by the Secretary of a resolution signed by at least four members.

At least 14 days’ notice of a Special General Meeting shall be given to all members.

Only business for which the meeting was convened may be conducted at a Special

General Meeting.

11. Voting:

Officers and members shall each have one vote. No person shall be permitted to vote in more than one capacity. The order of precedence of assuming the chair at a general meeting shall be the Chairman then the Secretary. In the event of none of these being present, the meeting cannot proceed.

Normally, all matters shall be decided by a show of hands of those members present and eligible to vote, except that at the request of any member present, the vote shall be taken by secret ballot.

Approval by at least two-thirds of those present and voting, shall be required to carry any resolution in respect of the constitution of the Club. Other resolutions shall be decided by simple majority, and in the event of a tie, the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

Only people who have paid their membership fees for the current year shall be permitted to be present, or vote at a general meeting of the Club, or to propose any resolution unless otherwise decided by the meeting.

12. Finance:

The Financial year of the Club ends on 31st March. An audited statement of accounts up to and including this date shall be presented by the treasurer at the AGM.

The funds of the Club shall be lodged at a bank or building society, or in any other method of investment, and all cheques, drafts etc., drawn on these accounts shall be signed by any two of the following persons: Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

The treasurer will have access to the accounts of the club via internet banking. The treasurer will be able to make appropriate E-payments once agreement has been gained from at least one other officer of the club.

The income and property of the Club shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its objectives.

In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, any assets at the time of dissolution shall become the property of the Committee and dispersed at the Committee’s discretion. No member shall obtain any asset from the Club.

13. Discipline:

The club Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The club Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings which will be conducted in accordance with the BADMINTON England Disciplinary Regulations.

14. Appeals:

There shall be the right of appeal to the Club Committee, or an Appeal Committee set up by it to act on its behalf against any decision made by an Officer of the Club.

The appeal shall be made to the Secretary within seven days of the decision being made known and shall be accompanied by a deposit of 25% of the appropriate annual membership fee. This deposit shall be refunded if the appeal is upheld. Normally the appeal should be considered within 14 days of it being received by the Secretary.

15. Constitution:

Proposed additions to, or alterations or revisions of the constitution shall be submitted to the Secretary at least 21 days before the date of the AGM, or together with a request for a special General meeting. Such resolutions can only be accepted from those entitled to vote at the AGM. No resolution involving an amendment to the constitution may be proposed or amended from the floor of the meeting.

In the event of any question or matter arising that is not provided for in the Constitution, such question or matter shall be dealt with by the Club Committee: whose decision shall be final.

16. Safeguarding Young People:

All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the club’s child protection policy and procedures. The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns.

17. Declaration:

Devizes Badminton Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of its members.