Constitution
RETFORD UNITED SUPPORTERS CLUB
CONSTITUTION
A.ETHOS
1.Name
The Club shall be called Retford United Supporters Club.
2.Objectives
The object of the Club is to:
a)Further the general welfare of the supporters of Retford United Football Club.
b)Encourage and foster interest in Retford United Football Club and its associated teams.
c)To provide fundraising assistance to Retford United Football Club
d)To provide finances for other uses as defined by the committee
3.Management of Supporters Club
The management of the Supporters Club will be delegated to an Executive Committee elected annually at the AGM. It will consist of a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Deputy Chair and up to seven committee members.
If the committee has less than seven members in total at any time then it may co-opt new committee members who shall need to be nominated and seconded by a committee member and receive a majority vote of the committee.
The Chairperson will not vote on matters except that he shall have a casting vote if there is no majority. The committee shall have jurisdiction over all matters affecting the Supporters Club and may appoint sub-committees as considered necessary.
The AGM remains the sovereign body of the Supporters Club.
The committee shall have the power to elect annually a President of the Supporters Club.
B.MEMBERSHIP
1.Eligibility for Membership
Membership is open to all supporters of Retford United Football Club provided they are at least 16 years of age. Children below the age of 16 years may join as Junior Members, without the right to vote or hold office.
2.Membership
Membership of Retford United Supporters Club shall be open to all persons who wish to support the objectives of the Club as set out in A.2. The committee shall have the right to refuse membership to any individual and may cancel membership of any person in accordance with Section B.6
3.Membership Levels
The grades of membership will apply as follows:
Full Membe will provide membership of the Supporters Club with full voting rights & all the benefits conferred thereon.
Family Memberwhich will confer the same benefits as above with voting rights only open for each Adult.
Junior Member which will confer the same benefits as Full Member above but with no voting rights.
4.Subscription
Subscriptions will cover the period from 1st August to 31st July the following calendar year. The annual subscription for every category of membership shall be approved at the AGM.
5.Register of Members
There shall be kept a list of all members of the Club and their addresses and it shall be the duty of every member to keep the Secretary informed of any change therein.
6.Expulsion of Members
The committee shall have the power to expel any member who:
a)physically attacks a committee member, supporter or member of the public attending a match or football club or supporters club function.
b)Commits an act of gross misconduct.
c)Offends against the Rules of the club
Members dealt with under this Rule shall have the opportunity of appearing before the committee and answering the complaints against him/her.
C.ANNUAL & EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETINGS
1.Annual General Meeting
The AGM of the club shall be held in the month of July in each year, upon a date and at a time to be fixed by the committee for the following purpose:
a)to receive from the committee a report and duly audited accounts for the year to 31st May, and to transact any other business that may arise.
b)To elect the committee and officers for the ensuing year.
c)To decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted to the meeting as provided below
2.Notice of Annual General Meeting
The Secretary shall at least 21 days before the AGM, or any extra-ordinary meeting, send to every member, or post prominently in the clubhouse and on the internet notice of the meeting and of all the business to be transacted at the meeting. No other business other than that of which notice has been given shall be brought forward at the meeting.
Note: Members can only vote at an EGM if they have been a full member for the preceding 4 calendar months. Only full members who have enrolled prior to December 31st in any one season will be eligible to vote at the next AGM
3.Notified Raised Issues
Any member of the supporters club can raise a Notified Raised Issue (NRI). They must be sent to the Secretary at least 14 days before an AGM or EGM with the names of proposer and seconder included.
The NRI will then be published and made available to ALL members of the supporters club by advertising in the club and the internet at least seven days before the AGM/EGM. Any amendments to the NRI can be made at the AGM and voted on separate to the main motion.
4.Election of the Committee
At the AGM an election for a new committee will take place. To be considered for election candidates MUST notify the club Secretary at least 14 days before the AGM, be either in attendance at the AGM or have sent written apologies to the Club Secretary. Anyone failing to do so will be barred from election in that year. All candidates MAY submit a written statement of candidacy to the Club Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM. Those statements will be produced by the Club Secretary and made available to members at the AGM. Candidates must be proposed and seconded prior to the AGM. Nomination forms are available from the Club Secretary on request and must be returned completed at least 14 days before the AGM. The Club Secretary will publish names of candidates at least 7 days before the AGM.
Only Full members can stand for election. Voting will be by secret ballot and every member shall be able to vote for as many candidates as there are positions. There will be a maximum of ten minutes allocated after the reading of statements for members to ask questions of the candidates. In the event of a tie The Chair shall have the casting vote.
Nominated positions are: Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. No member can fulfil more than one nominated position on the committee.
5.Extra-ordinary General Meetings
The committee may at any time for any special purpose call an extra-ordinary meeting. It shall do so immediately upon the requisition in writing by 50% of the committee or 10% of the club membership stating the purpose for which the meeting is required. For an EGM to be considered quorate20% of the Full membership must be in attendance.
6.Voting
Membership cards MUST be shown before the start of a vote. A voting slip will be issued after satisfactory production of a valid membership card.
All Full members have one vote at the AGM.
Family members are restricted to two votes per Family membership. These must be allocated to two members over the age of 16. Other family members are entitled to speak but not vote.
D.MEETINGS
1.Meetings
Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, the committee will normally meet once per month as determined at the previous meeting.
2.Quorum
A quorum for the transaction of business shall be five, of which at least two shall be officers.
3.Minutes
The Club Secretary will make available to all members copies of the latest Committee meeting minutes. This could take the form of a general posting about where to find the latest copy OR full distribution of the minutes if deemed necessary by the committee.
4.Resignation of Officers
In the event of the Chairperson resigning during the year, the Club Secretary will temporarily take on the Chairpersonship until such time as a replacement Chairperson is selected from the committee. If a Secretary
or Treasurer resigns during the year a replacement will be selected amongst existing committee members. They will serve until the next AGM.
E.FINANCES
1.Bank Accounts
The club shall retain independent bank or building society accounts. Money shall not be used for any purpose without prior consent of the committee at a monthly committee meeting.
Retford United Supporters Club cheques will require two of the three designated officers of the club to sign, with one of the signatories being the Treasurer.
2.Fund Raising
The committee may authorise the use of Club funds to promote raffles or any other fund raising event with a view to increasing the Club funds. Monies raised by fund raising activities surplus to those required for the purpose of section A.2. will, at the discretion of the committee, be either donated to Retford United Football Club or used to better the ground facilities
3.Dissolution and Transfer of Assets
If the Supporters Club be dissolved all assets shall be disposed of as directed by the committee.
F.COMMUNICATION
1.Disclaimer
Any comments made about Retford United Football Club by any member or committee member ARE the comments of the individual(s) and NOT those of the Retford United Supporters Club.
2.Press Release
No comments are to be made to the Press unless cleared by the Chairperson of the Supporters Club.
G.RULES
1.Points Not Covered
That any point not provided for or dealt with in these Rules is left to the discretion of the committee and that its decision shall be final and binding on all parties.
2.Alterations or Additions
Any alterations or additions to these Rules shall only be made at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting called for that purpose.
H.TRAVEL CLUB
1.Code of Conduct to be confirmed, passed by Committee and written in to these Rules
I.FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS FEDERATION
