Our Club Constitution

1. The Name, Location, Objects and Type of Club

The name of the Club shall be Southend Hockey Club (SHC) and form an integral part of Belfairs Sports and Social Club (BSSC).

The Club shall be affiliated to the national governing body (NGB) of hockey in England. The Management Committee shall adopt and comply with the NGB polices and procedures and ensure all members of the Club conform.

The premises of the Club shall be at the Belfairs Sports and Social Club (BSSC), Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 4LS, or at such other address as the Club may in any Annual General Meeting decide.

The objects of the Club shall be:

  • The recruitment and development of children and young people into the sport of hockey as players, leaders/coaches, umpires and administrators.
  • The provision of playing, leading/coaching, umpiring and administrative opportunities at a participation, development and performance level.
  • To provide equity of opportunity across all areas of the Club, to encourage inclusion by minority groups.
  • To ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club.
  • To provide a safe, effective and child friendly environment in which to play and learn hockey.
  • To promote the Club within the local community and within the sport of hockey.

The Club shall be a members club open to all.

The colours of the Club shall be blue shirts, blue shorts/ skirts and blue socks. The colours shall be worn in Club matches but not on any other occasion as representing membership of the Club without prior agreement of the Management Committee. Club colours is understood to mean any branding belonging to the Club, including but not limited to the Club logo and Club name.

2. Membership

Club membership year shall run from 1st May and end on 30th April.

The Annual Subscription for playing and non-playing members, and the match fees for playing members, shall be determined by the AGM.

Membership for playing and non-playing members is subject to the completion of a membership form each season, parental consent (when under 18) and the payment of the appropriate fees, as determined at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Membership of the Club shall be open to individuals interested in the sport of hockey on application, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion or belief, except as a consequence of the requirements of hockey.

All members of the Club are automatically a member of the Belfairs Sports & Social Club (BSSC) and are entitled to all the benefits and privileges thereof.

All members of the Club shall be subject to the regulations of the Club Constitution and by joining the Club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the Club has adopted.

The Club may have different classes of membership on a non-discriminatory and fair basis, will keep subscriptions at levels that shall not prevent people from participating, and shall have special rates for those unemployed or in financial hardship, at the discretion of the Management Committee. Request of a refund for subscription on resignation of membership is at the discretion of the Management Committee.

Subscriptions for each member shall be due by the first fixture or training session they take part in, whether that is Summer or Winter League, which ever is the first.

Non-payments of subscriptions by this time shall render the applicant either liable to forfeit their membership request or not be selected for a Club side, or participate in training sessions, until payment is received. An applicant may discuss a payment plan with the Treasurer.

The Management Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. All members are expected to maintain the good name of the Club by treating officials, opposition and visitors with courtesy and hospitality. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made through a Discipline Committee that shall be appointed by the Management Committee.

The Management Committee may suspend the membership of any member whose conduct has been, in the opinion of the Management Committee and in line with England Hockey policy, contrary to the interests of the Club. The member shall be told of the period of suspension and the reason for it, and the membership notified.

The membership shall consist of the following categories:

  • Playing members, including parent/guardians on behalf of an U18 playing member, shall be entitled to all the benefit and privileges of the Club:
    1. Senior membership being persons of the age 18 years and over
    2. Youth membership being persons under the age of 18 years
    3. Student membership being persons in full-time, further or higher education
    4. Concession membership being persons over the age of 65 years of age
    5. Social membership shall entitle persons to train or play up to five occasions for the Club
  • Honorary members are entitled to all benefits and privileges of the Club:
    1. President
    2. Vice-Presidents
    3. Honorary Vice-Presidents
    4. Life Members
  • Non-playing members shall be entitled to the social amenities of the Club and shall pay such subscriptions as determined at the Annual General Meeting. Such members have no right to vote:
    1. Associate membership being Club supporters, including retired playing members but not exclusively
    2. Officials: coaches, match officials and other volunteers

Individuals shall not be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at the general meetings or be eligible for selection of any Club team unless the applicable subscription has been paid by the due date or a previous agreement has been made with the Management Committee to allow the membership.

3. Sports Equity

This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

  • Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equity of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sports in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

All Club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.

4. Committee and Officers

The direction and management of the Club shall be conducted by a Management Committee that shall consist of the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Welfare Officer, Club Development Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator, Communications Co-ordinator, Men’s Club Captain, Ladies’ Club Captain, Fixture Secretary, Social Secretary.

The Management Committee may appoint one or more additional officers to the Committee for such purposes as it may deem appropriate until the succeeding Annual General Meeting, including but not limited to:

  • Membership secretary, responsible to the Club Secretary
  • Fundraising secretary, responsible to the Treasurer
  • DBS Liaison officer, responsible to the Welfare Officer
  • Facilities Coordinator, responsible to the Club Development Coordinator
  • Youth Development Officer, responsible to the Club Development Coordinator
  • Head coach, responsible to the Club Development Coordinator
  • Umpire Coordinator, responsible to the Club Volunteer Coordinator
  • Equipment & kit officer, responsible to the Treasurer & Club Volunteer Coordinator
  • Webmaster, responsible to the Communications Coordinator

If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Management Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.

The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.

The Management Committee has the power to appoint any advisers as necessary to fulfil its business.

The quorum required for business to be agreed at committee meetings shall consist of four members or at least 40% of officers in post.

Honorary members are elected on an annual basis at the Annual General Meeting or as soon as possible after, with the exception of the President whom shall be elected for a term of three years and eligible for re-election.

All members of the Club whom are entitled to vote at the election shall be equally capable of being elected.

The Management Committee shall have the powers to appoint sub-committees of club members as and when necessary, provided that the sub-committee so appointed shall consist of not less than two thirds of the Management Committee (or in the case of a sub-committee consisting of less than four members, all of them) who shall go out of office on the sub-committee upon ceasing to be Members of the Management Committee.

The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the Club.

The affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Management Committee except for matters reserved for the Club in the Annual General Meeting.

The Management Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the Club rules, regulations and/or constitution. The Management Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than 6 times per year.

Only members of the Management Committee shall have the right to vote at committee meetings.

5. Finances

The Treasurer in consultation with the Committee shall be responsible for the finances of the Club.

The financial year of the Club will run from 1st May and end on 30th April.

All Club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the Club.

At the AGM the Club shall appoint an independent examiner who is not a member of the Club to examine the Club accounts for the consecutive year. The new Management Committee shall have the power to appoint one if no decision is reached at the AGM.

Any cheques drawn against Club funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer plus two other officers.

All online payments must have prior approval by an additional Management Committee member.

If at any time the Club at a General Meeting shall pass a resolution authorising the Management Committee to borrow money, the Management Committee shall there upon be empowered to borrow for the purpose of the Club such amount of money as such a rate of interest and in such manner as shall be specified in such resolution, and the Management Committee may issue debentures of the Club and may, by such debentures, charge all or any of the property or funds of the Club with payment of the amount borrowed and interest thereon. All members of the Club after the passing of such a resolution shall be deemed to have assented to the same as if they had voted in favour of such resolution.

All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club.

The Club has a comprehensive insurance policy arranged through the National Governing Body for hockey providing Public Liability Indemnity and Personal Accident Insurance for all Club Members and non-members engaged in hockey activities organised within the Club. The Club accepts no responsibility for personal accidents to members or loss of damage to equipment, personal effects, etc.

6. Payments or Benefits

The appointment of any and every paid individual must be by written agreement between the Club and the third party. The third party must submit an invoice to the Club for any agreed and provided services at the agreed interims during the agreed term.

All payments and benefits are to be reviewed and confirmed at each Committee meeting.

7. Annual General Meeting & Extraordinary Meeting

Annual General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club with the right to vote may exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in the month of May every year to:

  • Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM;
  • Receive reports from the Chair and Secretary;
  • Receive a signed report from the Treasurer and approve the annual accounts;
  • Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts;
  • Elect the officers on the Committee;
  • Agree the membership fees for the following year;
  • Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution;
  • Deal with other relevant business.

Notice of the time of the Annual General Meeting shall be posted on the Club website and an email sent to each Club member for a period of at least 14 days before the date of such a meeting.

Any nominations for officers of the Committee will be sent to the Secretary prior to the Annual General Meeting.

The cost of an annual subscription and match fees for playing members shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting.

Proposed changes to the Constitution shall be sent to the Secretary prior to the Annual General meeting, who shall circulate them with the Notice of the Annual General Meeting.

The Management Committee shall determine any question of the construction of these Rules or any matter relative to the Club not provided by them. A copy of the Rules shall be supplied to each Club Member.

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by a majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

Any Member with the right to vote who wishes to submit a resolution to the Annual General Meeting must do so in writing to the Secretary no less than 7 days before the meeting.

An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by:

  • the Management Committee when deemed necessary;
  • by signed resolution of not less than twenty members, or one fifth of the total membership, whichever shall be the less, in writing to the Secretary, specifying the details of the matter to be discussed;
  • In each case at least seven days notice of such EGM shall be given by the Secretary to all Club members stipulating the date, time and venue together with the Agenda of matters to be discussed;
  • No other business other than that for which the meeting was convened shall be discussed.

At least twenty members, or one fifth of the Club voting membership, must be present at an AGM or EGM. In the event of this not being met such AGM or EGM shall be rescheduled.

All fully paid members have the right to vote at an AGM and EGM, save non-playing members.

Votes at both an AGM and EGM are passed on a simple majority. In the event of a tie the Chair of Club has the casting vote.

8. Discipline and Appeals

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.

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary.

The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 7 days of a complaint being logged. The Management Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including termination of membership.

The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who logged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.

9. Dissolution of the Club

There shall be four Trustees of the Club who shall be ex-officio members of the Management Committee.

The assets and property of the Club (other than cash which shall be under the control of the Treasurer) shall be vested in them to be dealt with as the Management Committee shall direct by resolution (of which entry in the minutes shall be conclusive evidence).

The Trustees shall not be entitled to dispose of any assets or property of the Club unless so directed.

The Trustees shall hold office until death or by resignation or until removed from office by a resolution of the Management Committee.

If by reason of such death, resignation or removal, the Management Committee considers that a new Trustee(s) should be appointed, the Management Committee shall by resolution nominate the person(s) to be appointed.

For the purpose of giving effect to such nominations, the Chair is hereby nominated to appoint any new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of the Trustee Act 1925 and he/she shall appoint the person(s) so nominated by the Management Committee as the new Trustee(s) of the Club, and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment.

The Club may be dissolved upon a resolution to that effect being passed by a simple majority of the voting members present at a General Meeting.

Following such resolution the Management Committee shall take the appropriate action to discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club, and to enable the Trustees to realise all assets and property of the Club.

Following such realisation the accrued finances shall be equally divided between all fully paid-up members of the Club.

10. Declaration

The Management Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of this constitution.

These rules are binding upon all Members of the Club and shall not be altered or modified in any way except at an AGM or EGM or as specifically provided as follows: The Management Committee may from time to time make, vary and revoke Bye Laws (not inconsistent with these rules) for the regulation of the internal affairs of the Club and the conduct of Member and governing the use of the Clubhouse and Bar, and the Bye Laws for the time being in force shall be binding on all Members.

A copy of this Constitution shall be published on the Club website and available to all members.

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