CONSTITUTION

 

 

1               Name

                 The club shall be known as LLANYRAFON Association Football Club (AFC)

 

2               Intent

The intention of the club shall be to promote the game of Association Football in Llanyrafon and the surrounding areas.

 

3               Affiliation & Competition

The club shall be affiliated to the Gwent County Football Association and/or other bodies as designated by the Football Association of Wales Ltd.

The club shall enter such leagues and cup competitions as decided by the Management Committee in accordance with the rules of the appropriate governing body.

 

4.              Membership

There are three classes of membership, full membership, playing membership and life membership. Membership is open to all subject to the following conditions.

 

Election to membership shall be by way of a simple majority vote of the Management Committee whose decision shall be final.

 

Full members shall be entitled to attend all Annual and Special General Meetings and vote on any issue before the meeting. (Hereinafter referred to as ‘AGM and ‘SGM’)

 

Playing members shall be registered with the appropriate league in accordance with the rules laid down by the appropriate governing bodies. Playing members shall not have voting rights at any AGM or SGM.

 

Playing members registered with any senior team run by the club will not be entitled to become full members unless they are acting in an official capacity with one of the junior teams run by the club. Subject to Management Committee approval.

 

                 Full members must be over the age of 18.

 

                 Membership fees will be determined at the AGM.

 

All members joining the club shall be deemed to accept the terms of this constitution and any by-laws published from time to time by the club.

 

                 Life Members - See rule 15.

 

5.              Management

The affairs of the club shall be conducted by a Management Committee consisting of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer  and Fixture Secretary. Team Managers (when appointed), one representative from each senior team, Life Members and other members as appointed at the Annual General Meeting.

 

The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer  and Fixture Secretary shall be the officers of the club who shall be responsible  for ensuring that all decisions of the Management Committee are carried out and that the affairs of the club are conducted in accordance with these rules and the rules of the governing bodies.

 

All officers and committee members will be appointed for a period of twelve months and will remain in office until the end of the AGM at which their successors are appointed.

 

All decisions will be made by the Management Committee, subject to these rules, at the normal monthly meeting. Between meetings the Chairman (advised by the General Secretary and, if club finances are involved, the Treasurer) will rule on all matters and disputes arising out the rules and/or Management Committee decisions. Such rulings will be reported to the next meeting of the Management Committee.

The officers of the club shall be responsible for ensuring that the decisions of the Management Committee are implemented and that members of the club abide by these rules.

 

If a decision is required for which there is no provision in these rules and no prior Management Committee decision then the Chairman shall have the power to call an emergency meeting of the Management Committee. No ruling on such matters will be made without the approval of the Management Committee.

 

The Management Committee will meet monthly on the first Monday of each month at 7.00pm. No notice of such meetings will be given unless the regular venue has been changed since the last normal monthly meeting.

 

                 Special meetings of the Management Committee may be called if :-

The Chairman and either the General Secretary or Treasurer decide that there is an urgent need for one.

Two, or more, members of the Management Committee request a meeting. Such requests to be made in writing to the General Secretary and the reason for such a request must be given. No other business is to be discussed unless agreed to by over 50% of the members present at the special meeting.

Special meetings of the Management Committee will be arranged by the General Secretary who will give a minimum of 24 hours notice to each member of the Management Committee. In the event that such notice cannot be given to at least two thirds of the members of the Management Committee then such a meeting will not be held.

 

Six members of the Management Committee (This six to include at least two of the club officers) must be present before any business can be conducted.

 

Any member of the Management Committee who absents himself from 3 or more consecutive meetings and who does not, in the opinion of the Management Committee, give sufficient reason shall be considered to have resigned.

 

The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint a replacement for any club officer who has resigned or has been dismissed. Such appointment should be made from the existing members of the Management Committee but, if this not possible, then any paid up full member may be appointed subject to the eligibility rules given in Rule 7

 

No club officer or committee member shall be dismissed other than by a SGM convened for that purpose, or in the event that a charge of misconduct, in accordance with Rule 13,  has been proven.

 

The Management Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members for specific purposes.

 

6               Finances

The finances of the club shall be controlled by Management Committee through the Treasurer who will present an up to date statement of account at each normal monthly meeting of the Management Committee.

 

The club’s financial year will end on 31 May each year and a full and proper statement of the accounts, duly audited, will be presented by the Treasurer at the next AGM. This statement of account will be approved by the meeting and shall form part of the minutes of the meeting.

 

                 The accounts shall be audited by capable auditors appointed at the AGM.

 

No club funds will be held in any bank account other than those opened in the name of the club. Withdrawal of monies from, or the issuing of cheques against, any account held by the club will require the signature of any two of the Chairman, Treasurer and General Secretary.

 

No expenditure will be permitted unless approved in advance by the Management Committee (Note - decisions taken to enter leagues and competitions will imply that that approval for the payment of league and associated fees has been given)

 

No monies will be collected from any player for any reason unless approved by the Management Committee.

 

All fund raising activities will be approved by the Management Committee in advance.

 

All full members of the club shall be considered to be jointly and severally liable for the financial liabilities of the club.

 

 

7               Nominations

Any full member may, on giving consent, be nominated for election to the Management Committee and/of the position of club officer providing that the member concerned has been a full member for at least six months prior to the date at which their nomination is to be considered.

 

Nominations must be made in writing to the General Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM at which the nomination is to be considered. Such nominations must be signed by a proposer and a seconder who must both have been full members for at least six months prior to the closing date for nominations.

Nominees who are absent from the AGM will be considered to have withdrawn their nomination unless they have confirmed in writing to the General Secretary their willingness to stand and their reason for absence. If the reason for absence is not considered sufficient by a simple majority of the members present then the nomination shall be withdrawn.

 

 

8               Powers of Speech and Voting

Those entitled to speak and vote at AGM and SGM will be those full members,  who have been accepted as full members at least six weeks prior to the date of the AGM of SGM, and Life Members.

 

Those entitled to speak and vote at Management Committee meetings will be club officers and all other Management Committee members including co-opted members and Life Members.

 

At all meetings members who are entitled to vote will not be required to do so. Members who abstain from voting on a particular proposal will be counted and their total number registered in the minutes as abstentions.

 

At all meetings the Chairman shall not vote on any proposal except in the event of a tied vote when the Chairman shall have a casting vote which must be used.

 

Unless otherwise stated in these rules all proposals, motions etc to voted on at all Management Committee meetings, AGMs and SGMs will require the assent of a simple majority of members present if they are to be deemed carried.

 

9               Annual and Special General Meetings (AGM & SGM)

Notification of the AGM and any SGM shall be posted on the club notice board and any other place determined by the Management Committee. Such notice to be posted at least 21 days prior to the date of the meeting in question.

 

All nominations and items for inclusion on the agenda of the AGM must be given in writing to the General Secretary at least 14 days prior to meeting.

 

                 The AGM will be held in June each year.

 

Requests for a Special General Meeting must be made in writing to the General Secretary and must be signed by a minimum of five full members and the reason for the request must be stated. (This condition will be waived if the SGM is convened to deal with a case of misconduct - see rule 13)

 

The General Secretary must arrange such meetings within 28 days of the date of receiving a proper request

 

No nominations or proposals will be accepted from the floor of any meeting without the consent of at least two thirds of the members present.

 

10             Team Managers

Team Managers will be appointed by, and be solely responsible to, the Management Committee.

 

11.            Selection

Team Selection will be the sole responsibility of the Team Manager. The Management Committee, if it sees fit, may ask a Team Manager to explain his selection policies. Team Managers may select their teams only from players properly eligible according to the rules of the various governing bodies. The General Secretary shall be the sole arbiter of the eligibility of players.

                

Where the club runs two teams in one league age group the squads shall be grouped, where practicable,  within twelve month age bands. Age bands to commence on 1 September each year.

 

12             Conduct

Club members shall do everything within their power to ensure the behaviour of all spectators and officials at matches does not bring discredit to the club. All breaches of discipline by spectators or team officials shall be reported to the Management Committee.

 

13             Misconduct

Any misconduct by a club member, on or off the field, will be dealt with by the Management Committee

 

Cases of misconduct will be heard at the next monthly meeting of the Management Committee subject to 7 days notice being given to the member accused of misconduct (this notice period may be waived in writing by the member so accused).

 

Witnesses may be called if required.

 

Once all presentations have been made and all the evidence heard, the member before the meeting shall withdraw and the Management Committee will come to a decision. The Management Committee will first decide if the charge of misconduct has been proven. This must have the assent of at least two thirds of the members present otherwise the charge will be deemed not proven and no further action will be taken. In the event of the charge being proved the Management Committee will then decide the penalty to be imposed. This decision will then be given verbally to the member concerned and confirmed in writing by the General Secretary within seven days of the date of the hearing.

 

Any member found guilty of misconduct may appeal to a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose providing such appeal is made in writing to the General Secretary within seven days of the date of management Committee meeting at which the case was heard. The decision of such appeal will be final.

 

In the event of a member not appearing to answer a charge of misconduct then the case will be heard in their absence and the member will notified of the decision of the Management Committee in writing by the General Secretary by first class post within seven days of the date of the Management Committee at which the case was heard. In such cases the time limit for appeals to the SGM shown in rule 9 will be seven days from the date of the letter notifying the member of the decision.

 

 

14             Awards/Trophies/Medals ETC

The Management Committee shall determine the club’s policy regarding the award of medals and trophies etc subject to the following conditions :-

 

In the event of a club team, by its performance, becoming eligible for an award of trophies etc to the individual players of that team, the club will purchase such additional medals etc to ensure that whole squad from which that team was selected receives exactly the same award.

                 .

This rule will not apply to competitions where the squad size is limited by the competition rules and the competition organisers present enough medals etc to cover the whole of the squad.

 

At the end of each season the club will, funds permitting, present an award to every player who has been a regular member of a team squad.

 

In all cases the squad shall be defined as the players making themselves available for selection on a regular basis.

 

No medals, trophies, mementoes or awards of any kind shall be given or presented to any club player or players by any club officer, official, team manager or any other person without the express permission of the Management Committee

 

All medals, trophies, mementoes or awards of any kind shall be approved by the Management Committee in advance.

 

15             Life Members

Any full member having served for 10 full years on the Management Committee (not necessarily continuously),  and having served as a club officer or team manager for at least two of those years, shall become eligible for Life Membership.

 

Life members shall be appointed by the Management Committee from those eligible, as it sees fit.

 

The club shall make an appropriate award to each life member on their appointment. Such award and presentation to be at the discretion of the Management Committee.

 

Life Members shall have full voting rights at all Annual and Special General Meetings and all Management Committee meetings.

 

Unless otherwise stated in the rules all references to full members shall also apply to Life Members.

 

16             President and Vice Presidents

The club will appoint a President and such Vice Presidents as it sees fit. These positions will be honorary and will not have voting rights.

 

The President and Vice Presidents will be entitled to attend the AGM and any SGM.

 

17             Purchase of Equipment

All equipment purchased by, or donated to, the club will become the property of Llanyrafon AFC and will not be disposed of, lent, hired or sold etc except as decided by the Management Committee.

 

                 The purchase of any equipment must be agreed in advance by the Management   Committee.

 

18             Expenses and Sundry Purchase

The club will not normally reimburse its officers or team managers for the expenses incurred in performing their duties except for postage and kit washing.

 

Before incurring any expense the approval of the Management Committee should be obtained if reimbursement is required. If this is not possible then permission should be sought from the Chairman and Treasurer.

 

                 Receipts must be presented before reimbursement can be made.

 

The Management Committee’s decision on the reimbursement of expenses and cost of purchases will be, subject to these rules, final.

 

19             Club Colours

                 The Club Colours will be Claret and Blue

 

20             Club Tours and Trips

No tour or trip will be arranged without the prior consent of the Management Committee.

No playing tour or trip (other than for sanctioned league and cup matches) will be undertaken without the permission of the relevant governing body.

 

21             Conduct of Management Committee Meetings

The Management Committee will adopt such orders as may be deemed necessary for the the orderly and sensible conduct of Management Committee meetings. Such orders may be amended from time to time providing two thirds of the Management Committee present consent to  the change.

 

22.            Property

The property of the club shall be vested in three trustees who shall be appointed by the members at the AGM or SGM convened for that purpose. Trustees will serve until such time as they are replaced by the members at the AGM or SGM.

 

23             Dissolution

The club shall be dissolved on resolution to that effect being passed by a majority of not less that two thirds of the members present and voting at the AGM or SGM called for that purpose.

 

Such resolutions may give instructions for the final disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the club, provided that if any property remains after discharge of all debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members but shall be given or transferred to the Torfaen County Borough Council (or its successors) with a request that such property be distributed, if possible, to a football club with similar aims and objectives.

 

24             Matters Not Provided For

Matters not provided for in these rules will be dealt with by the Management Committee.

 

25             Alterations to the Rules

No amendment or addition to, or deletion from, these rules will be made except at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting convened for that purpose.

 

Any proposal for amendment or addition to, or deletion from, these rules will require the assent of at least two thirds of the members present before the will be deemed carried.

 

 

 

This constitution was formally adopted at a Special General Meeting held on Monday 4 October 1999

 

 

 

Alan Hiatt

Chairman

 

 

 

 

Updated: September 1999