PARKCELTIC SUMMERHILL FOOTBALL CLUB

CONSTITUTION & RULES

Latest Amendment Date: 8^th July 2009

1.      NAME

The Club shall be called PARKCELTIC SUMMERHILL FOOTBALL CLUB

(hereinafter referred to as the Club) and it shall seek affiliation to and be bound by the rules of the Football Association of Ireland and the Meath & District League or  any other such League as the club may decide to participate in.

2. OBJECTS

1. The aim of the club shall be the development, promotion and playing of Associated Football and the provision of facilities for that purpose.

2.      The Club is committed to encouraging the highest ethical standards. All individuals involved in the Club should conduct themselves with integrity, transparency, accountability and in a fair and equitable manner.

3. The Club shall be entirely non-political, non sectarian and ran on an amateur basis.

3. MEMBERSHIP

• The club shall consist of the following members: (a) Senior members, (b) Junior Members (a member who has not reached the age of 18 on July 1^st of that year) and (c) Honorary Members.

·        Membership of the club shall be open to all persons approved by the Club Committee.

·        Membership shall run from the 1^st of July to the 30^th of June on the following year.

·        Members in each category shall pay Membership fees as fixed by the Club Committee on a yearly basis. The Club as decided at a Club General Meeting may also require Members to contribute to the funds of the Club by way of a special levy.

• Membership is assumed upon:
  • Payment of the relevant membership fee
  • Registration as a player
  • Use of the Club facilities on a regular basis.

·        All members joining the Club shall be deemed to agree to be bound to the membership rules and to accept the terms of this Constitution and any Bye-laws from time to time adopted by the Club. They will also be required to conduct themselves in accordance with the Club's ethical framework and the bye-laws as to discipline set out therein.

·        Any member whose membership subscription remains unpaid on 1^st November shall cease to be a member of the Club. Payment of the subscription later than this date shall be treated as a new application for membership in accordance with the provisions above.

• A period of one month shall be allowed for the payment of the relevant membership fee for those members who join after 1st September of any year. The membership fee for those becoming members of the Club after 1st January shall be halved.

·        The Secretary shall keep a Membership Register. In the event of a member’s resignation or expulsion, his or her name shall be removed from the Membership Register.

4. TRUSTEES

·        The property of the club shall be vested in Trustees, by whom and against whom all proceedings in the name of the Club shall be taken.

·        The Trustees shall be indemnified by the Senior Members against all liabilities and expenses incurred by them as Trustees, in so far as the assets of the Club shall be deficient and such indemnity shall be a condition of membership of the Club.

·        Each Trustee shall, at the discretion of the Club Committee, be an honorary member and shall be elected at a General Meeting and shall hold office for life or until he/she resigns or is removed from Office by a resolution carried by a majority of Senior Members voting at a General Meeting of the Club.

·        The Trustees shall deal with the Property of the club solely as directed by the resolution of the Committee of which entry in the Minutes Book shall be conclusive evidence.

5. THE COMMITTEE

·        The business and affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee which shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until the conclusion of the following Annual General Meeting (unless otherwise resolved at a Special General Meeting).

• The Club Committee can consist of the following Club Officers: Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Underage Secretary and PRO plus up to 6 other members, elected at an Annual General Meeting. The positions of President and Vice president are Honorary Positions within the Club if so filled.

·        A candidate for election to the Committee must have been a Senior Member of the Club for at least six months prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting at which he/she is proposed as a candidate.

·        One person may hold no more than two positions of Club Officer at any time.

·        Any 2 Senior Members of the Club may nominate a (qualifying) member as a candidate for election to the Committee either in writing to the Secretary 5 days prior to the Annual General Meeting or from the floor at such Annual General Meeting.

·        All Committee members must be members of the Club.

·        Any member of the Committee shall automatically cease to hold Office on resignation from the Committee, on ceasing to be a Senior Member of the Club, on being requested to resign by letter or other instrument in writing signed by all the other members of the Committee or on being removed from Office by a Resolution carried by at least two thirds of Senior Members present and voting at a General Meeting of the Club.

·        The Committee may, at its discretion, appoint a member to fill any vacancies that may occur in its ranks. The member so appointed shall hold office only until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.

·        The Committee shall have the power to appoint and fill such sub-committees as they may consider necessary to fulfil the objectives of the club.

• The Committee shall have power to make order or rescind local rules, bye-laws and regulations for the management of the Club as they consider necessary. Such local rules, bye-laws and regulations shall be posted on a Club Notice Board and every member or other person using the Club House or the Club’s facilities shall be subject to any comply with them.

·         The Committee shall have the power to appoint and dismiss such employees as they deem necessary for the due management of the club.

·        The Committee shall have the power to appoint whatever officials they deem necessary, who will act in their respective capacity until the date of the following Annual General Meeting. These shall include (but are not limited to) Team Managers, Coaches, Trainers, Public Relations Officers, Child Welfare Officers and Groundsmen. In addition, the Committee shall have the power to terminate any of these appointments and to appoint a replacement up to the following Annual General Meeting.

·        The Committee shall ensure that correct accounts and books shall be kept and for the production of same at the Annual General Meeting in such a manner as is necessary to give a true and fair account of the state of the Club’s affairs and to explain its transactions and finances.

·        The Committee shall be responsible for (a) keeping all Club records, (b) attention to relevant correspondence and maintenance of same and (c) representation at all necessary meetings and so forth.

6. COMMITTEE MEETINGS

·        The Committee shall meet on not less than 10 occasions each year.

·        Meetings of the Club Committee shall be chaired by either the Club Chairman or the Vice Chairman. In their absence, the meeting shall be chaired by some member of the Committee who shall be moved to the Chair.

·        The required number to form a quorum for the purposes of conducting a meeting shall be 5.

·        Decisions of the Club Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Club Committee meeting. The Chairperson of the Club Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in all matters in the event of a tie, except for disciplinary votes.

·        Decisions of the Club Committee of meetings shall be entered into the Minute Book of the Club to be maintained by the Club Secretary.

·        The position of a member of the Committee shall be vacated if the member shall be absent without permission or satisfactory explanation at any three consecutive meetings of the Committee. Unexplained absences from what a majority of other committee members consider to be an unacceptable number of meetings may lead to the committee member’s position being vacated. This will be decided upon by ballot by qualifying committee members and notified in advance to the committee member in question,

·        Any member of the Club Committee may call a meeting of the Club Committee by giving not less than 7 days notice to all members of the Club Committee.

·        The Club Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules. The Committee’s interpretation of all rules of the Club shall be binding on all Club Members, unless and until the same is set aside or otherwise varied by a General Meeting of the Club.

• Honorary Members shall be entitled to attend all Committee Meetings and to raise all and any matters there at as they may consider appropriate but they shall not be entitled to cast any vote in any matter arising for determination before the Committee.

7. GENERAL MEETINGS

The Annual General Meeting usually fulfils the basic purposes of electing officers and other members of the Executive Committee, of reviewing the Accounts and of considering other matters of importance to the Club membership. It also considers changes to the Constitution.

·        The Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting in the month of May or June of each year to:

                   • Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.

                   • Receive reports from the Chairperson and Secretary.

                   • Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.

                   • Elect the Executive Committee.

                   • Appoint someone responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts.

                   • Consider changes to the Constitution.

                   • Deal with other relevant business.

·        The Date so fixed for the Annual General Meeting shall be posted on the Club Notice Board(s) at least 14 days before the meeting specifying the time and place of the meeting. The Club Committee may, at their discretion, also use additional means of notifying club members of General Meetings.

·        Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than 7 days before the Meeting.

·        A Special General Meeting (SGM) or Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called at any time by the majority of the Committee. Any member who wishes to call an E.G.M must propose a motion specifying the business to be transacted and have it signed by at least twenty five of the Senior Members of the Club. The meeting must take place within 21 days of the Secretary receiving notice of the request, whilst 7 days notice shall be given specifying the time and place of the meeting. Business at an SGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM.

·        General Meetings shall be chaired by either the Club Chairman or the Vice Chairman. In their absence, the meeting shall be chaired by some member of the Committee who shall be moved to the Chair.

·        Each qualifying member present shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the Meeting shall have a casting vote.

·        The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 12 members. Voting shall be by ballot or show of hands at the chair’s option. No voting by proxy shall be allowed. Only senior members of at least six months standing shall be allowed to vote.

·        The Club Secretary, or in their absence a member of the Club Committee, shall enter Minutes of General Meetings into the Minute Book of the Club.

8. RULES, REGULATIONS & DISCLIPINARY ISSUES

·        The Club shall have the status of an Affiliated Member Club of Meath & District League.

·        The Club will abide by The Football Association of Ireland’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct and the Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Policy.

·        Any member of the club whose conduct in or out of the Club is in the opinion of the Committee injurious or detrimental to the interests of the Club may be suspended, asked to resign or be expelled in accordance with the following procedure:

(a)    The Committee shall at one of its meetings consider whether the conduct in question is injurious or detrimental to the interests of the Club

(b)   The member shall be invited to attend either this meeting or a subsequent meeting so that he/she may offer an explanation of the conduct at issue. He/She will be given at least 3 days notice of this meeting.

(c)    If the member offers no explanation, or if the explanation is, in the opinion of the Committee, unsatisfactory, the Committee shall be empowered to do any or all of the following:

- Suspend the member for such period not exceeding 3 months.

                                    - Request the member to resign immediately.

                                    - Remove the member’s name from the membership list of the club 

                                       with written notification sent to the member. 

(d)   The member concerned shall be entitled within 7 days of the decision being notified to him/her to appeal against it by requesting the Committee in writing to call an Extraordinary General Meeting to consider and confirm, rescind or vary the Committee’s decision

(e)    Such a meeting is to be called within 3 weeks of the date of such a request. Voting will be by ballot, with a two thirds majority required to carry a vote. The member concerned will be notified of the result both verbally and in writing.

·        Any player that is under suspension or that has unpaid membership fees can not be granted a transfer to another club until suspension is complete or fees are fully paid up.

9. GENERAL

·         All cheques drawn against the Club’s funds shall be signed by the Treasurer and one of two other nominated office-bearers. (The Club may decide that the signature of the Treasurer is sufficient for the issue of cheques up to, say, €25. A bank manager will be able to advice on the opening of bank accounts.).

·         All personal belongings of members, employees, visitors and others on or in the Club premises (either in the Club House or outside it) shall be at the sole risk of the owner and the Club or Committee shall not be responsible for any loss or damage thereto. This rule shall not prejudice any claim by the Club or any member thereof or the Committee or the owner against any insurance company for the loss or damage sustained.

·        The Committee of the Club and all Club Members and Appointees are fully committed to the appointment of the Club Child Welfare Officer and to the operation of the Club’s Child Welfare Policy. It is accepted that:

o       The Club Child Welfare Officer shall not be a Member of the Club.

o       The Club Child Welfare Officer shall receive the full co-operation of all Members and Appointees of the Club and shall have free access to all Club records in relation to the investigation of any matter of concern.

o       The authority of the Club Child Welfare Officer in relation to matters of Child Welfare shall exceed the authority of the Committee in such matters and the Committee on behalf of all Club Members shall accept any decisions handed down by the Child Welfare Officer and ensure the implementation of any instructions in relation to those decisions.

o       The Committee of the Club in conjunction with the Child Welfare Officer shall appoint Child Welfare Implementation Officers to assist with the ongoing operation of the Club Child Welfare Policy.

o       All Managers, Coaches, Trainers or other persons involved with or supervising Members under the age of 18 years at any time, shall only be permitted to do so after satisfactory processing of at least two references from independent persons and after proper familiarisation with her responsibilities under the Club Child Welfare Policy.

10. Constitutional Amendments

1. Any alteration to this Constitution may only be made by a two thirds majority at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting, provided that however the Committee may later add or delete from these rules for the propose of complying with an Act of the Oireachtas or Bye-law of the Local Authority.
2. Not withstanding anything here in before contained no alteration to this Constitution shall be entertained by any Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting unless the proposal shall have been made by the Committee as here in under provided or by written Notice of Motion signed by at least five members and given in writing to the Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting. Upon receipt of any suck Notice signed by at least five members as aforesaid the Secretary shall cause a copy of the said Notice to be posted on the Club Notice Board at least seven days before the date of the meeting.