CLUB CONSTITUTION AND RULES

1. CLUB NAME: The Club shall be called Welwyn United Football Club (the “Club”).

2. CLUB VISION: To develop a self-sufficient, sustainable club at the centre of the local community, attracting and serving both football and social users and providing a club that the entire local community can benefit from. We aim to develop teams at every level from youth football to adult football, with a significant number of players coming from within a 5-mile catchment area of our home ground.

Inspire a love for the game

2.1 CLUB ETHOS: At Welwyn United FC we understand that players participate in football to have fun. We will offer competitive football but will measure success by the enjoyment and involvement of players from our local community, not just by winning leagues and cups.

It’s all about enjoying the game and, at the same time, learning and developing football and life skills.

Football development requires that players play age-appropriate activities so they can experience, comprehend, and execute the game as it relates to where they are at their own stage of physical and mental development.

It is about playing in different positions so the player learns all the skills necessary to develop in the game.

It’s about receiving equal playing time, so the players are all given equal opportunity to learn.

It’s about learning the techniques of the game through a variety of fun games where players have as much contact with a ball as possible and learn at their own rates.

2.2 CLUB VALUES: The Club values are to be promoted by all players and associated adults at all times.

Respect- We treat our teammates, opponents,officials and club members respectfully.

Integrity- We act in a fair, consistent and transparent manner in everything we do, recognising our reputation rests on the consistency of our actions.

Teamwork- We ( Players, managers,parents, volunteers and committee members) work and collaborate both on and off the pitch. This is our club.

Inclusivity- We promote and deliver an environment for all to enjoy the game of football.

3. STATUS OF CLUB RULES: These rules form a binding agreement between each playing member of the Club, all adults involved in, or supporting the running of the Club (including parents, guardians,or carers). These rules and the associated behaviours are included in the Player, Parent and Coach and Officials codes of conduct.

4. RULES AND REGULATIONS:

4.1 The members of the Club shall so exercise their rights, powers and duties and shall, where appropriate, use their best endeavours to ensure that others conduct themselves so that the business and affairs of the Club are carried out in accordance with the Rules and Regulation of The Football Association Limited (“The FA”), The Hertfordshire Football Association to which the Club is affiliated (“The Herts FA”) and Competitions in which the Club participates, for the time being in force.

4.2 No alteration to the Rules and regulations of the Club shall be effective without a majority vote in favour from the membership and a majority endorsement from the elected committee members.

4.3 The Club will also abide by The FA Safeguarding Children Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct, Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Policy. Details of these policies will be kept updated on the Club website.

5. CLUB MEMBERSHIP

5.1 The members of the Club shall be those persons listed in the register of members (the “Membership Register”) which shall be maintained by the Club Secretary.

5.2 Membership is open to any young person within the age categories of the Club teams, irrespective of ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or socio-economic status. The Club has adopted The FA club equality policy. All players, families and Club staff are made aware of this policy, which can be viewed on the Club website.

5.3 Any person who wishes to be a member must apply on the Membership Application Form and deliver it to the Club Secretary. Membership shall become effective upon an applicant’s name being entered in the Membership Register.

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

5.6 A player will be approved to play for the Club only once his or her manager has received notification from the Club Secretary.

5.7 No player will be permitted to play for the Club without a registration card. The Club adheres to league policies of “no card, no play”.

6.1 An annual fee payable by each member shall be determined by the Club Committee and set at a level that will not pose a significant obstacle to community participation.

6.1.1 The Club operates a membership fee sliding scale to enable players to join the club once the season has started and before the period of time which registrations are permitted before the end of the season.

6.2 Any fee shall be payable on a successful application for membership and annually by each member. Should a player leave the club during the course of a playing season, the committee may choose to return whole of part payment dependent on the period of the season in which the player leaves the club.

6.3 The Club Committee shall have the authority to levy further subscriptions from the members as are reasonably necessary to fulfil the objectives of the Club.

6.4 The Club promotes the opportunity for the membership of a player to be paid over a period of time in accordance with the Club’s payment plan policy.

7. RESIGNATION AND EXPULSION

7.1 A member shall cease to be a member of the Club if, and from the date on which the player or their family gives written notice to the Club Secretary of the player’s resignation.

7.1.1 A member whose annual membership fee or further subscription is more than two (2) months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.

7.2 The Club Committee shall have the power to expel a member when, in its opinion, it would not be in the interests of the club for them to remain a member. This action would require a majority vote of the elected committee members, following an investigation by the Club’s disciplinary panel.

An appeal against such a decision may be made to the Club Committee in accordance with the Complaints Procedure.

7.3 A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or any share of, any, of the income and assets of the Club (the “Club Property”) upon leaving the Club, any playing kit, or equipment provided by the club must be returned before releasing a player to join another club.

8. DISCIPLINARY AND GRIEVANCES

8.1 Any registered member of the club or their family may raise a grievance against any action of the Club or a club representative. This includes all players, coaches or officials.

8.2 Anyone wishing to raise a grievance must do so in writing to the Club Welfare Officer, in accordance with the club disciplinary and grievance process.

8.2.1 If the grievance is against the Club Welfare Officer, then the grievance must be made in writing to the Club Chair.

8.3 Any registered Club member, their family or a Club coach or official wishing to raise a grievance against another club must also follow the process as determined in the club document.

9. CLUB COMMITTEE

9.1 The Club Committee shall consist of the following elected Club Officers:

Chairperson
Vice-chairperson
Treasurer
Secretary
Football Development officer
Club Welfare Officer
Website & Social Media Officer
Player Representative ( Youth)
Player Representative ( Adult )

Additional roles can be recruited at any point during the year. These include: Social Events, Fundraising Lead, Pitch Coordinator and Age group coordinators.

9.2 Each Club Officer and Club Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next AGM unless otherwise resolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”).

9.3 One person may hold no more than two (2) positions of Club Officer at any time.

9.4 The Club Committee shall be responsible for the management of all the affairs of the Club. Decisions of the Club Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Club Committee meeting.

9.5 The Chairperson of the Club Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie.

9.6 Meetings of the Club Committee shall be chaired by the Club Chairperson, or in their absence Vice Chair. The quorum for the transaction of the business of the Club Committee shall be three (3)

9.7 Decisions of the Club Committee shall be recorded in meeting notes, maintained by the Club Secretary. The meeting minutes shall be circulated to all committee members.

9.7.1 The Club Committee reserves the right to remove any sensitive information from the minutes published on the website if the committee deem the content to be inappropriate to make available for public consumption.

9.7.2 Any member of the Club Committee may call a meeting of the Club Committee by giving not less than seven days’ notice to all members of the Club Committee. The Club Committee shall hold not less than six meetings per year.

9.7.3 A Club Committee member may be elected to another committee position immediately after the cessation of their term in a previous position.

9.7.4 Any vacancy on the Club Committee which arises between AGMs shall be filled by a member proposed by one (1) and seconded by another one (1) of the remaining Club Committee members and approved by majority of the remaining Club Committee members.

9.7.5 In the Rules and Regulations of The FA, The Herts FA and any applicable Competition, the Club Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules.

9.8 The position of an elected Club Committee member, non-elected Officer, coach or official shall be vacated if such a person is subject to a decision of The FA or The Herts FA that such person be suspended from holding office or from taking part in any football activity relating to the administration or management of a football club.

10. ANNUAL AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

An AGM shall be held in each year to:

Receive a report of the activities of the Club over the previous year;
Receive a report of the Club’s finances over the previous year;
Elect members of the Club Committee; and
Consider any other business
Nominations for election of members as Club Officers or as members of the Club Committee shall be made in writing by the proposer and seconder, both of whom must be existing members of the Club, to the Club Secretary not less than 10 days before the AGM. Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the meeting.

An EGM may be called at any time by the Club Committee and shall be called within 21 days of the receipt by the Club Secretary of a requisition in writing, signed by not less than five members, or member families, stating the purposes for which the Meeting is required and the resolutions proposed. Business at an EGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM.

10.1 The Secretary shall send to each member written notice of the date of a General Meeting (whether an AGM or an EGM) together with the resolutions to be proposed at least 14 days before the meeting.

10.2 The quorum for a General Meeting shall be five (5).

10.3 The Chairperson, or in their absence a member selected by the Club Committee, shall take the chair.

10.4 Resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of votes.

10.5 In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson of the meeting shall have a casting vote.

10.6 The Club Secretary, or in their absence a member of the Club Committee, shall record the minutes of General Meetings in accordance with the usual minute taking process for committee meetings.

11. CLUB TEAMS

11.1 At its first meeting following each AGM, the Club Committee shall appoint a Club member to be responsible for each of the Club’s football age groups as Age group Coordinator.

11.2 The Club will also appoint licensed and qualified Football Association coaches to each age group team. The appointed coaches shall be responsible for managing the affairs of the team. The appointed Age group Coordinators shall present to the Club Committee at its last meeting prior to an AGM a written report of the activities of the team.

12. CLUB FINANCES

12.1 A bank account shall be opened and maintained in the name of the Club (the “Club Account”).

12.1.2 Designated account signatories shall be the Club Chairperson, the Club Vice Chairperson and the Club Treasurer.

12.1.3 No sum shall be drawn from the Club Account without approval by two of the designated signatories.

12.1.4 The preferred means of payments being made to the club is through electronic transfer directly into the Club account.

12.1.5 Cash of cheque monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in the Club Account.

12.2 The Club Property shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club. The

distribution of profits or proceedings arising from the sale of Club Property to members is prohibited.

12.3 The Club Committee shall have the power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any Club coach, official or committee member (although a Club shall not remunerate a member for playing) and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club. Detail of eligible items and the process for claiming remuneration and expenses will be communicated to coaches through the remuneration and expenses policy.

12.4 The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching,courses, insurance cover.

12.5 The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:

Sell and supply Club clothing and equipment.
Employ members (although not for playing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Club Committee without the person concerned being present.
Indemnify the Club Committee and members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).

12.6 The Club shall keep accounting records for recording the fact and nature of all payments and receipts so as to disclose, with reasonable accuracy, at any time, the financial position, including the assets and liabilities of the Club. The Club must retain its accounting records for a minimum of six years.

12.6.1 The Club shall prepare an annual “Financial Statement” in such format as shall be available from The FA from time to time. The Financial Statement shall be verified by an independent, appropriately qualified accountant and shall be approved by members at a General Meeting. A copy of any Financial Statement shall, on demand, be forwarded to the FA.

12.6.2 The Club Property, other than the Club Account, shall be vested in not less than two and not more than four custodians, one of whom shall be the Treasurer (the “Custodians”), who shall deal with the Club Property as directed by decisions of the Club Committee, and entry in the club minutes as conclusive evidence of such a decision.

12.6.1 The Custodians shall be appointed by the Club in a General Meeting and shall hold office until death or resignation, unless removed by a resolution passed at a General Meeting.

12.6.2 On their removal or resignation, a Custodian shall execute a Conveyance in such form as is published by The FA from time to time to a newly elected Custodian or the existing Custodians as directed by the Club Committee.

12.6.3 The Club shall, on request, make a copy of any Conveyance available to The FA. On the death of a Custodian, any Club Property vested in them shall vest automatically in the surviving Custodians. If there is only one surviving Custodian, an EGM shall be convened as soon as possible to appoint another Custodian.

12.6.4 The Custodians shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the Club Property for all expenses and other liabilities reasonably incurred by them in carrying out their duties.

13. DISSOLUTION

13.1 A resolution to dissolve the Club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by the majority of at least three-quarters of the members present.

13.2 The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Club Committee shall be responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.

13.3 Any surplus assets remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be transferred to another Club, a Competition, The Herts FA or The FA for use by them related to community youth football.

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