Ipswich East Suffolk Hockey Club - Club Constitution

Adopted at AGM 10/06/2023

The Name, Location, Objects and Type of Club
1.1. The name of the Club shall be Ipswich East Suffolk Hockey Club (IESHC).
1.2. The Club shall be situated in the County of Suffolk.
1.3. The objectives of the Club shall be:
1.3.1. To provide playing, leading/coaching, umpiring and administrative
opportunities for anyone interested in the sport of hockey, at participation,
development and performance level.
1.3.2. To recruit and develop players of all ages in the sport of hockey as
players, leaders/coaches, umpires and administrators
1.3.3. To provide equity of opportunity across all areas of the club, to
encourage inclusion by minority groups
1.3.4. To provide a safe, effective and child friendly environment in which
to play and learn hockey.
1.4. The Club shall be a members club open to all.

Membership
2.1. Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to facilities available is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
2.2. Membership is open to all individuals, under the following categories:
2.2.1. Senior Hockey Playing Members (defined as being 18 years or over)
2.2.2. Student Hockey Playing Members (age 13 – 17), subject to parental
consent and concessions agreed by the Committee; (age 13/15 non voting)
2.2.3. Junior Hockey Playing Members (aged 5 to 12) subject to parental
consent and concessions agreed by the committee, (non voting.)
2.2.3. Sunday/Midweek Playing Members (defined as those who participate
in Mixed, Indoor and Training hockey but not in the regular Saturday match
programme; non voting)
2.2.4. Non-playing, non-voting, Social Members.
2.2.5. Non playing members who wish to retain voting rights.
2.3. The Executive 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. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members
2.4. Membership fees will be charged as agreed at the Club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).
2.5. Those members, who have given long, meritorious service to the Club and who are no longer active playing members, may be elected at the AGM as Honorary Life Members, based on the recommendations of the Committee.

Executive Committee and Officers
3.1. The affairs of IESHC shall be managed by the Executive Committee (EC) except for matters reserved for the club in Annual General Meeting.
3.2. IESHC Executive Committee shall consist of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Club Administrative Manager (Secretary), Treasurer, Welfare Officer, Coaching Manager, Communications and External Relations Manager, who shall be elected by the Club in Annual General Meeting.
3.3. IESHC Executive Committee may appoint one or two additional officers to serve on the Committee for such purposes as it may deem appropriate (eg to redress underrepresentation of gender or age group, to add specific expertise, etc).
3.4. The minimum number to form a quorum at a Committee meeting shall be five, including the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson.
3.5. The EC may set up such sub-committees as it deems appropriate for conducting specific aspects of the Club’s affairs; all sub-groups will be accountable to the EC.
3.6. Club Treasurer shall be accountable to the Exec Comm in all matters of income, expenditure, and financial planning.
3.7. All expenditure over £500 must be Agreed by EC.
3.8. The clubs Treasurers in consultation with IESHC EC shall be responsible for recording all financial income and expenditure of the Club and for presenting audited accounts at each Annual General Meeting of the Club.

General Meetings
5.1. An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in the month of June or July every year.
5.2. Notice of meeting, together with all relevant written reports, shall be posted 14 days before the date of such a meeting
5.3. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by IES Executive Committee or by three members making a written request to the Committee for such a meeting.
5.4. Every member of the Club shall be entitled to be present and to vote at any General Meeting of the Club and should there be equality on any voting issue the Chairman of the meeting shall have the casting vote. 15 senior playing members shall constitute a quorum.

Subscriptions
6.1. Subscription charges for the Club shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting.

Conduct of Members
7.1. The Executive Committee may suspend the membership of any member whose conduct has been, in the opinion of the Committee, contrary to the interests of the Club and in line with England Hockey guidance.

Changes to the Constitution of the Club
8.1. These rules may be altered, added to or revoked, in accordance with clubs and association law, by majority comprising two-thirds or more of the members present and entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Club.

Dissolution of the Club
9.1. The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting.
9.2. The Executive Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.
9.3. After settling all liabilities of the Club, the EC shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:
9.3.1. To another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered
charity and/or
9.3.2. To another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered
CASC (Community Amateur Sports Club as first provided for by the
Finance Act 2002) and/or
9.3.3. To the Club governing body for use by them for related community
sports.

IES (Ipswich East Suffolk) HC