Constitution
1. NAME
1.1 The club shall be known as �Brentwood Athletic Football Club�.
1.2 The Club shall be affiliated to the Essex County Football Association, Essex Association of Boys Clubs and the National Association of Boys Clubs.
2. OBJECTIVES
2.1 The object of the Club is to provide facilities for its members to play and enjoy football.
2.2 The Club shall be governed and abide by the rules and regulations of the Football Association and the Essex County Football Association.
2.3 To ensure child protection procedures and practices follow guidelines set out in the Football Association Club Child Protection Policy document under the name of Brentwood Athletic YFC.
Participation shall be open to all members irrespective of sex, religion, political belief, nationality, sexual orientation, race, colour or disability.
3. ANTI DISCRIMINATION POLICY
3.1 Brentwood Athletic Football Club is responsible for the setting standards and values to apply throughout the clubat every level. Football belongs to and should be enjoyed by everyone, equally. Our commitment is to confrontand eliminate discrimination whether by reason of sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or disability.
3.2 Equality of opportunity at Brentwood Athletic Football Club means that in all our activities we will not discriminate or in any way treat anyone less favourably, on grounds of sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or disability.
This includes:
- The advertisement for volunteers.
- The selection of candidates for volunteers.
- Courses
- External coaching and education activities and awards.
- Football development activities.
- Selection for teams.
- Appointments to honorary positions.
- Brentwood Athletic Football Club will not tolerate sexual or racially based harassment or other discriminatory behaviour, whether physical or verbal, and will work to ensure that such behaviour is met with appropriate action in whatever context it occurs.
- Brentwood Athletic Football Club is committed to the development of the programme of ongoing training and awareness raising events and activities, in order to promote the eradication within its own organisation, and within football as a whole.
4. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
4.1 Brentwood Athletic Football Club is committed to a policy of equal treatment of all members and requires all members of whatever level or authority, to abide and adhere to this general principle and the requirements of the Codes of Practice issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission and Commission for Racial Equality.
4.2 All members are expected to abide by the requirements of the Race Relations Act 1976, Sex Discrimination Act 1986 and Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Specifically discrimination is prohibited by:
4.3 Treating any individual on grounds of gender, colour, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or disability less favourably than others do.
4.4 Expecting an individual solely on the grounds stated above to comply with requirement(s) for any reason whatsoever related to their membership, which are different from the requirements for others.
4.5 Imposing on an individual, requirements, which are in effect more onerous on that individual, than they are on others. For example, this would include applying a condition which makes it more difficult for the members of a particular race or sex to comply than others not of that race or sex.
4.5.1 Victimisation of an individual.
4.5.2 Harassment of a individual, by virtue of discrimination
4.5.3 Any other act or omission of an act, which has as its effect the disadvantaging of a member against another, or others, purely on the grounds. Thus, in the entire Club�s recruitment, selection, promotion and training processes, as well as disciplinary matters, it is essential that merit, experience, skills and temperament be considered as objectively as possible.
4.6 Brentwood Athletic Football Club commits itself to the immediate investigation of any claims of discrimination on the grounds and where such is found to be the case, a requirement that the practice cease forthwith, restitution of damage or loss (if necessary) and to the investigation of any member accused of discrimination.
4.6.1 Any member found guilty of discrimination will be instructed to desist forthwith. Since discrimination in its many forms is against the Football Club�s policy, any members offending will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure.
4.7 The Football Club commits itself to the disabled person whenever possible and will treat such members, in aspects of their recruitment and membership, in exactly the same manner as other members. The difficulties of their disablement permitting assistance will be given, whenever possible to ensure that disabled members are helped in gaining access. Appropriate training will be made to such members who request it.
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5. MEMBERSHIP
5.1 All persons between the ages of 5 and 10 years on 1st September, preceding the commencement of the season during which they apply for membership shall be eligible for membership within the Junior Section of Brentwood Athletic Football Club. On reaching the age of 11 and up to 17 years members in this section shall be known as the Youth Section.
5.2 A person shall be admitted as a member following:
5.2.1 Submission to the Management Committee of a duly completed registration & Code of Conduct form. These forms are to be signed by the child�s patents or guardian with appropriate subscription. All parents of registered children automatically become members of the club.
5.2.2 Any adults wishing to become a member of the Club, who does not have a registered child at the club, must pay the appropriate subscription.
5.2.3 The election or expulsion of any members shall be determined in the sole and unfettered discretion of the Management Committee.
5.2.4 The Secretary, accountable to members known as Brentwood Athletic Football Club shall a register of all members of the Junior & Youth sections, which shall be available for inspection by any of the Management Committee.
6. EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE CLUB
6.1 Hon. President.
7. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
7.1 There shall be a maximum of eighteen, and a minimum of six members of the Management Committee.
7.1.1 Chairman
7.1.2 Hon. Treasurer
7.1.3 Hon. Secretary
7.1.4 3 from junior section and 3 from Youth section.
7.2 The Management Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting
7.3 The management and control of the affairs, funds and property of the Club shall be controlled by the Management Committee of the Club.
7.4 The Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary shall be trustees of all property and monies belonging to the Club.
7.5 The Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all monies received by and expended on behalf of the Club. The Treasurer shall provide a statement of the Audited Club�s Account to the Annual General Meeting and a statement of the financial position to each meeting of the Management Committee.
7.6 The Secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence on behalf of the Club, and Convening General Meetings and meeting of the Management Committee.
8. MEETINGS
8.1 An Annual General Meeting shall be held once in every year within six months of the end of the financial year (provided not more than fifteen months shall elapse between the date of one Annual General Meeting and the next) when the Management Committee shall present a report of its proceedings and the affairs and audited accounts of the Club.
8.2 The financial year of the Club shall end on 31st May in each year.
8.3 At a General Meeting voting shall be open to the Management Committee, and any member who is over eighteen on the date of the meeting and one parent or guardian of any other member of the Club.
8.4.1 Notice of every General Meeting with an agenda shall be advised via Team Managers and given to each member of the Club at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.
8.4.2 Any person entitled to vote at a General Meeting wishing to propose any alterations to these Rules or any other business of importance shall notify the same to the Secretary at least fourteen days before the meeting.
8.5 The Management Committee or any ten members of the Club. (acting where appropriate by their parent or guardian) may at any time on written request to the Secretary stating the business for which it is required, require the Secretary to convene at not less than twenty one days notice an Extraordinary General Meeting for any specific purpose, and the notice of such meeting will state the business to be transacted at that meeting.
8.6 The quorum for a meeting of the Management Committee shall be six.
8.7 The Management Committee shall have an unfettered power to remove any member of the Club who, in their opinion is guilty of any misconduct or is not conducting him/herself in a manner consistent with the best interest of the Club and its members.
8.8.1 In the event of equality votes at any General Meeting or meeting of the Management Committee, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
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9. SUBSCRIPTIONS
9.1 Subscriptions shall be determined by a resolution at a meeting of the Management Committee, and sanctioned at the AGM.
9.2 Subscriptions shall be paid annually before 30th September in any year or in any event before any child can represent the Club in any match (whether league cup or friendly).
9.3 The club may operate a sliding scale of subscriptions from December onwards, but this is not guaranteed.
9.4 If a child ceases to be a member of the club for any reason whatsoever, the Club shall not be under any obligation to refund the member�s subscription or any part thereof, but all kit belonging to the Club shall be returned.
10. KIT
10.1 The Club shall provide a suitable kit to all children representing the Club in any match.
10.2 Team Managers shall be responsible for distributing, collecting and washing the Club�s kit.
10.3 All matches must be played in the kit supplied by the Club. The Club�s colours are Red/White/Black. No alterations shall be made to the kit, other clubwear, accessories and ancillary items belonging to the Club without prior approval of the Management Committee.
10.4 Members must provide their won boots, shin pads, trainers and ancillary equipment. Shin pads must be worn for all matches and training sessions.
10.5 When representing the Club, members, parents/guardians and guests must present themselves in an acceptable manner and behave accordingly.
11. SPONSORSHIP/DONATIONS
11.1 All monies received by way of a donation or sponsorship, which has been previously approved by the Management Committee, shall be paid into the relevant bank account. Appropriation of such monies shall be agreed and dealt with by the Management Committee.
12. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES/CODE OF CONDUCT
12.1 Should any member, their parent/guardian/representative be found to cause an offence to any official, leading to the instigation of a complaint being made to any governing body be it the Management Committee of the Club, The Essex County Football Association or the Football Association, the offender will be responsible for any fines imposed any expenses incurred by any club official who may have to attend Disciplinary Hearings. The Management Committee, in such manner may also discipline any member of the Club as a breech of the Code of Conduct (duly signed by parent/guardian/representative & players), as the Management Committee considers appropriate.
12.2 Continuous fines incurred by all age groups will be subject to review by the Management Committee and will normally be liable to individual Managers.
13. EXPENSES
13.1 All reasonable telephone, postage and other expenditure incurred by officers of the Club in the conduct of the business of the Club will be reimbursed by the Treasurer provided that
13.1.1 All such expenses are properly vouched and documented.
13.1.2 The Management Committee shall have previously approved the expenditure on any single item in excess of �100.00
13.1.3 The claim for expenditure is presented to the Treasurer within 28 days of the expense being incurred.
14. ALTERATION TO THE RULES
14.1 No alterations or additions to these Rules (except in so far as the same are reserved to the Management Committee) shall be made except by a resolution passed at either the A.G.M or a specially convened E.G.M.
15. WINDING UP
15.1 In the event of the dissolution of the Club, if, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities of the Club. There shall remain any property whatsoever; the same shall be transferred to an organisation nominated by the Parent Association.
16. INSURANCE
16.1 Brentwood Athletic Football Club holds its own Personal accident & public Liability insurance (a copy of which is available from the Club secretary). It is also insured through its affiliation to the Essex County Football Association.