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

3. POWERS: In furtherance of the objective in clause 2 above the Club through its
Management Committee shall have the following powers:

a) to subscribe or affiliate to or become a member of any other institution having objectives similar to those of the Club;

b) Gomersal & Cleckheaton FC are affiliated to the West Riding County FA and within this public liability insurance is provided as part of the affiliation fee.

c) to co-operate and work with, including the sharing of expenses, anybody or organisation itself being a charity or public authority or having the support of a public authority;

d) to raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscriptions and otherwise, providing that the Club shall not undertake permanent trading activities in raising funds for its objectives;

e) to do all such lawful things as shall further the objectives of the Club

MEMBERSHIP

4. Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs; or of age, sex or disability except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of football as a particular sport.

The Club may refuse membership or expel from membership only for good and sufficient cause, such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against such a decision may be made to the Club’s full members and decided by a majority vote.

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES: membership of the Club shall be in the following categories:

a) Full Members; i.e. individuals who are interested in the furtherance of the aims of the Club, whose names appear on the Membership Register held by the Secretary.

b) Playing Members; i.e. players who are registered as players using the GCFC Pitchero Memberships Account process

It shall BE A CONDITION OF Playing Membership that where the player is under the age of 18 a parent or guardian approves membership via the GCFC Pitchero Membership Account.

c) Life Members i.e. those members whose contribution to the Club has been recognised by the Management Committee as meriting life membership.

5. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION: Applications for membership of the Club shall be in a format prescribed by the Management Committee. Applicants shall be deemed to be members of the Club once their applications have been accepted.

6. MEMBERS SUBSCRIPTIONS: Members shall pay such subscriptions as the Management Committee may from time to time determine for the various categories of membership.

PRESIDENT/TRUSTEES

7 PRESIDENT: The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint a President of the Club who shall be elected for a period of three years at the first Management Committee meeting following the appropriate Annual General Meeting. The President shall be a non- oting member of the Management Committee.

8. TRUSTEES: All property and assets of the Club shall be vested in four trustees appointed by the Management Committee for agreed periods. Trustees must give three months' notice of their resignation. Trustees shall have access to the financial records of the Club and must be made aware of any major projects before commencement. The Management Committee should make adequate arrangements to protect the trustees in respect of known future liabilities.

COMMITTEES

9. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE: The policy and general management of the affairs of the Club shall be directed by a Management Committee, which shall meet not less than six times a year. The Management Committee shall consist of the Honorary Officers of the Club (Clause 10) and others as indicated in Clause 11. All members of the Management Committee shall retire annually at the Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible to be appointed or co-opted again.

The Management Committee may co-opt persons to any vacant places on the Management Committee. Any member who shall without sufficient reason, absent himself from three consecutive Committee Meetings shall cease to be a member of the Committee. Members of the Management Committee shall not serve on the main Committee of a second club in the same league/age groups in which the Club is represented.

11. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE - OTHER MEMBERS: The Management Committee shall consist of up to three adult full members representing each age group who will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for positions should in the hands of the Secretary at least seven days prior to the Annual General Meeting. In addition, team managers shall be elected annually at the first Management Committee meeting following the Annual General Meeting. Members may not hold more than 2 positions at any time.

12. SUB COMMITTEES: The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint such sub-committees as it may from time to time decide and may determine their powers and terms of reference. All decisions and actions taken under these delegated powers must be reported to and confirmed by the Management Committee. The Chairperson of any sub-committee shall be a member of the Management Committee. Members of sub-committees can be either members of the Management Committee or co-opted members.

13. RULES AND PROCEDURES AT ALL COMMITTEE MEETINGS: All decisions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote. All Management Committee members, except the Chairperson shall be entitled to vote. Persons holding more than one position may only have one vote. In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairperson shall have the casting vote. One-third of the Committee members shall form a quorum at meetings of the Management Committee. Minutes of all Management and sub-committee meetings shall be maintained and be the responsibility of the Secretary. The Management Committee shall determine any other procedures to be adopted.

14. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE - RESTRICTION OF POWERS OF MEMBERS: Individual Committee members shall only incur expenses or liability, or enter into any legal obligation in accordance with the rules set by the Management Committee.

GENERAL MEETINGS

15. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: The Club shall during July/August of each year hold a General Meeting as its Annual General Meeting for the purpose of receiving the report of the Management Committee and the accounts of the Club for the year to the previous 30th June, of the election of Officers, members of the Management Committee and of appointing an Honorary Auditor. The Secretary shall give Twenty-one days' notice of the Annual General Meeting.

16. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS: All General Meetings other than Annual General Meetings shall be called Special General Meetings and may be called by the Chairperson of the Management Committee, or the Secretary or on a requisition to the Secretary signed by not less than thirty members. Such requisition shall state the purpose for which the meeting is required and the Secretary shall hold the meeting within twenty-eight days of the receipt of the requisition. At least seven days' notice of any General Meeting shall be given by the Secretary.

17. RULES AND PROCEDURES AT GENERAL MEETINGS: At any General Meeting each full member present, other than the Chairperson, shall have one vote and resolutions shall be decided by a simple majority of those present except as provided for in Clauses 28 and 29. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson shall have the casting vote. At any General Meeting, twelve members shall form a quorum. Minutes of all General Meetings shall be maintained and be the responsibility of the Secretary.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

18. The Management Committee at their first meeting following the Annual General Meeting shall select Team Managers annually.

19. DISCIPLINE: Team Managers will be responsible for the conduct of playing members, club officials and spectators both on and off the field of play. The Management Committee shall set rules for behaviour and discipline aimed at promoting good sportsmanship and enhancing the reputation of the Club and a copy of this will be made available electronically at the time of Players Registration each season. By registering with the club it is deemed that the Player and Parent/Guardian if the player is under the age of 18, (who thereby takes responsibility for visitors that he/she may invite to attend any matches) will adhere to the Club’s Code of Conduct. The Age Group Manager must report breaches of the Code of Conduct to the Management Committee who will if considered appropriate, refer the matter to the
Disciplinary Committee for action under the powers conferred on it by the Management Committee.

20. EQUIPMENT: Team Managers shall be responsible for maintaining an inventory of all clothing and equipment and ensuring its safe custody.

21. REGISTRATION OF PLAYERS: Where a Playing Member is eligible to play for more than one team, his primary registration shall be determined under rules made by the Management Committee.

FINANCE

22. FUNDS: The Income and Property of the Club shall be applied solely towards promoting the Club’s objects as set forth in this constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the Members of the Club. The Management Committee shall determine what expenses it shall meet from Club Funds.

23. RECORDS: The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Club. The financial year of the Club shall end on the 30th of June and the Honorary Auditor shall independently audit the accounts at least once a year.

a) Development Fund. This fund shall be funded from the following sources:

i) Interest/Dividends received from the Club’s cash deposits or investments
ii) Surplus monies from the Monthly Draw after prize money
iii) Profit from the 5-a-side tournament
iv) Any funds decided by the Management Committee from time to time

Development Fund monies are to be used to further the long-term objectives of the Club as determined by the Trustees of the Club.

The Treasurer is responsible for ensuring the funds are correctly allocated to the Development Fund and will account to the Trustees for all monies as set out in the Club’s Financial Rules as set by the Management Committee.

All applications for Development Fund monies must be made to the Management Committee who will decide whether to support the application. Applications in excess of the Funding Limit must be referred to the Trustees for a decision.

The Funding Limit for applications will be set each year at the AGM. The Management Committee shall have the power to approve individual applications up to the Funding Limit subject to an overall amount not to exceed four times the Funding Limit in each financial year. The Applications approved by the Management Committee must further the long-term objectives, if there is any doubt it must be referred to the Trustees for a decision.

TEAM RECORDS: Individual team income and expenditure shall be properly recorded and a statement presented to the Treasurer within seven days of the end of each month in accordance with rules set by the Management Committee.

25. SUBSCRIPTIONS: The Management Committee shall determine subscription rates for each membership category as and when necessary.

26 INSURANCE: The Club shall take out insurance for public liability and any other insurance considered appropriate by the Management Committee.

27. ASSETS: All items purchased by the Club or gifts donated to the Club by way of sponsorship or otherwise shall be regarded as the assets of the Club. The Secretary shall maintain an inventory of the assets. No asset may be removed from the Club without the approval of the Management Committee and the Trustees.

DISSOLUTION

28. The dissolution of the Club may be effected only by a resolution passed by 75% of the full members of the Club present in person or by proxy at a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose and of which notice has been served on every then full member of the Club at his/her last known address. In the event of the dissolution of the Club, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Club but shall be given or transferred to one or more of the following approved sporting or charitable bodies

i. A registered charitable organisation(s).
ii. Another Club which is a registered CASC
iii. The sports governing body for use by them for related community sports.

AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION

29. The constitution of the Club may be altered, amended, varied or rescinded either in whole or in part by a resolution passed by 75% of the full members of the Club present at a General Meeting of the Club called for the purpose or at any other General Meeting