Club Constitution

AFC DUNSTABLE
RULES & POLICIES

Club Constitution amended and passed
at the Annual General Meeting
Our Vision
The vision of AFC Dunstable is to increase the participation of football to all ages, gender, culture and ability within our local community through dedicated and qualified coaching. Ultimately we aspire to providing non restrictive football facilities which will enable our 1st Team to progress through the FA Pyramid system. Furthermore we aim to be a club which can become a ‘role model’ within the Bedfordshire Football Association both on and off the pitch.
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Objectives
· Increase the quality and provision of football for adults, boys & girls
· Sustain participation of players, coaches, and officials.
· Raise standards of coaches, officials, and players.
· Provide a safe environment for all to take part in football.
· Provide structured football at all levels.
· Promote codes of conduct and fair play.
· All managers will have a minimum qualification of Coaching Level 1 Award.
· Provide and promote equal opportunities for all.
· Adhere to the FA Child Protection Policy.
· To protect all players regardless of:
- Age
- Gender
- Disability
- Culture
- Language
- Racial Origin
- Religious Beliefs
- Sexual Identity
· The club is also aware of, and adheres to, the FA Equity policy outlined in the FA resource leaflet ‘Equity Guidelines & Examples of Good Practice in Football’.

1 .Nomenclature, Rules & Policies

§ The Club shall be called AFC Dunstable.
§ The Club members shall be considered to be those who are Executive Committee Members, Managers, Assistant Managers, Coaches, or are registered as players with the club. The objective of the Club shall be to develop the ability of young players for progression through all levels within the club and to arrange association football matches and social activities for its members.
§ AFC Dunstable shall actively encourage its members, when reaching the upper limits of youth football, to continue into our senior football teams with integration into senior section teams, and if necessary, form new teams within the senior section.
§ The colours shall be predominantly Blue.
§ The Club shall be affiliated to the Bedfordshire Football Association. Saturday and Sunday football shall affiliate separately. All teams shall register in accordance with respective competition rules.
§ These Rules & Policies may be amended by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the (members present) or (management committee).
§ These Rules & Policies are to be subservient and must comply with the Constitution of AFC Dunstable.

2. Officers

§ The Officers of the Club shall be the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Welfare Officer, Football Development Officer, Commercial Officer, Spartan South Midlands Representative, Southern Counties Floodlit League, Beds Mini Soccer League Representative, Chiltern Sevens League Representative, Chiltern Youth League Representative and co coordinator of Sub Committee.
§ A Management Committee consisting of one delegate from each registered AFC Dunstable and an Executive Committee comprising of the Officers and up to three (3) co-opted members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting shall govern AFC Dunstable in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the club.
§ No person may be a member of the management committee if they are not the nominated Manager, or Assistant Manager, or Coach of a team within the AFC Dunstable.
§ No person shall be entitled to act as a member of the Executive Committee, or representative on the committee of the main club, who is under 18, or whether on a first or subsequent entry into office until after signing a declaration of acceptance and of willingness to act in the interests of the club.

3. Management Committee Nomination and Election

§ Retiring Officers shall be eligible to become candidates for re-election without nomination. All other candidates for election as Officers or Members of the Management Committee shall be nominated to the secretary in writing, signed by two of the Members. Names of the candidates for election shall be circulated with notice of the Annual General Meeting. In the event that there are no nominations in accordance with the foregoing for any office, nominations may be received at the Annual General Meeting.
§ The Management Committee shall meet as often as necessary (normally on the first Thursday of each month), unless otherwise agreed, to deal with business as it arises. The Executive Committee shall meet as often as necessary throughout the season.
§ On receiving a requisition, signed by two thirds of the Members of the Management Committee, the Secretary shall convene a meeting of the Management Committee.
§ Except where otherwise mentioned all communications shall be addressed to the Secretary who shall conduct the correspondence of the AFC Dunstable and keep a record at its proceedings. All communications received from AFC Dunstable teams must be conducted through their nominated officers.

4. Powers of Executive Committee

§ The Executive Committee in furtherance of the objectives, but not otherwise may exercise the following powers:
§ Power to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations, or institutions formed for any or all of the objectives.
§ Power to appoint and constitute such advisory committee’s as the Executive Committee may think fit.
§ Power to perform all such other lawful functions, acts or make such decisions for the achievement of the objectives.
§ All decisions of the Executive Committee shall be binding.
§ The Executive Committee shall require a quorum of a minimum of six, (including the Secretary), before any decisions reached can be binding.
The proceedings of the Executive Committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy among their number or by a failure to appoint a replacement for the vacancy.

5. Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of AFC Dunstable shall be held every year not later than 31st July to transact the following business:

§ Election of Officers and Management Committee;
§ To receive and confirm the Minutes of the preceding Annual General Meeting and to consider any business arising there from;
§ To receive and adopt the Annual Report, Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts;
§ To approve the Policies & Rules for the ensuing season;
§ To elect the Chairman for the ensuing year;
§ Appointment of Auditors for the following season;
§ Other business of which due notice shall have been given and accepted as being relevant to an Annual General Meeting.

Notices convening the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to the Management committee members not less than seven days before the meeting and shall specify the time and place of the meeting and the matters to be dealt with. All propositions for changes of rules and nominations for the office of Chairman must be submitted in writing by 31st May in every year.
In any matter requiring the casting of votes, only one vote, in total, per member, or per team will be allowed.
Any matter requiring the casting of votes shall be determined by a simple majority of eligible committee members present. In the event of there being no simple majority, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
A copy of the duly audited Balance Sheet, Statement of Accounts shall be forwarded to the Bedfordshire Football Association within fourteen days of its adoption.

6. Special General Meeting

A Special General Meeting may be convened at any time by the committee and shall be held within fourteen days of receipt of a requisition, in writing, signed by not less than three Management committee members, specifying the object of the meeting for any of the following purposes:
§ To consider and, if approved, sanction alterations to the AFC Dunstable Rules & Policies;
§ To deal with any special matter which the committee members requiring the meeting wish to place before the committee;
§ To receive the resignation of the Chairman and to elect a new Chairman;

Any matter requiring the casting of votes shall be determined by a simple majority of committee members present. In the event of there being no simple majority, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
Notices convening a Special General Meeting shall be sent to committee members not less than seven days before the meeting and shall specify the matters to be dealt with.

7. Alterations to Rules

Alterations to rules may be made only at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting specifically convened for the purpose in accordance with Rule 6.

8. Agreements to be signed

§ Members of the Management Committee shall complete and sign the following agreement which shall be deposited with the Secretary prior to the commencement of the season.
See Appendix A
§ All players, officials, Parents, and Spectators should abide by the AFC Dunstable Code of Conduct as passed at the AGM 4th July 2008. Players will sign an acceptance slip to confirm their acceptance of the document. Players will not be allowed to register with the relevant leagues until this has been completed.

9. Approaches from More Senior Football Clubs to Youth Players.

In the interests of all concerned, but particularly the aspirations of the player, it is incumbent on all parties (i.e. The Player, His/Her Parents, The Team officials, that the player plays for) that all “approaches” about the availability/suitability of the player playing for the approaching club are reported to the appointed Football Development Officer, for corroboration.

10. Other

§ All team managers shall be fully conversant with the laws of Association Football and shall be responsible for ensuring that their teams and individual players obey those laws and comply fully with the rules of the Football Association, the Bedfordshire Football Association and any other relevant organisation in which competition it participates.
§ Only the appointed, and approved, Manager/Assistant Manager/Coach of each team are to be allowed to Manage/Train/Coach with the players of each team. If any change in this is to occur, then the executive committee must grant permission before any unapproved person Manages/Trains/Coaches the team
§ All eleven-a-side youth teams will be allowed to register a maximum of 16 players. Additional players may be registered with the sole permission of the Executive Committee.
§ All seven-a-side youth teams will be allowed to register a maximum of 12 players. Additional players may be registered with the sole permission of the Executive Committee.
§ All players shall pay an annual subscription fee at the rate fixed by the Committee at the start of each season. This fee has to be completely paid by 1st December.
§ Membership shall run from August 1st until 31st May the following year. Membership fees will cover games & coaching within this period. The Club will not financially cover any games or coaching outside these dates. It is the responsibility of each team manager to collect monies to cover costs.
§ AFC Dunstable accepts and supports the Child Protection Policy as issued and updated from time to time by the Football Association. AFC Dunstable shall appoint Child Protection Officers in accordance with this policy.
§ Any persons that needs a CRB check should return all the application forms with the relevant documentation back to the CWO with 28 days of joining or they cannot continue in that position.
§ In the event of a Team Manager leaving AFC Dunstable, or disbanding his team, he will be obliged to hand over to the club all football kits, equipment and any item that is deemed a AFC Dunstable asset as per the “Asset Sheet” relating to his team, prepared by the Treasurer.
§ That the responsibility for paying all fines, from whatever organisation and for whatever reason, shall rest with the team that caused the fine to be imposed.
§ AFC Dunstable will impose on each team a surcharge of £2 for each fine relating to a yellow card offence or £5.00 for a red card offence to cover any supplementary penalties that may be imposed by the league or Bedfordshire FA. Furthermore this surcharge of £2 will also be levied for any administration fees received from leagues due to the failure of teams to adhere to its rules. Any outstanding fines incurred by players will be paid within 28 days of notification. Any outstanding fines incurred by players that are carried over to the following season will not be registered with the club until fines are paid. Any players who leave the club with outstanding fines will pay the balance. If the balance is not paid they will be reported to the Bedfordshire Football Association to retrieve the balance.
§ The Secretary of AFC Dunstable shall be entitled to reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses (Paid Monthly) and honoraria laid down at every Annual General Meeting and reviewed by all members present.
§ All teams wishing to play ‘Friendlies’ must first obtain the approval of the Secretary.
§ Any team, or manager, or individual, who approaches AFC Dunstable to set up a new team, or bring on an existing team into the club, shall without exception, appear before the vetting committee before his /her teams is accepted. Under no circumstances will the tacit agreement of any official, or any individual, be deemed sufficient authority.
§ Any player/coach/manager who attend a Football Association coaching course after July 4th 2008, will pay the fee to The Bedfordshire Football Association. Once the course is completed the club will reimburse the fee. The club will cover the fee regarding 1st aid renewals.