Title & Objects

1. The Club shall be known as Southend Hockey Club, hereafter referred to as ‘The Club’. The Club shall form an integral part of Belfairs Sports and Social Club.

2. The premises of the Club shall be at Belfairs Sports & Social Club, Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 4LS, or at such other address as the Club may in a General Meeting decide.

3. The object of the Club shall be the provision of opportunities for recreation by the playing of hockey and social intercourse for the benefit of its Members.

4. The Club shall be affiliated to England Hockey, the East Region Hockey Association and Essex County Hockey Association.

Club Uniform

5. The colours of the Club shall be blue shirts, blue shorts/ skirts and blue socks. The colours shall be worn in Club matches but not on any other occasion as representing membership of the Club without prior agreement of the Management Committee.

Categories of Membership

6. The Club shall consist of the President, Vice-Presidents, Honorary Vice-Presidents, Life Members, Playing Members, Non-Playing Members, Coaches, Umpires and Social Members. All Members of Southend Hockey Club are automatically Members of Belfairs Sports & Social Club and are entitled to all the benefits and privileges thereof.

Voting Rights

7. All fully paid Members are entitled to the privileges of the Club and, save Social Members and those solely Coaches and/ or Match Officials, shall be entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Club.

Membership

8.
(a) Applications for membership shall be made in writing and submitted to the Secretary for presentation to the Management Committee, where they may be accepted by a simple majority of votes. Membership may not be refused on the grounds of gender, race, occupation or religious, political or other beliefs.
(b) No person shall be admitted to membership or the privileges thereof until his/ her application has been approved and confirmed by resolution of the Management Committee.
(c) Any person may resign this membership by giving the Secretary notice in writing to that effect. Any refund of subscription or partial subscription is at the discretion of the Management Committee.

Officers of the Club

9. The Offices of the Club shall be as follows and, except for the President, may be filled by election each year at the Annual General Meeting or as soon as possible thereafter. With the exception of the President they shall all go out of office each year but shall be eligible for re-election. The President shall be elected for a term of three years and shall be eligible for re-election All Members of the Club entitled to vote at the election shall be equally capable of being elected: President, Vice-presidents, Honorary Vice-presidents, Chairman, Men’s Club Captain, Ladies’ Club Captain, Treasurer, Fixture Secretary, Social Secretary, Secretary, Club Development Officer. Additionally, the following officers will be appointed by the Management Committee on an annual basis: Director of Hockey, Equipment Officer, Publicity Officer, Youth Hockey Manager*, Indoor Hockey Manager*.

*These two positions will be appointed by the Director of Hockey. Other positions may be established at an Annual General Meeting, or by prior decision of the Management Committee.

Management Committee

10. The direction and management of the Club shall be vested in a Management Committee comprising of a Chairman, Men’s Club Captain, Ladies’ Club Captain, Secretary, Treasurer, Fixture Secretary, Social Secretary and Club Development Officer.

Quorum

A quorum shall consist of four Members.

Retirements from the Management Committee

11. In the event of a casual vacancy occurring among either the Officers or the Management Committee, the Management Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy. The Management Committee shall have the powers of Co-Option and may appoint sub-committees of Club Members as and when necessary, provided that the sub-committee so appointed shall consist of not less than two thirds (or in the case of a sub-committee consisting of less than 4 Members, all of them) of the Management Committee, who shall go out of office on the sub-committee upon ceasing to be Members of the Management Committee.

Annual General Meeting

12.
(a) The Annual General Meeting, at which the Accounts and reports shall be presented, shall be held no later than May 31st each year. At least fourteen days notice shall be given to each Club Member in writing stating the date, time and venue of the AGM. If any alteration of, or additions to, the Rules are proposed, the notice shall set out the proposed alteration/ addition.
(b) At the AGM an Independent Examiner, not being a Member of the Management Committee, shall be appointed to examine the accounts of the Club for the following year. A statement for the past year, signed by the Treasurer and duly examined, shall be presented.
(c) Any Member who wishes to submit a resolution to the AGM must do so in writing to the Secretary not less than 7 days before the meeting.

Extraordinary General Meeting

13. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened:
(a) by the Management Committee when deemed necessary;
(b) by signed resolution of not less than 15 Members, or one fifth of the total membership, whichever shall be the less, in writing to the Secretary, specifying the details of the matter to be discussed.
(c) In each case at least seven days notice of such EGM shall be given by the Secretary to all Club Members giving the date, time and venue of the meeting together with the Agenda of matters to be discussed.
(d) No other business other than that for which the meeting was convened shall be discussed.
(e) Twenty Members shall constitute a quorum at AGMs and EGMs.
(f) Votes at both AGMs and EGMs are passed on a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the Chairman of the Club has the casting vote.

Powers of the Management Committee

14. If at any time the Club at a General Meeting shall pass a resolution authorising the Management Committee to borrow money, the Management Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purpose of the Club such amount of money at such a rate of interest and in such manner as shall be specified in such resolution, and the Management Committee may issue debentures of the Club and may, by such debentures, charge all or any of the property or funds of the Club with payment of the amount borrowed and interest thereon. All Members of the Club after the passing of such a resolution shall be deemed to have assented to the same as if they had voted in favour of such resolution.

Termination of Membership

15. The Management Committee shall have the power to terminate the membership of any person whose conduct is considered prejudicial to the well being and interests of the Club. The Management Committee may also suspend any Member from playing, from the Clubhouse and grounds and other privileges of membership for such a time as the Management Committee shall decide. All members of the Club should be told of the period of suspension and the reason for it.

16. All Members are expected to maintain the good name of the Club by treating officials, opposition and visitors with courtesy and hospitality. Actions which bring the name of the Club into disrepute will be dealt with by the Management Committee.

Membership Fees

17.
(a) The Annual Subscription for Playing, Non-playing and Social Members and the Match Fees for Playing Members shall be determined by the AGM. Subscriptions shall be due by the first fixture of the Winter Season.
(b) Non-payment of subscriptions by 1st November shall render a Member either liable to forfeit his/ her membership or not be selected for a Club Side until payment is received. All Members can discuss a payment plan with anyone from the Management Committee.

Team Selection

18. The selection of teams shall be the responsibility of the Director of Hockey. It is the responsibility of all Members to notify their Team Coach or Captain of their availability to play. Any Club Member who is expected to play but is unable must inform their Team Coach or Captain at the earliest possible moment.

Insurance

19. The Club has a comprehensive insurance policy arranged through England Hockey providing Public Liability Indemnity and Personal Accident Insurance for all Club Members and non-members engaged in hockey activities organised within the Club. The Club accepts no responsibility for personal accidents to Members or loss of damage to equipment, personal effects, etc.

Playing Season

20. The playing season shall be deemed to run from AGM to AGM and Summer games shall constitute part of the fixture list.

Financial Year

21. The Club financial year shall commence on May 1st and end on April 30th.

Club Rules

22. These rules are binding upon all Members of the Club and shall not be altered or modified in any way except at an AGM or EGM or as specifically provided (see **).

Rules Interpretation

23. The Management Committee shall determine any question of the construction of these Rules or any matter relative to the Club not provided by them. A copy of the rules shall be supplied to each Club Member.

Trustees

24. There shall be four Trustees of the Club who shall be ex-officio Members of the Management Committee. The assets and property of the Club (other than cash which shall be under the control of the Treasurer) shall be vested in them to be dealt with as the Management Committee shall direct by Resolution (of which entry in the Minutes shall be conclusive evidence). The Trustees shall not be entitled to dispose of any assets or property of the Club unless so directed. The Trustees shall hold office until death or by resignation or until removed from office by a resolution of the Management Committee. If by reason of such death, resignation or removal, the Management Committee considers that a new Trustee(s) should be appointed, the Management Committee shall by resolution nominate the person(s) to be appointed.
For the purpose of giving effect to such nominations, the Chairman is hereby nominated to appoint any new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of the Trustee Act 1925 and he shall appoint the person(s) so nominated by the Management Committee as the new Trustee(s) of the Club, and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment.

Club Dissolution

25. The Club may be dissolved upon a resolution to that effect being passed by a simple majority of the voting members present at a General Meeting. Following such resolution the Management Committee shall take the appropriate action to discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club, and to enable the Trustees to realise all assets and property of the Club. Following such realisation the accrued finances shall be equally divided between all fully paid-up Members of the Club.

General

26. The Management Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of this Constitution.

** The Management Committee may from time to time make, vary and revoke Bye Laws (not inconsistent with these rules) for the regulation of the internal affairs of the Club and the conduct of Member and governing the use of the Clubhouse and Bar, and the Bye Laws for the time being in force shall be binding on all Members.