1. NAME
The name of the Council shall be The Havering Sports Council (hereinafter called the Sports Council).
2.OBJECTS
The objects of the Sports Council shall be:
- To assess the sporting needs of Havering and to help with the catering for these needs
- To examine the need for improving existing facilities and the provision of new facilities
- To assist with information of available sporting facilities throughout the Borough
- To assist the Havering Council and any other authority requiring assistance by advising generally on the collective opinions of local sports interests for the future planning for sports facilities
- To take such steps as appropriate to encourage school-leavers and youth to continue to participate in sport
- To consider and take such action as the Sports Council deems necessary upon reports and recommendations from any organisation on matters concerning the interests of sport
- To assist where necessary in organising events to further sporting interests in the Borough.
3. MEMBERSHIP
- Membership of the Sports Council shall be open to all sports organisations/individuals operating, or intending to operate in the Borough, subject to acceptance of this Constitution and any restrictions imposed by the Sports Council. The Sports Council reserves the right to refuse membership where thought necessary or desirable
- Each sport organisation/individual accepted for membership under rule 3(a) shall pay an affiliation fee. Each sport organisation shall be entitled to nominate two delegates to attend meetings.
- The Borough Council shall be entitled to appoint not more than six representatives to the Sports Council plus an officer from Children & Lifelong Learning and an officer from the Leisure & Cultural Services.
- The Sports Council shall invite the Havering School Sports Association to nominate two representatives to attend meetings.
- The Sports Council shall have power to co-opt persons with special expertise or qualifications or having special interests in sport in the Borough.
- Members shall be required to abide by any Child protection legislation currently in force.
4.PRESIDENT
The President shall be a three-year term. The retiring President shall be eligible for re-election together with any other nominations. The president shall be entitled to attend any meeting of the Sports Council.
5. OFFICERS
The officers of the Sports Council shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and shall serve in an honorary capacity. The officers shall comprise: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, Minutes Secretary, Press Officer, Membership Secretary, Handbook Editor and Newsletter Editor.
The secretary should receive nominations for officers of the Sports Council by the meeting preceding the Annual General Meeting.
The Sports Council shall have power to fill any vacancy that may arise.
No officer, acting as an individual, will be required to pay an affiliation fee.
6. SUB-COMMITTEES
- The Sports Council shall have power to appoint sub-committees as necessary, with members drawn from the general membership or co-opted.
- All sub-committees shall have within their numbers at least one officer of the Sports Council.
- All sub-committee recommendations need ratification by the Sports Council
7. MEETINGS
- The Annual General meeting shall be held in the month of February to receive the financial statement and the Chairpersons report, to elect the officers for the ensuing year and to deal with any matters specified in the Agenda. The Secretary shall give the officers and members at least fourteen days notice of the time, date and place of the meeting.
- The Sports Council will meet on nine other occasions during the year, excluding the months of August and December and which would normally be the 4th Tuesday of the month. The Secretary shall give at least seven days notice of the time, date and place of such meetings.
- A Special General Meeting may be called by the Sports Council if deemed necessary and must be called by the secretary within fourteen days of the receipt of a written request, signed by a minimum of 10 members stating, the business to be brought before the meeting. Only that business shall be dealt with. The Secretary will give officers and members as much notice as possible of the date, time and place of the meeting.
- Only the officers, one representative of member organisations/individual and members appointed by the Borough Council are entitled to vote.
- Decisions at all meetings will be decided by a simple majority of votes by those present and entitled to vote. The Chairperson may only vote in the event of a tied vote.
- Ten members shall constitute a quorum for any Annual General Meeting, Special Meeting or monthly meeting.
- All persons attending meetings shall ensure that their mobile telephones are switched off.
8. MINUTES
The Secretary shall ensure that minutes are kept of all meetings and make such minutes available to members.
9. FINANCE
- The Sports Council financial year shall run from 1st January to 31st December in each year.
- The Treasurer shall give an up to date account of the finances at all meetings of the Sports Council.
- The accounts shall be examined by an independent examiner and presented to the Annual General Meeting.
- The income and property of the Sports Council shall be applied solely towards carrying out the objectives of the Sports Council.
10. SPECIAL POWERS
The officers shall be empowered to take such action, as they deem necessary in any circumstances not covered by this Constitution. Such action must be ratified by the Sports Council at the next meeting of the Sports Council, or at a meeting specially convened by the chairperson.
11. AMENDMENT TO RULES
No amendment, deletions or additions to rules may be made other than at an Annual General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting, called specifically for such purpose, in accordance with rule 7(c).
12. DISSOLUTION
Dissolution of the Sports Council can only be agreed at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for that purpose. In the event of dissolution being agreed any monies and properties remaining after all liabilities have been met shall be paid to the Borough Council for the furtherance of sport in the Borough.
This revised constitution was approved at the AGM 2005