1. Name

The Club shall be called Harlow Athletic Club.

2. Colours

The Club colours shall be green, gold and white.

3. Affiliation

The Club shall be affiliated for all age groups, to UKA and England Athletics and will also affiliate itself to other organisations as required.

4. Club Equity Statement

The Club has adopted the Sport England definition of sports equity:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

The Club will respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of athletics, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexual orientation or social/economic status.

The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy athletics in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

5. Club Objectives

To promote all aspects of athletics for male and female athletes of all age ranges and abilities, within the laws of the sport governing body.

To provide all members with a structure for support, coaching, training, competitive opportunities and athletic development, in as far as this is relevant for the membership category.

To operate adequate procedures regarding Welfare, Equity, Child Protection and Personal Codes of Conduct.

To encourage volunteers, members and parental involvement in the sport and provide a development framework for obtaining coaching or officiating qualifications.

To provide and maintain a Clubhouse for Club Members.

The Club will incorporate an All Ability Section in support of the All Ability Sports and Leisure project.

6. Membership

The categories of membership shall be:

1. Mini – Under the age of 10 years
2. Junior  – under the age of eighteen years
3. Senior – over the age of eighteen years
4. All ability membership
5. Second claim membership
6. Life and Honorary membership – (both in the gift of the committee)
7. Coach / Official
8. Volunteer/Associate (over eighteen years)

Admission to membership shall be decided by majority vote of the management committee and candidates must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Complete the membership application on the form provided. Such an application shall be deemed to be an undertaking to comply at all times with the rules and regulations of the club.
2. The application form shall contain the signature of the candidate (If under eighteen years of age it must be signed by a parent or legal guardian)
3. Members shall be over the age of eight years on application
4. The applicant shall hand the application form, together with the amount of the first annual subscription, to the secretary for consideration
5. Applicants shall have amateur status as defined by the governing body
6. Applicants must be free of any restraint imposed by any other athletic club and or association

If the applicant is a first claim member of another club an application for second claim membership must be submitted

Applications for Coach / Official will require a formal agreement and attendance of a relevant course (or proof of qualification) and the provision of a current DBS check.

7. Subscriptions

Life and Honorary membership shall be free.

Coach / Official membership shall be free.

Volunteer/Associate membership shall be free.

For each other membership category, the committee shall propose and have the power by majority vote at the annual general meeting or an extraordinary general meeting called by the committee for the purpose, to set subscription fees and track fees to an agreed level, dependant on the clubs financial position.

The committee shall make special provision, on an individual basis, for any member with income restrictions.

All annual fees are due on 1^st April and later payments will only provide membership for the remainder of each calendar year.

Any member who fails to pay their subscription on the due date, and is ineligible for any special provision as determined by the committee, shall be deemed in arrears and notice may be sent to them via means of letter or email, calling their attention to the matter.

If payment is not met within a time deemed reasonable by the committee then the individual will be suspended from the clubs activities until payment is met.

Any member whose subscription is in arrears shall be ineligible to participate in any fixture or championship on behalf of the club, as a second claim member of any other club or as an unattached athlete and will not be allowed to vote at any club meeting.

Any competing member, who is not already in possession of a valid UKA competition license, shall pay a minimum subscription fee equal to the UKA competition license fee, irrespective of his/her membership category.

8. Management

A Management Committee will manage the day to day affairs of the club in accordance with the rules of the club and shall define the duties of the club officers.

The management committee (with the exception of the Honorary position of President that is in the gift of the management committee and Coaching Director who will be elected by the coaches’ working party) shall be elected each year at the annual general meeting.

The management committee shall be supported by a general committee.  Management and General committee shall meet once per month, or at its discretion and the minutes taken of all proceedings shall be open to the inspection of any member of the club upon request to the Club Secretary.

9. Officers

The committee shall consist of:

Management Committee

• Chairman
• Vice-Chairman
• Honorary President  (appointed by Management Committee)
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Coaching Director (appointed by Coaches Working Party)
• General Committee
• Membership Secretary
• Minutes Secretary
• Assistant Director of Coaching (appointed by Coaches Working Party)
• Safety Officer (appointed by Coaches Working Party)
• Press Officer
• Men & Women’s Team Managers
• Men & Women’s Team Captains
• Junior Team Managers
• U17 Male & Female Team Captains
• Male & Female Athletes representatives
• Child Protection Officers (1 x Male, 1 x Female)
• Club Statisticians
• All Ability Representative

10. General Duties

No member shall in any way act on behalf of the Club or commit the Club to any form of agreement without prior authority to do so from the Management Committee.

No member shall give the address of the Club in any advertisement, or use the Club address for business purposes.

No member shall, except for professional services at the request of the Management Committee, by prior agreement from the Management Committee or by resolution, personally receive in any manner a financial gain or gifts in kind as a result or connection with the operation or transactions of the Club.

Funded projects or sponsorship deals will be the responsibility of the Executive Committee and Fund Raising Officer until completion.

Any Club receipts or invoices must be presented to the treasurer immediately upon receipt and authorised personal expenses must be claimed on a monthly basis with receipts.

The Management Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of all rules and regulations of the Club and their decision shall be final and binding on members.

11. General Meetings

An Annual General Meeting shall be held once each calendar year and shall be announced by the committee on behalf of the Club. All voting members shall receive at least twenty-one days written notice of the meeting, which shall be displayed on the Club notice board.

The calendar year will end on 31^st March.

The purpose of the Annual General Meeting shall be as follows:

1. An introduction by the Chairman and proposals for the future
2. A report by the Club Secretary on the Clubs performance for the past year
3. A report by the Treasurer on the current Club balance and statement of accounts
4. Election of the committee officers and appointment of two auditors for the ensuing year
5. Decide on any resolution, which may be duly submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided for
6. Set a date for the next Annual General Meeting (2nd week of February).

Any Member desirous of moving any resolution at the Annual General Meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the committee not less than fourteen days before the date of such a meeting.

The committee may, at any time, call an Extraordinary General Meeting specifically for the purpose, at the request of the committee or upon the requisition in the form of a letter or email, of five paid up Members stating for which the meeting is required. Such a meeting will not consider any other business and will be called within thirty days of receipt of the request.

Voting at a General Meeting will require a quorum of fifteen voting Members (or a minimum of twenty per cent of the Membership) for a resolution to be passed by straight majority of votes. Voting must take place in person or in exceptional circumstances by pre-arranged proxy vote that must be received before any General Meeting.

The Chairman’s vote will be a casting vote only.

The right to vote at any general meeting shall be available to all First Claim members in the following categories:

Senior, Over 16, Honorary, Life members, All Ability, Coaches/Officials and Volunteer/Associate members.

Under 16 members have the right to a proxy vote via their parent, carer or guardian who must attend in person at any general meeting.

12. Club Funds

Club funds will be lodged in current and deposit accounts of recognised banks or building societies.

Withdrawals shall require the signature of two authorised officers of the club, the Chairman and the Treasurer. However, the Chairman may sign a Cheque in the absence of the Treasurer with the agreement of the Management Committee and this is to be recorded in the Monthly Committee Minutes..

The authorised signatories for withdrawals shall be:

Chairman, Vice-Chair (or President), Secretary and Treasurer

Responsibility for the banking of any monies lies with the authorised signatories.

The Treasurer will close out the financial year of the Club, prepare the annual Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet and submit them at the Annual General Meeting after agreement from the Auditors.

Annual Club Accounts may be viewed by any member of the club upon request to the Club Secretary and Monthly Accounts will be advised in Committee Minutes.

13. Auditors

Two auditors shall be elected or appointed at each Annual General Meeting to audit the Club accounts.

These annual audits are to be presented at each Annual General Meeting.

One auditor will not be an officer of the Club.

14. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the Constitution shall only be considered and voted upon at an Annual General Meeting, an Extraordinary General Meeting called by the committee for the purpose after the receipt of a written request via letter or email, signed by five paid Members or by the committee itself.

Proposed changes to the Constitution must be proposed and seconded by paid Members and submitted to the committee not less than five days before a General Meeting.

The committee may, where necessary at a General Meeting, offer a block alteration to the Constitution for consideration.

Any changes or amendments to the Constitution must be carried by a straight majority of votes.

The amended Constitution must then be signed by the Chair and witnessed by two paid First Claim members

15. Club Records

First claim, Honorary or Life members only may submit an application for a club record to the committee if a club record has been achieved representing Harlow Athletic Club, county or country subject to the governing body’s rules of competition, adequate proof of performance and that their membership is not in arrears.

16. Resignation and Disputes Procedures

1. 1. Resignation

Any Member may resign their Membership by giving notice to the club committee to that effect and their Membership will be terminated from the date of such notice.

If the Member is financially indebted to the Club the Management Committee may withhold acceptance of the resignation until such indebtedness has been discharged.

Any Member not tendered such notice before 1^st January shall be liable to pay their subscription for the ensuing year.

1. 1. Dispute Procedure

The Management Committee will have the right to suspend a Member if the actions of the said Member are likely to bring the Club into disrepute or cause unnecessary embarrassment to the Club or Other Members.

The Secretary shall  invite the Member to withdraw without prejudice from the Club within a specified timescale, giving the reason for the withdrawal or, if the situation dictates, any Member of the Management Committee may verbally request that the Member leave the grounds immediately.

The Secretary shall submit the question of the exclusion to a Management Committee Meeting held within twenty-one days of such a letter or verbal request. Not less than seven days notice of the meeting shall be given to the Member and it shall be the duty of the Secretary to inform the Member in question of such arrangements.

At the Management Committee meeting in question the Member shall be allowed to offer an explanation of their conduct, and thereupon the Management Committee shall agree the appropriate action by majority ballot vote.

If the vote is in favour of exclusion or expulsion the Member will cease to be a Member of the Club for the agreed timescale.

If the Member disagrees with the management Committee decision they have the right to appeal within seven days whereby they can have their appeal heard at a full committee meeting.

At the appeal meeting the full committee will hear the explanation of the Members conduct in person and agree the appropriate action by majority ballot vote. If the final agreement is exclusion or expulsion the Member will cease to be a Member of the Club for the agreed timescale without further appeal.

1. 1. Personal Complaint

Any Member who feels they have cause to complain about any other Member will, with their representative if required, have direct access to the Coaching Director and the dispute will be resolved as quickly as possible after discussion with both parties.

Failure to reach an agreement, or if the complaint is against the Coaching Director, the complaint will be escalated to the Management Committee whereupon section B of the disputes procedure will be followed.

1. 1. Team Selection

Any athlete who feels they are not getting a fair chance to compete for the team will, with their representative if required, discuss with the Team Manager.

If not satisfied, the Member can appeal to the Coaching Director and the dispute will be resolved as quickly as possible after discussion with both parties.

Failure to reach an agreement will result in the escalation of the dispute to the Management Committee where a final resolution will be determined by majority vote.

Criteria for Team selection will be: –

Fully paid up Membership, current performance, Team need, availability.

A non paid up Member will not be allowed to compete for the Club in any scoring position.

17. Dissolution

If at a committee meeting a resolution for the dissolution of the Club shall be passed  by a majority of the committee members present, then an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary, at which not less than half of the Membership shall be present, to vote on the resolution. If the resolution is then carried by a voting majority of two-thirds the Club will cease to operate and a local charity must then be nominated by majority vote.

The committee shall thereupon proceed to realise the property of the Club and after discharge of all liabilities shall pass the remainder of Club funds, with the exception of Club funds obtained from grant aid that are to be returned to the source of funding, shall be passed to the nominated charity.

Any equipment owned by the Club shall be donated to other organisations with similar aims and objectives to that of Harlow Athletic Club.