ADVANCED FOOTBALL TRAINING CLUB 2017 CONSTITUTION

www.advancedfootballtraining.co.uk ADVANCED FOOTBALL TRAINING CLUB 2017 CONSTITUTION Constitution v1 July 2017 1 of 13

Advanced Football Training Club Constitution Contents 1 Name Page 1 2 Aim Page 2 3 Administration Page 2 4 Objectives Page 2 5 Powers Page 2 6 Status of Rules Page 3 7 Rules and Regulations Page 3 8 Club Membership Page 3 9 Annual Membership- Application and Fees Page 4 10 Resignation and Expulsion Page 4 11 Honorary Officers Page 5 12 The Club Management Committee Page 5 13 Determination of Membership of the Management Committee Page 5 14 Meeting and Proceedings of the Management Committee Page 6 15 Annual & Special General Meetings Page 7 16 Special General Meetings Page 8 17 Club Teams Page 8 18 Cub Finances Page 9 19 Public Liability Insurance Page 10 20 Sponsorship, Income and Discipline Page 10 21 Dissolution Page 11 22 Amendments Page 11 Constitution v1 July 2017 2 of 13

1. NAME: The name of the Charity is Advanced Football Training ( the Club ) 2. AIM: The aim of the Club is to promote football skills and youth development within a fun, safe and secure environment. 3. ADMINISTRATION Subject to matters set out below the Club and its property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this constitution by the members of the Management Committee, constituted by clause 12 of this constitution ( the Management Committee ). 4. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the Club is the promotion of community participation in healthy recreation for the benefit of the inhabitants of Reading and the surrounding areas by the provision of facilities for playing football. In furtherance of this objective the Club will: (f) promote an interest and involvement in football as a team sport; provide an opportunity for children in the area to meet and take part in football activities, and to encourage equal participation regardless of ability; develop both football and social skills with the provision of good quality coaching, training and football matches for its members. foster the spirit of good sportsmanship and fairness whilst encouraging the pursuit of excellence; encourage parents to become involved in the activities, affairs of the club and in the development of skills in their children; arrange association football matches and social activities for its members. 5. POWERS In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Management Committee may exercise the following powers: power to raise funds and to invite and receive contributions provided that in raising funds the Management Committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law; Constitution v1 July 2017 3 of 13

power to co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them; power to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objects; power to appoint and constitute such advisory committees as the Management Committee may think fit; power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects. 6. STATUS OF RULES: These rules (the Club Rules) form a binding agreement between each member of the Club. 7. RULES AND REGULATIONS: The Club shall have the status of an Affiliated Member Club of The Football Association by virtue of its affiliation to The Berks and Bucks Football Association Ltd. The Rules and Regulations of The Football Association Limited and The Berks and Bucks Football Association Ltd and any League or Competition to which the Club is affiliated for the time being shall be deemed to be incorporated into the Club Rules. No alteration to the Club Rules shall be effective without a majority decision at a meeting attended by at least four members, including committee members. Notice of such meetings shall be given at least two weeks in advance. Any alteration to the Club Rules will be communicated to The Berks and Bucks Football Association Ltd. The Club will also abide by The Football Association s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct and the Equal Opportunities, bullying Policy and Anti-Discrimination Policy. 8. CLUB MEMBERSHIP: The members of the Club from time to time shall be those persons listed in the register of members (the Membership Register), which shall be maintained by the Club Secretary. Any person who wishes to be a member must apply in writing and deliver it to the Club. Election to membership shall be at the sole discretion of the Club Management Committee. Membership shall become effective upon an applicant s name being entered in the Membership Register. In the event of a member s resignation or expulsion, his or her name shall be removed from the Membership Register. Constitution v1 July 2017 4 of 13

The Football Association and The Berks and Bucks Football Association Ltd shall be given access to the Membership Register on demand. All parents or guardians of minors (Under 18) will be deemed to be associate members of the Club. 9. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP - APPLICATION & FEES: Every playing member will be required to complete a Club Registration Form each season. Players, coaches, parents/guardians/carers and team officials will be required to sign the Club s Code of Conduct. The membership year shall be from 1 st July each year until 30 th June the following year. The Club Committee shall review the annual membership fee payable by each member annually. Any fee shall be payable on successful application for membership and annually by each member. The Club prefers payment of the full fees at time of registration but will accept payment of fees by arrangement with the proviso that the manager/coach will be responsible for collecting such fees and these will be collected and paid in full. The Management Committee will consider individual request for special payment arrangements beyond the date of the first match where exceptional circumstances exist. Agreement to a special payment arrangement will be at the discretion of the Management Committee. Successful applications for membership after 31 st December in any year will be eligible for a reduced membership fee, at a rate of 50% of the annual fee, payable in full allowing membership until the end of that membership year. Fees shall not be repayable, except in extreme circumstances and at the discretion of the committee. Players will only be registered to participate in League competitions upon completion of the Club Registration Form for the playing season. Payment of the annual membership fee must also be made before league registration unless prior approval for a special payment arrangement has been agreed by the Club Committee. The Club are prepared to offer reduced Annual Membership Fees for siblings, a discount is to be agreed by the committee in order for it to be consistently applied to all members. The Club Management Committee shall have the authority to levy further subscriptions from the members as are reasonably necessary to fulfil the objects of the Club. 10. RESIGNATION AND EXPULSION A member shall cease to be a member of the Club if, and from the date on which, he/she gives notice to the Club Committee of their resignation. Constitution v1 July 2017 5 of 13

The Club Management Committee shall have the power to expel a member when, in their opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Club for them to remain a member. The committee shall be so empowered to deal with parents of members or spectators by way of action, sanction or fine. a. There shall be no appeal procedures. A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any, of the Club Property or assets, and must return all kit and equipment (and pay all outstanding fees or subs) before the Club will allow the member to leave the Club. Lost kit and equipment will be charged at replacement cost. 11. HONORARY OFFICERS At the Annual General Meeting of the Club the members shall elect from amongst themselves a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer, who shall hold office from the conclusion of that meeting. 12. THE CLUB MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE The Management Committee shall consist of not less than four members nor more than eleven members being: (i) (ii) The Honorary officers specified in the preceding clause; not less than three and no more than seven members elected at the Annual General meeting who shall hold office from the conclusion of that meeting. The Club Management Committee shall be empowered to make decisions that, in their opinion, do not warrant open discussion with other club members and team managers. They shall also formulate policy to present to the Annual General Meeting as appropriate. All members of the Management Committee shall retire from office together at the end of the Annual general Meeting next after the date on which they came into office but they may be re-elected or re-appointed. The proceedings of the Management Committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy among their number of by any failure to appoint or any defect in the appointment or qualification of a member. Nobody shall be appointed as a member of the Management Committee who is aged under 18 or who would be disqualified under the provisions of the following clause. No person shall be entitled to act as a member of the Management Committee whether on a first or on any subsequent entry into office until after being elected in and this election is recorded within the committee minutes 13. DETERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE A member of the Management Committee shall cease to hold office if he or she: Constitution v1 July 2017 6 of 13

(i) is disqualified from acting as a member of the Management Committee by virtue of section 72 of the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory reenactment or modification of that provision); (ii) becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing and administering his or her own affairs; (iii) is absent without the permission of the Management Committee from all their meetings held within a period of six months and the Management Committee resolve that his or her office be vacated; or (iv) notifies to the Management Committee a wish to resign (but only if at least three members of the Management Committee will remain in office when the notice of resignation is to take effect). No member of the Management Committee shall acquire any interest in property belonging to the Club (otherwise than as a trustee for the Club) or receive remuneration or be interested (otherwise than as a member of the Management Committee) in any contract entered into by the Management Committee. 14. MEETING AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (f) The Management Committee will hold at least four ordinary meetings each year. A special meeting can be called at any time by the Chairman, or by any two Management Committee members upon not less than 7 day s notice being given to the other members of the Management Committee of the matters to be discussed. Club Life Vice Presidents may attend Management Committee meetings and Special meetings, and may choose to exercise their right to vote. Each Club Officer and Club Management Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting unless otherwise dissolved at a Special General Meeting. One person may hold no more than two positions on the Committee at any time. The Club Management Committee shall be responsible for the management of all the affairs of the Club. Any outgoing member of the Club may be re-elected. Any vacancy on the Management Committee, which arises between Annual General Meetings, shall be filled by a member proposed by one and seconded by another of the remaining Club Management Committee members, approved by a simple majority of the remaining Club Management Committee members. Decisions of the Club Management Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Club Management Committee meeting. The Chairperson of the Club Management Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. Meetings of the Club Management Committee shall be chaired by the Chairperson or in their absence the Secretary. The minimum number of Constitution v1 July 2017 7 of 13

committee members required for transactions of business of the Club Management shall be four. (g) (h) (i) (j) (k) Decisions of the Club Management Committee agreed at meetings shall be recorded and made available to members of the committee. The Club Secretary will maintain the minutes from each meeting. The Management Committee may from time to time alter rules for the conduct of their business, the summoning and conduct of their meetings and the custody of documents. No rule may be made which is inconsistent with this constitution. The Management Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees for the purpose of making an inquiry or supervising or performing any function of duty which in the opinion of the Management Committee would be more conveniently undertaken or carried out by a sub-committee: provided that all acts and proceedings of any such subcommittees shall be fully and promptly reported to the Management Committee. The Chairman of any such subcommittees shall be a member of the Management Committee. The Chairman can delay the voting on any issue until the next meeting if they feel it is in the best interests of the Club. As provided for in the Rules and regulations of the Football Association and to The Berks and Bucks Football Association Ltd to the Club is affiliated, the Club Management Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules. 15. ANNUAL AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in each year to: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) receive a report of the activities of the Club over the previous year receive a report of the Club s finances over the previous year elect the members of the Club Committee as and when nominations exist, elect Life Vice Presidents of the Club consider any other business. Nominations for election of members as Club Officers or as members of the Club Committee shall be made in writing by the Proposer and Seconder, both of whom must be existing members of the Club, to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the AGM. Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the Meeting. The Secretary shall send to each member at their last known postal address and/or e-mail address written notice of the date of a General Meeting together with the resolutions to be proposed at least 14 days before the Meeting. The minimum number of committee members required for a General Meeting shall be four. Constitution v1 July 2017 8 of 13

(f) (g) The Chairperson, or in their absence, the Secretary, shall take the chair. Each member present shall have one vote, a simple majority shall pass resolutions. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the Meeting shall have a casting vote. The Club Secretary, or in their absence a member of the Club Committee, shall record Minutes of the General Meeting. 16. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS A Special General Meeting (SGM) may be called at any time by the Committee and shall be called within 21 days of the receipt by the Club Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by not less than five members stating the purposes for which the Meeting is required and the resolutions proposed. Business at an SGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM. 17. CLUB TEAMS At the AGM, following the appointment of the Officers, the Club Committee shall appoint a Club member to be responsible for each of the Club s football teams. In the event of this not being possible, any appointment to a Team Manager role is subject to ratification by the Management Committee. New applicants shall be required to complete the new volunteer pack (application form) and to be vetted by completing a DBS check and interviewed by a member(s) of the Management Committee. On appointment they shall be fully briefed on what is expected of them and be required to sign a copy of the Club s code of conduct. New team managers may also be required to provide 2 references as stated in the new volunteer pack. The appointment of team coaches and other helpers shall also require the completion of the Volunteer Application form and to be vetted prior to appointment. The appointed members shall be responsible for managing the affairs of the team. The appointed members shall present to the Club Committee at its last meeting prior to an AGM a written report or update on the activities of the team. All managers appointed will be qualified to at least a level 1 FA coaching qualification or resolve to complete the qualification within 6 months of their appointment. All mangers and/or coaches involved with 11 a side football will be encouraged to attain a level 2 FA coaching qualification. Managers will be expected to fund at least 50% of this training cost. All managers will abide by the code of conduct, child protection, bullying policy and equal opportunities statements and produce reports as and when requested on their team s performance, discipline and issues. Constitution v1 July 2017 9 of 13

(f) All managers or their representatives shall attend every Manager s meeting to report on their team s progress and to receive information on the club activities. It is the responsibility of each Team manager to bring to the attention of the committee incidents prejudicial to the good name of the club. Incidents of a serious nature should be reported to the Secretary and Welfare Officer as a matter of urgency and at the earliest opportunity. All managers will maintain an album of their team s League Registration Cards, keep details of their player s appearance record, and be responsible for pre match liaison with opposition and referees, and post match reporting of results via the whole game system. This includes any reporting of games not played. 18. CLUB FINANCES The funds of the Club, including donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into an account operated by the Management Committee and maintained in the name of the Club (the Club Account). Designated account signatories shall be the Club Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, the Club Secretary and the Treasurer. No sum shall be drawn from the Club Account except by cheque signed by two of the four designated signatories. All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in the Club Account. The income and assets of the Club (the Club Property) shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club. The Club Committee shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club. The Club Management Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to: (i) the keeping of accounting records for the Association; (ii) the preparation of annual statements of account for the Association; (iii) the auditing or independent examination of the statements of account of the Association; and (iv) the transmission of the statements of account of the Association to the Commission. (f) The Club shall prepare an annual Financial Statement in such form as shall be published by The Football Association from time to time. The Club Property, other than the Club Account, shall be vested in not less than two and no more than four custodians, one of whom shall be the Treasurer (the Custodians), who shall deal with the Club Property as directed by decisions of the Club Committee and entry in the manager committee meeting minutes shall be conclusive evidence of such a decision. Constitution v1 July 2017 10 of 13

(g) (h) (i) (j) Should any team/person within the club wish to raise money whilst taking part in AFT Football Club events, they will give 20% of their profit back to AFT Football Club. The Custodians shall be appointed by the Club in a General Meeting and shall hold office until death or resignation unless removed by a resolution passed at a General Meeting. On their removal or resignation a Custodian shall execute a Conveyance in such form as is published by The Football Association from time to time to a newly-elected Custodian or the existing Custodians as directed by the Club Committee. On the death of a Custodian, any Club Property vested in them shall vest automatically in the surviving Custodians. If there is only one surviving Custodian, a Special General Meeting shall be convened as soon as possible to appoint another Custodian. The Custodians shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the Club Property for all expenses and other liabilities reasonably incurred by them in carrying out their duties. 19. PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE. The club will pay for Public Liability Insurance each year by insuring through the Berks and Bucks FA scheme for Member Clubs. 20. SPONSORSHIP, INCOME & DISCIPLINARY MATTERS. All sponsors shall be named and their line of business made apparent to the Committee prior to any sponsorship agreement-taking place. All Cheques must be made payable to Advanced Football Club and any monies must be accompanied with a letter from the Sponsor to the Treasurer. If a sponsor wished to sponsor a particular team, that sponsor must be informed that any kit/equipment sponsored will go to the desired team of their choice but will remain the property of Advanced Football Club, in the event of that team leaving or out growing of the kit. Monies collected from Players for Club Membership Fees and Fines will be passed across to the Treasurer on a regular basis, and under no circumstances be used for any purpose other than payment of referee fees without the prior approval of the Treasurer. Any Fines imposed by the county or leagues will be place on the Team Manager responsible by the Club Secretary. County Fines are the responsibility of the Player or Supporter incurring the fine and must be reimbursed to the club before the County Payment deadline. It is the Team Manager s responsibility to ensure that fines are collected from their Players or Supporters. Failure to reimburse the club before the deadline will result in the player being suspended from playing club football until such time as the reimbursement has been made. Constitution v1 July 2017 11 of 13

The Management Committee reserves the right to exclude any player from team selection for a given period if a player s disciplinary record is deemed to be bringing the club into disrepute. The exclusion may be in addition to any suspension or fine levied by County. Constitution v1 July 2017 12 of 13

21. DISSOLUTION. If the members resolve to dissolve the Club the named Trustees will remain in office as Charity Trustees and be responsible for winding up the affairs of the Club in accordance with this clause. The Trustees must collect in all assets of the Club and must pay or make provision for all liabilities of the Club. The Trustees must apply any remaining property or money: (i) (ii) (iii) directly for the Objects; by transfer to any Charity of charities for purposes the same as or similar to the Club; in such other manner as the Charity Commission for England and Wales ( the Commission ) may approve in writing in advance. (f) The members may pass a resolution before or at the same time as the resolution to dissolve the Club specifying the manner in which the Trustees are to apply the remaining property or assets of the Club and the Trustees must comply with the resolution if it is consistent with paragraphs (i) (iii) inclusive in sub-clause above. In no circumstances shall the net assets of the Club be paid to or distributed among the members of the Club (except to a member that is itself a Charity). The Trustees must notify the Commission promptly that the Club has been dissolved. If the Trustees are obliged to send the Club s accounts to the Commission for the accounting period, which ended before dissolution, they must send the Commission the Club s final accounts. 22. AMENDMENTS. The Club may amend any provision contained in the Constitution provided that: (i) (ii) (iii) No amendment may be made that would have the effect of making the Club cease to be a Charity at law; No amendment may be made to alter the Objects if the change would not be within the reasonable contemplation of the members of or donors to the Club; Any resolution to amend a provision of this Constitution is passed by not less than two thirds of the members present and voting at a general meeting. Any provision of this Constitution may be amended, provided that any such amendment is made by resolution passed by a simple majority of the members present and voting at a general meeting. A copy of any resolution amending this Constitution shall be sent to the Commission within twenty one days of it being passed. Constitution v1 July 2017 13 of 13