Constitution Template

1 Name of Club
The club will be called NAME OF CLUB (Hereinafter will be referred to as The Club), and
may also be known as ABBREVIATION OF NAME. NAME OF CLUB will be affiliated to
Paddle England.

2 Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:
● To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in NAME OF SPORT
● To promote the club within the local community and NAME OF SPORT
● To manage the NAME OF FACILITY
● To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
● To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone

3 Membership
(a) Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering
or participating in NAME OF SPORT, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality,
sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

(b) The membership shall consist of the following categories:

● Full member
● Junior member AMEND TO SUIT YOUR CLUB
● Family membership AMEND TO SUIT YOUR CLUB
● Student member AMEND TO SUIT YOUR CLUB
● Life member AMEND TO SUIT YOUR CLUB
● AMEND TO SUIT YOUR CLUB

(c) All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and, by joining the Club,
will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the Club has
adopted.

(d) Members in each category will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual General
Meeting.

(e) Individuals shall be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings
or be eligible for selection of any Club team provided the applicable subscription has been
paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Club committee.

4 Sports Equity
 (a) This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its
development. In doing so, it acknowledges and adopts the following 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.

(b) The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone
equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity,
religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

(c) The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment
free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

(d) All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote
equality of opportunity.

(e) The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to
Club disciplinary procedures.

5 Committee
(a) The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee which shall consist of the Chair,
Treasurer, and Secretary [PLUS ANY OTHER POSITIONS YOUR CLUB WISHES TO
INCLUDE], who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

(b) All Committee members must be members of the Club.

(c) If required, the Committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its number.

(d) The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.

(e) If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an
election, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the
succeeding Annual General Meeting.

(f) The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules
that affect the organisation of the club.

(g) The Committee will have powers to appoint and advisers to the Committee as necessary to
fulfil its business.
 (h) The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the
Club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action
of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

(i) The Committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no
less than NUMBER OF MEETINGS [4-6 AS A GUIDE] times per year.

(j) Only the posts listed above will have the right to vote at Committee meetings.

(k) The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will
be NUMBER [ACCORDING TO NUMBER OF OFFICERS IN POST, 40% AS A GUIDE].

6 Finances
(a) The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club.

(b) The financial year of the Club will run from DATE and end on DATE

(c) All Club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the Club.

(d) An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual
General Meeting.

(e) Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of the treasurer plus up
to two other officers (who are not family related).

(f) All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities
of the Club.

7 Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

(a) General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their
democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

(b) The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of MONTH to:
● Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
● Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.
● Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.
● Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts.
● Elect the officers on the Committee.
● Agree the membership fees for the following year.
● Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
● Deal with other relevant business.
 (c) Notice of the AGM will be given by the Club Secretary with at least NUMBER [USUALLY
BETWEEN 14-28] days’ notice to be given to all members.

(d) Nominations for officers of the Committee will be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM.

(e) Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM, who
shall circulate at least 7 days before an AGM.

(f) All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

(g) The quorum for AGMs will be NUMBER [USUALLY 25% OF THE MEMBERSHIP].

(h) The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative, as well as a casting, vote at general and
Committee meetings.

(i) An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the
Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The Committee shall
also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the Committee
members.

(j) All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.

8 Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or
EGM.

9 Discipline and appeals

(a) All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children
and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in
accordance with the club’s child protection policy and procedures. The Club Welfare Officer
is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns.

(b) All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in
writing to the Secretary.

(c) The Management Committee or nominated sub-committee will make the relevant party/s
aware of the complaint against them on a confidential basis. They have the right to submit
their account of the dispute to the Secretary within NUMBER days.

(d) The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within NUMBER days of a
complaint being lodged. The Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary
action including the termination of membership.
 (e) The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who
lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within
NUMBER days of the hearing.

(f) There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action
being announced. The Committee should consider the appeal within NUMBER days of the
Secretary receiving the appeal.

10 Dissolution
(a) A resolution to dissolve the Club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority
vote of the membership.

(b) In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any club funds. Any assets of
the club that remain following this will become the property of ANOTHER CLUB WITH
SIMILAR OBJECTIVES or THE NAME OF GOVERNING BODY
11 Declaration
NAME OF CLUB hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide
regulating the actions of members.

Name Position Chair

Sign Date

Name Position

Sign Date