CONSTITUTION.
1. Name
The name of the organisation shall be the Scottish Hockey West District Umpires Association hereinafter referred to as the ‘Association’
2. Objectives
The Association is established to pursue the following objectives.
a) to improve and develop the competency of officials in the sport of Field Hockey hereinafter referred to as the ‘Sport’.
b) To provide all members of the Association with the necessary support to perform at their best at the level they want.
c) The provision of training and mentoring for its members.
d) Promoting and maintaining the highest standards of technical competance and safety in the sport.
e) Upholding the rules of the sport.
f) Promoting equal opportunities for successful participation by all sections of the community.
g) The promotion of officiating in the sport.
3. Affiliation
The Association shall be affiliated to the West District of Scottish Hockey but will not be subject to it’s jurisdiction or control except as herein set out.
4. Membership
All members are subject to the Constitution of the Association and the regulations of the National Governing Body.
a) Membership of the Association is open to all individuals provided they comply with this Constitution.
b) No person shall be refused membership on the grounds of race, colour, creed, religion, sex, sexual preference, impairment or disability.
c) All members will receive a copy of the relevant Code of Conduct (as amended from time to time) and a copy of the Constitution on joining, and will be deemed to have read them and acknowledged that they are prepared to be bound by them.
d) Members shall be enrolled in one of the following categories.
e) Any officiating member of a club registered with the West District of the Scottish Hockey Union which has paid a club membership to the Association is entitled to apply to be a member notwithstanding that they have not paid an individual membership fee. They may participate fully in the activities of the Association subject to the restrictions contained in paragraph 7(d).
f) “Officiating Member” herein means any member of a club registered with or affiliated to the West District of the Scottish Hockey Union who is qualified and registered with the Scottish Hockey Union as an official qualified to umpire International, National, Regional or District league or cup matches. It also includes club members who have passed the theory examination stage of the umpire assessment, but are awaiting the practical examination and are therefore permitted to umpire certain West District league matches.
5. Suspension, Refusal or Termination of Membership.
a) The management committee shall be entitled to:
i) Refuse any application for membership on the grounds that such membership would be prejudicial to the objectives of the club as set out in Rule 2 of the constitution.
ii) For good and sufficient reason to refuse renewal of any existing membership ot terminate or suspend any membership of an individual or club, provided that the member or club concerned shall have the right to be heard by the full management committee before a final decision is made.
iii) Appeals against management committee decisions regarding membership status will be considered through the SHU West District management committee, the SHU management committee and finally the SHU board. There will be no further right of appeal.
b) The member or club may apply for reinstatement at the next general meeting.
c) Any member or club who fails to pay their fees by the date required shall forfeit their right to representation on the management committee and at general meetings, and shall be suspended from taking part in any event under the control of the association until such fees are paid.
d) Any member under suspension shall be barred from taking part in any event under the control of the Association.
e) The management committee shall inform the member or club in writing of any decision to terminate their membership.
f) Notification of the termination of a membership or suspension will be forwarded to the West District committee.
6. General Meetings
a) Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The AGM shall be held each year at such time as determined by the management committee, at approximately twelve monthly intervals, but no more than fourteen months after the date of the previous AGM. At each AGM the following business shall be conducted:
i) Receive and confirm the minutes of the previous AGM.
ii) Presentation of the Association’s financial accounts for the year.
iii) Presentation of the Association’s projected financial situation for the forthcoming year, and the setting of all fees.
iv) Presentation of the chairpersons report.
v) Election of officers to the management committee.
vi) Any other business brought before the meeting which has been submitted in writing to the secretary not less than seven days prior to the AGM, and any other business deemed relevant by the chairperson.
Notice of the AGM shall be a minimum of 21 days.
The quorum shall be one quarter of those eligible to vote, or 6 such members, whichever is the smaller.
b) Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
An EGM may be called upon the written demand of:
i) 33% of the membership entitled to vote.
ii) The Chairperson.
iii) 2/3 majority of the management committee.
Notice for the EGM shall be a minimum of fourteen days notice, and stating the business to be discussed.
7. Rules of General Meeting
a) A minimum of 21 days notice in writing shall be given to all members except in the event of an EGM where the notice shall be a minimum of fourteen days.
b) The Chairperson or in his/her absence a member selected by the meeting, will take the Chair.
c) All members shall register with the Secretary prior to the start of the meeting.
d) Each member who has paid an individual subscription shall have one vote. Each club member shall be entitled to one vote but no club may have votes cast by its members greater in number than the number of adult teams registered with the Scottish Hockey Union for National, Regional and District competitions.
f) The quorum shall be one quarter of those eligible to vote or six such members, which ever is the smaller.
g) The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings and record all proceedings and resolutions.
8. Election of Officers to the Management Committee.
a) The members of the management committee shall be drawn from the membership as defined in clause 4 of this Constitution.
b) Candidates shall be elected by a paper ballot at the AGM, and shall be members of the management committee from the conclusion of that AGM until the conclusion of the following AGM.
c) All nominations of candidates for election shall: have the consent of the nominee; be in writing be seconded;be received by the Secretary not less than 14 days before the AGN.
d) Uncontested posts may be filled by nomination(s) and election at the AGM.
e) The Secretary shall send all members a list of all nominations with the notice of the AGM.
9. Members of the Management Committee
a) The Management Committee shall consist of the following Officers.
b) All the above shall be entitled to one vote each at General Meetings, except the chair.
c) The committee may co-opt any member to any unfulfilled post until the conclusion of the following AGM, providing that the number of co-optees shall not exceed one third of the total number of persons serving on the committee at that time.
d) The management committee may appoint any sub-committees it may deem necessary to deal with the matters of the Association, until the conclusion of the following AGM. The proceedings of all such committees shall report to the management committee by a representative elected by that cub-committee,
e) The said officials shall be the trustees ex-officio of the Association who shall not hold any property belonging to the Association in their name and shall further be entitled to sue and be sued on behalf of the Association as trustees ex officiis. They shall all be entitled to personal indemnity out of the funds of the Association when they are acting bona fide in their capacity as officers of the Association. They are entitled to all the protections afforded to gratuitous trustees.
10. Rules for the Management Committee
a) The Chairperson shall chair the meeting, or in his/her absence one of either the Vice Chairperson or Secretary or a nominee from the committee in the event of all those mentioned being absent.
b) Fourteen days notice of any meeting of the management committee shall be given by the Secretary, except when:
i) The date of the meeting has been agreed at the previous management meeting, in which case seven days notice shall be given.
ii) In an emergency the Chairperson may call a meeting at four days notice.
c) The quorum shall be three of those officials entitled to vote, as listed at Rule 9 a)
d) All members of the management committee as listed at Rule 8 a) shall be entitled to vote.
e) All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote.
f) Meetings shall be open to all members of the Association.
g) The Secretary shall keep a roll of the membership of the Association, including the type of membership, which shall be available for inspection by any member in the seven days preceding any General Meeting.
11. Finance
a) The income and property of the Association, however derived, shall be applied solely towards the objectives of the Association as set out in rule 2 of the Constitution.
b) The Association shall have the power to raise money by means of yearly affiliation of membership fees as determined by the management committee at the Annual General Meeting. Such fees may be payable by individuals on their own behalf, or by clubs on behalf of their members. The management committee may only set a single rate of membership fees for individuals, but may set differing rates of membership fees for clubs in order to reflect the variations in club size, location and activity.
c) All monies shall e lodged in a bank account in the name of the Association.
d) The Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary shall be authorised signatories to sign cheques on behalf of the Association, of which two signatories shall be needed.
e) The financial year of the Association shall run from 1st April to 31st March.
12. Amendments to the Constitution
This Constitution may only be amended by a proposal passed by a majority of members present and entitled to vote at an Annual General Meeting.
13. The Dissolution of the Association
a) Any resolution to dissolve the Association may be passed at any General Meeting provided that:
i) the terms of the proposal resolution are received by the Secretary at lease forty two days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward and that
ii) at lease twenty eight days of the proposed resolution shall be given in writing by the secretary to all members and that
iii) such a resolution shall receive the assent of two thirds of those present are entitled to vote.
b) Upon dissolution of the Association, and after all Associatio and trustee liabilities have been cleared, all remaining financial and material assets shall be given or transferred to the West district Scottish Hockey (Area Governing Body) to be employed for the development of umpiring within the sport.
14. Declaration
It is hereby certified that this document represents a true and most up to date version of the Constitution of Scottish Hockey West District Umpires Association.
