Rules and Constitution of Union 1908 – The Independent Supporters’ Association for West Didsbury & Chorlton FC Supporters
1. NAME
The name of the organisation shall be the Union 1908, will be referred to as such throughout the document.
2. OBJECTS
The objects of Union 1908 shall be to:
a) Represent West Didsbury & Chorlton FC supporters on issues decided by its members through a process of Structured Dialogue with West Didsbury & Chorlton FC.
b) Establish and maintain channels of communication with the Owners, Executives and Management of West Didsbury & Chorlton FC.
c) Promote, maintain and value the history and identity of West Didsbury & Chorlton FC and its supporters.
d) Encourage the Owners, Executives and Management of West Didsbury & Chorlton FC to appreciate, welcome and value the support and participation of all West Didsbury & Chorlton fans, and ensure that equal opportunities are promoted for all supporters.
e) Affiliate to appropriate national and international football supporters’ organisations.
f) Represent West Didsbury & Chorlton FC supporters in national structured dialogue via the appropriate platform.
g) Support the community around West Didsbury & Chorlton, including (but not limited to) the endeavours of supporters, and organisations deemed appropriate by Union 1908 members.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) Membership of Union 1908 is initially set at £5 per season for associate membership, £10 per season for full membership, and £20 per season for ‘Complete Comradeship’, and is available to all West Didsbury & Chorlton FC supporters.
b) Future membership fees shall be as determined by the Committee, and must be confirmed by vote of members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Concessions will be available to eligible members, as decided by the committee.
c) Members’ personal details shall be stored securely and shall not be passed to a third party without the member’s written consent, unless there is a legal requirement for Union 1908 to do so.
d) Membership records shall be kept by the Secretary, on behalf of Union 1908, and shall be available to all members of the Committee.
e) Should the Committee reject an application for membership, the applicant shall be duly notified and have the right of appeal at the next Committee meeting.
f) Membership is season-long unless cancelled by the member or by the Committee. The end of the season is judged to be the final game of West Didsbury & Chorlton’s league campaign. In the event of a season being annulled, membership shall roll over to the following season, except in the event that over 60% of scheduled games have been played: in this case, a full season will be adjudged to have been played.
g) All full members are entitled to attend and fully participate and vote at the AGM and any EGM.
h) Full members may attend and participate in Committee meetings at the discretion of the chair of the meeting.
i) Any member bringing Union 1908 into disrepute and or violating the code of conduct shall render themselves liable to expulsion. A member may be suspended and recommended for expulsion by a special majority vote of the Committee, but shall not be expelled until s/he has received a full hearing before a disciplinary panel established by the Committee. The member shall have a full opportunity to answer all allegations against her/him before a decision on expulsion is taken by the panel. Any member expelled shall have the right of appeal.
j) Disciplinary procedure:
A disciplinary panel will be established with no less than three Committee members present. The committee Chair or Vice-Chair should be present at any disciplinary hearing. Members facing a disciplinary panel may elect a representative to assist with their defence. If no representative can be found, members may request a representative to be appointed by Union 1908, who will assist without prejudice.
Safeguarding will take place to prevent conflict of interest.
The disciplinary panel must decide with a 66% majority for members to be removed from Union 1908.
k) Appeal procedure:
All members have the right to an appeal following expulsion from Union 1908.
Appeals shall be submitted in writing. Submitted appeals will be reviewed within 28 days by way of a Committee meeting.
Appellants have the right to make a statement giving explanation of their appeal.
The Committee Chair will summarise the appellant’s argument for members at the following AGM. Members will then take a vote without the appellant present. The appellant must receive a 66% majority vote for membership to be reinstated.
The appellant will be notified of the decision with an explanation from the Chair. The appellant will either be removed from all associations with Union 1908 if the appeal fails, or be reinstated.
l) Members’ personal details shall be stored securely and shall not be passed to a third party without the member’s written consent, unless there is a legal requirement for Union 1908 to do so.
m) Membership records shall be kept by the Secretary, on behalf of Union 1908, and shall be available to all members of the Committee.
n) Monies raised from membership fees will be used to support Union 1908’s operations, including (but not limited to) the following
i) Printing of cards, badges, and other materials related to membership.
ii) Donations to community causes, as voted for by Union 1908 members.
iii) Supporting West Didsbury & Chorlton FC in fundraising projects, when deemed appropriate by Union 1908 committee.
iv) Purchasing of materials (such as flags) to maintain and improve matchday atmosphere, at the discretion of the committee.
v) To fund, underwrite, or subsidise away day travel, at the discretion of the committee.
vi) To support fan-led ventures (such as fanzines, art exhibitions) related to the West Didsbury & Chorlton FC, Union 1908, and the wider fanbase.
4. THE COMMITTEE
a) Union 1908 shall have a committee of not more than 15 and not fewer than 4 members.
b) The period of office for Officers and other Committee members shall be from the conclusion of the AGM at which the Committee is declared as elected to the conclusion of the AGM the following year.
c) All Officers shall be members of the Committee with full voting rights.
d) All members shall be entitled to stand for election for any Officer or Committee member position.
e) The Committee shall be entitled to co-opt members to the Committee and shall ensure any such co-options are reported to the membership. Co-opted reps may have full voting rights at Committee meetings, as necessary.
f) The Committee shall be entitled to fill any vacancy occurring during the year and shall ensure any such co-options are reported to the next AGM.
g) The length of term for initial Officers on the group’s formation shall be until the first AGM, where the inaugural election will take place.
h) A Committee member shall declare an interest in any contract or matter in which s/he has a personal material or financial interest, whether directly or indirectly, and shall not vote in respect of any decision relating to that matter.
5. OFFICERS
The Officers of Union 1908 shall be the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
Union 1908’s first AGM – in which the initial officers will be voted in – will take place no later than 3 months after the start of the North West Counties Football League season’s first league fixtures.
The Officers shall collectively take decisions and actions on matters between AGM and Committee meetings, such as public statements and attendance at meetings. Normal duties of the Officers shall include:
a) Chair and Vice-Chair
· The Chair shall chair all Union 1908 meetings at which s/he is present.
· In her/his absence the Vice-Chair shall take the chair. In the absence of both the Chair and Vice-Chair the meeting shall appoint a chair from amongst its number.
· It is the duty of the Chair of Committee meetings to ensure all views of those present are heard at the meeting.
· In the event of a tie the Chair of all meetings shall have a casting vote.
b) Secretary
· The Secretary shall be responsible for circulating an agenda and relevant papers to those present at Committee meetings prior to the commencement of the meeting.
· The Secretary shall produce draft minutes of the Committee meetings, to be agreed as accurate, subject to any amendments, by the Committee at its subsequent meeting.
· The Secretary shall convene the AGM on a date agreed by the Committee, and will make all the arrangements for the meeting, including arranging an appropriate venue and providing an agenda for the meeting.
· The Secretary shall arrange to publicise Committee meetings to the membership.
c) Treasurer
· The Treasurer shall ensure that adequate financial records are kept, and shall be responsible for the proper administration of Union 1908’s financial affairs.
· The Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that Union 1908’s funds are maintained in a Union 1908 account as decided from time to time by the Union 1908 Committee. Withdrawals from the account shall be by authorised signature of at least two Officers.
· The Treasurer shall submit a statement of balances, and an income and expenditure account, to the AGM in the year following that to which the accounts relate.
· The Treasurer shall supply full records of Union 1908’s financial transactions and a statement of balances and an income and expenditure accounts to two elected auditors at the end of the financial year. The financial year of Union 1908 shall be from August 1st to July 30th.
6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
a) An AGM should be held once annually at a time to be determined by the Committee.
b) The Secretary shall ensure that all members are sent notification of the date, time, place and agenda for the AGM not less than fourteen days before it is due to take place.
c) The Secretary shall ensure that copies of the Minutes of the previous AGM and a Union 1908 Annual Report are available at the AGM.
d) The Annual Report shall contain statements on Union 1908’s work during the year from the Officers and Committee members as appropriate.
e) The Treasurer will be responsible for ensuring that a balance sheet and an income and expenditure account is provided in writing to the AGM in the year following that to which the accounts relate.
f) The quorum for the AGM shall be ten members.
g) Should the AGM not be quorate thirty minutes after the published starting time the meeting shall be adjourned to a date not more than two months after the inquorate meeting. All members shall be notified of the new date by the Secretary.
7. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
a) The Committee shall consist of all Officers and Committee members, whether elected at the AGM, or subsequently co-opted.
b) At least four Committee Meetings shall be held each year, at a venue within Chorlton, or through an online forum.
c) Union 1908 policy shall be determined at Committee Meetings, subject to ratification at the next AGM.
d) The Committee can, by majority vote, decide to hold a ballot of members on any matter it so decides. The result of any ballot shall be binding on the Committee, and may only be changed by decision of the AGM or an EGM.
e) In cases of urgency the Officers may decide policy by majority decision, and shall report all such decisions to the membership.
f) The quorum for Committee meetings shall be four elected members of the Committee, one of whom must be an Officer.
g) It is the duty of all Officers present to ensure that the views of members not present but which are communicated to the Officer prior to the meeting are reported accordingly.
h) Votes will normally be by an open show of hands. A secret ballot will be held if requested by at least one-third of the Committee members present.
i) The Committee shall strive to ensure that Union 1908’s structures, meetings, communications mechanisms and employment policies respect and promote the concept of equal opportunities.
j) The Committee shall establish such sub-committees as it considers necessary. Each sub-committee shall appoint a Committee member as chair, to report on the activities and decisions of the sub-committee. Unless previously agreed, sub committees’ decisions must be endorsed by the Committee before they are acted upon.
k) The Committee shall employ such staff as is necessary to properly pursue the objects of Union 1908
l) The Committee shall establish or support charitable trusts, associations or institutions in line with the objects of Union 1908
m) The Committee has the power to do all such lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects
8 EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
An EGM may be called:
a) By resolution of the majority of the Committee, or
b) By members constituting at least 25% of the total number of members submitting written notice to the Secretary of their desire for such a meeting.
c) The Secretary shall convene an EGM within six weeks of receipt of such a requisition unless agreed otherwise with the requisitioners. The Secretary shall send notice of and the agenda for the EGM to all supporting members not less than seven days before the date of the EGM.
d) The quorum at EGMs shall be twenty members.
e) With the exception of dissolution (see below), resolutions may be passed at an EGM with the approval of a majority of members present.
9. AMENDMENTS TO THESE RULES
a) Amendments to these rules may be proposed by the Committee or by any member.
b) Any proposed amendment from a member to these rules shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing not less than seven days prior to the date of the AGM or EGM called for the purpose.
c) An amendment to these Rules shall require a two-thirds majority of members present.
10. DISSOLUTION
a) A motion to dissolve Union 1908 shall only be considered at an AGM or EGM of which all members have received at least four weeks written notice. The notice of the meeting shall contain the motion to dissolve the Association. A motion to dissolve Union 1908 may be proposed by the Committee or by a proposal signed by at least 25% of members.
b) To dissolve Union 1908 three-quarters of the members present must vote in favour of a resolution proposing dissolution.
c) On the dissolution of the organisation, once any debts have been settled, any outstanding monies or property of the association shall be given to an organisation with similar aims and objectives. The beneficiary organisation shall be as decided by the Committee.
d) It will be the responsibility of the former Officers of Union 1908 to dissolve the organisation in line with the wishes expressed at the General Meeting.
11. CODE OF CONDUCT
All members, Officers and associates of Union 1908 shall be committed to:
a) Supporting, promoting, and furthering the objects of Union 1908.
b) Rejecting violence, abusive behaviour, or discrimination in any form.
c) Making Union 1908 an inclusive and welcoming group that represents West Didsbury & Chorlton fans from all backgrounds.
d) Recognising that decisions made by Union 1908 are reached democratically by way of ballot, and respecting the outcome of each ballot.
All members, Officers and associates of Union 1908 shall be prohibited from:
i) Making communications in the name of Union 1908 without express permission.
ii) Profiting from activity associated with Union 1908 without express permission.
iii) Complicating or sabotaging the objects, activities or communications of Union 1908.
iv) Bringing Union 1908 into disrepute by any other means.