BackConstitution
1. Name
1.1. The Club shall be called the ’Doncaster Hockey Club’ hereinafter referred to as ‘the
Club’ and shall be affiliated to Doncaster Town Field Sports Club.
1.2. The Club is affiliated to:
1.2.1. Yorkshire Hockey Association
1.2.2. The North Hockey Association
1.2.3. England Hockey.
2. The Club will comprise of three sections:
2.1. Men’s
2.2. Ladies’
2.3. Junior
2.4. The Club shall operate within a corporate management structure as agreed by a General
Meeting of the Club, see Annex A, and be managed by an Executive Committee. The
Officers of the Club shall be responsible for defined areas of activities and be supported
by both elected and co-opted members.
2.5. Each Section will be responsible, within the corporate structure of the Club, for the
management and selection of its teams. They shall prepare “Section Rules“, to be
agreed by the Executive Committee, covering the matters reserved to the sections.
These Rules shall be part of this Constitution as Annex C.
3. Purpose of the Club
3.1. The main purpose of the Club shall be to provide the opportunity and secure the best
facilities possible such that all playing Members irrespective of gender or age are able to
participate in regular and enjoyable hockey within appropriate discipline and behaviour
codes.
3.2. The general purposes of the Club shall be to:
3.2.1. Recruit and develop children and young people into the sport of hockey as
players, leaders/coaches, umpires and administrators.
3.2.2. Provide playing, leading/coaching, umpiring and administrative opportunities
at participation, development and performance levels.
3.2.3. Provide equity of opportunity across all areas of the Club, and to encourage
inclusion of minority groups.
3.2.4. Provide a safe, effective and child-friendly environment in which to play and
learn hockey.
3.2.5. Provide a range of teams, both male and female, to cover all standards of
hockey.
3.3. The Club shall be a members club open to all.
4. Membership
4.1. The Members of the Club shall comprise Playing Members, Patrons, Honorary Life
Members, Vice Presidents, Junior Members and Social Members. All memberships
shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.
• Playing Members – those persons who wish to join and play hockey for the Club.
• Patrons – those persons who wish to join the Club but do not wish to play hockey for
the Club.
• Honorary Life Members – those persons who by virtue of their service to the Club
are recommended by the Executive Committee and agreed at an AGM.
• Vice Presidents – those persons who by virtue of their service to the Club are invited
by the Executive Committee.
• Junior Members – those persons who are under 18 years of age on 31st August at the
start of the season
• Social Members – those persons who wish to use the social facilities of the Sports
Club. We also have occasional members and student members (currently free).
4.2. Members, except Social and Junior Members, may vote at General Meetings of the
Club.
4.3. Members, except Honorary Life Members, shall pay an annual membership subscription
which shall be non-refundable.
4.4. Until new and existing Members pay the relevant annual membership subscription, they
will not be entitled to any of the privileges of the Club.
4.5 A player who has not paid their annual membership fee or any other debt to the club by
the 30 April following the end of the season will have their membership suspended and
lose all privileges of membership and will be required to pay in full before being selected
for any future games. In addition, for the following season they will also be required to:
• Pay 25% of their annual subscription by 30 Sept to be selected for Oct
• Pay 25% of their annual subscription by 31 Oct to be selected for Nov
• Pay 25% of their annual subscription by 30 Nov to be selected for Dec
• Pay 25% of their annual subscription by 31 Dec to be selected for Jan
The application of the above shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee of
the Club.
5. Subscription categories
5.1. The Executive Committee shall maintain a list of membership subscription categories
that apply to all Members and the level of membership subscription to each such
category of membership shall be agreed at the AGM.
5.2. Players who become Members during the season shall pay a prorated subscription
calculated as the annual subscription divided by 30 and multiplied by the number of
remaining weekends in the season.
5.3. Members whose category of membership changes during the season shall pay a prorated adjustment to reflect the new category of membership.
6. Officers of the Club and Support Officers
6.1. The Officers of the Club shall be the President, Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Junior
Development Officer and the Welfare Officer.
6.2. The Ladies’ and Men’s Sections shall each have a representative on the Executive
Committee and they shall be elected at their Section’s annual members’ meeting.
6.3. Additional support roles within the Club include; Club Membership Secretary, Social
Secretary, Media Officer, Resources Manager, Umpire Secretary, Webmaster, EH
Liaison Officer and The North League Liaison Officer, together with any role that the
Executive Committee may, from time to time, add which it considers will be to the
benefit of the Club.
6.4. The Officers and Support Officers of the Club, with the exception of the President, shall
be elected by the Club for each season in Annual General Meeting and should notify the
Secretary if they intend to resign before the AGM.
6.5. The President shall be elected to hold office for three consecutive seasons.
6.6. Each section shall have a Section Membership Secretary and the Ladies’ and Men’s
Sections shall each have a Fixture’s Secretary and Team Captains.
(For a full list of Officers and their roles and responsibilities see ‘Doncaster Hockey
Club Management Structure’ – Annex A & B)
7. The Executive Committee
7.1. The Executive Committee of the Club shall be the Officers of the Club together with the
Ladies’ Section Representative and Men’s Section Representative or their substitutes
notified to the Secretary prior to the meeting.
7.2. All members of the Committee have full voting rights.
7.3. All Committee meetings must have at least five members present to be quorate.
7.4. The Chair will have the casting vote should any vote be tied.
7.5. The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy in its membership and to co-opt
to any position in the Club not filled in AGM and to any additional roles that it
considers will be to the benefit of the club.
8. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
8.1. The AGM shall be held at the end of the season following at least 28 days written
notice being given and fifteen months shall not elapse without a General Meeting.
8.2. The agenda must be displayed on the notice board at least 14 days prior to the AGM
and must include a financial report, recommendations of the Executive Committee for
the subscriptions for the next season and the election of the officers, as well as other
items as determined by the Executive Committee and the Membership
8.3. Nominations for the positions of officers may be proposed by the Executive
Committee or in writing by a Proposer and Seconder, being voting members of the
Club, with the signed agreement of the candidate, which must be given to the Secretary
at least 14 days before the AGM and displayed on the notice board 7 days prior to the
AGM
8.4. Discussions at an AGM shall be confined to the business stated on the agenda except
where a voting Member gives notice in writing to the Secretary no later than 3 days
prior to the meeting. The Secretary shall display the item on the notice board and
publish it on the Club’s website
8.5. Voting members who have not paid their annual subscription will forfeit their voting
rights.
8.6. All decisions will be made by a majority of the votes cast. In the event of a tied vote
the Chairman of the AGM will have the casting vote.
8.7. Twenty-five members must be present for the AGM to be quorate.
8.8. At every AGM the President, or in the absence of the President the Chair, or in the
absence of both, a person elected by those present, shall preside as Chair of the
meeting.
9. Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
9.1. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club may be convened by the Executive
Committee at any time.
9.2. The Secretary will also call an EGM on receipt of a written request to do so signed by
ten or more voting Members setting out the proposed resolution. Such notice shall set
out the reasons for the resolution.
9.3. The Members shall be given no less than 14 days written notice of an EGM.
9.4. The business of the EGM shall be confined to that stated on the agenda and shall be
conducted as set out for an AGM in 8.5 to 8.8 above.
10. Finance
10.1. The financial affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Finance Director who will
present an account of the Club’s finances at each meeting of the Executive Committee,
and an examined set of accounts at the AGM.
10.2. Prior to each season, each Officer of the Club shall agree with the Finance Director a budget for that season. Such budgets to be subject to the agreement of the Executive
Committee. It is the responsibility of the officers and representatives to inform the
Finance Director of any significant difference in the projected outturn of their budget.
10.3. The Executive Committee shall agree such Funds as it deems required which will
include an ‘Artificial Grass Pitch Designated Fund’ to meet the cost of maintaining
and replacing the artificial pitch and its facilities.
10.3.1 The EC shall maintain a single pitch sinking fund separate from all other
accounts.
10.3.2 The latest pitch sinking fund statement shall be presented to each EC meeting
and be posted on the DHC noticeboard.
10.3.3 The club will aim to transfer £24,000 per annum from the clubs current account
into the pitch sinking fund account. The amount should be reviewed at each AGM.
10.3.4 Money shall not be moved out of the pitch sinking fund other than by agreement
of an EGM.
10.4. The financial year of the Club shall end on the 31
st August each season.
10.5. The Executive Committee shall nominate the Treasurer together with three other
Officers of the Club to be signatories for all payments by the Club, of which two of the
named must counter sign each and every payment.
10.6. The Executive Committee shall nominate an independent examiner for the Club’s
accounts, whose report on the accounts shall be presented to the AGM
10.7. The Club will have the power to raise or borrow money for the purposes of, or in
connection with, the activities of the Club or any of them as the Executive Committee
thinks fit in accordance with the following provisions:
10.7.1. Any sum or sums raised or borrowed may be on mortgage or otherwise of all
or any of the funds or property of the Club or otherwise if no such security is
available.
10.7.2. The Executive Committee may determine from time-to-time the terms and
conditions upon which money is raised or borrowed or security is issued and
may vary such terms and conditions.
10.8. The Club is a non-profit making organization and any surplus income or profits will
be retained in the Club and re-invested. No surpluses or profits will be distributed to
members or third parties.
11. Payments/Benefits
11.1. The Executive Committee may appoint paid staff for specific coach development
projects and to support Club management e.g.:
11.1.1. Paid coaches will be appointed and managed by the Executive Committee.
11.1.2. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Pitch Manager who will be
managed by the Treasurer & Chair
11.2. The terms and conditions of any payment, other than general expenses, to an Officer of
the Club shall be recommended by the Executive Committee to and agreed by a
General Meeting of the Club.
12. Conduct of Members
12.1. Every member is deemed to have notice of and impliedly undertakes to comply with
the Club rules and codes of conduct.
12.2. Any transgressions will be investigated and judged by the Disciplinary Committee and
appropriate actions taken. This could be as serious as suspension or termination of
membership. The Disciplinary Committee comprises of the Chair (or any member of
the Executive Committee nominated by the Chair in their place) and two other Officers
of the Club.
12.3. Any appeal against a decision by the Disciplinary Committee must be received by the
Secretary in writing, giving the grounds for the appeal, within 7 days of the decision
and will be heard within 14 days of that receipt by the Appeals Committee, whose
decision will be final. The Appeals Committee will comprise of the President (or any
member of the Executive Committee nominated by the President in their place) and
two other members of the Executive Committee (none of whom have served on the
Disciplinary Committee against who the Appeal is being made).
13. General
13.1. The Club colours shall be white shirts, navy blue shorts/skirts, red socks.
13.2. Excepting a colour clash all Playing Members shall wear the Club colours when
playing a match for the Club.
13.3. The Club alternative colours shall be red shirts, navy blue shorts/skirts, white socks.
13.4. The rules and any mandatory instructions issued by the governing body of hockey in
England shall be adopted in all matters of play and where applicable to the concerns of
the Club.
13.5. The Club name ‘Doncaster Hockey Club’, the abbreviated version ‘DHC’ and the Club
logo remains the property of the Club and can only be used with the permission of the
Executive Committee.
13.6. Complaints relating to the management of the Club or the conduct of any Member
shall be addressed in writing to the Executive Committee who will investigate the
matter and notify the complainant of the outcome of the investigation.
13.7. The primary method of communication by the Club to the Members will be via e-mail
or the Club website and any notice that is required under these Rules shall be
considered valid if issued:
• in writing by post, (only if specifically requested by a Member), or
• via an email to the Members last notified e-mail address, or
• posted on the Club website.
14. Ground
14.1. The Club holds an underlease of the artificial grass pitch from Doncaster Town Field
Sports Club.
14.2. The Club will be responsible for the management of the playing facilities.
14.3. The Club may hire the artificial grass pitch to other organisations.
14.4. All members and other users must comply with the Code of Practice for the use of the
artificial grass pitch
15. Dissolution of the Club
15.1. If the Club shall pass in General Meeting, by a majority comprising two-thirds or more
of the members present and entitled to vote, a resolution of intension to dissolve the
Club, the Executive Committee shall take immediate steps to convert all of the assets
of the Club into money. Recognition should be made of the outstanding liability to
Hall Cross School for the provision of an artificial grass pitch until July 2014.
15.2. The proceeds of the conversion shall be used by the Executive Committee firstly to
discharge all the debts and liabilities of the Club. Any balance shall be passed on to the
Doncaster Town Field Sports Club.
16. Amendments to the constitution
16.1. The constitution will only be altered, added to or revoked, through agreement by
majority vote at an AGM or EGM.
This constitution was agreed at the Meeting of the Club held on 2nd August 2021