Association Constitution
Friday 23rd October 2009
1. Name
The Association shall be known as the West Midlands Volleyball Association (hereinafter known as the Association).
2. Rules and Regulations
The rules and regulations governing the game shall be those currently in force as determined by the English Volleyball Association.
3. Objectives
- To promote and encourage in every way the game of volleyball;
- To act as the Governing Body for the sport in the Sports Council Region of the West Midlands;
- To represent volleyball interests within the relevant area.
4. Membership
Membership of the Association shall consist of an Honorary President, duly elected officers, together with clubs, registered players. Individuals and organisations who subscribe to the objectives of the Association, affiliate to the English Volleyball Association and reside in the relevant area.
There shall be three classes of membership
a. Individual membership
Any member who subscribes to the objectives of the Association may take out annual or life membership.
b. Club membership;
Any sports or other clubs or schools subscribing to the objectives of the Association;
c. National Associations
Any national body with a recognised volleyball section subscribing to the objectives of the Association;
The Executive Committee shall have the power to refuse any application for membership.
All subscriptions shall be due to the Treasurer on the 1st July each year. Any change in the amount of subscription in the various classes of membership shall he decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Association.
5. Officers
The Officers of the Association shall be the Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Ladies Competitions Secretary, Men’s Competitions Secretary, Referees Coordinator, Coaching Administrator, Junior Development Officer and Regional Representative. All Officers shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.
6. Regional Executive Committee
- The affairs of the Association shall be managed by an Executive Committee whose membership shall consist of the Officers and a representative from each of the constituent Area Associations.
- The quorum necessary for the transaction of business of the Executive Committee shall be five.
- The Honorary President of the Association shall be invited to attend and participate in the Executive Committee meetings without powers to vote.
- The Executive Committee shall have power to invite suitable delegates to Committee meetings. Such persons however will not have the power to vote.
- Every decision of the Executive Committee shall be by majority vote. Each member of the Committee shall have one vote, with the Chairman having a second and casting vote in the event of a tie. Any officer having a personal interest in a dispute or other matter shall not be permitted to vote.
- The Executive Committee may delegate any of its duties to sub-committees consisting of such persons as it thinks fit. Any sub-committees so formed shall, in the performance of the duties so delegated, conform to any regulations that may be imposed on it by the Executive Committee; Sub-committees may not co-opt members without the prior approval of the Executive Committee.
- The administration of the Constitution of the Association and Area Associations shall be vested in the Executive Committee who shall:
a) decide on matters relating to Regional and Area matches, competitions, conferences, courses and other relevant issues affecting the Association;
b) decide on any question or matter not provided for in the Constitution. This decision shall be final;
c) approve the Constitutions of the Area Associations.
7. Finance
The financial year of the Association shall end on 31st March and an audited Statement of Accounts up to and including this date shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting. The funds of the Association shall be lodged at a bank or other reputable financial institution and all Cheques, drafts etc., drawn on the account shall be signed by the Treasurer together with one of either the Chairman or Secretary.
An Auditor shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.
The funds of the Association shall be used towards the furtherance of the Associations objectives. In the event of dissolution, the funds remaining will be given to the English Volleyball Association to be held in trust.
8. Annual General Meeting
- Not more than 14 months may elapse between Annual General Meetings of the Association.
- At least 14 days notice, specifying the place, date and hour of the Meeting together with the agenda shall be given to all paid up members of the Association.
- The voting at the Annual General Meeting shall be:
(a) Affiliated club; one vote each
(b) Honorary Officers (excluding the President)- one vote each
(c) Individual Members- one vote each
(d) Area Officers-one vote each
4. ALL matters shall be decided by a secret ballot or by a show of hands, at the discretion of the Chairman.
5. With the exception of decisions on changes to the Constitution, all resolutions shall be decided by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the Chairman will have the casting vote.
6. Alterations to the Constitution may only be effected by a two-thirds majority vote of members present, and only at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
7. A quorum for the Annual or an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be ten.
9. Extraordinary General Meeting
An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association shall be convened on a resolution of the Executive Committee or within one month of a written request signed by at least twenty individual members of the Association or seven clubs.
The relevant provisions of Article 8 shall apply to Extraordinary General Meetings.
10. Administration
- The Association shall comprise of the Area Associations as approved by the English Volleyball Association which are geographically contained in the Sports Council Region of the West Midlands.
- Clubs shall normally belong to the Area Association in which their home court is based.
- Any proposed addition to, alteration in or recision of an Area’s constitution shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Association before the Association’s Annual General Meeting.
- Each Area Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting to which the Secretary of the Association shall be invited. He may delegate another officer of the Association to attend in his place. Each Area Association shall within one month of its Annual General Meeting submit an Annual Report and Statement of Accounts to the Secretary of the Association. In exceptional circumstances, the Executive Committee of the Association shall be empowered to call an Extraordinary General Meeting of any of its Area Associations.
- Area Associations are required to forward a copy of all their Minutes to the Secretary of the Association, together with copies of all circulars and memoranda.
- The Area Associations may receive grants from the Association as decided by the Executive Committee of the Association.
- In the event of the dissolution of an Area Association, the funds shall be passed to the Association to remain on deposit until such time as a new Area Association is approved by the English Volleyball Association.
11. Discipline
Within the guidelines of the English Volleyball Association’s Code of Conduct, the Association shall have the power to take appropriate disciplinary action against leagues! clubs, schools, officials and members within its jurisdiction. Any suspension will be forwarded to the English Volleyball Association and all Areas within the West Midlands Region.
12. Appeals
Any member shall have the right to appeal to the English Volleyball Association against any decision made by the Association. This appeal must be made within seven days and accompanied by a deposit of £25.00. This will be refunded if the appeal is upheld.
(Issue Date; 19/5/92)