FALKIRK SPORTS COUNCIL

CONSTITUTION AND RULES

1.         NAME 

The name of the Organisation shall be "FALKIRK SPORTS COUNCIL"

(hereinafter referred to as "THE SPORTS COUNCIL" ).

2.         OBJECTS

The objects of the Sports Council shall be:

a)  To promote interest and participation in sport in the Falkirk Council Area (hereinafter referred to as " THE FALKIRK AREA ").

b)  To encourage the work of the various sports clubs and sports organisations in the Falkirk Area both generally and in relation to specific projects.

c)  To examine the available sports facilities in the Falkirk Area as against current and anticipated needs and to make recommendations to the Falkirk Council (hereinafter referred to as the "COUNCIL " ) and any other appropriate body, from time to time in this connection.

d)  To promote or support competitions, championships and social events as considered desirable.

e)   To assist local sports clubs and organisations and individuals, by arranging courses and displays, for the improving of personal performance and for the training of leaders, coaches, referees and judges.

f)    To assist in the formation of sports clubs where none exists, or where existing clubs are unable to fulfill current needs.

g)   To encourage, with the assistance of the Education Authorities, schools pupils and school leavers to take up sporting activities.

h)   To receive reports and recommendations from local sports clubs and organisations on all matters concerning sport and to take appropriate action thereon.

i)     To publish and distribute, as considered desirable, up to date information on local sports clubs, organisations, activities and facilities.

j)    To foster in the field of amateur sports, the twinning links between the Council and twin towns.

k)    To further the foregoing objects by organising such activities and taking such other actions as the Sports Council may deem appropriate.

The Sports Council shall be non-political, non-sectarian and non-denominational and shall not discriminate on the grounds of age, sex, sexual orientation, race or physical or learning disability.

3.            AFFILIATION

All clubs individuals and organisations  directly concerned with sport in the Falkirk Area may apply for affiliation to the Sports Council subject to agreeing to abide by the Constitution and Rules of the Sports Council, who shall retain the right to reject any application for affiliation or to withdraw affiliation on any grounds which to them appear reasonable.

Each affiliated club, individual and organisation shall pay an annual affiliation fee of such amount as may be fixed by the Sports Council at their Annual General Meeting in each year and such fee shall be payable by April 1st for the year to 30th March succeeding. Affiliation fees may be granted for different types of clubs, individuals and organisations.

Each affiliated club, individual and organisation shall submit to the Secretary of the Sports Council a copy of its Constitution and Rules and shall submit yearly, the names and addresses of its Office Bearers.

4.            MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Sports Council shall consist of :

a)    One representative of each sports club, individual or organisation affiliated to the Sports Council.

b)    One representative of the Falkirk Council Primary Schools Sports Committee.

c)    One representative of the Falkirk Council Secondary Schools Sports Committee

d)    One representative of the Scottish Sports Council

e)    Two elected members as representatives of the Falkirk Council

f)      Two representatives from the Falkirk Council's Community Leisure Services Department

g)      Falkirk Sports Council Honorary Life Members

h)      Such additional individual members as the Sports Council may decide to accept to membership.

i)      Honorary Life Members appointed at the Annual General Meeting from Members and/or former Members of the Sports Council or associate organisations who have rendered valuable services to the Sports Council, or to sport in the Falkirk Area, such Members having no powers of vote.

5.            OFFICE BEARERS

The office bearers shall consist of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, two of who shall retire in two yearly rotations at the Annual General Meeting of the Sports Council, but shall be eligible for re-selection. When elected, Office Bearers shall relinquish any representative role of the Membership on behalf of clubs or other bodies, new representatives being elected in their places.

6.            EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The day-to-day work of the Sports Council shall be carried on by an Executive Committee consisting of the Office Bearers of the Sports Council.

The Executive Committee shall meet at such intervals as they may determine having regard to the business to be transacted.

7.            MEETINGS

The Annual General Meeting of the Sports Council shall be held in March of each year. Council meetings will be held each month except for the months of July and August.  

The Quorum for meeting of the Sports Council shall be 8 and for the Executive Committee 3.

The Chairman, whom failing the Vice Chairman, shall preside at all meetings of the Sports Council and Executive Committees. In the absence of both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, those present, as appropriate, shall appoint one of their numbers to preside.

All meetings of the Sports Council shall be called by the Secretary and 14 days notice, in writing, shall be given as to the time and place thereof and the business to be considered insofar as it is known.

Meetings of Sub-Committees of the Sports Council shall be called by the Secretary or by the Conveners of such Sub-Committees as may be agreed between them.

A Special General Meeting of the Sports Council shall be held if requisitioned by the Chairman or by the Councilor by any 6 of the affiliated clubs , individuals or organisations, by letter, in writing, addressed to the Secretary and stating the nature of the business proposed to be considered at such meeting. Any Special General Meeting of the Sports Council so requisitioned shall be held within 14 days of receipt by the Secretary of such requisition and only the business stated in the requisition shall be considered.

Meetings of the Sports Council shall be called by notices addressed to the Secretaries of the affiliated clubs and organisations and to individual members as appropriate.

8.            ORDER OF BUSINESS

The business of the Sports Council and its Executive and Sub-Committees at its meetings shall proceed in the following order. 

a)    The minutes of the last meeting shall be read, corrected if need be, approved and signed by the Chairman.

b)    A financial Statement shall be made by the Treasurer.

c)    Reports shall be submitted by the Conveners of the Committees of the Sports Council and the appropriate business transacted.

d)    Written Notices shall be considered in the order in which they were lodged with the Secretary of the Sports Council.

e)    Business remaining from the last meeting ( if any ) shall be considered and transacted.

f.)    Correspondence, reports and other business shall be considered and transacted.

g)     The order of procedure may be varied with the consent of the Meeting to give precedence to any matters of special urgency.

9.            MOTIONS AND ORDERS OF DEBATE  

a)   Every Motion or Amendment shall be moved and seconded, entered in the Minutes and read before it is further discussed or put to the Meeting.

b)   Motions or Amendments made but not seconded shall not be discussed or inserted in the Minutes.

c)    A Motion or Amendment once made and seconded shall not be withdrawn without the consent of the Meeting.

d)    Every Amendment shall be relevant to the Motion on which it is moved and the Chairman shall have the power to rule out or order any Amendment which he may consider irrelevant, or which in his opinion, is substantially the same as the  Motion or another Amendment.

e)    Whenever an Amendment upon an original Motion has been moved and seconded  no second or subsequent Amendment shall be moved until the first Amendment shall have been disposed of, but notice of amendments may be given before the vote is taken.

f)      If an Amendment were rejected, other Amendments of which previous notice has been given may be moved on the original Motion.

g)     If an Amendment be carried it shall become the question upon which any further  Amendment of which previous notice has been given be moved.  

h)     No Member shall be allowed to speak save to a distinct and competent Motion before the meeting, or Amendment thereon, and no Member shall be permitted to speak more than once on any subject before the meeting ( save by leave of the Chairman to ask a question or give an explanation) except the mover of the original Motion, who shall have a right to reply, but in so doing he shall not  introduce any new matter.

i)     After the Chairman has announced the question on which a vote is to be taken and has commenced to take the vote, no Member shall be permitted to offer an  opinion or ask a question or otherwise interrupt proceedings until the result of the vote is intimated.

j)      In the event of any Member at a meeting of the Council or of the Committee   disregarding the authority of the Chairman or being guilty of obstructive conduct,  the Chairman of the Council or the Committee, on the Motion of any Member, and with the support of  majority of the Members present, shall suspend such Member for the remainder of the sitting.

10.            CLOSURE OF DEBATE  

A Motion to close the debate shall be moved only with the consent of the Chairman. It shall be moved and seconded without a speech and shall require the support of a majority of the Members present.

11.            QUESTION OF ORDER  

Any Member may speak to a point of order suddenly arising and any Member who is  addressing the meeting shall resume his seat until the point of order has been decided by the Chairman. The Chairman shall be the sole judge of questions of order and his decision shall be final.  

12.            VOTING  

Voting at meetings of the Sports Council and the Executive Committee shall be on the basis of one vote per Member present and the Chairman shall have a casting vote as well as a deliberate vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands or a role call as may be decided by the Chairman.

13.            MINUTES  

The Secretary of the Sports Council shall keep Minutes of the meetings of the Sports Council and all Committees thereof. The Conveners of Committees shall ensure that  correct Minutes are maintained of their respective Committees and that a signed copy of  the Minutes of every Committee meeting is submitted expeditiously after the meeting to the Secretary of the Sports Council.

14.            FINANCE  

a)    Proper books of accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer who shall be responsible  for advising the Sports Council on all financial matters affecting the Sports Council's activities.

b)    The Sports Council's financial year shall run from 1st January to 31st December in each year.

c)     The Sports Council may receive Grants from the Falkirk Council for general or specific purposes in the discretion of the Sports Council.

d)     Monies received on behalf of the Sports Council shall be paid into a bank account in the name of "Falkirk Sports Council" at a bank approved by the Executive Committee.

e)     All cheques drawn against the Sports Council's account shall be signed by the Treasurer and either the Chairman or Secretary.

f)      At each meeting of the Sports Council the Treasurer shall indicate the current   financial position or, if so requested at the previous Sports Council meeting,  produce a financial statement showing the current financial position.

g)     The Sports Council may authorise expenditure out of the Sports Council's funds  for the furtherance of the objects of the Sports Council.

h)     The Executive Committee will consider applications for Grant Aid up to such total annual sum as may be specified by the Falkirk Council.

i)      An audited Statement of Accounts for the year to 31st December preceding shall be presented to the Sports Council at each Annual General  Meeting.  

15            VENUES FOR MEETINGS

Facilities for meetings of the Sports Council and its Committees will be granted by Falkirk School of Gymnastics at their discretion.

16.            WINDING UP  

The Sports Council shall not be wound up except by resolution carried by a majority of two-thirds of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting of the aforementioned Sports Council called for that purpose. In the event of the Sports Council  being wound up, all the funds of the Sports Council shall be handed over to Falkirk  Council for disposal  for such sports, recreational or other purposes as they in their sole discretion determine.

REVISED APRIL 2000