GISC Constitution and Rules

NAME

1.1      The name of the association shall be the Gills Independent Supporters Club.       

1.2      The office of the association shall be situated at the home address of the Secretary or at such other place as the Executive Committee of the association shall at ay time decide.

OBJECTS AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSOCIATION

2.         The objects of the association shall be:- 

(a)                To support the Gillingham Football club.

(c)                To develop the Supporters Club.

(d)               To lay down and encourage the acceptance of standards of

            conduct to be observed by members of the association.      

(e)                To organise supporters trips to football matches and places of        

                               interest.

(f)                 To organise social events, competitions and fund raising to

            further the aims of the association.

(g)                To encourage friendly relations with supporters of other football

            clubs.                                                                                            

(h)                To do all such things that may be deemed necessary to facilitate the

            objects of the association.  

THE COMMITTEE

3.                                          The association shall be governed by an Executive Committee        

                        which shall comprise such members as the association shall from time to time determine.

                        (“the committee”)

THE RULES

     4.                      The association shall have and shall adopt rules governing the day to day conduct of the association and the rules and any amendments thereto shall not conflict with the provisions of this constitution which shall only be adopted or amended or repealed by a majority vote of the members of the association present and voting at a General meeting. Amendments to the Constitution shall only be made at a General Meeting.     

 MEMBERSHIP 

    5.                       Membership of the association will be open to Adults and Children  but will be selective. Every candidate for membership will submit    an application form that will be considered by the Committee who         will decide whether the candidate should be accepted.                               

GENERAL MEETINGS

   6.                        A General meeting of the association shall be held in every calendar year to transact the following business:-                             
   (i)   To receive , and if approved, adopt an annual report and statement of the association’s audited accounts for the preceding year.

   (ii)  To appoint , or sanction the appointment of the committee of the association.                                                                                                
   (iii) To deal with any other special matter which the committee may desire or to receive any suggestions from the members for the consideration of the committee.

FINANCE           

   7.1                      The association shall at all times ensure that proper books are kept of all transactions connected with the activities of the association   and shall have a bank account and all monies received by the association shall be paid into such account. 

7.2                         Accounts of the association shall be prepared annually.                                                                   

7.3   No money or property of the association or any gain arising from  the carrying out of the activities of the association shall be applied otherwise than in accordance with the Constitution and Rules of the association. 

RULES                                     

MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION

1a                          An annual meeting of the association shall be held in each year at such time and place as the committee shall determine.  

1b                          Fourteen days prior notice of any General Meeting of the Association shall be given to all members.                                                                                                                                                                         1c                          Other meetings of the association shall be held at such times as may be determined by the committee.

1d                          At the annual meeting one-third of the committee shall retire by rotation and may offer themselves for re-election. Junior members (i.e. those under the age of 16 at the date of enrolment or renewal) shall not be eligible for election to the committee nor have any voting powers.

1e     Voting shall be by show of hands or ballot paper, whichever procedure is deemed expedient by the Chairman. The Chairman shall have no vote, except in the case of a tie.

1f     At the annual meeting the members of the association shall appoint one or more qualified auditor and may determine their           remuneration if any and shall receive and consider the audited    accounts and the annual report.     

THE ASSOCIATIONS YEAR AND AUDIT                                    

2     The associations year shall run from June 1^st to May 31^st. Once every year the accounts of the association shall be audited by the auditors appointed by the association.

COMMITTEE 

3a                          The committee shall consist of not less than eight persons.

3b                          The committee shall have power to co-opt members to serve on the committee, subject to ratification at the next General Meeting.

3c                          The committee may invite any person to attend its meetings in a non-voting capacity.                                                                                                                                                                                                         3d                         Any committee member who shall fail to attend 3 consecutive committee meetings without reasonable explanation shall be deemed to have resigned from the committee.

3e                          The committee shall meet as and when necessary to discuss business.

3f                           Nominations for election to the committee, proposed and seconded in writing, must be in the hands of the Secretary seven clear days prior to the appropriate meeting.                                                             

3g                          The authority to pledge the credit of the association and to enter into any contracts or agreements and to make payments by or on behalf of the association is vested solely in the committee.

3h                          The minutes of all meetings of the association shall be taken by the   Honorary Secretary or his representative.

MEMBERSHIP 

4a                          There will be various categories of membership of the association,   including Adult, Senior Citizen, and Junior (which will be those under the age of 16 at the date of renewal).

4b                          Every candidate for membership will complete an application form which will b submitted to the committee for consideration.

4c                          All applications and proposals will be considered by the committee who will have absolute discretion to decide whether the candidate should be accepted for membership.

4d                          No person shall be accepted into membership of the association until they have agreed to accept the rules and have paid the current membership fee as has been fixed from time to time by the committee.

4e                          Membership will be renewable yearly on the 1^st June.

4f                           In the event of a member making payment to the association for an excursion fare, match ticket, or other organised event and  subsequently failing to turn up, any repayment of the monies received will be at the discretion of the committee.

4g                          If a payment made by a member is by cheque and is, for any reason, dishonoured upon presentation, then in addition to making  good any payment still due, the member concerned will be liable to meet any administrative or bank charges incurred in    consequence of the cheque not being met at the first attempt.

4h                          Any committee member shall have the power to reprimand, suspend or expel any member who shall infringe any Rule or whose conduct shall, in their opinion, render him or her unfit for membership, subject to ratification at the next meeting of the committee. Before any such suspension, the member concerned shall be given   the opportunity to explain his or her conduct to the committee. A suspended member shall forfeit all rights of membership during suspension. No expelled or suspended member will be entitled to the return of  any part of his or her membership fee. 

4i                           No member may use the name, style or title of the association without the authority of the committee.

4j                           Other than travel arrangements made by the officials authorised for that purpose, no financial liability will be accepted by the  association for any transport arranged by a member or any group of members nor will any such arrangements fall within the scope of  insurance cover arranged by the association.

OFFICERS

5                            The committee shall appoint a Chairman, Hon. Secretary, and Hon. Treasurer, and such other officers as they deem necessary. 

QUORUM 

6a                          The quorum at committee meetings of the association shall not be less than 5 members.

6b                          The quorum at general meetings of the association shall not be less   than 20 members or 10% of the membership whichever is the least.

FINANCE 

7a                          The association shall have a General Account at a bank determined by the committee and all cheques drawn on the account shall bear at least two of the signatures of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

7b                          Separate accounts may be opened for specific purposes at the discretion of the committee, provided that a minimum of two defined signatures are always required.

ALTERATIONS

8                            Alterations to the Rules shall only be made if the assent of a  majority of those committee members present and voting is  received at a special meeting of the committee convened for that specific purpose. A resolution for the alteration of the Rules shall be received at least  seven clear days before the meeting of which clear notice shall be given by the Secretary to the committee and shall include notification of the alterations proposed.

EXPULSION FROM THE COMMITTEE 

9                            Committee members may be suspended or expelled from the committee for refusing to comply with any of the provisions of  these rules or for any other cause deemed by the committee to justify such suspension or expulsion.

UNSPECIFIED MATTERS