TNL Constitution 

TONBRIDGE NETBALL LEAGUE
CONSTITUTION
 
NAME
 
The league shall be called the Tonbridge Netball League.
 
OBJECT
 
To promote the interests of netball in the local area.
 
MEMBERSHIP
 
  1. The League shall consist of the officers and the members
  2. In accepting membership, a person agrees to abide by the constitution of the league, the Rules, and the rulings of the League Officers
  3. Members will be enrolled in the following categories:
    1. Club member
    2. Life member
 
Definitions:
  1. Club members: All players, (female game only), umpires or other club officials as notified to the league
  2. Life Members: May be offered by the League to a person who has given outstanding service to the league.
 
SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
  1. All playing members and umpires must be affiliated to AENA, including the appropriate region and county fees as set out by AENA.
  2. League fees will be set for each Summer and Winter League, based on the cost of the courts and the number of teams in each league.
  3. Teams will be notified of the charges towards the end of each season.
  4. The Officers of the League will keep all costs to a minimum, and present accounts at the AGM each year.
 
OFFICERS
 
The Officers shall be:
 
  1. Chairman
  2. Secretary and Safeguarding Officer
  3. Fixture Secretary
  4. Fixture Secretary Support Officer
  5. Treasurer
  6. Publicity Secretary
  7. Umpiring Secretary
  8. DATA Protection Officer
 
  1. These officers shall serve for a period of 12 months, being elected annually at the League AGM.  All officers must retire annually but shall be eligible for reappointment.
 
  1. Any member of the League may put themselves forward for election at the AGM, by responding in writing to the AGM pack, and being seconded by another member.
  2. If more than one person puts themselves forward for the same role, then each shall be given 5 minutes to address the AGM, before leaving the room and a vote, via show of hands, with one vote per team, is taken.
 
COMMITTEE
 
  1. The League shall be managed by the Committee consisting of the Officers elected at the Annual General Meeting.  Committee members shall be required to attend all meetings.  Vacancies arising for any cause, during the year, shall be filled by co-option at the Committee's discretion.
  2. A quorum shall consist of five members
  3. All meetings of the Committee shall be minuted.
  4. No Committee member who is also a member of a club shall vote on a matter directly concerning his/her club.
  5. If a complaint is received regarding an Officer of the Committee, then that Officer shall be asked to leave the Committee meeting for the complaint to be considered.
  6. All decisions of the Committee shall be binding and, where necessary, the persons concerned will be notified in writing.
 
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
 
1.          The AGM shall be held during October each year and 14 days’ notice shall be given to Club Secretaries and Life Members.
2.         Members of all Teams and Clubs shall be eligible to attend, but only one member from each team shall have a vote.  Officers have a vote, but Life Members do not.
3.         The Agenda of the AGM shall include:
  1. Minutes of previous AGM
  2. Secretary’s Reports
  3. Election of Officers
4.         Nominations for Officers shall be submitted to the Secretary 7 days prior to the meeting.
5.         Nominees shall be proposed and seconded and shall have indicated their willingness to stand.
6.          In the event of insufficient nominations being received before the AGM, nominations may be received from the floor, each nominee being proposed and indicating his/her willingness to stand.
7.         Each team must send a representative to the AGM, who must stay until the end of the meeting to be eligible for entry into the Summer League.
 
CHANGE OF CONSTITUTION OR RULES
 
1.          Changes of the Constitution or the League Rules may be made only at the AGM or Special Meetings.
2.         Proposals for changes shall be notified to the Secretary in writing together with the names of the proposer and seconder not less than 7 days before the
meeting.
3.         The Constitution or the League Rules shall not be altered or amended except by a two-thirds majority at the AGM or Special Meeting.
 
 
SPECIAL MEETINGS
 
  1. A Special Meeting will be called by the Secretary at the written request of at least two thirds of the registered teams.
  2. The Committee may arrange a Special Meeting if they deem it necessary
  3. At least 7 (seven) days’ notice, together with an Agenda for the Special Meeting, shall be sent to the Secretaries of all Clubs and Life Members.
 
DISCIPLINE AND APPEALS
 
The league strives to make netball a safe and enjoyable game for all to play. To enable this to take place, the League has introduced a complaints and disciplinary procedure to guide players, umpires, coaches, members of the committee and visitors.
 
  1. Any dispute between Teams or complaints concerning Teams, individual players, umpires, or team supporters shall be referred in writing, either by email or paper, to the secretary and brought before the Committee whose decision is final. Formal complaints received by the Committee will be communicated to those involved and sanction may be levied as follows:
a.  Informal warning
b.  Formal warning
c.  Reprimand as decided by the Committee which may include suspension.
In the event of gross misconduct, the Committee has the authority to suspend with immediate effect.
  1. Complaints must be submitted in writing, either via email or post to the Secretary.
  2. The Committee will discuss the problem at the next planned meeting, or if considered necessary, will call an extraordinary meeting. All the facts will be observed and discussed in a fair and unbiased quorum, if not the whole Committee and a decision reached.
  3. The Committee shall have the power to take disciplinary action against any member and shall have the authority to terminate the membership of any member guilty of conduct deemed to be detrimental to the League.
  4. There shall be a right of appeal to the Committee against any decision made by an officer of the League.
  5. The appeal shall normally be considered within 14 days of it being received by the Secretary.
  6. The use of social media technology, to bring the game into disrepute or make an inappropriate comment about a fellow player, coach, official, volunteer or the Committee will incur a penalty ranging from a warning, loss of points and a fine, to suspension and expulsion from the League, determined by the seriousness of the offence and by the decision of the Committee. This applies to individual members, teams, and clubs.
  
Any matters not successfully resolved at League level will be referred to the England Disciplinary Charter.
  
LIABILITY
 
The League will accept no responsibility for any accident or injury to players, umpires, coaches, spectators, or anyone else attending the venue, during games organized by the League.  Everyone attends at their own risk!


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