1. NAME

The name of the organisation shall be Enfield Sport.

2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of Enfield Sport shall be to:

1. Advocate the value and importance of sport, in terms of helping Enfield  Council achieve its broader strategic objectives (improving health and wellbeing, community safety, community cohesion; education and lifelong learning; regeneration and economic development and quality of life);
2. Work in partnership with Enfield Council and other bodies to develop sport in Enfield, with a focus on ensuring there are meaningful pathways in place to link sports development work with opportunities to join local sports clubs;
3. Market the sporting opportunities that the voluntary sports sector and individual clubs can offer Enfield residents;
4. Support individual Member organisations in addressing issues of concern to them and help represent their interests in discussions with other parties;
5. Support sports clubs in developing good practice and sound governance;
6. Oppose the net loss of sports facilities and sports pitches, unless equivalent provision can be provided elsewhere or the owner / landlord can prove that there is no current or future need for such facilities.

To achieve its Objectives Enfield Sport will aim to:

7. Disseminate information to Members about funding and other opportunities to develop sport;
8. Meet regularly with the Council’s Lead Member for Sport and Lead Member for Parks and Open Spaces, as well as Council officers, to make sure that the interests of the voluntary sports sector and issues of concern are communicated to the Council;
9. Meet with the local MPs once a year;
10. Comment on planning applications that impact on individual sports clubs and/or the voluntary sports sector;
11. Represent the interest of individual clubs and the voluntary sports sector in relation to negotiations with the Council’s Property Services team and other Council departments;
12. Comment on Council strategic documents that will have an impact on the voluntary sports sector and the development of sport in Enfield (eg the Local Plan, Sports Strategies and Open Space strategies);
13. Work with Governing Bodies of Sport, London Sport and other strategic bodies to enhance the development of sport in Enfield;
14. Represent the interests of the voluntary sports sector at meetings of the London Federation of Sport and Recreation;
15. Maintain an up to date record of Members of Enfield Sport; as well as other sporting and recreation organisations based in Enfield and/or delivering sports development work in Enfield;
16. Ensure that its membership is broadly representative of the sports organisations based in Enfield and the communities that are living there.

3. MEMBERSHIP

Applications for Membership of Enfield Sport shall be open to:

1. Clubs and organisations based in Enfield who are involved in the provision  of sports and recreation activities that are recognised by Sport England (or successor body);
2. Clubs and organisations based outside Enfield whose members play sport in Enfield on a regular basis and /or who are involved in the development of their sport in Enfield;
3. Education and lifelong learning organisations who are involved in the development of sport in Enfield; 
4. Individuals living in Enfield who work for, or formally represent the interests of a Governing Body of Sport who are involved or could potentially become involved in the development of sport in Enfield;
5. Enfield based Friends of Parks Groups   

providing that such Members comply with this Constitution and any other rules and  regulations clarifying the execution of this Constitution, as agreed by the Executive Committee.

Membership of Enfield Sport shall be open to umbrella bodies, representing the interests of several sports clubs; but the person representing such umbrella organisations shall also be the representative of one of the sports clubs sitting under the umbrella organisation. Such a person is entitled to only one vote at the Annual General Meeting and on other occasions when a formal vote is required.

Membership of Enfield Sport shall not be open to Enfield Council Members or Officers, its Agent’s or any organisation contracted to run services on its behalf.

Clubs, organisations and individuals wishing to join Enfield Sport shall submit a Membership form to the Executive Committee, who shall consider whether the applicant meets one of more of the criteria set out above. The Executive Committee, at its sole discretion, shall decide whether the application is to be accepted. The Executive Committee shall retain the right to reject any application for Membership if it believes that none of the criteria set out above has been met, or it reasonably believes that the applicant will not support the Objectives of the Enfield Sport.

A club, organisation or individual can appeal if their application has been refused, by submitting a letter with 28 days of notification that their application has not been accepted, to the Chair of Enfield Sport, setting out why their application should be accepted. The Chair, in conjunction with two other Executive Committee Members, shall consider the appeal and come to a final decision on whether the application should be accepted, within 28 days of receipt of the appeal letter. There will be no further appeal available to the club, organisation or individual.

Membership of Enfield Sport will only come in to effect at the point when the Membership and Contact Details Form has been received and the annual Membership Fee has been paid.

Once accepted for membership only one representative of a club or organisation can vote on the election of an Executive Committee Member at the Annual General Meeting and at any other time when a formal vote is required. 
The Membership year shall be for one calendar year, from January 1st to December 31st.
Annual Membership fees shall be set at the Annual General Meeting of Enfield Sport, for the following calendar year.

The Executive Committee will curtail membership of Enfield Sport by any club, organisation or individual if they are shown to have deliberately undermined the achievement of the Objectives set out in section 2 above. The club, organisation or individual will have the right to appeal such a decision, by sending a letter to the Chair within 28 days of formally receiving notice that their membership has been curtailed. The Chair, in conjunction with two other Executive Committee Members, shall consider the appeal and come to a final decision on whether the Membership should be re-instated, or not, within 28 days of receipt of the appeal letter. There will be no further appeal available to the club, organisation or individual. 

4. ORGANISATION

The management of the affairs of the Enfield Sport shall be vested in an Executive Committee, who shall have the powers to do anything reasonable to achieve the Objectives of the organisation.

5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall be Members of Enfield Sport, shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall comprise of:

1. A “Chair”;
2. A “Vice Chair”;
3. A “Treasurer”;
4. A “Secretary";
5. A “Membership Secretary”;
6. Four other Members.

Only Enfield Sport Members can stand for election to the Executive Committee.

Nominations to become an Executive Committee Member shall be submitted in writing, or electronically, to the Secretary, at least 28 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Only Members of Enfield Sport can vote on the appointment of Executive Committee Members.
The Executive Committee shall have the following powers:

1. fill any positions that become vacant, on an interim basis, for the period up to the next Annual General Meeting;
2. agree a scheme of delegation that delegates powers or functions to individual Members of the Executive Committee;
3. represent the interests of individual sports clubs and the sports sector in Enfield;
4. spend the organisation’s funds to help Enfield Sport achieve its Objectives, as set out in section 2 above. (NB. Enfield Sport can only provide funding or loans to individual clubs in exceptional circumstances, as determined by the Executive Committee);
5. submit funding bids that will help Enfield Sport achieve its Objectives (as set out in section 2 above);
6. curtail the membership of any individual or organisation where they have deliberately sought to undermine the achievement of Enfield Sport’s Objectives (as set out in section 2 above); 
7. take out insurance cover to protect itself from any legal claim made by an external party;
8. in addition to the above Powers, do anything appropriate and reasonable that will help Enfield Sport achieve its Objectives.

The Chair can delegate his / her responsibilities to the Vice Chair, if he/she has a sound reason for not being able to carry out those responsibilities.

6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the Enfield Sport shall take place in December each year. The purpose of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:

1. Approve the minutes from the previous year’s Annual General Meeting;
2. Receive a report from the Chair;
3. Receive a report and financial statement from the Treasurer (and to consider the annual accounts);
4. Appoint an independent financial examiner for the following financial year;
5. Agree Membership fees for the following financial year
6. Receive reports from the Secretary and Membership Secretary;
7. Appoint Executive Committee Members for the following year;
8. Consider any proposed amendments to the Constitution;
9. Any Other Business.

The Secretary shall provide at least 21 day’s notice of the Annual General Meeting, in writing (or electronically). The notice shall include, as a minimum, the agenda for the Meeting; any nominations received for positions on the Executive Committee and any proposed changes to the Constitution.

Amendments to the Constitution can only be decided upon at Annual General Meetings.

Only Members of the Enfield Sport will be entitled to vote at Annual General Meetings. All decisions shall be determined by a majority vote, other than changes to the Constitution which shall require two thirds of the Members present voting in favour of such changes. In the event of a tie in the number of votes cast the Chair (or in his / her absence, the Vice Chair) shall have the casting vote.

The Quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be 10 Members of Enfield Sport.

7. MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall meet on at least four occasions each year, in addition to the Annual General Meeting and General Meetings.

The Secretary shall inform the Executive Committee Members of the dates of the four Executive Committee Meetings in December each year, for the following year.

Should a change of date be required the Secretary will provide Executive Committee Members with at least 21 day’s notice, in writing (or electronically), of the new date and time of the Executive Committee Meeting.
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for running the affairs of Enfield Sport  on a day to day basis, in line with the Objectives set out above.

The Quorum for the Executive Committee Meetings shall be 4 Members, one of whom shall be the Chair or the Vice Chair. The Meeting can still take place if the Quorum has not been achieved, but no decisions can be taken if this scenario arises.

In the event of a tie in the number of votes cast the Chair (or in his / her absence, the Vice Chair) shall have the casting vote.

Minutes of the Executive Committee meetings will be distributed by the Secretary to all Members within 21 days of the meeting taking place.

The Executive Committee reserves the right to withhold any information that is deemed to be commercially sensitive, or where legal issues might arise.

The Executive Committee shall have the power to invite any individual to one of their meetings, but that individual will only attend for relevant agenda items and not be entitled to vote.

The Executive Committee has the power to co-opt up to 2 non-voting Members for a specific purpose and limited to a period of time when they can make a positive contribution to the work of the Committee (as determined by the Executive Committee at its sole discretion). Co-optees will not be entitled to vote at Executive Committee meetings.

The Executive Committee has the power to appoint permanent or short term sub committees / sub groups. Members of sub-committees may not need to be Members of the Executive Committee. Such sub committees / sub groups shall not have any decision making powers but can make recommendations to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be required to consider such recommendations and provide a response to the relevant sub-committee / sub group on decisions taken.

8. GENERAL MEETINGS AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

The Executive Committee shall arrange at least four General Meetings each year. All Members of the Enfield Sport shall be invited to General Meetings by a written notice (or electronic notice) sent at least 21 days before the date of the Meeting. An Agenda will be circulated in writing or electronically at the same time as the Notice.

Extraordinary General Meetings (ie. additional General Meetings) will take place if at least 15 Members of the Enfield Sports Council / Enfield Sport have requested such a meeting, in writing (or electronically) through the Secretary and Membership Secretary. Any written requests for an Extraordinary General Meeting shall set out the nature of the business to be discussed. If and when 15 such requests have been received the Secretary and Membership Secretary shall call the meeting within 21 days. If called, an Extraordinary General Meeting shall only consider the business that the 15 Members have highlighted in their request for the meeting.

Decisions cannot be taken by Members at General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings; but recommendations can be made that the Executive Committee will be required to consider at their following and decisions taken by the Executive Committee shall be reported back to the Members. 

In the event of a tie in the number of votes cast the Chair (or in his / her absence, the Vice Chair) shall have the casting vote.

The Quorum for General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings shall be 10 Members of Enfield Sport. The Meeting can still take place if the Quorum has not been achieved, but no recommendations can be made to the Executive Committee if this scenario arises.

9. FINANCE AND THE FINANCIAL YEAR

The financial year of the Enfield Sport shall be from October 1st to September 30th in the following calendar year. The Treasurer shall prepare a financial statement that will be presented at the Annual General Meeting. If required and if agreed at the previous Annual General Meeting, the Treasurer will present accounts that have been examined by an independent financial examiner to the Annual General Meeting.

The Treasurer shall keep full records of all financial transactions that have taken place during the Financial Year and provide a financial update to each meeting of the Executive Committee.

10.  DISSOLUTION

Enfield Sport can only be dissolved at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. A decision to dissolve Enfield Sport shall require a two thirds majority of Members voting to take such a decision.

In the event that Enfield Sport becomes unviable, or is projected to be unviable in financial terms, the Executive Committee shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting as soon as possible to consider the dissolution of the organisation.

Should it be agreed that Enfield Sport be dissolved its assets will transfer to a voluntary or charitable organisation that has similar objectives; to be determined at the Extraordinary General Meeting which has decided Enfield Sport should dissolve.

Updated at the AGM held on 6th December 2017.