Code of Conduct | Ashbourne Tri Club

Code of Conduct for Club Members Ashbourne Triathletes

Ashbourne Triathletes is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all its members. The club believes that it is important that members, coaches, administrators and parents associated with the club should, at all times, show respect and understanding for the safety and welfare of others.

Therefore, members are encouraged to be open at all times and to share any concerns or complaints that they may have about any aspect of the club with any Committee members.

As a member of Ashbourne Triathletes you are expected to abide by the following member’s code of conduct:

All members must play within the rules and respect officials and their decisions.
All members must respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
Members should keep to agreed timings for training and competitions or inform their coach or team manager if they are going to be late.
Members must support and encourage good practice and correct actions at all times.
Members must wear suitable kit, which could be including the club kit for training sessions , as agreed with the coach/team manager.
Members must pay any fees for training or events promptly.
Members are not allowed to smoke on club premises or whilst representing the club at competitions.
Members are not allowed to consume alcohol or drugs of any kind on the club premises or whilst representing the club.
Members are encouraged to communicate with leaders and all other club members

By undertaking membership/renewing my membership I confirm that I will abide by the above, together with the Code of Conduct for Club/Event Officials and Volunteers, together with other policies and procedures as these are made available to me from time to time.

Constitution

Name of Club

The club will be called Ashbourne Triathletes (Hereinafter will be referred to as The Club), and may also be known as Ashbourne Triathlon Club. Ashbourne Triathletes will be affiliated to the British Triathlon Federation via Triathlon England

Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:

To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in Triathlon
To promote the club within the local community and Triathlon
To manage the club within Ashbourne Leisure Centre
To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone

Membership

(a) Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in Triathlon, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

(b) The membership shall consist of the following categories:

Full member (Adult, 16 years and above)
Social member (Adult, 16 years and above)

(c) All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.

(d) Members will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual General Meeting.

(e) Individuals shall be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings or be eligible for selection of any Club team unless the applicable subscription has not been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Club committee.

(f) Members will be notified prior to renewal of their membership; members who have not renewed by the date of expiration of their membership will be notified that membership will be automatically terminated in 30 days if payment is not forthcoming.

(g) Lapsed members wishing to return to the club within six months of the expiration of their previous membership, will be due to pay the full amount of membership renewal from the date of their previous expiration.

Sports Equity

(a)This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

(b)The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

(c)The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

(d)All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

(e)The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.

(f)The Club shall hold such records, including personal membership details, as required to undertake the management of The Club. Such records will be held in compliance with UK Data Protection Acts, and used only as required for these said purposes and held for no longer than required to uphold these purposes. Such records will not be shared with any third party without the explicit permission of the member(s).

Committee

(a)The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee which shall consist of the Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Head Coach, Welfare Officer and four General Members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

(b)All committee members must be members of the Club.

(c)If required, the committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its number.

(d)The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.

(e)If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.

(f)The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

(g)The Committee will have powers to appoint any advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.

(h)The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

(i)The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than 4 times per year.

(j)Only the posts listed above will have the right to vote at committee meetings.

(k)The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings will be three(one of whom must be either Chair, Secretary or Head Coach).

Finances

(a) The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.

(b) The financial year of the club will run from January to December of the calendar year.

(d) An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

(e) Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of any two members named as signatories on the named bank account.

Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

(a)General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

(b)The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting(AGM) once per calendar year:

Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.
Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.
Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts as agreed to be a suitably qualified person, chosen at the AGM.
Elect the officers on the committee.
Approve the membership fees for the following year.
Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
Deal with other relevant business.

(c)Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary with at least 28 days’ notice to be given to all members.

(d)Nominations for officers of the committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM.

(e)Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate at least 7 days before an AGM.

(f)All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

(g)The quorum for AGMs will be 4.

(h)The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings.

(i)An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the committee members.

(j)All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.

Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

Discipline and appeals

(a)All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the club’s child protection policy and procedures. The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns. At present the club does not take child membership (2015)

(b)All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary.

(c)The Committee will meet to hear complaints within 20 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.

(d)The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within10 days of the hearing.

(e)There will be the right of appeal to the Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 20 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

Dissolution

(a) A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

(b) In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any clubs funds. Any assets of the club that remain following this will become the property of ANOTHER CLUBWITH SIMILAR OBJECTIVES or Triathlon England

Declaration

Ashbourne Triathletes hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members from the 26thFebruary 2016 .