ACLFC Constitution

Paper copies of this document are uncontrolled. This copy is valid only at the time of printing. The controlled version of this document is available from the Company intranet.

This document contains information proprietary to Aberdeen City Ladies Football Club and shall not be reproduced or transferred to other documents or disclosed to others or used for any purpose other than for which it is furnished without the prior written permission of Aberdeen City Ladies Football Club.

1.     Overview

1.1   Type of Organisation

The organisation will, upon registration, be a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).

1.2   Scottish Principal Office

The principal office of the organisation will be in Scotland (and must remain in Scotland).

1.3   Name

The name of the organisation is Aberdeen City Ladies FC SCIO.

1.4   Purposes

The organisation’s purposes are:

To advance participation in the sport of association football for women and girls in the City of Aberdeen, and in furtherance of this by;

• Providing opportunities for women and girls to participate in football

• Making available coaching.

• Providing opportunities to play both recreationally and competitively.

• Promoting the benefits of participation in sport for wellbeing and personal growth

• Working in partnership with other bodies to achieve the purposes.
  
  

1.5   Powers

The organisation has power to do anything which is calculated to further its purposes or is conducive or incidental to doing so.

No part of the income or property of the organisation may be paid or transferred (directly or indirectly) to the members - either during the organisation’s existence or on dissolution - except where this is done in direct furtherance of the organisation’s charitable purposes.


1.6   Liability of Members

The members of the organisation have no liability to pay any sums to help to meet the debts (or other liabilities) of the organisation if it is wound up; accordingly, if the organisation is unable to meet its debts, the members will not be held responsible.

The members and charity trustees have certain legal duties under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005; and does not exclude (or limit) any personal liabilities they might incur if they are in breach of those duties or in breach of other legal obligations or duties that apply to them personally.


1.7   General Structure


The structure of the organisation consists of: -

• the MEMBERS - who have the right to attend members' meetings (including any annual general meeting) and have important powers under the constitution; in particular, the members appoint people to serve on the board and take decisions on changes to the constitution itself.

• The BOARD - who hold regular meetings and generally control the activities of the organisation; for example, the board is responsible for monitoring and controlling the financial position of the organisation

The people serving on the board are referred to in this constitution as CHARITY TRUSTEES.


2.     Members

2.1   Membership Criteria

Membership is open to any individual aged 16 or over who wishes to further the purposes of the organisation.

Employees of the organisation are not eligible for membership. (ACLFC have no employees)


2.2   Application Process

Applicants must sign a written request for membership, which will be considered by the board.  However, the board may, at its discretion, refuse to admit any person to membership.

The club secretary will advise applicants by email of the decision



2.3   Membership Subscription

Membership subscription fees (N/A) will be set at a reasonable level by members in general meeting.


2.4   Register of Members

The board must keep a register of members, setting out for each current member:

• their full name and address; and

• the date on which they were registered as a member of the organisation.

• for each former member - for at least six years from the date on which they ceased to be a member, their name; and the date on which they ceased to be a member.

The board must ensure that the register of members is updated within 28 days of any change:

• which arises from a resolution of the board or a resolution passed by the members of the organisation; or

• which is notified to the organisation.

If a member or charity trustee of the organisation requests a copy of the register of members, the board must ensure that a copy is supplied to them within 28 days, if the request is made by a member (rather than a charity trustee), the board may provide a redacted copy.


2.5 Withdrawal from Membership

Any person who wants to withdraw from membership must give a written notice of withdrawal to the organisation, signed by them; they will cease to be a member as from the time when the notice is received by the organisation.


2.6   Transfer of Membership

Membership of the organisation may not be transferred by a member.


2.7  Re-registration of Members

The board may, at any time, issue notices to the members requiring them to confirm that they wish to remain as members of the organisation and allowing them a period of 28 days (running from the date of issue of the notice).

If a member fails to provide confirmation to the board (in writing or by e-mail) that they wish to remain as a member of the organisation before the expiry of the 28-day period, the board may expel them from membership.

A notice will not be valid unless it refers specifically to the consequences of failing to provide confirmation within the 28-day period. 


2.8   Expulsion from Membership

Any person may be expelled from membership by way of a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of those present and voting at a members' meeting, providing the following procedures have been observed: -

• at least 21 days’ notice of the intention to propose the resolution must be given to the member concerned, specifying the grounds for the proposed expulsion.

• the member concerned will be entitled to be heard on the resolution at the members' meeting at which the resolution is proposed.
  
  

2.9   Termination

Membership of the organisation will terminate on death.


3.     Decision Making by Members

3.1   Members’ Meetings

The charity shall hold a meeting of members attending in person or virtually in each calendar year, to be called an ‘annual general meeting’ or ‘AGM’. The charity trustees may call other meetings of the members attending in person or virtually as they think fit. Such meetings may be entirely virtual meetings or hybrid meetings as the circumstances allow. The gap between one AGM and the next must not be longer than 15 months.

an AGM does not need to be held during the calendar year in which the organisation is formed; but the first AGM must still be held within 15 months of the date on which the organisation is formed.

The business of each AGM must include: -

• a report by the chair on the activities of the organisation.

• consideration of the annual accounts of the organisation.

• the election/re-election of charity trustees.

The board may arrange a special members' meeting at any time.


3.2   Power to request the Board to arrange a Special Members’ Meeting

The board must arrange a special members’ meeting if they are requested to do so by a notice (which may take the form of two or more documents in the same terms, each signed by one or more members) by members who amount to 5% or more of the total membership of the organisation at the time, providing:

• the notice states the purposes for which the meeting is to be held; and

• those purposes are not inconsistent with the terms of this constitution, the Charities and Trustee (Investment) Scotland Act 2005 or any other statutory provision.

If the board receive a notice, the date for the meeting which they arrange in accordance with the notice must not be later than 28 days from the date on which they received the notice.


3.3   Notice of Members’ Meetings

At least 14 clear days’ notice must be given of any AGM or any special members' meeting including the means whereby attendance may be virtually where such arrangements have been made.

The notice calling a members' meeting must specify in general terms what business is to be dealt with at the meeting; and

• in the case of a resolution to alter the constitution, must set out the exact terms of the proposed alteration(s); or

• in the case of any other resolution falling (requirement for two-thirds majority) must set out the exact terms of the resolution.

The reference to “clear days” shall be taken to mean that, in calculating the period of notice,

• the day after the notices are posted (or sent by e-mail) should be excluded; and

• the day of the meeting itself should also be excluded.

Notice of every member’s meeting must be given to all the members of the organisation, and to all the charity trustees; but the accidental omission to give notice to one or more members will not invalidate the proceedings at the meeting.

Any notice which requires to be given to a member under this constitution must be: -

• sent by post to the member, at the address last notified by them to the organisation; or 

• sent by e-mail to the member, at the e-mail address last notified by them to the organisation.

3.4 Procedure at Members’ Meetings

No valid decisions can be taken at any members' meeting unless a quorum is present, either in person or virtually, where arrangements for this have been made.

The quorum for a members' meeting is 10% of members, present in person or virtually where arrangements for this have been made.  

If a quorum is not present within 15 minutes after the time at which a members' meeting was due to start - or if a quorum ceases to be present during a members' meeting - the meeting cannot proceed; and fresh notices of meeting will require to be sent out, to deal with the business (or remaining business) which was intended to be conducted.

If the chair of the organisation is not present within 15 minutes after the time at which the meeting was due to start, the charity trustees present at the meeting must elect (from among themselves) the person who will act as chairperson of that meeting.


3.5   Voting at Members’ Meetings

Every member has one vote, which must be given personally or virtually where arrangements for such have been made.

All decisions at members' meetings will be made by majority vote - except for the types of resolution listed below.

The following resolutions will be valid only if passed by not less than two thirds of those voting on the resolution at a members’ meeting:

• a resolution amending the constitution.

• a resolution expelling a person from membership.

• a resolution directing the board to take any step (or directing the board not to take any particular step);

• a resolution approving the amalgamation of the organisation with another SCIO (or approving the constitution of the new SCIO to be constituted as the successor pursuant to that amalgamation);

• a resolution to the effect that all the organisation’s property, rights and liabilities should be transferred to another SCIO (or agreeing to the transfer from another SCIO of all of its property, rights and liabilities);

• a resolution for the winding up or dissolution of the organisation.

If there is an equal number of votes for and against any resolution, the chairperson of the meeting will be entitled to a second (casting) vote.

A resolution put to the vote at a members' meeting will be decided on a show of hands - unless the chairperson (or at least two other members present at the meeting) ask for a secret ballot.

The chairperson will decide how any secret ballot is to be conducted, and they will declare the result of the ballot at the meeting. 


3.6   Written Resolutions by Members

A resolution agreed to in writing (or by e-mail) by all the members will be as valid as if it had been passed at a members’ meeting; the date of the resolution will be taken to be the date on which the last member agreed to it.


3.7   Minutes

The board must ensure that proper minutes are kept in relation to all members' meetings.

Minutes of members' meetings must include the names of those present; and (so far as possible) should be signed by the chairperson of the meeting.

[The board shall make available copies of the minutes to any member of the public requesting them; but on the basis that the board may exclude confidential material to the extent permitted]


4.    Board

4.1   Number of Charity Trustees

The maximum number of charity trustees is 10; out of that:

• no more than 8 shall be charity trustees who were elected/appointed (or deemed to have been appointed); and

• no more than 2 shall be charity trustees who were co-opted.

The minimum number of charity trustees is 3.


4.2   Eligibility

A person shall not be eligible for election/appointment to the board unless they are a member of the organisation; a person appointed to the board need not, however, be a member of the organisation.

A person will not be eligible for election or appointment to the board if they are: -

• disqualified from being a charity trustee under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005; or

• an employee of the organisation.

4.3   Initial Charity Trustees

The individuals who signed the charity trustee declaration forms which accompanied the application for incorporation of the organisation shall be deemed to have been appointed by the members as charity trustees with effect from the date of incorporation of the organisation.


4.4   Election, Retiral, Re-election

At each AGM, the members may elect any member (unless they are debarred from membership) to be a charity trustee.

The board may at any time appoint any member (unless they are debarred from membership under eligibility) to be a charity trustee.

At each AGM, all of the charity trustees elected/appointed (and, in the case of the first AGM, those deemed to have been appointed) shall retire from office – but shall then be eligible for re-election.

A charity trustee retiring at an AGM will be deemed to have been re-elected unless: -

they advise the board prior to the conclusion of the AGM that they do not wish to be re-appointed as a charity trustee; or an election process was held at the AGM, and they were not among those elected/re-elected through that process; or

a resolution for the re-election of that charity trustee was put to the AGM and was not carried.


4.5   Appointment/Re-Appointment of Co-opted Charity Trustees

In addition to their powers, the board may at any time appoint any non-member of the organisation to be a charity trustee, and providing they are not debarred from membership either on the basis that they have been nominated by a body with which the organisation has close contact in the course of its activities, or, on the basis that they have specialist experience and/or skills which could be of assistance to the board.

At each AGM, all the charity trustees appointed shall retire from office – but shall then be eligible for re-appointment as above.


4.6   Termination of Office

A charity trustee will automatically cease to hold office if: -

• they become disqualified from being a charity trustee under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

• they become incapable for medical reasons of carrying out their duties as a charity trustee - but only if that has continued (or is expected to continue) for a period of more than six months.

• they become an employee of the organisation.

• they give the organisation a notice of resignation, signed by them.

• they are absent from more than three consecutive meetings of the board - but only if the board resolves to remove them from office.

• they are removed from office by resolution of the board on the grounds that they are considered to have committed a material breach of the code of conduct for charity trustees.

• they are removed from office by resolution of the board on the grounds that they are considered to have been in serious or persistent breach of their duties under section 66(1) or (2) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005; or

• they are removed from office by a resolution of the members passed at a members’ meeting.

A resolution shall be valid only if: -

• the charity trustee who is the subject of the resolution is given reasonable prior written notice of the grounds upon which the resolution for their removal is to be proposed.

• the charity trustee concerned is given the opportunity to address the meeting at which the resolution is proposed, prior to the resolution being put to the vote; and

• at least two thirds (to the nearest round number) of the charity trustees then in office vote in favour of the resolution.
  
  

4.7   Register of Charity Trustees

Replicate process for member register


5.     Office-Bearers

The charity trustees must elect (from among themselves) a chair, a treasurer and a secretary.

In addition to the office-bearers required, the charity trustees may elect (from among themselves) further office-bearers if they consider that appropriate.

All of the office-bearers will cease to hold office at the conclusion of each AGM but may then be re-elected.

A person elected to any office will automatically cease to hold that office: -

• if they cease to be a charity trustee; or

• if they give to the organisation a notice of resignation from that office, signed by them.

 
6.     Powers of Board

Except where this constitution states otherwise, the organisation (and its assets and operations) will be managed by the board; and the board may exercise all the powers of the organisation.

A meeting of the board at which a quorum is present may exercise all powers exercisable by the board.

The members may, by way of a resolution passed in compliance (requirement for two-thirds majority), direct the board to take any particular step or direct the board not to take any particular step; and the board shall give effect to any such direction accordingly.


7.     Charity Trustees - General Duties

Each of the charity trustees has a duty, in exercising functions as a charity trustee, to act in the interests of the organisation; and must: -

• seek, in good faith, to ensure that the organisation acts in a manner which is in accordance with its purposes.

• act with the care and diligence which it is reasonable to expect of a person who is managing the affairs of another person.

• in circumstances giving rise to the possibility of a conflict of interest between the organisation and any other party:

• put the interests of the organisation before that of the other party.

• where any other duty prevents them from doing so, disclose the conflicting interest to the organisation and refrain from participating in any deliberation or decision of the other charity trustees regarding the matter in question.

• ensure that the organisation complies with any direction, requirement, notice or duty imposed under or by virtue of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

In addition to the duties outlined all the charity trustees must take such steps as are reasonably practicable for the purpose of ensuring: -

• that any breach of any of those duties by a charity trustee is corrected by the charity trustee concerned and not repeated; and

• that any trustee who has been in serious and persistent breach of those duties is removed as a trustee.

Provided they have declared their interest - and have not voted on the question of whether or not the organisation should enter into the arrangement - a charity trustee will not be debarred from entering into an arrangement with the organisation in which they have a personal interest; and (subject to below and to the provisions relating to remuneration for services contained in the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005), they may retain any personal benefit which arises from that arrangement.

No charity trustee may serve as an employee (full time or part time) of the organisation; and no charity trustee may be given any remuneration by the organisation for carrying out their duties as a charity trustee.

The charity trustees may be paid all travelling and other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with carrying out their duties; this may include expenses relating to their attendance at meetings.

8.     Code of Conduct for Charity Trustees

Each of the charity trustees shall comply with the code of conduct (incorporating detailed rules on conflict of interest) prescribed by the board from time to time.

The code of conduct referred to above shall be supplemental to the provisions relating to the conduct of charity trustees contained in this constitution and the duties imposed on charity trustees under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005; and all relevant provisions of this constitution shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with the provisions of the code of conduct in force from time to time.
 

9.     Decision Making

9.1   Notice of Board Meetings

Any charity trustee may call a meeting of the board or ask the secretary to call a meeting of the board. Such meetings may be entirely virtual meetings or hybrid meetings as the circumstances allow and as agreed by the charity trustees.

At least 7 days' notice must be given of each board meeting, unless (in the opinion of the person calling the meeting) there is a degree of urgency which makes that inappropriate.

9.2   Procedure at Board Meetings


No valid decisions can be taken at a board meeting unless a quorum is present; the quorum for board meetings is 3 charity trustees, present in person or virtually.

If at any time the number of charity trustees in office falls below the number stated as the quorum, the remaining charity trustee(s) will have power to fill the vacancies or call a members' meeting - but will not be able to take any other valid decisions.

The chair of the organisation should act as chairperson of each board meeting.

If the chair is not present within 15 minutes after the time at which the meeting was due to start (or is not willing to act as chairperson), the charity trustees present at the meeting must elect (from among themselves) the person who will act as chairperson of that meeting.

Every charity trustee has one vote, which must be given personally.

All decisions at board meetings will be made by majority vote.

If there is an equal number of votes for and against any resolution, the chairperson of the meeting will be entitled to a second (casting) vote.

The board may, at its discretion, allow any person to attend and speak at a board meeting notwithstanding that they are not a charity trustee - but on the basis that they must not participate in decision-making.

A charity trustee must not vote at a board meeting (or at a meeting of a sub-committee) on any resolution which relates to a matter in which they have a personal interest or duty which conflicts (or may conflict) with the interests of the organisation; they must withdraw from the meeting while an item of that nature is being dealt with.

For the purposes of above: -

an interest held by an individual who is “connected” with the charity trustee under section 68(2) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (husband/wife, partner, child, parent, brother/sister etc) shall be deemed to be held by that charity trustee.

a charity trustee will be deemed to have a personal interest in relation to a particular matter if a body in relation to which they are an employee, director, member of the management committee, officer or elected representative has an interest in that matter.

9.3   Minutes

The board must ensure that proper minutes are kept in relation to all board meetings and meetings of sub-committees. The minutes of a meeting shall record the names of all persons present at the meeting without distinction between those who attended in person and those who attended virtually.

The minutes kept must include the names of those present; and should be signed by the chairperson of the meeting.

The board shall make available copies of the minutes to any member of the public requesting them.

The board may exclude from any copy minutes made available to a member of the public, 0any material which the board considers ought properly to be kept confidential - on the grounds that allowing access to such material could cause significant prejudice to the interests of the organisation or on the basis that the material contains reference to employee or other matters which it would be inappropriate to divulge.

 
10.  Administration

10.1  Delegation to Sub-Committees

 
The board may delegate any of their powers to sub-committees; a sub-committee must include at least one charity trustee, but other members of a sub-committee need not be charity trustees.

The board may also delegate to the chair of the organisation (or the holder of any other post) such of their powers as they may consider appropriate.

When delegating powers, the board must set out appropriate conditions (which must include an obligation to report regularly to the board).

Any delegation of powers may be revoked or altered by the board at any time.

The rules of procedure for each sub-committee, and the provisions relating to membership of each sub-committee, shall be set by the board.

10.2 Operation of Accounts

The signatures of two out of three signatories appointed by the board will be required in relation to all operations (other than the lodging of funds) on the bank and building society accounts held by the organisation; at least one out of the two signatures must be the signature of a charity trustee.

Where the organisation uses electronic facilities for the operation of any bank or building society account, the authorisations required for operations on that account must be consistent.

10.3 Accounting Records and Annual Accounts

The board must ensure that proper accounting records are kept, in accordance with all applicable statutory requirements.

The board must prepare annual accounts, complying with all relevant statutory requirements; if an audit is required under any statutory provisions (or if the board consider that an audit would be appropriate for some other reason), the board should ensure that an audit of the accounts is carried out by a qualified auditor.

 11.  Miscellaneous

11.1 Winding-Up

If the organisation is to be wound up or dissolved, the winding-up or dissolution process will be carried out in accordance with the procedures set out under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

Any surplus assets available to the organisation immediately preceding its winding up or dissolution must be used for purposes which are the same as - or which closely resemble - the purposes of the organisation as set out in this constitution.

11.2 Alterations to the Constitution


This constitution may be altered by resolution of the members passed at a members’ meeting (subject to achieving the two thirds majority) or by way of a written resolution of the members. 

The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 prohibits taking certain steps (e.g. change of name, an alteration to the purposes, amalgamation, winding-up) without the consent of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).


11.3 Interpretation


References in this constitution to the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 should be taken to include: -

• any statutory provision which adds to, modifies or replaces that Act; and

• any statutory instrument issued in pursuance of that Act or in pursuance of any statutory provision falling under above paragraph

In this Constitution: -

“charity” means a body which is either a “Scottish charity” within the meaning of section 13 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 or a “charity” within the meaning of section 1 of the Charities Act 2011, providing (in either case) that its objects are limited to charitable purposes.

“Charitable purpose” means a charitable purpose under section 7 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 which is also regarded as a charitable purpose in relation to the application of the Taxes Acts.

Virtual meeting”: a meeting of members of the charity or a meeting of the charity trustees where arrangements have been made in advance to allow participants to attend the meeting by means of a conference telephone, video link or similar means of electronic communication at which all participants can be heard and can hear each other without the need for them to be physically present at the same location. A person participating in a meeting by such means shall be deemed to be attending virtually.

“Hybrid meeting”: a meeting of members of the charity or a meeting of the charity trustees at which some participants are attending the meeting in person and others are attending virtually.