RULES

1. The name of the organisation shall be “Everton Supporters Club, London Area” (hereinafter called “the Club”.)

2. The objects of the Club shall be:

(a) to encourage interest in Everton.

(b) to organise excursions to the matches, social functions and produce a club newsletter for members.

3. Membership of the Club shall be open to all Everton supporters in the area.

4. Acceptance of membership shall be decided by the Committee of the Club (as hereinafter defined).

5. Every member, upon acceptance and payment of subscription in full, shall be furnished with a membership card. The membership card must be produced to any Committee member on request, and each member shall be bound in every respect by the Club rules. Any member losing his/her membership card must notify the Membership Secretary.

6. The name and address of each member must be kept by the Membership Secretary and must be accessible to the Committee. Every member shall within 14 days give notice to the Membership Secretary of any change of his/her address.

7. If any member shall fail to pay his/her subscription within 28 days after the same shall become due, his/her membership may be thereupon terminated without further notice.

8. The Club shall be run by a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Home Travel Secretary, Away Travel Secretary, Travel Coordinator, Social Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Website Coordinator and Membership Secretary. All Committee members shall be elected annually by members of the Club eligible to vote. No one member may hold more than one post. The Committee will have the power, if it sees fit, to co-opt extra Committee members. A Committee member may be removed from his/her post by a majority vote of the other Committee members present at a meeting of the Committee.

9. The quorum for a meeting of the Committee is 4. If the Chairman or Vice Chairman is not present then those present shall choose one of their number to chair the meeting. The Chairman shall not vote, but shall have a casting vote in the event of a tied vote.

10. Seven days notice shall be given of a Committee meeting. However, if all members of the Committee are present and agree then the notice period may be waived.

11. The Committee members may be paid all travelling and other expenses properly incurred by them in connection with their attendance at Committee meetings and general meetings of the Club or otherwise in connection with the discharge of their duties.

12. Any member who in the opinion of the Committee brings the name of the Club into disrepute by his/her conduct on match days, either before, during or after the match, on journeys to and from matches or at meetings or at social events organised by the Club, will be liable to have his/her membership cancelled or suspended forthwith and in the event of cancellation he/she will forfeit his/her membership fee. Bringing the name of the Club into disrepute includes the member howsoever selling or exchanging or transferring a match ticket at more than the price quoted on the ticket by the issuer of the ticket except any charge made by the Football Association. Cancellation or suspension of membership must be agreed by a majority of a Committee meeting, and the member must be advised in writing by the Secretary to that effect. Such a member has the right to either personal or written appeal, and written notice of such an appeal must be in the Secretary’s hands not later than 14 days after the date of the letter informing the member of the Committee’s decision. The Committee’s final decision on all matters will be binding and it will not be obliged to give any reason for its decisions.

13. An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in the month of June, July or August in each year on a date to be agreed by the Committee of which not less than 21 days prior notice shall be given to all members. The following business shall be conducted at any such meeting:

a) The presentation, and if accepted, the passing of the accounts for the previous financial year ended on 31st May prior to the meeting.

b) The election of the Committee.

c) Such other motion as shall have been communicated to the Secretary in writing prior to 1st June in each year, which is seconded by another member of the Club and shall be included in the notice of meeting sent to the members of the Club.

d) If time allows, and at the discretion of the Chairman, such other business as members present may wish to discuss, and which has not been included in the notice of the meeting.

14.

a) Every candidate for election to the Committee shall be nominated and seconded by members of the Club who have held membership for not less than 12 months. Such nominations shall be in writing and be sent to the Secretary to be received by him/her not later than 1st June each year prior to the meeting. Any candidate for election must give his/her consent in writing that he/she is willing to be a candidate and such written consent must be sent to the Secretary to be received by him/her by 1st June of each year prior to the meeting.

b) A member shall not be elected to serve on the Committee unless he/she has been a member of the Club for a period not less than 12 months.

c) Committee members seeking re-election need not be nominated and seconded and need not give their consent in writing.

15. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee, and shall be convened within 21 days of the receipt by the Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by 20 members stating a purpose for which the meeting is required. Not less than 21 days prior notice shall be given to all members of an Extraordinary General Meeting.

16. If within 30 minutes of the time appointed for an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting a quorum of 15 members be not present, the meeting, if called on the requisition of members, shall be dissolved. In any other case, it shall stand adjourned to such day and at such other time and place as the Chairman shall appoint, and if, at the subsequent meeting, a quorum of 15 members be not present within 15 minutes of the time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present shall constitute a quorum.

17. Voting at an AGM or an EGM shall be by show of hands, but the Chairman may decree that the question before the meeting shall be decided by ballot, in which case two Committee members shall be nominated as scrutineers, and they shall cast up the votes and report the result. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

18. The Club financial year shall end on 31st May in each year and all renewal subscriptions shall be payable by 1st September each year.

19. The property and income of the Club howsoever derived shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Club, and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of profit to members. The
Committee shall, in its own discretion, set aside out of any surplus that may arise in any year, such sums as it thinks fit to meet expenses or contingencies or to create reserves, and shall be empowered to use the balance, if any, for providing social benefits and amenities for members, or for charitable purposes or deserving purposes. All monies of the Club shall be banked in the name of “The Everton Supporters Club, London Area” with Bank of Scotland or such other bank or building society as the Committee may from time to time decide. The Chairman, Treasurer, Home Travel Secretary and Away Travel Secretary for the time being shall be authorised to endorse cheques, and any two of them shall be in powered to sign cheques on the account or accounts of the Club.

20. The accounts of the Club should meet general accounting practice.

21. If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Club there remains, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, any surplus assets whatsoever, the same shall not be given or distributed among the members of the Club, but shall be given or transferred to any other organisation that furthers the objects of the Club, as shall be determined by the Committee at or after such dissolution.

22. Members may bring guests on excursions to matches or to social functions organised by the Club, but the conduct of the guest is the responsibility of the member who has invited them and guests traveling to matches are subject to a contribution to the Club’s funds at the discretion of the Committee on top of the travel fee. The member may not charge the guest any further amount whatsoever.

23. The Club cannot be held responsible for the cost of a members’ match ticket, train or coach ticket once booked by the Club, in the event of the member failing to attend the match due to the failure of the transport facilities, adverse weather conditions or an act of God.

24. The Club cannot be held responsible for any death or injury to any of its members whilst travelling on any excursion to or from a match, whilst attending a match or whilst attending a social function or meeting organised by the Club.

25.

a) These rules shall not be altered, amended, or added to, except by a resolution passed at a general meeting of the Club. The notice convening the meeting shall contain full particulars of the proposed alterations, amendments or additions.

b) The interpretation of any of these rules that may or may not appear to be ambiguous, shall be decided by the Committee or by the Chairman at a general meeting, who’s decision shall be final and conclusive.

c) The Committee shall have the power to deal with any matter not specifically provided for in these rules, and the decision of the Committee on any such point arising out of, or not covered by any of the rules of the Club, shall be considered binding on all members.