Rules and Constitution of Old School Hammers. The Independent Supporters’ Group for West Ham United FC’s over 60s Supporters.
1. NAME
The name of the organisation shall be Old School Hammers.
2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of Old School Hammers shall be to:
a) Represent West Ham United FC over 60s supporters on issues decided by its members.
b) Promote, maintain and value the history and identity of West Ham United FC and its supporters.
c) Encourage the Owners, Executives, Management and Representatives of West Ham United FC to appreciate, welcome and value the support and participation of all West Ham United fans and ensure that equal opportunities are promoted for all supporters.
d) Affiliate to appropriate national and international football supporters’ organisations.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) Membership of Old School Hammers shall be available free of charge to all West Ham United supporters.
b) Membership of Old School Hammers shall be considered as joining by signing up to the Old School Hammers email address (via the Old School Hammers website or by other means).
c) Signing up th the email address shall be considered as consenting to adhere to the conditions of the Old School Hammers constitution.
d) There will be no membership fees.
e) Members’ personal details shall be stored securely and shall not be passed to a third party without the member’s written consent, unless there is a legal requirement for Old School Hammers to do so.
f) Membership records shall be kept by the Secretary, on behalf of Old School Hammers and shall be available to all members of the Committee.
g) Should the Committee reject an application for membership, the applicant shall be duly notified and have the right of appeal at the next Committee meeting.
h) Membership is for life unless cancelled by the member by withdrawing consent for their email address to be used by the committee of Old School Hammers for the purposes of emails being sent from the Old School Hammers email address, or by the Committee.
I) All members are entitled to attend and fully participate and vote at the AGM and any EGM.
j) Members may attend and participate in Committee meetings at the pre-advertised discretion of the chair of the meeting.
k) Any member bringing Old School Hammers into disrepute and or violating the code of conduct shall render themselves liable to expulsion. A member may be suspended and recommended for expulsion by a special majority vote of the Committee but shall not be expelled until s/he has received a full hearing before a disciplinary panel established by the Committee. The member shall have a full opportunity to answer all allegations against her/him before a decision on expulsion is taken by the panel. Any member expelled shall have the right of appeal.
3.1 Disciplinary Procedure: A disciplinary panel will be established with no less than three Committee members present. The committee should be present at any disciplinary hearing. Members facing a disciplinary panel may elect a representative to assist with their defence. If no representative can be found, members may request a representative to be appointed by Old School Hammers, who will assist without prejudice. Safeguarding will take place to prevent conflict of interest. The disciplinary panel must decide with a 66% majority for members to be removed from Old School Hammers.
3.2 Appeal Procedure: All members have the right to an appeal following expulsion from Old School Hammers. Appeals shall be submitted in writing. Submitted appeals will be reviewed within 28 days by way of a Committee meeting.
Appellants have the right to make a statement giving explanation of their appeal. The Committee Chair will summarise the appellant’s argument for members at the following AGM. Members will then take a vote without the appellant present. The appellant must receive a 66% majority vote for membership to be reinstated. The appellant will be notified of decision with an explanation from the Chair. The appellant will either be removed from all associations with Old School Hammers if the appeal fails or be reinstated.
4. ELECTIONS
a) The decision on how to conduct an election shall be decided upon and publicised to all Old School Hammers members no less than 21 days before an AGM/EGM..
b) The manner of and time period in which the election is held, is for agreement between the committee members of Old School Hammers.
c) The result of the election shall be ratified by majority vote of all members attending an AGM/EGM
5. THE COMMITTEE
a) Old School Hammers shall have a committee of not more than 6 and not fewer than 3 members.
b) The period of office for Officers and other Committee members shall be from the conclusion of the AGM at which the Committee is declared as elected to the conclusion of the AGM the following year.
c) All Officers shall be members of the Committee with full voting rights.
d) All members shall be entitled to stand for election for any Officer or Committee member position.
e) Election of the committee of Old School Hammers shall be held in a manner agreed upon by a majority of the Old School Hammers Committee.
f) The Committee shall be entitled to co-opt members to the Committee and shall ensure any such co-options are reported to the membership. Co-opted reps may have full voting rights at Committee meetings, as necessary.
g) The Committee shall be entitled to fill any vacancy occurring during the year and shall ensure any such co-options are reported to the next AGM/EGM/committee meeting.
h) The length of term for initial Officers on the group’s formation shall be until the first AGM, where the inaugural election will take place.
i) A Committee member shall declare an interest in any contract or matter in which s/he has a personal material or financial interest, whether directly or indirectly, and shall not vote in respect of any decision relating to that matter.
j) The Committee shall strive to ensure that Old School Hammers structures, meetings, communications mechanisms and employment policies respect and promote the concept of equal opportunities.
k) The Committee shall establish sub-committees as it considers necessary. Each sub-committee shall appoint an existing Old School Hammers member to chair it with the title of Project Lead, as agreed by the Old School Hammers committee, to report on the activities and decisions of that sub-committee. Unless previously agreed, sub committees’ decisions must be endorsed by the Committee before they are acted upon.
6. OFFICERS
The Officers of Old School Hammers shall be the Chair,Vice Chair and Secretary.. The Officers shall collectively take decisions and actions on matters between AGM and Committee meetings, such as public statements and attendance at meetings. Normal duties of the Officers shall include:
a) Chair
· The Chair shall chair all Old School Hammers meetings at which s/he is present.
· In her/his absence the meeting shall be chaired by another Officer of Old School Hammers.
· It is the duty of the Chair of Committee meetings to ensure all views of those present are heard at the meeting.
· In the event of a tie the Chair of all meetings shall have a casting vote.
c) Secretary.
· The Secretary shall be responsible for circulating an agenda and relevant papers to those present at Committee meetings prior to the commencement of the meeting.
· The Secretary shall produce draft minutes of the Committee meetings, to be agreed as accurate, subject to any amendments, by the Committee at its subsequent meeting.
· The Secretary shall convene the AGM on a date agreed by the Committee, and will make all the arrangements for the meeting, including arranging an appropriate venue and providing an agenda for the meeting.
· The Secretary shall arrange to publicise Committee meetings to the membership.
7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
a) An AGM should be held once each football season at a time to be determined by the Committee.The first meeting to be held in season 2023-2024.
b) The Secretary shall ensure that all members are sent notification of the date, time, place and agenda for the AGM not less than fourteen days before it is due to take place.
c) The Secretary shall ensure that copies of the Minutes of the previous AGM and an Old School Hammers Annual Report are available at the AGM.
d) The Annual Report shall contain statements on Old School Hammers’ work during the year from the Officers and Committee members as appropriate.
e) The quorum for the AGM shall be six members.
f) Should the AGM not be quorate thirty minutes after the published starting time the meeting shall be adjourned to a date not more than two months after the inquorate meeting. All members shall be notified of the new date by the Secretary.
8. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
a) The Committee shall consist of all Officers and Committee members, whether elected at the AGM, or subsequently co-opted.
b) At least four Committee Meetings shall be held each year.
c) General Old School Hammers policy shall be determined at Committee Meetings, subject to ratification at the next AGM.
d) The Committee can, by majority vote, decide to hold a ballot of members on any matter it so decides. The result of any ballot shall be binding on the Committee and may only be changed by decision of the AGM or an EGM.
e) In cases of urgency, the Officers may decide policy changes that may arise between AGM/EGM/committee meetings by majority decision and shall report all such decisions to the membership.
f) The quorum for Committee meetings shall be four elected members of the Committee, one of whom must be an Officer.
g) It is the duty of all Officers present to ensure that the views of members not present, but which are communicated to the Officer prior to the meeting are reported accordingly.
h) Votes will normally be by an open show of hands. A secret ballot will be held if requested by at least one-third of the Committee members present.
9. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
a) An EGM may be called:
i) By majority resolution of the Committee, or
ii) By members constituting at least 25% of the total number of members submitting written notice to the Secretary of their desire for such a meeting.
b) The Secretary shall convene an EGM within six weeks of receipt of such a requisition unless agreed otherwise with the requisitioners. The Secretary shall send notice of and the agenda for the EGM to all supporting members not less than seven days before the date of the EGM.
c) The quorum at EGMs shall be twenty members.
d) With the exception of dissolution (see below) and amendments to the rules of Old School hammers, resolutions may be passed at an EGM with the approval of a majority of members present.
10. AMENDMENTS TO THESE RULES
a) Amendments to these rules may be proposed by the Committee or by any member.
b) Any proposed amendment from a member to these rules shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing not less than seven days prior to the date of the AGM or EGM called for the purpose.
c) An amendment to these Rules shall require a two-thirds majority of members present.
11. DISSOLUTION
a) A motion to dissolve Old School Hammers shall only be considered at an AGM or EGM of which all members have received at least 21 days notice electronically and/or in writing. The notice of the meeting shall contain the motion to dissolve Old School Hammers.
b) A motion to dissolve Old School Hammers may be proposed by the Committee or by a proposal signed by at least 25% of members.
c) To dissolve Old School Hammers, three-quarters of the members present must vote in favour of a resolution proposing dissolution.
d) On the dissolution of the organisation, once any debts have been settled, any outstanding monies or property of Old School Hammers shall be given to an organisation with similar aims and objectives or to a registered charity. The beneficiary organisation shall be as decided by the Committee.
e) It will be the responsibility of the former Officers of Old School Hammers to dissolve the organisation in line with the wishes expressed at the AGM/EGM.
12. CODE OF CONDUCT
All members, Officers and associates of Old School Hammers shall be committed to:
a) Supporting, promoting, and furthering the objectives of Old School Hammers.
b) Rejecting violence, abusive behaviour, or discrimination in any form.
c) Making Old School Hammers an inclusive and welcoming group that represents West Ham United fans from all backgrounds.
d) Recognising that decisions made by Old School Hammers are reached democratically by way of ballot and respecting the outcome of each ballot.
All members, Officers and associates of Old School Hammers shall be prohibited from:
i) Making communications in the name of Old School Hammers without express permission.
ii) Profiting from activity associated with Old School Hammers.
iii) Complicating or sabotaging the objectives, activities or communications of Old School Hammers.
iv) Bringing Old School Hammers into disrepute by any other means
The failure of a member, Officer or committee member of Old School Hammers to adhere to section 12 of this Constitution shall see the formation of a disciplinary panel as detailed in section 3.
