London Irish Supporters Club - Draft Constitution

Football Club, London Irish Scottish Richmond Limited and/or London Irish Amateur Rugby

Football Club;

as provided for herein;

fee of the London Irish Supporters’ Club on/before 31st July of each calendar year or as shall be

determined by the Committee;

i) To serve the interests of the Members of the Supporters’ Club;

ii) To actively liase with the board members, management, and players London Irish Rugby Football

Club, London Irish Scottish Richmond Limited and/or London Irish Amateur Rugby Football Club

in order to foster constructive cooperation, dialogue and mutual understanding;

iii) To endeavour to facilitate an increase in attendance at home and away fixtures;

iv) To support all of the players and teams who represent the Club both on and off the field;

v) To organise and participate in charitable fund raising and social events;

vi) To liase with the club management to improve the social facilities for the supporters.

i) The Committee will comprise of twelve members elected by the membership at the annual

general meeting of the supporters’ club. The Committee may recommend to the membership to

increase or reduce the size of the Committee as it deems necessary so as to enable it to best

serve the interest of the membership.

ii) The Committee will consist of the following Officers: Chairman; Vice-Chairman; Honorary

Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Membership Secretary. In addition the Committee will

consist of seven Ordinary members who will share responsibility for marketing, merchandising,

publications and social events. The LISC representative to the National Rugby Supporters’

Association will be an ex-officio member of the Committee.

iii) The Committee may at its discretion co-opt assistance from the membership to assist with

special events and/or projects. Co-opted members of the committee, or any sub-committee,

shall have no voting rights.

London Irish Supporters’ Club

2

iv) The Officers of the Committee shall serve for a minimum of two years, and Ordinary members

of the Committee shall serve for a minimum of one year unless otherwise challenged by the

membership at the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary General Meeting.

v) To facilitate the efficient working of the Committee the Chairman and Honorary Treasurer will

be elected in alternate years to the Vice-Chairman and Honorary Secretary.

vi) A quorum shall consist of not less than two Officers and five Ordinary members of the

committee. However, of necessity, the committee may still agree to meet but any decisions or

resolutions will (a) be subject to ratification by a quorum and/or the entire committee at the

earliest opportunity; and (b) no discussions or decisions which impinge upon the financial affairs

of the Supporters’ Club will in such circumstances take place.

vii) There shall be a minimum of six committee meetings per year after which the Committee will

provide a written report of its discussions to the membership.

viii) The committee will meet regularly with the club after which the Committee will provide a

written report of its discussions to the membership.

ix) In the event of the non-attendance of any Officer or Ordinary member of the Committee at

three or more consecutive meetings the Committee may invite an explanation and, after

consideration of the explanation provided and at its sole discretion, may subsequently call for

the resignation of the defaulting member.

i) Membership of the Supporters’ Club will be open to any supporter of London Irish Rugby

Football Club on payment of the annual subscription fee.

ii) There will be two categories of membership, full membership for those aged 16 years and above

at 1st August; and junior membership for those aged less than 16 years at 1st August. Full

members will be entitled serve on the Committee; nominate or second a candidate/s for election;

and/or vote at the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary General Meeting of the

Supporters’ Club. Junior members will not be entitled to serve on the committee, nominate or

second candidate/s or enjoy voting rights.

iii) The annual subscription fee for membership of the Supporters’ Club will be determined by the

Committee from time to time and will be proposed to the membership at the Annual General

Meeting.

iv) Payment of the annual subscription fee will become due on 1st August and shall be paid by 31st

October at the latest. Any member in default of payment of the annual subscription by 31st

December will be deemed to have relinquished his/her membership of the Supporters’ Club. The

prompt payment of subscription fees is encouraged, as these are required for the administration

London Irish Supporters’ Club

3

of the Supporters’ Club including but not limited to the production of publications and the

organisation of social events.

v) The financial year-end for the accounts of the Supporter’s Club shall be 31st July.

vi) Auditing accounts will be circulated prior to the commencement of, and reported upon, at the

Annual General meeting of the Supporters’ Club.

vii) The Committee will have the power, after full consideration of all of the circumstances and

facts arising, at its sole discretion to caution and/or expel any member/s whose actions,

behaviour, conduct, and/or deeds are deemed to be contrary to the objectives of the

Supporters’ Club. Any such decision will be communicated to the member/s concerned in writing.

viii) Any member/s expelled from the Supporters’ Club will have no entitlement to a refund of

his/her membership fee in whole or in part.

i) It will be the responsibility of the Committee to ensure that the Supporters’ Club is adequately

represented at meetings of the National Rugby Supporters’ Association and that it plays a full

part in its decisions and discussions. The Supporters’ Club representative will provide a written

report of the decisions and discussions to the Committee which will be circulated to the

membership.

i) The Annual General Meeting of the Supporters’ Club will take place during the month of

September, unless the prevailing circumstances are such as not to permit this. In the event that

the Annual General Meeting cannot be held the Committee will give notice to the membership in

writing. However, in any event, no more than 15 months shall normally elapse between one Annual

General Meeting and the next.

ii) The committee will give notice in writing of the date and venue of the Annual General Meeting

not less than 21 days prior to the Meeting.

iii) Any Agenda items for consideration at the Annual General Meeting will be lodged, in writing,

with the Honorary Secretary, or a nominated Committee Officer, not less than 7 days before

the date of the meeting.

iv) Any nominations for the Committee, which will be signed by both the Proposer and the Seconder,

and must be lodged with the Honorary Secretary, or a nominated Committee Officer, not less

than 7 days before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting.

London Irish Supporters’ Club

4

i) The committee may at their discretion call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Supporters’

Club at any time.

ii) A minimum of 50 members of the Supporters’ Club who sign a motion to that effect which will

specify the issue to which discussion will be confined may call an Extraordinary General Meeting

of the Supporters’ Club at any time.

iii) In the event an Extraordinary General Meeting is called, notice of the date, venue, and the issue

to which discussion will be confined shall be delivered in writing not less than 35 days prior to

the date fixed for the meeting.

iv) If members of the Supporters’ Club call for an Extraordinary General Meeting they shall give

notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary.

i) In the event of the dissolution of the London Irish Supporters’ Club, any income or property

remaining will be devoted to Clubs or Societies with similar aims and objectives, and/or to a

charitable purpose associated with the club.

i) The Constitution of the Supporters’ Club can only be amended at an Annual General Meeting or

at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose, and subject to two-thirds of the

members attending voting in favour at any such meeting.

1st draft – LISC Constitution 2003 – 11/08/03