MRHA CONSTITUTION

1. TITLE

The Association shall be called the “Midland Region Hockey Association” (hereinafter referred to as “The Association” or MRHA) and shall, subject to any overriding powers of the English Hockey Association (EHA) of which it is a Constituent Body, be the governing body for all hockey within the Midland Region.

2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

These shall be to:-

2.1. promote, encourage and extend hockey for adults and young people in

clubs and schools;

2.2. arrange such Leagues and other Competitions as may be approved by the

Council;

2.3. select and train squads of players to represent the Midland Region;

2.3. organise umpiring and umpire coach education and improve standards of

umpiring;

2.4. organise coaching and coach education and improve standards of coaching and

playing;

2.6. support clubs and schools seeking to improve playing facilities;

2.7. raise funds by any means approved by the Council.

3. CONSTITUENT BODIES

3.1 The following County Associations, each of which shall abide by and be bound by this Constitution, shall be the Constituent Bodies of MRHA. Except where stated below, each shall encompass men's, women's and mixed hockey.

3.1.1. Bedfordshire (women)

3.1.2. Derbyshire

3.1.3. Leicestershire & Rutland

3.1.4. Northamptonshire

3.1.5. Nottinghamshire

3.1.6. Shropshire

3.1.7. Staffordshire

3.1.8 Warwickshire

3.1.9 Worcestershire

3.2 The boundaries of the County Associations referred to in 3.1 shall be those pertaining on 31st May 1997.

3.3 A County within the boundaries of The Association obtaining on 31^st May 1997

and having a minimum of three affiliated clubs may apply to MRHA for

permission to form an association. The National Council of the EHA, in

conjunction with MRHA, have the right to confer or withdraw County status.

3.4 Only with the prior approval of MRHA Council and of EHA National Council,

shall any association of leagues, clubs, schools or umpires within MRHA be

formed.

3.5. The Midland Region Hockey Umpires Association (MRHUA) shall be a

Constituent Body of the MRHA.

3.6 Duties of Constituent Bodies:-

3.6.1. to hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on a date prior to the MRHA

AGM;

3.6.2. by the date(s) set by Council each year, to submit to the Secretary of

MRHA:-

3.6.2.1. any nominations for Officers of MRHA;

3.6.2.2. any proposals for the AGM (Clause 5.1.5);

3.6.3. each year on a specified date, to submit to the Secretary of MRHA:-

3.6.3.1. names and addresses of its Officers and Officials for the

subsequent season;

3.6.3.2. names and addresses of its Representatives to the Council and to

the Committees (Clauses 9.1.1.8)

3.6.4. to inform immediately the Secretary of MRHA of any changes of their

affiliated clubs;

3.6.5. to collect from each of its members, any relevant affiliation fees.

3.7. No association or combination of clubs shall be formed in the Midland Region

without sanction of the Council of the Association.

3.8. Every constituent body shall submit their rules and any alteration that may

hereafter be made to the Council of the Association for approval and comments

and for transmission to the Council of the EHA.

4. MEMBERSHIP

4.1 FULL MEMBERSHIP, which shall be the only category of membership available

to clubs and schools, shall be by affiliation to the relevant County Association, to

MRHA and to the EHA.

All affiliated clubs and schools shall abide by and be bound by this Constitution.

A bona-fide member of any affiliated County Association, Umpires Association,

club or school shall be deemed to be a member of MRHA.

4.1.1 Clubs:

4.1.1.1a club shall normally affiliate only through the County Association

within whose boundaries it is situated;

4.1.1.2. no County Association may accept affiliation of a club, which is

situated geographically outside the MRHA, except with the prior

approval of Council;

4.1.1.3a club, or the men’s or women’s sections of a club, may

continue to affiliate through the County Association of which it was

a member on 31^st May 1997;

4.1.1.4if a club moves to a ground within the boundaries of another

County, it may continue to affiliate through the County of which it

was formerly a member.;

4.1.1.5 at the discretion of Council, occasional clubs with no

direct County links may affiliate directly to MRHA;

4.1.1.5No club shall be accepted as a member unless its name clearly

distinguishes it from any other club already affiliated;

4.1.1.6no club shall change its name, nor incorporate any part of the

names of a sponsor in its title without prior permission of the EHA.

4.1.1.7without the prior permission of the Councils of the MRHA and the

EHA, no affiliated club shall play a club not affiliated, unless the

opposition is an invitation team raised for a specific event.

4.1.2 Schools:

A school shall normally affiliate through the County Association within

whose boundaries its building or ground is situated. If, however, the

school moves, or the location of its ground is changed, it may continue to

affiliate through the County Association of which it was formerly a

member. (E.H.A. Rule 8.1.2.2.)

4.2.On application from the club or school concerned, the Councils of MRHA

and EHA may, after consultation with the relevant County Associations,

permit a club or school to affiliate through any County Association.

4.3 Individual Special Membership

The Council of the Association may create and confer such special categories of

membership as it may see fit and will determine the rights and privileges

conferred by such membership.

5. GENERAL MEETINGS

5.1 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

5.1.1 The AGM shall be held each year in May at a venue to be decided by the

Council.

5.1.2 Notice of the AGM, together with a copy of the Agenda; a list of

nominations for Officers as defined in Clauses 7.1; shall be sent to

members of Council, each affiliated club and school at least 21 days

before the date of the meeting.

The annual accounts, certified by the scrutineer, shall be laid before the

meeting.

5.1.3 Business to be transacted:-

5.1.3.1. presentation of reports and accounts;

5.1.3.2. election of Officers;

5.1.3.3. appointment of a Financial Scrutineer;

5.1.3.4. amendments to the Constitution;

5.1.3.5. determination of affiliation fees;

5.1.3.6 any other business of which due notice has been given.

5.1.4 Except for those alterations arising from decisions which the Council is

empowered to make, no clause of the Constitution shall be amended, nor

shall any resolution passed at a previous AGM be rescinded, save by a

resolution, notice of which shall be given on the Agenda, carried by an

affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of those present, entitled to vote and

voting.

5.1.5 Any resolution or nomination for Officers for submission to the AGM shall,

unless proposed by the Council, be submitted in writing by a County

Association to the Secretary not less than six weeks before that meeting.

5.1.6 Subject to the provisions of Clause 5.1.4 and Clause 6, all business at the

AGM shall be transacted by a simple majority of those present, entitled to

vote and voting.

5.1.7 The incumbent President shall be the Chairman. In the absence of the

President, one of the Vice-Presidents shall take the Chair. In the absence

of the President and both Vice-Presidents, the meeting shall elect a

member of Council to Chair the meeting.

5.1.8 The following shall be entitled to vote:-

5.1.8.1. The Officers and other voting members of Council;

5.1.8.2 Life Members;

5.1.8.3 Two representatives from each Constituent Body, except

Bedfordshire (women) who shall have one representative.

5.1.8.4One member from each affiliated club, one schools representative

from each County;

5.1.8.5No member may cast more than one vote, other than the Chairman

who shall also have a casting vote.

5.1.9 Any other member of a Constituent Body or of an affiliated club or school

may attend an AGM, but shall not, unless by permission of the Chairman,

take part in the proceedings.