Constitution

Constitution of the Cheshire Schools' Football Association

(i) Name of the Association
The Association shall be called Cheshire Schools' Football Association and shall be affiliated to the England Schools' Football Association. The Association shall be constituted in accordance with the rules laid down for a 'properly constituted' association in the General Rules of the English Schools' Football Association.

(ii) Objects
The mental, moral and physical development and improvement of schoolboys/ girls through the medium of Association football and to help such charities as the Council of the Association may from time to time determine. 

(iii) Membership
Membership of the Association shall be open to Schools' Football Associations in the County of Cheshire. Application for affiliation shall be accepted from an association covering the same area as that of an association already affiliated. Council will consider associate membership from associations outside the county boundary. 
All associations before affiliation to Cheshire Schools FA shall satisfy all Council that they are properly constituted associations. All associations shall also satisfy the Council that they are playing football according to the rules of the Football Association. No school shall be registered in more than one affiliated association. All affiliated associations/schools must agree to abide by the rules and decisions of the Cheshire Schools’ Football Association.
District associations should be classified as either formal district associations or a non-formal district association (Local Football Organiser). A formal association needs a constitution, a bank account and a committee (including a chairperson, secretary, treasurer and – if there is
a representative team – a child welfare officer). It should hold an AGM, ensure the affiliation of member schools and organise competitions. A non-formal association is one where no formal structure exists. Such an association will need to have a football co-ordinator responsible for organising competitions in the district and must ensure the affiliation of member schools. Formal and non-formal district associations which run representative teams must appoint a child welfare officer and ensure the personnel running the teams have received sanction from ESFA.

(iv) Management
The Association shall be governed by a Council consisting of four members representing Primary, Intermediate, Senior and Girls football, from Chester, Ellesmere Port, South
Cheshire, Vale Royal, Macclesfield & District, Halton and Warrington associations, together with a secretary, U18 secretary, treasurer and team managers. A Vice Chairperson will be biannually elected by the Council. This Vice Chairperson will become Chairperson after 2 years and the Chairperson will become the Ex Chairperson. Council shall have power to appoint the President and up to three Vice Presidents annually. If the Area Representative of the ESFA Council is not a member of this Council, he/she shall become an ex-official member. Council shall have the power to co-opt. Nominations for secretary, U18 secretary and treasurer will be accepted from associations in full membership and shall be sent in writing to the secretary no later than 1st May and where no new nomination is received, the sitting member shall be deemed to be elected unopposed. Should an officer or council member intend to retire, he/she must give notice to the secretary by 15th March and the secretary shall then notify all associations. Voting papers for the offices of secretary, U18 secretary, competitions secretary and treasurer shall be forwarded to each affiliated association at least 28 days before the AGM with the names of the nominated candidates. All voting papers must be returned to the secretary at least seven days before the AGM. The votes shall be counted by the appointed scrutineers and declared at the AGM. The Council may fill any vacancy that occurs in this body, appoint such Committees or Commissions of the Council and make such regulations for the management of the Association and control of the game as from time to time may be necessary.

(v) Voting Rights
In elections for the offices of secretary, treasurer, U18 secretary and at all General Meetings, the voting rights of affiliated associations shall be three votes. Co-opted members on to Council shall be entitled to one vote at Council Meetings. The voting rights of Affiliated Full Member Associations: 3 votes, Associated: 1 vote, Primary: 1 vote, Vice President: 1 vote, Life Member: 1 vote, Co-opted Member: 1 vote.

(vi) Quorum
For the transaction of business at a Council Meeting one third of members of the whole Council shall constitute a quorum.

(vii) Life Membership
Life Membership of the Association may be conferred at the discretion of the AGM and any nominations may be included in the agenda for an AGM. Life Members shall be invited to the AGM and shall be the guests of this Association at such functions as the Council may decide.

(viii) Affiliation Fees
1. Associations in Full Membership providing all-age football | £50.00
2. Associate Member Associations providing all-age football | £40.00
3. Separate Primary or Middle Schools’ Associations | £10.00
4. Additional Primary or Middle Schools Associations to 1 & 2 | £10.00
5. Schools’ Competitions arranged by the County per school | £15.00

(ix) Meetings
The Annual General Meeting shall be held in June. The Secretary shall give 14 days’ clear notice to all affiliated associations of the place, the day and the hour of such a meeting and an agenda specifying the nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting shall accompany the notice. Notice of any business to be submitted to the AGM (other than the declaration of the results of elections to Council, appointment of auditors, the consideration of the accounts and balance sheets, and the Report of the Council, and not being such as requires a special resolution) shall be given in writing to the secretary on or before 1st May. The Council shall have the power at any time to convene a Special General meeting. The secretary shall convene a Special General Meeting at any time on receiving a requisition stating the objects of the meeting and signed by the Chairperson, secretary and treasurer of
not less than three affiliated associations. An agenda of the business to be transacted at any Special General Meeting shall accompany the notice convening the meeting.

(x) Finance
The Council shall control the Association’s finances which shall be used solely for the furtherance of the objects as stated in Rule 2. In the event of the Association being dissolved, the Council shall realise the property and assets and call in all monies due to the Association and, after discharge of all liabilities, distribute the surplus as shall be determined by the Annual General Meeting or a General Meeting called for that purpose with the intention of distributing the surplus to a charitable organisation.
Meetings
Council members may claim travelling expenses for attendance at council meetings - ask the
Treasurer for details.

(xi) Conduct
Players, officials and spectators are only allowed to take part in or attend any matches on condition that they observe the rules, regulations and bylaws of the Football Association and the English Schools’ Football Association and every affiliated association is required to observe and enforce such rules, regulations and bylaws. Every association and school is responsible to the Council for the actions of its players, officials and spectators, and it is required to take all precautions necessary to prevent spectators threatening or assaulting officials or players before, during or after matches.

(xii) Appeals
Any appeals made by schools or associations against decisions of Cheshire Schools’ Football Association must be sent in writing to the secretary within 4 working days of the decision having been taken.

(xiii) Matches and Trials
The Council shall have the power to arrange Inter-County matches and no player may be withdrawn from the selected county team unless he/she is required to play in international or ESFA Trophy games. For home Inter-County matches a selected player (under statutory
leaving age) must be accompanied by an adult (relative/family friend/teacher/ representative of the association from which the player is drawn) and the expenses of the teacher/representative shall be paid by the County Association. For away Inter-County matches, travel arrangements shall be in the hands of the council. In order to obtain the best representative county teams, trial matches should be played. A selected player (under statutory leaving age) must be accompanied by an adult (relative, family friend/teacher/representative of the association from which the player is drawn) and the expenses of the teacher/representative shall be paid by the County Association. The Council shall provide cloth badges and ties for boys and cloth badges and scarves for
girls who have taken part in county games. The precedence of matches shall be as follows: International, ESFA Trophy, Inter-County, County Cup Competitions (Inter-Association), Individual Schools Competitions. The Cheshire Schools’ Football Association will operate such rules relating to the ineligibility of players as laid down by the English Schools’ Football Association. First Aid. It is essential that all schools, district and county representative teams MUST have an adequate First Aid bag with them on the touch line in case of injury.

(xiv) Alteration to Rules
These rules can only be altered at the AGM or by the Council to conform with essential ESFA Rules. Notice of motion for alteration must be sent to the secretary as set out in Rule 9 and a copy of proposed alterations shall be sent to each affiliated association in accordance with Rule 9. These rules may be altered at a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose. Notice of the meeting and proposed alterations or additions to rules shall be sent to each affiliated association at least 14 days before the date of such a Special General Meeting. Any alteration to rules shall require a two-thirds majority.