Constitution | BDSFA (Primary)

1. Name

The Association shall be called Barking and Dagenham Schools’ Football Association (Primary).

2. Objectives

The objectives of the Association shall be to arrange and promote association football opportunities for pupils within its member schools.

3. Status of Rules

The rules of Barking and Dagenham Schools’ Football Association (Primary) form a binding agreement between each school that takes part in BDSFA competitions/activities.

4. Rules and Regulations

(a) The Barking and Dagenham Schools’ Football Association (Primary) shall have the status of an Affiliated Member Club of the English Schools Football Association, by virtue of its affiliation to/membership of the English SFA, Essex SFA and London SFA. The Rules and Regulations of the English, Essex and London SFAs, shall be adopted by the Association.

(b) No alteration to the association Rules and Regulations shall be effective without prior written approval by the parent Association.

(c) The Association will seek to promote competitions, in keeping with its objectives, that encompass these Rules and Regulations.

(d) The Association will also abide by The LA, FA and English Schools FA’s Child Protection Policies and Procedures, FA Codes of Conduct and the Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Policy in all its competitions.

5. Association Membership

(a) The members of the Association will automatically be all Infant, Primary and Junior Schools within Barking and Dagenham, as well as any Independent Schools, Through Schools, Free Schools and Academy Schools with pupils aged 4-11.

(b) Each school should nominate a teacher in charge of football, for communication/organisation purposes.

(c) At an Annual General Meeting, nominations may be taken for Life Membership of the association. Nominees must have shown an outstanding contribution to schools’ football within the borough over a prolonged period. Members present will vote on the nomination.

6. Membership Fees

(a) No annual affiliation fee is to be paid by schools to BDSFA (Primary).

(b) If schools wish to affiliate to English, County or Regional SFAs, they may do so individually.

7. Association Committee

(a) The Association Committee shall consist of the following Association Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Child Welfare Officer, Treasurer, Life Members and appropriate individuals invited at the Chairperson’s discretion.

(b) Each Association Officer and Association Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting unless holding office temporarily due to resignation or dismissal. One person may hold more than one Association Officer post at any one time. The Association Committee shall be responsible for the management of all the affairs of the Association. Decisions of the Association Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Association Committee meeting. The Chairperson of the Association Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. Meetings of the Association Committee shall be chaired by the Secretary, or in their absence, the Treasurer. The quorum for the transaction of business of the Association Committee shall be two.

(c) Any member of the Association Committee may call a meeting of the Association Committee by giving not less than seven days’ notice to all members of the Association Committee.

(d) An outgoing member of the Association Committee may be re-elected. Any vacancy on the Association Committee, which arises between the AGMs, shall be filled by a member teacher, proposed by one and seconded by another of the remaining Association Committee members and approved by the majority of the remaining Association Committee members.

(e) Save as provided for in the Rules and Regulations of the Schools Football Associations that the BDSFA (Primary) is affiliated, the Association Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issues concerning the Association rules.

9. Annual General Meetings

(a) An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in each year to:

(i) Receive a report of the activities of the Association over the previous year.

(ii) Receive a report of the Associations finances over the previous year.

(iii) Elect the members of the Association Committee.

(iv) Consider Any Other Business.

(b) Nominations for the election of member teachers as Association Officers or members of the Association Committee shall be made by the proposer and seconder, both of whom must be existing school staff members. Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM should be submitted to the Association Secretary prior to the meeting.

(d) The quorum for a General Meeting shall be two Association Committee members.

(e) The Chairperson, or in their absence, a member selected by the Association Committee shall take the chair. Each Teacher Member (one per school), Committee Member and Life Member present shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. Other persons may be invited to vote at the discretion of the Chairperson. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the meeting shall have the casting vote.

(f) The Association Secretary, or in their absence a member of the Association Committee, shall copy minutes of the AGM and distribute to all member schools.

10. Association Teams

(a) Volunteer teachers, or BDSFA/ESFA approved AOTTs, who teach in Barking and Dagenham member schools, can help run the representative boys’ and girls’ U11 teams, to compete at District level.

(b) Volunteers should approach the Association Committee if they wish to become involved.

(d) Pupils will be nominated for trials at the discretion of their schools/teachers only. Nominations will not be accepted from any other source.

(e) The management of this team will be overseen by the staff involved, who are answerable to the Association Committee.

(f) A written report regarding the activities of the team shall be submitted at the Association AGM.

11. Association Finances

(a) A bank account shall be maintained in the name of the Association. Designated account signatories shall be the Association Secretary and Treasurer. No sum shall be drawn from the Association account except by both (two) of these designated signatories. All monies payable to the Association shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited into the club account.

(b) The income and assets of the Association shall be applied only in furtherance of the objectives of the club.

(c) The Association Committee shall have discretion to authorise the payment of renumeration and expenses to any member of the Association for services rendered to the Association.

(d) The Treasurer shall prepare an annual Financial Statement to be presented at the AGM and to English and County/Regional FAs on demand.

(e) The Association Property, other than the Association Account, shall be vested in appointed custodians. They shall be appointed by the Chairperson on a voluntary basis and shall retain office until death or resignation unless removed by a resolution passed at a general meeting.

12. Child Welfare

a) BDSFA adopts the F.A.’s Safeguarding Children Regulations which apply to everyone in football whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. Teachers and volunteers who have direct contact with the children will be subject to scrutiny in accordance with FA guidelines.

b) CRB Enhanced Disclosure via the ESFA/FA is required for teachers and other adults who manage or organise the District teams.

c) Codes of Conduct for players, parents and spectators operate and are available on the BDSFA website.

d) BDSFA has an Association Child Welfare Officer who has attended the designated person’s training provided by the Essex County FA on behalf of the FA. The CWO has attended the Safeguarding children workshop and the Child Welfare officer course run by Essex County F.A.

e) Further guidance can be found in the Association’s Child Welfare Policy and on the ESFA website: www.schoolsfootball.org/child-welfare/child-welfare-policy-downloads/

13. Dissolution

(a) A resolution to dissolve the Association shall only be proposed at the AGM and shall be carried by a majority of three quarters of the members present.

(b) The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Association Committee shall be responsible for the winding up of assets and liabilities of the Association. Any equipment, kits and other items owned by BDSFA shall be passed to similar, local organisations.