1. PURPOSE
a. The purpose of the Disciplinary Procedure is to support the Club’s Constitution and Code of Conduct.
b. To maintain the required personal and sporting standards of behaviour among members in the interests of the Club and its reputation within the local community.
c. To promote and ensure fair and consistent treatment for all members.
2. INFORMATION
a. The elected Committee is responsible for managing the affairs of the Club for the benefit of the members.
b. The members of the Club are expected to assist the Committee by observing the Club Constitution and Code of Conduct.
c. Members who fail to observe the Club Constitution and Code of Conduct may be subject to disciplinary action.
d. Disciplinary action is at the discretion of the Committee and the Committee will exercise common sense in all matters relating to discipline and any action taken.
3. PROCEDURE
a. In the event of information or a complaint being received about a member or members of the Club, the Committee will consider whether or not the matter should be subject to disciplinary action.
b. If it is judged that disciplinary action might be warranted, then no further action will be taken until the matter has been investigated.
c. The Club Chairman will appoint a member of the Committee to investigate the matter and to speak to all parties involved (including any witnesses). The investigation must be thorough and impartial.
d. The investigating officer will then report his/her findings to the Committee and the Committee will decide whether or not a breach of Constitution and/or Code of Conduct has occurred.
e. If the Committee decides that a breach of Constitution and/or Code of Conduct has occurred, a disciplinary hearing will be arranged and the member or members involved will be given at least seven days notice of the hearing in writing. This notification, from the Club Secretary, will include the following:
– date , time and location of hearing
– details of the allegation
– the fact that the member or members will have the right to state his/her/their case
– the right to be accompanied by a person of the member’s choice to act as a witness or representative as preferred
– the fact that the hearing could result in disciplinary action and that any previous warnings will be taken into account when deciding the level of action to be applied.
f. The case will be heard by a panel of three Committee members (excluding the investigating officer) and a member of the panel will act as Chair.
g. The panel will study the investigating officer’s report and ensure that it has understood the allegation(s) involved. At the hearing, the Chair will explain the charge(s) and allow the member (or their representative) to state their case.
4. RESULT OF HEARING – DISCIPLINARY ACTION
a. Should the disciplinary panel find that a breach of Constitution and/or Code of Conduct has occurred, then disciplinary action may be applied. The following disciplinary options are available:
Verbal Warning – If the misconduct involved is judged to be unacceptable (but not unduly serious), a Verbal Warning may be recommended. This warning will be noted and retained by the Club Secretary for future reference.
Written Warning – If the misconduct involved is judged to be too serious for a Verbal Warning (or has occurred whilst a Verbal Warning is still in force), the disciplinary panel may recommend a Written Warning. This warning will be noted and retained by the Club Secretary for future reference.
Final Written Warning – If the misconduct is sufficiently serious or if there is a failure to improve following a prior warning for the same type of offence, a final written warning may be given to the member. This warning will be noted and retained by the Club Secretary for future reference.
Expulsion/Suspension – In cases of gross misconduct that seriously affects the interests and/or good name of the Club, or for misconduct that has occurred whilst a Written Warning is still in force, the disciplinary panel may recommend that the member(s) concerned be expelled from the Club with immediate effect. Depending on the nature and degree of the misconduct, the disciplinary panel will have the discretion to recommend that the member(s) is/are suspended as an alternative to expulsion. In cases of gross misconduct, it is recommended that the member concerned be suspended from the Club immediately a complaint or information about such is received.
b. Written confirmation of the disciplinary decision will be sent to the member(s) by the Club Secretary within ten days of the hearing and contain the following information:-
– the disciplinary decision and reasons for the decision
– the fact that there is time limit after which the warning or suspension may be disregarded for
– future disciplinary purposes
– the right of appeal and the appeal procedure.
c. Verbal warnings will normally lapse and be disregarded for any future disciplinary purposes after a period of twelve months. All written warnings and suspensions will normally lapse and be disregarded for any future disciplinary purposes after a period of two years.
5. APPEALS
a. A member may appeal against a disciplinary decision, by writing to the Club Secretary within ten days of receiving the decision in writing, and then by appealing to the members through the EGM process.
b. The purpose of the appeal will be to review the decision taken by the disciplinary panel and ensure that procedures have been followed correctly. It is not to re-hear the case in any way, except where new evidence has come to light.
c. The member lodging the appeal may be accompanied by a witness or representative. The Chair of the disciplinary panel will also attend the EGM to explain the disciplinary decision.
d. The member lodging the appeal (or their representative) will be allowed to explain their grounds for appeal and why the disciplinary decision is disputed.
e. The decision of the EGM is final.
f. Written confirmation of the decision, and an explanation of it, will be sent to the member by the Club Secretary within ten days of the EGM.
