Constitution and Rules

 POLICE SPORT UK

(Founded 1928 as the Police Athletic Association)

CONSTITUTION AND RULES

(Approved by the Secretaries of State
for Home Department, Scotland,
Northern Ireland, and Wales)

POLICE SPORT UK

Patron:

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

Joint Presidents:

The Rt. Hon. The Secretary of State for Home Department
The Rt. Hon. The Secretary of State for Scotland
The Rt. Hon. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Rt. Hon. The Secretary of State for Wales

Officers of the Association

Chairman
Vice-Chairmen
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
Administration and Finance Officer

POLICE SPORT UK: REGIONS

• No. 1 North West  -  Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside. 
• No. 2 North East - Cleveland, Durham, Humberside, Northumbria, North Yorkshire, South  Yorkshire, West Yorkshire 
• No. 3 East Midlands – Derbyshire, Leicestershire Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire,  Nottinghamshire 
• No. 4 West Midlands – Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia, West Midlands 
• No. 5 Eastern – Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk 
• No. 6 South East - Hampshire, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley, City of London 
• No. 7 South West - Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, States of JerseyPolice 
• No. 8 Metropolitan - Metropolitan Police
• No. 9 Wales - Dyfed Powys, Gwent, North Wales, South Wales 
• No. 10 Scotland - Central Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Lothian and Borders, Northern, Strathclyde, Tayside
• No. 11 Northern Ireland - Police Service of Northern Ireland
• No. 12 British Transport Police

POLICE SPORT UK: RULES

NAME

1. The Association shall be designated "Police Sport UK" (hereinafter referred to as "The Association".

2. OBJECTS

a. To encourage all forms of amateur sport and its connection with a physical fitness for life strategy throughout the Police Forces of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and in Europe.

b. To promote and control, subject to the Rules and Regulations of the various Governing Associations and Societies, suitable sporting competitions and championships within the Police Service.

c. To support and encourage for the benefit of the membership of affiliated sports clubs, ancillary commercial enterprise which directly supports of the activities of Police Sport (UK).

d. Police Sport UK does not support other major commercial business not connected with sporting activity.

MEMBERSHIP

3. Membership of the Association shall be confined to Sports Clubs of Police Forces in the United Kingdom as defined by legislation relating to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as currently enacted and in any amending Acts.

COUNCIL

4. The management of the Association shall be invested in a Council (hereafter referred to as "The Council"), which shall consist of serving members to be appointed as follows:

a. One Officer of the rank of Chief Constable or Assistant Chief Constable elected by the Regional Chief Constable’s Conference and one other member elected by each PSUK Regional Committee.

b. Co-opted Chairs of Sporting Sections appointed by Council.

c. Two representatives of the Metropolitan Police Athletic Association.

d. Two representatives of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Athletic Association.

e. Two officers of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland) elected by the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland) and two other members, one of Superintendent rank and one other member elected by the Scottish Regional Committee Police Sport (UK).

f. One representative from each sporting section of Police Sport UK.

g. Vice-Presidents and Honorary Members.

Substitutes from Regional Committees or Sporting Sections may attend meetings of Council.

5. THE FUNCTION OF THE COUNCIL WILL BE:

a. To appoint annually a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.

b. To appoint a Management Committee.

c. To publish a Sport Development strategy and annual objectives.

d. To support achievement against the plan and to monitor progress.

e. To approve the annual budget including grants to sporting sections.

f. To employ an Administration and Finance Manager.

g. To appoint Chairs and second or additional representatives of Sporting Sections.

PRESIDENTS AND VICE-PRESIDENTS

6. (i) The Council shall appoint Joint Presidents and Vice-Presidents.

(ii) The Joint Presidents of the Association shall be the Secretaries of State for The Home Department, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

ELECTIONS

7. Elections of Regional Representatives of the Council shall be held prior to 1st April in each year and appointments shall take effect from that date.

MEETINGS

8. The Council will meet twice in each year as follows:

May/June, with the Annual General Meeting and each November /December

9. THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WILL CONSIST OF:

• The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
• The Administration and Finance Officer.
• Any other member, co-opted at the discretion of the Chair.

10. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WILL BE:

a. To be responsible to the Council for the day-to-day administration of Police Sport UK and the realisation and reporting on progress of the sports development policy.   
b. To make management decisions which fall within Council policy.
c. To make recommendations to Council on amendments to policy.
d. To make budget recommendations to Council.
e. To appoint ad hoc working groups to consider specific issues as appropriate.
f. To meet as required.
g. To approve Competition Rules for affiliated Sporting Sections.
h. To approve sport policy and the constitutional rules for each Region committee and affiliated Sports Section.
i. To ensure compliance with Police Sport UK Policy and Rules.
j. Annually to appoint Auditors who shall be qualified Accountants.
k. To prepare annually a report to the Annual General Meeting on progress towards the objectives of the Association and on the sporting activity of the association.
l. To approve Honours and other awards for sports persons.

11. REGIONAL COMMITTEES WILL BE COMPOSED OF:

a. Chair, appointed by the Regional ACPO Committee.
b. Regional Secretary, Treasurer and Region Council Member appointed by the Region Committee.
c. At least one representative of each affiliated force sports club with the region.

12. THE FUNCTIONS OF REGIONAL COMMITTEES WILL BE:

a. To encourage the development of police sport within the Region.
b. To arrange Regional championships and qualifiers as appropriate.
c. To select Regional representation for national championships.
d. To meet at least twice per year.

13. NATIONAL SPORTING SECTIONS SHALL BE COMPOSED OF:

a. Chair appointed by Council, Secretary, Treasurer and AGM Representative elected by the Committee.
b. Second Council Representative appointed by Council.
c. A representative of each Region (to be the contact point for the Regional Committee).
d. Co-opted members.
e. Vice Presidents and Honorary Members.

14. THE FUNCTION OF NATIONAL SPORTING COMMITTEES WILL BE:

a. To elect a Secretary, Treasurer and AGM Representative.
b. To meet at least once per year and to hold an open annual general meeting for the sport.
c. To encourage the development of police sport within all affiliated forces.
d. To organise national Championships.
e. To select competitors for National and International representation.
f. To ensure compliance with Police Sport UK policy, competition rules and the rules of the appropriate sport governing body.

15. VACANCIES ON COMMITTEES

In the event of a vacancy caused by the death, resignation or transfer of a member of a Committee of the Council or any other committee, the Council, or in the case of any other committee, the appropriate Committee shall have the power to fill that vacancy for the remainder of the period of office.

16. OTHER MEETINGS

The Chairman or the Honorary Secretary of the Association, the Chairman or Honorary Secretary of a Committee, or any three Council members of any Committee, shall have the power at any time to request a meeting of that Committee.

17. EMERGENCIES

The Chairman, Honorary General Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall deal with all emergencies or matters of an urgent nature, and for such a purpose may co-opt the Sectional Chairman or Secretary concerned and will report their action at the next Meeting of the Management Committee.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

18. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall normally be held in the Month of May. Two months notice of the date, time, and place of such meeting shall be given.

19. (a) Notice of motion or any business for consideration shall be forwarded in writing to the Honorary Secretary of the affiliated clubs within 28 days of such notice of the Annual General Meeting being issued. Particulars of such motion shall be included in the Agenda and published at least fourteen days prior to the meeting, together with a copy of the financial statement.

(b) No repetitive motions seeking a change of rules to the Constitution should be proposed before the Annual General Meeting in successive years.

20. The business to be transacted at the Annual General Meeting shall be -

(a) To take a strategic overview of Police Sport UK activities and business.
(b) To approve any Strategic Plans.
(c) To receive a report on the progress against strategy.
(d) To receive the Report of the Honorary Secretary on the sporting activity of the Association.
(e) To receive the Report of the Treasurer;
(f) To approve the appointment of the Auditors.
(g) To transact any business which appears on the Agenda.

21. A Special General Meeting shall be called at the discretion of the Council, or within 28 days, by the Honorary General Secretary, on receipt of a requisition by at least ten affiliated clubs. Fourteen days notice of such Meeting, together with the Agenda, shall be given.

22. At the Annual General Meeting and Special General Meeting, the voting shall be restricted to the members of the Council and representatives of sporting sections and affiliated Forces who shall be allowed one vote for each thousand or part of a thousand of the authorised establishment of their respective Force. In the event of the votes being equal, the matter will be decided by the Chairman's casting vote.

FINANCE

23. The Council of Police Sport UK shall determine an annual budget for the period 1st January to 31st December in any year. In setting the budget Council will take account of the budget for the previous year up rated in line with the police pay settlement for the previous year.

Every affiliated club shall pay to the Council an annual fee based on the force percentage of the annual budget determined by total numbers of Police Officers and Police Staff in post on 1st October preceding the budget year. Such fee shall be paid to the Honorary Treasurer not later than the first day of April in each year.

24. The Council shall control the funds of the Association and act as Trustees for all their property.

25. The Honorary Treasurer shall hold to the credit of the Association all monies received and the funds shall be vested in the name of Police Sport UK.

26. The Financial Year shall be from 1st January to 31st December. The accounts shall be made up to 31st December and after being audited the Annual Financial Statement prepared there-from.

27. All Accounts (except Petty Cash Accounts) shall be paid by cheque, signed by any two of the following: The Chairman, Vice-Chairmen, Honorary General Secretary, Treasurer and the Administration and Finance Manager.

28. The Honorary Treasurer and the Administration and Finance Manager shall keep such cash and stock books as approved by the Auditors and shall work in accordance with the Financial Standing Orders of the Association.

29. The financial rules shall apply to Sectional Committees as far as possible.

30. The Honorary Secretary of each Sectional Committee shall submit to the Honorary Treasurer of the Council before 30 September of each year a Grant application to cover sectional sporting activity and by 31 December of each year, a Balance Sheet and Accounts for the financial year ended on that date.

31. (a) All the funds or other property of the Association shall not be paid or distributed among members of the Association, but shall be applied towards the furtherance of the Association's stated aims and objects or for any charitable purpose.

(b) In the event of dissolution the funds remaining will be devoted to other organisations whose aims and object are similar to those of the Association or to other purposes approved by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise.

AFFILIATION

32. The Association shall be affiliated to the governing Associations and Societies of all Sports sponsored by the Association.

CHAMPIONSHIPS

33. Team and Individual Championships or Competitions promoted by the Association shall be held annually, subject to the approval of the Council, under the Rules and Regulations of the respective Governing Associations or Societies.

34. Police Championships in Great Britain and Northern Ireland shall not be instituted without the consent of the Council.

COMPETITORS

35. A competitor who is an amateur, or who has been re- instated to amateur status may compete in any Police Championship but a Competitor who has been granted a permit by the Governing Association or Society of his particular branch of sport, shall only be eligible to compete in the Police Championships relative to his or her particular branch of sport.

36. (a) Only members of affiliated clubs who have been sworn in as paid Constables, Special Constables, PSNI Part Time Reserves, paid Police Support Staff, retired Police Officers, retired Support Staff, or paid Cadets or staff of the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA), and personnel affected by the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations (Former Police Civilian Staff) (TUPE) process who are members of their Force Sports Clubs or Associations shall be eligible to participate in any event promoted by the Association. In pursuit of this rule, retired personnel as defined, shall only be permitted to obtain membership of affiliated clubs in the Force area in which they reside or in the force they have previously served in.

(b) The definition of paid Support Staff only covers paid employees of a Police Force. The definition does not cover other persons who are employed under contract to other organisations, whether or not they are employed on police premises.

(c) The definition of a retired Police Officer is a person who has retired as a member of a Home Department Police Force and is in receipt of a police pension. The definition of retired Support Staff is a person who has been an employee of a police force as defined in (b) who is in receipt of a police authority pension.

(d) The rule excludes personnel who have terminated their employment with a police force mid term and who at the time, although not qualifying for a police pension, have nevertheless frozen their pension contributions for the sole purpose of obtaining a pension at some later stage.

CHALLENGE TROPHIES

37. All Challenge Trophies are the property of the Association. Winners may only hold them subject to the conditions of the agreement entered into by them. Clubs are responsible for their safe custody and return to the Honorary General Secretary on demand.

38. The Honorary Treasurer to set aside a sum of money each year to cover the cost of any loss or repair to the trophies belonging to Police Sport UK.

MINUTE AND RECORD BOOK

39. The Honorary Secretaries of the Council and the Committees shall keep correct minutes of all proceedings, and the Honorary General Secretary of the Council shall keep a Record containing details and results of all events promoted by the Association.

ALTERATION OF RULES

40. None of the foregoing rules shall be altered, revoked, or added to, save by a majority of those present and voting at the Annual General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose and such shall not be valid till they have been approved by the Secretaries of State for Home Department, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Updated  May, 2011.