Our Constitution
1. NAME
1.1. The name of The Club shall be Barts and The London Water Polo Club hereinafter referred to as “The Club”.
1.1.1. Men and/or women shall play under the name Barts and The London Water Polo Club This may be abbreviated to BLWP where the situation permits.
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1. Barts and The London Student Association shall be known as “BLSA”
2.2. Queen Mary Students’ Union shall be known as “QMSU”.
2.3. The BLSA Sports Officer or equivalent shall be known as “BLSO”.
2.4. United Hospitals shall be known as “UH”
2.5. The term student describes a student of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, or Queen Mary University of London
2.6. Alumni refers to ex-members of The Club.
3. OBJECTIVES
3.1. The aims and objectives of The Club shall be to provide facilities, equipment and support for its members to train and compete in Water Polo events, and to promote improvement and success in those events.
3.2. The Club will aim to ensure that no member receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, creed, ethnicity, gender, marital status, sexual orientation or social class or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.
3.3. The Club will promote the wider community of BLSA to its members.
4. AFFILIATION
4.1. This constitution shall be in co-ordination with the QMSU Clubs and Societies Regulations, QMSU’s Constitution and bylaws.
4.2. The Club may affiliate to other bodies on approval of a general meeting.
5. MEMBERSHIP
5.1. Membership of The Club shall be open to those as stated in the QMSU Clubs and Societies Regulations.
5.2. Membership shall begin when an eligible person signs a Members Declaration/Code of Conduct, and shall automatically cease should they not pay due Subscription fees within one month of the due date.
5.3. The Club will have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis
5.3.1. Standard –covers pool hire, all training sessions, BUCS League entry, all social events, and contributes to the general upkeep of the Club. If a finalist purchases they shall be entitled to a 25% discount on the clubs International Tour.
5.3.2. Social - covers all social events and contribution to the general upkeep of the Club.
5.3.3. Alumni - covers the Christmas Dinner Event meal (not including alcohol), the Alumni Day Event meal (not including alcohol), all social events, and contribution to the general upkeep of the Club.
5.3.4. Late (January onwards) - covers pool hire, all training sessions, BUCS League entry, all social events, and contribution to the general upkeep of the Club.
5.4. The rates of subscription shall be determined by the incoming and outgoing Club committees in coordination with the annual budget application required by QMSU.
5.4.1. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating but covers all reasonable costs.
5.4.2. The Club will promote the QMSU Club Sport Financial Support Fund prior to the deadline of subscription payment.
5.5. All members who purchase a membership will abide by the Rules and Regulations detailed by QMSU, and any other external body’s regulations to which The Club is affiliated.
5.6. Any member may resign giving one month's clear notice in writing to the President but will not be reimbursed their membership fee.
5.7. By paying a subscription fee a member agrees to abide by the Members Declaration which will outline the duties and responsibilities of all members of The Club to ensure that all activities are carried out in a safe and enjoyable manner for everyone and that they will not bring The Club or BLSA into disrepute.
5.8. If it is considered by The Club committee that the granting or renewal of membership would be detrimental to the aims and objectives of The Club, by virtue of conduct or character likely to bring The Club into disrepute or for some other similar good cause, The Club committee shall be entitled to refuse or withdraw such membership.
5.8.1. In doing so the committee shall inform the BLSO and provide full written reasons for their decision.
5.8.2. The BLSO will allow any member whose membership is so refused or withdrawn to appeal to QMSU, where the BLSO will alongside members of staff at QMSU approve or disapprove the Committee’s decision, and refer the decision to QMSU/QMUL’s disciplinary procedure if necessary.
5.8.3. Following an unsuccessful appeal the member shall be allowed a partial refund on their subscription.
5.9. Colours and Blues are awarded by BLSA at Rites of Passage to members who have contributed substantially to BLSA clubs.
5.9.1. Colours represent that a member has contributed notably to The Club.
5.9.2. Blues represent the highest award available for exceptional services to The Club.
6. GRIEVANCE AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
6.1. An individual or member with a complaint about treatment by The Club should set out their grievance, in the first instance to The Club President and/or to the BLSO or BLSA President. If the Club is not notified by the member the BLSO/ BLSA President will arrange a meeting regarding the complaint. The Club will respond to the complaint in a fair and timely manner and will inform the BLSO of their response. The BLSO will refer the complaint to QMSU’s disciplinary procedure if necessary.
7. GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE CLUB
7.1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held yearly
7.2. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called on the instructions of a simple majority of the Committee, or on a requisition signed by not less than 25% of the full members of The Club entitled to vote.
7.3. The Club Captain of The Club shall chair all General Meetings. If the Club Captain is absent, a Chair shall be elected from among the Committee Members present
7.4. At all General Meetings not less than 50% + 1 members of The Club entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum
7.5. Absences of Quorum: If after half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the Meeting shall be adjourned until a time and place to be fixed by the Committee. If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for an Adjourned Meeting, the members present shall be a quorum.
7.6. The Committee shall inform the BLSO of the date and agenda of the AGM and any EGM.
7.7. Only those with an up-to-date membership are eligible to vote in the AGM or EGM.
7.7.1. Full subs paying Men may only vote for the Men’s Captain
7.7.2. Full subs paying Women may only vote for the Women’s Captain
7.8. Rules about holding General meetings eg:
- Submitting motions/agendas must be seconded by at least 1 other person
- The secretary will scribe the minutes of the General Meeting and help the Club Captain count the votes
- Subs paying members have the right to vote
- Voting happens by all those present (apart from the Club Captain and Secretary) closing their eyes and raising their hand for the nomination they would like to vote for.
- Those who cannot attend but would like to vote can Skype/Video call in to vote by proxy after hearing the nominees speeches
8. STAFF PRESIDENT(S)
8.1. The Staff President(s) of The Club is to be held by appropriate staff member(s) of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.
8.1.1. The role of the Staff President is to ensure that the Alumni are maintained within the club
9. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND ELECTION
9.1. The Committee shall consist of the following offices: Club Captain, Master of the Treasury, Men’s Captain, Women’s Captain, LUSL Captain, Secretary, Social Secretary, Tour Secretary, Alumni Officer, Charity and Welfare Officer
9.2. All offices shall be filled by members of The Club through elections at an Annual General Meeting.
9.3. All principle offices must be held by students at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
9.3.1. The principle offices are Club Captain, Captains, and Master of the Treasury. Any additional principle offices can be voted on at an AGM.
9.4. If an office is unfilled the position(s) may be co-opted from the members of The Club by the committee if a suitable candidate is found in future.
9.5. The following limitations are placed upon the number of individuals that can hold each office
9.5.1. Club Captain, Master of the Treasury, Men’s Captain, Women’s Captain, Secretary, Tour Secretary, Alumni Officer, Charity and Welfare Officer shall be held by no greater than one person each.
9.5.2. LUSL Captain and Social Secretary shall be held by no greater than two persons
9.6. How AGM works
9.6.1 Nominations – Members will be nominated for a position by getting 2 or more nominations via form sent out to the Club members prior to AGM. On the day of AGM, a person may be nominated for a position if 2 or more people nominate them
9.6.2 Running – Members running for a position must prepare a 1 minute speech (2 for Club Captain) on why they want their nominated role
9.6.3 Voting – After the nominees have said their speeches, they will leave the room and the remaining members will have a discussion. This will be followed by a blind vote counted by the Club Captain and Secretary (unless either of them have been nominated)
9.6.4 Scribing – The Secretary will scribe the event
9.7. If a member who has been nominated for an office is unsuccessful at being elected to that office then they may be re-nominated
9.8. In all elections voting Members shall have the following options:
9.8.1. To place a vote of confidence in a single candidate or group of candidates standing for an office that they are eligible to vote for, or
9.8.2. To vote no confidence in the candidate(s), or
9.8.3. To abstain from voting.
9.9. The term of office shall be for one year starting immediately after the Annual General Meeting. The outgoing committee will provide a comprehensive handover for the new committee within 2 weeks
9.10.No limit on the number of terms a Member may hold an office for
9.11. A General or Committee Meeting may hold a vote of ‘no confidence’ in any committee member(s).
9.11.1. If passed, the member(s) concerned must resign.
9.11.2. A replacement shall be sought from within The Club by the same meeting
9.11.3. If a replacement cannot be immediately be found in the interim period the member(s) duties shall be redistributed amongst the Committee according to an agreement made at a meeting, until such a replacement is appointed at a subsequent meeting.
9.12.If a member resigns of his or her own accord then the processes in 9.11.2 and 9.11.3 shall be followed.
10. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
10.1. The Committee shall meet at regular intervals during the year, as required by the business to be transacted.
10.2. An agenda shall be drawn up by the Secretary and circulated at least two days before the meeting
10.3. Special meetings of the Committee can be called by The Club Captain or Captains, or by not less than 3 committee members
10.4. The Club Captain will chair all committee meetings. If absent, a Chair shall be elected from among the Committee Members present.
10.5. A quorum shall consist of not less than 50% +1 committee members.
10.6. The business of meetings shall normally be taken in the following order:
10.6.1. Apologies;
10.6.2. Minutes of the previous meeting;
10.6.3. Matters arising from the previous meeting;
10.6.4. Reports, statements and motions submitted and published in advance of the meeting;
10.6.5. Any other business;
10.7. Concerning voting at a committee meeting:
10.7.1. The following offices carry a vote; Club Captain, Master of the Treasury, Men’s Captain, Women’s Captain, LUSL Captain, Secretary, Social Secretary, Tour Secretary, Alumni Officer, Welfare Officer.
10.7.2. The Chair shall only vote in the event of a tie.
10.8. The minutes of Committee meetings, save any Reserved Business, shall be made available to all Members.
11. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
11.1. The Committee shall conduct the affairs of The Club as a whole.
11.2. The duties of the Committee members shall be as follows unless otherwise decided at a Committee meeting:
11.2.1. Club Captain – The Club Captain will preside at all General Meetings of the Club and at all meetings of the Committee. They shall be responsible for guiding the activities of the Club in accordance with its general policy as expressed by the majority of its members. The Club Captain shall represent or arrange for the representation of the Club at meetings of other organisations. The Club Captain shall ex-officio be a member of any committee of the Club. They shall aid the all Committee members in performing their role. They shall present to the members of the Club the outcomes of committee meetings throughout the year.
11.2.2. Master of the Treasury - The Master of the Treasury will be responsible for the collection and disbursement of all money belonging to the Club and will keep proper accounting records of all such transactions. They will present to the members at the AGM a balance sheet and an income/expenditure account showing the Club’s financial position and the results of its transactions for the year. The Master of the Treasury should also present a financial plan for the upcoming year at the first committee meeting detailing the expenditures of the Club’s grant allocation and income plan for their subscription account.
11.2.3. Men’s Captain - The Men’s Captain will be present at all committee meetings and General Meetings of the Club. They will be in charge of maintaining a transparent team selection and, in conjunction with the other Captains, coordinate a training plan for the Club. They will be in charge of organising BUCS League, BUCS Cup, and Friendly matches for the Men’s Team. They will be in charge of maintaining a good morale within the Men’s Team.
11.2.4. Women’s Captain - The Women’s Captain will be present at all committee meetings and General Meetings of the Club. They will be in charge of maintaining a transparent team selection and, in conjunction with the other Captains, coordinate a training plan for the Club. They will be in charge of organising BUCS League, BUCS Cup, and Friendly matches for the Women’s Team. They will be in charge of maintaining a good morale within the Women’s Team.
11.2.5. LUSL Captain - The LUSL Captain will be present at all committee meetings and General Meetings of the Club. They will be in charge of maintaining a transparent team selection and, in conjunction with the other Captains, coordinate a training plan for the Club. They will be in charge of organising LUSL League, LUSL Cup, and Friendly matches for their respective LUSL Team. They will be in charge of maintaining a good morale within their respective LUSL Team.
11.2.6. Secretary - The Secretary will be present at all committee meetings and General Meetings of the Club. The Secretary shall document minutes from every meeting and General Meetings of the Club. They will be responsible for the maintenance of the Club’s Social Media and Website.
11.2.7. Social Secretary - The Social Secretary will be present at all committee meetings and General Meetings of the Club. They will be responsible for organising all social events and meetings of the Club.
11.2.8. Tour Secretary - The Tour Secretary does not need to be present at all committee meetings but shall be present at all General Meetings. They will be responsible for organising a National Tour and an International Tour for the Club. They will run these tours with the help of the Social Secretaries. They must also actively search to organise an Alumni Tour which will be ran by the outgoing and incoming Tour Secretaries and Social Secretaries.
11.2.9. Alumni Officer - The Alumni Officer will be present at all committee meetings and General Meetings of the Club. The Alumni Officer will send out bi-monthly newsletters to the Alumni. They will also be responsible for organising Alumni Day, purchasing of Alumni Ties, and purchasing of Alumni Necklaces. They will be responsible for keeping the Alumni in loop and in contact with the Club’s activity.
11.2.10. Charity and Welfare Officer - To promote and raise awareness of university campaigns during the weeks specified. Ensure that the club’s activity and its members are safe from bullying or pressure. Signpost, not deal with, issues regarding certain members to relevant university support services. Advise any members of the committee or the club on activities that could be perceived to create a non-inclusive environment within the club. Organise the annual charity tournament. Organise the Swimathon or other fundraising activity, of which there must be one per year. Coordinate the clubs volunteering activities. Engage with, and contribute to, the BL Sport-wide approach to tackling racism and barriers to inclusivity in sport.
11.3. All Committee Members and additional appointed officers shall hand over all relevant materials to and educate their successors in the running of The Club during the first 2 weeks after their election.
11.4. Non-attendance of three Committee Meetings when apologies for absence have not been accepted shall result in the resignation of the Committee Member involved.
11.5. If a Committee member resigns mid-term a EGM should be held to elect a new position within 2 weeks.
12. SAFETY
12.1. The Officers and Committee have primary responsibility for safe practice within The Club.
13. CLUB COLOURS AND LOGO
13.1. The Club colours shall be black and white and should be used where ever possible especially on kit and customisable equipment.
13.2. The Club logo is shown on the front page of the constitution and should be used on kit and equipment when possible
14. UNITED HOSPITALS
14.1. The Club will assist the Club Captain in the organising of competitions and events to support The Clubs reputation
14.2. The Club must abide by all regulations and the constitution set out by UH
15. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
15.1. Any decision to dissolve The Club would require a 75% majority vote of all the eligible members of The Club at a General Meeting.
16. POWER OF DECISION
16.1. Any matter not provided for in this constitution, or any question over the interpretation of it shall be dealt with by the BLSA President whose decision will be final.
17. ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
17.1. This constitution shall not be altered, amended or rescinded except by a General Meeting of The Club and ratification by the Club Captain.
17.2. A resolution to give effect to a change must be passed by at least a 75% majority of the members present at the General Meeting, and voting on this behalf.