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Last Updated: 1st January 2022
1.Title
1.1
The association shall be called Shotokan Connect, a not-for-profit body affiliated to the English Karate Federation.
2. Values
2.1
Shotokan Connect’s core values are honour, honesty, respect and inclusion.
2.2
In pursuit of these core values, Shotokan Connect will:
3. Connection
3.1
Club Connection to Shotokan Connect shall be open to any club that fulfils the published criteria, completes a Club Connection application form, and pays the relevant fees.
3.1.1
In order to maintain their connection clubs must abide by the rules of Shotokan Connect.
3.1.2
Clubs must ensure that each member of the club joins Shotokan Connect with an Individual Connection.
3.2
Connection for individual karateka to Shotokan Connect shall be open to any person fulfilling the published criteria who completes the appropriate application form and pays the relevant fees.
3.2.1
In order to maintain connection individuals must abide by the rules of Shotokan Connect.
for karateka who are members of a club that holds a Club Connection to Shotokan Connect
for karateka who are not a member of a club that holds a Club Connection to Shotokan Connect
the Steering Committee may grant Honorary Connection to those individuals that are deemed to have been of outstanding assistance in the development of Shotokan Connect.
4. Steering Committee
4.1
The affairs of Shotokan Connect shall be controlled by a Steering Committee drawn from the members of Shotokan Connect. Appointment to the Steering Committee shall be through an application, selection and interview process, based on predetermined criteria specific to each committee position. The appointment process will be conducted by the Founder Members of Shotokan Connect. Any member of Shotokan Connect is eligible to submit an application for any available position on the committee. The Steering Committee will meet at agreed intervals and not less than four times per year.
4.2
The Steering Committee will comprise of nine positions as follows:
Chair Person
Vice Chair Person
Secretary
Connection Manager
Finance Manager
Communication, Marketing and Website Manager
Data Protection Manager
Wellbeing Manager
Events & Social Manager
4.3
The duties of the Steering Committee will be:
4.3.1
To provide proper management and control the affairs of Shotokan Connect on behalf of the affiliated clubs and members.
4.3.2
To keep accurate accounts of the finances of Shotokan Connect through the Finance Manager. These should be available for reasonable inspection by affiliated clubs and members.
4.3.3
Shotokan Connect shall maintain a bank current account held in the name of Shotokan Connect Ltd and all income/funds will be deposited into it. Payments on behalf of Shotokan Connect must be authorised by at least two of the following: Chair Person; Vice Chair Person; and Finance Manager.
4.3.4
To co-opt additional members to sub-committees/working groups as the Steering Committee feels is necessary. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Steering Committee.
4.3.5
To make decisions, give assent to, or ratify decisions made by the sub-committees/working groups on the basis of a simple majority vote of the Steering Committee members present at the meeting where one person has one vote irrespective of whether they hold more than one role save that, in the case of equal votes, the Chair Person shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
4.3.6
Organise any competitions, courses and other events
4.4
All members of the Steering Committee are appointed for a period of two years.
5. Directors
5.1
The appointment of a Director is dependent on, and subsequent to, the appointment of that individual to one of the eleven named positions on the Steering Committee listed above. All members of the Steering Committee will, under normal circumstances, be Directors.
5.2
In exceptional circumstances an individual may be appointed to a position on the Steering Committee and be permitted not to be a Director.
5.3
When an individual ceases to be a member of the Steering Committee, they will also cease to be a Director.
6. Quality Assurance Committee
6.1
The quality and technical aspects of karate within Shotokan Connect shall be controlled by a Quality Assurance Committee appointed by the Founder Members of Shotokan Connect. The Quality Assurance Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than four times per year.
6.2
The duties of the Quality Assurance Committee shall be to determine technical matters and rules, such as the grading rules and syllabus, appointment of kyu and dan grading examiners, kata standardisation and competition rules.
7. General Meetings
7.1
Shotokan Connect shall hold an Annual General Meeting not later than the end of July each year at which any member may attend.
7.2
The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:
7.2.1
Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any Special General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting;
7.2.2
Receive the accounts for the year from the Finance Manager;
7.2.3
Receive the annual report of the Steering Committee from the Secretary;
7.2.4
Ratify the appointment of members of the Steering Committee;
7.2.5
Review fees for the forthcoming year; and
7.2.6
Transact any such other business included by the Secretary on the agenda.
NOTE: The agenda may provide for “Any Other Business”, but Members are encouraged to refer other items to the Steering Committee and give the required notice for important Annual General Meeting business.
7.3
Special General Meetings may be convened by the Steering Committee as deemed necessary or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than 50% of the Affiliated Clubs.
7.4
The Secretary shall give at least 21 clear days’ notice of a General Meeting by emailing every affiliated club. Affiliated clubs must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the General Meeting at least 14 days before the meeting. The Secretary will circulate the agenda for the meeting to affiliated clubs not less than 7 days before the meeting.
7.5
New appointments to the Steering Committee must be selected at least 14 days in advance of the General Meeting date, for ratification at the meeting.
7.6
At General Meetings, the chair will be taken by the Chair Person of the Steering Committee or, in their absence, by the Vice Chair Person.
7.7
Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes. Affiliated clubs must nominate a club member to vote on their behalf and each affiliated club represented at the meeting will be entitled to one vote, no matter how many club members are present. Individual members and honorary members may not vote. In the event of the number of votes cast for opposing propositions being equal, the Chair Person shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
7.8
A quorum for a General Meeting shall be two-thirds of affiliated clubs and at least six Directors of Shotokan Connect and must include at least two of the following: Chair Person; Vice Chair Person; Secretary; Finance Manager.
8. Disciplinary Matters
8.1
The Steering Committee is responsible for taking disciplinary action against any affiliated club, member, group of members or individual whose actions are deemed to be in contravention of the rules and procedures of Shotokan Connect.
8.2
At its discretion, and where it considers appropriate, the Steering Committee may deal with a disciplinary matter in an informal manner. However, should the Steering Committee deem a matter to be sufficiently serious it will invoke the Disciplinary Procedure (see separate Disciplinary Procedure). The Steering Committee may impose an immediate suspension pending investigation.
8.3
Any disciplinary action, when taken, will be exercised in a fair and reasonable manner and those affected will have a right of appeal against any decision reached.
9. Alterations to the Constitution
9.1
Period 1st June 2021 to 31st December 2021
Alterations to the Constitution can be made at any appropriately convened meeting of the Steering Committee. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Director and seconded by another Director. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of the members of the Steering Committee.
9.2
Period 1st January 2022 onwards
Any proposed alterations to the Constitution may be considered at an appropriately convened General Meeting. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Director or a member of an affiliated club and seconded by another Director or member of a different affiliated club. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those affiliated clubs present at the General Meeting.
9.3
If there is any conflict between this Constitution and the Articles of Association then the latter will prevail and the relevant provision of the Constitution shall be deemed suspended. The Steering Committee will meet as soon as practicable to alter the Constitution to remove the conflict.