Disciplinary Procedure

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Purpose and scope
This procedure is designed to help and encourage all members of LUFC to  achieve and maintain standards of behaviour as detailed within the  club’s Code of Conducts and operation rules.
The emphasis of Disciplinary Procedure is, in the first instance, on the  improvement of the member’s behaviour by working in partnership with  them and their parent/guardian rather than just on imposing sanctions.
The Club will impose sanctions in the most serious cases or where  improvement in the member’s behaviour has not been forthcoming. Our aim  is to ensure consistent and fair treatment for all members.

Principles
The Disciplinary Committee will consist of the Club Welfare Officer and a  minimum of two more members of the Club Football Committee. A meeting  will be convened within 30 days of the alleged breach of the Code of  Conduct or operational rules and the member  will be notified in writing or by email of the nature of their failure  to maintain the standards required to be a member of LUFC.
Any incident giving rise to a breach of the Code of Conducts or  Operational rules should be reported to the Club Honorary Secretary, or  Child Welfare Officer in their absence please email lucanunitedfc@gmail.com.

If the Club Secretary considers that a potential breach of the Code of  Conduct or operational rules has occurred, the matter will be passed to  the Welfare Officer who will coordinate the investigation and institute  the disciplinary procedure.
Members will be notified of the time, date and venue of the meeting by  letter and will be required to confirm attendance no later than 48 hours  prior to the date of the meeting. The member if under 18 will be  required to attend with their parent/guardian.
The member and or their representative will be given an opportunity to  state their case prior to any decision being made by the Disciplinary  Committee. No disciplinary action will be taken against a member until a  full investigation as to the circumstances  of the incident have been conducted by the club.

At all stages of the investigation the member will be required to be  accompanied by their parent/guardian, if they are under 18, who may make  representations on their behalf and confirm that the member fully  understands the potential breach of the code or operation  rules, the procedure taking place and the sanction, if any, imposed by  the Disciplinary Committee.

All aspects of the investigation will remain  confidential. No member will be dismissed from the Club for a first  breach of the Code of Conduct except in cases where there has been a  Gross Misconduct as detailed under section 4.

In those circumstances a specific procedure will be followed. A member  will have the right to appeal against any disciplinary action imposed.  An appeal should be addressed to the Club Secretary and submitted within  seven days from the date that the Disciplinary  Committee’s decision is communicated to the member.

Procedure
Stage1 Verbal Warning
If the conduct is deemed to be in breach of the standards laid down in  the Code of Conduct or Operational procedures, a member will in the  first instance be given a verbal warning.
The member and their parent/guardian will be advised of the reason for  the warning and notified that this is the first stage of the  Disciplinary Procedure. He or she will be notified that they have a  right to appeal, the timescale upon which the appeal should  be submitted to the Club Secretary for the Club’s further  consideration. A note of the verbal warning will be kept by the Club  Secretary, but will be discarded after 12 months or in line with the  present requirements of the Data Protection Act.
Where a follow up review is necessary, the member will be advised of  this and the timescales for review. In those circumstances, an action  plan will be mutually agreed with the member or parent/guardian if under  18, and a mentor appointed by the Club.

Stage2 Written Warning
If the matter is more serious or there is a further breach of the Code  of Conduct or Operational rules, then a written warning will be given to  the member. This will explain the reason for the warning, the  improvement in conduct required and the timescale.  Further, if there is no improvement that action detailed in Stage 3 may  be considered. The right of appeal against this decision will be  advised and explained to the member. An action plan will be mutually  agreed with the member or parent/guardian if under  18, and a mentor appointed by the Club. A copy of the written warning  will be kept by the Club Secretary, but will be discarded for  disciplinary purposes after 12 months subject to satisfactory conduct

Stage3 Final Written Warning
If there is still a failure to improve and conduct is still  unsatisfactory, or if the matter is sufficiently serious to warrant only  one written warning but insufficiently serious to justify dismissal  from the club, a final written warning will be given by  the Committee.
This will explain the reason for the warning, the improvement required  and the timescale. An action plan will be mutually agreed with the  member or parent/guardian if under 18, and a mentor appointed by the  Club. It will also warn that dismissal from the Club  will result if there is no improvement and will advise the right of  appeal.
The Club Secretary will hold a copy of the final written warning, but it  will be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after 12 months subject  to satisfactory conduct.
Stage4 Dismissal from the Club
If the conduct is still unsatisfactory and the member still fails to  reach the required standards or the conduct is regarded as serious gross  misconduct then dismissal from the club will usually result. Only the  Club Exe Committee of at least four can take  the decision to dismiss the member. The member will be provided, as  soon as practicable, a written explanation for dismissal, the date upon  which membership will terminate and the right of appeal.

Gross Misconduct
The following list gives examples of behaviour that are normally regarded as gross misconduct:
 1. Fighting
 2. Assault on another person
 3. Deliberate damage to Club property
 4. Bringing the Club into disrepute by actions or words
 5. Serious negligence or disregard of the Club Rules that causes, or could have caused, unacceptable loss, damage or injury.
 6. Serious act of insubordination, including the failure to follow or  observe reasonable instructions of the team coach/manager.

Appeals

A member who wishes to appeal against any  disciplinary decision should inform the Club Secretary within seven  days. At the appeal any disciplinary action proposed will be reviewed by  the Club Secretary and two members of the Exe Committee  not involved in the original hearing or investigation. The member’s  parent/guardian or representative, if they are a player, will accompany  them to the appeal hearing. The member will be notified of the final  decision within 48 hours.