Loi Sur L'Association Dite 'The Jersey Football Association' (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201-

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made 27 February 2012:

Decision Reference: MD-ESC-2011-0040
Decision Summary Title):	LOI SUR L’ASSOCIATION DITE ‘THE JERSEY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION’ (REPEAL) (JERSEY) LAW 2009		Date of Decision Summary:	30th November 2011
Decision Summary Author:	Derek de la Haye		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title:	LOI SUR L’ASSOCIATION DITE ‘THE JERSEY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION’ (REPEAL) (JERSEY) LAW 201-		Date of Written Report:	30th November 2011
Written Report Author:	Derek de la Haye		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Incorporation of the Jersey Football Association
Decision(s): The Minister agreed to Lodge Au Greffe the report to incorporate the Jersey Football Association
Reason(s) for Decision: At present the Jersey Football Association (“Association”) is an association incorporated by Act of the Royal Court dated 29 April 1952. Given the current status of the Association, it is not possible to make constitutional and/or other noteworthy changes in respect of the Association without the passing of a further law. The inflexible nature of this arrangement is a significant encumbrance upon the Association, which should simply be able to evolve and administer itself pursuant to the ongoing wishes of its board, council or members. The current arrangement is considered unduly restrictive and anachronistic. It is believed that the Association should become a private company limited by guarantee which would enable it to benefit from the freedom that Jersey companies enjoy and, with it, the benefits of limited liability (which is not something that it currently has). It would also place the Association on a clearer footing, falling within the comprehensive framework of the Companies Law. In order for this to happen it requires it to be agreed by the States.
Resource Implications: None
Action required: The Minister to lodge the report
Signature:		Position: Minister for Education, Sport and Culture
Date Signed:		Date of Decision:

Loi Sur L'Association Dite 'The Jersey Football Association' (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201- - Incorporation

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Loi sur l’Association DITE “The Jersey Football Association” (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201-

European Convention on Human Rights

In accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of the Human Rights (Jersey) Law 2000 the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture. has made the following statement -

In the view of the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture the provisions of the draft Loi sur L'association dite "The Jersey Football Association" (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201- are compatible with the convention rights.

(Signed) Deputy Patrick Ryan

Report

At present the Jersey Football Association (“Association”) is an association incorporated by Act of the Royal Court dated 29 April 1952.

Given the current status of the Association, it is not possible to make constitutional and/or other noteworthy changes in respect of the Association without the passing of a further law. The inflexible nature of this arrangement is a significant encumbrance upon the Association, which should simply be able to evolve and administer itself pursuant to the ongoing wishes of its board, council or members. The current arrangement is considered unduly restrictive and anachronistic.

It is believed that the Association should become a private company limited by guarantee which would enable it to benefit from the freedom that Jersey companies enjoy and, with it, the benefits of limited liability (which is not something that it currently has). It would also place the Association on a clearer footing, falling within the comprehensive framework of the Companies Law.

The Two Stage Process

There are, essentially, two main elements to this process. The first is the actual incorporation of a new company (“Newco”). The second is the transferring over of all of the assets and liabilities of the Association to Newco. Once this has taken place, the Association will cease to exist.

Stage One – Incorporation

The Newco will have three key constitutional documents:

1. The Memorandum of Association. The Memorandum will primarily detail the main objects of Newco and, in doing so, explain that Newco is a private company limited by guarantee. A copy of the draft Memorandum provides, for example, that Newco exists “to promote, foster, develop and support the game of association football” in Jersey (paragraph 3(2)).

2. The Articles of Association. The Articles detail the relationship between the Council, the board of directors and the members. The Articles will deal with, among other things, the procedure of holding annual and extraordinary general meetings, the conduct of board meetings and Council meetings, and the process of election to the board and Council. The first 9 or so rules of the existing JFA Rules (“Existing Rules”) have been largely subsumed into the draft Articles document, given that they purported to govern the internal procedures of the Association.

3. The Rules. The Rules deal with the running of football in Jersey. The draft Rules do not differ greatly from rules 10 and onwards of the Existing Rules.

The name of the Newco will be “Jersey Football Association Limited” with the business name “Jersey Football Association”. The name “Jersey Football Association Limited” has been reserved with the Jersey Financial Services Commission.

The members of Newco will be the clubs and, whilst all clubs will be voting members, the number of votes that each club gets will depend upon criteria similar to that which is the case at present with the Association.

The present Executive Committee members will form the board of directors of Newco and continue, therefore, to be responsible for the day to day management of the organisation. The current role of Council will also continue to operate in a similar vein to that at present.

Being a private company limited by guarantee, the liability of the members of Newco will be limited to the amount that each member has guaranteed to the Newco. The draft Memorandum provides that the amount of potential liability of each member is limited to the sum of £10. The officers will also enjoy the benefits of limited liability unless they act fraudulently or are otherwise in breach of certain provisions contained within the Companies Law.

Stage Two – The Transfer

Once Newco has been incorporated, it will be no more than a shell with neither assets nor liabilities to its name. It will be necessary, therefore, for the existing assets and liabilities of the Association to be transferred to Newco.

This will be achieved by passing a new law before the States which will both permit the transfer of the assets and liabilities of the Association to Newco and also act as the means by which this is effected.

It is proposed that all the assets and liabilities will be transferred across including, for example:

1. The IJB playing fields currently owned by the Association;

2. Office equipment, stationery and the like;

3. The employees of the Association;

4. All and any existing contracts with third parties, whether it be the lease in respect of Springfield Stadium or arrangements with the utility companies;

5. Any legacies left under wills.

The proposed modernisation of the Association will help bring it into line with a majority of the County Football Associations across the United Kingdom, and with other sporting clubs and associations in Jersey.

Financial and Manpower Implications

This proposal does not have any financial or manpower implications.

Explanatory Note

This Law repeals the Loi (1952) accordant un Acte d’Incorporation à l’Association dite “The Jersey Football Association” and makes provision for the transfer of the property, rights and liabilities of the Jersey Football Association to the Jersey Football Association Limited, which will be incorporated pursuant to the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991.

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Loi sur l’Association dite “The Jersey Football Association” (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201-

Arrangement

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Loi sur l’Association dite “The Jersey Football Association” (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201-

Arrangement

Article

1 Interpretation

2 Repeal

3 Vesting of property, rights and liabilities

4 Dissolution of Association

5 Registration of Law in Public Registry

6 Citation and commencement

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Loi sur l’Association dite “The Jersey Football Association” (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201-

Endnotes

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Loi sur l’Association dite “The Jersey Football Association” (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201-

A LAW to repeal the Loi accordant un Acte d'Incorporation à l’Association dite “The Jersey Football Association”, confirmée par Ordre de Sa Majesté en Conseil en date du 29 avril 1952 and for connected purposes

Adopted by the States [date to be inserted]

Sanctioned by Order of Her Majesty in Council [date to be inserted]

Registered by the Royal Court [date to be inserted]

THE STATES, subject to the sanction of Her Most Excellent Majesty in Council, have adopted the following Law –

1 Interpretation

In this Law –

“1952 Law” means the Loi accordant un Acte d’Incorporation à l’Association dite “The Jersey Football Association”, confirmée par Ordre de Sa Majesté en Conseil en date du 29 avril 1952;

“1991 Law” means the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991;

“Association” means the Jersey Football Association incorporated under the 1952 Law;

“incorporation day” means the day the new company is incorporated under the 1991 Law;

“new company” means the Jersey Football Association Limited to be incorporated pursuant to the 1991 Law.

2 Repeal

The 1952 Law shall be repealed on the incorporation day.

3 Vesting of property, rights and liabilities

(1) On the incorporation day the property, rights and liabilities of the Association shall vest in the new company.

(2) On and from the incorporation day –

(a) any contract, agreement, indemnity, lease, licence, permit or other instrument entered into by or with, or given by or to, the Association shall have full force and effect as if it had been entered into by or with, or given by or to, the new company, and any reference (however worded and whether express or implied) to the officers and employees of the Association shall be construed as if it were a reference to the officers and employees of the new company;

(b) any action, arbitration or proceeding before any court or tribunal in Jersey and any cause of action, arbitration or proceeding in Jersey which shall be pending or existing by, against or in favour of the Association shall not abate or be discontinued or be in any way prejudicially affected by the provisions of this Law, but the same may be prosecuted, continued and enforced by, against or in favour of the Association as if this Law had not been passed;

(c) any judgment, decree, order or award obtained by or against the Association and not fully satisfied, to the extent to which it is enforceable by or against the Association, shall only be enforceable by or against the new company; and

(d) any reference in a will, codicil to a will, settlement or trust to the Association shall be construed and have effect as if it were a reference to the new company.

(3) The operation of paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not be regarded –

(a) as a breach of contract or otherwise as a civil wrong;

(b) as a breach of any contractual provision prohibiting, restricting or regulating the assignment or transfer of property, rights or liabilities; or

(c) as giving rise to any remedy by a party to a contract or other instrument, as an event of default under any contract or other instrument or as causing or permitting the termination of any contract or other instrument, or of any right, liability or relationship.

(4) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that the transfer of immovable property or an interest therein under this Law shall not constitute an assignment, transfer, devolution, parting with possession or other disposition of that property or interest for the purposes of any provision relating to assignment, transfer, devolution, parting with possession or other disposition in any instrument concerning that property or interest.

(5) The production of a copy of this Law signed by the Greffier of the States shall, on and after the incorporation day, be conclusive evidence in all courts and proceedings of the vesting of the property, rights and liabilities in the new company.

4 Dissolution of Association

On the day after the incorporation day the Association shall, by virtue of this Law and despite any of the provisions of the 1952 Law, be dissolved de plein droit.

5 Registration of Law in Public Registry

(1) The Royal Court shall, when it orders the registration of this Law, also order the registration of a copy of this Law, signed by the Greffier of the States, in the Public Registry.

(2) The registration of a copy of this Law in the Public Registry shall have like effect as a contract passed before the Royal Court.

(3) No fees shall be payable under the Stamp Duties and Fees (Jersey) Law 1998 in relation to the registration of a copy of this Law as required by paragraph (1).

6 Citation and commencement

This Law may be cited as the Loi sur l’Association dite “The Jersey Football Association” (Repeal) (Jersey) Law 201- and shall come into force 7 days after it is registered.

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