Ibstock Town Cricket Club - Rules & Constitution

Ibstock Town Cricket & Social Club

Coronation Ground, Melbourne Road, Ibstock, Leicestershire. LE67 6NN

Telephone: 07985 423143 Web: www.ibstocktowncc.co.uk

RULES & CONSTITUTION

  1. Name

    The name of the Club is Ibstock Town Cricket and Social Club (hereinafter called ‘the Club’). Its headquarters shall be Coronation Ground, Melbourne Road, Ibstock in the County of Leicestershire or other such other place determined at a Special Meeting.

  2. Club Purposes

    The purposes of the Club are to foster and promote participation in the amateur sport of cricket within the community, providing facilities for playing cricket, coaching, and competition as well as providing a means of social recreation.

  3. Affiliation
    1. The Club is affiliated to the England and Wales Cricket Board through Leicestershire County Cricket Board.
    2. The Club and its Members shall ensure that Members, playing and non playing, abide by the ECB Code of Conduct which incorporates the Spirit of Cricket and by the Laws of Cricket.
    3. To ensure a duty of care to all Members the Club shall adopt and implemented the ECB Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children and any future versions of the policy.
    4. The Club shall adopt and implement the ECB Cricket Equity Policy and any future versions of this policy.
    5. The Club shall adopt and implement the ECB Club Inclusion and Diversity Policy.
    6. The Club shall adopt and implement the ECB Anti Discrimination Code of Conduct and any future versions of this policy.

       

  4. Membership
    1. Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in playing cricket or undertaking social activities and will be made regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
    2. The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The Club will have an equitable pricing policy and will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
    3. The level of subscriptions will be decided by the Committee from time to time and notified to the Members.
    4. The Club will have the following classes of membership :
      • 4.41Full Member – playing & non-playing
      • 4.42Full Member – concessions
      • 4.43Junior Member (16 & 17 years)
    5. Application for annual membership of the Club shall be by completion of a Membership Application form by the end of June each year.
    6. No person shall be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at General Meetings or be eligible for selection for any Club team unless the Membership Application form has been completed and the applicable Membership subscription paid.
    7. The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, at their discretion but only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or cricket into disrepute and :
      1. The Club Committee may only refuse to admit a new Member if a resolution is passed at a meeting where the person in question has been notified in writing in advance and been given 14 days to submit written representations for the Club Committee to consider at the meeting. Appeal against a refusal of membership shall be to the Appeal Committee as detailed in section 9.0.
      2. The procedure for taking disciplinary action against a Member, including removing a membership, is also detailed in section 9.0.
    8. All Members will be subject to these Rules and by joining the Club will be deemed to accept these Rules, any Club Regulations and any Codes of Conduct that the Club has adopted. A Code of Conduct for Members and their Guests is displayed prominently to ensure that all Club guests and non-member volunteers are aware of the code and the requirement to abide by it.
    9. The Club Committee will keep a register of all Members.
    10. A Member may resign by written notice to the Club, but the return of any subscription is at the discretion of the Club Committee.
    11. Admission of Members and guests shall be in line with the Club’s Premises Licence granted under the Licencing Act. Only persons aged 18 or over will be permitted to purchase and/or consume intoxicating liquor on the Club’s premises.
    12. The Bar Steward or Bar Staff have the discretion to ask any Member or Guest to leave the Club premises for any unacceptable behaviour or breaches of these Rules.
    13. Any Member of the Club aged under 16 years shall only be allowed on the Club’s premises if accompanied by a responsible adult Member of the Club, unless they are involved in a Club organised match, practice or other organised and authorised event.
  5. All General Meetings
    1. All Members may attend all general meetings of the Club in person.
    2. All full Members aged 18 or over and present at the Club will have one vote, with the exception of the Cricket Playing Officials within the Cricketers’ Annual General Meeting where any Member who has represented the Club in 1st or 2nd league cricket will have one vote.
    3. Members must be given at least 14 days written notice of all General Meetings.
    4. The Chair or (in his or her absence) another Member chosen at the meeting by the Members shall preside.
    5. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules or in Club Regulations every resolution shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast on a show of hands.

6.         Annual General Meetings

The Club will hold an AGM once every calendar year in March, or as soon after as is practicable and not more than 15 months after the last AGM.

At every AGM :

            6.1.1    the Members will elect a Committee with the following Officers :

                        1) President     2) Chairman    3) Vice Chairman        4) Secretary    5) Treasurer    

The appointments shall be by a resolution of the majority of the Members present at the meeting who are entitled to vote.

6.1.2    the Treasurer will produce accounts of the Club for the last financial year reviewed and checked by an independent accountant;

6.1.3    the Committee will present a report on the Club’s activities since the previous AGM;

6.1.4    the Members will discuss and vote on any resolutions (whether about policy or to change the Rules) and deal with any other business put to the meeting.

  1. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM)

    An EGM shall be called by the Secretary within 14 days of a request to that effect from the Committee or on the written request of not less than 30 Members or 1/5th of the total Members entitled to vote at a General Meeting, signed by them. Such an AGM shall be held on not less than 14 days and not more than 21 days from the date of receipt by the Secretary of the requisition. If the Committee fails to call a meeting within 14 days of receiving a valid request from the Members then the requisitionists may themselves call a meeting.

    Notice of any EGM and the object of the meeting shall be posted by the Secretary in the Club for at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting.

    No other business other than that named in the notice shall be brought before a Special Meeting.

  2. Committee

8.1       Role

Subject to these Rules, the Committee shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs.

  1.       Property, Funds and Affairs
    1. The property of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of Members other than as reasonably allowed by the Rules and all surplus income or profits are to be re-invested in the Club. No surplus or assets will be distributed to Members or third parties.
    2. The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Corporation Tax Act 2010.
    3. The Club may also in connection with the sports and social purposes of the Club :
  1. Sell and supply food, drink and related sports or social clothing and equipment;
  2. Employ Members (although not for playing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present;
  3. Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests;
  4. Indemnify the Committee and Members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).
    1. The Committee will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
    2. The Committee has the power to :
  1. acquire and provide grounds, equipment, coaching, training and playing facilities, clubhouse, transport, medical and related facilities;
  2. provide coaching, training, medical treatment, and related social and other facilities;
  3. take out any insurance for Club Committee, employees, contractors, players, guests and third parties;
  4. raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans and charges;
  5. subject to a unanimous Committee vote borrow money and give security for the same, and open bank accounts;
  6. make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits;
  7. set aside or apply funds for special purposes or as reserves;
  8. deposit or invest funds in a lawful manner;
  9. employ and engage staff and others and provide services;
  10. co-operate with any organisation, club, sporting body, government or government related agencies; and
  11. do all the things reasonably expected to advance the Club’s purposes.

 

8.3       Composition

8.3.1      The Committee shall consist of all five Club Officers listed in 6.11, along with an elected cricket playing representative, having been so elected by the Cricketers, and a Club Welfare Officer, at least three of the committee must be unrelated to each other and not be co-habiting.

8.3.2      The Committee will have a maximum of twelve Members, with the remaining five positions co-opted at the discretion and by the direction of the Committee. The Committee members shall consider skills needed and diversity on the Committee when making these appointments.

8.3.3      Any Committee Member may be re-elected at the AGM without limit.

8.3.4      In the event of a vacancy arising amongst Club Officers the vacancy may be filled by the Committee having the power to elect a Member or serving Committee Member to fill the vacancy until the next election of Officers at the AGM.

8.3.5      The Committee shall appoint an Intoxicating Liquor representative who will report to the Committee on business concerning intoxicating liquors and the sale thereof.

8.3.6      A Committee Member ceases to be such if he or she :

                                    a) ceases to be a Member of the Club; or

                                    b) resigns by written notice to the Club; or

                                    c) is removed by the Committee in accordance with section 9.0

8.4 Committee Meetings

8.4.1 The Committee Shall meet atleast four times a year, Ideally monthly to maintain oversight of the club.

8.4.2 Whenever a Committee Member has a personal interest in a matter to be discussed he/she must declare it, withdraw from that part of the meeting (unless asked to stay), not be counted in the quorum for that agenda item and withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter.

8.4.3 The Committee meetings shall operate applying the following rules :

a) at least 5 Committee Members must be present for the meeting to be valid;

b) the Chairman or whoever else those present choose shall chair meetings;

                        c) decisions shall be by simple majority of those voting;

d) a resolution in writing signed by every Committee Member shall be valid without a meeting

                        e) the Chairman of the meeting will have a casting vote

                        f) all meeting proceedings shall be formally recorded

8.4.4      The Committee shall appoint a Club Welfare Officer to ensure compliance with safeguarding legislation and the ECB Safe Hands policy. The Club Welfare Officer shall be a Committee member and report to relevant Committee meetings and the reports, together with any action taken, must be minuted

  1. Bank Account

    Any bank account in which any part of the Club’s funds are deposited shall be operated by the Committee and shall be held in the name of the Club. All cheques and orders for payment from such accounts must be signed by at least two Committee Members.

  2. Delegation

    The Committee may delegate any of their functions to sub-committees but must specify the scope of its activities and powers; the extent to which it can commit the funds of the Club; its membership; its duty to report back to the Committee. The Committee may wind up any sub committees at any time or change its mandate and operating terms.

  3. Disclosure

Annual Club reports and statement of account must be made available for inspection by any Member and all Club records may be inspected by any Committee Member.

  1.     Removal of Membership, Discipline and Appeals
  1. Any complaints regarding the behaviour of Members, guests or volunteers should be lodged in writing with the Secretary.
  2. Any person that is the subject of a written complaint or appeal shall be notified of the procedures to be followed by the relevant Committee in a reasonable time to prepare for any hearing.
  3. The Committee shall appoint a disciplinary sub-committee (Disciplinary Sub-Committee) who will meet to hear complaints within 21 days of a complaint being lodged. Any person requested to attend a Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The Disciplinary Sub-Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action on behalf of the Committee, including the termination of Membership or exclusion from Club premises.
  4. The Committee shall have the discretion to temporarily suspend a Membership for serious complaints regarding behaviour, whilst the disciplinary and appeals process is followed. Three Committee Members need to approve this action.
  5. The outcome of the disciplinary hearing shall be put in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the person against whom the complaint was made within 14 days following the hearing.
  6. There shall be a right of appeal within 14 days of receipt of the disciplinary decision or decision to refuse Membership:
    1. against the Disciplinary Sub-Committee’s findings or the sanction imposed or both; and
    2. against the Committee’s refusal to admit a new Member

in either case, the Committee shall appoint an Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee shall have a maximum of three Members which shall not include Members involved with the initial disciplinary hearing but may include non-members of the Club.  The Appeals Committee shall consider the appeal within 21 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.  The individual who submitted the appeal shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding on all parties.

10.       Property Trustees

10.1 Any property or assets of the Club may be vested in between two and four     trustees. The trustees shall hold the same for and on behalf of the Members of the Club.

10.2 The Committee shall have the power by notice in writing to appoint such trustees from the Membership of the Club, and may remove them at any time, by resolution of the Committee.

10.3 The trustees shall deal with the Club’s property and assets as directed by the Committee from time to time.

10.4 The trustees shall be entitled to be indemnified against any cost or expense properly incurred in dealing with the property or the assets out of the Club’s funds.

11.       Club Regulations

The Committee may make Club Regulations consistent with these Rules and will publicise these to the members.

12.       Notices

12.1 Notices to be sent out in accordance with these Rules may be sent by hand, by post or by suitable electronic means and will be treated as being received:

12.1.1 24 hours after being sent by electronic means or delivered by hand to the relevant address:

12.1.2 Two clear days after being sent by first class post; or

12.1.3 Three clear days after being sent by second class post.

12.2 Notice of all General Meetings must also be put on the Club’s notice boards and website.

12.3 A technical defect in the giving of notice of which the Members or the Committee are unaware at the time does not invalidate decisions taken at a meeting.

13.       Amendments

13.1 These Rules may be amended at a General Meeting by resolution passed by the majority of the votes cast but not so as to jeopardise the Club’s status as a Community Amateur Sports Club as first provided for by the Corporation Tax Act 2010 and not in any event to alter its Purposes.

13.2 The Club Purposes may be changed to include another eligible sport if the Committee unanimously agree and the Members also agree the change by a 75% majority of votes cast in person at an EGM.

14.       Winding Up the Club

14.1    If the Committee unanimously decides at any time on the grounds of expense or otherwise to wind up the Club a Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) for all Members will be called giving at least 21 days notice.

14.2 Members at the EGM may vote to wind up the Club by a majority vote of those present and eligible.

14.2 The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.

14.3 The Committee may with the consent of the Minister of Education let or sell the Club property or any part of it. After settling all liabilities of the Club, the remaining funds shall be used by the Committee for :

14.3.1    the purchase of another property to enable the Club with similar sports and social purposes to continue. In such cases the property will be subject to the same provisions and vest with the trustees, who shall hold the same for and on behalf of the Members of the Club and/or

14.3.2    towards other charitable purposes or objects for the benefits of the National Fields Association and Lord’s Taverners Fund and approved by the Minister of Education.