CLUB CONSTITUTION
1. The Club shall be called the Rankin's Cricket Club. The purposes of the Club are to promote and play the amateur sport of cricket in the Rochford District area and community participation in the same.
2. The Club shall be based at 'Broomhills', Stambridge Road, Rochford, Essex or such other place as members, in meeting, shall determine.
3. Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of ability, sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. Membership of the Club shall be limited, according to available facilities and not on a discriminatory basis, as may from time to time be determined and shall consist of all subscribers who for the time being are members appointed in accordance with the requirement of Rule 4.
4. (a) Application for membership shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee.
(b) Applicants may not be admitted to membership without an interval of at least 48 hours between their nomination and consideration by the Executive Committee and the privileges of membership shall not be permitted until 48 hours have elapsed.
(c) Cricket Members
There will be three levels of cricket membership determined, on a non discriminatory and fair basis, by three appropriate subscription levels. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
(i) Junior - those under sixteen years of age on 1st September preceding the season;
(ii) Intermediate - those over sixteen years of age and still in full-time education, employed on a government training scheme or apprenticeship, in receipt of disability benefit, unemployed or having reached the state pension age. (Ammended AGM 2008)
(iii) Full - All cricket members not covered by paragraph (i) and (ii) above.
(d) Associate Members
Partners of Club Members and others who the Committee consider that their object is to nurture interest and encourage the game of cricket.
(e) Honorary Life Membership
The Club may nominate individuals to be elected as Honorary Life members of the Club. They may be past or present members who by their efforts deserve such honour. Nomination should be made annually by the Executive Committee for approval at the Annual General Meeting.
5. (a) Every member shall pay a subscription to the Club upon election to membership;
(b) The rate of subscription shall be determined by the Executive Committee and placed before members at the Annual General Meeting;
(c) Subscriptions will become due on 1st May and increase monthly by an amount to be agreed annually by the Executive Committee if they remain unpaid.
(d) Any member whose subscriptions remain unpaid on 1st September is liable to expulsion by the Executive Committee.
6. The Club shall keep a register of members incorporating their name and address together with dates of members. The Register shall also contain the names and addresses of the Officers of the Club.
7. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Captain of each team, Welfare Officer, Bar Manager, Fixtures Secretary and one other member. Four or more form a quorum and the Executive Committee have the power to co-opt Meetings shall be held as required.
8. The Executive Committee shall have the right to expel any member only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. The member shall have the right to appeal to the President of the club or to the President's nominee for a review of the Executive Committee’s decision. Such appeal must be lodged within 14 days of the member(s) being informed of the decision. The President, or President's nominee, must publish their decision within 28 days of the appeal being received. Appeal against refusal or termination of membership may be made to the membership. Apart from an appeal to the members in the event of a refusal or termination of membership, the decision of the President or his nominee in all cases shall be final and binding. Failure or refusal of the member or members to accept the outcome reached under this rule shall be deemed a separate offence of gross misconduct.
9. The Executive Committee shall have the right to appoint members to any sub-committee deemed necessary.
10. The function of the Executive Committee shall be to direct the policy of the Club, to control its finance and to deal with such matters as shall be referred to them by minor sections of the Club.
11. All officers of the Club shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting held in November of each year.
12 Only officers and members over 18 years of age shall be eligible to vote at a General Meeting.
13. All voting members of one year’s standing shall be eligible for election and shall be able to nominate others for election.
14. A Special General Meeting may at any time be called by the Executive Committee or on receipt by the Secretary of a written request signed by at least seven members stating reason for the request. Seven clear days' notice shall be given to every member of such meeting.
15. The Rules shall only be altered at either the Annual or at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. Notice of any proposed alteration must be given in writing to the Secretary seven clear days before the meeting.
16. Where any alteration is made in the Rules of the Club, the Secretary shall give written notice of such alteration to the local Chief Officer of Police and to the Clerk of the Licensing Authority within 28 days of the alteration.
17 All monies be paid to the Treasurer who shall keep the accounts and shall present at the Annual General Meeting a statement of the Club finances duly audited.
(a) An Auditor is to be voted in the Annual General Meeting.
18. A member may personally introduce two guests on any one occasion. The visitor or the member introducing him shall sign their name in a book kept for that purpose.
19. On the occasion of Cricket Matches at the Club there may be admitted to the premises persons other than members or their guests, namely members and official guests of visiting clubs. Intoxicating liquor may be supplied to them by the Club for consumption on the premises. On such occasion the visiting club by name will be signed in a book kept for that purpose.
20. Permitted hours
(i) Save as may be extended on application to Rochford District Council, the permitted hours for weekdays and Sundays shall be the general permitted hours for the area;
(ii) Again save as aforesaid, the permitted hours for Christmas Day shall be 12 noon to 3pm and 7pm to 10.30pm.
21. No alcoholic beverage shall be sold to persons known to be under the age of 18 years or sold to them to consume.
22. No member or guest under 18 years of age is allowed behind the bar.
23. No member or guest is allowed behind the bar unless acting as a Steward authorised by the Executive Committee.
24. The Club will not be held responsible for damage to property left on the premises.
25. The selection of the teams shall be the responsibility of the Captains and they may, at their discretion, give preference in team selection to playing members where subscriptions have been paid over those where subscriptions are outstanding. Guest players may be co-opted when it is felt necessary.
26. Match fees must be paid on completion of the game unless an agreement has been made with the Treasurer or Captain.
27. Discipline on the field is the responsibility of the Captain who shall report to the Executive Committee any member who may offend.
28. The Club adopts the England and Wales Cricket Board’s ‘Safe Hands’ policy and any future variation of the said policy with regard to the treatment of young players. A copy of the policy is available from the Welfare Officer. Any concerns regarding young players should be directed to the Welfare Officer.
29. The property and funds 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 reinvested in the club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.
30. The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting. The Executive Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club's affairs. After settling all liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed to any member or members of the club. The Management Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:
(i) to another voluntary Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered charity and/or
(ii) to another voluntary Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC and/or
(iii) to the Club's governing body for use by them for related community sports if neither (i) or (ii) are possible.