LATEST VERSION OF THE REED CRICKET CLUB CONSTITUTION, 6th DECEMBER 2022.
GENERAL:
1. The name of the Club is Reed Cricket Club.
2. The objectives of the Club are the provision of opportunities for recreation and socialising for the benefit of members, and the provision and maintenance of a Clubhouse at the Reed Village Green, Reed, Near Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 8AX.
3. Club colours are royal blue and gold.
AFFILIATION:
4. The Club shall be affiliated to, and play under the rules of, the ECB, SHPCL and HCCA.
MEMBERSHIP:
5. Every candidate for membership shall apply in writing to the Honorary Secretary who will notify the Executive Committee. Until the candidate is elected as a Member he / she shall not be entitled to any of the privileges of the Club. Applicants shall be elected by the Executive Committee at its sole discretion at the earliest opportunity or shall be elected at a General Meeting of the Club.
6. The membership categories of the Club shall be:
a. President;
b. Honorary Life Member;
c. Vice-President;
d. Non-playing / Family Member;
e. Playing Member (Senior);
f. Playing Member (Junior and Youth).
SUBSCRIPTIONS;
7. Every Member shall pay on being admitted to the Club an Annual Subscription that shall be fixed from time to time by the Club’s Annual General Meeting. The Annual Subscription will cover a calendar year, that being the period of 1st January to 31st December (inclusive) in any year.
The Committee may, at their discretion, reduce subscriptions to individual members in recognition of services rendered to the club. Such subscription shall be deemed to be a debt due to the Honorary Treasurer of the Club for the time being.
8. No money or property of the Club or any gain arising from the carrying on of the Club shall be applied otherwise than for the benefit of the Club as a whole or for some charitable or benevolent purpose or purposes approved by the General Committee.
TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP:
9. A Member may resign his/her membership at any time by giving notice to the Honorary Secretary. Any Member whose subscription is unpaid at 30th September each year will be deemed to have resigned from the Club.
The Member concerned will be notified in writing by the Honorary Secretary.
SAFEGUARDING:
10. To maintain its Clubmark status by adopting and implementing relevant current codes of conduct and policies of the England and Wales Cricket Board and/or the General Committee including:
a. The ECB Code of Conduct;
b. The ECB Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children;
c. The ECB Cricket Equity Policy;
d. The ECB One Game Pledge and Code of Conduct;
e. The Club Code of Conduct for Cricket members and Guests;
f. The Club Code of Conduct for Young People;
g. The ECB Club Inclusion and Diversity Policy;
h. The principles of the ECB Anti-Discrimination Code.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE and GENERAL COMMITTEES; (ELIGIBILITY AND POWERS):
11. The Management of the Club shall be entrusted to an Executive Committee consisting of CLUB CHAIRMAN, HONORARY SECRETARY, HONORARY TREASURER, CLUB CAPTAIN, BAR SUB-COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, GROUND SUB-COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, SAFEGUARDING OFFICER, PLAYING SUB-COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN and MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY.
The Executive Committee shall meet at least once per month and at any other such times necessary. At all meetings of the Executive Committee FIVE shall form a quorum.
12. A General Committee consisting of the members of the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, PRESIDENT, 2ND XI CAPTAIN, SUNDAY CAPTAIN, SOCIAL SECRETARY, FIXTURES’ SECRETARY, FACILITY MANAGER, SHPCL REPRESENTATIVE, YOUTH CRICKET LIAISON OFFICER, UNDER 25 REPRESENTATIVE, FUNDRAISING OFFICER, COACHING COORDINATOR and up to FOUR other members of the Club elected at the Annual General Meeting.
The General Committee shall meet bi-monthly and at such times as the Executive Committee shall determine, and at all meetings of the General Committee a quorum shall be a majority of Committee members eligible to attend. Its purpose is to ratify proposals made by the Executive Committee, examine their decisions and to receive reports from the members of the Committee.
To be eligible to be elected to the General Committee, the candidate must be an existing fully paid-up member of the Club or agree to pay a subscription in the year following their election.
13. Every Member of the Executive and General Committees, with the exception of the President, shall retire at the end of one year’s service, but shall be eligible for re-election at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Under 25 Representative must be under 25 on the 30th September preceding the date of the AGM.
14. The Executive Committee has the right to appoint any Committees and/or Sub-Committees whose function will be to assist in the running of the Club. The President and the Chairman are ex-offico members of all such Committees/Sub-Committees. The proposed decisions of all such Committees/Sub-Committees require ratification by the General Committee. The General Committee has the power to fill any vacancy amongst Officers and Committee Members.
15. The Club Chairman will preside at all meetings of the General Committee. In his/her absence the members will elect a Chairman from amongst those present.
16. Voting at Executive and General Committee Meetings shall be by a show of hands, or if requested, by a ballot. The Chairman of the particular Meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tied vote. Unless stated otherwise, all voting will be on a simple majority basis.
PLAYING SUB-COMMITTEE; (RESPONSIBILITIES):
17. The Playing Sub-Committee will comprise all the Saturday and Sunday CAPTAINS, the VICE-CAPTAINS of the Saturday 1st and 2nd XIs, two further CLUB MEMBERS and the CHAIRMAN OF THE PLAYING SUB-COMMITTEE. They are responsible for all matters relating to the playing of cricket including Team Selection, Disciplinary issues and deciding annual Awards.
When convened for Disciplinary issues, this Sub-Committee will additionally include the Club Safeguarding Officer, the Club’s appointed Hertfordshire League Representative and any other Member(s) of the Club deemed appropriate by the Playing Sub-Committee Chairman.
GENERAL MEETINGS (AGM and EGM):
18. The Honorary Secretary shall at 28 days before any General Meeting announce on the Club Website and to Adult Members by email and/or Postal Communication to their home address as recorded in the Club’s current Membership Listing, a notice of the meeting stating the time, the business to be conducted and the place it will be held.
19. The business at any General Meeting shall be limited to that provided by these Rules and those further matters set-out in the notice convening the meeting. The quorum at any General Meeting shall be 10 or one-fifth of the members eligible to vote, (see 21a and 21b below), whichever is the most.
20. The President of the Club shall preside at all General Meetings of the Club but if he/she shall not be present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the Meeting or has signified his/her inability to attend, Members will elect a Chairman from amongst those present.
21a. At all General Meetings of the Club each paid-up Member over the age of 16 years shall have one vote.
21b. Non-Playing Members and Playing Members under 16 years of age may not vote on the election of the Team Captains, Vice-Captains and Playing Sub-Committee, (except in the circumstances described below in Rule 22).
22. Voting at General Meetings shall be by a show of hands, or if requested, by a ballot. The Chairman of the particular Meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tied vote even if that person, (usually the President at a General Meeting), is a Non-Playing Member (see Rule 21b). Unless stated otherwise, all voting will be on a simple majority basis.
23. No alteration or addition to these Rules shall be made except by a Resolution carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members present at a General Meeting. Proposals to Rule changes must be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least three weeks prior to the Meeting.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM):
24. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held after the end of the Financial Year on a date determined by the Executive Committee and fifteen months shall not elapse without an Annual General Meeting. At the Annual General Meeting the following business shall be conducted:
a. To receive the Honorary Secretary’s Annual Report;
b. To receive and approve the draft accounts of the Club for the Financial Year
ending the preceding 30th September which shall first have been audited by
the Club’s Auditors;
c. To elect Honorary Life Members and Vice-Presidents of the Club;
d. To elect members of the Executive and General Committees;
e. To elect all Team Captains and the Vice-Captains of the Saturday 1st and 2nd
XIs;
f. To elect two members to the Playing Sub-Committee who are in addition to all
the Saturday and Sunday Captains, the Vice-Captains of the Saturday 1st and
2nd XIs and the Chairman of the Playing Sub-Committee;
g. To appoint two Auditors for the Financial Year commencing the preceding 1st
October;
h. To set the Annual Subscriptions;
i. To approve any Rule changes. Proposals for Rule changes must be submitted in
writing to the Honorary Secretary at least three weeks prior to the relevant
Meeting date.
j. Proposals relating to other issues must be submitted in writing to the
Honorary Secretary at least three weeks prior to the relevant Meeting date.
Any other issues raised during the General Meeting will be considered by the new Executive and / or General Committee(s) as appropriate at the earliest opportunity.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING (EGM):
25. An Extraordinary General Meeting can be convened within 21 days on the request of 10 Members of the Club, or one-fifth of the total membership, whichever is the least. Such request must be received in writing by the Honorary Secretary and state the purpose for which the EGM is required.
PRESIDENT / VICE-PRESIDENTS / LIFE MEMBERS; process for proposals:
26. No proposal for the post of PRESIDENT can be accepted unless a proposed and seconded nomination, with the signed agreement of the nominee, is received by the Honorary Secretary in writing, at least three weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting. The nomination for President will then be included in the formal published Notice of the Agenda of the AGM and notified to Members on the Club Website, by email and/or Postal Communication, and also posted on the Club notice board. If no alternative proposal is received in this way, the incumbent remains in the post of President.
27. Recommendations for the post of new HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENT will not be accepted unless a proposed and seconded proposal has been received by the Honorary Secretary in writing at least three weeks prior to the proposed Annual General Meeting. Such recommendations will be considered by the Executive Committee at their Meeting immediately prior to the AGM who will then submit the names of suitable candidates to the AGM for ratification. If necessary, a special Executive Committee Meeting will be convened to deal with any recommendations for Vice-President. This honour is to be bestowed on members who have performed exceptional good works for the Club.
Existing Vice-Presidents may be subject for their status to be withdrawn at the AGM although this would be in exceptional circumstances.
28. Recommendations for LIFE MEMBERSHIP will not be accepted unless a proposed and seconded proposal has been received by the Honorary Secretary in writing at least three weeks prior to the proposed Annual General Meeting. Such recommendations will be considered by the Executive Committee at their Meeting immediately prior to the AGM who will then submit the names of suitable candidates to the AGM for ratification. If necessary, a special Executive Committee Meeting will be convened to deal with any recommendations for Life Membership. This honour is to be bestowed on members who have performed exceptional good works for the Club over at least forty years.
BAR SUB-COMMITTEE / LICENSING / USE OF FACILITIES (HIRE):
29. The purchase for the club and the supply by the club of intoxicating liquor shall be in the absolute discretion of a Sub-Committee of not less than three members being Members of the General Committee appointed by the General Committee for that purpose. In the event of any Member for any reason ceasing to be a Member of the General Committee, he / she shall automatically cease to be a Member of the Sub-Committee and another Member of the General Committee shall be appointed in his / her place. Such Sub-Committee shall in no way be restricted in freedom of purchase.
30. No person shall at any time be entitled to receive at the expense of the Club or of any Member thereof any commission percentage or similar payment on or with reference to the purchases of intoxicating liquor by the Club; nor shall any person directly or indirectly derive any pecuniary benefit from the supply of intoxicating liquor by or on behalf of the Club to Members or guests from any benefit accruing to the Club as a whole and apart also from any benefit which a person derives indirectly by reason of the supply giving rise to or contributing to a general gain from the carrying on of the Club.
31. The Clubhouse facilities can be open between the hours of 0900 hours and 2400 hours on each day provided that the Committee shall have power by Resolution to extend these hours on any specified occasion.
32. The permitted hours for the supply of intoxicating liquor shall be fixed by the Committee from time to time within the limits specified in the General Licensing Order for the County.
33. Any member shall be entitled to introduce guests to the Club provided that no person whose application for membership has been declined or expelled from the Club shall be introduced as a guest. The member introducing a guest shall enter the name and address of the guest together with his own name in the book that shall be kept at the Club House.
34. In addition to Club Members over the age of 18, the following persons shall be entitled to use the Club facilities and purchase intoxicating liquor:
• Members’ guests;
• Official guests of the Club;
• Members of visiting teams.
35. Members may use the facilities of the Club for special functions. Bookings must be made through the Chairman of the Bar Sub-Committee who will advise the Executive Committee of such bookings and ensure that members are aware of the rules and regulations regarding such use as determined by the Executive Committee. At such times, only the invited guests of the member may attend. The Executive Committee may impose a fee for any function at their discretion.
36. Neither the Club nor any Officer thereof shall be liable to any Member or guest of a Member for any loss of or damage to any property occurring from whatever cause in or about the Club premises; nor for any injury sustained by any Member or guest whilst on or entering or leaving the Club premises; and a notice to this effect shall at all times be displayed in a prominent position on the Club premises.
GROUND SUB-COMMITTEE:
37. The upkeep and maintenance of Reed Green shall be the responsibility of a Sub-Committee of not less than three members of the Club, appointed by the General Committee for that purpose.
ACCOUNTS:
38. The financial year for the Club is 1st October to 30th September inclusive. Two Auditors shall audit the accounts of the Club annually and the draft accounts and balance sheet will be available at the Annual General Meeting. The Lead Auditor will not be a member of the General Committee although the Secondary Auditor may be.
DISCIPLINE:
39 a. Club Members’ Behaviour: Any complaints made to the Club regarding the behaviour of Reed CC Players, Officials or Members on or off the field of play, or associated with Cricket match events, or transgressing the various ECB Codes of Conduct, (see Rule 10 above), or breaching the regulations of the Hertfordshire Premier Cricket League, (SHPCL), or offending against the Rules of the Club, will be investigated by the Playing Sub-Committee of the Club under its appointed Chairman. Additionally, for these purposes this Sub-Committee will include the Club Safeguarding Officer, the Club’s appointed Hertfordshire League Representative and any other Member(s) of the Club deemed appropriate by the Playing Sub-Committee Chairman. A minimum of five persons is required to form a quorum.
39 b. Procedure and Penalties: The Playing Sub-Committee has the right to interview the Player(s) / Member(s) concerned and call-on any witnesses during its investigation. The Player / Member shall be given at least two days written and / or verbal notice to be informed of, and to answer, the complaints made against him / her. Should the Player / Member fail to respond, or reject the invitation to meet the Playing Sub-Committee Chairman, the issue can be judged in his / her absence.
If the allegation of a breach of the Rules, Codes or Regulations is proven, the Playing Sub-Committee can independently impose any of a range of penalties appropriate to the offence depending on its seriousness. They do not require ratification by the Executive or General Committees. These sanctions include: match bans, suspension of membership, fines, community tasks, written apologies, warnings to future behaviour or, in extreme cases, expulsion. As a guide to deciding the levels of seriousness of the offence, refer to the relevant Section of the SHPCL Disciplinary Regulations.
39 c. Results: The result of the enquiry will be conveyed in writing by the Chairman of the Playing Sub-Committee to the Player / Member concerned. It will further be communicated to the complainant and to all other parties concerned.
39 d. Appeal: The Player / Member has the right to Appeal against any judgement or punishment. Such appeals must be submitted in writing, (paper or electronically), within five days to the Chairman of the Playing Sub-Committee who will then notify the Club Chairman. A panel comprising the Club Chairman and two members of the General Committee who have not been previously involved in the enquiry, will convene to independently review the evidence and hear the representations of the Player / Member concerned. They may seek further clarification from any witness or member of the Playing Sub-Committee. The result of the Appeal procedure will be conveyed to the Player / Member in writing by the Club Chairman.
WINDING-UP / RESPONSIBILITIES:
40. If the number of ordinary Members of the Club shall at any time fall below 10, or if any time the Club shall pass in General Meeting by a majority comprising two-thirds or more of the Members present and entitled to vote a Resolution (in this Rule called “the first Resolution”) the General Committee shall take immediate steps to convert into money all the property of the Club with power however to postpone or delay the conversion of any particular property if the Club in General Meeting shall so authorise. Out of the proceeds of such conversion, the General Committee shall discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club, including the expense of such conversion and any balance remaining in their hands shall be disposed of by them as the Club in General Meeting shall resolve; and thereupon the Club shall for all purposes be dissolved. Provided that if the Club shall not, within six months after the date of the first Resolution, resolve upon the disposition of any such balance, the same shall be divided equally between all persons who were ordinary Members of the Club at the date of the first Resolution. A copy of the notice convening any General Notice under this Rule shall be sent by the Honorary Secretary by post to every Member at his address as recorded in the Club’s Books not less than 14 days before the date appointed for the Meeting; but any accidental omission to send such copy or the non-receipt of the same shall not invalidate any proceedings or resolutions.
41. The property of the club shall be vested in four Trustees who shall be appointed by the General Committee and the property of the Club shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the General Committee may from time to time direct by resolution (of which an entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence). The Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the Club property. The Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removal from office by the General Committee. Whereby reason of such death, resignation or removal it is necessary that a new Trustee or Trustees be appointed, the Committee shall nominate the person or persons to be appointed the new Trustee or Trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the Chairman of the General Committee appointed from time to time is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925 and shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the General Committee. An entry in the Minute Book as to the person who is from time to time the Chairman of the General Committee shall be conclusive evidence.
Amended and accepted 6th December 2022.
