Club Constitution

1. 1 The Club shall be called "Hoddesdon Cricket Club" the purposes of which are to provide facilities for and promote the amateur sport of cricket within Hoddesdon and Broxbourne and to promote community participation in the same.

1.2 That the Club colours shall be Green and White

1.3 Under the Licensing Act 2003 and Club Premises Certificate number
BOB/PCLUB/22 Hoddesdon Cricket Club are authorised by the Certificate for the supply of alcohol. The times the Certificate authorises the carrying out of qualifying club activities shall be displayed in the premises. The above restrictions do not prohibit the supply to, or consumption by, any person of alcohol in any premises where they are residing.

2. Affiliation

2.1 The Club shall adopt and implement the ECB Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children and any future versions of the policy. The Club must also have a separate club safeguarding Policy Statement, as required by the ECB.
2.2 The Club shall adopt and implement the ECB Anti-Discrimination Code of Conduct and any future versions of this policy.

3. Permitted Means of Advancing the Purpose

The Committee has the power to:
3.1 acquire and provide grounds, equipment, coaching, training and playing facilities, clubhouse, transport, medical and related facilities.
3.2 provide coaching, training, medical treatment, and related social and other facilities.

3.3 take out any insurance for the Committee, employees, contractors, players, guests and third parties.
3.4 raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans and charges.
3.5 borrow money and give security for the same, and open bank accounts.
3.6 buy, lease or license property and sell, let or otherwise dispose of the same
3.7 make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits.
3.8 set aside or apply funds for special purposes or as reserves.
3.9 deposit or invest funds in any lawful manner.
3.10 employ and engage staff and others and provide services.
3.11 co-operate with any organisation, club, sporting body, government or government-related agencies; and
3.12 do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes.
3.13 The Club shall at all times comply with the Rules and Regulations laid down by the Lowfield Management Committee and the Club shall not be able to vary, amend, or otherwise alter this Rule, without the consent of the Lowfield Management Committee.
3.14 No alteration or addition be made to these Rules (Constitution), except at the Annual General Meeting, or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called at the request of five or more Club members. Seven clear days’ written notice is to be given with proposed alterations.
3.15 In the event of any question arising which is not provided for in the foregoing Rules, the resolution of such question is to be left to the discretion of the Club's Executive Committee and their decision thereon shall be final.

NONE of the above powers may be used other than to advance the purposes consistently with the Rules below and the general law.

4 Executive Committee

4.1 The management of the Club shall be through an Executive Committee comprising the Club Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and a minimum of 4 others.
4.2 The Executive Committee is empowered to co-opt any additional members to form a committee.
4.3 All Committee members are empowered to form a sub-committee and co-opt members as necessary to deal with their responsibilities.
4.4 The Club President is invited to attend all meetings.

5. The Committee

5.1 Subject to these Rules the Committee shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs.
5.2 Property, etc.
5.2.1 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 to be re-invested in the Club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.]
5.2.2 The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, away-match expenses, post-match refreshments and other ordinary benefits [ of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Corporation Tax Act 2010 and the Community Amateur Sports Clubs Regulations 2015 (as modified by statute or re-enacted from time to time) (the “CASC Regulations”)].
5.2.3 The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:
(a) sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment.
(b) employ members and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present.
(c) pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests; and
(d) 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).
5.2.4 The Committee shall ensure that they take practical steps to comply with legislation relating to both The Equality Act 2010 and the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
5.2.5 In the event of any question arising which is not provided for in the foregoing Rules, the resolution of such question is to be left to the discretion of the Club's Executive Committee and their decision thereon shall be final.
5.2.6 The Committee shall consist of at least three and not more than twenty members (including Officers and the Club Safeguarding Officer).
5.2.7 At least three of the Committee must be unrelated to each other and not co-habiting.
5.2.8 The Committee shall be elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting as detailed in clause 8.2.
5.2.9 The Committee members shall consider skills needed and diversity on the Committee.
5.2.10 The Committee may co-opt Club members (up to the maximum permitted number) to fill a vacancy or as an additional Committee member to serve until the end of the next AGM.
5.2.11 Any Committee member may be re-elected [or re-co-opted] without limit.
5.2.12 The Committee shall appoint a Club Safeguarding Officer to ensure compliance with safeguarding legislation and the ECB Safe Hands policy. The Club Welfare Office shall be a Committee member and report to relevant Committee meetings and the reports, together with any action taken, must be minuted.
5.2.13 A Committee member ceases to be such if they:
(a) cease to be a member of the Club; or
(b) resign by written notice to the Club; or
(c) is removed by the Committee in accordance with clause 9.5 and 10.

6 Committee Meetings

6.1 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 concerned. Conflicts of Interest must be recorded and minuted.
6.2 The Committee shall meet at least four times each year. The Committee may decide its own way of operating. Unless it otherwise resolves the following rules apply:
(a) at least 4 Committee members must be present for the meeting to be valid.
(b) Committee meetings may be held either in person or by telephone, televisual or other electronic or virtual means agreed by the Committee in which all participants may communicate simultaneously with all other participants
(c) the Chair or whoever else those present choose shall chair meetings.
(d) decisions shall be by simple majority of those voting.
(e) a resolution in writing signed by every Committee member shall be valid without a meeting; and
(f) the chair of the meeting shall have a casting vote.
6.3 The Committee may delegate any of their functions to sub-committees but must specify the scope of its activity 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-committee at any time or change its mandate and operating terms

7. All General Meetings

7.1 All members may attend all general meetings of the Club in person.
7.2 All members over the age of 16 have one vote.
7.3 Members must be given at least 7 clear days written notice of all general meetings.
7.4 The quorum for all general meetings is 15 members present or 1% of the total membership whichever is greater.
7.5 If a quorum is not present within 15 minutes of the start of the meeting, the meeting will be adjourned to the following week at the same time and place or such other time and place as the Committee decide and any voting members attending the adjourned meeting will constitute a quorum.
7.6 The Chair or (in his or her absence) another member chosen at the meeting by the members shall preside.
7.7 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.

7.8 Formalities in connection with general meetings (such as how to put down resolutions and nominate candidates for election to the Committee) shall be decided by the Committee in Club Regulations and publicised to Club members.

8 Annual General Meetings

8.1 The Club will hold an AGM once in every calendar year by the end of Mar . At every AGM:
8.1.5 the members will elect an Executive Committee including a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary (“the Officers”) to serve until the next AGM. It is recommended (but not mandated) that no Executive Committee member shall serve for more than nine consecutive terms without spending one year out of office before being eligible for appointment again.
8.1.6 The Treasurer will produce accounts of the Club for the latest financial year audited as the Committee shall decide.
8.1.7 the Committee will present a report on the Club's activities since the previous AGM
8.1.8 The members will appoint a suitable person to audit the accounts; and:
8.1.7 The members will discuss and vote on any resolution (whether about policy or to change the Rules) and deal with any other business put to the meeting.

9 Membership

9.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs, except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of cricket.
9.2 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

9.3 The Club will have the following classes of membership:
(a) Full Adult member
(b) Student Member
(c) Junior Member (8-15)
(d) Cadet Member
(e) Full member – non-playing (Social)
(f) President, Life Members and Vice Presidents.
9.4 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 applicable subscription has been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Committee [Two days must also have passed since the application for membership was submitted before membership can be granted.]
9.5 The 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:
9.6 The 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 Committee to consider at the meeting. Appeal against a refusal of membership shall be to the Appeal Committee as detailed below.
9.7 The procedure for taking disciplinary action against a member, including removing membership, is dealt with in more detail below.
9.8 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 Guests must be displayed prominently to ensure that all Club guests and non-member volunteers are aware of the code and the requirement to abide by it.
9.9 The Membership Secretary will keep a register of members.
9.10 Membership is not transferable and shall cease on death.
9.11 A member may resign by written notice to the Club, but the return of any subscription paid is at the discretion of the Committee

9.12 The level of all subscriptions and match levies to be decided by the Executive Committee. Player’s subscriptions, as detailed hereunder, become payable from 1st January and must be paid by 30th May unless, in the case of Playing Members aged over 18, direct debits are in place to enable monthly payments to be paid commencing in January or that the instalments option has been selected in the payment options.
9.13 Any subscriptions remaining unpaid by 1st July (not forming part of an annual direct debit arrangement) means that defaulting members are liable to immediate exclusion from membership of the Club and reinstatement thereto will only be permitted after a successful re-election application and settlement of all outstanding monies.
9.14 Annual Subscriptions:
ONE - 2022 SENIOR PLAYER - £150
TWO - 2022 SENIOR PLAYER FAMILY MEMBERSHIP - £165
THREE - 2022 YOUNG ADULT MEMBERSHIP 16-18 YEARS - £75
FOUR - 2022 SINGLE JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP BETWEEN 9-15 YEARS - £90
FIVE - 2022 MULTIPLE JUNIOR FAMILY MEMBERSHIP OLDEST - 9-15 YEARS - £135
SIX - 2022 CADET JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP 8 YEARS OR UNDER - £25
SEVEN - 2022 SOCIAL / NON-PLAYING MEMBER - £25
Note: Junior membership fee includes £5 per junior Sunday training fees throughout the season but does not include match fees which are payable per fixture played. Winter nets are also payable separately
9.15 The level of match levies is published annually at the beginning of each
season, notice of which is displayed prominently on the Club’s premises.

10. Removal of Membership, Discipline and Appeals

10.1 Any complaints regarding the behaviour of members, guests or volunteers should be lodged in writing with the Secretary.
10.2 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 reasonable time to prepare for any hearing.
10.3 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.
10.4 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.
10.5 There shall be a right of appeal within 14 days of receipt of the disciplinary decision or decision to refuse membership:
10.5.1 against the Disciplinary Sub-Committee’s findings or the sanction imposed or both; and
10.5.2 against the Committee’s refusal to admit a new member
in either case, the Committee shall appoint an appeals committee (“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.

11 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. Unless regulations state otherwise, all cheques and orders for payment of money from such accounts must be signed by at least two people authorised by the Committee, including at least one Committee member.

12 Winding Up the Club

12.1 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.
12.2 The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.
12.3 After settling all liabilities of the Club, any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to another registered CASC, a registered charity or the sport’s governing body for use by them in related community sports.

Adopted - 23-Jul-2022