Login

Constitution And Club Rules

Horndon-on-the-Hill Cricket Club.

(Incorporating The Cricketers (Horndon) F.C.)
As amended 1 November 2015
 

1. TITLE AND ADDRESS

  • The title of the club shall be Horndon-on-the-Hill Cricket Club hereinafter referred to as “the Club”.
  • The Clubroom and offices of the Club shall be Horndon-on-the Hill Recreation Ground, Orsett Road, Horndon-on-the-Hill, Essex.
  • The colours of the Club shall be light blue and dark blue with a gold section in the middle.

2. OBJECTS 

The object of the club is to provide facilities for and promote participation of the whole community in the sport of Cricket and Football.

3. MEMBERSHIP

  • All players over eighteen years of age having paid the current subscription shall be Full Members.  All Full Members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership and have equal voting rights.
  • All players not having reached their eighteenth birthday but having paid the current subscription shall be Junior Members.  All Junior Members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership except that they shall not hold office nor be eligible to vote.
  • The Management Committee may admit persons over the age of eighteen years to Associate Membership, which shall be open to persons having paid the current subscription.  Associate Members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership except that they may not hold office nor be eligible to vote.
  • The Management Committee may admit to Honorary Life Membership at their discretion persons of distinction who have contributed to the game of cricket.  Honorary Life members shall not be liable to pay any subscriptions or entrance fee and hall be entitled to all privileges of membership (such members shall nor exceed 20% of the Full Members entitled to vote).
  • The aggregate of Associate Members and Honorary Life Members shall not exceed 25% of Full Members
  • The Management Committee may admit to Family Membership the spouse, son or daughter of any Full or Associate Member and such class of member shall be disregarded in calculating all percentages under Clause 3.d. or 3.e. hereof.  Family Members shall not be liable to pay any subscriptions or entrance fee and shall be entitled to all privileges of membership except that they shall not hold office nor be eligible to vote.
  • All applications for Membership shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary and the Management Committee shall accept or refuse membership.  No persons shall be admitted to membership or to any privileges of membership without an interval of at least seven days between their nomination or application for membership and their admission. 
  • Membership shall be open to all irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, social status or sexual orientation.
  • The Club will ensure a duty of care to all members of the club by adopting and implementing the ECB safe hands, Welfare of young people in cricket, policy and any future versions of this policy.
  • The Club may refuse membership or expel from membership only for good and sufficient cause, such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or Sport into disrepute. Appeal against such a decision may be made to the Club’s members and decided by a majority vote.

4. VISITORS AND GUESTS

  • Full Members, Associate Members and Honorary Life Members shall be permitted to introduce guests in accordance with the Rules as shall from time to time be on force.  Each Member shall be restricted to introducing no more than two guests on any one occasion and each guest being permitted to so visit the Club not more than once in each calendar month.
  • The Management Committee may, after matches, admit to the Club on specific invitation other clubs’ players, officials and bone fide supporters to use the Club and purchase intoxicating liquor on the day of their visit only.  The Management Committee may also invite such persons for social functions at the Club organised by the Management Committee provided that there shall be no more than twelve such functions in any one year.

5. MANAGEMENT

  • The Club for the purposes of general management shall be governed by a Management Committee consisting of Chairman of the Club (hereafter Chairman), Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Bar Manager, Club Captain, Honorary Membership Secretary, Youth Organiser, Honorary Fixtures Secretary, Social & Fund Raising Committee Chairman and the Football Committee Chairman together with sufficient elected Members to make a Management Committee of 12, all of whom will be elected annually at each year’s Annual General Meeting.  A quorum shall be 7.  The powers of the Management Committee shall be running of the Club touching upon all matters not otherwise dealt with in these Rules or required by law to be dealt with by Members in General Meeting.
  • The purchase and supply of intoxicants shall be managed by the Bar Committee consisting of the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Bar Manager.
  • Meetings of the Management Committee shall be chaired by the Chairman or in his absence the Vice Chairman or in their absence an Officer of the Club elected by those Officers of the Club present.  Such meetings shall take place not less frequently than once every two months or at other times at the request of at least three Management Committee Members.
  • In the event of a Member of the Management Committee resigning from office during the year the Management Committee may appoint any Full or Honorary Life Member to the vacant post.
  • Any member of the Club may be invited by the Management Committee to attend and participate in one of its’ meetings in an advisory capacity relating to a specific activity or function and having regard to their particular expertise but shall not be entitled to vote.
  • There shall be two standing Sub-committees one for each of the following:- Cricket, and Football.
  • The Cricket Committee shall consist of the Club Captain, who will chair the meetings, the Honorary Fixture Secretary, the various team captains and a player representative all of whom will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
  • The Football Committee shall consist of three Members its chairman who will be elected annually at each years Annual General Meeting and who will appoint, from time to time, two other members to serve on that committee.
  • All elected members of the Management Committee, the two standing Sub-committees and the Club President shall be the “Officers of the Club”.  Officers of the Club may hold more than one Office of the Club and election of Captains for one eleven will not preclude them from playing for another eleven.
  • Officers of the Club shall go out of office at the end of their elected period of office. The elected period of office for such Officers shall begin with their election, re-election or appointment and end at the election of officers at the next following Annual General Meeting.
  • Any Officer of the Club who resigns during their elected period of office shall not be eligible for election to any office at the next election following such resignation.  The Management Committee shall by a simple majority have the right to waive this Rule if they believe there are exceptional mitigating circumstances.
  • Nominations for any Officer of the Club may be made before or at the Annual General Meeting.  All nominees for any Office of the Club must have been Full, Honorary Life or Associate Members of the Club for at least two years.
  • The position of Club Welfare Officer can only be held by a competent person who complies with the current version of the ECB safe hands, Welfare of young people in cricket, policy.

6. GENERAL MEETINGS

  • The Chairman will chair Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings.  In his absence such meetings will be chaired by the Vice-Chairman.  In the absence of both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman such meetings will be chaired by a member of the Management Committee elected by those Management Committee members present.
  • The function of the Annual General Meeting will be:
    • to receive reports from Officers of the Club including audited accounts.
    • to elect the Officers of the Club for the ensuing period of election.
    • to elect Trustees in accordance with the Rules of the Club.
    • to discuss and vote on any proposed changes to the Club rules.
    • to discuss any matters pertinent to the running or well being of the Club.
    • to appoint an auditor qualified in accordance with the Rules of the Club.
    • to confirm or modify the bye laws of the Club.
  • At lease twenty-eight days notice will be given of the date of the Annual General Meeting, which shall take place in October each year.
  • Proposed changes to the Club Rules will be discussed and voted upon at General Meetings provided that such proposals have been notified to the Honorary
  • Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of the Annual General Meeting (no other proposals will be considered).  The discussion of or voting on amendments to such proposed Rule changes will be at the sole discretion of the Chairman of the General Meeting.
  • Any change to Club Rules effecting the title of the Club the objects of the Club or any Rule affecting the ability to change the title of the Club or the objects of the
  • Club shall require that 98% of the Full Members of the Club approve the change.  Other changes to the Rules will require two thirds of the voting Members present at the General Meeting to approve the change.
  • Extraordinary General Meetings shall be called when deemed necessary by the Management Committee or within 28 days of the Honorary Secretary receiving in writing a request from more than 15 Full, Associate or Honorary Life Members or one fifth of the Full, Associate and Honorary Life Members whichever is the less.
  • The Honorary Secretary shall give notice of any General Meeting by circulating its proposed agenda to all Members at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.
  • All decisions of a General Meeting will become effective immediately upon its closure unless otherwise provided for in the wording of the motion.

7. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

The ordinary rules of debate shall apply at all General Meeting, Management Committee Meetings and other Committee Meetings.  The ruling of the Chairman on a point of order shall be final and not open to discussion.  An abstract of the transactions of the Management Committee shall be available for the perusal of Club Members.

8. ACCOUNTING

  • The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st October to 30th September inclusive.
  • The Honorary Treasurer shall keep such records as considered necessary in consultation with the auditors.  A separate account will be kept and a separate statement made regarding the finances of the Bar and Clubroom. All such records will be made available to Members upon request and a notice to that effect displayed in a prominent position in the Club.
  • The Honorary Treasurer will submit a statement of accounts and balance sheet to each Annual General Meeting.  Such accounts (including the Bar and Clubroom account) shall be audited by a competent person.
  • All Club Monies other than that necessary for the day to day running of the Club shall be held in a bank or building society current or deposit account.  The particular bank or building society account to be decided from time to time by the Management Committee.
  • The income and property of the club shall be applied solely towards promoting the Club’s objectives as set forth in these rules and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the Members of the Club.

9. SUBSCRIPTIONS

  • The rates of subscriptions and match fees for all classes of Membership shall be discussed and determined at the Annual General Meeting.
  • All new Members’ subscriptions fall due within one month of admission.
  • The Management Committee shall have the right to waive in part or entirely the annual subscriptions of the Honorary Secretary and/or the Honorary Treasurer.
  • The management committee, at its own discretion following a written application, may allow any player over eighteen years of age and in full time education, having paid the current full membership subscription, to be exempt from any additional playing member annual subscription. Such members will be levied match fee’s in line with those paid by junior members.

10. SUPPLY AND CONSUMPTION OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR

  • No person under the age of eighteen years may be supplied with or consume any intoxicating liquor on Club premises.
  • Intoxicating liquor may be supplied to Members for their consumption and the consumption of their guests and other persons as provided under Rule 4.b. above
  • A list of Members shall be kept in the Clubhouse.
  • The hours of opening and closing of the Clubhouse for use by Members shall be determined by the Management Committee.
  • The permitted hours for the supply of intoxicating liquor shall be such as shall from time to time be determined by the Management Committee, in accordance with the provisions of the Licensing Acts 1964 together with any amendments thereto or replacements thereof provided that the permitted hours shall not apply until the Clerk to the Thurrock Justices has been notified.
  • No application for an Order of Exemption under Section 74 of the Licensing Act 1964 shall be made without prior consent of the Management Committee.
  • No person shall receive, at the expense of the Club, any commission percentage or similar payment on or with reference to purchases of intoxicating liquor by the Club; nor shall any person directly or indirectly derive any pecuniary benefit from the supply or sale of intoxicating liquor or on behalf of the Club to Members or others apart from any benefit accruing to the Club as a whole.
  • No intoxicating liquor shall be supplied to members or to any other person on the Club premises otherwise than by or on behalf of the Club.
  • Members shall be responsible for their guests whilst on the Club premises.  All guests shall be signed in the visitor’s book and no guest shall remain on the Club premises other than in the company of a member.
  • If the number of Full Members shall fall below twenty-five then the Club’s Registration Certificate shall forthwith be surrendered.  The Club shall continue to operate without the sale or consumption of intoxicating liquor on the Club’s premises and the Bar Committee shall be forthwith disbanded by notice to that effect to the Members by the Honorary Secretary.

11. TRUSTEES

  • There shall be Trustees of the Club the number to be fixed at the Annual General Meeting but who shall not be fewer than two nor more than four.
  • The Trustees shall be elected at any General Meeting and nominations for such posts must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days before such General Meeting and all nominations must have been Full Members for at least five years.  Such Trustees so appointed shall hold office until death, resignation or removal from office by a resolution of Members.
  • All property of the Club other than cash shall be vested in the Trustees. 
  • The Trustees may deal with the property so vested in them by way of sale, mortgage, charge, lease or otherwise and purchase or lease property as directed by the Club.  Such directions shall be given by a resolution of the Members of the Club passed by a two-thirds majority of those present at a duly convened General Meeting of the Club and when so passed shall in favour of a vendor, purchaser, mortgagee, chargee, lessor, lessee or grantee be binding on all Members of the Club.  A certificate purporting to be signed by the Chairman for the time being of the Club shall in favour of the said persons be conclusive evidence that a direction complying in all respects with the provisions of this Rule when duly given to the Trustee. 
     

12. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

Any four Management Committee Members may suspend the membership of any Member whose conduct, whether on the premises of the Club or elsewhere, has been in the opinion of those Committee Members contrary to the Rules or interests of the Club or injurious to it’s reputation.  In the case of such action or if the Management Committee wish to reprimand, suspend or terminate membership of the following procedure will be adopted:

  • The Member shall be given written notice of the particulars of the complaint against him.
  • The Member shall then be given within one month, the opportunity to appear in person before the Management Committee to answer the complaint.
  • No decision to reprimand, suspend or terminate membership shall be endorsed unless two-thirds of the full Management Committee, (or two-thirds of a quorum of that committee) vote in favour of such action.

13. EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY

Neither the Club nor any Officer of the Club shall be liable to any Member, guest or visitor for any loss or damage to any property from whatever cause in or about the Club premises, nor for any injury sustained by any Member, guest or visitor on entering or leaving the Club premises.

14. INTERPRETATION OF RULES

In the event of differences in interpretation of these Rules the decision of the Chairman shall be binding until the next General Meeting at which the decision will be put to the Members present for ratification on a simple majority vote.

15. BYE-LAWS

The Management Committee may make, vary or revoke byelaws (not inconsistent with these Rules) for the internal regulation of the Club and conduct of Members.  Such byelaws will be binding on all Members until the next Annual General Meeting when they will lapse unless confirmed by a simple majority of Members present.

16. NOTIFICATION

  • A copy of these Rules and the Club byelaws will be made available to each Member of the Club.
  • A record of the business of the Management Committee meetings and General Meeting shall be available in the Clubhouse for the perusal of Club Members.