Leverstock Green Cricket Club - Club Rules
1. Name - The Club shall be called Leverstock Green Cricket Club and its Headquarters shall be the Club Pavilion, Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP3 8LJ.
2. Objects - The object of the Club shall be to provide for its members the facilities necessary to participate in, foster and promote the amateur game of cricket. The Management Committee may provide such other sports, social and recreational pursuits which it considers to be in the best interests of the Club.
3. Membership – Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons, irrespective of age, sex or disability except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of cricket as a particular sport and irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs.
The Club aims to be a child-friendly club and to provide a safe and effective environment for young players. To this end the Club has adopted the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Policy "Safe Hands - Welfare of Young People in Cricket."
Application for membership of the Club is subject to the completion of an application form and the prospective member (whether for playing or non-playing membership) must be proposed and seconded by other Club members in accordance with clauses 3a(iii) or 3a(iv) below. The membership secretary shall present the completed application form at a meeting of the management committee for its approval. The management committee will accept the new member on the basis of a simple majority.
Persons may not be admitted to membership, without an interval of at least two days between the nomination, or application for membership and their admission, nor may persons becoming members without prior nomination or application be admitted to the privileges of membership without an interval of at least two days between their becoming members and their admission.
Until the approval process is complete, the prospective new member will remain as a guest subject to the conditions of clause 13.
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 at an Extraordinary General Meeting in accordance with clause 9. Such an appeal can only be lodged after the procedures set out in clause 6(c) have been completed.
Membership of the club shall consist of the following categories:-
a) FULL MEMBERS
Full Members shall have the right to vote at General Meetings and be nominated for election to the Management Committee. The category is divided into the following classes:-
i) Life Vice-Presidents shall be nominated by the Management Committee in recognition of exemplary or exceptional service to the Club and elected by a two-thirds majority at a General Meeting. Elections shall be for life.
ii) Vice-Presidents shall be nominated by the Management Committee in recognition of the hard-work they have done for the Club and elected at a General Meeting by a two-thirds majority. The term of office will be for 3 years in the first instance.
iii) Playing Members shall be those members who make themselves available for selection in the Club senior teams. They shall be proposed by a Playing Member and seconded by a member of the Cricket Committee.
iv) Non-Playing Members shall be proposed by a full member and seconded by a member of the Management Committee.
v) Family Membership is available to those members who have one or more children playing for junior teams within the Club. Adult members of this category will have the same rights as non-playing members, but family membership ceases when the junior member no longer plays for the Club or becomes ineligible through age.
b) JUNIOR PLAYING MEMBERS shall be playing members who are eligible to play junior cricket.
c) ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP is available for those members who have a current or past connection with the club and who currently live further than 50 miles from the club.
d) PARTNER MEMBERS shall be anyone who belongs to a Full Member's family and is nominated to and accepted by the Management Committee.
e) Members of visiting teams and their supporters will be Temporary Members from their arrival on the day of the match until close of business.
4. Subscription
a) The annual subscription payable to the Club by each class of member shall be fixed each year at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose.
b) The subscription rates thus approved shall be published each year in Club handbook.
c) The subscription year shall be from 1 May to 30 April.
d) Any member whose subscription remains unpaid at 31 May will forfeit his/her privileges of membership i.e. a Playing Member may not be selected to play cricket nor use the Clubhouse; a Non-Playing Member may not use the Clubhouse. Before having these privileges restored the member must pay an increased subscription to be decided under paragraph 4(a) If by 30 June this increased subscription is not paid then the Committee may terminate membership.
e) The Management Committee shall have discretion to reduce the initial subscription for part of a year where they consider circumstances warrant it.
f) Full Members who are still in full-time education will pay a reduced subscription.
g) Life Vice-Presidents will not be required to pay a subscription but will be expected to pay a suitable annual donation. Vice-Presidents will pay a normal full-member's subscription.
5. Management of the Club
a) Management of the Club shall be through elected officers and co-opted members who shall be formed into the structure defined below:-
i) Management Committee
Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Club Captain, Bar Chairman, Events Co-ordinator, Pavilion Services Manager, Marketing and Income Development Officer, plus as many members of the Cricket Committee as necessary to ensure that more than 50% of the Management Committee are currently fully paid-up playing members (at the discretion of the Cricket Committee). Five members will constitute a quorum.
ii) Sub-Committees
a) CRICKET - Club Captain, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th XI Captains (or their nominees), Junior Section Manager (or nominee), and Fixture Secretary.
b) BAR - Bar Chairman, Treasurer and co-opted members as required.
c) SOCIAL - Events Co-ordinator and co-opted members as required.
d) The Management Committee may establish temporary sub-committees, at its discretion, to carry out specific tasks.
e) Trustees - minimum two preferably three officers of the Club. They shall be legally considered to represent the Club in cases of:
i) Claims for indemnity from Club members.
ii) Action against the Club in cases of law contravention.
f) Only full playing members may vote in the election of the Club Captain, Captains and Vice Captains, the Fixture Secretary and Team Secretary. All retiring members of the Management Committee and sub-Committees shall be eligible for re-election.
g) The President shall be elected for a three year period. The outgoing President shall be eligible for re-election.
h) The officers to be elected at the Annual General Meeting are as follows:- Chairman, Secretary, Bar Chairman, Membership Secretary, Pavilion Services Manager, Events Co-ordinator, Treasurer, Marketing and Income Development Officer, Club Captain, Team Captains and Vice-Captains, Fixture Secretary and Team Secretary.
i) If any election should end in a tie, a second ballot will be held. If there is still a tie, the election will be decided by the drawing of lots.
6. Duties and Responsibilities of the Management Committee
a) The property and assets of the Club shall be vested in the Management Committee.
b) The power to admit new members duly proposed and seconded shall be vested in the Management Committee whose decision shall be final.
c) The Management Committee shall have the power to discipline any member whose conduct is deemed to be contrary to the best interests of the Club. Following the receipt of a written report of such conduct, the Club Chairman shall appoint a sub-committee made up of himself and two other Full Members; this sub-committee shall investigate the matter and decide upon its disposal. The sub-committee's decision shall be final except that, in the case of a suspension or expulsion, the member shall have the right of appeal to the full Management Committee.
d) The Management Committee shall have the power to fill such vacancies as may arise in its own constitution between Annual General Meetings. It shall also have the power to declare a vacancy should a member of the Committee be absent from three consecutive meetings without explanation deemed to be satisfactory.
e) The Management Committee shall meet at least nine times per year and shall cause a record to be kept of all proceedings.
f) The Management Committee shall ensure that a current register of all members is kept and made available within the Clubhouse.
g) The Management Committee shall take whatever measures it sees fit to restrict entry to the pavilion on any occasion when there is a danger of overcrowding.
7. Finance
a) The club is a non-profit making organisation. Any surplus income or gains are re-invested in the Club. Surpluses or assets cannot be distributed to members or third parties.
b) The collection and disbursement of all Club funds shall be the responsibility of the Management Committee who shall ensure that proper books of account are kept by the Treasurer.
c) The accounts of the Club shall be audited yearly and a report by the Auditor submitted to the Annual General Meeting.
d) Official receipts for all monies received shall be signed by the Treasurer who shall report on the Finances of the Club to each meeting of the Management Committee.
e) The Management Committee shall authorize cheques to be signed by any two of the Chairman, the Secretary and the Treasurer.
f) No member shall, except for services rendered at the request of the Management Committee, receive any payment or emoluments from the funds or transactions of the Club.
g) The Club shall not be held responsible for any debts other than those incurred with the prior knowledge and approval of the Management Committee.
8. Annual General Meeting
a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held on the first Monday of December in each year. The Secretary shall give not less than twenty-one clear days' notice of such meeting to all members.
b) The meeting shall receive a financial statement for the preceding financial year and the report of the Management Committee.
c) The meeting shall elect the Management Committee and appoint an Honorary Auditor, or Auditors.
d) The newly elected Management Committee shall assume office at the end of the Annual General Meeting.
e) Only Full Members may vote at General Meetings. Associate Members, Junior Members and Partner Members may speak at the meetings but may not vote.
f) The proceedings of the Annual General Meeting shall be duly minuted.
9. Extraordinary General Meeting
a) An extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Management Committee or may be convened by the membership upon the written request of not less than 35 members.
b) The Secretary shall give seven clear days' notice of such meeting to all members. The specific purpose of the meeting shall be stated and no other business shall be transacted.
c) The provision of sections (e) and (f) of Rule 9 shall apply to an Extraordinary General Meeting.
10. Alteration to Rules
a) Alteration to the Rules of the Club shall be made only at an Annual General Meeting, or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose, and only if supported by two-thirds of the members present and voting at such meeting.
11. Club Hours
The hours during which the Club may remain open shall be decided by the Management Committee.
12. Bar Rules
a) The permitted hours for the supply of intoxicating liquor shall be:
Monday to Saturday 11am - 11pm
Sunday, Christmas Day and Good Friday Noon - 3 00pm and 7 00pm - 10 30pm.
b) No person below the age of 18 shall be permitted to purchase or consume intoxicating liquor upon Club premises.
c) Gambling and games of chance are not permitted except those played for small stakes and allowed within the General Licensing Laws.
d) Persons under the age of 18, who are junior playing members or sons or daughters of a member, will be permitted to enter the Club during licensing hours but may be asked to leave after 9 30 pm if unaccompanied by an adult who will accept responsibility for them.
13. Visitors
a) Members may introduce visitors to the Club subject to regulations of the Management Committee which shall be in accordance with the licensing laws.
b) Every visitor shall be the guest of, and shall be accompanied by, the member introducing him or her.
c) Members will be held responsible for the proper behaviour of their guests.
d) A guest may be introduced into the Club on not more than six occasions during the year. This restriction shall not apply to members' partners. A full member shall not be allowed to introduce more than four guests at any one time.
e) Persons under 18 are permitted to introduce only one guest.
A signing-in book shall be kept for guests who must be signed in by the accompanying member.
14. Dissolution
a) 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.
b) The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.
c) After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:
i) to another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered charity and/or to another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered Community Amateur Sports Club and/or
ii) to the Club’s governing body for use by them for related community sports.
15. Other Business
Any matters not governed by the foregoing Rules shall be dealt with by The Management Committee whose decision shall be final and binding.