BLEWBURY CRICKET CLUB CONSTITUTION

1.         Name

The name of the Club is Blewbury Cricket Club (the Club).

2.         Club Purposes

The purposes of the Club are to foster and promote participation in the amateur sport of cricket within the community, providing facilities for playing cricket and opportunities for recreation and competition.

3.         Affiliation

The Club has no external affiliations.

4.         Permitted means of advancing the Purposes

The Committee has the power to:

4.1       acquire and provide grounds, equipment, coaching, training and playing facilities, clubhouse, transport, medical and related facilities;

4.2       provide coaching, training, medical treatment, and related social and other facilities;

4.3       take out any insurance for club committee, employees, contractors, players, guests and third parties;

4.4       raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans and charges;

4.5       open and manage bank accounts;

4.6       lease or licence property;

4.7       make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits;

4.8       set aside or apply funds for special purposes or as reserves;

4.9       deposit or invest funds in any lawful manner;

4.10     employ and engage staff and others and provide services;

4.11     co-operate with any organisation, club, sporting body, government or government-related agencies; and

4.12     do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes.

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

5.         Membership

5.1       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.  However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.

5.2       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.

5.3       The level of subscriptions will be decided by the Committee from time to time and notified to the members.

5.4       The Club will have the following classes of membership:

5.4.1     Full member- playing

5.4.2     Full member – non-playing

5.4.3     Junior/Student member (under the age of 18, or in full time education).

5.5       Application for membership of the Club shall be by completion of a membership application form.

5.6       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 Club Committee.

5.7       The Club 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 into disrepute and:

5.7.1     The Club 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 Club Committee to consider at the meeting. Appeal against a refusal of membership shall be to the Appeal Committee as detailed below. 

5.7.2     The procedure for taking disciplinary action against a member, including removing membership, is dealt with in more detail below.

5.8       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. 

5.9       The Club Secretary will keep a register of members.

5.10     Membership is not transferable and shall cease on death.

5.11     A member may resign by written notice to the Club, but the return of any subscription paid is at the discretion of the Club Committee.

6.         All General Meetings

6.1       All members may attend all general meetings of the Club in person.

6.2       All full members and those over 16 have one vote.

6.3       Members must be given at least 14 clear days notice of all general meetings.

6.4       The quorum for all general meetings is 10 members present.

6.5       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.

6.6       The Chair or (in his or her absence) another member chosen at the meeting by the members shall preside.

6.7       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.

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

7.         Annual General Meetings

The Club will hold an AGM once in every calendar year and not more than 15 months after the last AGM.  At every AGM:

7.1.1     the Members will elect a Committee including a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary to serve until the next AGM;

7.1.2     the Treasurer will produce accounts of the Club for the latest financial year audited as the Committee shall decide;

7.1.3     the Committee will present a report on the Club’s activities since the previous AGM;

7.1.4     the Members will appoint a suitable person to audit the accounts; and

7.1.5     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.

8.         Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM)

An EGM shall be called by the Secretary within 14 days of a request to that effect from the Committee or on the written request of not less than 3 members signed by them.  Such EGM shall be held on not less than 14 nor more than 21 days’ notice at a place decided upon by the Committee or in default by the Chair. If the Committee fails to call a meeting within 14 days of receiving a valid request from the members then the requisitionists may themselves call a meeting, the costs of which will be reimbursed by the Club.

9.         The Committee

9.1       Role

Subject to these Rules the Committee shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs.

9.2       Property, etc.

9.2.1     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.

9.2.2     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.

9.2.3     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 (though not for playing) 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).

9.2.4     The Committee will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.

9.3       Composition, etc.

9.3.1     The Committee shall consist of at least three and not more than six members (including Officers).

9.3.2     The Committee members may co-opt club members (up to the maximum permitted number) to serve until the end of the next AGM.

9.3.3     Any Committee member may be re-elected or re-co-opted without limit.

9.3.4     A Committee member ceases to be such if he or she:

(a)        ceases to be a member of the Club; or

(b)        resigns by written notice to the Club; or

(c)        is removed by the Committee in accordance with clause [5.7] and [10].

9.4       Committee Meetings

9.4.1     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.

9.4.2     The Committee may decide its own way of operating. Unless it otherwise resolves the following rules apply:

(a)        at least 2 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 not have a casting vote.

9.4.3     The Committee shall appoint a Club Welfare Officer to ensure compliance with safeguarding legislation.  The Club Welfare Office shall report to relevant Committee meetings and the reports, together with any action taken, must be minuted.

9.5       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. The Club treasurer is mandated to operate the account as appropriate, with confirmation of any spend over £200, to be agreed and recorded by at least one other committee member.

9.6       Delegation, etc.

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.

9.7       Disclosure

Annual club reports and statements of account must be made available for inspection by any member and all club records may be inspected by any Committee member.

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.       Club Regulations

The Committee may make Club Regulations consistent with these Rules and will publicise these to the members.

12.       Safeguarding

The Club is committed to ensuring all children (i.e. all persons under the age of 18 years) participating in cricket, have a safe and positive experience and will maintain a relevant and up to date Club safeguarding Policy that is available to all members for review.

13.       Notices

13.1     Notices to be sent out in accordance with these Rules may be sent by hand, by post or by suitable electronic means and will be treated as being received:

13.1.1   24 hours after being sent by electronic means or delivered by hand to the relevant address;

13.1.2   Two clear days after being sent by first class post; or

13.1.3   Three clear days after being sent by second class post.

13.2     Notice of all general meetings must also be put on the Club’s notice board(s) and website (if any).

13.3     A technical defect in the giving of notice of which the members or the Committee are unaware at the time does not invalidate decisions taken at a meeting.

14.       Amendments

14.1     These Rules may be amended at a general meeting by resolution passed by two-thirds of the votes cast but not (if relevant) so as to jeopardise the Club’s status as a Community Amateur Sports Club as first provided for by the Corporation Tax Act 2010 and not in any event to alter its purposes (unless the procedure set out in 9(b) has been followed) or winding up provisions.

14.2     The Club Purposes may be changed to include another eligible sport if the Committee unanimously agree and the members also agreed the change by a 75% majority of votes cast.

15.       Winding Up the Club

15.1     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.

15.2     The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.

15.3     After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:

15.3.1   to another Club with similar sports purposes which is a charity; and/or

15.3.2   to another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC.

^{Version 3 – October 2023}