RULES/CONSTITUTION OF GUISBOROUGH RUGBY UNION COMMUNITY AMATEUR SPORTS CLUB 1. NAME The name of the Club is Guisborough Rugby Union Football Club. 2. CLUB PURPOSES The purposes of the club are to promote the amateur sport of Rugby in Guisborough and its hinterland, and community participation in the same. 3. PERMITTED MEANS OF ADVANCING THE PURPOSES 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 Club, 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 same, and open bank accounts. 3.6 Buy, lease or licence 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 funds for special purposes or as reserves. 3.9 Invest funds in any lawful manner. 3.10 Employ and engage staff and others and provide services. 3.11 Co-operate with or affiliate to firstly any bodies regulating or organising the Sport and secondly any club or body with it and thirdly with government and related agencies. 3.12 Do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the Purposes. 3.13 Furthermore no profits or income may be distributed in the form of shares or dividends to any individual. However, with Committee approval, an incentive bonus may be offered to the Club Steward/Manager in recognition of his/her efforts towards an increase in the Club s annual net profit. NONE of the above powers may be used other than to advance the Purposes consistently with the Rules below and the general law. 4. MEMBERSHIP 4.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, religion or other beliefs. However limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis. 4.2 The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non- discriminatory and fair basis. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating. 1
4.3 The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good causes such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members. 5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS The Club will hold an AGM once in every calendar year and not more than 15 months after the last AGM. A notice announcing the date and venue of the AGM shall be placed on the Club website, social media and notice boards at least two calendar months before the meeting. Notice of invitation for nominations for committee members and Club Officers shall also be posted in the clubhouse at the same time. Nominations will close 10 days prior to the meeting. At every AGM: 5.1 The Members will elect a Committee including a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary to serve until the next AGM. 5.2 The Treasurer will produce accounts of the Club for the latest financial year audited as the Committee shall decide. 5.3 The Committee will present a report on the Clubs activities since the previous AGM. 5.4 Full 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. 6. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS 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 at least five members signed by them. Such EGM shall be held on not less than 14 and no more than 21 days notice at a place decided upon by the Committee or in default by the Chair. 7. THE COMMITTEE 7.1 Role Subject to these Rules the Committee shall have the responsibility for the management of the Club its funds property and affairs. 7.2Property etc. 7.2.1 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 reinvested in the Club. 7.2.2 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 2
Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002. 7.2.3 The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club: 7.2.3.1 Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment. 7.2.3.2 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. 7.2.3.3 Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests. 7.2.3.4 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). 7.2.4 The Committee will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and child protection. 7.3 Composition etc. 7.3.1 The Committee shall consist of at least three and not more than twelve members (including officers). 7.3.2 The Committee members may co-opt club members (up to the maximum permitted number) to serve until the end of the next AGM. 7.3.3 Any Committee member may be re-elected or re-co-opted without limit. 7.3.4 A Committee member ceases to be such if he or she ceases to be a member of the Club, resigns by written notice, or is removed by the Committee for good cause after the member concerned has been given the chance of putting his/her case to the Committee with an appeal to the Club Members, or is removed by Club Members at a General Meeting. The Committee shall fairly decide time limits and formalities for these steps. 7.4 Committee Meetings 7.4.1 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. 7.4.2 The Committee may decide its own way of operating. Unless it otherwise resolves, the following rules apply. 3
7.4.2.1 At least 4 members must be present for the meeting to be valid. 7.4.2.2 Committee meetings shall usually be held face to face but if circumstances so dictate, members unable to attend in person may participate by mobile phone or other electronic means. 7.4.2.3 The Chair or whoever those present choose shall chair the meetings. 7.4.2.4 Decisions shall be by simple majority of those voting. 7.4.2.5 A resolution in writing signed by every Committee member shall be valid without a meeting. 7.4.2.6 In the event of a tie in voting, the Chair of the meeting shall have a casting vote. 7.4.2.7 If an urgent matter arises which requires Committee approval outside a scheduled meeting, members may be emailed for their approval. 7.5 Delegation etc. The Committee may delegate any of their functions to subcommittees 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. 7.6 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. 8. AMENDMENTS 8.1 These rules may be amended at a general meeting 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 Finance Act 2002 and not in any event to alter its purpose (unless the procedure set out in 9.1 has been followed) or winding up provisions. 8.2 The Club Purposes may be changed to include another eligible sport if the committee unanimously agree and the members also agree the change by a 75% majority of votes cast. 9. WINDING UP THE CLUB 4
9.1 The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support the proposal at a properly convened general meeting. 9.2 The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club s affairs. 9.3 After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following: 9.3.1 To another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered charity and/or 9.3.2 To another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC and/or 9.3.3 To the Club s governing body for use by them for related community sports. 10. TRUSTEES The property of the Club shall be vested in four Trustees who shall be appointed by the Executive Management Committee and the property of the club shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the 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 the office by the Executive Management 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 of such nomination, the Secretary, an Officer of the Club, is now nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of the Trustees Act 1925 Section 36 and he shall officially appoint the person or persons nominated by the Executive Management Committee. 11. COMPLAINTS All complaints should be made in writing to the Secretary who shall submit them to the Executive Management Committee whose decision shall be final. In no instance should any club staff be reprimanded directly by a Member. 12. BORROWING POWERS If at any time the Club in general meeting shall pass a resolution authorising the Executive Management Committee to borrow money, the Executive Management Committee shall be empowered to borrow for the purposes of the Club such amount of money either at one time or from time to time and at such rate of interest and such form and manner and upon such security as shall be specified in such resolution and the Trustees shall at the discretion of the Committee make all such dispositions of the club property or any part of the club property and enter into such agreements in relation to the Club property as the Committee may deem proper for giving security for such loans and interest. All members of the Club, whether voting on such 5
resolution or not and all persons becoming members of the Club after the passing of such resolution shall be deemed to have assented to the resolution as if they had voted in favour of it. 12.1 Subject to Rule 13 the Executive Management Committee be empowered to borrow on behalf of the Club up to 150,000.00 12.2 Should Club expenditure at any year end necessitate a call by the Executive Management Committee to cover the deficiency, each and every member shall be equally liable. 13. QUORUM 13.1 The quorum at all Executive Management Committee meetings shall be four. 13.2 The quorum at all general meetings shall be as follows: 13.2.1Promotions proposing any repeal, addition to or amendment to the Rules five. 13.2.2For repeal of any regulations five 13.2.3For motions relating to the expulsion of any member five 13.2.4For all other business - four 14. VISITORS TO THE CLUB 14.1 All members of visiting Clubs or teams who have been given permission to play on the ground shall be entitled to privileges of the Club in accordance with Section 49 of the Licensing Act 1964 other than voting at any meeting of the Club, serving as an Officer of the Club or introducing visitors or guests. 14.2 There may also be admitted to the registered premises of the Club persons other than members, their guests and visitors mentioned in sub-paragraph 14.1 of this clause who wish to use the Club premises for specific functions provided that the nature of the function, the number of persons attending and the hours during which the function is to take place, have been notified to the Secretary of the Executive Management Committee at least 28 days before the date of the function. If no objections to the function are received from any Club Member within seven days notice of it having been placed prominently on the Club premises including the name and address of the promoter of the function, a two thirds majority of the Executive Management Committee may approve the function, subject to any objections as aforesaid. The admission of such persons and the sale or supply of intoxicating liquor to them by or on behalf of the Club for consumption on the Club premises, but not elsewhere, is also subject to any conditions attached to the Registration Certificate for the Club premises. This revised constitution was adopted by the majority of votes required under Rule 8.1 at the AGM held at GRUFC on 27/05/2015. Signed by:. Graham Peacock (Club Chairman) 6
Witnessed by: John Mackay (Hon Secretary 7