Beckford Croquet Club Constitution 2018 1. Name of Club The club shall be called Beckford Croquet Club (hereinafter referred to as The Club). 2. Aims and Objectives The aims and objectives of The Club are: 2.1. To provide facilities to members for the playing of the game of Croquet, both as a social activity and in competition amongst themselves and with other clubs 2.2. To take active steps to encourage beginners to the game by provision of advice and coaching as appropriate 2.3. To promote the club within the local community and other croquet clubs 2.4. To manage the club grounds, structures and equipment 2.5. To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club 2.6. To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone 2.7. To hold social and other events for members and their guests 3. Membership 3.1. Membership of the Club is open to any person completing a membership application form and paying the relevant subscription fee as determined at the Club Annual General Meeting 3.2. The membership shall consist of the following categories: (i) Full member has unlimited access to club facilities and equipment. Has full voting rights at general meetings. (ii) Junior member (under 16 years of age) has access to club facilities and equipment only when accompanied by a Full member or Honorary member. May speak at club meetings but does not have any voting rights. Annual subscription 25% of full subscription. (iii) Student Member Will be in full time education up to the age of 25. May speak at club meetings but does not have any voting rights. Subscription 50% of full subscription. (iv) Associate member - Payment of the Pay and Play fee automatically enrols the player as an Associate Member for the duration of that session of play. Membership expires when the player leaves the club premises. (v) Social member Member who does not play but wishes to remain involved with The Club. May speak at general meetings but does not have any voting rights. Annual subscription 10% of full subscription. (vi) Honorary Life member - Honorary Lifetime Membership may be granted at the Club AGM in recognition of outstanding services to The Club. Honorary Members may speak at general meetings but do not have any voting rights. (vii) President The Club may wish to appoint a member as President. This is to be done via the Annual General Meeting. Members present shall decide on the time such a post is awarded for. Members may withdraw the appointment by majority vote at an Annual General Meeting. The post holder may speak at general meetings and has standard members voting rights. BCC Constitution, Version 1 Page 1
(viii) Country Member A member whose main residence is outside a radius of 20 miles and is a full member of another recognised croquet club. Country members shall not be eligible to become Officers or members of any of the Committees of the club and may not vote at General Meetings. 3.3. All members will be subject to the regulations of and agree to abide by this constitution and any membership conditions properly imposed by the Committee by joining the club will be deemed to accept those regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted and may adopt in the future. 3.4. Individuals shall not be eligible to take part in the business of The Club or vote at general meetings unless the applicable membership subscription has been paid by the due date. 3.5. All members, except social members, shall be eligible for inclusion in any Club team 3.6. Members may resign at any time in writing to the Secretary. The Club is not obliged to refund fees paid, the committee will be at liberty to rule on individual cases as they arise. Members who have not paid the subscription by the due date are deemed to have resigned from the Club. 3.7. Use of Facilities by Visitors (i) Guests of The Club, guests of members of the Club and members of the public may use the Club s facilities on payment of a green fee, the rate of which shall be determined for any year at the Annual General Meeting or an agreed charge for a group event. The charge for a group event is determined by the committee on a case by case basis. (ii) Visitors shall be accompanied by and supervised by a full member of The Club and shall only use The Club s equipment as laid out at the time. (iii) Where appropriate, non-members will be encouraged to become a member of the Club in which case a sum equivalent to two green fees will be deducted from the relevant subscription. 4. Exclusion of Liability Neither The Club nor any Officer or non-officer committee member thereof shall be liable to any member or guest of a member or visiting players or spectators for any loss or damage to property occurring, from whatever cause, in or about The Club s lawns or other premises; nor for any injury sustained by any such person whilst on or entering or leaving such premises. 5. Committee 5.1. The affairs of The Club shall be managed by a Committee formed from full members of the Club. (i) Executive Officers: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer (ii) Non-Executive Committee Members: Tournament Secretary, Catering Co-ordinator, Lawns Manager, Team Captain, Equipment/Maintenance Manager and co-opted members. (iii) A position of President may be filled, the President has no voting rights. 5.2. The Committee will be responsible for adopting and managing policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of The Club and its membership. 5.3. Committee members are elected at the Annual General Meeting. Any full Club member may put themselves forward for any Committee post. Each candidate must be proposed and seconded by a full Club member. Existing post holders may put themselves forward for reelection. The term of office shall be for one year and members shall be eligible for re-election. BCC Constitution, Version 1 Page 2
Nominations for membership of the committee shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the AGM date. Nominations may only be made by a full member of The Club and be seconded by another full member. In the absence of nominations prior to the meeting nominations may be taken from the floor. All nominations shall have the consent of the nominee. Where 2 nominees are put forward a vote at the AGM will decide the winner. 5.4. If the post of any officer should fall vacant during the year, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting. That person shall have full voting rights. 5.5. The Committee may co-opt club members to the committee. The number of co-opted members shall not exceed three and they shall have full voting rights. 5.6. The Committee may co-opt onto the Committee any additional person as required for a specific duty. 5.7. At a Committee meeting, in the event of an equality of votes, the person in the Chair shall have a casting vote. 5.8. The Quorum at any Committee meeting shall be 50% of the persons entitled to attend and vote. No financial decisions shall be taken in the absence of the Treasurer or their representative. 5.9. The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than four times per year. 5.10. The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution in accordance with The Club s Disciplinary and Appeals Procedure. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings. 6. Finances 6.1. The Club shall be financed by members subscriptions and by other suitable means. 6.2. The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the management of finances of the club. The financial year of the club will run for such period as determined by the committee. 6.3. The Club monies will be banked in accounts held in the name of the club. 6.4. A verified statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting. 6.5. Any cheques drawn against club funds must hold the signatures of the Treasurer and either the Chairman or Vice-Chairman. 6.6. All expenses (including petty cash) must be supported by receipts and approved in writing. 6.7. All members of The Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of The Club. 7. General Meetings 7.1. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 2 Executive Officers of the Club plus one quarter of the full members. 7.2. At General Meetings the chair shall be taken by the Chairman, or, in their absence, by the Vice-Chairman or, failing all else by a full member elected by those full members present at the meeting. BCC Constitution, Version 1 Page 3
7.3. The person in the Chair at any General Meeting shall have one vote and one casting vote. 7.4. At a General Meeting, voting shall be by show of hands from those full members attending the meeting; unless a secret ballot is demanded by at least one-fifth of the members present. The result of the secret ballot shall be determined by the Chair of the meeting and one other member selected by the committee. In the event of equal votes, the Chair shall be entitled to an additional casting vote. 7.5. The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on such a date as the Committee may determine in each calendar year. The Agenda shall include: (i) Approval of the minutes of the previous year s AGM. Amendments to minutes may be requested and, if accepted by the Chair, shall be noted in the minutes of the current meeting. (ii) Receive a report from the Chair (iii) Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts (iv) Receive reports from other committee members specific to the role held (v) Elect the members to the Committee as described in Clause 5 (b) (vi) Agree the membership fees for the following year (vii) Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution (viii) Deal with other relevant business 7.6. Notice of the AGM will be given to all members by the Secretary with at least 21 days notice. 7.7. Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be moved, which may include proposed changes to this constitution, at the Annual General Meeting at least 14 days before the proposed meeting. The Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting to all members. 7.8. Each full member of the Club shall be entitled to one vote on each separate issue at General Meetings. 7.9. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be held whenever the committee think it expedient or within 28 days of the receipt by the Secretary of a written request. Such a request must state the purpose for which the EGM is required and must be signed by at least one fifth of the Full Members. The committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the committee members. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given. The business to be considered at the meeting will be specified in the notice to members. 8. Amendments to the Constitution 8.1. Any proposed changes to the Club Constitution may only be considered at a General Meeting. 8.2. Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the meeting, who shall circulate them at least 7 days before a meeting. 8.3. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full member of the Club and seconded by a Full Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by a minimum of two thirds of those Full Members present and voting. An abstention shall be recorded but shall not count as a vote. BCC Constitution, Version 1 Page 4
9. Discipline and appeals 9.1. All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the club s child protection policy and procedures. 9.2. All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary in accordance with The Club s Disciplinary and Appeals Procedure. 10. Dissolution 10.1. A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at a General Meeting through a majority vote of at least two thirds of the Full members present and voting at the meeting. The Committee shall take the successful passing of such a resolution as instruction to proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club. Abstentions shall be noted but not count as a vote. 10.2. After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall not be paid nor distributed amongst the Full members of the Club but shall be divided equally between national and regional croquet governing bodies as determined by the Committee. 11. DATA PROTECTION 11.1. Members details will be processed fairly, lawfully and in accordance with the Club s Constitution and objectives. 11.2. Members names contact details and handicaps are disclosed only with the express consent of the member concerned. 11.3. The Club s Data Protection Policy is available in the Clubhouse and from the Club Secretary 12. Declaration Beckford Croquet Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members. Name Sign Position Chair Date Name Sign Position Date BCC Constitution, Version 1 Page 5
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