DRIGHLINGTON AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL CLUB 1 Preliminaries CONSTITUTION AND RULES i) The name of the Club shall be DRIGHLINGTON AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL CLUB and shall be used in full in any correspondence. For the provision of these rules and constitution it shall be referred to as The Club. ii) The object of The Club is to provide facilities for and promote the participation of the whole community in the sport of Rugby League Football for the Membership of The Club. iii) To provide social facilities of a good quality, so that players and patrons of The Club can meet and participate in social activities. iv) The Club shall be run as a Private Members Club. Each adult member shall have one vote which they may cast as they see fit at the Annual General Meeting or any Special General Meeting convened. v) The Club shall not be affiliated to any political party and shall be non-sectarian. vi) The Club playing colours shall be AMBER, BLACK and WHITE. Any kit purchased for the use of Club teams shall consist of a combination of these colours. vii) The Income and Property of The Club shall be applied solely towards promoting The Club s objects as set forth in this Constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the Members of The Club. 2 Membership a) There shall be the following classes of Membership to The Club. i) Honorary Life Membership. ii) Life Membership. iii) Senior Playing Membership. iv) Junior Playing Membership. v) Social Membership. vi) Junior Social Membership. vii) Associate Membership/Guest. b) Definition of Membership: i) Honorary Life Member. The Committee, at their discretion, may award an honorary life Membership to any member who in their opinion has given ten years of outstanding service in the furtherance of The Club. The awarding of the Life Membership shall ensure that the person does not pay any further subscriptions. Life Membership shall not give the holder any extra voting rights other than that at the Annual or Special General Meetings. 1
ii) Life Membership. Life Membership may be awarded to any person willing to pay the cost of ten years annual subscriptions as one payment. Life Membership shall not give the holder any extra voting rights other than that the Annual or Special General Meetings. iii) Senior Playing Membership. This is open to a person aged 16 years and over who wishes to participate in a team for The Club. The person holding this type of Membership must make themselves available for training and playing throughout the season. The Membership will commence on the 1 st September and will expire on the 31 st August the following year. iv) Junior Playing Membership including family. This will be open to persons under the age of 16 years who wish to participate in teams run by The Club. Persons holding this type of Membership must make themselves available for training and playing throughout the season. As a playing member the holder may use Club facilities whilst under supervision from an adult member. As a Junior Member the holder has no voting rights whatsoever. Membership will commence on the 2nd March and expire on 1 st March the following year. v) Social Membership. This is open to people over the age of 18 years who do not wish to play for The Club but wish to support the teams it runs and benefit and enjoy the social activities that prevail within The Club. The holder of this type of Membership is eligible to vote and stand for election as a Committee member or officer of The Club. He or she may also use any Club facilities provided, but at a nominal fee. The Membership will commence 1 st September and expire 31 st August the following year. vi) Junior Social Membership and family. This is open to people under the age of 18 years who do not wish to play for The Club but wish to support the teams it runs and benefit and enjoy the social activities that prevail within The Club. The member may use any facilities provided by The Club at a nominal fee and under the supervision of an adult member. The Membership will commence on 2nd March and expire on 1 st March the following year. vii) Associate Member/Guest (including visiting teams supporters). These are non members of The Club but wish to make use of The Club s social facilities. These people must be with a member or with the officials of the visiting team and must make themselves known to club officials on entry to The Club and adhere to The Club s constitution and rules. Associate members will be deemed members of other sporting Clubs who have participated in games against The Club and are enjoying the hospitality of The Club. These may be signed via team sheet which and countersigned by an official of The Club. Guests will be deemed as relatives or friends of individual members of The Club. Associate members and guests have no voting rights whatsoever. They may use any facilities provided by The Club on payment of a fee set by the Committee and in the company of a member. c) 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 nondiscriminatory basis. d) Application for Membership shall be done by the filling out of an appropriate form for the type of Membership required. The nominee shall be proposed and seconded by two current members. 2
The application shall then be placed in a prominent position for inspection by the Membership for a period of one week prior to the next Committee meeting. e) Members shall each subscribe such minimum sum per annum as shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting for their class of Membership. Payment will be due to the Membership Secretary on or before the date specified in the relevant Membership definition. f) On the acceptance of a member he/she will be given a copy of the constitution and rules. They will be asked to read the copy and then sign a declaration form that he/she understands the constitution and will abide by the laws of The Club. In the event of a junior member this will be done in the presence of a parent or guardian. g) The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause 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. 3 Management a) The management and affairs of The Club shall be controlled by a Committee which shall consist of twelve members plus an executive of three officers. The Committee shall be made up of 75% of members of the rugby playing, coaching or administration officials. i) The Executive Officers of The Club shall be: The Chairman The Secretary The Treasurer ii) Other positions that shall be held by members of the Committee shall be: The Vice Chairman The Public Relations Officer The Membership Secretary b) All Committee Members shall hold office for three years, Executive Officers shall hold office for two years whereafter they shall be re-elected or new members elected at The Club s Annual General Meeting. i) The Committee and its Executive Officers shall meet every month throughout their time in office. ii) Any Committee member or Executive Officer absent from three consecutive Committee meetings without tendering apologies shall be contacted in writing by the Secretary who shall enquire into his/her future intentions. Failure to reply will be taken as a matter of resignation. iii) The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancies that have arisen in their numbers, by way of co-opting a willing fellow member on to the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting. A paid employee of the club may be co-opted on to sub-committees but has no voting rights. iv) Five members shall constitute a quorum of the Committee and three members shall constitute a quorum of a sub-committee. v) The Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees for such purposes as it may deem appropriate. The sub-committee will only have jurisdiction over the matters they have been convened for. Any laws or by-laws they recommend must be put to the full Committee for ratification. 3
vi) The Committee and Executive Officers shall have the power to make by-laws for regulating the conduct and affairs of The Club providing they are not inconsistent with the rules of The Club. Such by-laws will be posted in a conspicuous part of The Club s premises, and shall be binding and apply to all members. vii) The duly elected Chairman of The Club shall preside at Committee meetings. In his absence the Vice Chairman shall preside. In the event of a tied vote on a proposal, the Chairman shall have a casting vote. This he shall use for the good of The Club and not for any personal reasons. viii) In the event of The Club being granted a license for the sale of alcoholic and intoxicating liquor then the Club premises shall be open for the sale of such beverages between such hours as the Committee shall determine but not outside the hours and conditions permitted by the current Licensing Laws. 4 Discipline i) The Committee shall have the power to withdraw the Membership from any member and expel any person from The Club who offends against The Club s rules or whose conduct shall in the opinion of the Committee tender he/she unfit for Membership of The Club. The withdrawal of membership includes participation in any activities in the name of the club. ii) No person will have their Membership withdrawn without having the opportunity to appear before the Committee to answer any complaints against them unless it be under rule 4 iv) and 4 vi). iii) The Committee shall not be required to give and shall not give any reason for the withdrawal of the Membership. The decision shall be final. iv) Any person or member caught wilfully and intentionally causing damage to any buildings, fixtures and fittings or equipment belonging to The Club will be immediately expelled from Membership and forfeit any personal hearing. They will also be prosecuted if the Committee so desire. v) Any member who is cited for abusive, racial or discriminatory behaviour be it physical or verbal against match officials, opposing players, members, associate members or other guests of the club will be reported to the Committee who will take any appropriate action they deem necessary. This action will, however, take place after any disciplinary hearings by the relevant leagues or society under show rules the game was played. vi) Any member causing actual bodily harm to another member or guest within The Club s grounds will be automatically expelled. In the case of legal action, the Committee shall pass on any information to the authorities. 5 Annual General Meeting An Annual General Meeting shall be held in October or November of each year on a date which shall be arranged by The Club. A notice of the date and time of the meeting together with the particulars of the business to be transacted will be displayed in a prominent place within The Club. Procedure The Annual General Meeting shall be convened to carry out and conduct the following business. i) Both the Chairman and Secretary shall give reports on the previous year s business. 4
ii) The Treasurer shall give his yearly report; he shall then forward a duly audited financial statement of The Club s accounts which shall be submitted to the Membership for their approval. iii) The annual subscription for each class of Membership shall be fixed at the meeting. iv) The Executive Officers of The Club, they being the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected at this meeting at the end of their term of office. Nominations for all officers (whose consent shall have previously been obtained) must be proposed and seconded by two senior members. Nominations must be handed in to the current Secretary no later than fourteen days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. Particulars of each nomination shall be prominently displayed on an official notice board. v) The Committee of The Club shall be elected at this meeting. Nominations for all Committee members (whose consent shall have previously obtained) must be proposed and seconded by two senior members. Nominations must be handed to the current Secretary no later than fourteen days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. Particulars of each nomination shall be prominently positioned on an official notice board. vi) Any rule or appendix of a rule contained within this constitution may be changed or appended to at the Annual General Meeting. A rule change or appendage will come into effect after a vote by all members present shows a clear majority (60/40) in favour of the proposal. vii) Any member who wishes to propose a rule change or appendage must have his proposal accompanied by a seconder, who as a senior member, feels that the proposal will be beneficial to The Club and should be heard at the Annual General Meeting. The proposal must be handed to the Secretary no later than fourteen days prior to the Annual General Meeting. The proposal will then be posted on an official notice board in a prominent position. viii) All other proposals shall be by way of the recommendation of the Committee; these proposals shall have no named proposer or seconder. ix) There shall be no provision for any other business at the Annual General Meeting. 6 Special General Meeting i) A Special General Meeting may be convened at any time by The Club Chairman or Secretary to discuss any business they feel that is of the utmost importance for the running or future of The Club. ii) A Special General Meeting may be convened on the request of thirty named members or one fifth of the voting Membership, whichever is the least. The requisition must be made to the Secretary stating the reason why the meeting should be convened. iii) No other business will be transacted at the meeting except that for which the meeting was convened. 7 Team Coaches i) All team coaches and managers shall be appointed by the Committee. Nominations for positions shall be taken at the end of the current season. ii) All persons wishing to undertake coaching duties with The Club must have undertaken a recognised coaching course run by the governing body to which The Club is affiliated. iii) A person gaining a coaching qualification will be reimbursed on the agreement that the coaches undertake at least one year s coaching for the club. 5
iv) All coaches will run their teams in accordance with the rules of the league that sanction their fixtures, and will ensure that all players within the squad are signed on accordingly. v) Team coaches will be deemed accountable for all kit and equipment used by the team of which they are in charge. vi) Team coaches will be responsible for the safety and welfare of all players and officials connected with the team of which they are in charge. 8 General Conduct Members will have a duty to uphold the good name of The Club at all matches both home and away and at all official and social functions. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action. 9 Policy Statement on Child Protection and Welfare Drighlington ARLFC, in conjunction with the Rugby League Policy and Social Services, want to make sure that all players, (Young Persons), are protected and kept safe whilst they are in the care of officials representing this club. We will do this by: i) Adopting and adhering to the Rugby League Child Protection Policy and Procedures. The club will also be bound by the decisions and recommendations of the Rugby League Child Protection Disciplinary Committees. ii) Making sure that all officials are carefully selected, vetted and where necessary trained. iii) Ensuring that details of any player s medical condition is notified, with their permission to the relevant officials. iv) Giving parents and players information about The Club s aims and ambitions and what they can expect from The Club. v) Advising parents of what The Club can expect from them. vi) Letting parents and players know how to voice their concerns or complain if there is anything they are not happy about. 10 Equity Policy Statement i) Drighlington ARLFC is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity: Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society. ii) The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport and membership of the club, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status. iii) The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport and club social activities in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse. iv) All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity. 6
The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures. 11 Dissolution Upon dissolution of the club any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to another registered CASC, a registered charity or the sport s governing body. 14 Declaration Drighlington ARLFC hereby adopts and accepts this constitution. Signed: Chairperson: Date:.. 30/11/2011 7