Burnt Ash (Bexley) Hockey Club Rules - 22 June 2018 1 Name & Object: The club shall be called BURNT ASH (BEXLEY) HOCKEY CLUB and the objectives of the Club are to promote the amateur sport of hockey in and around Bexley; community participation in the same and the provision of facilities for playing hockey and social activities. Burnt Ash (Bexley) Hockey Club and Bexley Cricket Club are affiliated clubs to each other and as such members of each club are entitled to use the bar and amenities of the club for the period of their visits throughout the year but will have no voting rights on each other s club matters or the right to attend each other s AGMs. 2 Sections: The Club shall be divided into the following four Sections: Ladies - Men - Youth - Non-Playing. 3 Club Uniform: The approved uniform for the Club shall be red shirts with Club badge, navy blue shorts or skirt and red socks. Players shirts should be clearly numbered. In the event of a colour clash, the alternative shirt/sock colour is either navy blue or old gold, as appropriate. The uniform shall comply with England Hockey rules. Members shall wear Club uniform at all times when representing the Club. The configuration of the approved colours may be varied by prior agreement of the Management Committee. 4 Management: The Club shall have the following committees: a) The Management Committee which shall be charged with the general management of the affairs of the Club in all matters not hereby expressly assigned to any other committee/sub-committee, although all other committees/subcommittees, with the exception of the Membership Committee, shall be 1
answerable to the Management Committee. The Management Committee shall consist of the following officers who shall be members of the Club and shall have been elected or appointed in accordance with the relevant section of Rule 6. President; Chairman; two Voting Vice-Presidents (from the elected Vice- Presidents); Hon. Secretary; Director of Finance; Hon. Assistant Secretary; Club Captain (Men); Club Captain (Ladies); Membership Secretary; Youth Development Officer; Club House Manager; Team Secretary (Ladies); Team Secretary (Men). Five voting members present shall form a quorum. The Committee shall have the powers to appoint additional officers to facilitate the management of the Club, but such additional officers shall not be entitled to vote at any proceedings of the Committee. All the officers shall be appointed for one year only, but shall be eligible for re-appointment. b) The Membership Committee which shall deal with applications for membership as required under Rule 14. The Membership Committee shall consist of five members of the Club who shall be elected each year by members of the Club at the Annual General Meeting under the relevant section of Rule 6. Three voting members present shall form a quorum. c) The Playing Committee which shall be charged with the playing management of the club including collection of subscriptions and match fees. The Playing Committee shall consist of the following officers who shall be members of the Club and shall have been elected or appointed in accordance with the relevant section of Rule 6: Club Captain (Men); Club Captain (Ladies); Membership Secretary; Youth Development Officer; Umpire Development Officer, Head Coach, Team Captains, Men s Team Secretary, Ladies Team Secretary, Playing Secretary (Non-voting), Club Safety Officer. Five voting members present shall form a quorum. d) The Club House Committee which shall be responsible for the general affairs of the club appertaining to clubhouse management. The Club House Committee shall consist of the following officers who shall be members of the Club and shall have been elected or appointed in accordance with the relevant section of Rule 6: Club House Manager; Social Officer; Fundraising Officer; Bar Manager; Catering Officers; Maintenance Officer; Ground Co-ordinator; Club Safety Officer. Three voting members present shall form a quorum. e) The Selection Committee for each of the Men s and Ladies Sections which shall meet regularly, as agreed by the Playing and Selection Committees at the start of each season, shall be made up of the following officers who shall be members of the Club and shall have been elected or appointed in accordance with the relevant section of Rule 6: 2
Club Captain (Chair); Team Secretary, Captain (or Vice Captain or Nominee) of each team of the Section; Team Coaches or Managers. Five voting members present shall form a quorum. f) The Bar Committee which shall manage the purchase for and supply to the Club of tobacco and intoxicating liquor. The Bar Committee shall consist of five members of the Club (including the Bar Convenor and Bar Manager) who shall be elected or appointed in accordance with the relevant section of Rule 6. Three members present shall form a quorum. The Bar Committee shall come under the general day to day management of the Club House Committee. g) The Social Committee which shall be responsible for organising social events for members. The Social Committee shall consist of four members of the Club (including the Social Officer) who shall be elected or appointed in accordance with the relevant section of Rule 6. h) The Fundraising Committee which shall be responsible for fundraising of any kind for the benefit of the Club. The Fundraising Committee shall consist of four members of the Club (including the Fundraising Officer) who shall be elected in accordance with the relevant section of Rule 6. 5 Youth Section: The Youth Section which shall organise hockey activities for boys and girls under the age of 16, meeting on Sunday mornings. It shall be a self-financing section whose coaching and managerial posts are filled from members of the Club and parents of Youth Section members. Youth Section members have no voting rights on the Club s affairs. The Youth Development Officer, who shall be elected in accordance with the relevant section of Rule 6, represents the section on the Playing Committee and on the Management Committee. 6 Officers: The said officers of the Club shall be elected or appointed by the members of the Club at the Annual General Meeting in the following manner (subject to Rules 6c, 6d & 6e); however, no Officer may hold two conflicting posts: a) President; Chairman; Voting Vice-Presidents; Hon Secretary; Hon Assistant Secretary; Men s Club Captain; Ladies Club Captain; Membership Secretary; Youth Development Officer; Umpire Development Officer; Disciplinary Officer; Bar Convenor; Social Officer; Kit Officer; Catering Officers; Ground Co-ordinator; Maintenance Officer; and members of the Membership Committee; the Bar Committee and the Social Committee. 3
By a majority vote of all members of the Club, with voting rights, present, except that votes by proxy will be accepted from members, with voting rights, on holiday or sick, if notice is given to the Secretary at least two days before the Annual General Meeting. b) Team Secretaries; Team Captains; Fixture Secretaries; Playing Secretary By a majority vote of the playing members of the Section present, except that votes by proxy will be accepted from playing members of the Section on holiday or sick, if notice is given to the Secretary at least two days before the Annual General Meeting. No member may be elected as Captain of the 1st or 2nd Elevens unless he or she has played for the team of which he or she is elected Captain or in a higher team, in at least five games in the previous season. Nominations for the office of Captain of the 1st or 2nd Elevens must be received by the Secretary by 30 th April preceding the Annual General Meeting of that year. c) Coaches (unpaid); Team Managers (unpaid). By appointment annually by the voting members of the Playing Committee. d) Director of Finance (paid); Club House Manager; Bar Manager; Head Coach (paid); Team Coaches (paid); Welfare Officer; Jack Petchey Co-ordinator; Schools Link Officer; Members of the Liaison Committee; Publicity Officer; Website Manager; Club Safety Officer; Fundraising Officers and Members of the Fundraising Committee. By appointment annually by the voting members of the Management Committee. e) Auditors Appointed or re-appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting. f) In the event of an office being or falling vacant after the Annual General Meeting, the relevant committee shall have the power to appoint an officer to fill the vacancy. g) Vice Presidents, appointed for life subject to Rule 14c) and/or Rule 20. Details of any nominations intended to be proposed at an Annual General Meeting shall be given in writing to the Hon Secretary before 30th April in that year. Any nomination to include a citation detailing why the honour should be granted to the person nominated. Management Committee will then consider the nomination prior to the Annual General Meeting. Nominations will be presented to the Annual General Meeting following this consideration, with annotation to confirm whether or not Management Committee can verify the factual accuracy of the citation and 4
add or not their endorsement to the nomination. The Annual General Meeting will vote on all nominations for Vice President. Any recipient automatically becomes an Honorary Life Non-Playing Member. By a majority vote of all members present, except that votes by proxy will be accepted from members on holiday or sick, if notice is given to the Secretary at least two days before the Annual General Meeting. 7 Trustees: a) The property of the Club must be vested in four Trustees appointed by the Management Committee. b) The Trustees must deal with the property as the Management Committee from time to time directs by Resolution (of which an entry in the Minutes Book is to be conclusive evidence). c) The Trustees will be indemnified out of the Club property against risk and expense incurred in dealing with that property including risks incurred in relation to any Lease or Under Lease. d) The Trustees will hold office until death or resignation or until removal from office by the Management Committee. e) Where by reason of death, resignation or removal it is necessary for a new Trustee or Trustees to be appointed the Management Committee must nominate the person or persons to be appointed as the new Trustee or Trustees. f) For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the President is now nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees of the Club within the meaning of the Trustee Act 1925 Section 36 and he/she must by Deed appoint the person or persons nominated by the Management Committee. 8 Auditors: Two honorary Auditors shall be appointed to audit the Accounts of the Club and shall be appointed or re-appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting. 9 Accounts: Proper and audited Accounts of receipts and expenditure in each year shall be submitted by the Director of Finance to the Annual General Meeting of the Club. 5
10 Voting: Subject to Rule 6 and 24, each member with voting rights shall have one vote on all matters arising at Club Meetings and a resolution shall be arrived at by a simple majority: in the event of a tie, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. 11 Bank: The Bank Account shall be kept at such bank as the Management Committee shall from time to time decide, and cheques shall be drawn by the Director of Finance and signed by the Director of Finance and such other persons as may be appointed by the Management Committee 12 Annual General Meeting: The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held by 30 June in each year but not later than fifteen months after the previous Annual General Meeting. The Hon. Secretary shall give notice to officers and members of the Club at least fourteen days before the meeting and shall issue with such notice details of the business to be transacted, together with a copy of the statement of accounts to be presented. Seven members from the Men s Section and seven members from the Ladies Section shall form a quorum. 13 Special General Meeting: The Management Committee may, whenever they think fit, convene a Special General Meeting. Such a meeting shall also be convened by the Hon. Secretary forthwith upon receipt by him/her of a requisition in writing signed by at least fifteen members or one fifth of the total number of members, whichever is the less, provided that the requisition shall express the object for which the meeting is to be called. Ten members from the Men s Section and ten members from the Ladies Section shall form a quorum. No business shall be transacted at a Special General Meeting other than the business for which the meeting has been called, or that which is incidental thereto. The Hon. Secretary shall give notice to officers and members of the Club at least fourteen days before the meeting, in writing, and shall issue with such notice details of the business to be transacted. 6
14 Membership: a) Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in hockey and the Club s activities on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowed on a non-discriminatory basis. b) The Club may have different classes of membership and subscriptions on a nondiscriminatory and fair basis. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people joining the Club and that subscriptions will be reflective of the costs involved of running the Club. c) The Club 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 Members. d) New Members: Application for membership of the Club must be made on the Club s application form which must be handed to the Membership Secretary, together with the appropriate registration fee before, if applying for playing membership, playing the required trial matches. The applicant will be informed, in writing, by the Membership Secretary, of the Membership Committee s decision. Every Member on election will be supplied with a copy of the Rules. Youth section members playing for the senior section shall complete a membership form. e) Present Members: Members of all sections who wish to continue their membership must complete the Club s Membership form and return it to the Membership Secretary by 30 th September each year. Failure to submit the appropriate form will exclude the Member from any of the Club s services including training and use of the clubhouse (including the bar) and will render them ineligible for selection until such time as the completed form has been received by the Membership Secretary. Youth section members playing for the senior section shall complete a membership form. f) Associate Members: Parents/Guardians of U16 members of the Youth Section. Associate Members shall be entitled to use the bar and other amenities of the Club for the period of their visit but will have no voting rights on Club matters but can attend the Annual General Meeting. g) Temporary Members: Provided that their names are submitted to him/her forty-eight hours before their intended visit, the Honorary Secretary shall have the power to admit to temporary membership for the duration of their visit, such visitors as are introduced by members of the Club. The Hon Secretary may also grant temporary membership to members of visiting hockey clubs. 7
Temporary members shall be entitled to use the bar and other amenities of the Club for the period of their visit but will have no voting rights on Club matters. h) Guests: Other than as dealt with in 14f) above Members must sign guests in when visiting the Club. A visitor s book will be provided in the clubhouse for this purpose. i) Membership Card: All Members will be issued with a membership card which they should have with them when visiting the Club, this card will show the Members date of birth and membership number. For existing Members, the membership card will be issued upon receipt of a completed Registration Form (Rule 14e), however should the relevant subscription not be paid by 30 th September, the membership card will become invalid (Rule 15). For new Members, the membership card will be issued once the new member process has been completed (Rule 14d). 15 England Hockey: The Club will adopt the policies of England Hockey, as published on their website. In particular, this includes but is not limited to policies and procedures under Safeguarding Young People/Adults and data protection legislation. 16 Subscriptions: The annual subscriptions shall be as agreed at an Annual or Special General Meeting of the Club. The Management Committee shall have the power to reduce any Member s subscription in special circumstances provided that each case is treated on its merits and that the decision of the Management Committee shall be final. The Management Committee reserves the right to empower Membership Committee to carry out the review of these special circumstances and determine the subscription to be paid. Approval of these adjusted subscriptions remains with Management Committee and should be agreed and minuted by Management Committee. The Club year shall commence on 1 st May in each year upon which date all subscriptions and registration forms (Rule 14 e) shall become due. A member whose subscription remains unpaid after 30 th September shall automatically forfeit her or his membership irrespective of whether a Membership Form has been completed and shall cease to be a Member from that date. Discounts, if approved by Members, will apply to those subscriptions paid by 31 st August each year. Subscriptions paid after 30 th September will incur a penalty, if approved by Members. The appropriate subscription due for one section cannot be offset against that of another section without prior approval of the Management Committee. Any member of the Youth Section (U16) of the Club playing for both the Youth and Senior Sections must pay their annual subscription fee to the Youth Section and their 8
subscription to the Senior section will be waived. Match fees must still be paid to the appropriate Team Captain. If an U16 member plays in the Men s or Ladies section of the club and does not play for the Youth section, they are a Junior Member and should pay the appropriate subscription to the Senior section. 9
17 Payments to Members (including the awarding of prizes): The Club is allowed to enter into arrangements with members for the supply to the Club of goods or services; employ and pay remuneration to staff who are also members of the Club and award prizes to Members provided the terms are approved by the Management Committee without the Member concerned being present and are agreed with the Member on an arm s length basis. 18 Fixtures: Matches shall only be arranged by the Fixture Secretaries or members authorised by the Playing Committee. 19 Club Disciplinary Code: a) Playing Matters: The Club will adopt the Disciplinary Code as approved by England Hockey and the Management Committee shall have power to suspend members from playing or umpiring hockey in accordance with that Code. b) Non-Playing Matters: A Sub-Committee of the Management Committee will deal with all non-playing disciplinary matters which may arise. c) Alcohol: It is a serious disciplinary offence for a Member of the Club to buy or sell an alcoholic beverage for or to an underage person and will result in immediate suspension from the Club. Likewise, any guest who attempts to do so will be asked to immediately vacate the Club premises 20 Expulsion and Suspension from Membership: The Management Committee shall have the right to expel or suspend from membership any member, if they consider her or his expulsion or suspension to be in the interest of the Club. The Management Committee must first give such member notice of their intention to consider the question of the member s expulsion or suspension together with the reasons therefore and an invitation to attend the meeting at which the expulsion or suspension is to be considered, to state her or his case. 10
21 Clubhouse: The Clubhouse may be open to the membership, as defined in Rule 14, between the hours of 10.00 and 24.00 on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 October to 31 March next thereafter, and upon such weekdays and for such periods as the Management Committee may elect in each Club year, provided that the Management Committee may close the Clubhouse on any one or more, or on any part of one or more of such days should they think fit. So long as the Clubhouse is open to its members, the Bar therein may be open for the sale of intoxicating liquors to members between the hours allowed by the current Club Premises Certificate, copy of which will be displayed in the Clubhouse. It is not permitted to take glasses and bottles outside of the clubhouse. Plastic glasses will be provided for outside use. 22 Non-profit making: All surplus income or profits will be reinvested in the Club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to Members or third parties. 23 Dissolution: a) If at any General Meeting of the Club, a resolution be passed calling for the Dissolution of the Club, the Hon. Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution. b) If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least twothirds of the Full Members present at the meeting, the Management Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club. c) After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall be given or transferred to another registered Community Amateur Sports Club, a registered sport s charity or the sport governing body for use by them in related community sports. 24 Alterations to Rules: The foregoing Rules shall be the Rules of the Club and no new Rules shall be made nor existing Rules amended or rescinded except by a resolution of an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting. 11
Voting on such resolutions shall be by members of the Club present except that votes by proxy will be accepted from members unable to attend the meeting and such proxy votes to be submitted to the Honorary Secretary at least two days before the meeting. Details of any alterations to be proposed at an Annual General Meeting shall be given in writing to the Hon. Secretary before 1 April in that year and included in the notice convening the meeting. September 2018 12