Lingfield Cricket Club Constitution

1. The name of the club is Lingfield Cricket Club. The club is affiliated to the Surrey Cricket Board and Club Cricket Conference.

2. The Club colours are green, gold and brown with an emblem of the cage and oak tree.

3. The overall aims and objectives of the Club are to provide a good standard of cricket for the playing members, to encourage cricket in the local community, particularly amongst its youth and to promote fellowship between Club members. The specific aims and objectives of the club will be:-

(i) To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in cricket.

(ii) To promote the club within the local community and cricket.

(iii) To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club.

(iv) To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone.

(v) To ensure that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment.

4. The members of the Club are comprised as follows: -

(i) Playing members - adult players who have paid their annual subscription for the calendar year.

(ii) Life Members

(iii) Vice-Presidents of the Club. These shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. (See paragraph 7(f) below)

(iv) Officers of the Club, who will be members, as defined in paragraph 5 below.

(v) Officials of the Club, who will be members, either elected as in paragraph 7(e) below, or appointed by the Management Committee (as defined in Paragraph 6 below) such as Youth Managers, Club Umpires and Club Scorers.

(vi) Student (full time education) players who have paid their annual subscription for the calendar year.

(vii) Colts (under 18s) who have paid their annual subscription for the calendar year.

(viii) Social members.

Members in categories (i) - (vi) shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings of the Club; members in category (i) shall retain their voting rights into the next calendar year until such time as their next annual subscription falls due. Members in categories (vii) and (viii) shall not be entitled to vote at General Meetings.

All members must adhere to the Club’s Codes of Conduct copies of which will be provided to all new members. These Codes will be drawn up to ensure that members are aware of the need to maintain sporting behaviour and gentlemanly manners so as to uphold the good reputation of the Club, and, to adopt guidelines of the National Governing Body. Failure to comply with the Codes may result in disciplinary action as determined by the Main Committee.

The Club adopts the ECB ‘Safe Hands’ policy

All members will be subject to the rules of the club and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these rules and codes of conduct that the club has adopted.

5. The Officers of the club, all of whom are honorary and are elected at the Annual General Meeting, shall be the President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Fixture Secretary, Chairman of the Management Committee and the Chairmen of the six permanent sub-committees: Playing, Social, Junior Cricket, Finance, Facilities, and Marketing.

The Hon. Secretary shall be responsible for the Club’s business being correctly recorded by way of minutes of meetings.

The Hon. Treasurer shall be responsible for financial matters of the Club including the provision of accounts for scrutiny and approval when required, but at least at the AGM. All club money will be banked in accounts held in the name of the club and any cheques drawn against the club funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer plus up to two other officers.

The Hon. Fixture Secretary shall be responsible for the co-ordination of all senior fixtures, and for providing this information to enable fixture cards to be produced.

6. The overall responsibility for the direction of the Club lies with the Main Committee. This committee will approve policy issues, disciplinary issues, Development Plans, Codes of Conduct, etc. and will maintain responsibility for the overall image of the Club. The Main Committee will comprise the President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Chairman of the Management Committee, Club Captain (or Chairman of the Playing Sub-Committee). The Chairman has the right to invite other members to assist on the Main Committee as appropriate.

Day to day management of the club shall be carried out by the six permanent sub-committees, and any other sub-committee which the club may form from time to time. The chairmen of these sub-committees, together with the Club Secretary and the Chairman of the management Committee shall form the Management Committee of the Club, and whose role will include planning the development of the Club as well as ensuring the effective workings of the sub - committees.

7. The Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting in January of each year, for which the Main Committee shall make the necessary arrangements and will set an agenda, which will include the following items of business to be transacted:

(a) To receive and, if approved, to adopt the Club’s financial accounts for the year ending the previous 30th November, which accounts shall first have been audited by the club's auditor.

(b) To consider and, if approved, to sanction any duly made alteration to these rules.

(d) To elect team captains and vice-captains for the forthcoming season.

(e) To elect the Chairmen of any sub-committees.

(f) To elect Vice-Presidents of the Club for the coming year.

(g) To approve any new Life Members, who shall be members who have provided exceptional service to the Club and from whom no further subscription shall be asked for membership.

(h) To set membership subscriptions and match fees for the forthcoming season.

(i) To elect representatives to Lingfield Sports Association.

(j) To elect the Club's auditor.

Advice of the date of the AGM and its agenda shall be sent by the Secretary to members so as to be received by them not less than 21 days before the Meeting.

8. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called either by the Main Committee or as a result of 10 club members requesting in writing to the Secretary that one be convened: In the latter case a Meeting must be arranged by the Main Committee within 6 weeks of receiving the written request. Advice of the date of the EGM, its purpose and any motions proposed shall be sent by the Secretary to the members so as to be received by them not less than 14 days prior to the Meeting.

9. The quorum for Committee meetings shall be 3; each committee member shall have one vote and in the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have the deciding vote. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 10; each member shall have one vote and in the event of a tie the chairman of the meeting shall have the deciding vote.

10 Membership of the Club is open to all irrespective of, age, colour, gender, race, religion, ability or disability, and is subject to the discretion of the Management Committee whose decision will be final. Playing membership subscriptions become due and are payable on the 1st of May each year and must be paid by the 30th June. The Club reserves the right to increase the subscription if paid after this date. If the subscription is not paid by the 31st July the Club has the right to levy a surcharge on the match fee of a playing member. Prospective members and guests are permitted to play 3 matches before a subscription is required from them.

11. All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the Secretary.

The Main Committee will meet to hear complaints within 21 days of a complaint being lodged.

The Main Committee shall have the power to request any Club member to resign or to terminate any membership or make other sanction with a full explanation in writing to be given to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing. For the purpose of this rule the vote of at least two-thirds of all members of the Main Committee shall be required.

There will be the right of appeal within 7 days to the Main Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 7 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

In the event of a membership being terminated under this rule, any subscription paid in the year in question may be returned in whole or in part at the discretion of the Main Committee.

12. A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an Annual General Meeting or Emergency General Meeting through a majority vote of the membership.

In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will become the property of the Lingfield Sports Association.

13. The Main Committee shall have power to make bye-laws for regulating the day-to day conduct of the affairs of the Club, provided such bye-laws are not inconsistent with the Rules of The Club. All bye-laws must be posted conspicuously in the Club premises and shall be binding on all members.

14. No alteration to these Rules shall be made other than by a resolution passed at the General Meeting of the Club by two-thirds of those present and voting.

15. A copy of these rules shall be exhibited in the Club premises.

16. A copy of these Rules will be provided to each member when they first join the Club.