Constitution

1. Name

The name of the Club is Catus Cricket Club, hereafter to be referred to as “the club” and the club shall be affiliated to France Cricket

2. Aims and Objectives

To foster and promote the sport of cricket at all levels within the community and within the sport, providing opportunities for recreation, coaching and competition.
To manage the Catus Cricket Club and facilities at Lac Vert Catus
To ensure that all members, playing and non-playing, abide by the ICB Code of Conduct which incorporates the Spirit of Cricket and the Laws of Cricket. To encourage members to participate fully in the activities of the club.

3. Membership

(a) Membership of the club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport of cricket 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.

(b) 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.

(c) Application for membership of the club shall be by completion of a membership application form and by payment of the relevant subscription/joining fees as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the club

(d) No person shall be eligible to take part in the business of the club or eligible for selection for any club team unless the appropriate subscription has been paid by the specified date or membership has been agreed by the Committee.

(e) The club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the club or cricket into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the Committee who shall appoint an Appeals Committee to hear the appeal.

(f) All members will be subject to the regulations of the Constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and any Codes of Conduct that the club has adopted. The Constitution shall identify those members eligible to vote at any General Meetings.

4. Classes of Membership

There shall be three classes of membership. These are:

1. Full Members: 18 years of age or older on January 1st of the year in which they will be playing (if a playing member) and have paid their Club subscription in full, unless exempt. All full members have voting rights and will also include the categories a, b, and c, below, some of whom will pay a reduced rate of membership:

a) Young Adult Member: Aged 18 to 21 years. To reflect the income status of most young adults, reduced membership, but match fee to be paid.

b) Playing member over 65: Reduced membership, but match fee to be paid

c) Honorary Members: Members who have held the role of President for 2 or more years (Honorary Vice Presidents) and individuals who are deemed, by majority vote, to have rendered exceptional service to the Club. These members are exempt from membership fees but will pay match fees.

2. Junior Members: Under 18 years on January 1st of the year in which they will be playing. Reduced membership fee and no match fee. No voting entitlement. Note: The term Junior Member here applies to membership status not playing status .
3. Day Member: A non-member selected to represent the Club on a casual basis after all other members , having declared their availability, have been given the opportunity to play. Limited to 3 games per season.

NB. At times of limited availability of members the captain may select a player, registered with ACSO and who has not participated in an official match for any other club that season (only applicable for league matches).

Membership shall be for the period 1st April to 31st of March the following year and anyone failing to pay their subscriptions by the by 1st of April shall cease to be deemed a member and only reinstated on production of full subscription

5. Officers

The Officers of the club shall be as follows:

Executive Officers

President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Fixtures secretary
Club Captain
Social Secretary
Honorary Officers

Life Vice-President(s)

6. Election of Officers and General Meetings:

The AGM of the Club shall be held no later than the end of October each year. 21 clear days notice of the AGM shall be sent by the Secretary to all Full Members who will also receive a list of positions within the Club for which a proposer and Seconder will be required.

All officers shall be elected for a period of one year , but shall be eligible for re-election the following year.

Members must submit the names they wish to propose or second , plus any agenda items, at least 7 days prior to the AGM. To ensure every opportunity to participate is afforded the Secretary will again contact the mebership with a reminder 3 days prior to the nominations closing.

Having received all nominations , and agenda items, the Secretary will contact all Full Members to provide an Agenda for the AGM.

Where two or more candidates have been proposed and seconded for any official post the Secretary will promptly contact the Membership inviting them to vote for their preferred candidate. Voting will conclude midnight prior to the AGM.

The purpose of the above process is to enable maxmum participation of Full members in the appointment and election of Officers rather than restricting it to those attending the AGM.

The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:

a) Confirm the minutes of the previous AGM and any General Meetings since then.

b) Receive the annual report of the President.

c) Receive the Annual Report of the Treasurer

d) Confirm the appointments of those“elected unopposed” and those for which there was a contest.

e) Elect Officers to positions where prior to the AGM there had been no nominations.

f) Review Club subscription rates and agree them for the forthcoming year.

g) Transact such other business received by the Secretary at least 7 days prior to the meeting.

Special General Meetings may be convened by the Committee or a formal request by 4 full members. At least 14 days notice of the meeting shall be given.

At all General Meetings, the Chair will be taken by the President or, in their absence by a deputy appointed by the full members present. Decisions made at a General meeting will be by a simple majority vote and the President will vote only in the event of a tie, thus having the casting vote.

A quorum for a General Meeting shall be six full members including two of the Executive Officers, President, Treasurer and Secretary.

7. Management Committee

The affairs of the club shall be conducted by a Management (General) Committee (the Committee) comprising the Executive Officers of the club and any other members elected from, and by, the Full Members of the club. Only these members of the Committee shall be entitled to vote at Committee meetings.
The Committee will be convened by the Secretary and shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than four times per year.
The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings shall be four in number.

The duties of the Committee shall be:
a) To control the affairs of the club on behalf of the members.
b) To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the club through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by members and available before every Annual General Meeting. The club shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorized to sign club cheques: are the Treasurer and Secretary or other appropriate officers appointed by the committee
c) To co-opt additional members of the Committee as the Committee feel is necessary. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Committee and shall serve until the end of the next Annual General Meeting.
d) To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chair shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

The Committee shall have powers to appoint sub-committees as necessary and to co-opt advisers who may be non club members invited to advise on specialist subjects.
An elected committee member may be removed from the committee

An elected 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 their case to the Committee. Appeal against removal may be made to the Appeals Committee. The Committee shall fairly decide time limits and formalities for these steps.

The Committee has the power to:

(a) acquire and provide grounds, equipment, coaching, training and playing facilities, clubhouse, and related facilities (b) provide coaching, training, medical treatment, and related social and other facilities
(c) take out any insurance for club, players, guests and third parties
(d) raise funds by appeals, subscriptions.
(e) Open bank accounts
(f) make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits
(g) set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves
(h) invest funds in any lawful manner
(i) employ and engage staff and others and provide services
(j) co-operate with or affiliate firstly to any bodies regulating or organising the sport of cricket and secondly any club or body involved with cricket and thirdly with government and related agencies
(k) Do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the aims and objectives of the club.

NONE of the above powers may be used other than to advance the aims and objectives in a manner consistent with the Rules and the general law of France Cricket.

8. Alterations to the Constitution

Any proposed alterations to the club Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting, convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full Member of the club and seconded by another Full Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those Full Voting Members present at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.

9. Finance

All club monies shall be banked in an account in the name of the club.

The Treasurer shall be responsible for the finances of the club and for providing a report on the financial position as required by the Committee.

The Treasurer shall ensure that the club maintains adequate and appropriate insurance to cover the activities of the club.

The financial year will end on 31st December.

The Treasurer will present a statement of annual accounts at the Annual General Meeting.

Any cheque drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer or the Secretary

10. Property and Funds

(i) 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 shall be reinvested in the club.

(ii) The club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the club:

(a) Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment
(b) Employ members and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present
(c) Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests

11 . Discipline and Appeals

All complaints regarding the behavior of members should be lodged in writing with the Secretary.

The Committee shall appoint a Disciplinary sub-committee who will meet to hear complaints within 21 days of a complaint being lodged. Any member requested to attend a Disciplinary sub-committee shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The Committee (or its sub-committee) has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action, including the termination of membership.

The outcome of the disciplinary hearing shall be put in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within (number of) days following the hearing.

There shall be a right of appeal to the Committee against either the finding or the sanction imposed or both following disciplinary action being taken. The Committee shall appoint an Appeals Committee (a maximum of three) which shall not include members involved with the initial disciplinary hearing but may include non members of the club.

The Appeals Committee shall consider the appeal within (number of) days of the Secretary receiving the appeal. The individual submitting the appeal shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding on all parties.

12. Dissolution

a) If at any General Meeting of the club, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the club, the 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 Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds (three quarters) of the Full Voting Membership present at the meeting, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realize the assets of the club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the club.

c) The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the club’s affairs.

d) After settling all liabilities of the club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:

e) to another club with similar sports purposes which is a registered charity and/or

f) to another club with similar sports purposes which is a registered Community Amateur Sports Club and/or

g) to the club’s governing body for use by them for related community sports.

14. Declaration

Catus Cricket Club hereby adopts and accepts this amended at EGM 18/11/13 Constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of all members.

SIGNED (PRESIDENT)