For a PDF version please click here
1 TITLE AND ADDRESS
1.1 The Group shall be called the Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group, hereafter to be referred to as “the Group”.The Group shall comprise the members of the following constituted sports clubs:
1.2 Stanford-le-Hope Cricket Club, Stanford-le-Hope Rugby Football Club, and United Services Bowls Club, hereafter to be referred to as “the Clubs”.
1.3 The Facilities and Offices of the Group shall be Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group Clubhouse, Grove Road, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex SS17 0ED, hereafter referred to as “the Group Facilities”.
2 OBJECTS
2.1 To foster and promote sport and recreation in general, but principally the Group sports, namely cricket, rugby, tennis, and bowls at all levels, providing opportunities for recreation and competition.
3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Membership shall be open to all irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, social status, and sexual orientation.
3.2 The Group shall be opposed to all forms of prejudicial discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, ethnic origin, nationality, gender, religious belief, HIV or other medical status, social or economic status, marital status, sexuality or trade union membership.
3.3 Membership of the Group shall be open to any current member of the Clubs upon payment of the appropriate Group subscription fee via their Club Treasurer. In addition, the Clubs may propose members of the community for Social Sports membership.
3.4 All current members of the Clubs shall be deemed to be members of the Group of which there shall be four classes of membership available. These are:
3.4.1 Full Member
Those members of the Clubs who are eighteen years of age or over shall be Full Members.
3.4.2 Junior Member
Those members of the Clubs having not reached their eighteenth birthday shall be Junior Members. Junior Members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office.
3.4.3 Social Sports Member
The General Committee at their discretion may admit persons that are not already members of the Clubs to Social Sports Membership upon payment of the appropriate subscriptions. Applications for such membership shall be made through one of the Clubs. It shall be the responsibility of the Clubs to verify the suitability of such candidates for SRGUG membership. Social Sports Members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office.
3.4.4 Honorary Life Member
The General Committee may admit to Honorary Life Membership at their discretion persons who have contributed to sport within the local area. Honorary Life Members shall not be liable to pay any subscription. Honorary Life Members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office. Such members shall not exceed twenty.
3.5 No persons may be admitted to membership, or be admitted as candidates for membership, to the privileges of membership without an interval of at least two days between their nomination or application for membership and their admission.
4 VISITORS GUESTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS
4.1 The General Committee may (i) on match days against the Clubs admit to the Group upon specific invitation the opposing clubs’ officials, players and bona fide supporters to use the Group facilities and purchase intoxicating liquor on the day of their visit only and (ii) invite such persons listed under 4.1(i) above for social functions at the Group facilities organised by the General Committee provided that there shall be no more than twelve such functions in any one year.
4.2 The General Committee may admit to Family Membership as provided in 3.3 above the spouse, son or daughter of any Full Member or Social Sports Member and such class of member shall be disregarded in calculating percentages under 3.3.4. Family Members shall not be liable to pay any subscription or entrance fee. Family Members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership except that they may not hold office or vote.
5 OFFICERS
5.1 The Officers of the Group shall be:
5.1.1 President Non-Executive Officer
5.1.2 Chairperson }
5.1.3 Honorary Secretary } Executive Officers
5.1.4 Honorary Treasurer }
5.2 All Officers shall be elected to their positions at the Annual General Meeting of the Group by those eligible to vote in 7.9.
5.3 Only those General Committee members elected by their respective Clubs according to 6.2.1, 6.2.2 and 6.2.3 shall be eligible to be Executive Officers.
5.4 All Officers are elected for a period of one year, but may be re-elected to the same office or another office for the following year.
6 GENERAL COMMITTEE
6.1 A General Committee comprising the Executive Officers of the Group and five other Members shall control the affairs of the Group.
6.2 The composition of General Committee members shall be:
6.2.1 Stanford-le-Hope Cricket Club Two Members
6.2.2 Stanford-le-Hope Rugby Football Club Two Members
6.2.3 United Services Bowls Club One Member
6.2.4 Facilities Manager
6.2.5 Membership Secretary
6.2.6 Social and Fundraising Secretary
6.3 The Clubs’ members of the General Committee shall be elected by their respective Clubs according to 6.2.1, 6.2.2 and 6.2.3. This election shall take place by the end of December each year and be relayed to the Honorary Secretary immediately.
6.4 Meetings of the General Committee shall take place on the second Tuesday of every month except August and December or at times on the request of three General Committee members.
6.5 A quorum for a General Committee meeting shall be five General Committee members including two of the Executive Officers.
6.6 The duties of the General Committee shall be:
6.6.1 To control the affairs of the Group on behalf of the Members.
6.6.2 To appoint a person to the position of Facilities Manager.
6.6.3 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Group through the Honorary Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members. At the end of each year an interim financial statement shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting. The final accounts of the Group shall be produced annually by a suitably qualified firm of accountants appointed by the General Committee.
6.6.4 To review the distribution of profits and losses from Group facilities on an annual basis and amend accordingly.
6.6.5 To co-opt additional Members as the General Committee feels this is necessary. Co-opted Members shall not be entitled to vote on the General Committee.
6.6.6 To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote.
6.6.7 To discuss and arrange suitable insurance cover for the Group facilities and its contents.
6.6.7.1 It shall be the responsibility of the Clubs to arrange suitable insurance cover, including public liability, for their respective sporting activities.
6.6.8 To abide by and enforce the terms of the Lease.
6.7 The purchase and supply of intoxicants and the physical condition of the SRGUG facilities shall be managed by the General Committee.
7 GENERAL MEETINGS
7.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Group shall be held not later than the end of January each year. Twenty-one clear days notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting by posting a notice on the Group notice board. Members must advise the Honorary Secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least fourteen days before a meeting. The Honorary Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting not less than seven days before the meeting.
7.2 The business of the Annual General meeting shall be to:
7.2.1 Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General
Meeting held since the last Annual General Meeting.
7.2.2 Receive an interim financial statement from the Honorary Treasurer for the previous year.
7.2.3 Receive the annual report of the General Committee from the Honorary Secretary.
7.2.4 Elect the Officers of the Group:
7.2.4.1 President
7.2.4.2 Chairperson
7.2.4.3 Honorary Secretary
7.2.4.4 Honorary Treasurer
7.2.5 Elect the other General Committee positions:
7.2.5.1 Membership Secretary
7.2.5.2 Social and Fundraising Secretary
7.2.6 Elect Trustees for the Group when required.
7.2.7 Review Subscription rates for Members and agree them for the coming year.
7.3 Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee or on receipt by the Honorary Secretary of a request in writing from not less than twenty Full Members of the Group. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given.
7.4 Nomination of candidates for election of Officers can only be made by Full Members and must be seconded by another Full Member. If a candidate cannot attend then the nomination together with the signature of the proposer and seconder must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary prior to the Annual General Meeting.
7.5 Decisions made at a General Meeting, other than changes to the constitution, shall be made by a simple majority vote from those eligible in 7.9.
7.6 Any proposed alteration or amendment to the Group Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting convened within the required timescale on receipt of the proposal. Such alterations or amendments must be made in writing and received by the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days prior to a General Meeting although the General Committee reserves the right to consider alterations or amendments proposed verbally at a General meeting. Such alterations or amendments must be proposed by a Full member of the Group and seconded by another Full Member. Such alterations or amendments shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of the eligible voters at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.
7.7 At all General Meetings, the chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by the Group or by Full Members attending the Meeting.
7.8 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be twenty Full Members, including seven each from Stanford-le-Hope Cricket Club and Stanford-le-Hope Rugby Football Club and one from United Services Bowls Club, and four members of the General Committee including two from the Chairperson, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer.
7.9 The distribution of votes at General Meetings shall be:
7.9.1 Stanford-le-Hope Cricket Club 7 voting persons
7.9.2 Stanford-le-Hope Rugby Football Club 7 voting persons
7.9.3 United Services Bowls Club 1 voting person
The persons eligible to vote will be designated by their respective clubs.
8 ACCOUNTING
8.1 The financial year of the Group shall be from 1st January to 31st December inclusive.
8.2 The Honorary Treasurer shall keep such records as considered necessary in consultation with the Group’s accountants.
8.3 The Honorary Treasurer shall present an interim financial statement for the previous year to the Annual General Meeting.
8.4 The final accounts of the Group shall be produced annually by a suitably qualified firm of accountants appointed by the General Committee.
8.5 All income other than necessary for the day to day running of the Group shall be held in a Bank account either current or deposit and/or Building Society account as required from time to time by the General Committee. The following officers shall be authorised to sign Group cheques: two from the Chairperson, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, and the Facilities Manager.
8.6 The disbursement of any profits will be at the discretion of the General Committee.
8.7 The distribution of any profits or losses arising from Group facilities shall be:
8.7.1 Stanford-le-Hope Cricket Club 7/16
8.7.2 Stanford-le-Hope Rugby Football Club 7/16
8.7.3 United Services Bowls Club 1/16
8.7.4 Retained by the Group for further development of
the facilities. 1/16
8.8 8.6 will be reviewed on an annual basis at the first General Committee meeting of any
calendar year, when any amendments (if desired) will be decided.
9 SUPPLY AND CONSUMPTION OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR
9.1 Intoxicating liquor may be supplied to Members for their consumption and for the consumption of their guests.
9.2 No person under the age of eighteen years may be supplied with any intoxicating liquor on the Group premises.
9.3 A list of all Members shall be kept in the Group Facilities.
9.4 The hours of opening and closing of the Group Facilities for use by the Members shall be determined by the General Committee.
9.5 The permitted hours for the supply of intoxicating liquor shall be such as shall from time to time be determined by the General Committee in accordance with the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003 provided that they shall not apply until the Licensing Officer at Thurrock Council has been notified.
9.6 No person shall receive at the expense of the Group any commission, percentage or similar payment on or with reference to purchases of intoxicating liquor by the Group, nor shall any person directly or indirectly derive any pecuniary benefit from the supply or sale of intoxicating liquor by or on behalf of the Group to Members or others apart from any benefit accruing to the Group as a whole.
9.7 No intoxicating liquor shall be supplied to Members or to any other person on the Group premises otherwise than by or on behalf of the Group.
10 TRUSTEES
10.1 There shall be Trustees of the Group, the number to be fixed at the Annual General Meeting, but who shall not be fewer than two or more than four.
10.2 The Trustees shall be elected at any General Meeting and nominations for such posts must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days before such General Meeting and all nominees must have been Full Members of one or more of the Group’s member clubs for at least five years and such Trustees so appointed shall hold office until death, resignation or removal from office by a resolution of the Members.
10.3 There shall be vested in the Trustees all the property of the Group other than cash.
10.4 The Trustees liabilities are limited to the value of the assets of the Group.
10.5 The Trustees may deal with the property so vested in them by way of sale, mortgage, charge, lease or otherwise and purchase or lease property as directed by the Group. Such directions shall be given by a resolution of the Members of the Group passed by a two-thirds majority of the present at a duly convened General Meeting of the Group and when so passed shall in favour of a vendor, purchaser, mortgagee, chargee, lessor, lessee or grantee be binding on all Members of the Group. A certificate purporting to be signed by the Honorary Secretary for the time being of the Group shall in favour of the said persons be conclusive evidence that a direction complying in all respects with the above provisions of this Rule was duly given to the Trustees.
11 CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
11.1 Any four General Committee Members (one at least of whom must be an Officer of the Group) may suspend the membership of any Member whose conduct, whether on the Group Facilities or elsewhere, has been in the opinion of those Committee Members contrary to the Rules or interests of the Group or injurious to its reputation. In the case of such action or if the General Committee wish to reprimand, suspend or terminate membership the following procedure will be followed: -
The Member shall be given written notice of the particulars of the complaint against him. He shall then be given the opportunity to appear within one month in person before the full General Committee to answer the complaint. No decision to reprimand, suspend or terminate membership shall be endorsed unless at least two-thirds of the full General Committee votes in favour of such action.
12 EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY
12.1 Neither the Group nor any Officer or General Committee Member shall be liable to any Member or guest for any loss of or damage to any property from whatever cause in or about the Group Facilities, nor for any injury sustained by any Member or guest whilst on or entering or leaving the Club Group Facilities.
13 INTERPRETATION OF CONSTITUTION
13.1 In the event of differences in interpretation of this Constitution the decision of the Chairperson shall be binding until the next Annual General Meeting at which the decision will be put to the Members present for ratification by not less than a two-thirds majority of the eligible voters at that meeting.
14 BYE-LAWS
14.1 The General Committee may make, vary and revoke Bye-laws (not inconsistent with this Constitution) for the internal regulation of the Group and conduct of Members. Such Bye-laws will be binding on all Members until the next Annual General Meeting when they will lapse unless confirmed by not less than a two-thirds majority of the eligible voters at that meeting.
15 NOTIFICATION
15.1 Each Member of the Group will be supplied with a copy of this Constitution and the Group Bye-laws.
15.2 A copy of the notification and agenda of all meetings and other pertinent information will be placed on the main noticeboard in the Group Facilities for the perusal of all Members.
16 DISSOLUTION
16.1 If at any General meeting of the Group, a resolution were passed calling for the dissolution of the Group, the Honorary Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Group to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
16.2 If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the eligible voters present at the meeting, the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such dates as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Group and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Group.
16.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Group, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Members of the Group, but shall be given or transferred to some other voluntary organisation having objects similar to those of the Group.
Passed by the Inaugural Meeting of the Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group on Tuesday 6th March 2001.
First amendment made at a Special General Meeting of the Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group on Wednesday 11th April 2001.
Second amendment and additions made at the Annual General Meeting of the Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group on Tuesday 29th January 2002.
Third amendment made at the Annual General Meeting of the Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group on Wednesday 29th January 2003.
Fourth amendment and additions made at a Special General Meeting of the Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group on 1st November 2006.
Fifth amendment and additions made at the Annual General Meeting of the Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group on Tuesday 23rd January 2007.
Sixth amendment and additions made at the Annual General Meeting of the Stanford-le-Hope Recreation Ground User Group on Tuesday 29th January 2008. |
