Club Constitution

Horsmonden Cricket Club Rules

1. Name

  • 1.1 The name of the Club shall be HORSMONDEN CRICKET CLUB and will be affiliated to the Kent Cricket Board and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

2. Aims and Objectives

  • 2.1 The aims and objectives of the Club shall be to promote the playing of cricket in the village and surrounding areas of Horsmonden and to promote social intercourse among the Club’s members, families and friends.
  • 2.2 The Club will ensure a duty of care to all members of the club, provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone and ensure that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment.
  • 2.3 The Club will actively encourage the participation of young cricketers and will ensure their welfare by adopting the ECB Welfare of Young People Policy – Safe Hands.
  • 2.4 To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club by adopting and implementing the ECB Cricket Equity Policy and any future versions of the Policy

3. Officers of the Club

  • 3.1 The officers of the club shall be: President, One or more Vice-Presidents, Chair, Honourary Secretary, Treasurer.

4. General Committee

  • 4.1 The affairs of the Club, in matters not reserved for the decision of the members in general meetings shall be managed by the General Committee.
  • 4.2 The General Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall consist of: Chair, Honourary Secretary, Treasurer, Child Welfare Officer, Junior Coordinator, League Representative, Team Captains, Groundsman.
  • 4.3 The General Committee must retire annually but will be eligible for re-election.
  • 4.4 The General Committee shall meet whenever business requires it.
  • 4.5 At all meetings of the General Committee FIVE members shall form a quorum.
  • 4.6 The Chair shall have a second or casting vote when it is necessary to decide any issue.
  • 4.6 The General Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of conduct and rules that affect the organisation of the Club.
  • 4.7 The General Committee will have the powers to appoint sub-committees as necessary and appoint advisers to the General Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.
  • 4.8 The General Committee shall have sole power to elect persons to membership of the Club and expel or suspend any member of the Club who wilfully infringes the rules of the Club or whose conduct is considered to be detrimental to the Club’s best interests.
  • 4.9 The General Committee shall be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe club rules, regulations and constitution.
  • 4.10 The General Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

5. Membership

  • 5.1 Membership should consist of officers and members of the Club.
  • 5.2 All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of conduct that the Club has adopted.
  • 5.3 Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:
    • Full: Members shall enjoy all the facilities of the Club and will be eligible for selection for any of the senior teams.
    • Life: Members shall enjoy all the facilities of the Club and shall pay no annual subscription.
    • Student: (Age 18 or more at 1 May of that year but still receiving full-time education). Members shall enjoy all the facilities of the Club and will be eligible for selection for any of the senior teams.
    • Junior: (Age 17 or less at 1 May of that year) Members shall enjoy all the facilities of the Club (except they shall not be served intoxicating liquor) and will be eligible for selection for any of the teams within their age group.
    • Associate: Members shall enjoy all the facilities of the Club (except those under 18 years of age shall not be served intoxicating liquor) but will not be eligible for selection in any of the Club’s teams.
    • Family: Membership is based upon two adult ‘associate’ members and unlimited ‘junior’ members from the same family unit privileges remain as detailed above.
  • 5.4 Temporary membership is granted to the family and friends of any member and to the players, family, friends and supporters of any visiting club, following their being signed in by the home team Captain.

6. Membership fees

  • 6.1 Membership fees and subscriptions shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting.
  • 6.2 Membership fees will become due on 1 May of the respective season.

7. Finance

  • 7.1 All Club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the Club.
  • 7.2 The Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club.
  • 7.3 The financial year of the Club will end on 30 September.
  • 7.4 An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.
  • 7.5 Any cheques drawn against Club funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer plus up to two other Officers.

8. Disciplinary Procedure

  • 8.1 It is unacceptable for any player, official or supporter to act in a way that would bring HCC into disrepute.
  • 8.1 Players must all adhere to HCC’s Code of Conduct. Any player acting in breach of the Code of Conduct may be called before the Disciplinary Committee.
  • 8.1 The Disciplinary Committee will act on incidents that they have seen or that have been brought to their attention.
  • 8.1 The Disciplinary Committee will convene within 14 days of any incident.
  • 8.1 The Disciplinary Committee will inform the player of the time and date of the hearing in writing or via email.
  • 8.1 The player, if over 18, may be accompanied by his team captain.
  • 8.1 The player, if under 18, must be accompanied by his/her parent / guardian, or alternatively the player’s parent / guardian may elect a Member of HCC to accompany the player. (This must be communicated to the Disciplinary Committee in writing). The Disciplinary Committee will also request that the player’s coach (or captain if incident occurred representing a men’s team) attend the hearing.
  • 8.1 The Disciplinary Committee will pass judgement within 7 days of the hearing.
  • 8.1 The Disciplinary Committee’s decision will be confirmed to the player and anyone involved in the incident in writing.
  • 8.1 The Disciplinary Committee has the power to suspend, with immediate effect, a player for a maximum period of 4 weeks. If the Disciplinary Committee feels that a more severe punishment should be passed, then the Disciplinary Committee will pass the case over to the Club Committee.
  • 8.1 The player has the right to appeal the judgement. This appeal must be submitted in writing to the Hon Secretary within 7 days of the Disciplinary Committee making their decision.
  • 8.1 The HCC Committee will hear the appeal with in 7 days of receiving notice of the appeal.  If the Disciplinary Committee’s decision is upheld, it is within the Committee’s power to increase the punishment. If the appeal is successful, the Committee has the power to reduce or overturn the Disciplinary Committee’s decision.
  • 8.1 There is no appeal against the HCC Committee’s decision.

9. Annual General Meetings

  • 9.1 An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the club shall be held every year following the close of the season, at a time determined by the General Committee but before the commencement of the new season.
  • 9.2 An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by the Secretary at the election of the General Committee or upon written request of at least SIX members of the Club who shall, in their request, specify the business to be transacted.
  • 9.3 Notice of all General Meetings will be given by the Club Secretary of not less than SEVEN days.
  • 9.4 At all General Meetings TWELVE members shall form a quorum.
  • 9.5 At the AGM all general business of the Club will be transacted.
  • 9.6 The AGM will receive a report from Officers of the General Committee and a statement of the audited accounts.
  • 9.7 Nominations for Officers of the General Committee shall be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM or made at the AGM.
  • 9.8 Voting rights at General Meetings shall be as follows:
    • Full Members shall be entitled to vote on any matter.
    • Life Members shall be entitled to vote on any matter.
    • Student Members shall be entitled to vote on any matter.
    • Junior Members shall have no vote on any matter.
    • Associate Members shall have no vote on any matter other than the election of the General Committee.

10. Dissolution

  • 10.1 The committee may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a majority of members present and voting at a special meeting convened for the purpose.
  • 10.2 Any assets remaining after the settling of any debts and liabilities shall be applied towards charitable bodies within Horsmonden, which have similar aims to those of the committee. Such charitable bodies to be decided and approved by the aforesaid majority.

11. Amendments to the Constitution

  • 11.1 The Constitution shall only be changed through agreement by TWO THIRDS of the Full Members present at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.