Constitution and Rules

Constitution - Chippenham Community Amateur Sports Club

1. Club Name

The Club shall be called Chippenham Sports Club

2. Club Address

The address of Chippenham Sports Club (hereinafter called the Club) shall be Chippenham Sports Club, Hardenhuish Park, Bristol Road, Chippenham, SN15 1NH

3. Club Objectives

The objectives of the Club shall be to provide and promote throughout the community of Chippenham and surrounding area’s facilities for amateur Bowls, Cricket, Hockey and Tennis; and for such other amateur sports and games, as the Management Committee shall from time to time determine; and also to provide facilities for social activities

4. Club Property
1. The real property held or which may hereafter be held by the Club, shall be vested in four Trustees, at present: Mr N Gould, Mr P Cleverly, Mr E Kee and Mr T Bates, or such Trustees as may from time to time be appointed by a two-thirds majority of Members present at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting (to include no more than one third of social members within any of these votes)
2. The Trustees shall hold the property as joint tenants upon trust for sale with power to postpone such sale as long as they think fit in their absolute discretion. The Trustees if authorised by the Management Committee may borrow money using the property as security. The Trustees shall have the power to mortgage, lease, surrender or exchange, all or any part of the property of the Club. The sum or sums, of money obtained thereby shall be paid into the Banking Account of the Club, or otherwise expended for the benefit of the Club
3. The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than reasonably allowed by the constitution and all surplus income or profits are re-invested in the Club.  No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties
4. The Trustees may also offer advice, either individually or collectively, on decisions affecting the viability, future or general policy of the Club. They will not be responsible for any debts whether incurred in the past, present or future, rather these will be the responsibility of the membership as a whole
5. 28 days notice must be given to the Club Secretary of a Resolution to remove a Trustee, and such notice must be included in the agenda for an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting, and issued 21 days before that meeting

5. Committee Composition 
1. The Management Committee shall consist of at least four and not more than twelve officers, namely the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Clubhouse Manager/Steward and the Chair of each section (or their nominated representative), namely those of Bowls, Cricket, Ladies Hockey, Men’s Hockey and Tennis
2. The Clubhouse Manager/Steward is an employee of the Club and is automatically a non-elected member of the committee
3. The Trustees shall be ex-officio members of all committees
4. The Management Committee shall have power to co-opt, on a temporary or permanent basis, additional members from the membership (up to the maximum permitted number) as a whole including Social membership to serve until the end of the next AGM
5. Any Committee member maybe re-elected or re-co-opted without limit
6. A Committee member ceases to be such if they cease to be a member of the Club, resigns by written notice or is removed by the committee

6. Club Management

The Management Committee and/or the Clubhouse Manager of the Club, subject to this constitution shall have responsibility for the management and day to day running of the Club, its funds, property and affairs, including the following: 

• The general finances of the Club, including the presentation of audited accounts to the Annual General Meeting for approval and the setting of contributions from each section
• Acquiring, providing and maintaining grounds and playing facilities, clubhouse and related facilities
• The engagement and dismissal of staff (though not for playing for any section)
• The administration of the bar and clubhouse
• The raising of funds through a Fund Raising Committee activated, as the needs of the Club require
• Set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves
• The Club in connection with the sports purposes of the Club sell and supply food and drink and related sports clothing and equipment
• The right to refuse entry and remove persons from the building

The Committee may delegate any of its functions to Sub-Committees but must specify the scope of its activity and powers; the extent to which it can commit the funds of the Club; its membership; its duty to report back to the Committee.  The Committee may wind up any Sub-Committee at any time or to change its mandate and operating terms.

The Committee will at all times have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and child protection.

7. Section Management

Each Section

• Shall affiliate (or at least co-operate) with any bodies regulating or organising their specific sport
• Shall appoint its own officers and sectional Committee for the management of games played by that section
• Shall produce annually an Income and Expenditure Account, and Balance Sheet, a copy of which must be placed before the Management Committee of the Club, and at its own Annual General Meeting
• Shall be solely responsible for the control and administration of its own funds, and the payment of such contributions to the funds of the Club, which the Management Committee may require
• Shall set their own appropriate annual subscription
• Shall provide coaching, training and medical treatment related to their specific sport
• Take out insurance to cover their section members with regards to playing their specific sport
• Shall hold regular meetings necessary to properly administer the section

8. Club Membership
1. Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.  However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non discriminatory basis
2. The Club has different classes of membership, as set out below, and subscription on a non discriminatory and fair basis as follows, it endeavours to keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating

• Section Membership Candidates for membership shall be subject to the approval of the committee of the section, which they desire to join. Section Committees will be responsible for appointing their own Vice Presidents. Upon election and receipt of subscription a member shall be supplied with an Official Membership Card bearing his or her name, the date of issue and expiry and the signature of an Officer of the Club or the appropriate section
• Social Membership Candidates for Social membership shall be nominated by two existing members and subject to the approval of the Clubhouse Manager, Membership Secretary and/or Management Committee. Upon election and receipt of subscription a member shall be supplied with an Official Membership Card bearing his or her name, the date of issue and expiry and the signature of an Officer of the Club
• Temporary Honorary Members Any person being a member of the Club, Team, Society or other organisation, visiting the Chippenham Sports Ground, either as opponents of a team consisting of members of the Club or as a member of a Club, Team, society of other organisation having temporary exclusive use and enjoyment of the Sports Ground or any part thereof by consent of the Management Committee shall upon proof of bonafide membership of such Club, Team, society or other organisation to be furnished by the Secretary thereof shall be entitled to enjoy the facilities of the Club including the purchase of intoxication liquor or excisable goods at the bar
• Temporary Social Members Any person will be provided with temporary social membership if attending, taking part in or supporting an organised event/function within the Club, as long as 48 hours notice has been provided prior to the event/function.  This must clearly show those attendees that are under 18.  The person is considered to hold membership, for that amount of time of the event/function only.  By explanation the same person visiting when the organised event/function is not on will be considered a non-member and treated as such
• Honorary Membership Any company or person who supports the Sports Club or its representative sections either financially or otherwise will receive a Honorary Membership as Social Members for themselves and/or staff
• Guests A member may personally introduce friends as guests but no person shall be so introduced more than three times within a period of one week or four times in one month. Members must accompany guests introduced by them during the period of their stay in the Club, and guests shall be permitted to make payment for excisable articles provided on the Club premises. Members introducing visitors are responsible for seeing that the Visitors Book is signed, temporary Honorary Members being exempt
• Temporary Membership Temporary Membership of one month may be given at the Management Committees discretion. An official membership card will be issued

3. Any member playing in more than one section shall pay a subscription equal to three quarters of each section. If a member plays in more than two sections the Management Committee shall decide the total subscription payable
4. The annual subscription for social members shall be fixed by the Management Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting of the Club
5. Social Members shall be entitled to attend Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings and shall be entitled to vote on any resolution placed before such a meeting. Social Membership will not exceed one third of the total club membership
6. The Management Committee shall have cause to keep upon the Club premises a current list of the names and addresses of all members, these lists to be provided by the relevant sections
7. The Management Committee 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 the members

 

9. Club Meetings

Management Committee Meetings

• The Management Committee will meet no less than once every four months
• In addition the Chair of any section can request that a Management meeting be called at any time
• Whenever a Committee member has a personal interest in a matter to be discussed he/she must declare it, withdraw from that part of the meeting (unless asked to stay), not be counted in the quorum for that agenda item and withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter concerned 
• At least two members must be present for the meeting to be valid
• The quorum of the meeting is four
• Committee meetings shall be held face to face
• The Chair or whoever else those present choose shall chair meetings
• Decisions shall be by simple majority of those voting
• A resolution in writing signed by every Committee member shall be valid without a meeting
• The chair of the meeting shall not have a casting vote

General Meetings

• All members may attend all general meetings of the Club in person
• Such meetings need 14 clear days’ notice to members
• The Chair or (in his or her absence) another member chosen at the meeting shall preside
• Except as otherwise provided in this constitution every resolution shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast on a show of hands
• A General Meeting may be requested by any Management Committee or Section Committee member        

Annual General Meetings
The Club will hold an Annual General Meeting once in every calendar year and not more than 15 months after the last Annual General Meeting.  At every Annual General Meeting:

• The Members will elect a Committee including a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary to serve until the next Annual General Meeting 
• The Treasurer will produce accounts of the Club for the latest financial year audited as the Committee shall decide
• The Committee will present a report on the Club's activities since the previous Annual General Meeting
• The Members will appoint a suitable person to audit the accounts
• The Members will discuss and vote on any resolution (whether about policy or to change the constitution)
• Any matter to be discussed must be put onto the Agenda at least 14 days prior to the meeting, by contacting the Secretary, no matter not on the Agenda will be discussed

Extraordinary General Meetings
An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary within 14 days of a request to that effect from the Management Committee, any Section Committee or Chair or on the written request of not less than twelve members signed by them.  Such Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held on not less than 14 nor more than 21 days’ notice at a place decided upon by the Management Committee or in default by the Chair

10. Financial Year

The financial year of the Club shall end on 31 December each year

11. Alteration and Amendments

The Constitution of the Club shall not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting or at a Extraordinary General Meeting convened for the purpose by the Management Committee of fifteen or more playing members (to include no more than one third of social members) and passed by a majority of at least two thirds of the members present at such a meeting (to include no more than one third of social members). The notice promulgating the meeting shall be displayed in the Clubhouse and will contain the Agenda

The Club Objective may be changed to include other eligible sports if the Management Committee unanimously agree and the members also agree the change by a 75% majority of votes cast

12. Life Members

Life Members appointed for long-standing service to the Club may be recommended by the section to which the proposed Life Member belongs to the Management Committee for endorsement and submission for approval at the next Annual General Meeting

13. Facilities

General

1. The Sports Club will not accept a member if they are solely joining to gain use of the facility for an event/function
2. During any event/function there will always be a designated area available for use by members
3. Children under the age of 16 are only allowed in the Club or on Club land Bar area under the direct supervision/control of their coach/parent/guardian or with the express permission of the Clubhouse Manager
4. Any member, guest or visitor is expected to respect other user’s of the facility irrespective of their or others usage and is requested to leave the facility as they would wish to find it

Hiring (Social facilities)

5. Any person booking the facility must have been a member for at least 3 months, except in the case of Funerals
6. All potential hiring’s will complete a booking form, which sets out the rules for hiring, prior to acceptance of any booking
7. The Sports Club will not accept bookings for birthday parties from 11 up to and including 29 years old
8. The Sports Club will not accept Engagement parties where persons are under the age of 30

14. Dissolution

A Resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting through a majority vote of the membership, although this must represent not less than three quarters of members. If upon dissolution of the club there remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the club, but shall be given or transferred to some other neighbouring club or clubs with similar sports purposes and which is a registered charity and/or which is registered as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC). The decision on which club or clubs should benefit and what share of the assets should go to each is to be made by the trustees

Adopted at a meeting held
at Chippenham Sports Club
on 7 Jan 2009