Club Constitution 2022

Llanidloes Croquet Club 

CONSTITUTION 2022

1. TITLE 

1.1 The Club shall be called ‘Llanidloes Croquet Club”; hereafter to be referred to as “the Club” (and will be a Member Club of the Croquet Association). 

1.2 The Club shall be an amateur, non-profit-making club where all surplus income or gains are required to be reinvested in the club. Surpluses or assets cannot be distributed to members or to third parties except where required in clause 9 (Dissolution). 

2. OBJECTIVES 

2.1 The objectives of the Club shall be to promote and provide facilities for the encouragement of local community participation in the amateur sport of Croquet. 

2.2 The club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in a safe environment, free from the threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse of any sort. 

3. MEMBERSHIP 

3.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to any person interested in playing, coaching, volunteering or participating in croquet regardless of sex, age, disability, ethenicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs; who completes a membership application form and pays the relevant subscription / joining fee. 

3.1.2 Membership shall run from April 1stfor the ensuing year. Costs and time frames for paying these fees will be determined at the AGM. 

3.1.3 There shall be a number of classes of membership available. These are: Full Member – Adults over 18 years 

Family - 2 adults and up to 2 student members 

Junior / Student Member (12 – 18 years of age): 

Children under the age of 12 are welcome to attend specially arranged family days. 3.1.4 The default date for membership shall be a calendar month after the club start of year date. 

3.1.5 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 practice that the club adopts. 3.1.6 The club is committed to ensuring equality across all aspects of its development and opposes all discriminatory behaviour, intimidation, harassment and abuse of any sort. 3.1.7 All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity. 

4. GENERAL CLUB COMMITTEE

The General Club Committee shall comprise of the following 

Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, plus up to 5 other General Committee Members who shall all be elected at the AGM; ie The Club Officers. 

5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS 

5.1 All Club Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the club, from and by the full members of the club (as of year 2 / 2020). 

5.2 All Club Officers are elected for a period of one year, but may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year. 

6. GENERAL COMMITTEE 

6.1 The affairs of the Club shall be controlled by The General Club Committee, comprising of The Club Officers. The General Club Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than four times per year. It may appoint sub-committees. 

6.2 The duties of the General Club Committee shall be: 

6.2.1 To control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the Members, including adopting new policy, codes of practice, and rules that affect the organisation of the club. 6.2.2 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members and should be audited before every Annual General Meeting. The Club shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign Club cheques: Chair, Secretary and/or an appointed Committee Member. 

6.2.3 To co-opt additional members of the Committee as the Committee feels this is necessary. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Committee, unless they have been co-opted to replace a member who has died or has resigned. They shall hold office until the next A.G.M. 

6.2.4 To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote. 

7. GENERAL MEETINGS 

7.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in the month of March and notice will be given by the club secretary with at least 14 days notice to all currently paid up members. 7.2 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to: 

7.2.1 Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting 

7.2.2 Receive the audited accounts. Receive report from the treasurer and approve the annual accounts. 

7.2.3 Receive the annual report of the Chair and Secretary. 

7.2.4 Elect the Officers of the Club (Chair, Secretary; Treasurer and other General Club Committee Members). 

7.2.5 Agree Club subscription rates for the coming year. A Member who has not paid his subscription by such default date as the Committee prescribes may at the discretion of the Committee be deemed to have done so.

7.2.6 Deal with any other such business received in writing by the Secretary from Members (14) days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda. 

7.3 Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than 3 Full Members of the Club. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given. 

The business to be considered at the meeting to be specified in the notice convening the business. 

7.4 Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting date. Nominations can only be made by Full Members and must be seconded by another Full Member. 

In the absence of nominations prior to the meeting nominations may be taken from the floor. All nominations shall have the consent of the nominee. 

7.5 At all General Meetings the chair will be taken by the Chairperson, or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by the Club Committee or by Full Members attending the meeting. 7.6 Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Full Members attending. In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote or alternatively in his / her discretion he / she may direct a written poll. 7.7 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 5 Full Members and 5 members of the General Club Committee. 

7.8 Each Full Member of the Club shall be entitled to one vote on any separate issue at General Meetings. 

7.9 Consider any proposed changes to the constitution. 

8. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION 

8.1 Any proposed alterations to the Club Constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate them at least 7 days prior to the AGM. 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 Members present at the meeting and voting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved. See 7.7 above 

8.2 The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or Emergency General Meeting, (EGM). 

9. DISSOLUTION 

9.1 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. 9.2 If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting and voting the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club. Abstentions shall be recorded but shall not count as a vote. 

9.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Full Members of the Club, but shall be divided equally between the local Federation (if the Club is a member of it) and the Croquet Association. If the Club is not a member of the local Federation all assets on dissolution shall vest in the Croquet Association. Without in any way fettering the absolute discretion of the Croquet Association in the disposal thereof, first consideration may be given to support of other clubs in the vicinity of the dissolved club. Any assets loaned to the club, will be offered back in the first instance to the loaning entity and if not required to be returned, they will be passed to the Croquet Association.