Hemingford Sports and Social Club
Rules and Bye-Laws of the Club
Rules
1) The name of the Club shall be the “Hemingford Sports and Social Club” located at the Hemingford Peace Memorial Field, Manor Road, Hemingford Grey, PE28 9BX.
2) The aim of the Club is to provide and further all forms and recreation and social activities for members of the Sports and Social Club and bona fide village organisations using the facilities at Hemingford Peace Memorial Field.
3) The Sports and Social Club committee members shall also have responsibilities in accordance with the terms of reference of the Pavilion Management Board.
4) The management of the Club shall be entrusted to a committee consisting of the following elected members: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and 4 other elected members.
The Committee have authority to co-opt additional members either to be Committee members for a specific purpose or period at the end of which they shall stand down, or to remain in office until the next Annual General Meeting when they shall be eligible for re-election.
5) The Committee shall meet at such times as it shall determine. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings and will have a casting vote. If the Chairman is not present at the meeting the Committee members present and entitled to vote shall choose one of their number to be Chairman at the meeting. All Committee meetings shall have a quorum of 4 members.
6) The Committee shall have the power to make bye-laws provided they are not inconsistent with the rules of the Club.
7) The purchase for the Club, and the supply by the Club, of intoxicating liquor shall be in the absolute discretion of the Committee, which shall in no way be restricted in its freedom of purchase of alcohol.
8) The Committee shall ensure that accurate and complete records of all financial transactions on behalf of the Club are maintained, and such records must be made available for inspection by any member of the Committee at any reasonable time. The financial year will terminate on April 30th. The Committee shall also ensure that a profit and loss account for each financial year and a balance sheet at the year-end date are prepared and presented to the members at the next following Annual General Meeting.
9) Any individual may apply for membership upon completion of an application form providing such information as the Committee from time to time decides, together with a subscription at the current rate which will be notified in the Bye-laws. No person shall be admitted to membership or, having applied for membership, be granted any of the privileges of membership until two days have elapsed from their application. At the discretion of the Committee, short term membership categories may be created to encourage the use of the Club. These categories and the associated rates will be notified in the Bye-laws.
10) All members of the other constituent clubs operating at Hemingford Pavilion shall also be family members of the Sports and Social Club so long as their membership of that constituent club remains valid and their details are communicated to the Club. Constituent clubs are required to collect such members’ annual subscription to the Sports and Social Club and pay them to the Club.
11) The annual subscription payable by all classes of member shall be such amounts as are agreed by members at the AGM following a recommendation from the Committee and must be paid by 31st May each year or, in the case of members of a constituent club, such other date as the Committee may agree with the constituent club. Any member failing to pay their subscription within 31 days of it becoming due shall be liable to having their membership cancelled without further notice. A membership register will be maintained and any officer of the Club or the Bar Manager will be entitled to check the membership of any person using Club facilities.
12) Any officer of the Club and/or Bar Staff acting on their behalf shall have the power to expel immediately any member whose conduct requires such action, whether this be by intoxication or the use of drugs shall be removed from the premises. The Committee shall have the power to expel any member who shall offend against the rules of the Club or whose conduct, in the opinion of the Committee, render them unfit for membership. Before any member is permanently expelled, they will be informed in writing of the complaint made against them and will be given the opportunity to appear before the Committee to answer the complaint made against them. The Committee upon reaching their decision will require a majority vote to expel the member.
13) The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be called by the giving of not less than 14 days’ notice and the meeting shall be held not later than the month of July in each year. Not more than 15 months shall elapse without an Annual General Meeting. At the Annual General Meeting, the following business shall be conducted:
a) Minutes of the previous AGM
b) Chairman’s Report
c) the presentation and (if accepted) the passing of the accounts for the previous financial year ended on 30th April prior to the meeting
d) the election of the officers and committee.
e) Members’ Annual Subscription rate
f) such business as shall have been communicated to the Secretary and included in the notice of the meeting advised to the members.
The business at the General Meeting shall be limited to that provided by the Rules and those further matters set out in the notice convening the meeting. The quorum at any General Meeting shall be 20 members.
14) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened within 21 days on the request of one-fifth of the members of the Club for the time being or 30 members, whichever is the fewer. Such a request must state the purpose for which such a meeting is required. Not less than 14 days’ notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be given to members.
15) Notice of the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be given by publishing a notice at the Pavilion and by email to each member who has given the Club an email address. General meetings shall be held at the Pavilion but the Committee may arrange for meetings to be held or attended by members virtually. At any General Meeting, each member over the age of 18 years shall have one vote. Votes may be cast by members in person or the Committee may, in its discretion, provide for members to cast their votes by email or other electronic means.
16) Any member may be accompanied to the Club by two guests, provided that no person whose application for membership has been refused or who has been expelled as a member of the Club shall be admitted as a guest. A member may only introduce the same guests on two occasions in any year ending 30th April, except if that guest shall reside more than 25 miles from the Club visits of such guests shall be unlimited. A guest may visit the Club twice as the guest of a member and thereafter has to apply for membership of the Club.
17) Bona fide members of visiting sports teams, their supporters and match officials shall, on the day of the event, be permitted entry to the Club premises. They may also purchase intoxicating liquor for consumption on club premises only.
On not more than 30 occasions per year ending 30th April, persons other than members or guests may be admitted to the Club premises to attend an organised function or event where intoxicating liquor is supplied. Such supply will extend to these persons for consumption on the premises only and for the duration of the function only.
18) The hours that the bar shall be open will be entirely at the discretion of the Committee. Such hours may be varied from time to time as considered necessary, but they never be extended beyond the hours permitted by the Licensing Authority.
19) The sale of intoxicating liquor is governed by the Licensing Act 2003. The opening hours of the Club are as set out in the Bye-laws.
20) No member or other person under the age of 18 years shall be supplied with or sold or shall consume intoxicating liquor on the Club premises.
21) Before serving any person with liquor, the Bar Staff or any officer of the Club shall be entitled to check the membership details of the person concerned. If no record is found in relation to that person, the Bar Staff will refuse to serve such person.
22) The Trustees of the Hemingford Peace Memorial Field reserve the right to let the Pavilion and facilities now existing for any private booking and for any function arranged by any of the Constituent Clubs. However, under no circumstances will they have any influence or authority in the matter of intoxicating liquor. This will remain at all times the property of Club Members.
23) All gaming on the premises will at all times comply with current legislation.
24) These Rules may be amended at any time by a three-quarters majority of the votes cast by members at a General Meeting. The notice convening the General Meeting shall include particulars of the proposed alteration. The Honorary Secretary shall as soon as possible and in any case within 28 days of the making of any such alteration, send a copy of the amended rules to the Chief Officer of the Police and to the Clerk of the Local Authority of the District in which the Club is situated.
25) The Sports and Social Club may be dissolved if so decided by a three-quarters majority of the votes cast by members at a General Meeting. Any surplus assets of the Club remaining after the payment and discharge of all its debts and liabilities shall be applied for the benefit of the Hemingford Peace Memorial Field charity.