Club rules
TITLE
1. The club shall be called COCKFOSTERS CRICKET CLUB.
COLOURS
2. The club colours shall be maroon and gold signified by a golden cockerel on a maroon ground.
OBJECTS
3. The objects of the club shall be to
i provide facilities for and promote participation of the whole local community in the amateur sport of cricket;
ii afford opportunities for membership to young cricketers and to encourage their training and to ensure a duty of care by adopting the ECB ‘Safe Hands – Welfare of Young People in Cricket’ Policy and any future versions of the Policy;
iii encourage a social atmosphere for the well-being of the club and its members.
iv To ensure that equity is incorporated across all aspects of the club’s development and 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 and the Anti-Discrimination Code.
v commit to ensuring everyone participating in cricket does so in a safe, friendly, secure, and enjoyable environment by adopting and implementing the ECB Safeguarding Policy Statement and any future versions of the Statement.
MANAGEMENT
4. The management of the club shall be vested in the Executive Committee comprising:-
a) The officers of the club, namely
i) The President
ii) The Secretary
iii) The Treasurer
iv) The Assistant Secretary
v) The Fixture Secretary
vi) The Chairperson of the Cricket Committee
vii) The Chairpersonn of the Juniors Committee
viii) The Chairperson of the Ground Committee
ix) The Chairperson of the Buildings Committee
x) The Chairperson of the Fund Raising Committee
xi) The Chairperson of the Entertainments Committee
xii) The Chairperson of the Social Media Committee
xiii) The Chairperson of the Wine Committee
xiv) The Chairperson of the Membership Committee.
xv) The Club Safeguarding Officer
The Secretary shall be a member ex-officio of all committees and sub- committees.
b) Four elected members
MEMBERSHIP
5. a) The election of all members shall be vested in the Executive Committee
b) Playing membership shall be available to any amateur cricketer aged 15 and over whose qualifications meet the approval of the Cricket Committee.
c) Non-playing membership shall be available to any person who wishes to be associated with and to support the club.
d) All applications for playing and non-playing membership shall be submitted in writing to the Membership Secretary.
e) The name and address of any person proposed for election to membership must be prominently displayed in the club pavilion for not less than two days prior to consideration by the Executive Committee of the application. No person shall be afforded any of the privileges of membership of the club until a properly completed and displayed application has been accepted by the Executive Committee.
f) Honorary membership shall be afforded to members of visiting clubs on the day of their match only. Honorary membership will also be offered to non-members that play for the club on an ad hoc basis on the day of the match only.
g) Juniors membership shall be available on an annual basis to any young cricketer who is not a playing member but whose qualifications meet the approval of the Juniors Committee. Junior members shall not be regarded as full members of the club and shall be entitled to participate only in juniors activities but that shall not preclude them from playing in club teams if selected to do so. A parent/ carer/ guardian of junior members shall be automatically a non-voting member of the club.
h) 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, except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of cricket. The club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating. The club 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.
i) A candidate who is refused membership shall have the right of appeal to a separate appeals committee comprising three members not part of the executive committee. For playing membership it will include one member of the cricket committee.
EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES TO THE CLUB
6. A general meeting of the club may by affirmative resolution honour a member with Life Membership or Vice-Presidency as an appreciation of exceptional services to the club. Vice-Presidents shall remain so honoured as long as they continue to support the club.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
7. a) All members shall be required to pay an annual subscription which shall be due on the 1st May each year. Members may set up a standing order by 1st May to pay over a number of months with the final payment receivable by 30th November.
b) The subscriptions for playing members as at the 1st May of each year shall be in the categories:-
Full Adult Member.
Concession Adult (Over 18 but either Student, Unwaged or other approved reason).
Full Junior.
c) The subscriptions for members and match fees for non-members for the ensuing year, and the amount by which playing members subscriptions paid before 31st May shall be rebated, shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting on the recommendation of the retiring Executive Committee.
d) The Membership Committee shall have the power to reduce, remit or delay the payment of individual subscriptions in exceptional circumstances.
e) A member whose subscription remains either unpaid at 1st May, or where a standing order to pay over a number of months has not been set up by 1st May in any year shall, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, cease to be entitled to the privileges of membership of the club.
f) A person ceasing to be a member of the club shall forfeit rights to any claims upon the club, its property or funds.
ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
8. a) The financial year shall end on 31st October each year.
b) The annual accounts shall be certified by independent examiners appointed at a general meeting.
c) The Income and Property of the club shall be applied solely towards promoting the club’s objects as set forth in these rules and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the members of the club.
GENERAL MEETINGS
9. An Annual General Meeting shall be held in the first week of February. Seven clear days notice of the meeting shall be given in writing together with the Agenda. Copies of the independently examined accounts for the previous financial year shall be available from the Secretary, on request, before the meeting and at the meeting itself.
10. The Executive Committee shall be bound to call an Extraordinary General Meeting if requested to do so in writing by at least ten full members whose subscriptions are not in arrears. The Executive Committee may call such a general meeting on its own authority. Seven clear days notice in writing shall be given of an Extraordinary General Meeting and it shall specify the business to be transacted. No other business shall be transacted at the meeting.
11. All Life Members, Vice-Presidents, Playing and Non-Playing members who pay a full subscription which is not in arrears shall be entitled to vote and to make nominations at general meetings. Only Playing members and the Chairman of Cricket may nominate and vote in the election of team captains.
ANNUAL ELECTIONS
12. The following elections shall be held annually at a general meeting:-
a) The officers of the club in the order specified in Rule 4a;
b) Four members of the Executive Committee;
c) One captain for each Saturday eleven;
d) One captain for each Sunday eleven;
e) The Wine Committee (see Rule 18);
f) The Independent Examiners.
Nominations for all the foregoing shall be submitted in writing, duly proposed and seconded and with the consent of the nominee, to reach the Secretary by 15th January.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS
13. a) To meet as soon as convenient upon election and to appoint one of their number as chairman, who may exercise an ordinary and a casting vote.
b) To implement the programme agreed at general meetings.
c) To control and administer the club’s funds and assets.
d) To administer all matters affecting the business and the affairs of the club
e) To form such sub-committees as may be considered desirable and to determine their terms of reference.
f) To co-opt to the main or sub-committees at its discretion. Such co-opted members shall not have voting rights on any committee.
g) To apply the Club Rules and to interpret and determine any matter related thereto. To decide any matter to which the Club Rules do not apply. To adjudicate on any matter in dispute.
h) At their last meeting before a general meeting at which elections are to be held to ensure that nominations for all positions to be filled at that meeting are made (see Rule 12).
i) To keep comprehensive minutes of all general and committee meetings.
14. In the event of an officer or captain being unable to continue with his duties, or of a vacancy occurring on any committee, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy in an acting capacity.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
15. a) The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month during the playing season on dates to be agreed among themselves or, failing agreement, on the first Friday in each month.
b) The Secretary may call a meeting whenever and at such time as he deems it to be necessary. He shall be bound to call a meeting if requested to do so in writing by at least four elected members of the Executive Committee. Such a meeting shall be called within seven days of receipt of the written request and the business to be transacted shall be specified in the notice of the meeting.
c) Six elected members of the Executive Committee shall form a quorum.
16. Any full member of the club shall have the privilege of attending Executive Committee meetings. Such a member may not take part in the meeting except at the chairman’s invitation and may be excluded at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETINGS
17. The Selection Committee shall comprise:-
a) The Chairman of the Cricket Committee, who shall be the chairman of the Selection Committee and shall have an ordinary and casting vote on that committee.
b) The elected team captains who shall each have a vote on team selections.
WINE COMMITTEE
18. The supply at the club of intoxicating liquor shall be under the control of a Wine Committee consisting of no fewer than six and no more than twelve members who shall be elected at a general meeting of the club (see Rule 12).
19. Intoxicating liquor and other articles for which a licence is required shall be supplied on the club premises and only to
a) members over the age of 18 years;
b) members of visiting clubs over the age of 18 years on the day of their match (see Rule 5f).
c) guests who have been properly signed in by members. A member may sign in a maximum of 5 guests on any one occasion.
20. The hours during which the sale of intoxicating liquor shall be permitted shall be 11.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m. daily except that on Sundays and Good Friday the hours shall be 12.00 noon to 10.00 p.m. and on Christmas Day 12.00 noon to 3.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. The Executive Committee may amend these hours from time to time provided that the legally permitted opening hours are not exceeded.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
21. The Membership Committee shall comprise:-
a) The Membership Secretary, who shall be the chair of the Membership Committee and shall have an ordinary and casting vote on that committee.
b) Two further members of the Executive Committee to be confirmed each year after the Annual General Meeting.
RESIGNATIONS
21. The Executive Committee shall have the power to accept the resignation of any member of the club.
22. If in the opinion of the Executive Committee any member is guilty of violation of the Rules of the club or of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the club, they shall have power to suspend or expel such a member. A member against whom such action is taken shall have the right of appeal to a general meeting of the club, but between the time of the executive Committee decision and the date of the general meeting, he shall not be regarded as a member of the club and shall be excluded from all privileges of membership.
THE CLUB RULES
23. Every member shall receive a copy of, be bound by and submit to the Club Rules.
24. No alteration or addition to the Rules shall be made save by two-thirds majority vote of full members not in subscription arrears and present and voting at a general meeting. A copy of the motion proposing such an alteration or addition shall be sent with the notice of the general meeting at which it is to be considered.
DISSOLUTION
25. The club may be dissolved by a resolution in an Extraordinary General Meeting of the full members of the club and passed by a majority of at least three quarters of the full members present and entitled to vote at the meeting. Upon dissolution the assets of the club, after satisfaction of liabilities, shall be divided in half and each half transferred to the Middlesex Cricket Board and the Hertfordshire County Cricket Association for the development of youth cricket.
NOTE
These Rules were updated and confirmed at the AGM on 16th February, 2024.