Bideford Rugby Football Club Rules
1. The purposes of the Club are to promote the amateur sport of Rugby Union Football in the area of Bideford and community participation in the same.
2. Membership
a) 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-discretionary basis.
b) The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a nondiscriminatory and fair basis. The Club will keep subscription levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
c) The Club 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.
3. The club is to be affiliated to the Rugby Football Union, and the Devon Rugby Football Union, and its headquarters shall be The Clubhouse, King George V Memorial Ground, Bank End, Bideford.
4. The 1st XV colours are red and white, and red and white jerseys, white shorts and red stockings shall be worn by all players in every match.
5. The management of the affairs of the club is to be in the hands of the General Committee of the Club to be elected annually at the general meeting and shall comprise eleven officers of the Club and twelve members of the Club. The General Committee to have power to co-opt if necessary. Ten members are to form a quorum. All members of the General Committee must be Full Members of the Club.
6. The Officers of the Club are to be: - The Trustees, the President, the Chairman, the Hon. Secretary, the Hon. Treasurer, the Bar Manager, the Resources Manager and the Chairmen of Sub-Committees. These areas are: -
Rugby Development: Team Management, Recruitment, Selection, Juniors & Colts and Coaching.
Fund Raising: Membership Fees, Sponsorship, Social Events, Gate & 200 Club, Match Fees and Tour Funds.
The Sub-Committees will meet at least once per calendar month at an agreed date and time. Minutes will be recorded at all meetings and will be posted on the Club notice board.
The Club and Team Captains shall be elected by secret ballot, to be conducted before the end of the preceding season, the results to be announced at the Annual dinner. Officers, Committee, and Playing Members being entitled to vote. Nominations, together with a proposer and seconder to be posted on the club notice board for two full weeks before the ballot.
From its number the General Committee shall elect any Sub-Committees that may be deemed necessary and they shall elect a Selection Sub-Committee to select the teams to represent the Club on the field. The Executive Sub-Committee shall consist of The President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and any two members of the General Committee and shall be authorised to consider at the Chairman’s discretion, any emergency matters with power to act, such decisions to be subsequently ratified by the General Committee.
7. The General Committee shall have power to delegate to Sub-Committees who may be given full power to act where such course is considered appropriate and necessary for the well being and proper management of the Club. Persons other than members of the Club may be co-opted on to any Sub-Committee, except the Selection Sub-Committee and any other Sub-Committee with less than four members, but only in special circumstances and then only by the General Committee so that at no time shall the number of co-opted members exceed one third of the total number of people on the Sub-Committee.
8. All nominations for the Officers of the Club and resolutions for the Annual General Meeting are to be in the hands of the Hon. Secretary at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting, which shall be held every year on the second Tuesday in June.
9. There shall be the following categories of members: -
a) Vice Presidents and Full Members – Who shall pay an annual subscription of not less than twenty-five pounds. All shall be entitled to Full Club Membership, which permits them to vote at meetings or serve as Officers or on the Committee, and to apply for international match tickets through the club.
b) Playing Members – Who shall pay such subscriptions as shall be fixed annually by the General Committee. All shall be entitled to Full Club Membership.
c) Honorary Life Members – Who shall not be called upon to pay any subscription but shall be entitled to Full Club Membership. Honorary Life Members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting on the nomination of the General Committee and shall not exceed ten in number.
d) Social Members – Who shall pay an annual subscription of not less than fifteen pounds. Social Members shall be entitled to the full use of the Club bar and the Club facilities on match days and social occasions. They shall not be entitled to vote at meetings or serve as Officers or on the Committee, or to apply for international match tickets through the club. Special membership cards shall be issued to Social Members. Members of the ‘200’ Club are entitled to Social Membership of the Club facility pertaining to ‘200’ Club activities only. Those Members who qualify for Social Membership through membership of the “200 Club” will not be permitted to upgrade their Membership to the status of Full Member by paying the difference between the Full Membership and the Social Membership subscriptions.
e) Temporary Members – Who shall not pay any subscription but who shall be either elected forty-eight hours before enjoying the use of the Club’s facilities or be members of visiting teams and their officials and the referee of any home games. Temporary Members are entitled to the full use of all the Club’s facilities and membership for twenty-four hours from noon to noon and are elected by the General Committee.
f) Associate members – Who shall be admitted as being a member of another club which is a “recognised club” where persons may not be admitted to membership, or as candidates for membership, without an interval of at least two days between their nomination or application for membership and their admission, and where that club is established and conducted in good faith as a club.
10. Election of Members – Candidates shall be proposed by a Full Member of the Club and seconded by another Full Member of the Club and their names exhibited at the Club Headquarters together with those of the “proposer” and “seconder” for a period of two days at the expiration of which period if no objection to their election shall have been reported to the General Committee they shall become members of the Club subject to confirmation by the General Committee at its next meeting.
11. Any member whose subscription is unpaid on the 30 October shall cease to be a member and must re-apply for membership.
12. The General Committee has the right to terminate the membership of any member for infringement of the Rules or for any conduct, which in their opinion is or might be prejudicial to the welfare or proper conduct of the Club.
13. Clubs and organisations desirous of using the Club facilities may do so under negotiated arrangements with the General Committee. Any such clubs and organisations shall be fully responsible for the conduct of their own members and shall make good immediately any damage done to the Club premises or equipment. Any person using the Club facilities must become a Temporary Member or be the visitor of a Full Member.
14. No member shall at any time raise any claim against the Club for any injury or damage whatsoever suffered whilst in or about the Club premises which includes its grounds and adjoining premises.
15. Generally the Duty Manager shall have the rights and powers, which may be necessary for the proper conduct of the Clubhouse and the due observance of the Rules of the Club and the Licensing Acts and other statutory provisions.
16. A General Meeting may be summoned at any time at the request of the General Committee or of ten Full Members of the Club. A notice for the same is to be sent to the Hon. Secretary at least fourteen days before the proposed date stating in writing the business to be transacted. The Hon. Secretary is to be responsible for convening the said meeting and the meeting shall have all the powers and authority of an Annual General Meeting.
17. The Rules of the Club can be altered at any time by a majority of the General Committee and a copy of all such alterations shall be posted on the Club notice board. Any alterations made in this manner are subject to ratification by Full Members in General Meetings. Any act or thing done by the Club under its Rules as amended in the above manner shall be binding on the Club and its members notwithstanding a resolution at a subsequent General Meeting whereby any such alterations are not ratified.
18. Property and Funds
a) The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the Rules and all surplus income or profits are reinvested in the club.
b) The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, away-match expenses, post match refreshments and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002.
c) The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:
i) sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment;
ii) employ members (though not for playing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present
iii) pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests;
iv) indemnify the Committee and members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).
d) The Committee will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and child protection.
19. All real and personal estate and properties belonging to or at any time hereafter acquired by the Club are to be vested in Trustees (not less than two or more than four) acting on behalf of the General Committee. Each such Trustee is to be elected by a majority of the General Committee. In the case of a death or a resignation of any Trustee, a new Trustee or Trustees may be appointed. Only members of the Club are to be eligible for appointment as Trustees. The present Trustees are Bernard Ridd, Colin Balsdon and Anthony Wood.
20. The Club may borrow any monies without limit or restriction on the resolution of the General Committee of whom not less than 50% shall be present and voting. A certificate to this effect signed by two out of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer shall be sufficient evidence to any lender.
21. For the purpose of borrowing monies the Trustees shall have full power on receipt of instructions from the General Committee to sell, mortgage charge lease or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the Club’s property whether freehold or personal.
22. Where monies have been borrowed the General Committee shall be responsible for setting annual budgets that will ensure the proper settlement of those debts according to the schedules and terms agreed with the lenders.
23. Where Club Members have acted as Guarantors for a loan and a Guarantor has to be replaced, for whatever reason, the General Committee shall be responsible for finding that replacement and the Club shall be responsible for all the associated costs of replacement.
24. In respect of the £75000 borrowed from the Rugby Football Foundation and the £25000 borrowed from the Bideford Bridge Trust in 2009 where 20 Club Members acted as Guarantors the General Committee shall be responsible for setting up a “Continuance Fund” into which shall be paid an annual sum of £1000 or 20% of the annual profit, up to a maximum of £5000 until there are sufficient funds to repay the outstanding amount of the loans.
25. With reference to Rule 24 the Guarantors shall meet every year on the 4th Tuesday of June following the Annual General Meeting to review the published accounts, distributions and any other matters pertaining to safeguarding the interests of the Guarantors.
26. Where the Trustees consider the General Committee to be acting negligently with the financial dealings of the Club, especially on the management and servicing of any loans, they shall be empowered to call an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting, thus allowing Club Members the right to a vote of no confidence in the General Committee. The General Committee shall be suspended, with immediate effect, from taking any financial decisions or actions, especially pertaining to loans; until such time that the vote of confidence has taken place. The Extra-Ordinary General Meeting must take place within two weeks of the suspension taking place.
27. The Hon. Secretary is to take all steps to ensure that the Club is registered under the Licensing Act, and that the Provisions of the Act are at all times strictly observed. All members shall give every assistance to the Duty Managers in complying with this Rule. The Club Headquarters may be opened to all members of the Club for the supply of alcoholic liquor during the hours permitted by the Licensing Justices.
28. The Club shall be open and prepared to receive members on days on which matches or other functions shall take place organised by the Club.
29. No member is to introduce more than five guests in any one day into the Club Headquarters and every guest is to be accompanied by the member introducing him, both of whom shall sign the Visitors Book immediately on entering the Club premises. No person may be a guest of any member on more than six days in any calendar month. No person whose membership has been terminated or for the time being suspended as hereinbefore provided or whose application for membership has been refused shall at any time be introduced as a guest.
30. In the event of any behaviour by a member which in the opinion of the Duty Manager is prejudicial to the Club or is likely to infringe the Rules of the Club or lead to any offence being committed the Duty Manager may request the member to leave the Club and if necessary may have them forcibly ejected without being liable in any way or manner for his actions.
31. If any matters should arise during the course of any year for which the foregoing Rules do not provide the General Committee shall have full power to deal with the matter and its decision shall be final. The General Committee is to have power to make such Rules and Regulations as may from time to time be necessary for the proper function of the Club. The provisions of this Rule shall apply subject to the same ratification at a General Meeting as is provided in Rule 16.
32. All income raised by Club Members will be for the financing of activities that relate strictly to the playing of rugby football union. Fund raising for any other purpose must have the explicit permission of the General Committee. All monies and transactions for these other purposes must be declared to the Fund Raising Sub-Committee or the General Committee.
33. No Sub-Committee or Club Member is permitted to open an account with any financial institution for any purpose without the permission of the General Committee.
34. Children Under 16 Years of Age
a) Must be accompanied by an adult at all times in the bar area.
b) Must leave the clubhouse by 21:00 on senior match days unless other committee approved arrangements have been made.
35. Children Under 14 Years of Age
a) Are not permitted in the immediate bar area, i.e. by the counter.
b) Must leave the player’s bar area as soon as reasonable after a senior match.
36. Junior Match Days
a) The clubhouse will be closed by 14:00 following Sunday morning junior matches unless other committee-approved arrangements have been made.
37. All playing members under 19 years of age will be subject to the RFU mandatory photographed ID procedure.
38. Any member wishing to bring a dog(s) into the clubhouse must ensure, at all times, that the dog(s) is always on a lead and under control. Failure to do so will result in the dog being removed from the premises.
39. Winding Up
a) The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting.
b) The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club's affairs.
c) After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Trustees shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:
i) to another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered charity and/or
ii) to another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC and/or
iii) to the Club's governing body for use by them for related community sports.