HERBERT PARK CROQUET CLUB
CONSTITUTION
Adopted December 2022
1. TITLE
The Club shall be called HERBERT PARK CROQUET CLUB (hereinafter referred to as “the Club”).
2. OBJECTS
2.1 To foster and promote the sports of Croquet at all levels, providing opportunities for recreation and competition.
2.2 To maintain an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance.
3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to any person completing a membership application form and paying the relevant subscription/joining fee as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the Club’s Full Members.
3.2 The club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis.
3.3. The Management Committee may refuse membership only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the club or sport into disrepute.
3.4 A Full Member shall be any person who, upon payment of all membership dues, has been accepted by the Management Committee.
3.4 (i) A Full Member shall have voting rights at the Annual General Meeting and at properly constituted Extraordinary General Meetings.
3.4 (ii) The Management Committee has authority to set an upper limit on the number of Full Members and to vary such limit from time to time.
3.5 Honorary membership may be awarded to a person who in the opinion of the club has rendered good and long service to the club, or to the game of croquet or who otherwise merits such membership.
3.5 (i) An Honorary Member is a Full Member of the club who does not have to pay subscription dues.
3.5 (ii) An honorary member has the right to attend and vote at all general meetings.
3.6 The Management Committee may at its discretion grant Temporary Membership to a person or persons for a period not exceeding 21 days.
3.7 The Management Committee may from time to time at its discretion introduce additional classes of membership.
3.8 Membership of a class introduced pursuivant to 3.7 above shall not carry voting rights.
4. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
4.1 The officers of the Club shall be
The President who shall serve until he/she resigns or is replaced.
The Chairperson who shall be elected to serve for a term of three years.
The Secretary who shall be elected to serve for a term of one year.
The Treasurer who shall be elected to serve for a term of one year.
4.2 The above, plus not less than two and not more than four Full Members shall constitute the Club’s Management Committee who shall be responsible for the administration and day-to-day management of the Club’s affairs.
4.3 Elected committee members shall serve for a term of one year.
4.4 Co-opted committee members shall serve until the AGM following the date of their co-option.
5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS and COMMITTEE MEMBERS
5.1 Officers and Committee Members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club by the Members present.
5.2 No member shall hold the same office for a period of more than three consecutive years unless no other nominations for that position are received at the Annual General Meeting.
5.3 Officers retiring may stand for re-election to the same office or another office the following year.
5.4 Candidature notices shall be signed by the candidate and endorsed by two other Full Members and shall have been received by the Secretary at least seven days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.
5.5 If the number of candidates does not exceed the number of vacancies such candidates shall be deemed elected.
5.6 Elections to fill vacancies shall be conducted as follows:
5.6 (i) At the Annual General Meeting. a voting paper shall be issued to each member present giving the names of retiring members offering themselves for re-election, and giving the names of Members offering themselves for initial election, together with the names of the proposer and seconder of each.
5.6 (ii) The voting shall be by a simple majority vote.
5.6 (ii)i Any error or errors shall render the voting paper null and void.
5.6 (iv)Two scrutineers not being members or prospective members of the Management Committee shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Meeting.
5.6 (v) The scrutineers shall, after completing the count, report the result of the poll immediately to the meeting.
6. THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
6.1 The affairs of the Club shall be controlled by a Committee called “The Management Committee” constituted as in 4.2 above. The Management Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than six times per year. It may appoint sub-committees.
6.2 The Duties of The Managing Committee shall be:
6.2 (i) To control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the Members.
6.2 (ii) To enact by-laws to ensure the good governance of the club, including play, etiquette and maintenance of lawns.
6.2. (iii) To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members. The Club shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign Club cheques: two from the Chairperson; Treasurer and Secretary.
6.2 (iv) Subject to the approval of members at the Annual General Meeting, to determine the annual subscription and/or joining fee.
6.2 (v) To co-opt additional members of the Committee as the Committee feels necessary and appropriate.
6.2 (vi) To make decisions on the basis of a single transferable vote. In the case of a tie the Chairman of the committee meeting shall be entitled to a casting vote.
7. AUDIT COMMITTEE
7.1 The Club shall establish and maintain an Audit Committee for the purpose of internally auditing The Club’s accounts.
7.2 The Audit Committee shall consist of at least two Full Members who are not, during the term of their appointment, Officers of the Club nor Members of The Management Committee.
7.3 Members of the Audit Committee are elected at The AGM in accordance with the regulations set out in Rule 5 (above).
7.4 Members of the Audit Committee are elected for a term of one year, after which a member may apply for re-election.
7.5 The Audit Committee shall appoint two of its members to scrutinise, audit and sign-off The Club’s annual accounts.
7.6 Such audit shall be completed not later than 7 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
8. GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1 Twenty-one (21) clear days written notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting by circulating a copy of the notice to every member and posting the notice on the Club notice board. Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least (14) days before a meeting. The Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting to Members not less than 7 days before the meeting
8.2 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:
8.2 (i) Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any other General Meetings.
8.2 (ii) Receive the accounts and annual report of the Treasurer.
8.2 (iii) Receive the annual report of the Secretary.
8.2 (iv) Elect the Officers and Management Committee
8.2 (v) Fix Club subscription and joining fee rates. A Member who has not paid his subscription in full within sixty (60) days of the due date may at the discretion of the Management Committee be deemed to have resigned.
8.2 (vi) Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members (14) days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.
8.2.(vii) Transact such other business except business for which a Special General Meeting is required (e.g. expulsion, dissolution or changes to the constitution) as by common consent of the meeting the Chairperson in his/her discretion admits.
8.3 Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 7 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.
8.4 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.
8.5 Special General Meetings may be convened by the Management Committee or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than 10 Full Members of the Club. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given.
8.6 At all General Meetings the chair shall be taken by the Chairperson, or, in absentia, by a deputy appointed by Full Members attending the meeting.
8.7 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be fifteen (15) Full Members and Officers of the Club including two from the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
8.8 If the Management Committee deems it undesirable to hold a General Meeting in public or if such gatherings are prohibited by law it may at its discretion convene a virtual meeting facilitated by appropriate conferencing software. Full and Honorary Members online at such time shall be deemed to be physically present, shall form part of the quorum and shall be entitled to vote.
9. VOTING
9.1 In proposals requiring a vote by the whole membership the following methods of voting shall be permitted:-
(a) A show of hands by a Full or Honorary Member attending an Annual or Special General Meeting.
(b) A vote by a Full or Honorary Member in writing or by e-mail, text message, fax or other permitted form of electronic communication received by the Secretary not less than 48 hours before the meeting.
9.2 Decisions made at an Annual or Special General or Meeting shall be by a simple majority of Members’ votes.
9.3 In the case of a request for expulsion of a member the Secretary shall institute a secret ballot on the basis of one vote per member.
9.4 In the case of a motion for the dissolution of the club, the Secretary shall institute a secret ballot on the basis of one vote per member.
9.5 In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to a casting vote.
10. MISCONDUCT
10.1 Unsportsmanlike behaviour is unacceptable. Mutual respect between all club members is expected at all times.
10.1 (i) In the case of a reported breach of 10.1 above, the Management Committee shall convene a meeting at which parties to the incident may be asked to appear. Parties may call witnesses.
10.1 (ii) If a breach of 10.1 above is proven the Management Committee may, on foot of the meeting, issue a verbal or written warning as to the future conduct of the transgressor(s).
10.1 (iii) In the case of a repeated or severe breach of 10.1 above, the Management Committee may, at their discretion, suspend a member from the lawn and/or club premises for a period (known as “the cooling off period”) of not exceeding two weeks.
10.1 (iv) Aggravated or multiple breaches of 10.1 above may render the transgressor liable to expulsion from the Club, the full procedure for which is set out in Rule 11 of The Constitution (below).
11. EXPULSION
11.1 A member who is found by vote carried at a Special General Meeting called in accordance with Article 8.5 to have behaved in a manner likely to bring the club into disrepute or cause substantial prejudice against it or otherwise to have repeatedly indulged in conduct unbecoming of a member may be expelled from the club provided that
(a) The resolution must be carried by three quarters (3/4) of those attending and voting.
(b) This is the only business at the meeting.
(c) Before putting the motion to the vote the member shall have a full opportunity to address the meeting and to call witnesses.
(d) Following expulsion any subscription for the whole of that year that has been paid by that member shall be returned.
12. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
12.1 Any proposed alterations to the Club Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting, convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full or Honorary Member of the Club and seconded by another Full or Honorary Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two thirds of those Members present at the meeting and voting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved. An abstention shall be recorded but shall not count as a vote.
13. DISSOLUTION
13.1 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.
13.2 If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least three quarters (3/4) of the members voting, the Management 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.
13.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall be paid or distributed amongst the Full and Honorary Members of the Club.
14. DEFINITIONS
14.1 Writing. For the purposes of this Constitution the term ‘writing’ embraces hand-written documents, typewritten documents, documents composed on a computer or word processor and transmitted by hand, post (mail), fax, text message, e-mail or other permitted form of electronic communication.
APPENDIX A
The voting system in practice
Circumstance Who May Vote Method Majority Required
Dissolution of Club All Full/Honorary Members Secret ballot 2/3 of voters
Amendments to Constitution All Full/Honorary Members Open ballot 2/3 of voters
Requests for Expulsion All Full/Honorary Members Secret ballot 3/4 of voters
All other motions at GMs All Full/Honorary Members Open ballot Simple majority
Permitted voting methods
Show of hands at the meeting (except for secret ballots).
By ballot form (for secret ballots).
In writing, or by e-mail, fax, text message or other electronic communication as may be permitted, delivered to the Secretary not less than 48 hours before the meeting.