Eton Manor RFC Constitution


CONSTITUTION OF THE ETON MANOR RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB

Key Rules

1. The Club will be known as ETON MANOR RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB.

2. The Club colours shall be Dark Blue and Light Blue. The player’s kit shall be:

Shirts - Dark Blue with Light Blue Hoop
Shorts - Dark Blue
Socks - Dark Blue with Light Blue Detail

3. The playing laws will be those of the Rugby Football Union.

4. The main purpose of the Eton Manor Rugby Football Club is to provide the means for the playing of
amateur rugby union football in Wanstead, England and community participation in the same.

5. 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 discriminatory basis.
(b) 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 EMRFC Executive 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 at a meeting which will be held not more than 15 (fifteen) days, and not sooner than 7 (seven) days, from the day membership is refused or removed.

6 No player will be eligible for selection unless playing subscriptions have been paid in accordance with the payment methods established by the Club Treasurer.

7. The following positions shall be, whenever possible, elected at the AGM.:Club Chairman, Youth
Chairman, Club Captain, Club Treasurer, Club Secretary, Team Captains; and Club President
when required. In the event that a Full Member is not elected to the position of Club Treasurer
the Youth Chairman may assume the role of Club Treasurer until the holding of the next AGM,
however if the Youth Chairman refuses or is unable to serve as the interim Club Treasurer the
Executive Committee will appoint a competent and insured person or company to manage the
Club finances until the next AGM.

(a) In the event of the vacancy of the position of Club Chairman by death, resignation, or
severe incapacitation the Club President will assume the position/authority of Club Chairman until an
EGM or AGM can be held within 45 days from the date of resignation, death, or severe
incapacitation of the Club Chairman.

8. The standing committees of the Club shall be an elected Executive Committee and an elected General Committee, together being known as the Club Committee. The standing committees have the power to co-opt. Unless otherwise stated the terms of the members of the Club Committee shall run from election at the AGM until the election held at the following AGM and no member of the Club Committee shall be paid for their services as a member of the Club Committee. Members of the Club Committee may form a sub-committee from the Membership but the sub-committee members will have no right to vote at a meeting of the General Committee.

9. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Club Chairman, Club Captain, Club Secretary, Club
Treasurer, and Youth Chairman. The function of the Executive Committee shall be to direct policy
and generally manage the affairs of the Club. The Executive Committee shall have the powers to
deal with any Club matters that are not specifically stated in the Constitution. A quorum of three is
required to hold an Executive Committee meeting and the Executive Committee shall meet not less
than every three months from the holding of one AGM to the next AGM. Minutes of each meeting
are to be submitted to the Club Secretary.

10 The Executive Committee is required to submit a Club Budget to the Committee for approval not later than 60 (sixty) following the close of the AGM.

(a) The Budget of the Club must be approved by a majority vote of the full Committee.
(b) The approved Budget will be made available to the Full Members no later than 10 (ten) days from the date the Budget is approved.

11. The General Committee shall consist of 8 (eight) Full Members elected by the Members at the AGM.

12. The Committee shall meet not less than 6 six times from AGM to AGM and a quorum of one member of the Executive Committee plus six members of the Committee is required to hold a meeting. The function of the Committee is to approve the overall running and management of the Club. Minutes of the meeting shall be submitted to the Club Secretary.

13 The Club Chairman can call for an EGM to request an override of the vote of the Committee and the override will carry upon a simple majority vote of eligible voting Members at the EGM.

14. A Playing Committee shall be formed following the AGM and shall consist of the elected Team Captains, Youth Chairman and Club Captain as well as the appointed Senior Coaches and Director of Rugby. The function of the PC is to ensure that all players have an equal opportunity at playing at the appropriate level. A quorum of the Club Captain plus three other members of the Playing Committee is required to hold a meeting and the Playing Committee shall meet not less than three times from the commencement of the playing season that follows the AGM. Minutes of each meeting are to be submitted to the Club Secretary.

15. A Playing Disciplinary Committee shall be formed following the AGM and shall consist of the Club Chairman, the Club Secretary, the Youth Chairman and one additional Full Member appointed by the Club Chairman. Members who receive a red card whilst playing a sport for EMRFC or who have been requested by a match official to leave a match whilst the Member is a spectator shall be subject to a hearing before the Playing Disciplinary Committee. All decisions of the Playing Disciplinary Committee shall be final and binding upon the Member. The Club Secretary shall be responsible for conducting the investigation and reporting the outcome to EssexRFU or other representative body.

16 Any player appearing before an Essex Counties Disciplinary Hearing or any other official disciplinary hearing shall be responsible for the payment of any fee laid against the Club by that body. The Playing Disciplinary Committee may at their discretion waive the payment of the fee by the player if the fee will result in a significant financial hardship to the player.

17. The Annual General Meeting will be held on the 2nd Saturday in June. Items for the agenda must be received by the Club Secretary or Club Chairman, in writing by the first day of June. Voting is limited to Full Members unless otherwise stated.

A quorum of 25% (twenty five percent) of the Full Members is required to hold the AGM. If a quorum is not present the AGM will be rescheduled to the 4th Saturday in June and if a quorum is not present for this AGM then the terms of the current Club Committee will continue until the next AGM.

18. A meeting of the Club Committee shall be convened by the Secretary within 8 weeks of receiving a requisition signed by at least 15 Full Members of the Club unless the date of such meeting is within the 8 weeks prior to the AGM.

19. Property and Funds
(i) 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.
(ii) 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.
(iii) The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:
(a) sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment;
(b) employ members (though not for playing, unless allowed under CASC) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present;

(c) Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests;
(c) 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).
(iv) The Committee will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and child protection.

20. 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 Club Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.
(c) After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Club Committee 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.

21. The Key Rules of the EMRFC Constitution shall not be altered or amended except by a two thirds majority vote at the AGM. Members may propose alterations or amendments to the EMRFC Constitution. Notification of proposed alterations or amendments must be in writing, must be co-signed by 10 (ten) Full Members and received by the Club Secretary or Club Chairman no later than 21 days prior to the second Saturday in June.

22. The Rules, but not the Key Rules, of the EMRFC Constitution may be altered, amended, or removed upon a majority vote of the full Committee provided that the Members are notified of the intent of the Committee to alter, amend, or remove a Rule at least 20 (twenty) days prior to the day the Committee will vote on the rule’s alteration, amendment, or removal.

23. Priority
Where there is any conflict between any of the above Rules (“key Rules”) and any other Rule or Rules the key Rule(s) will take priority. Interpretation of all the Rules must be consistent with the statutory requirements for CASCs (which means Community Amateur Sports Clubs as first provided for by the Finance Act 2002.)

Rules

A. The rules of both the Essex County Cup competitions, and any other competitions entered into by The Club shall be adhered to, and any deviation from these shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

B. The Organiser of any function on behalf of the Club shall be directly responsible to the Club
Treasurer for any monies received.

C. Any player for EMRFC who receives a red card will be suspended from playing in the next scheduled league or Cup match regardless of the penalty imposed by EssexRFU or the RFU; penalties imposed by the Club will be concurrent to those imposed by EssexRFU or the RFU. The Players Disciplinary Committee can impose on a Member player up to a 28 day suspension from playing for EMRFC as a result of any sending off from a match. This suspension can be imposed regardless of any action taken by a constituent body’s disciplinary committee.

D. Eton Manor R.F.C. fully embraces the equal opportunities policy of the local council.

E. Full Member or Family Member who cannot attend the AGM may vote by proxy by sending their
vote(s) in writing to a member of the Executive Committee before the commencement of the AGM.

F. Membership Categories of EMRFC

Full Members: Are playing members and non-playing members paying full subscription and approved by the Executive Committee. Full Members may vote at the AGM or EGM.

Vice Presidents: An Honorary title granted to non-playing individuals who have served the Club in some exceptional way. Vice President’s will have no voting rights at an AGM. or EGM unless granted by that meeting and only for matters relating to the status of Vice President. Candidates can be put forward by any member of the Club and the status of VP will be granted upon recommendation by the Executive Committee and a majority vote by the AGM or other General Meeting.

Social
Members: Are non-playing members paying a reduced annual subscription and will have no voting rights at an AGM. or EGM unless granted by that meeting and only for matters relating to their status.

Family Member: One adult parent or legal guardian of a paid Youth Member(s). The Family Member must be declared at the time of Youth Membership registration. A Family Member may vote at the AGM or EGM. Only one Family Member per Youth Member(s) registration is allowed.

Student Members: Individuals who are 18 years of age or older and who are enrolled in a
academic institution will have the same rights and privileges as
Full Members at a reduced subscription. .

Youth Members: Shall be players under the age of 18 years on January 1st of the current season and will have no voting rights at an AGM or EGM.

Club President An Honorary role granted at an AGM which will be held for life or upon resignation of the President.

Living individuals who were granted a life-time Membership Category not listed will automatically become Vice Presidents

G. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to override the Club Budget by no more than 20% for expenditures that are necessary for the day- to-day running of the Club. In the event that the budget override allowed in 10 (c) has been met the Executive Committee shall, within 20 (twenty) days of the override limit being reached, submit a new Budget to the full Committee for approval in accordance with Key Rule 10 (a) and 10 (b).

Ratification of the EMRFC Constitution

The Members of EMRFC approved a Motion on 08 June 2013 that the Executive Committee is to amend the Constitution of the Eton Manor Rugby Football Club to be CASC compliant without the need for further ratification from the Members.

Attested by: Paul Saunders Matt Evans
Position: Club Chairman Club Secretary

The CASC compliant language was incorporated into the EMRFC Constitution on 25 September 2013.

Attested by

Paul Saunders John Makowski
Club Chairman Club Secretary