(1) NAME
The name of the club shall be Bentley Cricket Club.

(2) OBJECT
The purpose of the Club is to provide

a. Facilities for playing cricket and
b. Social activities for the members

(3) MEMBERSHIP
Membership to be open to persons residing within ten miles of the Club Ground unless the Committee at their sole discretion and for good reason shall decide to relax this rule.

(4) MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA
Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in Cricket 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.
The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. Application for membership of the Club shall be by completion of a membership application form. Two days must pass since the application for membership was submitted before membership can be granted. No person shall be eligible to take part in the business of the Club or be eligible for selection for any Club team unless the applicable subscription has been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Club Committee. All members will be subject to these Rules and by joining the Club will be deemed to accept these Rules, any Club Regulations and any Codes of Conduct that the Club has adopted. The Club Committee will keep a register of members. Parents or guardians of paid-up colts automatically become social members of the club but without voting rights.

(5) SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Club will have an equitable pricing policy and will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating. The amount of the annual senior and junior subscriptions shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting. Playing members shall pay an additional sum, which shall also be agreed at the Annual General Meeting.

(6) CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall lapse if a member’s subscription is unpaid one month after the commencement of the playing season, unless the Committee in their sole discretion, decide to relax the rule. The committee may also, at their discretion, suspend or expel any member whose conduct it considers to be prejudicial to the Club, without refund of subscription paid. But before doing so such member shall be notified of the complaints against them and shall have the right either to make representations to the Committee or attend in person before the Committee to answer such complaints. Membership is non-transferable and shall cease on death. A member may resign by written notice to the Club, but the return of any subscription paid is at the discretion of the Club Committee.

(7) OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Senior Officers of the Club shall be the President, Chairman, Club Captain, Secretary, Treasurer, Social Secretary, Colts Manager, Welfare Officer, Development Officer, Player Representative, Bar Manager, Fixture Secretary, and Team Captain(s). These persons shall constitute the Committee, in whom shall be vested the general management of the Club. The other Officers of the Club shall be the Pavilion Manger, Subscription Admin, Ground Manager, Press Officer, Website Admin, plus Vice-Captain(s). At the discretion of the Committee other members may be co-opted onto the Committee to fulfill a specific role.

(8) SELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Officers shall be elected annually by ballot at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, Vice-Presidents shall also be elected or re-elected at the Annual General Meeting.

(9) SELECTION COMMITTEE
The Selection Committee shall consist of the team Captains, Vice-Captains, Player Representative and team secretary as elected at the Annual General Meeting by senior playing members. The Selection Committee, which shall be chaired by the Club Captain, may at their discretion discipline any playing member whose conduct it considers to be prejudicial to the Club by way of suspension. Any such player shall have the right either to make representations to the Selection Committee or attend in person before the Selection Committee to answer such complaints.

(10) QUORUM
A quorum of the Committee shall be five members and for the Annual General Meeting 25% of the paid-up membership.

(11) SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
A Special General Meeting may be convened on at least 21 days notice at any time by the Committee or by any five members of the Club, subject to notification in writing to the Secretary of the proposed agenda.

(12) VOTING RIGHTS
All paid up members, over the age of 16, shall have the right to vote at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting on matters affecting the general running of the club. All playing members shall be eligible to vote on matters affecting the playing of cricket.

(13) ACCOUNTS
The accounts of the club shall be audited each year by an auditor or auditors elected by the members at the preceding Annual General Meeting, and shall be presented at the following Annual General Meeting.

(14) CLUB ASSETS
No money or property of the Club or any gain arising from the carrying on of the Club shall be applied otherwise than for the benefit of the club as a whole.

(15) TEMPORARY MEMBERS
Temporary members, wherever residing, maybe elected for such period, or such terms and at such subscriptions as the Committee shall decide. All rules shall apply to such membership.

(16) ALTERATION TO RULES
No alteration of, addition to, or deduction from the rules shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting subject to notification in writing to the Secretary of the proposed alterations(s) at least twenty one days prior to such meeting(s)

(17) GUESTS
A member may introduce a maximum of four guests up to four times per year providing that the name and address of every guest introduced together with the name of the introducer, be written in a book provided for the purpose. Guests shall be allowed to pay the charge for any alcoholic refreshment but not be permitted to remain in the Club after their Sponsor has left.

(18) SUPPLY OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR TO NON-MEMBERS
On the occasion of cricket matches at the Club there may be admitted to the Club premises persons other than members and their guests; namely, members and guests of visiting clubs and intoxicating liquor may be supplied to them by or on behalf of the Club for consumption on the premises but not elsewhere.

(19) HOURS OF OPENING AND CLOSING
The Club shall be open between the hours of 17.30 and 23:00 on practice nights. Between 14.00 and 23:00 when half-day matches are played and between 10.30 and 23.00 when all day matches are played. It shall also be open between 17.00 and 23.00 for the purpose of any meetings of the Club or of the Committee or for the purpose of any special activities of the Club. The Committee shall have power by Resolution to extend or reduce these hours on any specific occasions but the club will not open on Christmas Day. In any case the supply of intoxicating liquors will only be within normal permitted licensing hours.

(20) PAYMENT FOR BAR PURCHASES AND REFRESHMENTS
Payment for all bar purchases shall be made at the time of supply. No person under the age of 18 years shall be served or supplied with intoxicating liquor within the club or grounds.

(21) DISSOLUTION
If at any General Meeting of the club, a resolution is 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.
If at that Special General Meeting the resolution is carried by at least two thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting, the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realize the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club.
After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall be given or transferred to some other voluntary organization having objects similar to those of the Club or to the Essex County Cricket Board for the use in promoting and developing cricket in the area.

(22) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
An annual general meeting will be held annually in the first week of November. If delayed for any reason it will be held within three weeks of the original date.

(23) PRIVATE FUNCTIONS
The club may be let out to Club Members up to twelve times per year for private functions at the discretion of the committee as long as it does not affect the normal running of the Club.

(24) DUTY OF CARE
To ensure a “Duty of Care” to all members of the club, Bentley CC adopts and will implement the ECB Safe Hands, Welfare of Young People in Cricket” policy and any future versions.

(25) RULES
A copy of these rules shall be displayed permanently in the Club. A copy is also to be supplied to each member on the occasion of his/her membership being accepted.

Updated 28th November 2015