HENSINGHAM AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE FOOTBALL CLUB
Constitution / Rules of Club
1 - The Club shall be known as the Hensingham Amateur Rugby League Football Club (hereinafter called "the Club").

2 - The address of the Club shall be Richmond Hill, Hensingham, Whitehaven and all communications shall be addressed to the secretary thereat.

3 - The objects of the Club shall be to provide facilities for and promote participation of the whole community in the sport of Rugby League.

4 - Membership shall be open without discrimination to anyone interested in the game of Rugby League. There shall be two categories of members:
a - Full Members. The number of full members shall be limited to eighty. "When-ever the number of full members shall be less than twenty five, applications for full membership shall primarily be considered from social members actively playing the game of Rugby League in order of the date of their application for such social membership.
b - Social Members. Social members shall be entitled to all the benefits and privileges of membership except that they shall not be qualified to be Officers or Members of Committees or to vote as Members or to claim any share of the Property or the Club upon its dissolution.

5 - No person shall be admitted to membership or be admitted as a candidate for membership to any of the privileges of membership without an interval of at least two clear days between their nomination or application for membership and their admission. No person becoming a member without prior nomination or application may be admitted to the privileges of membership without an interval of at least two clear days between their becoming a member and their admission.

6 - Every candidate for membership must be proposed by one member of the Club and the proposal must be seconded by another member, both the proposer and the seconder being members and both vouching for the candidates fitness for membership. The name and address of every candidate proposed for membership, together with the names or their Proposer and seconder shall for a period for at least two clear days before such candidate is elected be posted in the Club in the manner prescribed. Subject as aforesaid, election to membership shall be either by the Club in General Meeting or by the General Committee of the Club.

7 - No person shall be admitted to membership until having been elected as provided aforesaid and the person shall have paid to the Treasurer their first annual subscription.

8 - The affairs of the Club in all matters not in these Rules reserved for the Club in General Meeting shall be managed by the General Committee of the Club. The General Committee shall consist of not more than fourteen full members of the Club, seven of whom shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. Seven shall go out of office in every year, but shall be eligible for re-election. The General Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees for such purposes as it may deem appropriate. Five members shall constitute a quorum of the General Committee and two a quorum of a sub-committee.

9 - There shall be a President, Chairman, Secretary and a Treasurer who shall be elected from time to time by the Club in General Meeting from among the full members of the Club; and such other Officers of the Club as the Club may in General Meeting appoint. The President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and every such Officer shall act in all matters in accordance with the directions of the General Committee of the Club of whom they shall be ex-officio members.

10 - The annual subscription for a member shall be such sum as the General Committee may from time to time determine.

11 - Annual subscriptions shall be payable on election as before provided, and thereafter without demand on the first day of October in every year. The General Committee may terminate the membership of any member whose annual subscriptions remains unpaid on the first day of November next thereafter.

12 - The Treasurer shall keep such books of account as will enable the Treasurer to present at every Annual General Meeting of the Club or at any other time as is required (on reasonable notice to the Treasurer) by the General Committee, an accurate report and statement concerning the finances of the Club, including a separate statement with regard to the purchase and supply of tobacco and intoxicating liquor for the preceding year or for the current year as the case may be, and shall present such report and statement accordingly.

13 - The Accounts shall as soon as practicable after the end of the financial year be audited by a qualified Accountant who shall be appointed at each Annual General Meeting. A vacancy occurring in the office of Auditor during the year shall be filled by the General Committee.

14 - The permitted hours for the supply of intoxicating liquor shall be fixed (and may be varied from time to time) by the General Committee in accordance with the statutory provisions for the time being in force.

15 - The General Committee shall arrange the supply of intoxicating liquor by the Club to members on the Club premises and shall secure the due observance of the provisions of the Licensing Acts and all Acts relating thereto and of any condition attached to any Certificate held by or on behalf of the Club for the supply of intoxicating liquor or to any Club Premises Certificate granted in respect of the Club premises.

16 - No person shall at any time be entitled to receive at the expense of the Club any commission percentage or similar payment on or with reference to purchase of intoxicating liquor by the Club; nor shall any person directly or indirectly derive any pecuniary benefit from the supply of intoxicating liquor by or on behalf of the Club to members or guests apart from any benefit accruing to the Club as a whole.

17 - The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in the month of June in every year. Notice of the day and time of the Annual General Meeting shall be posted in the Club.

18 - A General Meeting of the Club may be summoned at any time by the General Committee and shall be summoned immediately upon twelve full members delivering to the General Committee a written request in that behalf. A General Meeting shall be summoned by causing a notice thereof to be posted in the Club premises in the manner prescribed hereafter for the period of at least fourteen days immediately before the day appointed for the meeting, but this period may be abridged in the discretion of the General Committee if the urgency of the business to be discussed in their opinion so requires.

19 - At any General Meeting of the Club any full member of the Club shall be entitled to be present and every full member shall be entitled to one vote upon every question raised.

20 - In the case of equality of voting the Chairman of the Meeting (who shall be the Chairman if present or if not so present a member elected for the occasion by the Meeting before any other business is opened) shall have a second or casting vote. The Secretary shall take Minutes of the proceedings at all General Meetings of the Club.

21 - Members may introduce and entertain guests at the Club and there shall be kept at the Club premises a Visitors Book which both the member and the Members guest shall sign. No guest shall be permitted to purchase intoxicating liquor in the Club. The member introducing a guest shall be responsible for the guest strictly observing these Rules and the Club Bye-Laws and shall not leave the Club premises before the guest. No person whose membership of the Club has been terminated shall be introduced as a guest.

22 - The General Committee may from time to time make, vary and revoke bye-laws (not inconsistent with these Rules) for the regulation of the internal affairs of the Club and the conduct of members and the bye-laws for the time being in force shall be binding on all members.

23 - The General Committee may at any time for any special purpose call a Special General Meeting and shall do so forthwith upon the requisition in writing of any twelve members stating the purpose for which the meeting is required.

24 - The General Committee may expel from the Club any member whose conduct (in the Clubhouse or on the playing field) is such as shall in their opinion be injurious to the character of the Club or the interests of the members.

25 - Should Pub Watch inform the Committee of the Club that any member of the Club has been brought before them and found to be at fault then that member's membership of the Club shall be suspended until such time as that Club member is no longer under Pub Watch supervision.

26 - Before a member is expelled, the member's conduct shall be inquired into by the General Committee, and the member shall be given full opportunity to defend himself or herself and to explain his or her conduct. If a majority of the General Committee present when the matter is inquired into are of such opinion that the member has been guilty of such conduct as aforesaid, and that the member has failed to justify or explain it satisfactorily, the General Committee shall call upon the member to resign and if the member does not resign, shall expel the member. A member expelled shall forfeit all privileges of membership and all rights against the Club.

27 - Any member refused membership or expelled from the Club shall have a right of appeal to an Appeal Panel comprising the Chairman and President for the time Committee and the member. The decision of the Appeal Pan el shall be final and binding on the Club and the member.

28 - Each member shall keep the Secretary informed at the Secretary' s Office on the Club premises of that member's private address or of some other address at which communication may be addressed to such member, and the Secretary shall maintain on the Club premises a current record of the names and addresses of all members of the Club. It 'shall not be necessary to send any notice intended for members generally to any member by post or otherwise. All notices shall, be posted by being affixed in a prominent position on the Club premises in a part of the Club which is frequented by members and it shall be the duty of the Secretary to ensure that any such notice shall remain so exhibited throughout any period required in that behalf by or under these rules.

29 - There shall not be more than four trustees of the Club. The "first trustee shall be appointed by the General Committee and the property of the Club (other than cash which shall be under control of the Treasurer) shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the second Committee shall from time to time direct by resolution (of which an entry in the Minute Book shall be conclusive evidence). The trustees shall have no personal liability and the trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the Club property. The trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removed from office by a Resolution of the General Committee who may for any reason, which may seem sufficient to a majority of them present and voting at any meeting remove any trustee or trustees from the office of trustee. Where by reason of any such death, resignation or removal it shall appear necessary to the General Committee that a new trustee or trustees shall be appointed or if the General Committee shall deem it expedient to appoint an additional trustee or additional trustees the General Committee shall by resolution nominate the person or persons to be appointed the new trustee or trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the President is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new trustees of the Club within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925 and the President shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the General Committee as the new trustee or trustees of the Club and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such deed of appointment shall in favour of a person dealing bona fide and for value with the Club or the General Committee be conclusive evidence of the facts so stated.

30 - If at any time in General Meeting the Club shall pass a Resolution authorising the General Committee to borrow money, the General Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purposes of the Club such amount of money either at one time or from time to time and at such rate of interest and in such form and manner and upon such security as shall be specified in such Resolution, and thereupon the trustees shall at the direction of the General Committee make all such dispositions of the Club property or any part thereof and enter into such agreements in relation thereto as the General Committee may deem proper for giving security for such loans and interest. All full members of the Club, whether voting on such Resolution or not, and all persons becoming full members of the Club after the passing of such Resolution shall be deemed to have assented to the same as if they had voted in favour of such Resolution.

31 - These Rules may be revoked, added to or altered by a majority of members comprising two thirds or more of the members present and entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Club of which notice has been duly given as before provided specifying the intention to propose the revocation addition or alteration together with full particulars thereof

32 - Neither the Club nor any Officer thereof shall be liable to any member or guest of a member for the loss of or damage to any property occurring from whatever cause in or about the Club premises or playing field; nor for any injury sustained by any member or guest whilst on or entering or leaving the Club premises or playing field.

33 - The income and Property of the Club shall be applied solely towards promoting the club's Objects as set forth in the Constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly to the members of the Club.

34 - In the event of the dissolution of the Club any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Club but shall be given or transferred to one or more of the following approved sporting or charitable bodies:-
1. A registered charitable organisation (s).
2. Another Club which is a registered Community Amateur Sports Club.
3. The sports national governing body for use by them for related community sports.

Hensingham ARLFC