MEMBERSHIP
6 Members

6.1 The Members of the Club shall be the persons whose names are for the time being entered in the Register of Members. Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs; of age, sex or disability except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of the Games as a sport. The Club’s facilities shall be available to Members without discrimination.

6.2 The Committee may (subject to the provisions of Rule 7) offer such categories of membership of the Club with such qualifications, application procedures and conditions, duties and privileges, subscriptions and in such numbers as it may from time to time decide but always on the basis that every Member shall have one vote. Details of categories, qualifications, application procedures and conditions, duties and privileges of membership in force from time to time shall be kept by the Secretary and shall be available for inspection by Members at all reasonable times.

6.3 Details of any entrance fee and the subscription payable by each category of membership as determined under Rule 18 shall be kept as in Rule 6.2 by the Secretary.

6.4 The Committee shall have the power to admit to membership any person in accordance with the application procedures and conditions for the time being applicable under Rule 6.2 but membership of the Club shall be open to all without discrimination on any grounds whatsoever including for these purposes discrimination on the grounds of attainment of a certain standard of performance. The Club may refuse membership or expel from membership only for good and sufficient cause, or where the membership or continued membership of the person concerned would be likely to be contrary to the best interests of the Games or the good conduct and interests of the Club. Appeal against such a decision may be made to the Members and decided by a majority vote.

6.5 a) The Committee may elect (subject to confirmation at the next Annual General Meeting of the Club) as a Life Member any member of the Club on completion of 50 years membership.
b) The Committee may elect (subject to confirmation at the next Annual General Meeting of the Club) any member who has given valuable service and benefit to the Club.

6.6 No person may be accepted as a candidate for membership under the age of sixteen years and the purported admission of a person under the age of sixteen shall be void.

6.7 a) Juniors: The Committee shall have power to create a class of persons called Juniors or with such other title as the Committee may decide using as criteria age, ticket holding or otherwise as it shall think fit. Such persons shall not be Members within these Rules and they shall have such rights, privileges and obligations as the Committee shall decide. Any person recognised in this class shall cease to be entitled to such recognition on attaining the age of eighteen years.
b) Supporters: The Committee shall have the power to create a class of persons called Supporters (or with such other title as the Committee may decide) upon application by such persons to become Supporters of the Club. Such persons shall not be members within these Rules and they shall have such rights privileges and obligations only as the Committee shall decide.

6.8 It shall be the duty of every Member to advise the Secretary promptly of each change of address. All notices and letters dispatched by post to a Member at the address registered in the Register of Members (which shall be conclusive proof thereof shall be deemed to have been properly delivered pursuant to Rule 33.

6.9 A Member may resign from the Club at anytime by giving to the Secretary written notice of the intention so to do provided that the Member shall remain liable for all monies then due and owing to the Club.

6.10 The President or Secretary or any person appointed by either of them shall have the power to order the withdrawal from the Ground of any Member who is in breach of any of these Rules, any Regulation or any Rule or Regulation of the Union which is applicable to the Ground or its use by Members or who otherwise is, in the opinion of the President or Secretary or their appointee, guilty of misconduct

6.11 The Committee shall have power to terminate or suspend for such period as it thinks for the membership or withdraw the privileges afforded to Juniors or Supporters or to reprimand a member for any infringement of these Rules, the Rules or Regulations of the Governing Bodies, the Laws of the Games or for any conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Club or the Games. The procedure for the exercise of this power shall be prescribed by the Committee and details thereof shall be kept by the Secretary and be available for inspection by Members at all reasonable times.

6.12 A Member, Junior or Supporter shall cease to be a Member, Junior or Supporter.

6.12.1 On resignation.

6.12.2 On termination of membership by the Committee or in the case of Juniors or Supporters on withdrawal of the privileges afforded to them

6.12.3 On death.

6.13Each person who is in membership with the Club and with voting rights at the date these Rules take effect pursuant to Rule 28 shall be admitted to membership in accordance with Rule 6.4, Any Social Member in membership at that date shall be granted the privileges of and undertake the obligations of a Supporter and any person in membership under the age of 18 years shall be granted the status of a junior in accordance with Rule 6.7b and 6.7a.

7Share Capital

7.1 The capital of the Cub shall consist of shares of the value of five pence each.

7.2 Every Member of whatever category shall hold one share and no more in the capital of the Club. No person who is not a Member shall be issued with a share.

7.3 Each Member of the Club at the date these Rules takes effect pursuant to Rule 28 (other than Social Members and those under the age of eighteen years) shall be allotted one share and five pence of the subscription then next paid by each Member shall be applied in paying up the same in full.

7.4 Any Member admitted to membership after the date on which these Rules take effect shall be allotted one share on admission and five pence of the first subscription paid by such Member shall be applied in paying up the same in full.

7.5 In the case of a share allotted to a Life Member either upon these Rules taking effect or upon admission to membership thereafter pursuant to Rule 6.5 such share shall be credited as fully paid by way of a capitalisation of any profits of the reserves of the Club and the Committee shall have power to take all steps necessary to give effect to this Rule.

7.6 No share shall be held jointly, be withdrawable or be transferable by any Member and no interest, dividend or bonus shall be payable on any share. Any Member transferring or attempting to transfer a share or any interest therein or any rights associated therewith shall, if the Committee so decides, be deemed to have resigned from the Club as from the date of such transfer or attempted transfer.

7.7 The share of a Member shall be forfeited to the Club when that member for whatever reason ceases to be a Member and any amount then due to the Member in respect of such share shall thereupon become the property of the Club.

7.8 The Club shall not be required to issue a certificate to any member in respect of the share allotted to that Member.III

GENERAL MEETINGS

8 General Meetings

8.1 All General Meetings shall be held at the Ground or elsewhere as the Committee may determine and any such meeting other than an Annual General Meeting shall be called a Special General Meeting.

8.2 The Chairman of all such meetings shall be the President of the Club or if unavailable the Immediate Past President or if unavailable a Member of the Committee appointed at the Meeting concerned to take the Chair for that Meeting.

8.3 Every Member shall be entitled to attend and vote at any General Meeting. The procedure for the casting of votes shall be determined by the Chairman of the Meeting.

8.4 The quorum at any General Meeting shall be 20 Members.

8.5 If within thirty minutes after the time appointed for a General Meeting a quorum is not present, the Meeting, if convened on the requisition of members, shall be dissolved, and in every other case it will stand adjourned to such other day and at such time and place, or be dissolved, as the Committee shall determine.

8.6 All resolutions shall be decided by a majority of votes recorded except where:

8.6.1 These Rules provide for a special resolution which shall require a
majority of at least two-thirds of the votes recorded, or

8.6.2 A resolution is put to an Annual General Meeting as contemplated by rule 9.1.8.2 in which case the provisions of the Act as to voting shall apply.

8.7 A declaration by the Chairman of a General meeting to the effect that a particular resolution has been passed or not or passed by a particular majority or not shall (subject to the Act) be final and binding on all Members.

8.8 A General Meeting shall not be invalidated by reason only of any Member accidentally failing to receive a notice thereof or any accompanying document relating thereto.

8.9 The procedure for conduct of General Meetings shall be prescribed by the Committee and details thereof shall be kept by the Secretary and be available for inspection by Members at all reasonable times.

9 Annual General Meetings

9.1 Not later than 30 April in every year a General Meeting shall be held (to be known as the Annual General Meeting) for the transaction of the following business:9.1 .1 To consider and approve (with or without amendment) the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting.

9.1.2 To receive and approve a report from the Committee on the affairs of the Club since the previous Annual General Meeting.

9.1.3 To receive and approve a Financial Statement for the preceding financial year and where necessary in law or where the members require the Auditors’ report thereon.

9.1.4 To elect the President for the ensuing year.

9.1.5 To confirm any elections of Life Members and Vice Presidents made by the Committee during the preceding year.

9.1.6 To appoint twelve Members of the Committee for the year who shall be the duly elected Secretary for the time being of each of the sections and 2 elected members of each sections committee.

9.1.7 Where necessary in law or where the members require:

9.1 .7.1 To appoint the Auditors for the ensuing year, or

9.1.7.2To consider a resolution disapplying the provisions of the Act relating to the obligation to a appoint Auditors.

9.1.8 To elect the members of the Bar Committee for the purpose of the Licensing Act 2003

9.1.9 To consider as a special resolution any addition or alteration to these rules duly proposed in accordance with Rule 9.4.

9.1.10 To consider any other motion or business duly proposed in accordance with Rule 9.4

9.1.11 To consider any other business of which due notice shall have been given.

9.1. 12 To hear any other relevant matter for the consideration of the Committee during the ensuring year, but on which no voting shall be allowed.

9.2 Notice of every Annual General Meeting stating the date, time and venue of such Meeting shall be sent to all Members so as to be received not less than two clear weeks prior to the date of the Meeting with the agenda of the business to be considered thereat and with a copy of the Club’s Financial Statement for the preceding financial year.

9.3 The election of the President shall be subject to the following provisions:

9.3.1 Any member shall have the right to make nominations, with the written
consent of a candidate to the office. Such nomination must be sent in writing so as to reach the Secretary by the I St April. The Committee shall also have the right to make nominations for the election of the President.

9.3.2 The election of the President shall he decided by a majority of the votes recorded.

9.3.3 In the event of an equal number of votes being cast for two or more candidates then the Chairman for the time being of the Committee shall have a casting vote.

9.4 Proposals for additions or alterations to the Rules or for any other motion to be submitted to an Annual General Meeting shall be subject to the following provisions:

9.4.1 Any proposal shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary by 30 March duly proposed by one Member and seconded by another.

9.4.2 Copies of all such proposals and copies of all proposals put forward by the Committee shall be sent to all Members with the notice of the Annual General Meeting.

9.4.3 Amendments to any proposals notified to Members under Rule
9.4.2 shall be sent in writing so as to reach the Secretary duly proposed and seconded not less than twenty four hours before the time for which the Annual General Meeting is convened.

9.4.4 Amendments duly received in accordance with Rule 9.4.3 shall be added to the agenda by the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting.

10 Special General Meetings

10.1 The Committee may convene at any time a Special General Meeting by giving to all Members two clear weeks written notice thereof stating the date, time and venue thereof and the resolution or resolutions to be moved or other business to be transacted thereat.

10.1.1 Amendments to any resolution proposed by the Committee shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary duly proposed and seconded by Members in the same manner as is prescribed by Rule 9.4.3 for an Annual General Meeting.

10.1.2 Amendments duly received in accordance with Rule 10.1.1 shall be added to the agenda by the Chairman of the Special General Meeting.

10.2 The Committee shall also convene a Special General Meeting on receipt by the Secretary of a written requisition so to do, duly signed by not less than 20 Members. Each requisition must clearly state the specific resolution to be moved.

10.2.1 Two clear weeks notice of such a Meeting stating the date, time and venue thereof and the specific resolution to be moved thereat shall be sent to all Members by the Secretary within fourteen days of the receipt of the requisition.

10.2.2 Amendments to such a resolution shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary duly proposed and seconded by Members in the same manner as is prescribed by Rule 9.4.3.

10.2.3 Amendments duly received in accordance with Rule 10.2.2 shall be added to the agenda by the Chairman of the Special General Meeting.

11 Rules

11.1 No new Rule shall be made, nor shall any Rule be amended or rescinded, except by a special resolution passed at an Annual General Meeting in accordance with Rule 9.4 or at a Special General meeting convened by the Committee in accordance with Rule 10.1.

11.2 The Secretary shall register in accordance with the Act any new Rule or amendment to these Rules and no new Rule or amendment to the Rules shall be valid until so registered.

11.3 A copy of the Rules shall be delivered by the Secretary to any person on demand on payment of such sum (not exceeding ten pence) as may from time to time be determined by the Committee.

IV OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

12 Powers of the Committee

The affairs of the Club shall be administered by the Committee which shall exercise all powers of the Club expressed in Rule 4 and without limiting the generality thereof:

12.1 The Committee shall have power to appoint such Sub-Committees as are considered necessary to deal with the affairs of the Club.

12.1.1 The Committee shall determine the composition, powers and terms of reference of each Sub-Committee.

12.1.2 The Chairman of any Sub-Committee shall have a second or casting vote, and the quorum necessary for the transaction of business by a Sub Committee shall be one-third of its members or as the Committee may determine.

12.1.3 A Sub-Committee may exercise the power of co-option subject to the provisions of Rule 12.2.

12.2 The Committee shall have power to co-opt additional members to serve on it provided that the number of such co-opted members shall not exceed twenty five per cent of the number of members appointed hold office on the Committee and to approve the co-option of additional members to serve on any Sub-
Committee, in both cases either for general or special service and with or without voting rights.

12.3 The Committee shall not exercise its powers in any way or for any purpose inconsistent with the objects of the Club.

12.4 The procedure for the conduct of meetings of the Committee shall be prescribed by the Committee and details thereof shall be kept by the Secretary and be available for inspection by Members at all reasonable times.

12.5 References in these Rules to any acts or activities or opinion (including, without limitation, decisions, directions, requests, exercises of discretion and the giving of consent) of the Committee shall mean such acts or activities or opinions as shall have been sanctioned or effected or (as the case may be) expressed by (a) a resolution of the Committee or (b) a resolution of the relevant Sub-Committee where the power to act or authority being exercised has been delegated by the Committee to a Sub-Committee or (c) the relevant Officer where that power or authority has been delegated by the Committee to an Officer.

13 Committee Members’ Interests

13.1 Any Committee Member who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with the Club shall declare the nature and extent of his interest at the first meeting of the Committee held after he became so interested.

13.2 Notwithstanding rule 13.1, a general notice given to the Committee that a Committee Member is to be regarded as having an interest of the nature and extent specified in the notice in any transaction or arrangement in which a specified person or class of persons is interested shall be deemed to be a disclosure that the Committee Member has an interest in any such transaction of the nature and extent so specified.

13.3 Provided that he has disclosed in accordance with this rule any material interest of his, a Committee Member:

13.3.1 may be party to, or otherwise interested in, any transaction or arrangement with the Club or in which the Club is otherwise interested;

13.3.2 may be a director or other office of, or employed by, or party to any transaction or arrangement with, or otherwise interested in, any body corporate promoted by the Club or in which the Club is otherwise interested; and

13.3.3 shall not, by reason of his office, be accountable to the Club for any benefit which he derives from any such office or employment or from any such transaction or arrangement or from any interest in any such body corporate and no such transaction or arrangement shall be liable to be avoided on the ground of any such interest or benefit.

14 Officers

14,1 The Officers of the Club shall be a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers as the Committee may from time to time determine.

14.2 The President shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting in accordance with Rule 9.3 and the remaining officers shall be elected or appointed by the Committee at the first Committee Meeting after the Annual General Meeting.

14.3Each officer on election shall hold office from the end of the meeting at which they are elected until the end of the next Annual General Meeting or Committee Meeting following the Annual General Meeting as the case may be but shall be eligible for re election from year to year.

14.4 If any such officer fall vacant between one Annual General Meeting or Committee Meeting and the next such vacancy shall be filled by the Committee for the period of the vacancy.

15 Committee

15.1 The Committee shall consist of:

15.1.1 Officers (save that if the Committee shall appoint a paid Secretary and/or Treasurer such Officer shall not be a member of the Committee but shall be entitled to attend and speak at the same but with no right to vote)

15.1.2 Twelve members (or such other number not exceeding twenty as may be determined from time to time by the Club in General Meeting) duly appointed in accordance with Rule 9.4. A Member of the Committee shall hold office from the end of the Annual General Meeting, at which he is appointed until the end of the following Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election from year to year.

15.2 The Committee shall each year elect its own Chairman for the ensuing year to hold office from the date of the Annual General Meeting until the date of the following year’s Meeting. He may hold any other office in the Club at the same time and shall be eligible for re-election from year to year.

15.3 The quorum of the meeting of the Committee shall be seven (or such other number as may be determined from time to time by the Club in General Meeting) and the Member elected to take the Chair shall be entitled to exercise a second or casting vote.

15.4 If a vacancy shall occur for a Member of the Committee between one Annual General Meeting and the next such vacancy shall be filled by the Committee.

15.5 If a Member of the Committee shall commit an offence under Rule 6.11 or shall be adjudged bankrupt or if a court order is made appointing a receiver to
administer such Member’s property such Member shall thereupon cease to be a Member of the Committee.

15.6 Committee Members shall receive no remuneration for serving on the Committee other than the payment of authorised expenses for carrying out their duties.

16 Life Members and Vice-Presidents

16.1Life Members. The Committee may nominate for election at the next Annual General Meeting of the Club as a Life Member any member of the Club on completion of 50 years membership.

16.2 Vice Presidents: The Committee may each year nominate for election at the Annual General Meeting as Vice-Presidents of the Club such Member or Members as they consider should receive special recognition for services to the Club. Any Member so elected shall remain a Vice-President until ceasing to be a Member. The position of Vice-President shall not carry any rights or obligations and in particular a Vice-President shall not be an Officer or a Member of the Committee unless separately elected as such.

South Shields Westoe RFC

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