STOKE BISHOP CRICKET CLUB CONSTITUTION
1. Name and Affiliation
Stoke Bishop Cricket Club Constitution
The club will be called Stoke Bishop Cricket Club and will be affiliated to the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation and the England and Wales Cricket Board. Both the Juniors and Seniors sections will also be subject to the governing principles of their respective leagues (eg BYCL and B&D).
2. Code of Conduct, Safeguarding, Diversity and Anti-Discrimination Policies
The club and its members shall ensure that members, playing and non playing, abide by the ECB and Club Codes of Conduct which incorporate the spirit of cricket and by the laws of cricket.
The club has adopted and implemented the ECB ‘Safe Hands’ Welfare of Young People in Cricket policy for safeguarding children and any future versions of the policy.
The Club has adopted and implemented both the ECBs One Game Strategy and the Club Inclusion and Diversity Policy and any future versions of these documents.
The Club has adopted and implemented the ECB Anti-Discrimination Code of Conduct and any future versions of this policy.
3. Aims and objectives
The aims and objectives of the club will be:
• To offer inclusive coaching, competitive and developmental opportunities in cricket for all ages and abilities
• To promote the club within the local community
• To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
• To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone
• To progress as a Sporting Cricket Club for the benefit of its members and community
4. Membership
To ensure all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment.
To adopt an inclusive approach to anyone seeking membership to the Club.
Membership should consist of playing and non-playing members of the club – see below.
All members will be subject to the regulations of the Constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.
Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:
• Senior playing member
• Junior playing member
• Non playing member (Parents of youth members, Committee members, Club Officers,
Team Managers and Coaches)
5. Membership fees
Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Strategic Committee or determined at the Annual General Meeting.
Membership fees will be paid annually and match subscriptions (for the Seniors) on the day of the game.
Members who fall into arrears with subscription fees may become ineligible for selection until such time the arrears have been cleared or arrangements have been made to clear them.
All players (and parents of Junior members) must complete a club registration form and pay a membership fee at the beginning of each season.
All outstanding fees must be cleared by the end of the season.
6.
Officers of the Club (for both Juniors and Seniors sections)
The Officers of the club for both Juniors and Seniors sections will be:
• Club President
• Chair of Strategic Committee
• Chair of Cricket Committee/Club Captain
• Club Secretary
• Treasurer
• Safeguarding Officer
• Registrations Secretary
Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
All Officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-appointment.
7. Committees
The Club will be governed through two managing Committees; the Strategic Committee and the Cricket Committee.
The Strategic Committee will comprise (but not be restricted to) the Officers of the Club. Strategic Committee meetings shall be chaired by the Strategic Committee Chair. This Committee will also include the Club Administrator and a representative from the Ladies section. Only the posts outlined above will have the right to vote at meetings of the Strategic Committee.
The Strategic Committee will have oversight for all strategic and policy matters, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the whole Club (Seniors, Juniors and Ladies sections) including;
• Strategy/Policy
• Constitutional matters/changes
• Finances including sponsorship and fund raising
• AGMs/EGMs
• Registrations
• Subscriptions
• Club marketing & communications • Safeguarding
• Disciplinary matters
• Community relations (incl Club Dinner and Club day)
The Strategic Committee meetings will be convened by the Strategic Chair or Club Secretary and held no less than 4 times per year, including the AGM.
The quorum required for business to be agreed at Strategic Committee meetings will be 6 members including two officers
The Strategic Committee will have powers to appoint subcommittees as necessary and to appoint advisers to the Club as necessary to fulfil its business.
The Cricket Committee will comprise Team Managers and Coaches from across all areas (Men, Ladies, Seniors, Juniors) and age groups of the club. This will also include the Seniors Captain and the Club Administrator. Cricket Committee meetings shall be chaired by the Cricket Committee Chair.
This Committee will have oversight for all playing matters across the Seniors, Juniors, and Ladies sections:
• Seniors team selection and fixtures (with the Seniors Captain & Club Administrator)
• New Team Manager/Coach appointments
• Team Manager & Coach support/training
• Coombe relationship and communication re fixtures, pitches etc (with the Club
Administrator)
• All day-to-day aspects relating to players and Coaches/Team Managers
Cricket
less than 4 times a year. Members of this Committee will be asked to attend a minimum of 3 of these meetings a year.
8. Finance
All club monies will be banked in an account(s) held in the name of the club. There is an account for the Seniors section (Men and Ladies sections) which will remain separate to an account for the Juniors section.
Committee meetings will be convened by the Chair of this Committee and held no
The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.
A statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting. The financial Year End for the Club is 31st December.
Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of two appointed signatories from either of the two Committees. The Treasurer will also have the authority to make online payments but only with the approval of a second appointed signatory.
9. Annual General Meetings
Notice of Annual General Meetings will be given by the Club Secretary (or Chair of the Strategic Committee in the absence of a Secretary). Not less than 21 clear days’ notice to be given to all members. The AGM will be held within 6 months of the financial Year End (31st December).
The AGM will receive a report from Officers of the Strategic Committee and a statement of the accounts.
Nominations for Officers of the Club will be sent to the Secretary (or Strategic Committee Chair in the absence of a Secretary) prior to the AGM. The Chair may accept nominations on the night at his/her discretion, should the said nominees have sufficient support.
Elections of Officers are to take place at the AGM.
Only fully paid up playing members, officers, officials, committee members, Junior section players who have played for the Seniors and parents of Junior section members have the right to vote at the AGM.
The quorum for AGMs will be 2 Officers and 6 members.
The Strategic Committee has the right to call Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) outside the AGM. Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM except EGM’s can be called at 7 days notice.
10. Discipline and Appeals
All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the club’s child protection policy and procedures. The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns.
All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary (or the Chair in the absence of a Secretary).
The Strategic Committee will meet to hear complaints within 7 days of a complaint being lodged. This Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.
The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.
There will be the right of appeal to the Strategic Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 7 days of the Club Secretary (or Strategic Chair in the absence of a Secretary) receiving the appeal.
11. Selection
Selection for the Seniors section will be undertaken by the Cricket Committee, as outlined
above and shall be governed by the following terms of reference:-
It is the duty of the Cricket Committee to ensure individuals are treated fairly, with respect to selection, whilst taking into account the overall aims of the club.
The Cricket Committee will select the teams at an agreed time. All players must be available for selection for any team playing on the same day otherwise they will not be considered for selection for any team until they do become so available.
It is the duty of the relevant Captain to inform a player in person if they have been moved from one team to another, or have been rested for the forthcoming game.
Any player failing to turn up for a game without giving the Captain or Vice Captain sufficient notice, will not be considered for selection for the next weekend, unless they give an acceptable reason for absence to the Cricket Committee.
It is the responsibility of all players to make their Captain or Manager aware of any dates on which they are unavailable due to work, holiday or injury as soon as possible. Players are responsible for checking selection and acknowledging their availability via the website or email.
12. Dissolution
A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of 75% of the membership attending the Meeting. Votes may also be made by proxy where members are unable to attend the meeting.
In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will be suspended until either the Club re-forms or a suitable alternative sporting charity is selected.
13. Amendments to the constitution
The Constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.
14. Declaration
Stoke Bishop Cricket Club hereby adopts and accepts this Constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.