Sidmouth Town AFC
Amended club rules passed at Extraordinary General Meeting held on Wednesday 13th January 2010
1- Name: The name of the club shall be Sidmouth Town Association Football Club.
2-Object: To encourage, promote and play Association Football and to provide facilities for the Members of the Club and their guests in connection with the activities of the Club.
3-Address: The Club house and Headquarters premises of the Club shall be Manstone Recreation Ground, Sidmouth or at such other address as the Club may in General Meeting determine.
4-Membership: The Club shall be a Members Club and shall consist of ordinary members together with such honorary members as are hereinafter mentioned. Membership of the Club is open to all the community and without discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, sex, age or disability, except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of a particular sport, or otherwise mentioned in these rules.
Every candidate for ordinary membership must be proposed and seconded by two ordinary members both vouching for the candidates fitness for membership. The name and address of every candidate proposed for ordinary membership, together with the names of his/her proposer and seconder, shall for a period of at least two clear days before such candidate is elected be posted by being affixed in a prominent position on the Club premises, in a part frequented by members. Subject as aforesaid election to membership shall be by the Management Committee of the Club or by the Club in General Meeting and no reason shall be given to any candidate in the event of his/her rejection.
5-Affiliation: The Club will affiliate to the Parent County FA ( Devon CFA)
6-Honorary Members: Honorary Members who shall not be liable to pay any entrance fee or subscription shall be entitled to all privileges of membership and may be elected by the Club in General Meeting but so there shall not be at any one time more than twenty Honorary Members.
7-No person shall be admitted to ordinary membership until elected as hereinbefore provided he shall have paid the Treasurer his first annual subscription and shall have attained the age of sixteen years.
8-No person shall be admitted membership as an ordinary or honorary Member of the club or as a candidate for membership to any of the privileges of membership without an interval of at least two clear days between his/her nomination or application for membership and his/her admission.
9-Officers: The Officers of the Club shall consist of a President, Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, who shall be elected from time to time by the Club in General Meeting from among the ordinary members of the Club and such other Officers as they may in General Meeting appoint. Every such Officer shall act in all matters in accordance with the directions of the Management Committee of the Club.
10-Management committee:
( A) The management of the affairs of the Club not in these rules reserved for the Club in General Meeting, shall be vested in a Management Committee consisting of the Officers of the Club and not less than five members of the Club elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. All such members of the Management Committee shall serve a period of three years but may submit themselves for re-election and after such period. In order properly to perform its business the Management Committee may appoint such sub-committees as it deems necessary or appropriate provided that:
(1) The members of the sub-committee shall be elected members of the Management Committee.
(2) No sub-committee shall have plenary powers unless specifically authorised by the Management Committee.
(3) Subject to (2) above all recommendations by sub-committee shall be submitted to the Management Committee before decision. The Management Committing may, if it decides, appoint from within its number team secretaries, team trainers, and team captains.
(B) Any matter deemed to be of sufficient importance by the Chairman and a majority of the Management Committee present at the Meeting shall be referred to an Extraordinary Committee and two members a quorum of a Sub-Committee.
(C) In the absence of the Chairman, the Management Committee and all Sub-Committees appointed by the Management Committee may elect from their number one member to act as Chairman for duration of the Meeting.
(D) The Management Committee and all Sub-Committee’s appointed by the Management Committee may admit to their meetings such other person or persons (whether or not a Member of the Club) who in their opinion can assist them in their deliberations provided that such person or persons shall have no voting power.
(E) The Secretary shall maintain proper minutes of all meetings and the Treasurer shall submit a financial statement at such intervals as the Management Committee shall determine.
11-Trustees:
(A) There shall be three Trustees of the Club who shall be appointed from time to time as necessary by the Club In General Meeting from among ordinary or honorary members who are willing to be so appointed. All property of the Club including land and investment shall be held by the Trustees for the time being in their own names so far as necessary and practicable for the use and benefit of the Club. On the death or resignation by notice in writing given to the Management Committee, or until a resolution removing a Trustee from Office shall be passed at a General Meeting of the Club by a majority comprising two thirds of the members present and entitled to vote, the Management Committee shall take steps to procure the appointment by the Club in General Meeting, of a new Trustee in his/her place and shall as soon as possible thereafter, take all lawful and practicable steps to procure the vesting of all Club property into the names of the Trustees as constituted after the said appointment.
(B) The Trustees shall in all aspects act in regard to any property of the Club held by them in accordance with the directions of the Management Committee and shall have power to sell, lease, mortgage or pledge any Club property for the purpose of raising or borrowing money for the benefit of the Club in compliance with the directions of the Management Committee.
(C) If in the event of dissolution, any assets of the Club will be given to the Clubs Governing Body (ie.The Devon County Football Association)
12-Subscriptions, Finances and Accounts: The annual subscription for an Ordinary Member shall be such a sum as the Management Committee may from time to time determine. At the discretion of the management Committee an ordinary member may be allowed to pay at reduced subscription for any period of less than a year.
13-Annual Subscriptions shall be payable on election as hereinbefore provided and thereafter without demand on the first day of September in every year. The Management Committee may terminate the Membership of any ordinary member whose annual subscription remains unpaid on the first day of October.
14-The Treasurer shall keep such proper books of accounts as will enable him to present at every Annual General Meeting of the Club or at such intervals as hereinbefore provided, 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.
15-The auditor(s) of the Clubs accounts shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting.
16-The Club is non-profit making. Any surplus income or gains to be reinvested in the Club and does not permit any distribution of Club assets, in cash or in kind to members or third parties. This does not prevent donations by the Club to charities or to other clubs that are registered as Community Amateur Sports Clubs.
17-Intoxicating liquor: The purchase for the Club and the supply by the Club of intoxicating liquor, shall be managed by a Sub-Committee (hereinafter called The Bar Committee) of elected members of the Management Committee which shall consist of not less than five members.
Supply of intoxicating liquor: The following persons, other than members and their guests, may be entitled to use the Club facilities and to purchase intoxicating liquor for consumption on the Club premises: Persons attending any pre-booked function or event approved by the Management Committee.
18-Club Hours:
(A) The Club premises shall open for such hours as the Management Committee shall from time to time determine.
(B) The permitted hours for the supply and sale of intoxicating liquor shall, subject to the Licensing Acts, be such hours as the Management Committee shall from time to time determine
(C) No intoxicating liquor shall be supplied to any person who is not a member but this shall not forbid the supply of intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises, to a bona fide guest, as hereinafter provided, introduced by a member, as aforesaid, nor to a candidate for membership and who has been admitted to the Club premises as a guest of a member. No intoxicating liquor shall be supplied to a member or guest who is under the age of eighteen years.
19-Notwithstanding the provisions of clause 17 hereof, persons other than members and their guests may be sold intoxicating liquor by the Club for consumption on the premises, provided they fall into the following categories:-
(A) Members of visiting sporting teams
(B) Officials involved with such teams
(C) Supporters of such teams
(D) Provided this is applicable only on the day of the match or event concerned.
20-It shall be the duty of the Secretary to duly register the Club under the Licensing Acts and it shall be the duty of the Bar Committee to ensure that the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003 and all other acts relating thereto and of any conditions attached to any Premises License granted in respect of the Club premises, shall be at all time strictly enforced.
21-The supply of intoxicating liquor by the Club, as hereinbefore provided, shall be arranged at such prices as shall as far as possible involve the Club in no financial loss (after paying any administrative expenses) and in particular:
(A) No person shall be paid at the expense of the Club any commission, percentage or similar payment, on or with reference to the purchase of intoxicating liquor by the Club.
(B) Any pecuniary benefits from the supply of intoxicating liquor by or on behalf of the Club, to members or guests (apart from any benefit which a person may derive indirectly by reason of the supply giving rise or contributing to a general gain from the carrying on of the Club), shall accrue to the Club as a whole and be enjoyed by the members in the form of reduced prices for intoxicating liquor or approved amenities or other benefits at the Club premises at the discretion of the Management Committee.
22-Meetings:(A) The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on or about the first week in July in every year but so that there shall not be more than fifteen months between one Annual General Meeting and the next. Notice of the day and time of the Annual General Meeting shall be posted in the Club premises in the part frequented by the members for a period of at least twenty-one days before the date of such Meeting. The President, or in his absence the Chairman, of the Club shall act as Chairman of the Annual General Meeting at which the Secretary and the Treasurer shall submit their annual report.
(B) Management Committee Meetings and Meetings of Sub-Committees appointed by the Management Committee shall be held at such times as shall be determined by their members.
(C) A General Meeting of the Club may be summoned at any time by the Management Committee and shall be so summoned immediately upon any five ordinary members delivering to the Management 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 part frequented by the members, for a period of at least seven days immediately before the day appointed for the Meeting but so that such period may be abridged at the discretion of the Management Committee if the urgency of the business to be discussed, in its opinion, so requires.
(D) A copy of the notice convening any General Meeting under this or the preceding rules shall be posted in the Club Premises in a part frequented by the Club members. Such notice to be posted by the Club Secretary, not less than the requisite number of days prescribed before the date appointed for the Meeting but any accidental omission to post such notice should not invalidate any proceedings or resolution at such Meeting. No special notice need be given of Management Committee Meetings and Sub-Committee Meetings it being deemed sufficient notice if the date and time and place of the next Meeting of any such Committee is agreed during the current Meeting thereof.
(E) Matters to be discussed in Any Other Businesses at an Annual General Meeting, shall be put in writing to the Secretary and must be received fourteen days prior to the Annual General Meeting and it can then be put on the Agenda for discussion. Any correspondence received after the fourteen day period will not be discussed at the Annual General Meeting but decided by the Management Committee at their Meeting following the Annual General Meeting and their decision shall be considered final.
23-Voting:
(A) At Any General Meeting of the Club all ordinary members of the Club shall be entitled to be present and have equal voting rights.
(B) Any motion considered at a General Meeting of the Club shall be deemed approved when not less than two thirds of those present who are entitled to vote do so in favour of such motion.
(C) Any motion considered by the Management Committee shall be deemed approved when that simple majority of those present vote in favour of such a motion.
(D) The Agenda at the Annual General Meeting of the Club shall include the election of Officers and Management Committee of the Club. All nominations for such Officers must be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
24-Guests: Every member shall be allowed to introduce and entertain guests not exceeding four in number at the Club premises subject to such regulations or bye laws as shall be made from time to time by the Management Committee.
Every guest introduced by a member shall be the guest of and accompanied by that member and both shall be responsible for his or her guests strictly observing the Club rules, regulations and bye laws and must not leave the premises before his or her guest. A non-member may not visit the Club, as provided in this rule, on more than five occasions in any period of twelve months.
25-The Management Committee of the Club shall be entitled to resolve that any member of the Club shall be excluded from the Clubs premises for such period as the Management Committee deems fit and the said member shall not be entitled to any benefit of his or her membership of the Club and shall not be entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Club during the members exclusion from the Clubs premises. The Management Committee shall be entitled to exclude the said member for any period until the renewal of the membership and the Management Committee shall be entitled not to renew the said members membership. The Management Committee shall further be entitled to resolve, that no person shall be admitted to the Clubs premises as a guest of any member pursuant to Rule 24.
26-Betting and Gaming: No betting shall be allowed on the Club premises. No lottery shall be promoted by any Officer on behalf of or in any way connected with the Club, or with any entertainment or event held by or in connection with the Club, without the previous written authority of the Management Committee. Gaming shall be permitted in the Club but not so as to contravene any of the provisions of any statute for the time being in force.
27-Liability: Neither the Club nor any Officer thereof, shall be liable to any member or guest of any member for any loss of or damage to any member for any loss of or damage to any property, occurring from whatever cause, in or about the Club premises, nor for any injury sustained by any member or guest of a member whilst on or entering or leaving the Club premises and a notice to this effect shall at all times be displayed in a prominent position on the premises.
28-Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a register of the name and address all members, call meetings, keep minutes of the proceedings at all meetings of the Club and the Committee, conduct the correspondence of the Club, be responsible for the books and papers appertaining to his office and perform such other duties in connection with the affairs of the Club as the Committee may from time to time direct. In addition he shall, within 42 days of his appointment, and/or any changes to the Club’s objects, give written notice of the change to the Clerk to the Justices and the Chief Officer of Police for the area.
29-Alterations to Rules: No alterations or addition to these rules shall be made except at a General Meeting. The notices shall have contained particulars of the proposed alteration or addition
30-Amendments: (1) No recision, alteration or addition shall be made to these rules, except at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club of which notice is given in writing to the Secretary, provided that an Extraordinary General Meeting may only be called for the purpose of considering such a recision, alteration or addition if summoned by a Resolution of the Management Committee or by a written request by five ordinary members as hereinbefore provided. Any such notice must specify the intention to propose the recision, alteration or addition, together with full particulars thereof. A majority comprising two thirds or more of the numbers present and entitled to vote at a General Meeting of the Club shall be required in order to pass the necessary resolution thereof.
Sidmouth Town AFC 