5. Membership: Membership of the club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs, except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of hockey.

The club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.

The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members.

Membership should consist of officers and members of the club. 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 conduct that the club has adopted.

Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

Senior Member
Junior Member
Honorary life member
Social member
Colt

6. Senior Members: Senior members are those members (other than temporary) and playing members, of the club who have attained the age of 18 years.

7. Social Members: Social members do not have a vote at General Meetings.

8. Subscription and Match Fees: The annual subscription and match fee shall be such sums as the club members in general meeting shall from time to time determine and shall be exclusive of Value Added Tax at the then current rate and other taxes.

9. Payment of Subscriptions: All subscriptions shall be paid to the club. Cheques should be made payable to Chertsey Thames Valley Hockey Club and crossed A/c Payee. Bank transfers will be into the Chertsey Thames Valley Hockey Club general account. There are three methods of payment:

a one-off payment covering subscriptions and match fees. This is discounted for full adult members by 10% if paid by November 1st.
by standing order – six equal payments totalling the one-off amount above, paid monthly from 1st October to 1st March
by paying the subscription by 1st November and match fees at each match.

Annual Subscriptions are waived for honorary life members and Vice Presidents, but an annual donation to club funds is welcomed

10. Members in Arrears: If any member shall fail to pay their annual subscription on or before the relevant date determined by rule 7 hereinbefore mentioned in any financial year, notice shall be sent to them calling their attention thereto, and if such subscription be not paid on or before 31st December, following, the defaulter shall cease to be a member of the Club.

11. Vice Presidents: On the recommendation of the Executive Committee, any person whether or not a member of the Club, may be elected a vice president at any General Meeting of the Club. A two-thirds majority of those present shall be necessary at such election. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to invite any person to be a vice president at any time during the financial year, but their appointment as such shall cease unless ratified by two-thirds of the club members present at the Annual General Meeting next following. Vice Presidents shall be entitled to all the benefits and privileges of membership and shall be qualified to be officers or members of any committee, vote as Senior members, and claim any share of the property of the club upon its dissolution.

12. Honorary Life Members: The Executive Committee may invite any person who has distinguished themselves by the playing of Hockey or by their services to the Club or in the locality, to be an honorary life member of the Club provided that there shall not be at any time more than ten honorary life members. Members may send to the Secretary names suggested for an invitation. The appointment will then be ratified by two-thirds of the club members present at the next Annual General Meeting. Honorary life members shall be entitled to all the benefits and privileges of membership and shall be qualified to be officers or members of any committee, vote as Senior members, and claim any share of the property of the club upon its dissolution.

13. Expulsion of Members:
It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee if at any time they shall be of the opinion that the interest of the club so requires, by letter to invite any member to withdraw from the club within a time specified in such letter, and in default of such withdrawal to submit the question of their expulsion to a Special General Meeting to be held within six weeks after the date of such letter. Not less than four weeks' notice of the meeting shall be given to members. It shall be the duty of the Honorary Secretary to inform the member in question of the time and place of the meeting and of the nature of the complaint(s) against them in sufficient time to afford them a proper opportunity to offer an explanation. At such Meeting, the member shall be allowed to offer an explanation of their conduct verbally and/or in writing, and if thereupon two-thirds of the members present shall vote for expulsion, they shall thereupon cease to be a member of the club. Provided that the voting at any such Special General meeting shall be by ballot if not less than five members present thereat shall so demand. It shall be in the power of the Executive Committee to exclude such members from Club premises until such Special General Meeting shall be held.

14. Effect of ceasing to be a member: Any person shall, upon ceasing to be a member of the Club, forfeit all rights to and claim upon the Club and its property and funds.

15. Officers of the club: There shall be elected as hereinafter provided, members to fulfil the following offices, namely:

Chairman
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
President

16. Executive Committee
The management of the club (except as otherwise provided by these rules) shall be deputed to an Executive Committee which shall be elected as hereinafter provided by these rules. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following members:

The officers of the Club
The Colts Manager
The Welfare Officer
The Social Secretary
The Youth Development Officer
The Webmaster
Two elected representatives of the Playing sub-committee

Prior to each Executive Committee meeting the Playing sub-committee shall nominate any two representatives of the Playing sub-committee who are not already members of the Executive Committee.

17. Election of Members of the Executive Committee: At the Annual General Meeting all members of the Executive Committee shall retire but be eligible for re-election. The Executive Committee may nominate members of the club for election to the Executive Committee and a list of the names of those who are retiring as well as those who are proposed to fill each specific post shall be sent by the Secretary to each member of the Club with the notice convening the Annual General Meeting (by post or email). Any two members may propose any candidate by writing or emailing to the Secretary at least seven days before the meeting. Every senior member of the Club shall be entitled to one vote upon the election of each officer of the club, each member of the Executive Committee. In each case, the candidates, up to the number of vacancies, who shall have received the most votes, shall be declared elected and in the case of two or more candidates receiving an equal number of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

18. Vacancies on the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint a member to fill any casual vacancy on the Executive Committee until the next Annual General Meeting.

19. Meetings of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall meet at least four times per year to examine the accounts and to arrange the affairs of the club. Five members of the Executive Committee shall form a quorum. Minutes shall be taken of all the proceedings of any Executive Committee and shall be open to inspection of any member of the club applying to the Secretary therefore. The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt any member of the club for any special purpose.

20. Playing Committee: The playing sub-committee shall consist of the Captains and Managers of all adult teams within the club and the Colts Manager or representative.

The playing sub-committee shall be responsible for all hockey-playing matters of the Club including:

Team selection - by means of regular selection meetings
Discipline on the field of play by disciplinary meetings to be held as required.
Teas by the provision of after-match teas
Collection of match fees.
Arrangement of umpires.

Any other matter arising deemed to be the responsibility of the playing sub-committee
The playing sub-committee shall meet at least four times per year to arrange the hockey-playing affairs of the Club. Minutes shall be taken of all the proceedings and reported fully to the next executive committee meeting. The sub-committee shall have the power to co-opt any member of the club for any special purpose.

21. Regulations: The Executive Committee may from time to time make, repeal and amend all such regulations (not inconsistent with these rules) as they shall think expedient for the management and well-being of the Club. All regulations made by the Executive Committee under this rule shall be binding upon the members until repealed by the Executive Committee, or set aside by resolution of the general meeting of the Club.

22. Club Funds: The funds of the Club shall be kept by the Honorary Treasurer under the supervision of and in such place and manner as shall be determined by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have the power to expend the Club funds in such manner as they think fit in accordance with these rules and the objectives of the Club.

23. Annual General Meeting: The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held before 31 July in each year upon a date and a time to be fixed by the Executive Committee for the following purposes:

To receive an account of the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting and any Extraordinary General Meetings held since the last general meeting and to adopt such minutes, with or without amendments, as being a correct account of the business transacted at such meetings.
To receive the reports of the Honorary Secretary and such other officers as the Executive Committee may determine.
To receive from the Honorary Treasurer a report, balance sheet and statement of accounts for the preceding financial year.
To elect officers and the Executive Committee, and to elect an auditor for the following year.
To decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided.
To elect President, Vice Presidents and to re-elect Vice Presidents of the Club provided that the Honorary Secretary shall have advised members of the proposals for the same with the notice of the Annual General Meeting.
To deal with any special matter that the Executive Committee may decide to bring before the Members and to receive suggestions from the Members for consideration by the Executive Committee.

24. Notice of Business: Any member desirous of moving any resolution at the Annual General Meeting shall give notice in writing (or by email) to the Honorary Secretary not less than 14 days before the date of such meeting.

25. Special General Meeting: The Executive Committee may at any time for any special purpose call a Special General Meeting and shall do so forthwith upon the request in writing (or by email) of any 10 senior members stating the purpose for which the meeting is required.

26. Convening General Meeting: The Honorary Secretary shall post or email to each member of the Club, at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting, a notice of such meeting and of the business to be transacted thereat together with a nomination form for the election of officers and member of the Executive Committee showing the Executive Committee’s nominations for election as hereinbefore mentioned. Notice of any Special General Meeting shall be given to each member of the Club by the Honorary Secretary, giving at least 14 days' notice and stating the purposes for which the meeting is required.

27. Proceedings at General Meetings: At all general meetings of the Club, the Chairman, and in their absence a member selected by the Executive Committee, shall take the chair and their decision on any question relating to the conduct of the meeting shall be final and binding. Every Senior member present shall be entitled to one vote upon every motion, apart from the Chairman, who, in the case of equality of votes, will have the casting vote.

28. Quorum: The quorum at a General meeting shall be 10% of the Senior Members of the Club.

29. Honorary Treasurer and Financial Year: The Treasurer shall keep accounts of the Club and shall make up the annual statement of accounts and balance sheet of the Club to the 30th day of April in each year, which shall, after audit, be printed and circulated amongst the Members of the Club with notice of the Annual General Meeting or distributed at the Annual General meeting.

30. Audit of Accounts: At every Annual General Meeting a person, not being a member of the Executive Committee, shall be elected to serve as auditor for the ensuing year. The auditor shall audit the accounts of the Club as soon as practicable after the end of the financial year. A vacancy arising in the office of auditor during the year shall be filled by the Executive Committee.

31. Opening of the Club House: The Club House shall be open to members at such times as the Executive Committee shall from time to time determine and the Executive Committee may close it for such times as they may deem necessary for cleaning and repairs. In order to provide facilities for special functions of the Club, the Executive Committee may authorise members only to gain access to parts of the clubhouse upon payment of an admission fee.

32. Members of Visiting Clubs: All members of visiting clubs shall be assumed to be Honorary Members for the day without payment of any subscription,

33. Games: Regulations made by the Executive Committee may lay down the conditions upon which any game may be played in the pavilion and grounds and may prohibit any games the playing of which are unlawful or would in the opinion of the Executive Committee be injurious to the interest of the Club.

34. Visitors: Any member may personally introduce friends as their guests but no other visitor may be admitted to the Club more than twice in each calendar month.

35. Members not to make a profile out of the club: No member shall, except for professional services rendered at the request of the Executive Committee, on any pretence or in any manner receive any profit, salary or employment from the funds or transactions of the Club.
All surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.

36. Private benefit not to accrue on purchase Etc of Liquor: No person shall be entitled to receive at the expense of the Club or of any member thereof any commission, percentage or similar payment on with reference to the 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 and apart also from any benefit which a person derives indirectly by reason of the supply giving rise to or contributing to a general gain from the carrying on of the Club. Without the authority of the Chairman or Honorary Secretary, no intoxicating liquor shall be consumed upon Club premises except such as has been provided by the Club.

37. Club not to be used for business: No member shall use the Club premises and grounds for business purposes.

38. Members' Contact Details: Every member of the Club shall notify the Honorary Secretary of their date of birth, address, email address, phone numbers and every change thereof. The Secretary shall keep these particulars on file (and available to the Executive Committee) for the purpose of giving notice of meetings, providing newsletters, advertising functions, and contacting players regarding matches and all notices posted or emailed to such address shall be considered as having been duly given on the day following the day of posting. The details will be stored electronically and will not be disclosed outside the club unless the member is fulfilling a club position that requires disclosure such as Fixtures Secretary.

39. Interpretation of the rules: The Executive Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of these rules and of the regulations made from time to time by the Executive Committee. The decision of the Executive Committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any matter affecting the Club and not provided for by these rules or by the regulations shall be final and binding upon the members.

40. Amendment of the rules: These rules may be added to, repealed or amended by resolution at any Annual or Special General Meeting, provided that no such resolution shall be deemed to have been passed unless it is carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting thereon.

41. Dissolution of the Club: If at any General Meeting a resolution for the dissolution of the Club shall be passed by a majority of the senior members present and at a special general meeting held not less than six weeks thereafter, (of which not less than four weeks written notice shall have been given to each member) and at which not less than one-half of the senior members shall be present that resolution shall be confirmed by resolution passed by the majority of two-thirds of the senior members voting thereon, the Executive Committee shall thereupon, or at such future date as shall be specified in such resolution, proceed to realise the property of the Club and after discharge of all liabilities any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to another registered CASC, a registered charity or the sport’s governing body for use by them in related community sports, and, upon the completion of such distribution, the Club shall be dissolved.

Reviewed and updated - 08/11/2022

Previous revision - 04/07/2022