THE DOWNSIDE SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
MEMBERS RULE BOOK
REVISED : JANUARY 2011
THE RULES FOR THE DOWNSIDE SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
1. The Club shall be called the Downside Sports and Social Club. It’s objectives are to enable social and recreational activities to be provided for it’s members. It shall be a family club.
2. The Club shall consist of a President and members over the age of 18 years old. Junior members may join the Club at 16 years old and be allowed to play in Club teams, but may not purchase or drink alcohol.
3. The President shall be appointed at a full meeting of the Club and shall hold office until such time as he/she wishes to retire. He/she shall preside at Annual General Meeting’s and have the power to act as arbiter in the event of any dispute between Committee members or between the Committee and other members which cannot be resolved otherwise. The President’s decision will be final.
4. The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, Assistant Secretary and up to 7 other members. The Committee shall meet monthly and 5 members (not including the Hon. Secretary) shall constitute a quorum. Any vacancies may be filled by co-option.
5. The Officers and Committee members shall hold office for 2 years, and may be re-elected at the end of that period for a further two years. The Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and 3 Committee members being elected one year and the Chairman, Assistant Secretary and the remaining Committee members being elected the following year. (Thus ensuring continuity in the running of the Club‘s business). If for any reason this continuity cannot be maintained, then at the next A.G.M., the Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and 3 Committee members shall be elected for only one year.
6. Duties of Officers and the Committee:
A) The Chairman shall preside at Committee meetings. He/she shall not normally vote but shall have the casting vote in the event of a tied decision. He/she may deputise for the President at the A.G.M. but shall not have the power of arbitration. The Chairman shall count towards forming a quorum.
B) The Hon. Secretary shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Club. He/she shall be responsible to the Committee for the general running of the Club and shall be the representative of the Committee in dealings with the Club’s employees, Club suppliers and outside contractors ,etc. He/she shall be responsible for any statutory returns the Club has to make and for ensuring that the Club is run in accordance with UK law. He/she shall not count towards forming a quorum.
C) The Hon. Treasurer shall be responsible for the Club’s financial operations. He/she shall keep a proper set of books and shall make all payments and bank all receipts. He/she shall work in close co-ordination with the Hon. Secretary. He/she shall have a vote on the Committee and count towards forming a quorum.
D) The Committee as a whole shall be responsible for forming the policy of the Club in accordance with the spirit of these Rules and with any directive they may receive at the A.G.M. No Committee member who has any business dealings with the Club shall vote in his/her own interests.
E) The Hon. Assistant Secretary shall be responsible for the collection and recording of subscriptions, for sending out reminders for subscriptions that are due and any notice of termination of membership. He/she shall act for the Hon. Secretary if the Hon. Secretary is unwell or otherwise unavailable. He/she shall maintain a register of Club members and the Club address book. He/she shall vote in the Committee and count towards forming a quorum.
F) The Bar Manager or Steward, the Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer shall be the members of the Committee responsible for the purchasing and supply of alcohol for the Club.
G) No officer or Committee member has any special privileges within the Club.
7. The annual subscription for membership of the Club shall be £13.00 (due on January 1st 2011) for renewing full members. £3.00 for Senior Citizens, £5.00 for junior members (under 16 years old) and £15.00 for new members. (Note: any existing member not renewing by 31st January of the year shall be considered a lapsed member and will need to re-apply for membership). Any member joining after 1st September during the year will pay half the applicable fee for the year.
8. Temporary Membership - Visitors to the area may be admitted to Temporary Membership for a period of a 14 days or less upon payment of a reduced membership fee (£1.00 for Senior Citizens and £3.00 for any others) subject to approval. Their name and address must be entered into the Club Visitors Book and this entry countersigned by a Committee member.
9. Members introducing visitors to the Club shall sign the Visitors Book and pay £1.00 into Club Funds. The introducing member shall be responsible for their guest’s good behaviour and the guest must leave the Club with the member.
10. No visitor shall be permitted to be a visitor more than twice in any calendar month.
11. New members shall be elected at each monthly Committee Meeting. They shall be duly proposed and seconded by two fully paid up Club members, of at least 12 months standing. A nomination sheet specifying the name and address of any person proposed for election shall be posted on the Club Notice Board, for at least two days for this purpose. The Hon. Assistant Secretary shall notify newly elected members immediately on their election.
12. Honorary Members may be elected at an A.G.M. The Club Steward shall be an Honorary Member of the Club.
13. Honorary Life Members. Members who have belonged to the Club continuously for 30 years or more and are over the normal age of retirement, shall be made Honorary Life Members.
14. An A.G.M. shall be called every 12 months and not exceeding every 15 months for the purpose of approving the Club Accounts and electing the Committee. Notice of the A.G.M. and a nomination sheet for proposals of the Committee shall be posted on the Club Notice Board at least four weeks in advance of the meeting. Any fully paid up member may attend and vote at the A.G.M. but only members of at least two years standing may be nominated or elected onto the Committee.
15. The Hon. Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting (E.G.M.) at any time, upon the requisition (in writing) of at least 21 members with the business to be discussed. A months notice must be given for this Meeting.
16. Any persons, who in the opinion of the Committee, prove themselves to be an undesirable member or visitor, shall be refused admission to the Club. The Committee shall have the power to suspend any members for misconduct and/or to terminate their membership, subject to the members right to appear before the Committee to conduct their own defence.
17. Alcohol will not be sold or supplied to persons who are or appear to be under the age of 18years old. The permitted hours in force in the area for the sale of alcohol shall be observed.
The Club’s opening hours are normally 17.00 to 23.00 on weekdays (16.30 to 23.00 on Fridays) and 12.00 to 23.00 on Saturdays and 12.00 to 22.30 on Sundays. Any alterations to these times will be posted on the Club Notice Board at least 7 days prior to the change.
18. The Club shall be non-political.
19. The Club shall provide games such as darts, snooker, billiards, pool and cards, etc., as are appropriate and shall enter competitions, tournaments etc., as members may desire subject to the Committee’s approval.
20. The United Kingdom (and European Union) law regarding gambling which is in force at the time shall be observed.
21. Any members damaging Club property, either wilfully or by their own carelessness shall be required to pay for any damage.
22. No dogs other than Guide or other “Disability Help” dogs shall be allowed into the Club.
23. Snooker and pool tables.
A) No smoking or tossing of coins, etc, shall be permitted over the pool or snooker tables where damage may be caused to the playing surface.
B) Any damage caused to the snooker or pool tables shall be paid by the person or persons causing the damage.
24. Parents or Guardians may bring children into the Club until 21.00 from Monday to Thursday and until closing time from Friday to Sunday. The children must be properly supervised and under control at all times. Failure on the part of parents or guardians to do this, will result in them being asked to take the children away from the Club. Occasionally the Club may decide that it would be unsuitable for children to be in the Club or may wish to impose restrictions (e.g. Children may not be allowed near performing areas or areas designated for dancing, in the interests of safety or inconvenience to members). Unaccompanied local children may be allowed into the Club until 20.00 to buy soft drinks and sweets etc, but after 20.00 parents or guardians must buy these items and children kept away from the bar area. This rule is primarily for parents and guardians and strict observation of it will ensure a safer and less contentious use of our limited bar area.
25. Young people of 14 years and above may play on the snooker table provided they are supervised or playing with a full member. (They may be asked to vacate the table if a number of full members wish to play). Young people under 14 years old may only play on the snooker table after they have been vetted by a member of the Committee. Children over 10 years old may play pool, again under supervision of a full member or with a full member. (They may also be asked to vacate the table if a number of full members wish to play).
26. In the event of any complaint or dissatisfaction by a member or members towards the Club or the Committee or other members, then the complainants should address their complaint in writing to the Hon. Secretary or any other Committee member and the matter will be dealt with at the next Committee meeting or at the earliest opportunity available.
27. The Committee shall have the power to add or alter any rules as may appear necessary for the proper management of the Club. Such additions or alterations shall take effect immediately , but shall not be permanently incorporated into the Rules unless ratified at the next A.G.M. or any special meeting called for this purpose.
28. Members are asked not only to behave well on the Club premises, but also in the surrounding area of the garden and car park, so as to avoid nuisance and any inconvenience to our neighbours and other villagers.
29. Any person convicted of smoking in a banned area will be required to pay not only their personally incurred fine but the Club’s fine in addition.
UPDATED 17th JANUARY 2011
Changes in blue type - for consideration at A.G.M. on 17th February 2011