Club Rules

Please find below the Club Rules.

We respectively request that all members ensure they have read the rules and observe and honour them

(1) NAME

The name is The Club, Hanslope (FORMERLEY HANSLOPE WORKING MENS SOCIAL CLUB). It is governed by these rules and where not defined here, by the General Rules of the Friendly Societies.

(2) OFFICE

The registered office is 28 High Street, Hanslope, MK19 7LQ

(3) OBJECTIVES

The objectives are to provide for its members and their families an atmosphere for friendly entertainment and social intercourse and to become the centre of social activities for the village of HANSLOPE.

(4) ADMISSION OF MEMBERS

A candidate for membership shall be proposed and seconded by existing members. The name and address of the candidate and the names of the proposer and seconder will be displayed on the Club Notice Board for a minimum of seven days before his/ her election is considered by the Committee. At the time of his/ her proposal, the candidate will pay the annual subscription. This will be returned if he/ she is not elected. A candidate for election must be at least 18 years of age. On the election, the new member will be given a membership card and a copy of these Rules by the MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY. Membership cards should be carried at all times when visiting the Club.

(5) MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

A new member, on election, shall become an Ordinary Member. After paying five years consecutive membership fees, he/she will become a FINANCIAL MEMBER. The FINANCIAL MEMBERS are the only members who will participate in any distribution following the dissolution of The Club

(6) SUBSCRIPTIONS

An ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION FEE OF £20 (or such amount as shall be determined by the Committee) will be paid. This fee becomes payable on 1st January of each year. If this fee is not paid by 31st January, a late payment fee of 20% of the annual fee is levied for payment up to and including 28th/ 29th February (unless good reasons are submitted to the Membership Secretary). Members who have not paid will be removed from the Register of Members.

(7) MEMBER INFORMATION

Each member shall be requested to provide the following information to the Membership Secretary

: Address

: Telephone Numbers (landline and /or mobile)

: email address

Changes to any of these should be given to the Membership Secretary in a timely manner

(8) CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall cease for the following reasons

: Non-payment of subscriptions

: Expulsion

: Resignation

: Death

The death of a Financial Member will be considered to be the 31st December of the membership year. Any distribution shall be made to his/her next of kin

(9) GENERAL MEETINGS

(a) ORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS will be held as frequently and on dates determined by the Committee.
At these meetings, the Committee will report and also respond to matters raised by members.

(b) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS will be held on a date determined by the Committee. Fourteen days’ notice of the AGM will be given by posting a notice on the Club Notice Board. A member can bring a topic he wants discussed at the AGM by giving it in writing to the Secretary at least ten days before the date of the AGM. An agenda will be posted seven days before the AGM which will include any items raised by members. The purpose of the Meeting is to present the Report and Accounts for the previous year. The Reviewer of the Accounts is entitled to attend.

: at the request of the Committee

: on demand of 20% of the members, in writing to the Secretary. The meeting will then be held within 14 to 21 days of receipt of such a demand. Notice of the Meeting will be placed on the Club Notice Board at least 10 days prior to the meeting. No business other than that on the demand will be discussed at the Special Meeting

(10) QUORUM

A General Meeting will go ahead if ten members are in attendance within one hour of the time fixed for the meeting, If the Quorum is not present at a Special Meeting called by the members, it will be dissolved. If called by the Committee, it will be adjourned for one week. The meeting will then go ahead despite the attendance.

(11) ADJOURNMENT

Any General Meeting, correctly constituted, can be adjourned several times, but the only subjects to be discussed are those which could have been discussed at the original meeting.

(12) VOTING

Each member, including Life Members, will be entitled to one vote

(13) OFFICERS

The following are Officers of the Club

: Three Trustees

: President

: Vice President

: Secretary

: Treasurer

: Membership Secretary

The trustees shall be appointed at a General Meeting by a majority of those attending and will remain in office at the pleasure of The Club. The other officers of The Club will be elected by a ballot and shall remain in office until their successors are appointed.

Any officer shall be removable at any time provided two thirds of the members present at a Special Meeting called for that purpose shall vote for removal.

In the event of a vacancy of any office (excluding Trustees) the Committee can fill the vacancy until the next election of officers. Any officer who is suspended from membership shall resign his/her office.

Any change in Secretary shall be notified by the President or Secretary to the Registrar of Friendly Societies within 42 days. Notice of the appointment of a Trustee shall be sent to the Registrar of Friendly Societies within 14 days on the form provided by Treasury Regulation.

The Secretary, Membership Secretary and the Treasurer shall be paid such salary as the Committee determine.
Every officer dealing with The Club money shall be insured with a recognised insurance company to a level determined by the Committee.

(14) COMMITTEE

The Committee shall consist of the officers, a minimum of five and a maximum of ten ordinary committee members.
The Committee shall control the management of The Club ad shall have exclusive power to engage and dismiss the servants of The Club. It shall have the power to purchase all goods and services necessary to achieve the objective of The Club. It shall not have the power to declare any distribution of The Club funds.

The Committee shall meet with a frequency it determines but not less than once a month.

(15) COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Must be members of The Club and shall act until the next ballot is held. They are all eligible for re-election.

The Committee or any member of it can be removed by a Special Meeting called for that purpose. If a majority of the Committee are removed at the meeting, the Secretary shall arrange a ballot. The result of the ballot will be posted on The Club Notice Board.

(16) FINANCE COMMITTEE

The Finance Committee will consist of the President, Secretary and the Treasurer. It will analyse the financial records of The Club and produce monthly Management Accounts which will be presented to the full Committee. It will also report on the cash flow and the state of The Club bank accounts.

Each cheque issued by The Club will be signed by two of the nominees on the Bank Mandate.

(17) ORDERS

No officer of The Club or Committee members shall have the power to order goods or services or dispose of funds without the authorisation of the full Committee.

(18) LIABILITY OF TRUSTEES

All the property of The Club shall be vested in the Trustees representing and acting for all the members. No personal liability shall be attached to any Trustee.

(19) PRESIDENT

The President, or in his absence The Vice President or an elected Chairperson, shall take the Chair at all General or Committee Meetings. The Chair will have a casting voice in the event of equality in a vote.

(20) TREASURER

The Treasurer shall pay into The Club’s bank account on a weekly basis the net weekly takings of the Club.
Reconciliation from the full cash taken to the net amount paid into the bank will be maintained.

The Treasurer, as part of the Finance Team, will provide such information as the Management Accounts person requires to produce the Company accounts for audit.

(21) THE SECRETARY

The Secretary will be responsible for keeping a register of members of The Club (containing all information in 7 above) and also keep a record of all subscriptions paid. This will be paid over to the Treasurer.

The Secretary will attend all meetings (General and Committee). He/she will provide an Agenda for each meeting and minutes of the meetings in a timely fashion. He/she will also place notices as required by these Rules and communicate with the authorities as again required by these Rules.

The Secretary will also assist the Treasurer and the Finance Team with account issues as requested.

(22) ANNUAL RETURN TO REGISTRAR

The Club will make an annual return to the Registrar of Friendly Societies by 31st May each year. This return will compromise of

: accounts for the period 1st January to 31st December of the previous year

: the Accountant’s Review of the Accounts

: any additional information required by the Registrar

The return will be made in the format required by the Chief Registrar.

(23) COPIES OF ANNUAL RETURN

A copy of the Annual Return will be displayed on The Club Notice Board. Any member or other party interested in The Club shall be given a copy if requested.

(24) REVIEW OF THE ACCOUNTS

Each year The Club will have its accounts reviewed by an Accountant who is qualified to do this, as determined by the Friendly Societies Act. This person will be appointed at the AGM. The Committee can appoint a person to review the accounts between AGMs. The reviewer of the accounts shall be re-appointed for the following year unless-

: a resolution has been passed at a General Meeting that he/she shall not be re-appointed

: he/she is given The Club notice that he/she is unwilling to continue

: he/she has ceased to act as a Reviewer.

None of the following persons can act as a Reviewer-

: an officer or servant of The Club

: a person employed by an officer or servant of The Club

: a body corporate

The Reviewer shall have access at all times to the books, deeds, accounts and all other documents relating to The Club’s affairs. He/she also has the right to have such information and explanation to enable him/ her to perform his/her function.

(25) APPLICATION AND INVESTMENT OF FUNDS

All moneys received by The Club, from any source, shall not be distributed to its members, save in the case of dissolution. It shall be applied to attaining the objectives of The Club or invested by the Trustees on the recommendation of The Committee.

(26) BORROWING POWERS

The Trustees, when authorised by The Committee, can obtain advances of money in the form of Bank loans, overdrafts or Debentures. To obtain these advances the Trustees can pledge the Fixed Assets of The Club as security.

(27) CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS

The election of officers (except Trustees) and committee members shall be by ballot-

: NOMINATIONS – At least three weeks before the date fixed for the ballot, the Secretary will place a ballot sheet on The Club Notice Board. This sheet shall contain the names of all candidates for any office. This sheet can be added to until twenty four hours before the ballot date. No suspended members may be nominated.

: SCRUTINEERS – The ballot will be carried out by the Committee who will appoint three scrutineers who cannot be candidates, officers or committee members.

: BALLOTS – will be held in The Club in the week before a General Meeting but ending three days before the meeting. Ballots by email will be accepted providing the voting member has provided this email address to the Membership Secretary. The results will be given by the Scrutineers to the Membership Secretary who will post them on The Club Notice Board.

: ELIGIBILE TO VOTE – Every member of The Club will have one vote for each vacancy but may not have more than one vote to any one candidate

: TIE – The candidate receiving the highest number of votes will be elected. In the event of two or more candidates receiving an equal number of votes then the newly elected Committee shall determine which of the candidates shall be elected as an officer or committee member.

: SCRUTINY – the scrutineers will seal the ballot papers and give them to The Membership Secretary who will keep them for seven days. A scrutiny will take place if, within seven days, a written demand is given to the Membership Secretary. Three fresh scrutineers will be appointed by the Committee and they will scrutinise the ballot. Their decision will be final and the result placed on the Club Notice Board.

(28) SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

: Between a member and an officer – These will be settled by The Committee. The Committee’s decision will be final. IF still aggrieved, the member can Call a Special Meeting by meeting the conditions defined above.

: Between a member and The Club – All disputes between a member or a member who has not been suspended or expelled will be settled by a Special Meeting called by the Committee.

(29) MISCONDUCT OF MEMBERS

The President or Secretary can order the withdrawal from The Club premises of any member deemed to be guilty of misconduct. The member may appeal to the full committee against his suspension or expulsion.

(30) SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

The Committee has the power to reprimand, suspend (for up to twelve months) or expel any member whose conduct within The Club, in the Committee’s opinion, renders him/her unfit for membership. The member may appeal to the committee and appeal before a minimum of 8 committee members to plead his/her case. The decision of this meeting is final although the member may call a Special Meeting by meeting the conditions defined above.

(31) INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS

A member, or a member of a Club affiliated to the CIU, may introduce friends as his/her guests. The member (as defined above) and his/her guests shall sign their names in a book kept for that purpose. The following will not be allowed as visitors –

: Former members who have been expelled

: Suspended members

: Rejected membership candidates

The person introducing visitors must remain in The Club for the period his/her visitors remain as he/she is responsible for their conduct.

(32) RULES

Each member will be supplied with a copy of these Rules by the Membership Secretary. These Rules may only be amended at a General Meeting. Notice of the meeting shall be posted on The Club Notice Board for fourteen days prior to the meeting. Any amendment shall require to be voted for by two thirds of those attending for the amendment to be approved. No amendment is valid until registered in accordance with The Friendly Society Act.

(33) DISSOLUTION

The Club may be dissolved at any time by two thirds of all members testified by their signing an instrument of dissolution in the form provided by the Treasury Regulations.

(34) CLUB OPENING HOURS

These will be determined by The Committee and posted in The Club. Any variations will also be posted.

(35) LICENSING HOURS

These will be determined by The Committee but will in no way contravene the provisions of the current Licensing Act.

(36) LIFE MEMBERS

The Committee may grant Life Membership to a member who is 65 or over, has completed 20 years of continuous membership and has rendered special service to The Club. Life Members will not pay an annual subscription but will still be entitled to all the rights and privileges of Financial Members.

(37) CLUB WEBSITE

Where throughout these Rules mention is made of The Club Notice Board and any notice being posted on it is made, this will apply equally to the Club Website.

(38) RELATIONSHIP WITH C.I.U.

The Club maintains a relationship with the C.I.U. so that –

: Members can apply and pay for a card which entitles them to visit other clubs which are also members of the C.I.U.

: C.I.U. members who produce their card can attend The Club, Hanslope. They may also introduce visitors by complying with the rules which apply to members of The Club, Hanslope.

(39) MEMBERS

Please ensure when all members are using The Club facilities they are polite, courteous and respectful of others at all times.

(40) MEMBERS CHILDREN

Please ensure when all members and their children are using The Club facilities (inside or outside) that they are supervised by a responsible adult at all times.