CLUB CONSTITUTION

1 Title
1.1 The name of the Club shall be Cottingham Tigers Rugby League Football Club, hereafter referred to as ‘The Club‘.
1.2 The Club shall consist of an Open Age section and a Youth section. The open age section shall also consist of a team to play in the R.L Summer Conference under the title of Cottingham Phoenix.
2 Statements
2.1 The Club shall be a voluntary youth organisation and within its means will follow the criteria set down by local government and the Club in respect of youth services, their policy and child protection statements (appendix i) and notes of guidance, subject to their statements and recommendations not placing the Club in jeopardy.
2.2 The Club shall reserve the right to alter their constitution, be it for the benefit of members, by special resolution to be passed at an extraordinary General Meeting of the Management Committee, in accordance with the rules of the Club or at the Annual General Meeting.
3. Aims
a) To promote Rugby League Football within the village of Cottingham and surrounding areas.
b) To provide organised Rugby League Football for players of all ages and abilities, abiding by the Equal Opportunities Policy (appendix ii) at all times.
c) To provide the best possible facilities and playing surfaces.
d) To encourage competitive but sporting Rugby League Football.
e) To improve the standard of Rugby League Football in the area and provide a pathway for all players to reach the highest possible standard.
f) To provide a solid and efficient organisational structure by encouraging the active participation and involvement in the organisation and management of an Amateur Rugby League Club.
g) To encourage the view that the game is greater than the prize.
4 British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) & Rugby Football League (RFL)
4.1.1 The Club shall play in the City of Kingston upon Hull and District Amateur Rugby League and the Yorkshire Combination League and shall be members of BARLA and shall adhere to the rules and regulations of those organisations.
5 Membership
5.1 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 (see appendices III, IV, V, VI and VII).
Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:
 Full member
 Associate member
 Junior member
 Life member
Membership fees will be set annually and determined at the Annual General Meeting.
Fees will be paid by weekly subscription.
6 Management.
6.1 A General Committee shall manage the Club.
6.2 The Youth section and the Open Age section will each form their own sub committees to be concerned with the day to day running of that particular section.
6.3 The General Committee shall consist of no more than eleven members, including the Club Chairman, each with equal voting rights.
6.4 The General Committee shall consist of five members representing the Youth section committee and five members representing the Open Age section committee.
6.5 The Club Chairman shall be elected at the first committee meeting following the Annual General Meeting. This title is not gender specific.
6.6 The General Committee shall consist of the Club Chairman, Youth Secretary, Open Age Secretary, Youth Treasurer, Open Age Treasurer and six other members (three from each section, to be elected at the Annual General Meeting).
6.7 Meetings will take place on the third Monday of each month. Further meetings may be held on an ad-hoc basis at the discretion of the General Committee.
6.8 The General Committee shall be responsible for the appointment of the coaching staff. The head coach of the Club may appoint further members to the coaching staff with the approval of the General Committee.
6.9 A quorum shall consist of four members of the General Committee.
6.10 Club rules may only be changed at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
6.11 The General Committee shall have the power to co-opt members on to the Committee to fill vacancies for any reason at any time.
6.12 The Youth or Open Age Secretary or any other person in their absence will record all business of the Annual General Meeting and General Committee meetings. The minutes of all meetings shall be approved at the next meeting and when accepted shall be signed by the Chairman at the meeting. The Secretary shall receive and issue all correspondence on behalf of the General Committee.
6.13 The General Committee will invite a person they deem suitable to become the President of the Club. The General Committee will also be empowered to invite any person they consider to have rendered exceptional service to The Club to become a Life Member.
7 Annual General Meeting
There shall be an Annual General Meeting before the end of May on a date to be decided by the General Committee for all members to:
1. Receive a report from the Chairman on the previous year's activities.
2. Receive a report from the Open Age Secretary on the previous year's activities.
3. Receive a report from the Youth Secretary on the previous year's activities.
4. Receive a statement of accounts, duly audited, from the Treasurer.
5. Elect officers for the current year. Members will be elected for a two year period. Following the A.G.M of 18 June 2001 only half of the elected committee need stand for election each year, those members to be decided by the committee in the first instance, thereafter those members requiring seeking re-election will do so bi-annually. The effect of this will be to provide continuity within the committee.
6. Elect an auditor or auditors.
7. Discuss any other business relevant to the Annual General Meeting.
Nominations for officers and any changes to Club rules, properly seconded should be made in writing to the Open Age or Youth Secretary not later than twenty one days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
The annual subscriptions and fees shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting.
A simple majority vote of the membership present is required to amend or add to the constitution or elect officers.
In the event of a tied vote, the issue shall be resolved by the discretion of the Chairman.

Voting Rights
At the Annual General Meeting players and club members only will be permitted to vote.
A player shall be defined as anyone who is registered in accordance with the League rules.
A club member shall be defined as any person, other than a player who is involved in the day to day running of The Club.
8 Extraordinary General Meeting.
An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called where there is shown to be:
1. A majority vote of the General Committee.
2. A simple majority of the members.
The EGM shall be arranged within twenty one days of the request being received. The request should at all times be made in writing to the Open Age or Youth Secretary.
9 Subcommittees.
The General Committee may from time to time appoint subcommittees and working groups to undertake specified functions. Those subcommittees and working groups shall submit regular reports about their business to the General Committee.
10 Conduct of Meetings.
The normal conventions of business meetings shall apply. The Chairman shall have power to close a discussion or to defer a debate to another occasion. Members must address one another through the chair.
11 Attendance of non-members.
The General Committee may invite the attendance of any person who is not a member of the General Committee to its meetings. The General Committee may lay down conditions under which non-members attend.
12 Disputes.
All questions of infringements of Club rules or other matters of dispute shall be referred to the General Committee whose decision on the matter shall be final
13 Discipline.
A disciplinary committee, to consist of three members of the General Committee shall govern all disciplinary matters within The Club.
It shall be a disciplinary offence for:
1) Any player or club member in the course of or in connection with any match to misconduct himself or to act at any time in a manner which prejudices the good name or interests of The Club.
2) Any player or Club member committing any act as above shall be liable to penalties as below:
Penalties
1. expulsion from The Club
2. suspension
3. removal from the position held
4. any other course of action felt appropriate to the circumstances
A player shall be defined as anyone who is registered in accordance with the League rules.
A club member shall be defined as any person, other than a player who is involved in the day to day running of The Club.
Reporting procedure
Reports of alleged misconduct shall be made in writing to the Secretary within fourteen days of the occurrence.
Notification of decision
The disciplinary committee shall immediately notify in writing their decision to the member concerned.
Appeals

The member concerned may appeal against the decision of the disciplinary committee providing he notifies the Club Secretary in writing within fourteen days of the original hearing.
The appeal may only be against the finding of guilt or the punishment imposed.
The notice of appeal should specify the grounds under which the appeal is made.
The Appeals committee will consist of three members of the General Committee, not having sat on the original hearing.
The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding.
14 Finances.
14.1 The financial year of the Club shall commence on 1st June each year.
14.2 All coaches and committee members are entitled to recover any reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred whilst engaged on Club business, subject to receipts being provided.
15. Duties of the Treasurer.
15.1 The Treasurer shall have charge of all monies belonging to their sections and will be responsible for all financial transactions on behalf of the Club.
15.2 Bank accounts shall be opened as required by the Treasurer.
15.3 The Treasurer shall provide regular statements to the General Committee showing the finances of the Club.
15.4 Cheques on behalf of the Club shall be signed by two of four nominated members.
15.5 The Treasurer of each section shall prepare a full financial statement at the end of the financial year (31st May), such accounts to be audited prior to the Annual General Meeting by an auditor approved by the General Committee.
16 Duties of the Secretary
16.1 It is the duty of the relevant section Secretary to ensure that the Club is represented at the monthly League Secretary's meetings.
17 General Duties
Youth
17.1 All registration cards will be retained by the team coaches and will be shown to the opposing team's representative prior to the fixture. A representative from the Club will view all opposition registration cards prior to the fixture.
17.2 The Club must not play any fixtures against unregistered opposition.
17.3 Failure to comply with these rulings as at 17.1 and 17.2 may result in disciplinary action being implemented.
17.4 It is the duty of all members to bring to the attention of the team coach, any injuries or accidents sustained during the playing of a fixture, or in an official training session.
17.5 All team coaches have sole discretion in team selection.
17.6 Coaches will attend approved coaching and first aid courses and refresher courses on a regular basis.
17.7 Coaches will attend meetings called by the Head Coach as required.
17.8 Coaches will be responsible for organising team training sessions, communicating arrangements for forthcoming fixtures and ensuring that all players have transport home from training sessions and fixtures.
17.9 Should a coach wish to cancel a fixture, the matter should, in the first instance be discussed with the Youth Secretary. It is then the responsibility of the coach to inform the League Secretary, the appointed match officials and the opposition Secretary.
17.10 In addition to the above abide by the provisions of the Youth Section Rules (appendix VII).
18 Insurance
18.1 The Club will ensure that all insurance is maintained in accordance with B.A.R.L.A rules.
19 Presentation Evening
19.1 Each section shall organise an annual end of season presentation evening. In respect of the Youth section all playing members shall receive an award and in addition for age groups under 11 and above, special awards shall be given to members who have excelled on and off the field of play.

20 Code of Conduct
20.1 All members of the Club shall be of admirable and responsible character and shall agree to provide any references, or submit to any checks, deemed necessary by the General Committee in order to assess their suitability to become involved in the running of the Club.
20.2 Any information obtained under 20.1 will be in the strictest confidence and restricted to the relevant membership.
20.3 Any person who refuses to provide such references or submit to any checks or for any reason is deemed to be unsuitable in character shall be refused membership or expelled from the Club.
20.4 All members of the Club shall abide by the Club Code of Conduct (appendix III and IV).
21 Final Statements
21.1 It is required that Cottingham Tigers R.L.F.C implements the aforementioned policy in response to the local needs of children and young people, through effective consultation, co-operation and co- ordination.
21.2 The members of General Committee of the Club will comply with and carry out their duties in accordance with the aforementioned statements set down in this document.
22 Dissolution
22.1 A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.
22.2 In the event of dissolution, any assets of the club that remain will become the property of Cottingham Young Peoples Sports Foundation for distribution to other Rugby League clubs with similar objectives to those of Cottingham Tigers R.L.F.C.

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