Constitution

Index of Rules
Rule Heading Page

I NAME, OBJECTS AND POWERS
1. Name
2. Definitions
3. Objects
4. Powers of the Club

II MEMBERSHIP
5. Members
6. Share Capital

III GENERAL MEETINGS
7. General Meetings
8. Annual General Meetings
9. Special General Meetings
10. Rules

IV OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
11. Powers of the Committee
12. Committee Members' Interests
13. Officers
14. Committee
15. Vice-Presidents

V FINANCE
16. Club Finance
17. Subscriptions
18. Match Tickets
19. Auditors

VI STATUTORY PROCEDURES
20. Registered Office
21. Use of the Name of the Club
22. Seal
23. Register of Members
24. Inspection of Books
25. Annual Return
26. Publication of Accounts
27. Registration
28. Dissolution

VII GENERAL
29. Licensing
30. Continuity
31. Indemnity
32. Notices
33. Arbitration
34. Interpretation r
35. Schedule of Definitions

I NAME, OBJECTS AND POWERS
1. Name
The Society shall be called the "Leek Rugby Football Club" whose Registered Office is at St Edwards Park, Cheddleton, Leek, Staffs, ST13 7BJ

2. Definitions
Except where the context otherwise permits or requires, the words and expressions listed in the Schedule of Definitions set out in Rule 35 shall bear the meanings given to them therein.

3. Objects
The objects of the Club shall be:
3.1 To promote, encourage and foster the Game for the benefit of the Members including (but not limited to) the coaching thereof at all levels.
3.2 To promote, encourage and foster the Game at all levels in the area of the Ground and the surrounding areas.
3.3 To ensure that the Game is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game and is administered in accordance with the World Rugby Regulations and the Rules and Regulations of the Union and of Staffordshire RFU .
3.4 To undertake such matches and fixtures and other activities as the Committee may decide.
3.5 To maintain and develop the Ground at St Edwards Park, Cheddleton or such other location as the Committee may from time to time determine as the headquarters of the Club and as a venue for playing the game and conducting the other activities of the Club so as to provide the best possible facilities for Members and those visiting the Ground.
3.6 To strengthen the bonds between the Club and the local community in the areas surrounding the Club.

4. Powers of the Club
To further its objects the Club shall have the power to do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the objects of the Club including (but not limited to) all or any of the following:
4.1 Either directly or indirectly to employ, invest and deal with the assets and funds of the Club for the objects of the Club in such manner as shall be considered by the Committee to be expedient, and to do all such other acts and things and carry on all such other activities (including (but not limited to) leasing, subleasing, releasing, renting, acquiring, altering, erecting, holding, selling, improving, developing, repairing, hiring, lending with or without security or otherwise dealing with real and personal property of any kind) as shall be considered by the Committee to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of the Club or the advancement of its interests.
4.2 To raise or borrow money for the purposes of or in connection with the activities of the Club or any of them as the Committee thinks fit in accordance with the following provisions:
4.2.1 Any sum or sums raised or borrowed may be on mortgage, charge, bonds or debentures or all or any of the funds or property of the Club whether or not including any floating charge of the whole or part of the undertaking property and assets of the Club both present and future.
4.2.2 At the time of any borrowing the sum of the amount then remaining undischarged of monies borrowed and of the amount of the proposed borrowing shall not exceed 100,000 pounds or such sum as the Members in General Meeting may from time to time determine.
4.2.3 The rate of interest payable at the time the terms of borrowing are agreed on any money borrowed shall not exceed the rate of interest which in the opinion of the Committee represents the market rate of interest for borrowings of similar amount and on similar terms prevailing at that time except that in the case of a mortgage loan the Committee may delegate the determination of the interest rate within specified limits to an Officer, Committee Member or Sub-Committee.
4.2.4 The Committee may determine from time to time (subject to Rules 4.2.1, 4.2.2 and 4.2.3) the terms and conditions upon which money is raised or borrowed or security is issued and may vary such terms and conditions.
4.2.5 No person lending money to the Club shall be concerned to see or enquire whether either of the limits imposed by Rule 4.2.2 or Rule 4.2.3 is exceeded at the time of the borrowing or issue and if either or both of such limits were to be exceeded no borrowing incurred in excess of such limits shall be invalid unless such person had received express notice to this effect at the time of borrowing.
4.3 To give any security or securities whether by way of mortgage or otherwise for the performance of any contracts or any debts, liabilities or obligations of the Club or any of its subsidiaries or other persons or corporations in whose business or undertaking the Club is interested, or to whom or in respect of whom the Club has given any personal covenant, guarantee or indemnity, whether directly or indirectly, and collaterally or further to secure any obligation of whatever nature of the Club by a trust deed or other assurance.
4.4 To accept and grant sponsorship and franchises and make such arrangements in connection therewith as the Committee shall think fit.
4.5 To apply for and hold any licences, consents, certificates, permissions and approvals that may be required for or in connection with the activities of the Club and (among other things) to provide catering and such other facilities as the Committee shall consider desirable.
4.6 To invite, receive and make donations for or otherwise promote or assist in the development or continuance of facilities for, or the prestige of, the Game or any other sport or recreation.
4.7 To support (whether by direct subscription, the giving of guarantees or otherwise) any charitable, benevolent or educational fund, institution or organisation, or any event or purpose of a public or general nature, the support of which will or may, in the opinion of the Committee, directly or indirectly benefit, or is calculated so to benefit, the Club or its activities or its employees, ex-employees, players, former players or their dependants.
4.8 To promote, arrange and organise competitions and entertainments in connection with the Game and any other sport or recreation.
4.9 To engage such officials and employees upon such terms and at such remuneration as the Committee may deem appropriate, and to dismiss or retire any of them as may be necessary.
4.10 To provide pensions, insurances and other benefits to employees or ex-employees of the Club or the dependants and relatives of any such persons and to establish and maintain or concur in establishing and maintaining trusts, funds, schemes or other arrangements (whether contributory or non-contributory) with a view to providing such benefits including (but not limited to) retirement benefits and/or life assurance schemes using employment /HMRC law at the time.
4.11 To maintain bank accounts in credit or overdrawn on such terms as the Committee shall think fit including the giving of guarantees and indemnities in respect of direct debits and other money transmission or collection systems whether pursuant to Rule 16.5 or otherwise.
4.12 To pass such resolutions, regulations and instructions which shall be binding on all Members as are considered necessary for the better management, organisation, administration and regulation of the Club.
4.13 To settle, conduct, enforce or resist either in a court of law or by arbitration any suit, debt, liability or claim by or against the Club.

II MEMBERSHIP

5. Members
5.1 The Members of the Club shall be the persons whose names are for the time being entered in the Register of Members via Game Management System [ GMS] or any other system suitable.
5.2 The Committee may (subject to the provisions of Rule 6) offer such categories of membership of the Club with such qualifications, application procedures and conditions, duties and privileges, subscriptions and in such numbers as it may from time to time decide but always on the basis that every Member shall have one vote. Details of categories, qualifications, application procedures and conditions, duties and benefits of membership in force from time to time shall be kept by the membership Secretaries and shall be available for inspection by Members at all reasonable times through different forums.
5.3 Details of any entrance fee and the subscription payable by each category of membership as determined under Rule 17 shall be kept as in Rule 5.2 by the Secretary.
5.4 The Committee shall have the power to admit to membership any person in accordance with the application procedures and conditions for the time being applicable under Rule 5.2. There shall be no obligation to state any reason for the rejection of an application.
5.5 The Committee may elect (subject to confirmation at the next following Annual General Meeting of the Club) as an Honorary Member of the Club any person, whether an existing Member or not, whose membership whether for services to the Club, to the Game or for any other reason the Committee considers to be especially desirable in the interests of the Club. An Honorary Member shall be a Member with all the rights duties and privileges of membership of the Club but without any obligation to pay any entrance fee or subscription. Each year prior to the AGM present honorary members can nominate new life members to the club committee for comm discussion and election and subject to approval at the AGM .The Committee shall have power to terminate the honorary membership of any person at any time if it considers such action to be in the interests of the Club so to do.
5.6 No person may be accepted as a candidate for membership under the age of sixteen years and the purported admission of a person under the age of sixteen shall be void.
5.7 The Committee shall have power to create a class of persons called juniors or with such other title as the Committee may decide using as criteria age or otherwise as it shall think fit. Such persons shall not be Members within these Rules and they shall have such
Rights, privileges and obligations as the Committee shall decide [see membership benefits and 5.16]. Any person recognised in this class shall cease to be entitled to such recognition on attaining the age of eighteen years.
5.8 It shall be the duty of every Member to advise the membership Secretary promptly of each change of address/email address and update GMS. All notices and communication sent to a Member at the address registered in the Register of Members, GMS or other system (which shall be conclusive proof thereof) shall be deemed to have been properly delivered pursuant to Rule 32.
5.9 A Member may resign from the Club at any time by giving to the membership Secretary written notice of the intention so to do provided that the Member shall remain liable for all monies then due and owing to the Club.
5.10 The President or Secretary or any person appointed by either of them shall have the power to order the withdrawal from the Ground of any Member who is in breach of any of these Rules, any Regulation or any Rule or Regulation of the Union which is applicable to the Ground or its use by Members or who otherwise is, in the opinion of the President or Secretary or their appointee or appointees, guilty of misconduct.
5.11 The Committee shall have power to terminate or suspend for such period as it thinks fit the membership of or to reprimand a Member for any infringement of these Rules, any Regulations, the Rules or Regulations of the Union, the Laws of the Game or the World Rugby Regulations or for any conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Club or the Game. The procedure for the exercise of this power shall be prescribed by the Committee and the RFU discipline procedure and details thereof shall be kept by the Secretary and relevant discipline committee and be available for inspection by Members at all reasonable times.
5.12 A Member shall cease to be a Member:
5.12.1 On resignation.
5.12.2 On termination of membership by the Committee.
5.12.3 On death.
5.12.4 failing to pay relevant membership agreed at the AGM unless otherwise agreed by the committee
5.12.5 The use Employment law to be considered for employees
5.13 Each person who is in membership with the Club at the date these Rules take effect pursuant to Rule 27 shall be admitted to membership in accordance with Rule 5.4 and any person in membership at that date under the age of sixteen years shall be granted the status of a junior in accordance with Rule 5.7.
5.14 Upon a claim being made by the personal representative of a deceased Member; or the trustee in bankruptcy of a Member who is bankrupt the Club shall transfer or pay such property to which the
personal representative or trustee in bankruptcy has become entitled or as the personal representative or trustee in bankruptcy may direct them
5.15 Membership of Leek Rugby Union Football Club shall be open to all, irrespective of age, colour, creed, gender, disability or sexual orientation, and will comply with the current ‘Equal Opportunities’ legislation, all subsequent amendments and any other current relevant legislation.
5.16 Membership Categories
1. Senior Playing
2. Concessional Senior Playing
3. Non-Playing
4. Vice Presidents,
5. Honorary Member/Life Member,
6. Student (over 18)
All above will get one vote
7. Family junior/Colts/girls membership will have one vote per family.
8. Social member -no voting rights.
Membership categories will be reviewed yearly and amended via the AGM where required. Membership/match fees costs and benefits/method of payment will be communicated each year to all members. Membership will commence from 1st September each year and if not paid /plan agreed by 14th October then relevant discussions will be had with membership secretaries and senior playing chair/DOR based on agreed committee decisions as we seek to achieve a suitable conclusion for the club and member.
The mini and juniors committee have the right to propose annual fees and benefits for approval by senior committee for the AGM proposal and agreement.

6. Share Capital
6.1 The capital of the Cub shall consist of shares of the value of five pence each.
6.2 Every Member of whatever category shall hold one share and no more in the capital of the Club. No person who is not a Member shall be issued with a share.
6.3 Each Member of the Club at the date these Rules takes effect pursuant to Rule 27 (other than those under the age of sixteen years) shall be allotted one share and five pence of the subscription then next paid by each Member shall be applied in paying up the same in full.
6.4 Any Member admitted to membership after the date on which these Rules take effect shall be allotted one share on admission and five pence of the first subscription paid by such Member shall be applied in paying up the same in full.
6.5 In the case of a share allotted to an Honorary Member either upon these Rules taking effect or upon admission to membership thereafter pursuant to Rule 5.5 such share shall be credited as fully paid by way of a capitalisation of any profits of the reserves of the Club and the Committee shall have power to take all steps necessary to give effect to this Rule.
6.6 No share shall be held jointly, be withdrawable or be transferable by any Member and no interest, dividend or bonus shall be payable on any share. Any Member transferring or attempting to transfer a share or any interest therein or any rights associated therewith shall, if the Committee so decides, be deemed to have resigned from the Club as from the date of such transfer or attempted transfer.
6.7 The share of a Member shall be forfeited to the Club when that Member for whatever reason ceases to be a Member and any amount then due to the Member in respect of such share shall thereupon become the property of the Club.
6.8 The Club shall not be required to issue a certificate to any Member in respect of the share allotted to that Member.

III GENERAL MEETINGS

PROXY VOTE
A paid member entitled to attend and vote at a general meeting [AGM/SGM] may appoint another person, who may but need not be a Member, as their proxy to attend and vote on their behalf. A proxy shall be appointed by delivering an appointment in Writing to the registered office of the club or sent via an electronic system/post to the Hon Secretary and stated in the meeting notice at least two days before the date of the meeting at which the proxy is authorised to vote. It must be signed or approved and sent by the Member. Any proxy form delivered late shall be invalid. Any question as to the validity of a proxy shall be determined by the chairperson of the meeting whose decision shall be.

7. General Meetings
7.1 All General Meetings shall be held at the Ground or elsewhere as the Committee may determine and any such meeting other than an Annual General Meeting shall be called a Special General Meeting.
7.2 The Chairman of all such meetings shall be the President of the Club or if unavailable the Immediate Past President or if unavailable a Member of the Committee appointed at the Meeting concerned to take the Chair for that Meeting.
7.3 Every Member shall be entitled to attend and (other than those under the age of sixteen years) vote at any General Meeting. The procedure for the casting of votes shall be determined by the Chairman of the Meeting.
7.4 The quorum at any General Meeting shall be 20 Members.
7.5 If within thirty minutes after the time appointed for a General Meeting a quorum is not present, the Meeting, if convened on the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved, and in every other case it will stand adjourned to such other day and at such time and place, or be dissolved, as the Committee shall determine.
7.6 All resolutions shall be decided by a majority of votes recorded except where:
7.6.1 These Rules provide for a special resolution which shall require a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes recorded, or
7.6.2 A resolution is put to an Annual General Meeting as contemplated by Rule 8.1.8(b) in which case the provisions of the Act as to voting shall apply.
7.7 A declaration by the Chairman of a General meeting to the effect that a particular resolution has been passed or not or passed by a particular majority or not shall (subject to the Act) be final and binding on all Members.
7.8 A General Meeting shall not be invalidated by reason only of any Member accidentally failing to receive a notice thereof or any accompanying document relating thereto.
7.9 The procedure for conduct of General Meetings shall be prescribed by the Committee and details thereof shall be kept by the Secretary and be available for inspection by Members at all reasonable times.

8. Annual General Meetings
8.1 Between June and August every year a General Meeting shall be held (unless a National Crisis) (to be known as the Annual General Meeting) for the transaction of the following business:
8.1.1 To consider and approve (with or without amendment) the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting.
8.1.2 To receive and approve a report from the Committee on the affairs of the Club since the previous Annual General Meeting.
8.1.3 To receive and approve a Financial Statement for the preceding financial year and where necessary in law or where the Members require the Auditors' report thereon.
8.1.4 To propose and elect the Officers for the ensuing year
8.1.5 To approve Vice Presidents, previously accepted by the committee.
8.1.6 To confirm any elections of Honorary Members made by the Committee during the preceding year.
8.1.7 To propose and elect Members of the Committee for the ensuing year including identified RFU Golden Roles
8.1.8 To propose and elect captains and vice captains for the senior sides
8.1.8 Where necessary in law or where the Members require:
(a) To appoint the Auditors for the ensuing year, or
(b) To consider a resolution disapplying the provisions of the Act relating to the obligation to appoint Auditors.
8.1.9 To consider as a special resolution any addition or alteration to these rules duly proposed in accordance with Rule 8.5.
8.1.10 To consider any other motion or business duly proposed in accordance with Rule 8.5.
8.1.11 To consider any other business of which due notice shall have been given in writing 7 days in advance.
8.1.12 To hear any other relevant matter for the consideration of the Committee during the ensuing year, but on which no voting shall be allowed.
8.2 Notice of every Annual General Meeting stating the date, time and venue of such Meeting shall be sent to all Members and posted via club communication channels, so as to be received not less than 14 days prior to the date of the Meeting with the agenda of the business to be considered there at and with a copy of the Club's Financial Statement for the preceding financial year.
8.3 The election of the Officers shall be subject to the following provisions:
8.3.1 Any Member shall have the right to make nominations, with the written consent of a candidate, for election to any one or more of the offices named in or created under the provisions of Rule 13.1. Such nominations must be sent in writing to reach the Secretary 21 days prior to the AGM. The Committee shall also have the right to make nominations for the election of Officers.
8.3.2 The election of each Officer shall be decided by a majority of votes recorded.
8.3.3 In the event of an equal number of votes being cast for two or more candidates for any office a further election for that office shall immediately be held between those candidates for whom the votes cast are equal in number. If there shall still be equality of votes the members of the retiring Committee present at the time shall decide who shall from those candidates receiving an equal number of votes in the second election be the holder of the office concerned for the ensuing year.
8.4 The election of Committee Members shall be subject to the following provisions:
8.4.1 Any Member shall have the right to make not more than one nomination, with the written consent of the candidate, for election as one of the Committee Members provided for in Rule 14.1.2. Such nominations must be sent in writing so as to reach the Secretary 21 days prior to the AGM. The Committee shall also have the right to make nominations for the election of Committee Members without restriction on the number of nominations.
8.4.2 The election of Committee Members shall be decided by a majority of votes recorded.
8.4.3 In the event of an equal number of votes being cast for two or more candidates for the last seat or seats on the Committee a further election shall immediately be held for the last seat or seats between those candidates for whom the votes cast for such seat or seats are equal in number. If there
shall still be equality of votes the members of the retiring Committee present at the time shall decide who shall from those candidates receiving an equal number of votes in the second election be the holders of the last seat or seats on the Committee for the ensuing year.
8.5 Proposals for additions or alterations to the Rules or for any other motion to be submitted to an Annual General Meeting shall be subject to the following provisions:
8.5.1 Any proposal shall be submitted in writing to the Hon Secretary 21 days prior to duly propose by one Member and seconded by another.
8.5.2 Copies of all such proposals and copies of all proposals put forward by the Committee shall be sent to all Members with the notice of the Annual General Meeting.
8.5.3 Amendments to any proposal notified to Members under Rule 8.5.2 shall be sent in writing so as to reach the Secretary duly proposed and seconded not less than twenty-four hours before the time for which the Annual General Meeting is convened.
8.5.4 Amendments duly received in accordance with Rule 8.5.3 shall be added to the agenda by the Chairman of the Annual General Meeting.
8.5.5- Any nominated committee/golden role must be a paid-up member unless dispensation agreed by the committee and achieve the fit and proper test as per the HMRC guidelines

9. Special General Meetings
9.1 The Committee may convene at any time a Special General Meeting by giving to all Members 14 days clear written notice thereof stating the date, time and venue thereof and the resolution or resolutions to be moved or other business to be transacted thereat.
9.1.1 Amendments to any resolution proposed by the Committee shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary duly proposed and seconded by Members in the same manner as is prescribed by Rule 8.5.3 for an Annual General Meeting.
9.1.2 Amendments duly received in accordance with Rule 9.1.1 shall be added to the agenda by the Chairman of the Special General Meeting.
9.2 The Committee shall also convene a Special General Meeting on receipt by the Secretary of a written requisition so to do, duly signed by not less than 20 Members. Each requisition must clearly state the specific resolution to be moved.
9.2.1 Two clear weeks' notice of such a Meeting stating the date, time and venue thereof and the specific resolution to be moved thereat shall be sent to all Members by the Secretary within fourteen days of the receipt of the requisition.
9.2.2 Amendments to such a resolution shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary duly proposed and seconded by Members in the same manner as is prescribed by Rule 8.5.3.
9.2.3 Amendments duly received in accordance with Rule 9.2.2 shall be added to the agenda by the Chairman of the Special General Meeting.
NOTE – any club meeting is ideally aimed to be attended in person at the clubhouse or other location, however consideration needs to be given to the use of modern technology and the ability for such technology to allow for the relevant committees process to be carried out

10. Rules
10.1 No new Rule shall be made, nor shall any Rule be amended or rescinded, except by a special resolution passed at an Annual General Meeting in accordance with Rule 8.5 or at a Special General meeting convened by the Committee in accordance with Rule 9.1.
10.2 The Secretary shall register in accordance with the Act any new Rule or amendment to these Rules and no new Rule or amendment to the Rules shall be valid until so registered.
10.3 A copy of the Rules shall be delivered by the Secretary to any person on demand on payment of such sum (not exceeding ten pence) as may from time to time be determined by the Committee.

IV OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

11. Powers of the Committee
The affairs of the Club shall be administered by the Committee which shall exercise all powers of the Club expressed in Rule 4 and without limiting the generality thereof:
11.1 The Committee shall have power to appoint such Sub-Committees as are considered necessary to deal with the affairs of the Club such as playing, social committee etc .
11.1.1 The Committee shall determine the composition, powers and terms of reference of each Sub-Committee.
11.1.2 The Chairman of any Sub-Committee shall have a second or casting vote, and the quorum necessary for the transaction of business by a Sub-Committee shall be one-third of its appointed members or as the Committee may determine.
11.1.3 A Sub-Committee may exercise the power of co-option subject to the provisions of Rule 11.2.
11.2 The Committee shall have power to co-opt additional members to serve on it provided that the number of such co-opted members shall not exceed twenty-five per cent of the number of members elected to hold office on the Committee (the Officers for the purposes of this computation being deemed to be elected members) and to approve the co-option of additional members to serve on any Sub-Committee, in both cases either for general or special service and with or without voting rights.
11.3 The Committee shall not exercise its powers in any way or for any purpose inconsistent with the objects of the Club.
11.4 The procedure for the conduct of meetings of the Committee shall be prescribed by the Committee and details thereof shall be kept by the Secretary and be available for inspection by Members at all reasonable times.
11.5 References in these Rules to any acts or activities or opinion (including, without limitation, decisions, directions, requests, exercises of discretion and the giving of consent) of the Committee shall mean such acts or activities or opinions as shall have been sanctioned or effected or (as the case may be) expressed by (a) a resolution of the Committee or (b) a resolution of the relevant Sub-Committee where the power to act or authority being exercised has been delegated by the Committee to a Sub-Committee or (c) the relevant Officer where that power or authority has been delegated by the Committee to an Officer.

12. Committee Members' Interests
12.1 Any Committee Member who is in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with the Club shall declare the nature and extent of his interest at the first meeting of the Committee held after he became so interested.
12.2 Notwithstanding Rule 12.1, a general notice given to the Committee that a Committee Member is to be regarded as having an interest of the nature and extent specified in the notice in any transaction or arrangement in which a specified person or class of persons is interested shall be deemed to be a disclosure that the Committee Member has an interest in any such transaction of the nature and extent so specified.
12.3 Provided that he has disclosed in accordance with this rule any material interest of his, a Committee Member:
12.3.1 may be party to, or otherwise interested in, any transaction or arrangement with the Club or in which the Club is otherwise interested;
12.3.2 may be a director or other office of, or employed by, or party to any transaction or arrangement with, or otherwise interested in, anybody corporate promoted by the Club or in which the Club is otherwise interested; and
12.3.3 shall not, by reason of his office, be accountable to the Club for any benefit which he derives from any such office or employment or from any such transaction or arrangement or from any interest in any such body corporate and no such transaction or arrangement shall be liable to be avoided on the ground of any such interest or benefit.

13. Officers
13.1 The Officers of the Club shall be a President, Chairperson , Vice Chair , Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer, Hon fixture secretary , Senior Players representative , Junior chair ,the Immediate Past President and such other Officers as the Club may in General Meeting from time to time determine such as other RFU golden roles ie clubhouse/bar lead, facilities manager
13.2 The Officers of the Club shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting in accordance with Rule 8.
13.3 Each Officer on election at an Annual General Meeting shall hold office from the end of that Meeting until the end of the next Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election from year to year. All committee/Golden roles are available to all members to consider with the relevant proposal process at each yearly AGM .
13.4 If any such offices fall vacant between one Annual General Meeting and the next such vacancy shall be filled by the Committee for the period of the vacancy.
13.5 The President role will be for a maximum of 3 years with the President developing the future persons for selection/election based at the AGM process.

14. Committee
14.1 The Committee shall consist of:
14.1.1 The Officers.
14.1.2 Seven members (or such other number not exceeding twenty as may be determined from time to time by the Club in General Meeting) duly elected in accordance with Rule 8.4. A Member of the Committee shall hold office from the end of the Annual General Meeting, at which he is elected until the end of the following Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election from year to year.
14.2 The Committee shall each year elect its own Chairman for the ensuing year to hold office from the date of the Annual General Meeting until the date of the following year's Meeting. He may hold any other office in the Club at the same time and shall be eligible for re-election from year to year.
14.3 The quorum of the meeting of the Committee shall be seven (or such other number as may be determined from time to time by the Club in General Meeting) and the Member elected to take the Chair shall be entitled to exercise a second or casting vote.
14.4 If a vacancy shall occur for an elected Member of the Committee between one Annual General Meeting and the next such vacancy shall be filled by the Committee.
14.5 If a Member of the Committee shall commit an offence under Rule 5.11 or shall be adjudged bankrupt or if a court order is made appointing a receiver to administer such Member's property such Member shall thereupon cease to be a Member of the Committee.
14.6 Committee Members shall receive no remuneration for serving on the Committee other than the payment of authorised expenses for carrying out their duties.
14.7 The Club Management Committee Meetings shall be called by the Hon Secretary and held each month with relevant records retained
15. Vice-Presidents
The Committee may each year nominate for election at the Annual General Meeting as Vice-Presidents of the Club such Member or Members as they consider should receive special recognition for services to the Club. Any Member so elected shall remain a Vice-President until ceasing to be a Member. The position of Vice-President shall not carry any obligations and in particular a Vice-President shall not be an Officer or a Member of the Committee unless separately elected as such.

V FINANCE

16. Club Finance
16.1 The Club's income shall be obtained annually from the subscriptions of Members, from investments and securities, from gate monies and ticket receipts from matches arranged by the Club at the Ground, from the letting of the Ground, from sponsorship and from any other available source.
16.2 The profits of the Club shall be applied only in furthering the objects of the Club.
16.3 The Club shall not have power to receive money on deposit from Members or others.
16.4 A Financial Statement of the Club's affairs shall be made up to 30 April in each year (or such other date as may be determined from time to time by the Club in General Meeting) and shall be signed by the Treasurer, the Secretary and one Member of the Committee. An audit, where necessary in law or where the membership require, shall be carried out by a qualified auditor or, where the conditions applicable for appointing lay auditors apply, by 2 or more lay auditors, and a printed copy of the signed Financial Statement, together with the Auditors' report thereon, shall be sent to each Member with the notice calling an Annual General Meeting. This can be adapted by the changes in relevant FCA law.
16.5 The Club may participate in a direct debiting scheme as an originator for the purpose of collecting subscriptions for any category of membership and/or any other amounts due to the Club. In furtherance of such a scheme the Club may enter into an indemnity required by the bank upon whom direct debits are to be originated and such indemnity may be executed on behalf of the Club by the Secretary or as otherwise determined pursuant to these Rules.

17. Subscriptions
Each Member shall, according to membership category, pay to the Club on 1 September (or such other date as may be determined by the Club in the AGM) such annual subscription as the Committee may from time to time determine.

18. Match Tickets
18.1 Tickets to the Ground for matches arranged by the Club shall be under the control of the Committee and shall be sold at prices fixed by the Committee (without any provision for repurchase by the Club) to Members or as the Committee may direct, and the Committee shall allocate such tickets on an equitable basis.
18.2 Tickets to the Ground for representative and other matches for which the Ground is let shall be under the joint control of the Committee and the organisers of the match concerned.
18.3 The Committee shall have power to issue such season and other tickets, on such terms, with such privileges and to such persons as it may from time to time determine.

19. Auditors
19.1 The provisions of the Act relating to the appointment, powers, rights, remuneration, responsibilities and duties of the Auditors shall be complied with.
19.2 The Auditors where appointed shall be entitled to attend any General Meeting and to receive all notices of and other communications relating thereto which any Member is entitled to receive, and to be heard at any General Meeting on any part of the business which concerns them as auditors.

VI STATUTORY PROCEDURES

20. Registered Office
20.1 The registered office of the Club shall be at the Ground or at such other location in England as the Committee may from time to time otherwise determine.
20.2 Notice of any change in the situation of the registered office shall be given by the Secretary to the FCA within fourteen days after the change.

21. Use of the Name of the Club
21.1 The name shall be kept painted or affixed in a conspicuous position and in letters which are easily legible on the outside of every office or place in which the activities of the Club are carried on.
21.2 The name shall be stated in legible characters in all business letters of the Club, in all notices, advertisements and other official publications of the Club, in all bills of exchange, promissory notes, endorsements, cheques and orders for money or goods purporting to be signed by or on behalf of the Club and in all bills, invoices, receipts and letters of credit of the Club.
21.3 Save with the authority of the Committee, the name of the Club shall not at any time be used by any Member in any document or advertisement issued or published by, or on behalf of or with the authority of that Member in such a way as to indicate or imply that such document or advertisement was issued or published by or on behalf of the Club or the Committee.

22. Seal
The Club shall have its name engraved in legible characters on a seal which shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary and shall be used only under the authority of the Committee which may determine who shall countersign any instrument to which the seal is affixed and unless otherwise so determined it shall be countersigned by any two of the Officers.

23. Register of Members
23.1 The Club shall keep at its registered office a Register of Members and Officers via GMS or other system in which the Secretary shall enter the following particulars:
23.1.1 The name and postal address of each Member and, where a Member has notified to the Club an electronic address for the purpose of receiving notices or documents, that electronic address and the purposes for which it has been notified.
23.1.2 A statement of the share held by each Member and the amount paid therefore.
23.1.3 A statement of other property, if any, in the Club held by each Member whether in loans or otherwise.
23.1.4 The date on which each Member was entered into in the Register as a Member and the date on which a Member ceased to be a Member.
23.1.5 The names and addresses of the Officers of the Club with the offices held by them respectively and the date on which they assumed and left office.
23.2 The Register of Members and Officers shall be so constructed that it is possible to open to inspection the particulars entered pursuant to Rules 23.1.1, 23.1.4 and 23.1.5 without also opening to inspection the other particulars entered in the Register.
ALL above to compliant with relevant data protection rules

24. Inspection of Books
All Members and persons having an interest in the funds of the Club shall be allowed to inspect their own accounts and the particulars entered in the Register of Members and Officers other than those entered under Rules 23.1.2 and 23.1.3 at all reasonable hours at the registered office of the Club subject to such regulations as to the time and manner of such inspection as may be made from time to time by a resolution passed at a General Meeting.

25. Annual Return
25.1 Every year not later than the date provided by the Act or where the return is made up to the date allowed by the FCA not later than seven months after such date the Secretary /Treasurer shall send to
the FCA the annual return in the form prescribed by the FCA relating to the affairs of the Club for the period required by the Act to be included in the return together with a copy of the Financial Statement of the Club with the report of the Auditors where applicable thereon for the period included in the return and a copy of each balance sheet made during that period and the Report of the Auditors where applicable on that balance sheet.
25.2 A copy of the latest annual return shall be supplied free of charge on demand to every Member or other person interested in the funds of the Club. This requirement shall be satisfied by the publication of the annual return on a website provided that:
25.2.1 the Club and the Member have agreed that the Club may make the annual return available to the Member on a website;
25.2.2 the Club notifies the Member of the publication of the annual return on a website, the address of the website, the place on the website where the annual return may be accessed and how it may be accessed; and
25.2.3 the return is available on that website from the date of notification (or, if later, the date on which the return first appears on the website) to the date when the annual return ceases to be the latest annual return for the Club.

26. Publication of Accounts
The Club shall keep a copy of the last balance sheet for the time being together with the Report made by the Auditors where applicable thereon always hung up in a conspicuous place at its registered office

27. Registration
These Rules shall take effect on and from the date of their registration pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Act.

28. Dissolution
In the event of it becoming necessary for the Members to discontinue the activities of the Club and to dissolve the Club under the provisions of the Act, its funds and property shall be appropriated or divided amongst the Members in such manner as the Committee consider to be fair and reasonable.

VII GENERAL

29. Licensing
29.1 Save for those persons who are admitted to membership under Rule 5.13 no person may be admitted to membership without an interval of at least two days between the dates of nomination and admission. 29.2 Subject to such restrictions as may be imposed from time to time by the Committee in any Regulations:
29.2.1 the Ground shall be open during such hours as the Committee may decide and intoxicating liquor shall be supplied during such hours as may be fixed by the Committee and contained in the operating schedule set out in the Club's Premises Licence as required by law, but the Committee shall have power to close the Ground or any part thereof and/or to reduce the hours of supply of intoxicating liquor from time to time on affixing notice thereof on the Club's notice board.
29.2.2 Members may introduce and entertain guests at the Ground.
29.2.3 provision is hereby made for the admission to any premises on the Ground in respect of which the Club is registered under the Licensing Act 2003 (or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof) of persons other than Members or their guests and for the sale of intoxicating liquor to them by or on behalf of the Club for consumption on such premises.

30. Continuity
For the avoidance of doubt every Member of the Club who at the date these Rules take effect pursuant to Rule 27 holds office or position in any capacity in the Club (including the position of Vice-
Presidents) shall continue to hold the same office or position following registration. Such Members shall have the same seniority, dates of appointment, dates of retirement and the like after registration as before registration, subject only to such changes as are necessary by virtue of these Rules. The Trustees under the former Rules of the Club shall, until they have fully discharged their duties, remain as Trustees upon those of the former Rules which relate to Trustees, varied only insofar as these Rules necessarily require.

31. Indemnity
Each Officer (including under the former Rules of the Club the Trustees) and employee from time to time of the Club and each person who was or is from time to time a Member of the Committee or any Sub-Committee shall (to the extent that such person is not entitled to recover under any policy of insurance) being entitled to be indemnified out of any and all funds available to the Club, which may lawfully be so applied, against all costs, liens, charges, expenses and liabilities whatsoever incurred by such person in the execution and discharge of duties undertaken on behalf of the Club or in relation thereto, or incurred in good faith in the purported discharge of such duties, including any liability incurred in initiating, prosecuting or defending any proceedings, civil or criminal, which relate to anything done or omitted as an Officer or employee or as a Member of the Committee or any Sub-Committee as the case may be.

32. Notices
32.1 A notice may be served by the Club upon any Member, either personally or by sending it by post or email address to such Member at his or her registered address as appearing in the Register of Members[ GMS] . A notice may also be served by the Club upon any Member by electronic communication in accordance with Rules 32.2 and 32.3.
32.2 Any Member who notifies the Club of an address to which the Club may send electronic communications shall be treated as having agreed to receive notice and other documents from the Club by electronic communication.
32.3 If a Member notifies the Club of his email address the club may send the Member the notice or other documents by publishing the notice or other document on a website and notifying the Member by email that the notice or other document has been published on the website.
32.4 Any notice, whether sent by post or electronic communication shall be deemed to have been served on the day following that on which the letter or other communication containing the same is put into the post, sent, or otherwise despatched.

33. Arbitration
Every dispute of the type defined as a "relevant dispute" in Section 137(2) of the Act or any amendment, modification or re-enactment thereof (not being one in respect of which the decision falls to be made in some other way under these Rules) shall be referred to the arbitration of a single arbitrator (pursuant to the Arbitration Act for the time being in force) to be appointed in default of agreement between the parties to the dispute by the President (or failing whom one of the other Officers) for the time being of the Union.

34. Interpretation
Subject to the provisions of the Act any difference of opinion as to the interpretation of these Rules or on any matter not provided for therein shall be decided by the Chairman of a General Meeting at such Meeting or by the Committee in every other circumstance, and every such decision shall be recorded in the minutes and shall be accepted as the true meaning until thereafter otherwise interpreted on due notice at a subsequent General Meeting.

35. Schedule of Definitions
"the Act "
means the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and any subsequent Acts governing or otherwise affecting co-operative societies.
"Auditors "
means the auditors of the Club for the time being.
"Club "
means Leek Rugby Football Club Limited.
"Committee "
means the committee designated in Rule 14 and "Committee Member " or "Member of the Committee " means a member of the Committee for the time being and shall include a person co-opted under Rule 11.2.
"Financial Statement "
means a Balance Sheet together with a Statement of Accounts showing Income and Expenditure.
"FCA"
means the Financial Conduct Authority or its statutory successor carrying on its relevant functions.
"Game "
means the game of Rugby Union Football.
"General Meeting "
means a general meeting of Members.
"Ground "
means the ground including stands, clubhouse and other buildings built thereon maintained and developed under the provisions of Rule 3.5.
President: Date…………………………………
Club Chairperson: Date…………………………………
Hon Sec: Date…………………………………
Hon Treasurer: Date…………………………………