Constitution of Hawick Rugby Football Club
1 NAME
The Club will be called “The Hawick Rugby Football Club”. The Registered Address will be Mansfield Park, Hawick. The second team of the clubs shall be entitled, at the discretion of the management committee, to use any name directly derived from the name of the club.
2 OBJECTS
The objects of the Club will be to facilitate the practice and play of Rugby Football, for the development of players at all levels and for all sections of the community, either directly or through other organisations.
3 AFFILIATION
The Club may also join with other Clubs to form an association, or hold shares in a limited company, where that association or limited company has been formed
i. with the objective of representing and promoting the joint views of its participating Clubs or members in the management development and marketing of Rugby Union Football, and
ii. to develop the business of Rugby Football on behalf of the Club, and where the Committee of the Club is of the view that joining such an association or limited company is in the best interests of the Club, its players and its members.
4 MEMBERSHIP
i. Membership is open to all and no application for membership will be refused on other than reasonable grounds. There will be no discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, political or other opinion.
ii. Candidates for membership should complete the appropriate application form and their election, subject to payment of the relevant subscription, will be by the Management Committee, or any Sub Committee/Group the Management Committee delegate authority to, who will have the power to reject any application but not on any of the grounds set forth in Clause 4(i) hereof. The Club will maintain an up-to-date register of members. Membership will be in the following classes.
a. Life Members. Life Membership will be accorded on the decision of the Management Committee to persons who have rendered outstanding service to the Club.
b. Honorary Vice-Presidents and Honorary Life Vice-Presidents – Any member can apply to become an Honorary Vice President upon payment of the appropriate sum. In addition Honorary Life Vice-Presidentship will be accorded on the decision of the Management Committee to persons who have rendered service to the Club that the Management Committee feels deserving of such an award.
c. Ordinary Members. Ordinary membership will be open to the following groups: Members, Playing Members and Senior Members. Senior Membership is restricted to persons who qualify by age for the state pension.
d. Temporary memberships. Guest players, players and officials of clubs/ teams invited to play Rugby Football at Mansfield Park, Hawick and their members, will be awarded temporary membership restricted to the period of their visit. This facility will also be granted to members (players and officials) of Hawick Harlequins, Linden, Trades and Youth Rugby Football Clubs on the production of their membership card. Temporary memberships to also be granted to guest players, players and officials of clubs/teams invited to play Rugby Football at Mansfield Haugh and Volunteer Park.
iii. Any member found guilty of gross conduct will be expelled by a majority at a Management Committee Meeting called for that purpose, of which the member will get special notice. Before a vote is taken, the member will be at liberty to give any explanation he/she may desire.
5 SUBSCRIPTIONS
i. The Annual Subscriptions will be due on or before 1st September in each year, or immediately after election and any member who has not paid his/her subscription by 1st November that year, provided that member has received written warning from the Club, may at the discretion of the Management Committee, cease to be a member of the Club and forfeit all rights to an claims from the Club and its assets.
ii. Annual Subscriptions may be altered form time to time at the discretion of the Management Committee.
iii. Subscriptions will cover admission to the Ground or Stand and social premises, with the following exceptions:
*Representative matches, play-off matches, Seven-a-Side sports, National Cup second team league and second cup and any other games as designated by the Management Committee.
Clauses 5(iv) and 5(v) deleted
6 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AND OFFICIALS
i. These will be elected as after mentioned by ballot by the general body of members at the Annual General Meeting.
ii. The affairs of the Club will be in the hands of a Management Committee consisting of:
a. President, Vice-President (the Vice-President to succeed the President each appointed for a two year term) and the immediate Past President (for a minimum of one year, maximum of two years).
b. Secretary, Treasurer, Fixture Secretary and Director of Rugby Development, each appointed for a two year term but on the expiry of said term each office bearer herein referred to shall be eligible for re-election. Nominations for these positions by the outgoing Management Committee will be published on the notice calling the Annual General Meeting and it will be open to the membership of the Club to make other nominations of persons for appointment to these specific position, properly nominated and seconded in writing to the club secretary at least three days before the meeting.
c. Up to thirteen other Committee Members who shall be elected each for a term of two years, but on the expiry of each Member’s term of office they shall be entitled to stand for re-election. All 13 members may stand for re-election if they so wish.
iii. At the Management Committee meetings, seven will form a quorum, and the President or, in his absence, the Vice-President, will act as Chairman.
iv. The Management Committee will hold regular meetings, and will have full powers to fill, by co-option, any vacancies which may occur in the Management Committee during the year. Such vacancies must be proposed and seconded by members of the Committee and the person appointed must have given their agreement beforehand and must be a member of the Club.
v. The Management Committee will have the power to compel members to show their cards before admission can be obtained to general meetings.
vi. Any decision of the Management Committee or general meeting can only be reversed by a majority of two-thirds of the members present at the meeting called for that purpose.
vii. Any payments, which may be made to players, coaches or officials, must be authorised by the Management Committee. No ordinary member of the Management Committee shall receive any remuneration for their services to the Club, unless such remuneration has been approved by the said Committee.
viii. The Management Committee shall have the authority to appoint and Sub Committee/Group they feel necessary for the efficient day to day running of Hawick RFC. Membership and Voting Rights of these Committees/Groups shall only be open to office holders of Hawick RFC. Meetings of these Committees/Groups are to be open to any members of the Management Committee and Rugby Group who wish to attend any meeting. Meetings of these Committees/Groups shall be at least quarterly but more can be held if needed for the smooth running of the Club. Minutes of these meetings to presented for overview at the next Management Committee meeting.
7 GENERAL MEETINGS
i. The Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held on a date within the first two weeks of July in each year.
ii. The President will submit a report on the activities of the Club during the previous year the Club’s financial year will be from 1st June – 31st May and the correct accounts and books will be kept showing the financial affairs and intromissions of the Club. A financial report and financial statements for the previous year having been examined by reporting accountants will be submitted to the Annual General Meeting. Reporting accountants will be appointed at the Annual General Meeting. The Bank Account will be kept in name of the Club and every cheque drawn thereon will be signed by any two persons drawn from those holding the office of President, Vice President or others as designated in Clause 6(ii)(a) or (ii)(b).
iii. A copy of the Club’s financial statements will be available to members prior to or at the Annual General Meeting.
iv. The members of the Clubs will have an opportunity of raising any business in connection with the Club, except that notice of motion to make grants from Club funds must be sent to the Secretary in writing not later than 1st June prior to the Annual General Meeting.
v. A special General Meeting will be called by the Secretary on:
a. The authority of the Management Committee, or
b. A requisition stating the object for which the meeting is desired and signed by not fewer than fifteen members.
vi. Seven clear days’ notice will be given of all general and special meetings. In the case of a special general meeting the notice will state the purpose for which the meeting is called and no other business will be transacted at that meeting.
vii. Only Life Members, Honorary Vice-Presidents and Ordinary Members will be entitled to vote at the general meetings of the Club.
8 RESTRICTIONS
Except with the prior sanction of a Motion passed by nine-tenths majority of those present and entitled to vote at a properly convened general meeting of the Club, the Club shall not dispose of any of the fixed assets of the Club, in whole or in part.
9. DRESS OF THE CLUB
The dress of the Club will be dark green jerseys, green stockings and either white shorts or dark green shorts for the first team. The second team may wear mainly red or green jerseys, or a combination of both.
10 VESTING OF CLUB PROPERTY
The property of the Club shall be vested in the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer for the time being as Trustees ex officio of the Club. The Management Committee shall have power to borrow funds from the Club’s Bank or other lending institution, but in the event that said Bank or institution requires heritable security for such a loan, the Trustees will have power to grant such heritable security over the Club’s heritable assets, but only after the approval of the members present at a general meeting of the club has been obtained for such a secured loan.
11 USE OF CLUB PREMISES
i. The Management Committee will have power to provide part of the club premises for the sale of alcohol liquors in Mansfield Park. That part of the club premises will be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Licensing Acts for the time being in force and will be open for the sale of alcoholic liquors within the permitted hours.
ii. No alcoholic liquor will be sold or supplied to any person under eighteen years of age.
iii. Alcoholic liquor will only be supplied for consumption in such room or rooms within the Club premises as the Management Committee will prescribe.
iv. The Management Committee may appoint a Club Steward who will be responsible to the committee for order to be observed in the Club premises and who will have the power, as seen fit, to refuse liquor to any person. The Club Steward may be a member of the Management Committee.
v. No member of the Management Committee will have any personal interest in the sale of alcoholic liquor in the Club or in the profits arising from such sales.
vi. No gambling will be allowed within the Club premises except by gaming machine. The Management Committee will have the power to withdraw membership from any member who violates this rule or who otherwise, in the opinion of the Management Committee is guilty of unseemly conduct.
12 ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
No alteration or addition to the foregoing constitution will be made except at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for the purpose of considering alteration or addition, and then only on receiving the assent of two-thirds of the members present and voting. Notice of the proposed alteration or addition must be sent to the Hon. Secretary, in writing, not later than fourteen days before any such meeting. In every case the terms of the proposed alteration or addition will be printed on the notice calling the meeting.
13 EQUALITY
The Club operates an Equal Opportunities Policy where no one is denied the right to equal access on the grounds of age, race, creed, colour, gender, disability, occupation, religion, sexual orientation or political persuasion or marital status or having or not having dependants. There is equality of opportunity in terms of the playing rights and the rights of the members to attend General Meetings, vote and hold office.
14 CHILD PROTECTION
The Club is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children in its care. It recognises the responsibility to promote safe practice and to protect children from harm, abuse and exploitation. Staff and volunteers will work together to embrace difference and diversity and respect the rights of children and young people.
15 DISSOLUTION
If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the Club there remains after the satisfaction of all the Club’s debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall be given or transferred to some other organisation or organisations having objects (that is, aims and activities) similar to the objects of the Club, such organisation or organisations to be determined by the members of the Club by Resolution passed at a General Meeting at or before the time of the dissolution, and in so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then to some charitable objects.
HAWICK RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB – MANSFIELD PARK
MANSFIELD ROAD – HAWICK – TD9 8AW
TEL: 01450- 370707 – FAX: 01450-370687 – EMAIL: info@hawickrfc.co.uk
Revised and Updated Constitution agreed at the Annual General Meeting on the 17th July 2023.
Ian Landles (President)
Malcolm Grant (Vice President)