Club rules - latest edition.

Although the rules have been in place for many years, from time to time, slight changes need to be made to the rules to keep up with the current legislations and cultural changes. Below is the latest rules as at the AGM on 18th March 2020. Earlier editions available on request.

WHITFIELD CLUB RULE BOOK

(Incorporating the amendment agreed at the Annual General Meeting of 2020)

Contact information:

14 Napchester Road, Whitfield, Dover, Kent.

CT16 3JD

Tel: 01304 820642

1. NAME OF THE CLUB

The name of the Club shall be the Whitfield Club and the registered address shall be at 14 Napchester Road, Whitfield, Dover, Kent CT16 3JD.

2. OBJECT

The object of the Club shall be to provide opportunities for social, recreational, sporting and entertainment activities for members and guests.

3. COMMITTEE

The affairs of the club shall be controlled and managed by a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and not more than 10 Club Members.

It may be required from time to time for the officers to take the decision to co-opt an existing member of the committee to assist an officer in their duties. This will be at the committee’s discretion.

The Committee may appoint Committee Members to serve on such sub-committees as they consider fit. Such sub-committees shall be responsible to the main Committee, a quorum for Committee meetings shall be half of the members of the Committee.

4. MEMBERSHIP

(a) Ordinary Membership: Shall be open, on application to fit and proper persons over the age of 18 years. All applications for ordinary membership must be proposed and seconded by two members of the Club who are able, from personal knowledge, to vouch for the applicants' respectability and fitness for membership. All ordinary members must be elected by a majority of the Committee.

The names of all such elected members shall be inscribed in a Membership Book which shall be kept by the Secretary of the Club and shall be open for inspection at all reasonable times.

Children are welcome as long as accompanied by a parent or guardian, and are expected to act appropriately whilst in the club at all times. All children remain the responsibility of the parent or guardian when in the club.

At current retirement age members shall be entitled to concessionary membership with a reduction of 25% on the rate of subscription. The Committee shall reserve the right to review the level of concession according to the financial circumstances of the Club.

Existing "Life Members" shall be entitled to all rights & privileges of membership subject to annual request for a complimentary membership card, issued & signed by the Secretary on request. When a "Life Member" dies "Life Membership" can be passed to the spouse, only upon request.

(b) Subscriptions: The annual rate of subscription shall be such sum or sums as shall be decided from time to time by the Committee and displayed on the Club Notice Board and shall be due in advance on 1st January each year. Any Member who has not paid his annual subscription by the last day in January in each year shall automatically cease to be a member of the Club.

(c) Register of Members: The Secretary shall keep on the Club premises a list of the names & addresses of members.

(d) Repeated "Signings in" by non-members will only be permitted up to a maximum of three, beyond which the Committee will meet to determine their reason for not becoming a member, and to allow to continue or cease.

5. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

The Committee shall be responsible for controlling the conduct of members on Club premises. Any Member who in the opinion of the Committee shall be guilty of conduct likely to hinder the good order and running of the Club or bring the Club into disrepute shall be called before the Committee and given an opportunity to explain such conduct. The Committee, having heard the complaints alleged and the explanations (if any) of the Member may either disregard the complaint, suspend the Member or expel the Member. In order to suspend or expel a member the Committee shall pass a resolution to that effect.

Upon a complaint being made to the Committee, the Chairman may, if he/she considers it expedient to do so, suspend the Member concerned pending a convenient meeting of the Committee to consider the complaint. Any Member guilty of conduct which, in the opinion of the Committee, is likely to bring the Club into disrepute, or hinder the good order and running of the Club or who shall wilfully and persistently commit a breach of the Rules, may by resolution of that Committee be suspended from the list of Members and shall thereupon temporarily cease to be a member of the Club for such period as is prescribed by the Committee providing that they shall before the passing of the resolution be given the opportunity to explain their conduct to the Committee as aforesaid.

6. MEETINGS

(a) An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held before the 31st of March in each year and half yearly meetings shall be held not later than six months after the Annual General Meeting.

(b) The Committee may summon a General Meeting at any time giving ten days notice.

(c) The Chairman may at any time and shall on written request signed by not less than 25 members summon a General Meeting of the Club after giving ten days notice. No business other than that declared in the request shall be discussed at the meeting.

(d) A quorum for the Annual General Meeting or any other general meeting shall be 10 members.

(e) A simple majority at any such meeting shall be binding on all Club Members.

7. VOTING

Except for the election of Officers and Committee, voting at a General Meeting shall be by a show of hands. Voting shall be confined to Ordinary and Life Members and all Ordinary and Life Members entitled to use the Club premises shall be entitled to vote and have equal voting rights.

8. GUESTS

Guests may be allowed on the Club premises only if accompanied by a Club Member. Upon entry to the Club premises their names must be entered in the visitors' book by the member introducing as also must be the name of the introducing member.

Children are welcome as long as accompanied by a parent or guardian, and are expected to act appropriately whilst in the club at all times. All children remain the responsibility of the parent or guardian when in the club.

A charge shall be made for each guest introduced to be reviewed by the Committee at intervals. A Club member shall not be permitted to introduce more than four guests on any one occasion. The following shall not be admitted as guests:

(1) Former Members who have been expelled.

(2) Persons who, having been nominated for membership, have been rejected.

(3) Members who are suspended from membership rights.

9. SALES TO NON MEMBERS

Sales of intoxicants for consumption on the premises may be made to non-members admitted to the Club in the following categories:

(a) Members and Officials of visiting recreational, sporting or athletic clubs.

(b) Bona fide guests when accompanied by members.

(c) Persons attending any function at the Club.

(d) Employees of the Club.

10. Election of Officers

The Club shall have the following Officers: Three Trustees, A Chairman, A Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The Trustees shall be appointed at a General Meeting of the Club by resolution duly passed by the majority of the members present and shall remain in office during the pleasure of the Club. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by a simple majority ballot annually at the Annual General Meeting.

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

(1) Election of Committee: The Committee shall consist of ten members in addition to the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and treasurer. Each Member of the Committee shall serve for a period of three years and shall be elected by simple majority by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. Members shall retire at the Annual General Meeting occurring at the expiration of their third year of office but shall be eligible for re-election. Casual vacancies occurring amongst the Officers or the Committee may be filled pending the next Annual General Meeting by a majority vote of the committee.

11. NOMINATIONS

At least twenty-eight days before the day of the Annual General Meeting, a Nomination Sheet shall be posted in the Club and shall be closed seven days before the Annual general meeting. All candidates for the election must have been members for at least three years immediately prior to nomination and must be proposed and seconded by two Club members.

12. PERMITTED HOURS

(a) The Club may be open for the sale of intoxicating liquors within the licensing hours and on such occasions as the licensing authority grant the use of a temporary licence.

(b) The Club premises may be opened for use by Club members (other than for the sale of intoxicating liquors) at such times as the Committee may decide.

13. ALTERATION TO RULES

No new rule shall be made or existing Rules altered except by a majority of two-thirds of those Club members voting at a properly convened General Meeting of the Club. Notice of any proposed new Rule or amendment of an existing Rule shall be posted in the Club for at least fourteen days prior to the meeting at which the amendment is to be discussed.

14. PAYMENTS

All cheque drawn upon the Club's account shall be signed by two of the Officers elected annually.

15. AUDITING

The accounts of the Club shall be audited annually by some competent person who is not an Officer of the Club or a member of the Committee and the auditor's Report and a balance sheet shall be produced at the Annual General meeting.

16. APPLICATION AND INVESTMENT OF FUNDS

All monies reveived on account for the Club, from any source, shall in no case be distributed amongst the members but shall be applied towards carrying out the Objectives of the Club or shall be invested by the Trustees in such a way and in such securities as the Committee may decide.

17. BYE-LAWS

The Committee shall have the power to make such bye-laws as it may consider necessary for the running and order of the Club provided that no such bye-law shall conflict with any of the Rules. A copy of all such bye-laws shall be posted in a prominent position within the Club.

18. LIABILITY OF TRUSTEES

All the property of the Club shall be registered in the names of the Trustees representing and acting for the whole of the members of the Club. No personal liability shall attach to any Trustee except to the extent of such funds of the Club as may be actually received by him/her.

19. DISSOLUTION

The Club may at any time be dissolved by the consent of three-fourths of the members, testified by their signatures to an Instrument of Dissolution in the form provided by Treasury Regulations.

20.

The Committee shall be entitled to hire or engage paid staff to work in the Club premises. Liability for the remuneration of such employees shall fall jointly and severally upon all Club members.

The Committee shall make proper arrangements to comply with the Health and safety at Work Act 1974 and any other statutory obligation which shall from time to time be enforced relating to the terms and conditions of employment of such staff.

Liability for acts of damages or negligence by persons employed by the Committee shall fall upon all Club members but the Committee shall take all steps to insure and keep insured the Club and its members against all such acts of damage and negligence. The Committee shall insure and keep insured the Club and its members against all actions, costs claims and demands whatsoever arising from the use of the Club premises by members, guests, employees and any other persons frequenting the Club premises.

21.

The Committee shall have the power to borrow money for and on behalf of the Club to be used solely for the benefit of the Club. The Committee may secure such borrowing by issuing debentures over the funds of the Club and/or such freehold and/or such leasehold premises as may be owned from time to time by the Club.

22.

Nothing in the foregoing rules or any subsequent amendments shall conflict with the Statutory Regulations relating to registration of Private Members