4. The management of the Club shall be administered by a Management Board known as the Trowbridge Rugby Football Club Management Board, hereinafter referred to as “the Board”.

5. The Board will consist of the following Officers of the Club who shall be President, Finance & Administration Manager, Hon Rugby Operations Manager, HonGovernance Manager, Hon Facilities Manager and Club Captain. Each Officer will co-opt members to form designated sub-committees.
6. The Club shall be in membership with the Rugby Football Union, the Women’s Rugby Football Union, The Dorset and Wilts Rugby Football Union and the Bath and District Rugby Combination.
Membership

7.
a) Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.

b) The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.

c) The Club may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or the sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members.

d) The Club may elect any member who has rendered outstanding services to the Club to be an Honorary Life Vice-President, subject to ratification by an Annual General Meeting, and also subject to such Honorary Life Vice-Presidents not exceeding four in number.

8. Candidates for election to membership of the Club shall be proposed and seconded by fully paid up members of the Club and their names submitted to the Membership Manager. The name and address of any person proposed for election to membership of the Club shall for not less than two days before election be prominently placed in the
General Meetings

9. All General Meetings shall be held in The Clubhouse Paxcroft, Hilperton Trowbridge BA14 6JB or at such other place as the Board shall decide. The President or in his or her absence another member chosen at the meeting will preside.

10. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the end of July in each year and not more than fifteen months shall elapse between one Annual General Meeting and another.

11. Notice in writing of an Annual General Meeting must be displayed on the club notice board and web site not later than twenty-eight days prior to the date of the Meeting.

12.
The election of Officers shall take place at each Annual General Meeting and shall be decided by a majority of the votes recorded.

Any member shall have the right to make nomination for any Officer of the Club The nomination must be signed by the Proposer and Seconder and shall be lodged with the Finance & Administration Manager of the Club fourteen clear days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

The Board may subsequently appoint any member of the Club to fill any vacancy on the Board if this post is not filled at the Annual General Meeting.

All Officers shall retire at the Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election.

13.
There shall be posted on the Club notice board and the web site, not later than the seventh day prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting, a list of the Board at that date, together with the Board’s nomination of Officers for the ensuing year and all other nominations received under Rule 12.

14.
If, after the issue of the notice and before the Annual General Meeting, an Officer nominated as above becomes unable to serve, the Board shall have the power to submit the name of another member of the Club for election at the Annual General Meeting.

15.
The Board may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time on giving not less than ten days notice by circular, specifying the purpose of such Meeting. The Board shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting on receiving a written request to that effect signed by five members or one-fifth of the total number of the members, whichever shall be the lesser; such Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held within twenty-eight days of the receipt of such request.

16.
Each member who attends shall be entitled to one vote at any General Meeting upon each and every matter put to the vote. Minimum voting age will be 18 years. A Family membership will warrant only one vote per family.
Board

17.

The Board shall consist of the Officers of the Club. At all meetings of the Board, four members shall form a quorum. The Board shall meet at least six times during the year.
Powers of the Board

18. Subject to these rules the Board shall have the responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs and be empowered to do all things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes of the Club. Where any of the assets of the Club are held on trust, no action in respect of such assets shall be taken without the consent in writing of all the trustees of such trust. The Board shall have the power to decide whether any person is ineligible to become or to continue to be a member of the Club.

19. The Board shall have the power to appoint one or more Sub-Committees to deal with any affairs of the Club with such powers as the Board may determine.

20. The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the rules. All surplus income or profits will be re-invested in the Club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.
21. The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, away match expenses, post match refreshments and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002.

22. The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:

a) Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment.

b) Employ members (though not for playing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Board without the person concerned being present.

c) Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests.

d) Indemnify the Board and members acting properly in the course of running the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).

e) The Board will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination, data protection 1998 and child protection.

23.
The Club may from time to time, borrow sufficient funds as it feels necessary, by way of overdraft, loan or mortgage, subject to obtaining the prior agreement of the Board, and evidenced by a specific resolution signed by the Finance & Administration Manager and one other Officer of the Club.
It is also agreed that, if it was deemed necessary to pledge any of the Club’s assets, at any time held in trust, then formal agreement from all current Trusteeswould be similarly required.

24.
The Board of the Club may appoint up to four trustees in whose names it may, from time to time, vest any funds and property of the Club. Such assets shall be held and used solely for the furtherance of the interests of the Club.

25.
Annual Club reports and statements of account must be made available for inspection by any member within seven days of request and all Club records may be inspected by any Board member.
Visitors and Guests

26. Every member shall be allowed to introduce visitors to the Club House subject to such regulations and Rules as shall be made from time to time by the Board, provided that no person shall be introduced as a visitor into the Club who shall have been expelled from membership or whose conduct or presence in the Club House shall be considered by the Board objectionable or prejudicial to the interests of the Club. Members or their guests only may be supplied with intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises provided that the supply and consumption comply with the Licensing Act 2003.

27. Members of any visiting Club and the Supporters and Officials of such Club shall be temporary members for the day of their visit only provided that they have signed the Visitors Book.

28. a) Temporary members shall be entitled to all the benefits and privileges of membership except that they shall not vote as members or be qualified to be Officers or members of the Board or to claim any share of the property or assets of the Club.

b) Subject to the Licensing Act 2003, on special occasions persons who are not members of the Club shall be admitted to the Club premises and shall be permitted to purchase alcoholic liquor for consumption on the premises only when such persons are attending social and sporting functions organised with the consent of the Board.
Permitted hours for the consumption of Alcohol Liquor

29. The permitted hours for the sale of alcoholic liquor upon the Club premises on each day throughout the year shall be in accordance with General Licensing hours for the area, and in accordance with the Club’s Premises Licence.
Accounts
30. At every Annual General Meeting an Auditor shall be appointed to conduct an independent review of the accounts of the Club for the following year.

31. The accounts shall be made up to the 30th day of April in each year and signed by the Finance & Administration Manager. Such accounts shall be independently reviewed by the Auditor appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting, and a copy of the accounts, together with the Auditor’s Certificate, shall be sent to each member with the notices calling the Annual General Meeting.
General

32. All games of Rugby shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game of Rugby Football as framed by the International Rugby Football Board.

33. No member shall be allowed to play in Club rugby matches unless wearing the Club colours.

34. Any member selected to play rugby shall inform the Team captain or Manager whether or not he or she can accept such invitation to play for the Club.
35. Teams for all rugby matches shall be selected by a Selection Sub-Committee, to be appointed by the Head Coach.

36. The Club shall pay reasonable travelling expenses from Trowbridge to away rugby matches subject to prior approval from relevant Team Manager or Captain. All players shall subscribe a match fee for all rugby matches. Match Fees will be set at the AGM.

37. Any member wishing to order tickets for International rugby matches shall place an order, accompanied by the appropriate remittance, with the Finance & Administration Manager prior to such date as determined by the Finance & Administration Manager.

38. The Club grounds and premises shall not be used in connection with any political party without the prior approval of the Board.

39. Membership of the Club is to be effective from the 1st September to 31st August in the following year. Any member, who has not paid his or her subscription within one month after written notice by the Finance & Administration Manager to pay such subscription, shall, if the Board so determine, cease to be a member and notice to this effect shall be sent to such member forthwith. In the case of new members elected after the 1st November, subscriptions are due within one month of election.

40. No players should be selected to play for any of the Club's senior teams unless their annual membership has been paid in full by 30th September, or a Bank Standing Order is in place to pay their subscription in monthly instalments with at least one payment having been received by this date. The deadline for the payment of all memberships is to be extended to the entire Club to include the Junior Section. All members are expected to follow the Club’s Codes of Conduct and adhere to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Winding up the Club

41.
The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting.
The Board will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.
After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Board shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:

a)
to another club with similar sports purposes which is a charity and/or

b) to another club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC and/or

c) to the Club’s national governing body for use by them for related community sports.

Alternations to Rules

42. These rules can only be amended at an Annual General Meeting of members or an Extraordinary General Meeting by the two-thirds majority vote of the members present and voting at such meeting. But not (if relevant) so as to jeopardise the Clubs status as a Community Amateur Sports Club as first provided by the Finance Act 2002 and not in any event to alter its purposes or winding up provisions. Notice of any such amendment together with the name of the Proposer and the Seconder, shall be sent, in writing, to the Administration Manager at least fourteen days before the date of the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting and a copy of such notice shall be sent to each member not less than seven days later.

43.
A copy of the amended Rule(s) shall also be sent to the Chief Officer of Police and the Clerk to the Licensing Justices.

16th June 2005 amendment

Rule 5 Position of Honorary Child Protection Officer added as an officer of the club

29th June 2006 amendments
Rule 5 Officers structure be adopted as advised in September 2005
Rule 6 Add “Women’s RFU”
Rule 11 To read “Notice in writing of an Annual General Meeting must be displayed on the club notice board and web site not later than twenty eight daysprior tothe date of the meeting”
Rule 13 amend to read “There shall be posted on the club notice board and web site, not later than…..”
Rule 16 add “minimum voting age will be 18 years. Family members will only be entitled to one vote per family”.
Rule 17 to read “The Committee shall consist of the Officers of the club. At all meetings of the Committee, five members shall form a quorum and theCommittee shall meet at least three times during the year.
7th July 2010 amendments
Rule 5 To reflect the changing needs of the Club, the role of Honorary School Liaison Officer will be dropped. It is proposed that the role of Honorary Fixtures Secretary will then become an Officer of the Club.
Rule 40 No players should be selected to play for any of the Club's senior teams unless their annual membership has been paid in full by 30th September, or a Bank Standing Order is in place to pay their subscription in monthly instalments with at least one payment having been received by this date. The deadline for the payment of all memberships is to be extended to the entire Club to include the Junior Section.
24th July proposed amendments
Reflect creation of Management Board and re-structuring of Club following move to new Headquarters in Hilperton.
Rule 5 The Board will consist of the following Officers of the Club who shall be President, Finance & Administration Manager, Director of Rugby, Hon Governance Manager, Hon Facilities Manager and Club Captain. Each Officer will co-opt members to form designated sub-committees.[/centre]