Club Rules
Updated October 2023
- Name
The name of the Club shall be Thames Ditton Cricket Club, hereafter referred to as “the Club”.
The colours of the Club shall be Indigo, Cerise and White. - Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of the Club shall be to:
i) provide facilities for the members to play and watch cricket
ii) to organise teams of members to represent the Club in cricket matches
iii) to conduct ancillary social activities for the benefit and enjoyment of members
iv) to ensure all members, playing and non-playing, abide by the ECB Code of Conduct which incorporates the Spirit of Cricket and by the Laws of Cricket
v) to ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club by adopting and implementing the
ECB’s ‘Safe Hands’ – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children and any future versions of the policy
vi) to ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club by adopting and implementing the ECB Cricket Equity Policy and any future version of the policy
The Club shall be a members’ club affiliated to the England and Wales Cricket Board through the Surrey Cricket Board, the Club Cricket Conference, the Surrey Championship, the Surrey County League and to such other bodies as the General Committee shall from time to time determine.
The laws and decisions of the Marylebone Cricket Club are and shall be binding. - Membership
Membership shall be open to anyone interested in the sport of cricket on application irrespective of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religious or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
The club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The club will do all that it reasonably can to keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
Application for membership of the Club shall be by completion of a membership application form and by payment of the relevant subscription/joining fees as determined at a General Meeting of the Club.
No person shall be eligible to take part in the club’s business or to be selected for any club
team unless the appropriate subscription has been paid by the specified date or membership
has been agreed by the Committee.
The Club Committee may refuse membership or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or cricket into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the Committee. In the event of membership removal, membership fees paid shall be non-refundable.
All members will be subject to the regulations of the Club rules and by joining the Club will be deemed to accept these rules and any Policies or Codes of Conduct that the Club has adopted. The Club rules shall identify those members eligible to vote at any General Meetings.
Membership of the Club shall consist of the following classes:
i) Full Member
ii) Junior Member
iii) Social Member
iv) Associate Member
v) Life Member
Junior members shall be considered as all those under the age of 18 as at 1st of September preceding any season. - General Committee and Officers
The affairs of the Club, in all matters not in these rules reserved for the Club in General Meeting, shall be managed by the Club’s General Committee.
The General Committee shall consist of the following officers of the Club: The President, Chairman, Captain of the Club, 1st XI Captain, Safeguarding Officer, Colts Manager, Honorary Treasurer, and Honorary Secretary.
Election of Club Officers
Where an officer position of the Club has become available, nominations for these positions showing, where relevant, the members who propose and second the nominee, together with their willingness to serve, shall be delivered to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days prior to the General Meeting. He shall also cause these nominations to be posted on the Club website or via email to the entire Club Membership.
Nominated candidates for officers’ positions are subject to a vote which shall be made available to all members, except for those members considered to be Junior. Any member who is entitled may cast a single vote, either in advance of the General Meeting or on the day of the meeting itself, whereupon all votes shall be counted and the result made known to all those present.
Where the position of an officer of the Club remains unchallenged or unchanged from the previous year’s General Meeting, should said officer be willing to continue serving in the role for the ensuing twelve months, those members present at the meeting will be asked to propose and second the nomination. To avoid doubt, and in such circumstances whereby this is considered an extension to an existing tenure, there shall be no option for Club members to vote in advance of the General Meeting.
In addition to the General Meeting, The General Committee shall meet at least five times a year. Three of the aforementioned officers shall constitute a quorum of the Committee.
A copy of the minutes of each meeting of the General Committee shall be available to any Club Member on request to the Honorary Secretary.
The General Committee shall be empowered to appoint Sub-Committees and/or members as it deems necessary for specific purposes.
The principal officers’ responsibilities are set out below. The General Committee may vary them as circumstances dictate.
i) Chairman of the Club – chairing the meetings of the General Committee and the Club in a General Meeting, co-ordinating the activities of the principal officers of the Club.
ii) Hon.Treasurer – the finances of the Club and overseeing the management of the ground, bar, and amenities.
iii) Hon.Secretary – membership; notification of General Meetings to all members; maintenance of the Club’s records and archives; website management
iv) Captain of the Club – overall responsibility for improving the standard of cricket played by the Club; team selection and notification; the appointment of team captains; the arrangement of fixtures; and any matter relating to the conduct and involvement of all playing members. For the avoidance of doubt, “all playing members” constitutes every player who is involved in training and or playing cricket as a representative of the club
v) Club Welfare Officer – to ensure that the requirements and responsibilities of child protection are being adhered to within the Club. To be the first point of contact for all child welfare issues.
vi) Colts Manager – coordination of the Colts section
The following non-elected officers will report to the principal officers of the Club as follows:
i) Ground Manager, Bar Manager, Amenities Manager to the Hon. Treasurer
ii) Fixture Secretary and Social Secretary to the Captain of the Club
iii) Website Manager and Membership Secretary to the Hon. Secretary
The Captain of the Club and all senior team captains, together with the Colts Manager, shall constitute the Cricket Committee and will be responsible for all aspects of encouraging and running cricket in the Club. They are to meet regularly, particularly during the season. The Cricket Committee will coordinate playing and practice for the Club, development of individuals, and ensure that the website is regularly updated with news within the Club. The Captain of the Club shall ensure that the General Committee is made aware of the views of playing members.
Any player(s) significantly dissatisfied with the behaviour of any other player, including their Captain, must raise their grievance(s) with the Club Captain. If three or more players raise the same grievance, then the Club Captain will hold a meeting of all players representing that team during the season to resolve the grievance. - Presidents and Vice-Presidents
The President of the Club shall be elected at a General Meeting of the members of the Club and shall retain that office for five years, or until, before the expiry of that period, death, retirement, or removal by a resolution of the members in General Meeting passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present and entitled to vote thereat. The Vice-Presidents shall not be more than 30 in number unless agreed otherwise by the committee and shall be elected at a General Meeting of the Club. Each person so elected shall retain that office during his/her life, or until he shall resign by notice in writing given to the General Committee, or removal by a resolution of the members at a General Meeting passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present and entitled to vote thereat. - Trustees
Three Trustees of the Club shall be appointed from time to time as necessary by the Club in a General Meeting from among the playing or non-playing members who are willing to be appointed. One of the Trustees shall be the President of the Club. A Trustee shall hold office during their life, or until they resign by notice in writing given to the General Committee, or until a resolution removing them from office shall be passed at a General Meeting by a two-thirds majority of the members present and entitled to vote. Club Trustees may attend meetings of the General Committee as they wish or see necessary to do so. - Property and Funds
All property of the Club, including land and investments, shall be held by the Trustees for the time being, in their names so far as necessary and practicable, for the use and benefit of the Club. On the death, resignation or removal from office of a Trustee, the General Committee shall take steps to procure the appointment by the Club in the General Meeting of a new Trustee in his or her place and shall, as soon as possible thereafter take all lawful and practicable steps to procure the vesting of all Club property into the names of the Trustees as constituted after the said appointment.
The Trustees shall in all respects act, regarding any property of the Club held by them, in accordance with the directions of the General Committee and shall have the power to sell, lease, mortgage or pledge any Club property to raise or borrow money for the benefit of the Club in compliance with the General Committee’s directions. But no purchaser, lessee or mortgagee shall be concerned about enquiring whether any such direction has been given. - Dissolution
If by notice in advance of any General Meeting of the Club, or at any such meeting, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
If at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least three-quarters of the Full Voting Membership present at the meeting, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club.
The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.
After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:
i) to another club with similar sports purposes, which is a registered charity and/or
ii) to another club with similar sports purposes, which is a registered Community Amateur Sports Club and/or
iii) to the Trustees for use by them for related community sports. - Subscriptions, Finances and Accounts
The annual subscription for members shall be such amounts as agreed at a General Meeting and published on the Club website for the following categories:
i) Junior members under 18 years of age
ii) Full-time students
iii) All other playing members
iv) Social Members
The payment of a junior member fee gives the junior member’s parents or guardians full social membership as defined in Rule 3.
Life Membership (playing or non-playing) can be achieved by an individual by making a single one off payment of an amount determined by the General Committee. This amount shall not be less than the greater of eight times the subscription of a waged playing member and £1,000.
Family Life Membership is not available unless specifically agreed by the General Committee. The General Committee would determine the fee on a case-by-case basis. The term ‘Life Membership’ relates solely to the way subscriptions are paid. In all other matters, Life members have no additional rights and privileges than those accorded by their category of membership, as defined in Rule 3.
The General Committee has the discretion of adjusting individual subscriptions in cases of known hardship or in other similar circumstances.
For the purpose of this rule, a full member’s subscription shall be deemed to include his or her spouse/partner as an Associate Member, but the latter will not be accorded voting rights. Annual subscriptions shall be payable on application for membership as provided in Rule 3, and thereafter without demand on 1st January every year. The General Committee may terminate the membership of any playing member whose annual subscription remains unpaid on 30th June in any year.
Membership terminated for non-payment of annual subscriptions may only be reinstated by the General Committee. This is also predicated on full payment for that year and any previous years’ outstanding being paid in full. Proof of Club Membership will be recorded by the Club’s Membership Secretary using a register or third-party services as determined by the General Committee.
The Honorary Treasurer shall keep such proper books of account as will enable him to present at the Annual General Meeting, or at any time if required on reasonable notice to him by the General Committee, and an accurate report and statement concerning the finances of the Club. - Bar and Alcohol
Alcohol shall be supplied by the Club only to persons over the age of 18 years who have attained one of the following, in accordance with the definitions of the Licensing Act 2003:
i) a full or associate member
ii) a guest of a full-member
Members may introduce and entertain visitors at the Club, and a Visitors’ Book shall be kept at the Club premises, which members and their guests shall sign. The member introducing a guest shall be responsible for his guest strictly observing these rules and Club bylaws and shall not leave the Club premises before their guest. No person whose membership of the Club has been terminated under Rule 3, or who is for the time being suspended under Rule 13 or whose application for membership has at any time been rejected, shall be introduced as a guest.
Alcohol may be sold to persons attending the Club premises for social or other functions organised or authorised by the Club, providing always that no such function shall be permitted to which admission may be obtained by payment of money, whether for a ticket or otherwise, unless to a full member of the Club and that such function shall be at the request of a member of at least three months standing.
The Bar may be opened to sell excisable liquors only within the times and conditions stipulated in the Club’s licence. These periods of opening may be shortened at the sole discretion of the Bar Manager and observe the provisions of the Licensing Act, 2003, and all other Acts relating thereto, and of any conditions attached to any licence held by or on behalf of the Club for the supply of alcohol, or to any registration certificate granted in respect of the Club premises.
No person shall be paid at the expense of the Club any commission, percentage or similar payment on or with reference to purchases of alcohol by the Club; nor shall any person benefit from the supply of alcohol by or on behalf of the Club to members or guests, apart from any benefit accruing to the Club as a whole. - General Meetings
The General Meeting (also known as the Annual General Meeting or AGM) of the Club shall be held each year between 30th September and 30th November. Notice of the day, time, and place of the General Meeting and a statement of business to be transacted there shall be sent to all members at least fourteen days before such day. At any General Meeting of the Club, a quorum shall consist of 15 members present and entitled to vote thereat, provided that, if a quorum is not present within 15 minutes of the hour appointed, the meeting shall be adjourned for seven days when all members then present shall form a quorum.
A special General Meeting of the Club may be summoned by the General Committee at any time. It shall be so summoned immediately upon six members, except junior or Associate members, delivering to the General Committee a written request on that behalf. A special General Meeting shall be summoned by causing a notice thereof, together with a statement of the business to be transacted thereat, to be sent to all members at least 14 days before the day appointed for the meeting. Still, this period may be abridged at the discretion of the General Committee if the urgency of the business to be discussed in their opinion so requires.
At any General Meeting of the Club, every member of the Club shall be entitled to be present, and every playing or non-playing member, except Junior and Associate members or any member whose subscription is deemed to be unpaid as defined in Rule 3, shall be entitled to a single vote upon every question raised. Voting shall be decided by a simple majority except as otherwise provided in these rules, and in the event of a tied vote, the motion shall be deemed to be lost. The Honorary Secretary shall take the minutes of all the proceedings at all Club General Meetings.
The Annual General Meeting shall:
i) Consider and, if approved, accept reports from the Committee on the Club’s activities during the past year.
ii) Consider, and if approved, accept the Statement of Accounts for the previous year, which shall have been prepared and signed by the Honorary Treasurer.
ii) Elect or re-elect the following officers in accordance with Rule 4: Chairman of the Club, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Captain of the Club, Club Welfare Officer, and Colts Manager. - Bylaws
The General Committee may from time to time make, vary, or revoke bylaws consistent with these rules to regulate the internal affairs of the Club and the conduct of members. The bylaws, for the time being in force, shall be binding on all members. - Conduct of Members
The supply of Alcohol to a qualifying individual, as described in Rule 10, may be refused by the Bar Manager, Bar Staff and/or any Club Officer should the conduct of said individual be deemed not to be befitting of a Club Member. In the event of such an occurrence, the Bar Manager, Staff and Club Officers have the right to ask the individual(s) concerned to leave the premises immediately.
The Club may not be used at any time for gambling, the promotion of any lotteries, or any other pursuit which is considered “betting”. Individuals are permitted to participate in Club-organised events such as card and race nights, auctions, sweepstakes and raffles, the clear and expressed purpose of which is for the direct benefit of the Club and not any individual.
The use of laptops, tablets, and smartphones allows individuals to access their own personal
nline “betting” accounts on the Club’s premises.
Disciplinary Process
The General Committee may suspend the membership of any member whose conduct, whether on the Club premises or elsewhere, is, or has been in the opinion of the Committee, contrary to the interests of the Club or injurious to its reputation.
Immediately upon the suspension of the membership of any member, the General Committee shall:
i) Cause a special meeting of the General Committee with the other Trustees (as independent voting members) to be summoned for a day not later than the 21st day following the suspension, and at the same time
ii) give notice to the suspended member, at their address (postal and /or email) as last notified to the Secretary, of their suspension and inform them that if so desired, they may be present at the said meeting.
At any such meeting, any allegations against the suspended member shall be related (in their presence if they attend) to the meeting by a member of the General Committee. The suspended member shall, if they desire, be heard in answer, with a reasonable adjournment allowed to enable preparation of their answer at the discretion of the Meeting. The decision of the Committee at the said Meeting or any adjourned Meeting on whether to reinstate the suspended member or to terminate their membership shall be made by vote.
Concerning the use and/or dealing of illegal drugs, whilst no Club can guarantee the complete avoidance of users and/or dealers, it is the Club’s responsibility to ensure that it is rigorous in its attempt to deter drug use and its supply. The Club has a zero-tolerance policy concerning the supply and/or use of any illegal drugs by any member of the Club in or close to the Club’s premises or whilst representing the Club elsewhere. If a member(s) is suspected of engaging in such activities, said member(s) will be subject to the same disciplinary process as highlighted above.
To avoid doubt, if any member has been proven to handle, use or supply an illegal drug, the Committee will serve an immediate and compulsory termination of the individual’s membership for a minimum period of one year.
The Committee will also have the right to extend but not to reduce that period in appropriate cases.
If a member of the Club is proven to be in possession of a knife or banned weapon of any kind, whether on their person or in their cricket kitbag, whilst representing the club anywhere, said member will have their membership terminated with immediate effect. The matter will also be handed over to the Police.
Given that the maximum penalty in the UK is up to four years in prison and an unlimited fine for possessing a knife or banned weapon, the Committee reserves the right to make such termination of membership permanent. - Alteration of Rules
These Rules may be revoked, added to or altered by a majority comprising two-thirds or more of the members present and entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Club of which notice has duly given under Rule 11, specifying the intention to propose the revocation, addition or alteration, together with full particulars thereof. - Exclusion of Liability
Neither the Club nor any officer thereof shall be liable to any member or guest of a member for any loss or damage to any property occurring, from whatever cause, in and about the Club premises; nor for any injury sustained by any member or guest whilst playing or watching cricket or on entering or leaving Club premises; - Declaration
Thames Ditton Cricket Club hereby adopts and accepts these Rules as a current operating guide regulating the actions of all members.
CLUB CHAIRMAN
Jonathan Sealy, 09-11-2023
CLUB SECRETARY
Jilesh Patel, 09-11-2023