Rules of the Club

The name of the Club shall be Gosford All Blacks Rugby Football Club (herein after referred to as "the Club")

1. The objects of the Club shall be to promote the game of rugby union and to facilitate all members of the community to participate in the game, as played according to the laws of the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football Union for Women, and to encourage and promote social activities for members.
2. The Club shall have its headquarters and ground at Stratfield Brake Recreation Ground, Frieze Way, Kidlington, Oxfordshire
3. The Club shall affiliate to the Oxfordshire Rugby Football Union.
4. The Officers of the Club shall consist of the following:
The PresidentThe ChairmanHon. SecretaryHon. TreasurerHon. Membership SecretaryHon. Fixtures SecretaryCaptain of the ClubHon. Entertainments Secretary
5. The Club shall be managed by a committee (the "Management Committee"), which will consist of
all the officers of the Club,
6. the chairmen for the time being of any sub-committees who are not otherwise officers of the Club and
7. not more than six other members. The immediate past Captain of the Club shall be an ex-officio member for one year only following his retirement from the captaincy. Five members shall form a quorum, and the chairman, on an equality of votes, shall have a second or casting vote.

The Management Committee may appoint sub-committees for such purposes as it sees fit.

There shall be standing sub-committees to oversee the Mini/Junior and Ladies sections of the Club. Each standing sub-committee may appoint officers from within the relevant section of the Club to service the needs of the sub-committee.

The property of the Club (other than cash and bank deposits, which will be under the control of the Treasurer) shall be vested in trustees, of whom there shall be no more than four. The first trustee shall be appointed by the Management Committee and such said club property shall vest in them to be dealt with by them as the Management Committee shall from time to time direct; such direction shall be embodied in a resolution of the Management Committee and entered in the official minutes, and shall be conclusive evidence of the fact so stated. A trustee shall hold office until death or resignation, or until removal from office by a resolution of the Management Committee. For the purpose of giving effect to such a nomination the President is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new trustees of the Club within the meaning of section 36 of the Trustees Act 1925 and he shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the Management Committee as to the new trustee or trustees of the Club and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such deed of appointment shall, in favour of a person dealing with a bona fide and for value with the Club or Management Committee, be conclusive evidence of the facts so stated.

Graham Hillier
1. Robert Ede

The purchase for the Club and supply by the Club of intoxicating liquor shall be under the control of a Bar Chairman who shall be appointed by the Management Committee. The Bar Chairman shall be responsible for the fixing of permitted hours for the supply of intoxicating liquors within the bounds of current legislation.

There may be admitted to the Club's premises persons other than members or their guests and intoxicating liquor may be sold to such persons by or on behalf of the Club for consumption on the premises and not elsewhere, provided that such persons are :-

Members or supporters of a team visiting the Club premises for the purpose of playing a match or
1. Guests signed into the visitor's book by a club member (to a maximum of three per member). The member shall be responsible for the conduct of these visitors whilst on club premises.
2. Also, intoxicating liquor may be sold by the Club on behalf of Stratfield Brake Management Committee to persons who are not members of the Club but are attending social functions or other events on the club premises as authorised by Stratfield Brake Management Committee.

The Annual General Meeting

The Annual General meeting of the Club shall be held before the end of June in each year and in any event not more than fifteen months shall elapse between Annual general Meetings, when the Annual Report and the Balance Sheet shall be submitted and the officers and management committee for the ensuing season shall be elected and other business transacted.
1. At any general meeting voting must be confined to members whose subscriptions are not in arrears.
2. Notice for the convening of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all paid members at least 21 clear days before the meeting. A suitable notice, posted on a prominent notice board on the club premises, will be deemed to be notice to all members. Any proposal, amendments or nominations must be submitted in writing to the Hon. Secretary at least one week before the meeting.

Membership

Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the game of rugby on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
1. The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and equitable basis. The Club will endeavour to keep subscriptions at levels that should not pose a significant obstacle to enabling people to participate.
2. Application for membership of the Club shall be by completion of a membership application form and payment of the relevant membership fees a shall be determined by the Committee from time to time.
3. No person shall be eligible to take part in the activities of the Club or eligible for selection for any club team unless the appropriate fee has been paid by the specified date or membership has been agreed by the Committee
4. The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or the game of rugby into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the Committee who shall appoint an Appeals Committee to her the appeal.
5. All members will be subject to these rules and by joining the Club will be deemed to accept these rules and any Codes of Conduct that the Club has adopted. All members will be eligible to vote at any General Meetings.

Subscriptions

The Management Committee shall be empowered to set the subscriptions and rates shall be based upon the rights conferred by each membership type. The rates for membership shall be recorded in the Club Minutes before 1st September each year:-

Vice President:-Entitles access to facilities when the Club is open, voting rights, right to apply for International tickets.
1. Playing member:-
Entitles RFU compulsory insurance when playing for the Club, access to facilities when the Club is open, voting rights, right to apply for International tickets. The rates for lady playing members will be set by the Ladies Section sub-committee and ratified by the Management Committee.
2. Non-Playing Member:-
Entitles access to facilities when the Club is open, right to apply for a maximum of two International tickets.
3. Junior member:-
Entitles member children to play for the junior sides and also for their family to have access to the Club facilities when the Club is open for mini/junior events and activities. The rates for junior members will be set by the Mini/Junior Section sub-committee and ratified by the Management Committee.
4. Temporary members:-
The Management Committee and standing sub-committees shall have the power to admit as temporary members, on such terms as they think fit, school children or students playing only during vacations or other persons playing for only part of the season.

Extraordinary General Meeting

An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Hon. Secretary at any time on the instructions of the Management Committee, or on the requisition of ten or more members in writing who must therein state the objective of such a meeting. A notice convening an Extraordinary General Meeting and specifying the business which is to be laid before it shall be posted on the club notice board at least fourteen days before the date thereof.

Colours

The Club colours shall be black shirts, black shorts and black socks. An alternative strip of red shirts may be worn when appropriate. All members playing in matches shall wear matching club colours.

Rules and Alterations Thereto

A copy of these Rules shall be furnished to each member on request. No alterations shall be made to these Rules except by consent of a majority at an Annual General Meeting, or an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for that purpose. The Management Committee is empowered to make any amendments to the Rules as shall be necessary to comply with the requirements of the licensing authority or current legislation.

The Management Committee shall have the power to deal with all matters not provided for in these Rules.

Indemnity of Officers

The members shall indemnify all committee members and officers of the Club against all liability incurred by them on behalf of the Club, or by reason of them holding office.

There shall be no supply of intoxicating liquor for consumption off the club premises except to a member in person.

No intoxicating liquor shall be supplied to a person under the age of eighteen.

A list of the names and addresses of all members shall be kept on the Club premises. It shall be the responsibility of all members to ensure that any changes of address, telephone numbers or e-mail addresses shall be notified to the Membership Secretary.

The permitted hours are to be within the normal permitted hours for licensed premises unless a special order of exemption is applied for.

The officers of the standing sub-committees may maintain separate bank accounts for receipts and payments relating to their sections. Section accounts should be submitted to the Club Treasurer to enable a consolidated report and balance sheet to be submitted to the Annual General Meeting.

Dissolution

If at any General Meeting of the Club a resolution shall 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 later than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
1. If at that Special General Meeting the resolution is carried by at least three quarters of the voting membership present at the meeting, the Committee shall forthwith, or at such date as may have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club.
2. The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club's affairs.
3. After settling all liabilities of the Club the Committee shall dispose of the net assets in one or more of the following ways:
to another club with similar aims and objectives.
4. to the Rugby Football Union for use for sports development.
5. to the Constituent Body to support the game of rugby within its area as it shall see fit.

Last amended 27/04/2007 by agreement of the club members at the AGM