worcestershire cricket board

Worcestershire Womens and Girls Development Group

Constitution

1. Name

The name of the group shall be the Worcestershire Womens & Girls Cricket Development Group, hereafter to be referred to as "the group". The group shall be recognised as a 'partner' of the Worcestershire Cricket Board (WCB)

2. Aims & Objectives

• Work in partnership and in consultation with the WCB and with all appropriate individuals and partner agencies to improve and develop opportunities for girls and women to take part in and progress in cricket within the county of Worcestershire irrespective of age, disability, race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, social status or sexual orientation

• To ensure a Duty of Care to its members and abide by the codes of conduct and policies as directed through the ECB 'Welfare of Young People in Cricket' polic

• Assist the delivery of Key Performance Indicators as defined by the WCB

• Maintain close relationships with relevant and appropriate organisations to assist with 2 (i) and 2 (ii)

• Develop a clear and strategic plan to develop the game for girls and women within Worcestershire

• To develop, oversee & manage opportunities and playing programmes for girls and women in schools and clubs within Worcestershire including;

Asda Year 6 (Girls only) Kwik Cricket Tournament
Lady Taverners Indoor & Outdoor Competitions

• To develop, oversee & manage county age group playing programmes for girls and women in Worcestershire including;

Under 11 development squad
ECB Under 13, 15 & 17 competitions
County Age group Womens team

• To develop, oversee & manage the development of volunteers for the girls and womens game within Worcestershire including;

• Coaches

• Administrators

3 Membership

(i) Associate Membership of the group shall be open to all cricket clubs who affiliate to the WCB and provide cricket for women and girls within the county of Worcestershire.

(ii) Associate Membership shall be available by application to the Chair and will be offered as deemed appropriate by the voting members of the group (the Full Members).

• Management Committee

• The affairs of the group shall be managed by a Committee (the Committee).

• The Committee shall comprise the Executive Officers of the group (Chair, Secretary & Treasurer) and 4 other officers elected from, and by, the Full Members of the group to represent schools, clubs, county and volunteer development. All elected members will be regarded as Full Members of the group. The Worcestershire Cricket Board Cricket Development Manager and the ECB Midlands Regional Manager shall be ex-officio members of the group.

• All Officers shall be elected for a period of one year, but shall be eligible for re-election to the same office or to another office the following year.

(iv) The duties of the Committee shall be:

• To control the affairs of the group on behalf of the members

• To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the group through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by members and should be audited before every Annual General Meeting. The group shall maintain a bank 'current account' and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign group cheques: any two from the Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.

• To co-opt additional members of the Committee as the Committee feel is necessary. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Committee and shall serve until the end of the next Annual General Meeting.

• To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chair shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

(v) The Committee shall have powers to appoint sub-committees as necessary and to co-opt advisers who may be non group members invited to advise on specialist subjects.

(vi) An elected Committee member ceases to be such if he or she ceases to be a member of the group, resigns by written notice, or is removed by the Committee for good cause after the member concerned has been given the chance of putting their case to the Committee. Appeal against removal may be made to an Appeals Committee of the Worcestershire Cricket Board. The Committee shall fairly decide time limits and formalities for these steps.

(vii) The Committee has the power to:

• raise funds through external funding sources, appeals and subscriptions

• set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves

• co-operate with or affiliate firstly to any bodies regulating or organising the sport of cricket (for women and girls) and secondly any body involved with cricket and thirdly with government and related agencies

• do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the aims and objectives of the group.

(viii) None of the above powers may be used other than to advance the aims and objectives in a manner consistent with the Rules and the general law.

5. General Meetings

(i) The Committee will be convened by the Secretary and shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than four times per year (quarterly).

• A quorum for a General Committee Meeting shall be 4 Full Members including not less than 1 from the Chair, Secretary or Treasurer.

• At all General Meetings, the Chair will be taken by the Chair or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by Full Members attending the meeting. Each Full Member of the committee shall be entitled to one vote.Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority vote from those Full Members attending the meeting. In the event of equal votes, the Chair of the meeting shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

6. The Annual General Meeting

(i) The Annual General Meeting of the group shall be held not later than the end of November each year.

• Twenty one clear days written notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to members by circulating a copy of the notice to every member at their home address. Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any other business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least fourteen days before a meeting. The Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting to members not less than seven days before the meeting.

(iii) The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:

• Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting

• Receive the audited accounts for the year from the Treasurer

• Receive the annual report of the Committee from the Secretary

• Elect an auditor

• Elect the Officers of the Group (i.e. Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, County Representative, Club Representative, Schools Representative, Workforce Development Officer)

• Review group subscription rates and agree them for the forthcoming year

• Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from members seven days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.

(iv) Nominations of candidates for election of Officers shall be made in writing to the

Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting date. Nominations can only be made by Full Members and must be seconded by another Full Member.

• Special General Meetings may be convened by the Committee or on receipt by the

Secretary of a request in writing from not less than 3 Full Members of the group. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given.

7. Alterations to the Constitution

(i) Any proposed alterations to the groups Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting, convened with the required written notice of the proposal

(ii) Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full Member of the group and

seconded by another Full Member

• For changes or amendments to the constitution to be made a 75% majority is required.

• Voting rights at the AGM are limited to 1 vote for each Full Member of the group and 1 vote for each Associate Member.

• For the AGM/SGM to be deemed quorate 5 members/officers with voting rights need to be present.

(vi) Such alterations/ammendments shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those Full Voting Members present at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.

8. Finance & Property

(i) All group monies shall be banked in an account in the name of the group.

(ii) The Treasurer shall be responsible for the finances of the group and for providing a report on the financial position as required by the Committee.

(iii) The financial year will end on 30 th September

(iv) The Treasurer will present an audited statement of annual accounts at the Annual General Meeting.

(v) Any cheques drawn against group funds should hold the signatures of the Treasurer plus one other officer

(vi) The property and funds of the group cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the Rules and all surplus income or profits shall be reinvested in the group to assist the development of opportunities for girls and women.

• The group may also in connection with its aims and objectives:

(a) employ personnel (though not for playing) and remunerate them for providing services, on fair terms set out by the Committee in communication with the Worcestershire Cricket Board without the person concerned being present

(b) pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests

12. Discipline and Appeals

(i) All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be lodged in writing with the Secretary.

• The Committee shall relate all complaints to the Worcestershire Cricket Board Management Board who will have the power to elect a Disciplinary Sub Committee who will meet to hear complaints within 14 days of a complaint being lodged. Any member requested to attend a Worcestershire Cricket Board Disciplinary sub-committee shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The Worcestershire Cricket Board Disciplinary Sub Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action and will advise the Chair of the group the course of action to take (which may include the termination of membership).

• The outcome of the disciplinary hearing shall be put in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days following the hearing.

• There shall be a right of appeal to the Worcestershire Cricket Board Disciplinary Sub Committee against either the finding or the sanction imposed or both following disciplinary action being taken. Appeals should be lodged in writing within 14 days of the initial Sub Committee meeting. The Worcestershire Cricket Board Disciplinary Sub Committee shall then appoint an Appeals Committee (a maximum of three) which shall not include members involved with the initial disciplinary hearing but may include non members of the Board. The Appeals Committee shall consider the appeal within 14 days of the Secretary of the Worcestershire Cricket Board receiving the appeal. The individual submitting the appeal shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding on all parties.

13. Dissolution

(i) If at any General Meeting of the group, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the

group, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the group to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.

(ii) If at that Special Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds (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 group and discharge all debts and liabilities of the group.

(iii) The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the groups affairs.

• After settling all liabilities of the group, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to the groups governing body (The Worcestershire Cricket Board) for use by them for related community sports.

14. Declaration

The Worcestershire Womens & Girls Cricket Development Group hereby adopts and accepts this Constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of all members.