The Club is called Isca Hockey Club.
 

Objects

1.1 The Club is formed to play the game of hockey under the rules of hockey for the time being prescribed by England Hockey or its successor from time to time as governing body of the game in England.

1.2 The Club may carry on any allied or ancillary activity approved by the Committee.

1.3 The Club is to be affiliated to the Devon County Hockey Association and to be a member of England Hockey and thereby the West Hockey Association (a constituent body of England Hockey) or its successor from time to time.
 

Membership

The Club consists of:

1.4 Playing Members: Players are admitted to the Club at the discretion of the Committee. Players over the age of 18 have voting rights. Players under the age of 18 do not have voting rights but are entitled to attend and speak at general meetings.

1.5 Non-Playing Members: Non-playing members are admitted to the Club at the discretion of the Committee. Applications must be made in writing, supported by a proposer who is a playing member over the age of 18. Non-playing members do not have voting rights unless appointed to the Committee.

1.6 Honorary & Life Members: Such persons appointed by the Club in general meeting at the request of the Committee. Such persons do have voting rights.

4 Officers

4.1 The officers of the Club are the president, Club captain, secretary, treasurer, fixture secretary, match secretary, the captains of each XI of the Club, press officer, and social secretary.

4.2 The officers must be proposed, seconded and elected at each annual general meeting or are to be elected by the procedure for electing additional Committee members as set out below.

4.3 The officers hold office until the next annual general meeting, when they must retire.

4.4 The officers are eligible for re-election from year to year.

5 Committee

5.1 Five members of the Committee form a quorum.

6 Election of Committee

6.1 The Committee shall consist of the officers of the Club.

6.2 Additional members of the Committee may be elected at the annual general meeting or co-opted at any time by the Committee.

6.3 The Vice-Captain of any team, whose appointment has been approved by the Committee, may attend any meeting of the Committee in place of the relevant Captain and speak and vote at such a meeting.

6.4 If the Club elects insufficient candidates, the Committee may fill up the remaining vacancies.

6.5 All members of the Committee are to retire every year at the annual general meeting, but are then eligible for re-election at that annual general meeting.

7 Delegation

7.1 The Committee may appoint sub-Committees from its number and depute to them such powers and duties as it may determine.

7.2 The Committee may delegate such duties to any member of the Club as it may determine.

8 Casual Vacancies

8.1 The Committee may fill up any casual vacancy on the Committee.

9 Powers of the Committee

9.1 The Committee, in addition to the powers specifically conferred on it by these rules, has the control of the finances of the Club, power to engage, control and dismiss the Club staff, and all administrative powers, including all powers not specifically reserved to the Club in general meeting, necessary to carry out the objects of the Club properly in accordance with these rules.

10 Duties of Secretary

10.1 The secretary shall conduct all correspondence (save as authorised by the Committee) on behalf of the Club, and have custody of all documents belonging to the Club.

10.2 The secretary must keep full and correct minutes of all proceedings of the Club.

11 Duties of Treasurer

11.1 The treasurer must keep the accounts of the Club and must make up the annual statement of accounts and balance sheet of the Club to 30^th April in each year.

11.2 The accounts and balance sheets must, after audit, be made available to all members upon request.

12 Auditors

12.1 The Committee may engage a firm of accountants to prepare and audit the annual accounts.

12.2 If no firm is engaged, a member (other than the treasurer) appointed as examiner at the annual general meeting, or otherwise by the Committee, must examine and then certify the annual statement of accounts and balance sheet before they are issued.

13 Election of Members

13.1 The Committee by simple majority elects candidates.

13.2 A member of the Club must propose candidates for election.

13.3 On election of a new member, the secretary must notify the member in writing of this election, furnish the new member with a copy of the rules (if required) and request payment of the new member’s subscription to the treasurer.

14 Match Fees and Subscription

14.1 The Club in general meeting determines match fees and subscriptions.

14.2 Members elected on or after 1^st November in any year are, at the discretion of the Committee, liable for a reduced annual subscription for that year as determined by the Committee.

15 Payment of Match Fees and Subscription

15.1 All annual subscriptions are payable as the Club in general meeting shall determine or, in the absence of such determination, by the Committee.

15.2 Match fees are payable at each game.

15.3 Unless otherwise determined by the Club in general meeting, the treasurer, with the agreement of the Committee, shall have the power:

15.3.1 to accept payment of subscriptions by instalments,

15.3.2 to accept a compound sum to cover match fees for the whole or part of a season, either in one payment or by instalments, with any discount and upon such terms as the Committee may agree.

15.4 No member whose subscription is in arrears may vote at any meeting.

15.5 A member whose subscription or match fees are in arrears may be excluded from selection by resolution of the Committee.

15.6 Any member whose subscription is unpaid on 1st December, subject to a contrary decision of the Committee, ceases to be a member and the member’s name will be erased from the books of the Club, but may be replaced by the Committee as it may determine.

16 Life Members

16.1 On the recommendation of the Committee, an ordinary member may be elected a life member at any general meeting of the Club.

16.2 A life member is entitled to all privileges of membership without paying the annual subscription or any special payment for life membership.

16.3 A majority of voting members present is necessary for election of a life member.

17 Honorary Members

17.1 On the recommendation of the Committee, honorary members may be elected at any general meeting of the Club.

17.2 A majority of voting members present is necessary for election of honorary members.

17.3 Honorary members may be elected for life or such other period as the general meeting may deem expedient.

17.4 Honorary members are entitled to all privileges of membership.

18 Resignation

18.1 A member may resign membership of the Club at any time by giving notice in writing to the secretary.

18.2 A member who resigns continues to be liable for any annual subscription due and unpaid at the date of resignation.

18.3 A resigned member who wishes to rejoin, and whose liabilities to the Club have all been discharged, may be proposed and elected in accordance with Rule 13.

19 Discipline

19.1 The Committee may, where it considers in its sole opinion that a member has brought the Club into disrepute or for any other fit and proper reason as the Committee may determine:

19.1.1 ban the member from playing for the Club for such a period as the Committee may determine,

19.1.2 discipline such a member in any other manner as the Committee may determine,

19.1.3 by a two-thirds majority, expel such a member.

19.2 Any member who is disciplined but not expelled by the Club may appeal any decision of the Committee by the procedures set out in Rule 19.4 and 19.5, save that a simple majority shall only be required to confirm the decision of the Committee.

19.3 In the case of expulsion, the secretary is to notify the member of the decision of the Committee as soon as practicable.

19.4 Any member expelled may appeal by notice in writing to the secretary within 14 days of expulsion to an extraordinary meeting (at which he must be given the opportunity to be heard) to be summoned within 21 days of receipt of notice of appeal, when a majority of two-thirds of voting members present is required to confirm the expulsion.

19.5 If the expulsion is not confirmed, the member must be reinstated.

20 Forfeiture of Rights on Cessation of Membership

Any member who is expelled in accordance with the rules or otherwise ceases to be a member of the Club:

20.1 Forfeits all rights to, or claim upon, the Club or its property or funds that he would have by reason of his membership,

20.2 Is not entitled to any return of subscription,

20.3 Remains liable for any subscription or other fees outstanding at that time.

21 Guests

21.1 A member may introduce guests to the privileges of the Clubhouse.

21.2 The member who introduces them must accompany guests.

22 Visitors

22.1 Any person may be admitted as a visitor to all privileges of the Clubhouse (including the purchase of drinks and refreshments) as the Committee may determine.

22.2 For the avoidance of doubt, visiting members of opposition XI and their guests are to be admitted to the Club unless the Committee otherwise determines.

23 Annual General Meeting

23.1 The annual general meeting of the Club must be held in each year at a date, time and place determined by the Committee.

24 Extraordinary General Meeting

24.1 The Committee may call an extraordinary general meeting when any question of urgent importance arises, and must do so on receiving a requisition signed by twenty five members of the Club, or by a member who has been expelled by the Committee and desires to appeal to an extraordinary general meeting.

25 Notice of Meeting and Quorum

25.1 At least 14 days’ notice of any general meeting, specifying the business to be transacted and the day, place and hour of the meeting must be:

25.1.1 posted prominently in the Clubhouse and on the Club’s Website and

25.1.2 sent to every member by letter to the member’s address as given in the Club register or, at the secretary’s discretion, by email. Members receiving notices by email must first have agreed in writing to accept notices in this manner and have notified the secretary of an appropriate email address for the receipt of notices.

25.2 Ten voting members form a quorum of any general meeting.

26 Chair and Casting Vote

26.1 At any meeting of the Committee or the Club, the Committee shall appoint one of its members to chair the meeting. This member shall, in the case of equality of votes on any matter requiring simple majority, have an additional casting vote.

27 Alteration of Rules

27.1 No rule of the Club may be repealed or altered, and no new rule may be made, save by two-thirds majority of the voting members present at a general meeting.

27.2 At least one calendar month’s notice of the intention to propose any new rule or alteration must be given to the secretary, who must:

27.2.1 post details of the proposed change on the Club’s website and in the Clubhouse and

27.2.2 include in the notice to members under Rule 25.1.2 convening the meeting at which the proposal will be considered, a statement that details the proposed change and that it may be inspected on the Website and in the Clubhouse or a copy obtained on written application to the Secretary.

28 Byelaws

28.1 The Committee may make, repeal and amend any byelaws it may from time to time consider necessary for the well-being of the Club.

28.2 Byelaws, repeals and amendments have effect until otherwise determined by the Committee or a general meeting.

28.3 No byelaw may conflict with these rules.

29 Notices

29.1 No paper, notice or placard, written or printed, may be exhibited, put in the Clubhouse or in any way brought to the notice of members without sanction of a member of the Committee.

30 Addresses of Members and Registration

30.1 Every member must communicate to the secretary an address for mail.

30.2 The address must be inserted in the register of members, and all notices sent by post to that address are deemed to have been delivered at the time the notices would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post.

31 Joint Club

31.1 The Club in general meeting or the Committee (upon the failure of the Club to make the appointments) shall appoint three members of the Club to serve on the Committee of the Exeter Cricket and Isca Hockey Joint Sporting Club for such period as the Club in general meeting or the Committee may determine.

31.2 If a member of the Club agrees to guarantee an overdraft of the Club or of the Exeter Cricket and Isca Hockey Joint Sporting Club with the agreement of the Committee, the Club shall indemnify such member against risk and expense out of Club property.

32 Members Bound by Rules

32.1 Every member is bound by and must submit to the rules and byelaws of the Club.

33 Dissolution

33.1 If at any general meeting a resolution for the dissolution of the Club is passed by a majority of the voting members present and at an extraordinary general meeting held not less than six weeks later (of which not less than four weeks written notice has been given to each member) and at which not less than one-half of the members are present that resolution is confirmed by a resolution passed by a majority of two-thirds of the members voting on it, the Committee must immediately, or at such future date as is specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the property of the Club and after the discharge of all liabilities must divide such property equally or rateably in proportion to the amount each member has paid in subscriptions among all the ordinary and life members, and on the completion of such division the Club will be dissolved.

34 Headings

34.1 The headings to these rules are for ease of reference only and are not to be taken into account in their interpretation.

35 Adoption and Changes to These Rules

35.1 These Rules were adopted by the Club at the annual general meeting held at the Clubhouse on 12^th June 1995 and replace any Rules drawn up prior to that date. That annual general meeting proposed various changes to the set of Rules put to it and those amendments are incorporated into this document.

35.2 Amendments May 1998. The wording of Rule 2 has been updated to show the ‘English Hockey Association’, the new governing body for hockey formed in place of the ‘Hockey Association’ on 1^st June 1997. Rules 13.3, 18.1, 18.3. 25.1, 26, 27.2, and 30.1 have been slightly reworded in deference to female members.

35.3 Amendments June 2003. Rule 2 amended to reflect present names of hockey governing bodies. Rule 3 providing that members under the age of 18 do not have voting rights but can attend and speak at meetings. Rules 14 and 15 (Match Fees and Subscriptions) re-structured including enablement of payment by instalments or compound sum. Rule 25 amending notice requirements for general meetings. Rule 27.2 amending procedure for rule changes. Rule 31 guarantor indemnity extended to Joint Club liabilities. Other minor alterations in Rules 3.2, 4.1, 12.2, 16.3, 17.2, 19.4, and 33.1.