SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS: CLUB RULES

RULE 1 – The Club shall be called Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers whose headquarters are at The Clubhouse, StoneX Stadium, Greenlands Lane, Hendon, London NW4 1RL.

RULE 2 – The principal objects of the Club shall be the encouragement, promotion and development of athletics and associated activities in the London Borough of Barnet and surrounding areas in accordance with the rules laid down by UKA or its successor body.

RULE 3 – The Club’s colours shall be black and white vertical stripes with red piping around the neck and arms.

RULE 4 – The Club shall comprise members confirmed by the Council. The Club is committed to equal opportunities and membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. All Members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP

RULE 5 – The Members shall be those persons listed in the Club’s register of members which shall be maintained by the Membership Secretaries. Categories of membership are First Claim, Second Claim and Supporter. Application for membership shall be made on the form provided and shall contain the applicant’s full name, address and date of birth. Any applicant under the age of 18 must have their application form countersigned by a parent or guardian. The application form must be accompanied by the appropriate fee. The acceptance of membership shall be at the discretion of the Council but will not unreasonably be withheld. A person may appeal to the Club Council against any denial of membership.

RULE 6 – A joining fee shall be paid upon becoming a Member and thereafter an Annual Subscription shall be paid on the anniversary of the date. Life Members, technical officials, Presidents and Past Presidents shall not be liable for subscriptions. The subscriptions payable shall approved at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club and set at a level that will not pose a significant obstacle to participation. Any increase in the subscription rate may become operative immediately. Individual affiliation to a governing body is the responsibility of individual members and may be paid through the Club.

RULE 7 – Membership of the Club may be terminated if the:

  1. Members resign by giving seven days written notice to the General Secretary;
  2. Members subscriptions or other payments are at least three months overdue;
  3. Member is removed from membership by a resolution of the Council as a result of application of the Club’s Grievance and disciplinary policy;
  4. Membership is terminated at the discretion of the Council following a majority vote at a Council meeting;
  5. Member contravenes the EA Code of Conduct or is guilty of misconduct prejudicial to the good name of the Club;
  6. Member is convicted of a criminal offence which involves dishonesty or any other offence relating to safeguarding, drugs and any crime involving violence (including any conviction relating to children) at the Council’s discretion;

RULE 8 – Any person ceasing to be a Member forfeits all rights in relation to and claims upon the Club, its property and its funds and has no right to the return of any part of their subscription fee. Without prejudice to the foregoing, the Council may refund an appropriate part of a resigning Member’s subscription fee if it considers it appropriate.

MANAGEMENT

RULE 9 – The general management of the Club shall be vested in the Council which shall consist of the under mentioned officers.  These officers shall be Club members elected each year at the AGM.  The President shall normally serve in office for a period of three consecutive years during any one term of office.

  1. President
  2. Chairman
  3. General Secretary
  4. Treasurer
  5. Eight other Club Members
  6. Promotions Secretary
  7. Membership Secretaries
  8. Officials Secretary
  9. Coaching Secretary
  10. Welfare Officer
  11. Webmaster / Social Media Manager
  12. Team Managers
  13. Clerk to the Council

RULE 10 – The Council shall have the power to co-opt members at its discretion.  The Council shall also have the power to appoint an Executive to address any urgent issues arising between Council meetings, and to make decisions on behalf of the Council.  The Executive shall comprise the Chairman, the General Secretary and the Treasurer together with such co-opted members as nominated by the Council.  The Chairman shall report back at the next Council meeting. The Council have the power to form sub-Councils as and when it considers it desirable. All expenditure incurred by sub-committees shall always exceed four in number. The Club Council may from time to time adopt Policies and Procedures.

RULE 11 – Each member of the Council shall have one vote. The Chair shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to vote. The Council shall normally meet as and when necessary but at least twice in each Club year.  Seven Council members are required to form a quorum.  The Council shall have power to fill any vacancy should one occur. Council meetings shall be minuted.

RULE 12 – Each Officer shall declare the nature and extent of any direct or indirect interest in a transaction or arrangement with the Club or a third party which conflicts or may possibly conflict with their duties to the Club.

  1. If the non-conflicted Officers deem there to be a material conflict, the conflicted Officer should withdraw from that part of the meeting and shall not vote.
  2. It there is deemed not to be material conflict by the non-conflicted Officers, the Officer who declared the conflict shall be allowed to re-join the meeting, take part and vote as applicable.
  3. A person shall cease to hold office as an Officer if:
  • They are disqualified from holding office as a company director;
  • They are subject to a decision of England Athletics or UKA that such person be suspended or disqualified from holding office or from taking part in any activity relating to the administration or management of a club;
  • The Council reasonably believes that he or she has become incapable by reason of illness or injury of managing and administrating their own affairs and it decides to remove them from office;
  • They resign from their office by notice to the club;
  • They are absent without the permission of the Council from all its meetings held within a period of six months without a good reason and the Council decide that their office be vacated;
  • A bankruptcy order or an order is made against them in individual insolvency proceedings in a jurisdiction other than England and Wales which has an effect similar to that of bankruptcy;
  • He or she is removed from office by the Council on the grounds that he is in material or persistent breach of the Club’s code of conduct.

RULE 13 – Communication by the Club may be sent or supplied by the Club in hard copy form; in electronic form; by making it available on a website or internet forum or by post on request.

RULE 14 – An AGM shall be held within three months of the accounting-year end to receive the annual reports and accounts, to elect officers and to deal with any other items specified on the agenda. The nominations for President, Vice Presidents and any additional Life Members shall be made by the Council for approval by the AGM. Life Members

RULE 15 – Any nomination from members may be submitted to the Council. The General Secretary shall notify of the date, time and venue of the AGM at least 42 days prior to the AGM.

RULE 16 -Nominations, proposed alterations to rules and notice of any business should be placed on the agenda must be given in writing to the General Secretary at least 28 days prior to the meeting. A copy of the agenda and details of any proposals must be notified to the members at least 14 days prior to the meeting.

RULE 17 – A Special General Meeting (SGM) must be called by the General Secretary at a reasonable time and place, within a period of not less than 21 days and not more than 42 days from receipt of a requisition signed by not less than 50 members or one fifth of the membership, which shall state the business to be brought before the meeting. Only that business shall be discussed.

RULE 18 – Those entitled to vote at an AGM or SGM shall be a Life Member, President or Past President or a fully paid up member. No proxy votes shall be allowed.

RULE 19 – No alteration or addition to rules may be made except at an AGM/SGM. Any such change must be passed by at least two thirds of those present.

RULE 20 – The accidental omission to give notice of any AGM/SGM or the non-receipts of notice an AGM/SGM by any person entitled to receive notice shall not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting.

RULE 21 – No business shall be transacted at any AGM/SGM unless a quorum is present (either physical/virtual). The quorum for an AGM/SGM shall be 20 members. If a quorum is not present within half an hour of the time the AGM/SGM was due to commence, or if during a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the Chair must adjourn the meeting for at least 7 days but no more than 21 days. If within half an hour of the time the adjourned meeting was due to commence a quorum is not present, the Members present shall constitute a quorum. The Chair, or in their absence any other Officer, shall provide as the chair of the meeting. Each Member present shall have one vote but in the event of an equality of votes the chair of the meeting shall have a casting vote. The meeting shall be minuted by the Secretary, or in their absence any other Officer.

RULE 22 – The Council may make whatever arrangements they consider appropriate to enable Members attending an AGM/SGM to exercise their rights to speak or vote whether attending directly or by video conference, an internet video facility or similar electronic method allowing visual and/or audio participation.

FINANCE

RULE 23 – The Treasurer shall operate such Bank accounts as authorised by the Council. The Treasurer shall be authorised to make payments from these accounts (via cheques/electronic transfers) drawn up to a maximum amount from time to time agreed by the Council. Amounts over the agreed minimum amount will need approval from a majority of the Executive, with the Chair having a casting vote. All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in the Club Account as soon as is reasonably practicable. The Club Account shall be managed in accordance with any finance policy drawn up by the Club Council.

RULE 24 – The Club’s financial year shall end on 30th September each year. The accounting year of the Club can be changed by resolution at the AGM. The accounts of the Club, being a statement of Income and Expenditure for the previous financial year and a Balance Sheet as at the end of the financial year duly signed by the Treasurer and Chairman, shall be presented at each AGM.

RULE 25 – The AGM can request, by way of a simple majority, the accounts of the Club to be independently examined by an Auditor (not being a member of the Council) who shall be elected at the AGM for this purpose.

TRUSTEES/PROPERTY

RULE 26 – There shall not be less than two and more than five Trustees of the Club who shall be appointed by the Council All freehold and leasehold property of the Club shall, and any other property of the Club may, be vested in the Trustees who shall deal with such property as the Council or the Club in AGM/SGM shall direct.

RULE 27 – No Trustee shall be paid for their services, but Trustees shall be reimbursed for all reasonable expenses and shall be fully and effectively indemnified by the Club against all personal liability, save to the extent that such liability arises by reason of any fraudulent act or default of the Trustee in question.

RULE 28 – The power of appointment of new Trustees, pursuant to the Trustee Act 2000, shall be vested in the Chair for the time being who shall exercise such power in accordance with the direction of the council.

COMPLAINTS AND DISPUTES AND SAFEGUARDING

RULE 29 – All concerns, allegations or reports of malpractice or abuse relating to the welfare of children or vulnerable adults will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the Club’s and UKA’s/EA’s safeguarding policy and procedures. The Welfare Officer shall be the lead Officer for all Members in the event of any safeguarding concerns.

RULE 30 – Any complaints of misconduct (improper or unprofessional conduct) regarding the behaviour of Members or Officers shall be dealt with by the Club in accordance with its Grievance and disciplinary policy.

DISSOLUTION

RULE 31 – 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 AGM/SGM. The Council shall then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs. After settling all known liabilities of the Club, the Council shall distribute all the remaining assets for the benefit of athletics through a registered charity or through a registered Community Sports Club or through UK Athletics for use by them for related local projects, or transferred to another club or England Athletics for use by them related to community sports.

As agreed at the Annual General Meeting on 28 November 2023