Club RulesRULES OF THE TWICKENHAM CLUB
(Reg. No. 892W)
(all previous rules rescinded)
1. Name, Office and Objects of the Society
The Society is a Working Men’s Club, and shall be called the TWICKENHAM CLUB (hereinafter called "the Club") and its registered office shall be 7 Church Street, Twickenham, or such other places as a special General Meeting may determine, and notice of any change in the situation of the registered office shall be sent by the Secretary to the Registrar within 14 days in manner and form provided by the Treasury Regulations.
The objects of the Club are to afford to its Members the means of social intercourse, mutual helpfulness, mental and moral improvement, and rational recreation.
2. Admission of Members
There shall be two classes of members:
a) Members with full voting rights
i) Full Members
A Candidate for election must be proposed and seconded by two financial Members, able from personal knowledge to vouch for his or her respectability and fitness to be a Member, and must sign such declaration of his/her concurrence with, and adherence to, the purposes of the Club as shall be required by the Committee. An entrance fee, determined by the Committee, and published on the notice board, must be paid by the candidate on nomination. The name, address and occupation of the candidate, with the names of his proposer and seconder, shall be prominently displayed on the main notice board of he Club for at least fourteen days before the day on which his name is submitted for election. The election shall be by the Committee, who may ask a Membership Sub-Committee to meet the candidate and make recommendations. No candidate shall be elected who is under 18 years of age.
ii) County Members
A member, living and working outside a 25 mile radius of the Club may qualify as a Country Member on payment of a subscription as determined from time to time by the Committee
iii) Senior Members
A member on reaching, and an applicant for membership, over the age of 65, no longer in full time occupation may qualify as a Senior Member on payment of a subscription as determined from time to time by the Committee
iv) Honorary Lifetime Member
A member of several years standing, who has made a significant contribution to the Club, and its members, can be awarded the privilege of Honorary Lifetime Membership. This can only be awarded on the vote of the Committee
b) Members without voting rights
i) Family Members
Up to three members of the household of a Full Member may qualify as a Family Member whilst residing at the family home, on payment of a subscription as determined by the Committee. A Candidate for election must be proposed by the Club Member of whose household he/she is a member, and seconded by another financial Member, able from personal knowledge to vouch for his or her respectability and fitness to be a Member, and must sign such declaration of his/her concurrence with, and adherence to, the purposes of the Club as shall be required by the Committee. No entrance fee is payable on nomination. The name and address of the candidate, with the names of his proposer and seconder, shall be prominently displayed on the main notice board of he Club for at least fourteen days before the day on which his name is submitted for election. Election shall be by two members of the Committee. No candidate shall be elected who is under 18 years of age.
A Family Member shall not have the right to vote at any General Meeting of the Club. Otherwise a Family Member shall have the same rights a privileges as a Full Member
ii) Introductory Members
A Candidate must give a minimum of 48 hours notice to the Committee of his/her application to become an Introductory Member. On arrival, the Applicant must be introduced to two members of the Committee, or the Manager and one member of the Committee, who shall have the power to grant or refuse admission. An Introductory Membership fee, as determined by the Committee shall be payable. Membership is valid for three months only. No applicant for Introductory Membership may re-apply but an Introductory Member may apply for full membership at any time. An Introductory Member can introduce one guest per visit. They cannot attend or vote at a General Meeting of the Club.
iii) Student Members:
A Candidate for election, aged between 18 and 25 and who is in full time education, must be proposed and seconded by two financial Members of at least two years standing, able from personal knowledge to vouch for his or her respectability and fitness to be a Member, and must sign such declaration of his/her concurrence with, and adherence to, the purposes of the Club as shall be required by the Committee. The name, address and occupation of the candidate, with the names of his proposer and seconder, shall be prominently displayed on the main notice board of the Club for at least fourteen days before the day on which his name is submitted for election. The election shall be by the Committee, who may ask a Membership Sub-Committee to meet the candidate and make recommendations. Such Student Membership shall automatically lapse at the end of the calendar year in which the Student Member reaches the age of 25, or when he/she starts full time employment, but may be converted to Full Membership on simple application to the Management Committee.
iv) Visiting/Promotional Members
A Candidate must give a minimum of 48 hours notice to the Committee of his/her application to become a Visiting or Promotional Member. On arrival, the Applicant must be introduced to two members of the Committee, or the Manager and one member of the Committee, who shall have the power to grant or refuse admission. No applicant for Visiting or Promotional Membership may re-apply within the same calendar month. Membership is valid for one day only. A Visiting or Promotional Member cannot introduce guests, or attend or vote at a General Meeting of the Club.
v) Pending Member:
A Candidate for election, who
has been proposed and seconded by two financial Members of at least two years standing, and
signed such declaration of his/her concurrence with, and adherence to, the purposes of the Club as shall be required by the Committee, and
paid an entrance fee, as determined by the Committee, and
whose name, address and occupation, with the names of his/her proposer and seconder, has been prominently displayed on the main notice board of he Club for at least fourteen days may qualify as a Pending Member
Pending Membership must be agreed by two members of the Committee who shall have the power to admit or refuse membership, and will be valid for maximum of thirty day. A subscription of one twelfth of the full membership subscription must be paid. Pending Membership may be renewed by two members of the Committee, and automatically lapses on election or rejection for Full Membership. A Pending Member cannot introduce guests, or attend or vote at a General Meeting of the Club. Otherwise a Pending Member will have the same rights and privilege of a Full Member.
vi) Other Members
Such categories of members as may be agreed by the members at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.
Every Member on election shall be supplied with a copy of the rules, at such charge as the Committee may determine from time to time.
3. Subscriptions
Every Member shall pay to the funds of the Club a subscription, as determined by the Committee from time to time, which shall be due as soon as the Member is elected by the Committee, and may not be paid until he is so elected. The subscription must be paid before the Member is entitled to any of the privileges of the Club, and subsequently on the first day of January in each year. Of the subscriptions payable, 2% of each Member’s subscription shall be allocated to the Club’s Benevolent Fund. This Fund shall be administered by the Club Committee through Almoners appointed by them and in accordance with such regulations as may from time to time be made by the Committee.
Any Member who has not paid his subscription by 28th February shall cease to be a Member. A Member on reaching, and an applicant for membership over, the age of 65 years, the subscription will be as determined by the Committee from time to time.
4. Notifying Change of Address
The Committee shall keep upon the Club premises a register of the names and addresses of the Members. Every Member shall, within 14 days, give notice to the Secretary of any change in his address. The names of those who cease to be Members shall be removed from the register.
5. Cessation of Membership
Members shall cease to be members:
(a) By non-payment of subscriptions. Any person whose membership has ceased from this cause shall not again be nominated for membership except at the discretion of the Committee and unless he previously pays all arrears due from him at the time of his ceasing to be a Member, and such other additional fee or fine as the Committee may, in its discretion, determine.
(b) By expulsion.
(c) By resignation.
6. Membership of the Union
The Trustees may hold a fully paid share or shares in the Working Men’s Club and Institute Union Limited hereinafter referred to as "the Union" in order that each Member of the Club may be entitled to all the privileges of the Union, subject to its rules. A person on becoming a Member of the Club may be supplied with an Associate Card and a Pass Card for any period for which he has paid his subscription, on payment at the prevailing rate charged by the Union.
7. Admission of Associates
Associate Members are admitted to the Club.
8. General Meetings
(1) Ordinary Meetings
The Annual Meeting shall be held in March each year, on a date to be fixed by the Committee, of which at least seven days’ notice, with an agenda of the business, shall be posted in the Club, to receive a statement of accounts and balance sheet, and the report of the Auditor, and such other businesses as may be submitted by the Committee, or by any Member who shall have given notice of the motion he proposes to make, and a report for the year shall be presented by the Committee. Notice of motion by a Member shall be given in writing at least five days prior to the meeting and the Secretary shall add it to the agenda posted in the Club.
(2) Special Meetings
A special meeting shall be called by the Secretary in the following cases:-
(a) Upon the discretion of the Committee, and in accordance with such direction.
(b) On a requisition signed by one-fifth of the total number of Members entitled to attend and vote at a General Meeting or 30 such Members whichever is the less stating the special object thereof. Such meeting shall be held within not less than 14 and not more than 21 days from the date of the receipt by the Secretary of the requisition.
(3) Notice to be Given
Notice of any special meeting, and of the object for which it is called, shall be posted by the Secretary of the Club at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. Should the Secretary not convene a special meeting in the manner required hereby within 10 clear days after a duly signed requisition has been delivered to him, any of the requisitionists may call such meeting, giving such notice as is provided by this rule.
(4) Business
No other business than that named in the notice shall be brought before a special meeting.
(5) Quorum
A General Meeting may proceed to business if ten Members are present within an hour after the time fixed for the meeting, otherwise the meeting, if convened on the requisition of the Members, shall be dissolved, but if a meeting convened by order of the Committee, it shall stand adjourned to the week following at the same time, and the meeting so adjourned may proceed to business, whatever be the number of Members present. No meeting shall become incompetent to transact business from the want of a quorum arising after the chair has been taken.
(6) Adjournment
Any General Meeting, duly constituted, may adjourn to such time as the Members present direct, and may continue any such adjournment from time to time. No business shall be brought on at any adjourned meeting which could not have been transacted at the original meeting.
(7) Voting
Each financial Member present shall be entitled to one vote on each motion.
No member shall be entitled to vote at any meeting called under these rules unless he shall have been a Member for the preceding three months, and his subscription paid.
9. Officers
The Club shall have the following Officers: a President, Vice-president, Trustees (who may be three in number of a Trust Corporation), Secretary and Treasurer. The Trustees shall be appointed only at a General Meeting by a resolution of a majority of the Members present and entitled to vote thereat, and shall remain in office during the pleasure of the Club. The President, Vice-president, Secretary and Treasurer shall be proposed from the floor and elected by a show of hands at the Annual Meeting, and shall remain in office until their successors were appointed. Any of the Officers shall be removable at any time provided two-thirds of the Members present at a special meeting called for that purpose shall vote in favour of such removal.
In the event of a vacancy arising amongst the Officers (other than the Trustees) by death, resignation, or other cause, the vacancy may be filled, the Committee having power to elect a Member to fill the vacancy until the next election of Committeemen. Any officer shall vacate his office if suspended from membership under Rule 25 or upon ceasing membership from any cause.
In case any Trustee being removed shall refuse or neglect to assign or transfer any property of the Club as the Committee of Management shall direct, he shall (if he be a Member) be expelled from the Club, and shall cease to have any claim on the Club on account of any contributions paid by him, without prejudice to any liability to prosecution which he may have incurred.
Notice of any resolution appointing a Trustee shall be sent by the Secretary to the Registrar within 14 days, in the form provided by the Treasury Regulation.
The Officers of the Club shall receive honorarium, if any, or in the case of the Secretary, such salary as the Committee or a General Meeting may from time to time determine.
The Trustees shall receive such remuneration as the Committee or a General Meeting may from time to time determine.
10. Committee
(1) Powers of Committee
The Managing Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer and eight Committeemen, all of whom shall be above 21 years of age and of at least two years standing, to be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Four of the eight Members of the Committee shall be elected annually and shall serve for two years. The Committee shall control the management of the Club, and shall have exclusive power to engage or dismiss a Steward and other servants. It shall have power to purchase such articles and do all such things as it may deem necessary for the carrying out of the objects of the Club. It shall have due regard to any resolution or recommendation of any General Meeting, but shall not be bound to give effect to the same if in its judgment such action would be injurious to the best interests of the Club. Nothing in these rules shall enable the Committee to declare any dividend or make any monetary grants to the Members, or to apply to the Club funds, except for the purposes of the Club itself, and for the purposes specified in Rule 18. The Committee shall not enter into any agreement binding the Club to purchase excisables from any person or persons, or in any way to part with its absolute control and that of the Club Members over the supply of excisable articles to the Club. It shall meet once a month for general business and not less than one-third of the total number of the Committee shall form a quorum. No resolution of the Committee shall be rescinded unless notice to rescind has been given at the previous meeting of the Committee.
(2) Retirement, Vacation or Cessation of
Membership
Any Committeeman not attending for three consecutive meetings, shall, unless he send an explanation which the Committee consider satisfactory, cease to be a Committeeman and may not be eligible for election to the Committee the following year. Any Committeeman or officer who shall cease membership of the Club by any reason, shall vacate his seat. Any vacancy so occurring, or by any other cause, may be filled by the Committee, or in such other manner as the Committee may decide. The senior members of the Committee, which shall mean all those Committeemen who were elected before the date of the last election, shall retire at the Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election. Any Member selected to fill a vacancy shall retire with the senior part. Where this rule does not apply, the retiring Committeemen shall be selected by the Committee by ballot.
(3) Removal or Resignation
The Committee, or any Member or Members thereof, may be removed by the votes of two-thirds of the members present at a special meeting called for that purpose. In the event of the removal or the resignation of the whole or the majority of the Committee, the Secretary shall obtain nomination and appoint Scrutineers and arrange for holding a ballot. Three days shall be allowed for nominations and the ballot shall be held on three successive days, within the following seven days. The result shall be declared by the Scrutineers by a notice posted in the Club.
11. Finance Committee
The Committee shall at the first meeting following each election select a Sub-Committee to be called the Finance Committee. It shall consist of three Committeemen and any Officers who may be appointed by the Committee. It shall be the duty of the Finance Committee to take a record of the stock of goods held on the first convenient day in each month, either by themselves or by an agent duly appointed by the Management Committee for that purpose, check all demands for payment with the order book, and with the delivery notes and invoices, and to report to the whole Committee whether such stock vouches the correctness of the returns made by the Steward and whether the demands are in order and correct. It shall see that vouchers are produced by the Secretary for all payments made by him or by order of the Committee, and it shall report at each Committee meeting whether the Secretary’s cash book has been duly made up, and that the amount there shown as standing to the credit of the Club appears also in the Treasurer’s book or books, and in the pass book of the bank with which the current drawing account is kept in the name of the Club. These books, duly made up to date, shall be laid upon the table at each Committee meeting. The proceedings of the Finance Committee shall be recorded by the Secretary in a minute book kept for that purpose. All cheques drawn upon the Club’s account shall be signed by at least one member of the Finance Committee and the Secretary.
The Finance Committee shall have the power to give orders for such goods to be supplied as may be necessary for carrying out the purposes of the club; but nothing in this rule shall empower the committee to incur expenditure, except such as is consistent with the purposes for which the club is established.
12. Orders
No Officer or Committeeman of the Club shall, by virtue of his appointment, have power to order goods of dispose of the funds of the Club; no goods or labour shall be supplied, nor any contract entered into for work to be done for the Club nor any office of salary, profit or remuneration be held, by any Member of the Committee unless authorised by the Committee.
13. Liability of Trustees
All the invested property of the Club shall be vested in the Trustees (whether individuals or a Trust Corporation) representing and acting for the whole of the Members of the Club.
The Trustees shall deal with the invested property of the Club as directed by the Committee and the Trustees shall be entitled to act upon a copy of any resolution of the Committee signed or purporting to be signed by the Chairman of the Meeting at which such resolution is passed or is purported to have been passed, and shall be free from all responsibility or liability in respect of all acts and things done in conformity with such resolution.
The General Meeting of the Club shall have power to remove any Trustee and all vacancies occurring by removal, resignation or both shall be filled at the same or the next General Meeting.
14. President
The President or in his absence the Vice-President or in his absence an elected Chairman shall take the chair at all General Meetings of the Club. The same person shall not hold the office of President for two consecutive years.
15. Secretary
(1) General Duties
The Secretary shall keep upon the Club premises a register of the names and addresses of the Club Members, and a subscription book, in which shall be recorded the payments of such Members. He shall carry out the directions of the Committee, and, subject to such direction, shall receive monies on account of the Club, and shall pay them to the Treasurer, and keep such accounts as the Committee may direct. He shall attend all meetings of the Committee and Finance Committee or any other Sub-Committee, if so directed, take minutes of the proceedings, prepare balance sheets, and submit them to the Auditor.
(2) Annual Return to Registrar
The Secretary shall send to the Registrar once in every year, not later than 31st May, an annual return relating to the Club’s affairs for the period required to be included in the return. The annual return must be made up for the period beginning with the first day of January of the year preceding the year in which the return is required to be sent, and ending with the 31st December then last inclusive. The return must be made in the form prescribed by the Chief Registrar, and contain such particulars as may from time to time be required by the form. A copy of the report of the auditor on the accounts and balance sheet contained in the return must accompany the annual return.
(3) Copies to Members
A copy of the last annual return of balance sheet or other document, duly audited, containing the same particulars relating to the affairs of the Club, as are contained in the annual return together with a copy of the report of the auditor on the accounts and balance sheet contained in the return or on that balance sheet or document so supplied as the case may be, shall be supplied gratuitously on demand to every member of person interested in the funds of the Club.
16. Treasurer
The Treasurer or his agent shall pay all monies received by the Club from any source whatever, without any deduction for any purpose whatever, to the credit of an account opened in the name of the Club at such bank and in such manner as the Committee may direct, and, further, shall keep such accounts and pay such debts of the Club as the Committee shall direct, and shall, when required to do so, render to the Committee, or a General Meeting, an account of any monies received and expended by him.
17. Audit
(1) The Club shall in each year of account appoint a qualified auditor to audit its accounts and balance sheet for that year. For the purposes of this rule "qualified auditor" means a person who is a qualified auditor under section 36 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974.
(2) Save as provided in paragraph (3) of this rule every appointment of an auditor shall be made by resolution of a General Meeting of the Club.
(3) The Committee may appoint an auditor to fill any casual vacancy occurring between general meetings of the Club.
(4) An auditor appointed to audit the accounts and balance sheet of the Club for the preceding year of account (whether by a general meeting or by the committee) shall be re-appointed as auditor of the Club for the current year of account (whether or not any resolution expressly re-appointing him has been passed) unless
(a) a resolution has been passed at a General Meeting of the Club appointing somebody instead of him or providing expressly that he shall not be re-appointed or
(b) he has given to the Club notice in writing of his unwillingness to be re-appointed or
(c) he is ineligible for appointment as auditor of the Club for the current year of account or
(d) he has ceased to act as auditor of the Club by reason of incapacity.
Provided that a retiring auditor shall not be automatically re-appointed by virtue of this rule, if notice of an intended resolution to appoint another person in his place has been given in accordance with paragraph (5) of this rule and the resolution cannot be proceeded with because of the death, incapacity or ineligibility of that other person.
(5) A resolution at a general meeting of the Club (i) appointing another person as auditor in place of a retiring auditor of (ii) providing expressly that a retiring auditor shall not be re-appointed shall not be effective unless notice of the intention to move it has been given to the Club not less than 28 days before the meeting at which it is moved. On receipt by the Club of notice of the intention to move any such resolution the Club shall give notice of the resolution to the members in accordance with section 34 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974. The Club shall also give such notice to the members in accordance with that section of any representations made or intended to be made by the retiring auditor.
(6) None of the following persons shall be appointed as auditor of the club.
(a) an officer or servant of the club
(b) a person who is a partner or in the employment of or who employs an officer or servant of the club or
(c) a body corporate
(7) The auditor shall in accordance with section 38 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974, make a report to the Club on the accounts examined by him and on the revenue account of accounts and the balance sheet of the Club for the year of account in respect of which he is appointed.
(8) The auditor shall have a right of access at all times to the books, deeds and accounts of the Club and to all other documents relating to its affairs, and shall be entitled to require from the officers of the Club such information and explanations as he thinks necessary for the performance of the duties of the auditor.
18. Application and Investment of Funds
(1) All monies received on account of the Club, from any source, shall in no case be distributed amongst the Members, but shall be applied towards carrying out the objects of the Club, or shall be invested by the Trustees in such ways, and upon such of the following investments as the Committee, or a General Meeting, may decide:-
(a) In the National Savings Bank.
(b) In the purchase of land or buildings as aftermentioned (Rule 19), or in the erection of alteration of a Clubhouse or other buildings.
(c) In the securities of any Society registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, or under the Building Societies Acts, or of any Company incorporated by Royal Charter or Act of Parliament, provided that such Society or Company has its liability limited.
(d) In any investment in which Trustees are, for the time being, by law authorised to invest trust funds.
(2) The Club may subscribe out of its funds, as provided by Section 52 of the Friendly Societies Act, 1974 to the Union Convalescent Homes, or to any other convalescent home, hospital, infirmary, charitable or provident institution, any annual or other sum which may be necessary to secure to Members of the Club or their families the benefits of such institution.
19. Acquisition of Land, and Borrowing Powers
(1) The Trustees may, when authorised thereto by a General Meeting or by the Committee, hold, purchase, or take on lease any land or buildings, and may sell, exchange, mortgage, lease, or build upon the land, with power to alter and pull down buildings and again rebuild.
(2) The Trustees may, when authorised thereto by the Committee, obtain advances of money, for the purpose of the Club upon the security of bonds or agreements or promissory notes or certificates of indebtedness or mortgages of real property of the Club or bills of sale on all or any of the goods and chattels of the Club upon such terms as to interest and as to the time and manner of repayment of principal as the Committee may determine.
20. Conduct of Elections
(1) Nominations
The election of Committeemen shall be by ballot. At least three weeks before the day fixed for the Annual General Meeting a nomination sheet shall be posted in the Club by the Secretary, on which the names of all candidates for Committee must be entered, and such sheet shall remain open until the eighth day preceding the General Meeting. No Member shall be eligible for nomination unless he has been a financial Member for at least two years prior to nominations closing and has been proposed and seconded by two financial Members, who must themselves sign the sheet and no Member may propose or second more than one candidate. No Member under suspension at the date of the closing of the nomination sheet shall be eligible for nomination.
No member of the Managing Committee whose term of office is not about to expire may not become a candidate unless he first resigns from the position he holds.
(2) Scrutineers
The ballot shall be carried out under the directions of the Committee by three Scrutineers appointed by the General Meeting who shall not be Candidates, Committeemen, or Officers.
(3) Ballot – when held
Ballots shall be held at the Annual General Meetings and the result shall be made known by the posting of a notice in the Club signed by the Scrutineers, recording the number of votes polled by each Candidate, and indicating which of the Candidates are elected.
4) Who May Vote
Each financial Member except as provided in Rule 8(7) shall have one vote for each vacancy, but no Member may give more than one vote to any one candidate.
(5) Tie
Should the ballot result in two or more Candidates receiving an equal number of votes, the names of such Candidates shall be written on slips of paper, which shall be placed so that the names are concealed, and the President, or in his absence some person appointed by the Scrutineers, shall then draw as many slips as there are vacancies to be filled, and the Members whose names are so drawn shall be declared duly elected.
21. Scrutiny
The Scrutineers shall, at the conclusion of the ballot, seal up the ballot papers and hand them to the Secretary, who shall retain them for seven days. A scrutiny shall take place if a written demand be presented to the Secretary within seven days from the close of the ballot, signed by not less than one-tenth of the financial Members and the scrutiny shall be carried out by three fresh Scrutineers, to be named by the Committee, and their decision shall be final.
22. Inspection of Books
Any member or person having an interest in the Club funds may, at all reasonable times, inspect all books and accounts at the registered office, or at any place where they are kept, and it shall be the duty of the Secretary to produce them for inspection.
23. Settlement of Disputes
(1) Disputes Between a Member and an Officer of the Club
All disputes between a Member and an Officer of the Club shall, unless the Committee elect to refer the matter directly to a Special General Meeting, be settled upon by the Committee. The decision of the Committee shall be final, unless any party aggrieved thereby shall, within seven days, produce to the Secretary a requisition satisfying the conditions mentioned in Rule 8(2)(b), whereupon the decision shall be reviewed by a Special Meeting.
(2) Disputes between a Member and the Club
All disputes between a Member or person aggrieved who has ceased to be a member, or any person claiming through such Member of person aggrieved, or under the rules and the Club or the Committee shall be referred to the Executive of the Union or the persons appointed by them who shall be the Arbitrators of the Club, and whose decision shall be final.
(3) In this rule the expression "dispute" indicates any dispute arising on the question whether a member or person aggrieved is entitled to be or continue to be a member or to be reinstated as a member but, save as aforesaid, in the case of any person other than a dispute on a question between him and the club or an officer thereof, which arose whilst he was a member or arises out of his previous relation as a member of the Club.
24. Misconduct of Members
The President or Secretary or other appointed person shall have power to order the withdrawal from the Club premises of any Member who misconducts himself, and such Member shall have no right of re-entry to the Club premises until summoned to meet the Committee, as provided in Rule 25. If the next ordinary meeting of the Committee be within less than three days, such Member may claim to appear then, and to have his case dealt with, waiving the length of notice required by the said Rule 25.
25. Suspension & Expulsion of Members
The Committee shall have power to reprimand, suspend (for a period not exceeding 12 months), or expel any Member who shall infringe any rule or bye-law, or whose conduct, whether with the Club-house, or elsewhere, shall, in their opinion, render him unfit for membership, but no Member, unless convicted of an offence by a Court of summary Jurisdiction or other Court, shall be reprimanded, suspended or expelled without being first summoned before the Committee and full opportunity afforded him to advance a defence nor unless two-thirds at least of the members of the Managing Committee then present shall vote for his suspension or expulsion.
Every Member so summoned shall (unless he shall elect to waive his right to receive notice) receive at least three clear days’ notice in writing from the Secretary. Such notice shall contain a statement of the charge brought against him.
A suspended Member shall not be entitled to use the Club premises nor to attend any General Meeting nor vote at any election nor hold any office during suspension but shall remain liable to pay his subscription.
26. Right of Appeal
A Member suspended or expelled shall have the right to appeal to the Executive of the Union, or the persons appointed by them who shall be deemed to be the Arbitrators appointed by the Club. No appeal shall be heard unless made within one month and in writing, addressed to the General Secretary of the Union, together with the required deposit, the disposition of which shall be at the discretion of the Arbitrators.
The Arbitrators, or a majority of them, shall have full power to alter or rescind such suspension or expulsion as they may think fit, and may order the costs of the arbitration to be borne by either party or by both parties in such proportions as the Arbitrators think fit, and there shall be no appeal from their decision.
27. Introduction of Visitors
A Member may personally introduce friends as his guests. The visitor and the Member introducing him shall sign their names in a book kept for that purpose. No Member shall be entitled to introduce a visitor during the hours when licensed premises in the locality are not open for the sale of intoxicants to the public. The following shall not be admitted as visitors:-
(a) Former members who have been expelled.
(b) Former members who have ceased to be members through non-payment of subscriptions.
(c) Persons who, having been nominated for membership, have been rejected.
(d) Members who are under suspension
Members must accompany guests introduced by them during the period of their stay in the Club, and no guest shall be permitted to make any payment for intoxicating liquor, directly or indirectly.
The Committee may debar any particular person as a visitor if they so think fit.
28. Guests and Excisable Articles
Should any visitor introduced by a Member pay for intoxicating liquor, he shall at once be removed from the Club premises and the Member may be expelled from membership on the fact being duly proved, and it shall be the duty of any Officer or Member of the Club becoming aware of such breach of the rules to report it at once to the Secretary or Committee.
29. Rules
(1) Supply
The Secretary shall be supplied by the Committee with copies of the rules, and shall be bound to deliver a copy to any person on demand.
(2) Amendment
These rules may be amended only at a General Meeting called for that purpose. Notice of any proposed amendment shall be posted in the Club for at least 14 days previous to the meeting to which the amendment is to be submitted. Any amendment shall require the votes of at least two-thirds of the Members present at such meeting.
No amendment of rules is valid until registered with the Registrar of Friendly Societies.
Written notice of any amendment or rules must be given by the Secretary to the Chief Officer of Police and to the Clerk of the Local Authority within 28 days of the registration of the amendment with the Registrar of Friendly Societies.
30. Bye-Laws
The Committee shall have power to make such bye-laws as it may consider necessary for the good government and order of the Club, provided that no such bye-laws shall conflict with any of the rules. A copy of all such bye-laws shall be posted in a conspicuous place within the Clubhouse.
31. Dissolution
The Club may at any time be dissolved by the consent of
three-fourths of the Members, testified by their signatures to an instrument of dissolution in the form provided by the Treasury Regulations.
32. Hours of Opening and Closing of the Club Premises
The Club shall be opened and closed at such hours as may from time to time be fixed by the Committee, and as posted in the Club.
33. Permitted Hours for Supply of Intoxicants
The permitted hours shall be such as may from time to time be determined by the Licensing Justices for the Petty Sessional Division of Richmond upon Thames as permitted hours for the locality.
For and on behalf of the Twickenham Club
7 Church Street, Twickenham. TW1 9NJ
President……………Patrick Ducker
Secretary……………Anne Service
Treasurer……………Patrick Ducker
Annual General Meeting, 2nd April 2009