Portsmouth Rugby Football Club

Name of Club 

1. The name of the Club shall be Portsmouth Rugby Football Club ("the Club") of Rugby Camp, Norway Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire P03 5EP: ("the Club House").

Membership of Club 

2. The objects of the Club shall be the encouragement, support and the playing of Rugby Union Football by all genders at Rugby Camp, Norway Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth and at such places that the Club may from time to time determine in accordance with the Laws adopted by The Rugby Football Union and the RFUW and additional Rules promulgated by the Hampshire Rugby Football Union with particular emphasis on Hampshire RFU Rule No 16 "Code of Conduct " as under: 

2.1 All Members of the Club are expected to play or support the playing of the game of rugby football in accordance with the spirit of good sportsmanship and fair play 

2.2 In particular, Members should ensure that in their playing of the game and also in their general support of the Club and its teams, they do not indulge at any time in any unsporting behaviour or activities which could blemish the good name of the Club or bring the reputation of the game into disrepute, namely:

Insulting opponents, making offensive remarks to the Referee, Touch Judges or opposition supporters, deliberately feigning injury, taking property belonging to opponents or their club, publicly criticising the Referee via the media, playing under the influence of alcohol or the influence of drugs, making racial or racist remarks or behaving in any way likely to cause offence (including to Members of the public when travelling to or from a Club, County, International or other fixture). 

2.3 Members should understand that the Club could be held responsible/answerable to the Rugby Football Union and the RFUW for the action of its Members in respect of any misconduct such as outlined in 2.2 above. 

2.4 The club will discourage from selection any Member who repeatedly infringes this code and in respect of any such Member may hold an inquiry into any alleged breach and suspend or expel from Membership any serious offender. 

Club colours 

3. The Club Colours shall consist of Black Jersey with White and Yellow bands. The shorts shall be predominately Black and stockings Black with White and Yellow hoops. 

Membership 

4. Membership of the Club shall be as follows:

4.1 Playing members who shall pay an Annual Subscription which shall be determined at each Annual General Meeting. 

4.2 Non‑playing Members who shall pay an annual subscription which shall be determined at each Annual General Meeting but which shall not be more than that payable by playing Members. 

4.3 Members who shall at the sole discretion of the Management Committee have been invited to become Vice‑Presidents of the Club, the annual subscriptions shall be the same as that paid by non‑playing Members. 

4.4 Honorary Life Members who shall have been elected by the Management Committee. Such Members shall not pay annual Subscriptions.

4.5 Registered Members of the Junior Club who shall have paid a subscription fixed by the Junior Club at its AGM except where a Member qualifies for Membership Under rules 4.1,4.2,4.3 & 4.4 when they shall be exempt from paying the junior subscription 

4.6. Such Members under rule 4.5 shall not be entitled to vote at General Meetings of the Club, except as a Member qualified to vote Under rules 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 & 4.4. 

4.7 No person may be accepted as a candidate for membership under the age of 17 years except those referred to in rule 4.5 and the purported admission of a person under the age of 17 years shall be void. This will enable the fielding of Colts and U18 Girls teams. Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs, sex or disability except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of the Rugby Football Union. 

4.8 Membership for a Club year shall commence from the 1st May on which day the appropriate membership subscriptions shall be due. 

4 9 A candidate for membership of the Club shall apply on a form provided and in a manner laid down from time to time by the Management Committee 

4.10 The Management Committee shall have power to declare any applicant duly elected or reject such application in its absolute discretion. The Management Committee shall notify the applicant accordingly. In case of rejection, the Club shall be under no obligation to give any reason or reasons for such rejection and the subscription for the current year shall be returned to the applicant by post at the applicants risk. 

4.11 Payment of the subscription for the current year by an applicant for membership shall be deemed to be a declaration of agreement and submission by the applicant to the Rules, By‑Laws and Regulations of the Club. 

4.12 Members shall be entitled to attend and vote at General Meetings of the Club Rules referred to in Rules 8 and 9. 

4.13. Where a Member is a Company, Corporation, Association or other similar group (Corporate Member) whose Membership confers benefits on a number of persons associated or connected with that Corporate Member the following provisions shall apply. 

4.13.1 A Corporate Member shall count as a single vote at all meetings of which Members are entitled to receive notice to attend and vote. 

4.13.2 A Corporate Member must nominate one person connected with it (Nominee) to represent its interest at General Meetings. 

4.14 A Member shall cease to be a Member on failure to pay any subscriptions due by 1st October of the membership year or within 21 days of being accepted as a Member on expulsion by the Committee, on death or on resignation. 

4.15 Each playing Member in addition shall pay a match fee to be determined at the previous AGM. 

4.16 At the discretion of the Director of Rugby any subscription or fee payable by any Member may be waived or varied from time to time as the Director of Rugby shall decide. 

Management Committee 

5.1 The Club shall be managed by Members of the Club who shall form a Management Committee. These Members shall be proposed, seconded and elected at each AGM. They shall hold office until the following AGM when they retire but shall be eligible for re‑election from year to year.

5.2. The Management Committee shall comprise: 

The President who shall deputise for the Honorary Chairman in his absence, The Honorary Chairman, The Honorary Secretary, The Honorary Treasurer, The Director of Rugby, The Honorary Chairman Junior Club together with not less than four and not more than seven further Members of the Club. 

5.2.2 The Management Committee shall meet on the second Monday of each month and at such other times as the Management Committee shall deem expedient. 

5.3 The Management Committee shall have the following powers: 

5.3.1 To elect new members in accordance with the provisions of Rule 4 of these rules. 

5.3.2 To discipline any Member whose conduct shall be considered prejudicial to the Club or to the Hampshire Rugby Football Union and or/ in breach of rule 2. 

5.3.3 Should a Member of the Club be dismissed from the field of play, playing area or playing enclosure by the Referee, such a Member may be disciplined by the Club and/or the Disciplinary Committee of the Hampshire RFU. The Management Committee shall be responsible for Club discipline and shall take such action as it deems appropriate having taken into account the evidence and circumstances pertaining thereto. Additionally, if any incident of foul play by a Member, unseen by the Referee is brought to the attention of the Management Committee it shall take into account the evidence and circumstances pertaining thereto and will take such action as it deems necessary. 

5.3.4 To appoint the First Fifteen Captain at its last meeting prior to the AGM when the Management Committee shall take into account the recommendations of the Director of Rugby. 

5.3.5 To facilitate the appointment of the Club Coach. 

5.3.6 To support as required the Director of Rugby and Club Coach in the setting of the club’s policy on selection and coaching. 

5.3.7 To approve expenditure of Club funds in pursuance of the Objectives of the Club. 

5.3.8 To appoint such other Officers of the Club or Sub‑Committees from the Membership with Such powers as the Management Committee shall from time to time decide. 

5.3.9 To co‑opt such members on to the Management Committee or as officers of the Club or its subcommittees as it shall from time to time decide to advise on a particular matter at a particular time. Such co‑opted Member to hold office until the next AGM. 

5.10 To use its best endeavors to facilitate the granting too such person or persons as it may nominate such liquor, gaming or other licences as it may consider necessary from time to time in furtherance of the objects of the Club. 

Match Committee 

6.1 The Match Committee shall be chaired by the Director of Rugby or a deputy of his choosing and be made up of team captains and any other Members of the Club whom the Director of Rugby deems appropriate and shall be responsible for:-  

6.2 Ensuring the policies of the Club are adhered to be it from the Management Committee or the Director of Rugby. 

6.3 Ensuring that all player registrations are received and processed and that the relevant paperwork is passed to the appropriate person within the Club. 

6.4 The selection of teams. 

6.5 The organisation and arrangements for the playing of all games. 

Junior Club 

7. The Club shall embody and support a Junior Club for the playing of Mini and junior Rugby within the approved age groups of Under 7 to Under 17 including the provision for Girls Rugby under the rules of the RFUW covering Under 12's to Under 16's. 

7.1 The playing of Mini and Junior Rugby within the Club shall be in accordance with the laws adopted by The Rugby Football Union and the RFUW and additional Rules promulgated by the Hampshire Rugby Football Union for such age groups. 

7.2 The Junior Club shall be governed by its own written constitution and adhere to the rules of the Club as deemed appropriate by mutual agreement between the Executive Committee and the Junior Club Committee. 

7.3 The Junior Club shall be self‑financing with a copy of their audited annual accounts being passed to the Club Honorary Treasurer annually following the Junior Clubs AGM. 

7.4 Members of the Junior Club shall not be entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Club except where a member qualifies to do so under rule 4.5. 

Annual General Meeting (AGM) 

8. An Annual General Meeting of the Club (AGM) shall be held not more than 3 months after the close of the Rugby Football season and 15 months shall not elapse without an AGM. A copy of the notice convening the AGM showing the time, date and place of it and the business to be transacted, shall be sent to Members not less than 21 days before the date of the AGM and a full set of these documents shall be available at the Club House for inspection by Members from that date. The Treasurer's report, the audited balance sheet and statement of accounts Under Rule 8.1 shall be available at the Club House for inspection by Members not less than 3 days before the date of the AGM. 

At the AGM the following business shall be conducted: -­ 

8.1 To receive from the Management Committee a Report, audited balance sheet and statement of accounts for the preceding financial year ending on the 30 April prior to the meeting. 

8.1.1 To elect the officers and members of the Management Committee. 

8.1.2 To fix the annual subscriptions and the match fees payable for the ensuing year. 

8.1.3 To elect the Trustees of the Club as and when there shall be a vacancy. 

8.1.4 The election of auditors. 

8.1.5 The election of team captains except for the First Fifteen Captain

8.1.6 Such other business as shall have been notified to the Honorary Secretary not less than 28 days before the AGM and included by him in the notice of meeting sent by him to Members. Such notification shall be in writing and signed by not less than 2 Members. 

8.1.7 All nominations for all appointments duly proposed and seconded and countersigned by the nominee shall be lodged with the Hon Secretary in writing not less than 7 days prior to the meeting. 

8.1.8 No business other than that of which notice has been given shall be brought forward at the meeting. 

8.1.9 To fix the date of the next AGM. 

Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM) 

9.1 An EGM shall be convened by the Management Committee at any time at the written request of and signed by not less than 10 Members. Such request must state the purpose for which the meeting is required. 

9 2 An EGM may also be convened by the Management Committee if it considers it is in the best interests of the Club. 

9.3 The meeting must be convened not less than 14 days and not more than 30 days after such request by the Member or the decision of the Management Committee. 

9.4 Notice of the EGM. At least 14 days before any EGM, the Honorary Secretary shall send to every Member and post prominently on the Club Notice Board notice of the Meeting and of the business to be transacted at the Meeting and no business other than that of which notice has been given shall be brought forward at the meeting. 

Voting at General Meetings of the Club 

10.1 At all General Meetings of the Club each Member as defined in rule 4 and attending shall have one vote. 

10.2 Save for the vote required in rule 16 (alteration of these rules and rule 20 (Dissolution of the Club) each motion shall be deemed to be carried if passed by a simple majority. In the event of the vote being tied, the presiding Chairman of the Meeting shall be entitled to a second and casting vote. 

10.3 Any candidate for any office who shall have been properly proposed and seconded and who is unopposed shall be elected by a show of hands 

10.4 Any ballot for any office of the Club for which more than one nomination has been received shall be conducted at the meeting by those Members present and the voting shall be by a secret ballot.

10.5 All other resolutions or motions shall be voted on at the meeting by those members present voting by a show of hands Unless those members present and voting shall decide by a simple majority that a vote for the resolution or motion shall be by secret ballot. 

10.6 In the event of a secret ballot, the presiding chairman shall appoint 2 scrutineers. They shall give to each member entitled to vote a ballot paper showing the motion on which the vote is to be taken. Each Member entitled to vote shall mark his ballot paper accordingly. The scrutineers shall collect the ballot papers and shall count them in the meeting room giving the result to the presiding chairman who shall announce immediately the result of the ballot. In the event of a tied vote, the presiding chairman shall have a second and casting vote. 

Quorum for meetings  

11. The Quorum for meetings of the club shall be as follows: -­ 

11.1 Not less than 25 Members for an AGM. 

11.2 Not less than 20 of Members for an EGM. 

11.3 Not less than 50% of Members for a Management Committee Meeting. 

11.4 Not less than 50% of Members entitled to vote for a meeting of any other Committee or Sub‑Committee of the Club. 

Sub‑Committees 

12.1 Every Sub‑Committee shall report their proceedings as and when required to do so to the Management Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Management Committee. 

12.2 All decisions of any sub‑Committee shall be considered by the Management Committee at the following meeting. 

Executive Committee 

13. There shall be an Executive Committee which shall comprise the Honorary Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Director of Rugby. This Executive Committee shall be empowered to make all necessary decisions in the event of an emergency only and which are in the interests of the Club. They shall convene as soon as possible thereafter a meeting of the full Management Committee when a full report shall be made of the emergency and the reason the decision was taken. The quorum for this Executive Committee shall be four. 

Membership records 

14. Upon acceptance the Member's full name, address, occupation and contact telephone numbers shall be entered on a membership record which is overseen by the Honorary Secretary. 

Serving notices 

15. Any notice which shall be required by these rules shall be deemed to be properly served on a Member if it shall be sent to the Member at the address recorded in the membership record and on the Club by sending it to the Club House or by delivering it to a Member of the Management Committee. 

Alteration to rules 

16. No alteration or addition to these rules shall be made except by a resolution carried by a majority of at least two thirds of the Members present and voting at an AGM or an EGM the notice of which shall have contained particulars of the proposed alteration or addition. 

Trustees 

17. There shall be not more than four Trustees of the Club elected at the AGM. Each Trustee shall continue from year to year until his death, resignation or removal by the Club in General Meeting. On the death, registration or removal of any Trustee a successor shall be nominated by the Management Committee and elected by the Members at the AGM. The Trustees shall hold on behalf of the Club all real and personal property owned by the Club. 

Indemnity 

18. Each Officer, Trustee and employee from time to time of the Club and each person who was or is from time to time a Member of the Committee shall (to the extent that such person is not entitled to recover under any policy of insurance) be entitled to be indemnified out of any and all funds available to the Club which may lawfully be applied against all costs, liens, charges, expenses and liabilities whatsoever incurred by such person in the execution and duties Undertaken on behalf of the Club or in relation thereto or incurred in good faith in the purported discharge of such duties including any liability incurred in initiating prosecuting or defending any proceedings civil or criminal which relate to anything done or omitted as an officer or employee or as a Member of the Committee or any Sub‑Committee as the case may be.  

Employees of the Club 

19. No person employed by the Club may serve on the Management Committee. 

20. The income and property of the Club shall be applied solely towards promoting the Club’s objectives as set forth in this constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the Members of the Club. 

Dissolution and winding up of the Club 

20. In the event of dissolution or winding up the property and assets of the Club after discharge of all liabilities and expenses shall not be paid or distributed among the members of the Club, but shall be given or transferred to Hampshire RFU to be held in trust for use in community related sports. 

Adopted by Portsmouth RFC at their Annual General Meeting. 

Date    July 2005  

Honorary Chairman              

Honorary Secretary