League Constitution 2002
[1. TITLE] [2. OBJECTS]
[3. OFFICERS and MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE] [4. MEMBERSHIP]
[5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING] [6. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING]
[7. SUBSCRIPTIONS]
[8. PRESENTATION OF ACCOUNTS]
[9. PRESENTATIONS OF AWARDS] [10. ANNUAL KNOCKOUT CUP]
[11. RESIGNATIONS] [12. DISCIPLINE]
[13. CLUB INFORMATION] [14. WINDING UP]
A. CONSTITUTION
1. TITLE
1.1 The name of the League shall be the Southern Premier Cricket League (hereinafter called
"the League"). At the discretion of the Management Committee, the League Title may
incorporate words or symbols referring to a sponsor or other appropriate body.
2. OBJECTS
2.1 The promotion, advancement and protection of the interests of cricket in Hampshire and
its environs.
2.2 To maintain a development fund for the benefit of Member Clubs and former Member Clubs.
2.3 Co-operation with the Hampshire Cricket Board, the Hampshire Cricket League and any other
body having similar objects to the League.
2.4 Co-operation with and the provision of assistance and advice to Member Clubs on any
matter affecting the interests of the Member Club or the League.
2.5 Consideration of any other means for promoting the interests of the League.
3. OFFICERS AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
3.1 The Officers of the League shall be the President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General
Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Fixtures Secretary and Honorary Results Secretary
all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and hold Office until the next
Annual General Meeting, when they shall retire but be eligible for re-election.
3.2 The League shall be governed by a Management Committee (hereinafter called "the Committee")
consisting of the Officers of the League and not more than six other Committee members
duly elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall be responsible for the
management of the League, appoint Sub-Committees (which shall include a Discipline
Sub-Committee and an Appeals Sub-Committee) and have the powers of co-option. Co-opted
members shall be entitled to vote. The Committee may submit proposals to any General
Meeting of the League after due notice has been given to Member Clubs. The Committee is
elected to implement and interpret the Rules of the League. The alteration or suspension
of League Rules can only take place with the approval of Member Clubs at either the
Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary Meeting.
3.3 The Committee shall meet as necessary and will be responsible for the government of the
League within the framework of this Constitution and the Rules and shall have the power
to deal with anything not covered by the Constitution or the Rules and to decide on the
interpretation of this Constitution or the Rules in the event of any disagreement as to
their meaning and such decision shall be final and binding on all Member Clubs.
3.4 No business shall be conducted by the Committee unless at least two officers and two
other Committee members be present. Where necessary the Chairman of the meeting shall
exercise a casting vote.
4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Membership of the League shall be open to bona fide clubs approved by the Committee.
Clubs shall be members or affiliated members of the Hampshire Cricket Board and shall
hold a Certificate of Accreditation issued by the Committee confirming that they satisfy
the minimum requirements for ground, facilities and youth development as specified by the
Committee and certified by the Hampshire Cricket Board. A Club shall cease to be a
member of the League after the Annual General Meeting next following the withdrawal of
any Certificate of Accreditation granted to it, or immediately on cessation of membership
(or affiliate membership) of the Hampshire Cricket Board.
4.2 Only a General Meeting may expel from membership any Member Club.
4.3 Full Membership is accorded to those Clubs playing in any division in the League. There
shall be no Associate Membership.
4.4 All Member Clubs shall take out Public Liability Insurance cover at a minimum level to be
agreed at each Annual General Meeting and shall produce evidence of current insurance to
the Committee by 20 April each year. A Club whose insurance renewal is due after 20
April shall produce evidence of renewal not later than the renewal date. Any Club
failing to meet this requirement will be suspended from membership until evidence is
produced. It shall be sufficient compliance with this rule if the Member Club has
produced such evidence to the satisfaction of the Committee of the Hampshire Cricket
League.
5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
5.1 The Annual General Meeting of the League shall take place in November at a venue, date
and time to be decided by the Committee. Notice of every Annual General Meeting will be
circulated to Member Clubs at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.
Proposed alterations to rules and other proposals, including nominations for the
Management Committee, will be considered at the Annual General Meeting subject to written
notice by two Member Clubs, certified by the Chairman and Secretary of each as having the
support of the Club committees, being given to the General Secretary before the fifteenth
day of September.
5.2 No proposal to amend the Constitution shall be deemed to be carried unless it receives
not less than two-thirds of the votes cast at the meeting. At any General Meeting each
Member Club shall have one vote. No Member Club shall be entitled to vote at a meeting
by proxy. In the event of a tied vote the Chairman of the Meeting or his nominated deputy
shall have a casting vote. Voting shall be by show of hands unless the Chairman directs
otherwise.
5.3 Where a motion affects the Rules of Play in a particular Division of the League, only
Clubs with teams affected by the proposed change may vote. The decision of the Chairman
of the meeting shall be final in determining the effects of this rule. No proposal to
amend the Rules shall be deemed to be carried unless it receives not less than two-thirds
of the votes cast.
6. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
6.1 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at the discretion of the Committee or
on receipt by the General Secretary of a written request from not less than one half of
the Member Clubs. Notice of, and Proceedings at an Extraordinary General Meeting shall
be the same as those at Annual General Meetings.
7. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PAYMENTS
7.1 The League's annual subscription shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting.
7.2 Subscriptions, and any other moneys due to the League, shall be paid by Member Clubs to
the Hon Treasurer within 30 days of being so requested by him. Failure to make payment
in due time shall be visited by a levy (see 12 below).
7.3 The Hon. Treasurer shall deposit subscriptions in a bank account approved by the
Committee and be responsible for keeping all records of the League's financial
transactions.
7.4 Payments made to the League should be by cheque to be made payable to the "Southern
Premier Cricket League".
7.5 All payments made by the League by cheque or other financial instrument shall bear the
signature of any two of the Hon. Treasurer, Chairman and General Secretary.
7.6 Officers and Management Committee Members (including co-opted members) are entitled to
claim reimbursement of travelling expenses incurred by attendance at meetings, at rates
approved by the Committee.
7.7 Member Clubs may be required to purchase a minimum number of League handbooks, subject
to conditions that the Committee may impose.
8. PRESENTATION OF ACCOUNTS
8.1 The accounts of the League shall be kept by the Honorary Treasurer and such accounts
shall be audited annually by the Auditors appointed at the Annual General Meeting. For
the purposes of such audit, the accounts shall close on 30th September in each year.
9. PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
9.1 The League shall hold an Annual Dinner at which presentations will be made. The function
shall be held on a convenient date in November or December; its venue and general format
shall be decided by the Committee.
9.2 Member Clubs will be required to purchase a minimum of eight tickets for the function, or
such lesser number as the Management Committee may specify.
9.3 The League shall provide and award 13 individual medals to the winning Club of each
Division. Those Clubs may purchase additional individual medals with the consent of the
Management Committee. The League shall also present a trophy to those Clubs. The Clubs
shall hold the trophies until 1st September of the following year and return them in good
order to the General Secretary. Arrangements for engraving trophies shall be the
responsibility of the League.
10. ANNUAL KNOCKOUT CUP
10.1 There shall be an annual knockout competition, the jurisdiction of which will be vested
in the Committee.
11. RESIGNATIONS
11.1 Except for the jointly agreed promotion and relegation arrangement with the Hampshire
Cricket League, no Member Club shall be entitled to become a member of an alternative
League competition unless it has given notice in writing to the General Secretary by 1st
April in the year preceding that in which it proposes to become a member of that
alternative League competition.
12. DISCIPLINE
12.1 General
12.1.1 All disciplinary matters connected with the League or the conduct of matches played
under the auspices of the League shall be dealt with in accordance with the England &
Wales Cricket Board's Disciplinary Model Rules which, except as otherwise agreed by a
General Meeting of the League, shall be deemed to be incorporated within this Constitution
and form part of the Rules and Playing Conditions of the League.
12.2 Fines
12.2.1 Subject to the provisions of the Model Disciplinary Rules, the following scale of
fines shall apply:
12.3.1 Breach of Disciplinary Rules by a Club: Level 5
12.3.2 Breach of Disciplinary Rules by a player: Level 3
12.3.3 Failure by a Club to keep a fixture for reasons other than weather: Level 4. Any
expenses incurred by the opposing Club shall be met by the offending Club.
12.3.4 Failure to be represented at a General Meeting or Captains meeting: Level 3.
12.3.5 Failure to pay membership subscription, or other moneys due, by the due date: Level 3
12.3.6 Late start for reasons other than weather: Level 2
12.3.7 Failure to telephone a result: Level 2
12.3.8 Failure to post a completed result sheet: Level 3
12.3.8.1 Second failure for the same team in one season: Level 4
12.3.8.2 Third and subsequent failures: at the discretion of the Management Committee
12.3.9 Failure to reply to League correspondence within specified times: Level 3
12.3.10 Failure to advise a proposed change of venue: Level 3
12.3.11 Failure to provide a Ground Report: Level 3
12.3.12 Failure to provide a report on Umpires: Level 3
12.4 A fine shall be not more than the maximum amount prescribed by the following levels:
Level 5 - £100
Level 4 - £30
Level 3 - £15
Level 2 - £10
Level 1 - £3
12.5 The Management Committee may from time to time revise these figures
12.6 Observance of penalties imposed by other bodies.
Suspensions imposed by other organisations affiliated to the Hampshire Cricket Board
and to neighbouring County Boards shall also apply to the League. Such organisations
will also be notified of and invited to apply suspensions imposed by the League.
13. CLUB INFORMATION and CORRESPONDENCE
13.1 Member Clubs shall advise the General Secretary of all changes of Club Secretary and of
Club information in the League Handbook, as soon as they occur. They shall also deal
promptly with League correspondence.
14. WINDING UP
14.1 In the event of the League being wound up, a financial statement of accounts will be
prepared and audited. If these accounts reveal a deficiency, every Member Club at the
date of winding up and every Club which ceased to be a member within the year preceding
the date of winding up shall contribute equally to clear such deficiency. If a surplus
is revealed, it shall be distributed in a manner to be decided by the Final General
Meeting.