spectating a game

Bristol Croquet Club Rules

(As agreed at the SGM held on 2nd March 2019)

Bristol Croquet Club Constitution, as agreed at the SGM held on 4th March 2023) supersedes this document.

1. Title

The Club's name is Bristol Croquet Club ('the Club' below); it is to be a Member Club of the Croquet Association (CA).

2. Objects

To practise croquet for recreation, exercise and competition at all levels.

3. Membership

  1. Membership of the Club is open to those over the age of ten who complete an application form and pay the due subscription, provided that, any Member under the age of sixteen must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times when on Club premises.
    There are three classes of Members:
    1. FULL MEMBERS, including Life Members: over the age of eighteen; croquet playing and paying a full subscription. Only full members are entitled to vote on Club business and are eligible to serve on the Committee
    2. HONORARY MEMBERS with the privileges of Full Members may be elected under clause 7.5 below
    3. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS may be admitted in categories, and on financial terms, as decided by the Committee from time to time. These categories may recognise e.g.
      1. distance from our Club
      2. our Club’s nomination as a 'secondary' Club
      3. participation in winter activities only
      4. former Full Members no longer playing croquet
      5. Junior or Student status

4. Officers & Committee

  1. The Officers of the Club are Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Grounds Secretary, and Match Secretary
  2. The Club is managed by a Committee of its Officers plus four Ordinary Members elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM)
  3. All Members of the Committee are elected for one year, but may be re-elected to the same or another office, provided that, the Chairman stands down from the Committee after not more than three years, other Officers after not more than six years, and Ordinary Members after not more than three years. Members standing down are not eligible for election to the Committee for a period of one year, unless they are Ordinary Members nominated and duly elected to Office or the retiring Committee has minuted that a specific office will be an exception for that year

5. Duties of the Committee

  1. To manage the Club for the benefit of all Members
    1. The quorum is six Members
    2. Meetings are held not less than four times per year
    3. Decisions are made by simple majority: in the case of equal votes, the Chairman has a casting vote
    4. Resolutions passed at General Meetings are binding on the Committee
  2. To keep Accounts of the finances of the Club available for inspection by Members, and to present the Accounts to the AGM. The Club shall keep a bank account
  3. To set Club subscriptions: a Member who has not paid the subscription by the due date may at the Committee's discretion be deemed to have resigned
  4. To take Minutes of all Committee and General Meetings, and to post provisional Minutes on the Club notice board within three weeks of the Meeting
  5. To appoint sub-Committees as necessary for Club business, such sub-Committees to report at least once a year to the main Committee
  6. To co-opt Members on to the Committee as necessary for specific duties, but without the right to vote on Committee business; such Members to hold office until the following AGM

6. Trustees

The property of the Club is vested in four Trustees, who may act only as directed by the Committee (for which the Club Minutes are conclusive evidence). The Trustees hold office without time limit, and are indemnified out of Club property against risk and expense. When new Trustees are needed, they are chosen by the Committee, the Secretary of the Club being the person named and deemed to appoint them, in accordance with the Trustee Act 1825.

7. General Meetings (GMs, AGMs & SGMs)

  1. At all General Meetings (GMs) the following clauses apply:
    1. The chair is taken by the Chairman or by a deputy chosen by the Committee
    2. The quorum is one quarter of the Full Membership, to include at least half of the Committee
    3. Motions and Nominations may only be proposed or seconded by Full Members
    4. Each Full Member shall be entitled to one vote on each issue
    5. Members unable to attend a GM may appoint by writing to the Secretary another Member to vote as a proxy for them on any item on the Agenda. No Member may carry more than two proxy votes
    6. Decisions are by simple majority (except as provided in sections 8 to 10 below), abstentions not counting as votes. In the event of equal votes, the Chairman has a casting vote. The Chairman may direct a written poll
  2. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club is held in February or March each year. Members should advise the Secretary in writing before the end of January of any business to be moved at the AGM. The Secretary will send notice and agenda of the AGM to Members' addresses and post a copy on the Club notice board at least three weeks before the meeting
  3. The business of the AGM is:
    1. To confirm the Minutes of the previous AGM and any other
    2. To receive the Accounts
    3. To receive an Annual Report from each Officer
    4. To appoint an Examiner of accounts
    5. To elect the Committee
    6. To consider (but not necessarily act on) any other matters which Members raise at the AGM
  4. Nominations for election to the Committee must be made in writing to the Secretary at least seven days before the AGM, and with the consent of the nominee. In the absence of sufficient nominations, they may be taken at the AGM
  5. On the nomination of the Committee, an AGM may elect Honorary Members to the Club for exceptional services to the Club or to the game of Croquet
  6. A Special General Meeting (SGM) may be convened by the Committee, or by the Secretary on receipt of a written request from the lower of 20, or one fifth of the Full Members. At least three weeks notice of the SGM shall be given, and its business must be specified in the notice and restricted to that

8. Expulsion

  1. Any Member considered by the Committee to have behaved to the Club's prejudice shall be warned by an Officer or, if sufficiently serious, may be suspended
  2. The warning or suspension shall be confirmed in writing within seven days
  3. If the behaviour continues or the Member was suspended, an SGM shall be called within sixty days of the written warning and the Member may be expelled by a vote at that SGM, provided that:
    1. The Member is allowed to address the Meeting before the vote is taken
    2. The Resolution is carried by at least four fifths of the votes cast
  4. The Member expelled may appeal by writing to the Secretary of the Croquet Association (CA) within 14 days of the SGM, who shall within 14 days thereafter follow the CA's disciplinary and appeals process to decide the appeal. On expulsion, any subscription for that year paid by that Member shall be returned

9. Changes to the Rules

The Rules may only be changed at an SGM, and for approval require not less than two thirds of the votes cast.

10. Dissolution

  1. If a Resolution to dissolve the Club is passed, the Secretary shall call an SGM to be held not less than one month afterwards to discuss and vote a second time on the Resolution
  2. To be passed, the Resolution requires not less than two thirds of the votes cast at that SGM; if passed, the Committee shall then realise the assets of the Club and discharge its debts and liabilities
  3. The remaining assets shall vest in the CA: without limiting the discretion of the CA in their use, first consideration may be given to supporting other croquet clubs in the Bristol area

For more information, please email Chris Frew, who will be happy to help.