Half Crown Petanque Club

Constitution of the Half Crown Pétanque Club

1. NAME

The name of the Club shall be: The Half-Crown Pétanque Club, Crown Inn, Stockton.

2. OBJECT

The object of the Club shall be:
" To promote and provide facilities for the sport of Pétanque
" To hold Club competitions and social events for members
" To promote events between the Club and other Clubs having similar interests
" To encourage active involvement at the higher levels of the sport.

A Business Plan will be agreed each year setting out proposals and budgets for fulfilling these objectives.

3. MANAGEMENT

The Club shall be managed by a committee to be called the Management Committee, comprising the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Captain, Coach, Public Relations Officer who shall be elected annually for a period of one year at the Annual General Meeting, at the end of which term the out-going Officer may offer himself/herself for re-election.

The Chairman will take overall responsibility, coordinate the activities of the Club and will chair Management Committee and other Club meetings. He/she will also oversee and project-manage the implementation of the Club's annual business plan and coordinate reports to meetings of the Management Committee and General Meetings.

The Secretary will keep all records of Club affairs, including correspondence, minutes of meetings etc, and will be responsible for keeping all Club members informed of these by whatever means are appropriate. He/she will also Chair the Ground Committee that will manage the terrain and other facilities necessary to permit the playing of the game to EPA standards.

The Treasurer will be responsible for managing all financial matters including the register of paid up Club members and the maintenance and presentation of audited accounts of cash and bank transactions for presentation at the AGM each year.

The Club Captain will be responsible for coordinating the selection and management of representative teams in Regional, National, International and other competitions. He/she will also be responsible, in conjunction with The Coach, for developing the skills of all Club members and encouraging their participation in representative teams.

The Public Relations Officer will be responsible, in conjunction with the Webmaster, for promoting wider awareness of the sport of Pétanque and keeping all members informed of the Club's activities through newsletters, the web site and any other appropriate mechanism.

Additional members shall also be elected as Ex-officio Committee Members to serve for a term of one year after which they may offer themselves for re-election. Their roles may include planning and managing fund-raising and social activities, serving as Webmaster, and undertaking any other activities as may be required from time to time.

A person shall not be eligible for nomination or election to any of the above positions, or if elected, shall not continue to sit unless he/she is a full paid-up member of the Club. Additionally, in compliance with the requirements of the English Pétanque Association (EPA), the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer must also be fully paid up members of the EPA.

Management Committee meetings shall be held at least once per quarter. One half of the Committee shall form a quorum. The Chairman shall have an additional, casting, vote when necessary. In the absence of the Chairman at any meeting, the Officers present shall elect a Chairman for that meeting.

The Management Committee shall have control of the yearly income and expend such sums as are necessary and appropriate for the benefit of the Club. In all matters demanding an immediate decision the Chairman, in conjunction with the Secretary and Treasurer, shall be empowered to act in the Club's interests.

The Management Committee shall have the right to interpret these rules and regulations as they shall think expedient for the effective management and well being of the Club.

The Management Committee is the sole authority for the interpretation of these rules, and shall have the power to fill any vacancy in the Committee of Officers that may occur between any two Annual General Meetings.

All rules and regulations made by the Management Committee shall be binding upon members until repealed by the Committee and/or set aside by a resolution at a General Meeting of the Club.


4. AFFILIATION

The Club shall be affiliated to the English Pétanque Association (EPA) via the West Midlands Pétanque Association (WMPA) and agrees to abide by and be run in accordance with their rules.
The Management Committee will appoint a representative who is an EPA member to attend Executive Committee meetings of the West Midlands Pétanque Association on behalf of The Club. This will normally be the Chairman or, if the Chairman is a member of the WMPA Executive, the Secretary. If neither is available for a particular meeting of the WMPA Committee then a substitute will be nominated for that meeting and the Secretary of the WMPA notified in advance.

The Club may be affiliated to other such Associations as may be decided by the Management Committee. The Treasurer shall pay such affiliation fees as may be required.


5. MEMBERSHIP

There shall be two categories of membership:
Member: Full subscription payees, registered as Half-Crown Pétanque Club adult members.
Juniors: Members who have not reached their eighteenth birthday by the 31st December of the year of application. These will receive free membership of The Club and be registered as Half-Crown Pétanque Club Junior Members.

Members may be members of other Pétanque clubs both within the West Midlands Region or other Regions.

Members who are not registered as EPA members with another Pétanque Club will be encouraged to join the EPA, registered through The West Midlands Pétanque Association as Half-Crown Pétanque Club adult members. There will be a reduction in The Club subscription to reflect EPA membership.

Junior Members who are not registered as EPA members with another Pétanque Club will be automatically registered with the EPA as Juniors, Cadets or Minims (according to age) as Half-Crown Pétanque Club members, as a cost to The Club.

The Treasurer shall maintain a Register of all Members who have paid their subscription and all Juniors who have registered with the Club, and each will be issued with a Membership Card which they will sign to confirm their agreement to the HCPC Constitution. Additionally, all candidates for EPA membership must complete the appropriate EPA membership form and will be issued with a signed Membership Card confirming registration with the English Pétanque Association, which will also serve as an International Licence where a photograph has been submitted with the EPA membership form and endorsed by the Regional Membership Secretary.

The Committee shall be empowered to award the status of 'Life Member' to any member of The Club whom the Committee deem to have earned the accolade through services to The Club. Life Members will be exempt from annual subscriptions and, if active players, will be automatically registered as EPA Members as a cost to The Club. Nominations for Life Membership will be considered at the AGM and granted by majority vote.

The Committee shall be empowered to expel from the Club any member whose conduct is, in their opinion, injurious to the interests of the Club or its members or its objects. Before expelling a member the Committee shall investigate the circumstances and the member shall be given reasonable opportunity to defend and justify himself/herself in writing or by appearance before the Committee. The decision of expulsion shall be on a majority vote to those present at the enquiry.

Any person ceasing to hold membership of the Club shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership but shall remain liable for the return of any property belonging to the Club or any dues or debts to the Club which became payable or were incurred before the date of resignation or expulsion.

In all competitions, outings and functions, where arrangements have been made in advance, any member having signified his/her intention to compete or participate will be held liable for any expense incurred on his/her behalf whether they attend or not, unless a member (not previously entered) takes over liability by attending on their behalf.

All paid-up Full and Junior members are entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting and have equal rights to be nominated to any position on the Management Committee, with the proviso that the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer must be members of the EPA.

6. SUBSCRIPTIONS

The subscriptions payable for Adult membership shall be determined annually at the Annual General Meeting. For those members joining the EPA there will be a consolidated fee reflecting a reduced Club subscription plus the membership fees of the WMPA and the EPA. All subscriptions shall be payable by 31st January of each year. In the event that a member renews their membership of the WMPA and EPA through use of the EPA on-line system, then they will be liable for just the reduced Club subscription.

Any member whose subscription is unpaid after 28th February shall forfeit membership. A fresh application for membership shall then be required.

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held during the month of January in each year when the Management Committee shall be elected and an audited Balance Sheet, up to 31st December of the previous calendar year, will be presented by the Treasurer.

At least 30 days prior to each Annual General Meeting, the Secretary shall inform each Member of the time and place of the meeting and invite nominations for all Committee posts. Such nominations must be seconded, have the express approval of the nominee and be submitted no later than 7 days prior to the meeting.

Any positions with no nominations that are vacant at the time of the AGM, may be filled through nominations at the AGM.

8. COMPETITIONS AND REPRESENTATION

Each year leagues and competitions will be held by the Club, for which Cups and Trophies will be awarded, as determined by the Management Committee. Members competing must agree to abide by the rules governing each individual competition. All Cups and Trophies shall remain the property of the Club and must be returned to the Committee upon request.

Participation in competitions shall be limited to paid-up Members only, unless previously arranged as an 'open' event - which will typically include fund raising and come-and-try events. Additionally, the Management Committee may, from time to time, organise competitions for EPA members only.

In selecting teams to represent The Club in WMPA and EPA competitions, only those members whose EPA membership has been arranged through The Club will be eligible to play.

On this basis, all Members can participate in the following club activities:
- HCPC Social events (such as Beaujolais Night, organised for the benefit of The Club)
- HCPC Twinning
- HCPC Open events - Saturday Open Melees, Saturday Club
- HCPC Annual Club Day
- HCPC Tuesday Training Nights

EPA Members will additionally be entitled to participate in:
- HCPC-sponsored EPA closed events
- HCPC Summer League teams
- WMPA Coaching sessions
- WMPA-sponsored Competitions, including Summer Triples, Winter Pairs, etc
- WMPA representative competitions - Inter-Regionals, Champion of Champions
- EPA Grand Prix


9. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Any proposed alterations to the Club Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting, convened with the required written notice of the proposal.
Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Fully Paid-up Member of the Club and seconded by another Fully Paid-up Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those Members present at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.


10. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB

The Club shall not be dissolved so long as three Fully Paid-up Members belong to it and then only provided that the majority agree thereon. In the event of its dissolution the fixed assets of the Club (namely any land or buildings owned by the club) shall be offered to the Stockton Parish Council for administration as a Public amenity/children's play area.

Any other properties then remaining after satisfying all liabilities (namely cups, trophies, playing equipment and funds) shall be equally divided amongst the Fully Paid-up Members thus remaining.


11. GENERAL RULES

The Club must abide by Risk Assessment procedures dictated by the WMPA and EPA. This demands that the Club takes appropriate measures to ensure the safety of both players and spectators during any playing event or training session. Club members must also at all times show respect for and protect from damage, terrains and property belonging to or used by the Club.
Members not abiding by the above rules may be called before the Management Committee which may result in expulsion without recompense from the Club and liability claimed for any wilful damage caused.

Any suggestions or complaints brought to the attention of a Committee Member shall be dealt with by the full Management Committee at their regular meetings.

12. INSURANCE

In any playing year when there are Club Members who play regularly but do not wish to join the EPA, the Management Committee may, at their discretion, arrange Civil Liability Insurance on behalf of those Members, for Indemnity not exceeding £2,000,000.

13. AUDITORS

At least one Club member will be elected at the AGM each year to view the accounts and agree the annual balance sheet.


This Constitution represents the official rules of the Club and was adopted by the AGM of the Half Crown Pétanque Club on 21st January 2012.

RISK ASSESSMENT

1. Introduction

When the Half Crown PC negotiated its own club insurance with Perkins Slade in 2008, we undertook a Risk Assessment as a condition of cover. We have revisited this in the context of the latest EPA mandate regarding Risk Assessments for every event at National, Regional and Club Level, including club closed events and coaching sessions, as a condition of EPA Insurance.

The attached Risk Register sets out the risks and mitigations that are applicable to any Pétanque event hosted by The Half Crown Pétanque Club. It is our intention to publish this as part of the club's rules and to make it available for inspection at any time by the EPA or their insurers.

In the event of an incident requiring a claim to be lodged, then this document will be produced in evidence that the Half Crown Pétanque Club took appropriate precautions and cannot be considered as negligent.

2. Context of Risks Considered

The Half Crown Pétanque Club leases two terrains from The Crown Inn, Stockton, and one from a private landlord, Roger Beard.

The facilities for car parking, first aid facilities and access for emergency vehicles are provided by the pub and are not specific to Pétanque events. The club has its own pavilion for Pétanque and catering-related equipment which is kept locked at all times and is protected by a security light.

Our terrains comprise a light covering of gravel on top of a clay surface. We rake these regularly and apply weed killer to minimise the risk of players or spectators tripping on the terrain or weeds. Our terrains have permanent strings to mark the 'dead-ball' area for playing purposes. The strings are laid close to the surface of ground and we inform all players of the existence of these strings and other potential hazards through a prominently displayed warning notice on the pavilion window.

Whilst we are playing there is always a risk of a boule striking a player or a spectator. We mitigate this risk by ensuring that all players are aware of the principles of good play by providing formal coaching sessions which encourage all players throw their boules in a responsible manner. In particular, when a player is shooting, we always ask any players involved in adjacent games to stand clear of the line of the shot.

We have club membership of 45 players, including two juniors. Each member is issued with playing rules and all of our juniors are accompanied by their parents or other responsible adult whenever they play in club competitions.

From time to time we host Regional competitions, National Competitions and friendly 'come and try' events for local organisations. For each of these events we have a registration system and always inform participants of the safety warning notice and any special rules of the day.

When we stage an event where there are spectators present, we provide chairs for seating on our patio and on the grass verges next to our terrains and discourage spectators from walking on the terrains. We have fencing erected between the terrain and the pub car park to minimise any risk of vehicles being hit by a boule.

For some of our events we provide tea & coffee in the pavilion on a self-service basis from an urn. A warning notice is displayed next to the urn advising caution when pouring hot water. For some of our events we also provide a BBQ on a patio adjacent to our terrain and pavilion which we protect from public/player contact by surrounding it by tables from which the food is served. We provide bins for litter and waste food which we empty after every event and also during events when they become full.

Two of our playing terrains incorporate a public footpath leading from a road at the rear of the pub onto the street at the front of the pub. From time to time members of the public use the footpath whilst we are playing and whenever this occurs we stop play to allow them safe passage. We place a warning cone and notice at the exit from the footpath onto our terrain to alert footpath users that there is a game in progress.

3 Risk Management

We believe that this Risk Assessment covers all Pétanque-specific aspects of any event staged or hosted by the Half Crown Pétanque Club and do not consider we need any special arrangements for any particular event provided we continue to implement the mitigations stated.

We have a capacity of 12 concurrent triples matches. We do not feel it necessary to notify local emergency services of such events with a maximum of just 72 players plus officials, and with spectator areas that are not enclosed.

This Risk Assessment will be reviewed by the Committee on an annual basis and will be presented to our members at our AGM.


Agreed and approved by the Committee of the Half Crown Pétanque Club
12th July 2011