Constitution


1    Name

The organisation shall be called the Winchester Warriors Junior Cricket Association, and known as Winchester Warriors.  The name can be abbreviated to WW or WWJCA or the Association.

2    Purposes

The purposes of WWJCA shall be to:

a) Promote cricket in the Winchester Warriors area

b) Encourage junior age cricketers to play and enjoy the game

c) Organise and co-ordinate cricket competitions in the summer and winter seasons, to meet the needs and requests of member clubs, as far as practicable

d) Organise and deliver skills development activities for young cricketers in the WW area, including coaching sessions

e) Enable district teams to take part in inter-district cricket competitions within Hampshire, and elsewhere when practicable

f) Support the development of volunteers to assist with the running of junior cricket in member clubs and district competitions

g) Maintain and promote the Spirit of Cricket

h) Support the work of the Hampshire Cricket Board and the development of junior cricket in Hampshire.

3    Area

The Winchester Warriors area is:

  • The northern part of Test Valley District
  • Most of Winchester District, including Micheldever and Bishops Waltham
  • Most of Eastleigh District including Hedge End and Hamble
  • Parts of Southampton City area adjacent to Eastleigh boundaries.

4    Membership

a) Membership of Winchester Warriors shall be open to properly constituted cricket clubs located in the Winchester Warriors District area, as above.

b) Cricket clubs may join Winchester Warriors by applying for their junior section to be affiliated and being accepted into membership of the Winchester Warriors Junior Cricket Association.  A membership fee may be charged on an annual basis.

c) Cricket Clubs located outside the WWJCA area may apply for Guest Membership of the WWJCA on the understanding that they support the purposes of the WWJCA and accept the responsibilities of membership as outlined in this Constitution.

d) Guest Member clubs may attend all WWJCA clubs’ meetings and play a full part in the Association’s activities except in the event of a proposal to dissolve the Association, on which proposal only full WWJCA member clubs would be entitled to vote.

e) Membership of Winchester Warriors will entitle junior sections of member clubs:

  • to participate in all WWJCA competitions
  • to nominate players for district level coaching activities
  • to attend and vote at general meetings of the Association
  • to nominate officers for the WW Committee
  • to nominate volunteers to attend training activities
  • to support from WW officers to advise on the development of junior cricket.

f) Member clubs will have responsibility for:

  • upholding the Spirit of Cricket
  • supporting the work and activities of Winchester Warriors
  • assisting with the running of WW competitions and events
  • making cricket facilities available for occasional matches at club or district level
  • attending general meetings of the Association whenever possible
  • providing the names and contact details of a junior section co-ordinator (usually known as the Junior Organiser), and the names and contact details of all team managers
  • ensuring that safeguarding matters are given top priority within club procedures and all legal requirements and best practice are maintained.

5    Subscriptions

a) WWJCA may charge a membership fee for clubs to affiliate to the Association.   Such a membership fee shall be considered and approved by the Annual General Meeting (AGM) or by a general meeting of member clubs.

b) Non payment of a club subscription fee by 1st January each year shall entitle the Committee to discontinue membership for that club.

6    Officials, Powers and Responsibilities

a) The clubs in membership of the association shall normally delegate powers for decision making and acting to the WWJCA Committee. The Committee shall be appointed by the clubs in membership of the Association, normally at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

b) The WW Committee shall determine a membership fee, following consultation with WWJCA member clubs.

c) Member Clubs shall elect officers and a Management Committee, normally annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), but exceptionally at other general meetings. Nominations of officers for election to the Committee must be made in writing prior to the AGM, with the names of a proposer and seconder, each of whom shall be from different member clubs.

d) Appointment and co-option of replacement officers between AGMs may be made by the Committee, on the understanding that such appointments will be reported to member clubs.

e) The Committee shall comprise the following officers and members: Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, Fixtures Secretary, Girls’ Cricket Clubs’ Co-ordinator, Meetings Secretary, up to three Committee Members, and the WWJCA Welfare Officer. Committee Membership may also include the Publicity Officer, Website Manager and the HCB Cricket Development Manager.

f) The Committee shall appoint other officers to carry out various responsibilities including Results Co-ordinators, an Indoor Cricket Co-ordinator, and a Website Editor.

g) Responsibility for managing the work of the Association shall be with the WWJCA Committee, within the general direction of the member clubs, as expressed at WWJCA general meetings.

h) The Committee shall meet when necessary and at least four times each year. The Committee may appoint sub-committees to carry out specific tasks, such as examining the Rules and planning events.

i) The Committee shall be responsible for administering the Rules of the summer and winter competitions. In practice, the day to day implementation of the Rules will be the responsibility of Club Team Managers and their Club Organisers, then the WWJCA Age-Group Result Co-ordinators and/or Indoor Cricket Co-ordinator, then the General Secretary, and then the Committee.

j) The WWJCA Committee shall have responsibility for implementing any measures that may be necessary within the ECB Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures, which are contained within the Rules for WWJCA Summer and Winter Competitions.

k) The Association shall adopt the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Child Protection Policy Safe Hands and its successor policies and amendments. The Association shall approve and implement a Safeguarding policy that is consistent with the ECB Safe Hands

l) A quorum for club meetings shall be one third of the member clubs. A quorum for Committee meetings shall be one third of elected Committee members.

m) Any complaint about the operation of WWJCA shall be made to the General Secretary in writing with a request for consideration by the Committee. If it was inappropriate to make such a complaint to the General Secretary, the complaint should be sent in writing to the Chairman.

7    Finances

a) The Association shall be run as a “Not for Profit” organisation.

b) Notwithstanding 7a), the Association’s finances will be managed in a manner commensurate with ensuring the long term financial stability and sustainability of the Association.

c) In this respect, the Association will strive to ensure that all promoted activities are, where practicable, self financing.

d) Notwithstanding 7c), it is recognised that some promoted activities may, from time to time, deliver a small operating surplus or deficit.

e) Winchester Warriors shall appoint a Treasurer who shall have day to day responsibility for the Association’s finances. The finances shall be maintained in accordance with good accounting practice.

f) A bank account (or accounts) shall be operated in the name of Winchester Warriors Junior Cricket Association. Payments above £10 shall be subject to the signature of two of the following officers:   Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

g) The Treasurer shall be required to keep the WW accounts in good order and report the financial position to the WW Committee at its regular meetings. The Treasurer shall also provide an annual statement of accounts to each AGM.

h) The WW financial year shall be from 1 November to 31 October each year.

i) In the event of dissolution of the Association, net funds held after all financial liabilities have been settled, will be distributed equally amongst the member clubs being affiliated at the date of dissolution.

8    Annual General Meeting and general meetings
An Annual General Meeting shall be held each year, normally in January, and shall conduct the following business in addition to normal Association business:

  • election of officers to the WWJCA Committee
  • reporting on the finances of the Association for the previous financial year and the budget for the current or future financial year.

Committee members shall retire from their post at an AGM but are eligible for re-election if they are nominated and willing to stand for election. Candidates for election to the Committee shall be nominated and seconded by member clubs by notification to the General Secretary prior to the day of the AGM.

Voting at AGMs and other general meetings shall normally be by show of hands. Each member club shall be entitled to one vote, but in the event of a tied vote, the Chairman shall have a casting vote. In addition, the Chairman may call for ‘all those in agreement’ or ‘all those against’ when seeking the views of the meeting.

General Meetings including the AGM shall be open to member clubs, committee members, other WWJCA officers, and to coaches and managers appointed by WWJCA to carry out work for the district. The official representative of the Hampshire Cricket Board will also be entitled to attend all general meetings. At least 21 days notice of general meetings shall be given, normally by email, and/or by circulation of an advance list of meetings.

An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened if the Committee deems that necessary, or if at least one third of member clubs make a formal proposal to the General Secretary to convene an EGM. The General Secretary shall give at least 14 days notice to all member clubs of such an EGM. Voting shall be as for an AGM.

9 Alterations to this Constitution

This constitution may be amended by an AGM or EGM following notification to all member clubs of the proposed changes, with at least 14 days notice being given to member clubs by the General Secretary.

10 Dissolution

In the event of a proposal for the dissolution of the Association, such a proposal shall be put to an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting, with at least 21 days notice being given by the General Secretary to member clubs and to the Hampshire Cricket Board.

V6 — Draft — March 2019