Issue 17 - 24th July 2010
1. Title
(1). The Competition shall be called the North West Colts League, hereinafter referred to as the “Colts League” or "League".
(2). Any reference to the "League" or "Cup" or "Competition" in any Colts League documentation shall mean The "Colts League" or the "Colts League Cup" competition, as appropriate.
(3). The name of the League or the League Cup Competition(s) may be modified or changed by the Colts League Committee if and when required at any time.
2. Ethos Statement
(1). The Colts League Ethos gives a guideline on the objectives and ethos of the Colts League. It is simple clear and coherent but avails to nothing if it is not practiced by everyone involved in Colts Rugby to the mutual benefit of all.
3. Eligibility for Membership
(1). Entry into the Colts League is open to Colts Teams from all Rugby Union Clubs affiliated to the Lancashire RFU or to the Cheshire RFU.
(2). Colts Teams from Clubs affiliated to other County CB’s may apply for entry as a "Guest Team" which may be granted at the discretion of the Committee.
(3). Applications for Entry, and thereby Membership, must be made to the League Secretary on the appropriate ‘Entry Form’. Entry shall be subject to such joining membership or ‘entry fee’ as determined annually by the Committee which shall be published in advance on the Entry Form for the relevant year.
(4). Only Teams duly Entered and Paid-Up by 1st June of the relevant year will be considered as “Member Teams” for the ensuing season.
(5) Only "Member Teams" will be eligible to be included in the League “Seeding Process” which ultimately leads to inclusion in the League's published fixtures.
(6). Late Entries cause unnecessary additional administration for League Volunteers and shall therefore not be accepted.
(7). Colts' Players must be bona-fide paid-up Members of their Club and must be registered with the RFU and the League in accordance League's Squad Registration Regulations.
(8). All participating Clubs and Teams shall have the Mandatory Minimum Insurance requirements as laid down by the RFU in place for their Teams participating in the Colts League.
(9). Each Member Team shall confirm by signing and submitting the Entry Form it’s acknowledgement of and agreement to abide by and adhere to this Constitution, the Code of Conduct, and to the Competition Regulations , plus to all Sub-Regulations contained therein.
4. Leagues & Fixtures
(1). The Competition shall consist of "Seeded Leagues" with Teams of similar level as determined by the Seeding Committee. Seeding is based on the mean average of Manager's feedback and it is therefore imperative all Managers contribute to the seeding process.
(2). League Fixtures will be published as soon as possible once the "Seeded Leagues" have been agreed and ratified.
(3). Other "League" and "League Cup" fixture criteria are detailed in the Competition Regulations.
5. Administration & Organisation
(1). The Colts League is empowered by its Members and shall be organised managed and administered by a ‘League Committee’, hereinafter referred to as the "Committee", consisting of the following Officers :
(2). (i). President
(ii). Chairman or Chairmen.
(iii). Hon' Secretary.
(iv). Hon' Treasurer.
(v). Hon' Fixtures Secretary.
(vi). Hon' Assistant Fixtures (League Cup) Secretary.
(vii). Hon' Colts League Referee Association (CLRA) Secretary.
(3). The Committee shall have the power to appoint or co-opt further Members to the Committee as may be required from time to time with or without voting rights.
(4). Due to the high turnover of Players and Clubs transiting the Colts League bi-annually the Committee is constantly searching for people who believe they can make a positive contribution to or assist in the running of the League and who are interested in joining the Committee. Such people should please make their interest known to the League Secretary.
(5). The Committee shall normally meet four times per year or as deemed necessary by the Chairman and the Secretary, at a venue mutually convenient for those attending.
(6). The Committee shall have the authority to make decisions at any time on matters relating to the welfare and running of the League and on matters which are not covered by either this Constitution or the Competition Regulations.
(7). The Committee shall issue the Competition Regulations which shall provide further detailed guidelines in addition to the Constitution for the running of the Competition(s). The Competition Regulations shall be published on the Colts League’s WebSite and shall form Appendix 1 of this Constitution.
(8). The Committee shall also publish the League Cup Regulations which provide further detailed information on the running of the end of season League Cup Competition(s).
(9). The Committee shall also publish the North U19 Cup Regulations which provide further detailed regulatory information on the "Cock-O-The-North U19 Challenge" Competition(s) held at the end of season.
(10). The Competition Regulations shall be modified or updated as required from time to time by the Committee who shall govern the weekly operation of the Leagues.
(11). Suggestions for amendments or additions to the Competition Regulations or the Constitution will be considered by the Committee from any Member. These must be to the benefit of all competing Teams and Players and should be submitted to the League Secretary who will add them to the agenda for the next scheduled Committee meeting, where they will be given due consideration and voted upon. If accepted by the Committee any amendments will be adopted and an updated version will be published on the League’s WebSite and introduced into the Competition as soon as practicable.
(12). Each Club and Team in consideration of signing and submitting the Entry Form for the Competition agrees it has entered into a legally binding obligation with the Colts League, the RFU, any sponsor of the Competition, and as a separate covenant with each other Club in the Competition, Match Official involved in any match in the Competition or cancellation or abandonment thereof, that it will not hold liable or make any claim against any of the foregoing or the Committee;
a). for any loss cost charge compensation or expense arising out of or in connection with any kind of injury or illness suffered by any player, spectator or other person (in so far as is permitted by law).
b). for any damage to property of any kind.
c). for any other loss cost charge expense or damages be it economic financial consequential or for loss of profit expense incurred or otherwise and whether directly or consequential.
d). for any loss of any description howsoever arising or alleged to arise from or in relation to the result of any match in the Competition arising out of or due to any decision or action that such official may take (or failed to have taken) under the Laws of the Game this Constitution or any other Rules or Regulations published by the Colts League or in the RFU Handbook or which have been properly introduced by the RFU or in respect of any opinion expressed under Regulation 17.5 or in respect of the normal procedures to hold play control cancel or abandon a match.
(13). The Colts League Committee strives to be as open and transparent as possible in the organisation and administration of it’s Competitions. To this end an Internet WebSite has been established at www.colts-rugby.org.uk to underpin the Administration of the Competition(s) which has been specifically designed to be fully accessed using the bare minimum of computer hardware and software.
(14). The League makes extensive use of Group E-mails to maintain communication with Team and Club Administrators therefore to fully participate in the Competition effectively each Team must have some form of Internet access and E-Mail facility available.
(15). Each Club Secretary or Team Manager is responsible for joining the Colts League mailing list by adding or updating their own e-mail address using the join mailing list link.
6. Disciplinary Powers
(1). All participating Teams, Players, Officials, and Spectators are required to observe and abide by the Colts League Code of Conduct issued as Appendix 2 of this Constitution.
(2). Any disciplinary process arising from a Competition game will normally be conducted by a Disciplinary Committee of the offenders Club or County CB.
(3). Under exceptional circumstances the Committee may itself convene a League Disciplinary Committee to consider more serious matters.
(4). The Committee shall have the power of expulsion, fines, or the imposition of any other penalty it considers appropriate, in addition to any sanction imposed by a County Disciplinary Committee, against any Team considered to have failed to support the Colts League Ethos or to be in breach of the Competition Regulations or the Code of Conduct.
(5). Disputes or complaints should be notified to the League Secretary by phone and e-mail within 36 hours of the relevant game or situation.
(6). The Committee shall be the arbiter in cases of dispute or complaint and shall have the authority to make decisions at any time on matters which are not covered by either this Constitution or the Competition Regulations.
(7). A Club shall have the right of Appeal to the RFU against any such decision made by the Committee upon payment of the appropriate fee to cover the costs of such a hearing. Guidelines on the appeals procedure are set out in Regulation 11 of the RFU Regulations. Appeals must be lodged withing 14 days of a decision or ruling and a copy must be sent by e-mail to the League Secretary.
7. Annual General Meeting
(1). An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be called by the Committee after 1st June and before the start of each season, as deemed practicable by the Committee. All "Member Teams" for the upcoming season shall be entitled to nominate one Member to be present who may vote on their Team’s behalf. Additional persons from any Member Team are welcome to attend the meeting, however there will be only one vote per Member Team. Only Members present may vote - there shall be no proxy voting.
(2). All participating Member Teams will have at least 28 days notice of the AGM provided they maintain their e-mail contact information up-to-date with the League Secretary.
(3). The meeting shall consider the Election of Officers for the ensuing season, ratify the Committee’s determination on the conditions of and fees for Membership, the current Competition Regulations, other Agenda Items, plus “Any Other Business” notified to the League Secretary at least 14 days prior to the meeting.
(4). Nominations for Officers to be elected at the AGM should be received by the League Secretary by
e-mail, at least 21 days before the AGM. All persons so nominated shall be proposed and seconded by a separate Member and shall confirm their availability, by e-mail, to the League Secretary.
(5). The League Secretary shall publish and display a list of nominations at least 14 days before the AGM which shall be closed and removed 7 days before the AGM.
(6). There shall be no more than 18 months between AGM’s.
8. Financial Management
(1). The Colts League is administered independently from the CB’s (County Unions) and therefore operates at a nil cost to any County RFU; thus, remaining financially neutral to the CB’s is a prerequisite for the continuation in the running of this independent Competition.
(2). A Bank Account shall be maintained by the Treasurer in the name of the "North West Colts League". A statement of the financial standing of the League shall be submitted to the Committee at each Committee Meeting and an annual financial report shall be presented to the Membership at the Financial General Meeting.
Appendix 1 - Colts League “Competition Regulations”
Appendix 2 - Colts League “Codes of Conduct”
Appendix 3 - Colts League "League Cup Regulations"