Issue 7 - 1st August 2008
CONSTITUTION
CONTENTS:
Title
Ethos Statement
Eligibility for Membership
Fixtures
Administration and Organisation
Disciplinary Powers
Annual General Meeting
Financial Management
Further Regulation
1. Title
(1). The Competition shall be called the North West Colts League, hereinafter referred to as the “Colts League”, "League", or “Competition”.
(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 League Organising Committee if and when required at any time.
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2. Ethos Statement
(1). The Colts League Ethos gives a guideline as to why the Colts League exists and what we are trying to achieve. It is simple clear and coherent but avails to nothing if it is not practiced by everyone to the mutual benefit of all.
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3. Eligibility for Membership
(1). Entry into the Colts League is open to any individual ‘Colts Team’ from all Rugby Union Clubs affiliated to the Lancashire RFU or to the Cheshire RFU.
Colts Teams from Clubs affiliated to other CB’s or Unions may apply for entry but this shall only be granted at the discretion of the Colts League Organising Committee.
(2). Applications for Entry, and thereby Membership, must be made to the League Secretary, on the appropriate ‘Entry Form’, and shall be subject to such joining or ‘entry fee’ as deemed appropriate by the Colts League Organising Committee.
(3). The entry fee shall be determined annually by the Organising Committee, and shall be published in advance on the Entry Form for the relevant year.
(4). Only Teams duly Entered and Registered with the Colts League, and paid up by 1st June of the relevant year, will be considered as “Members” 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). To play for a Colts Team in the League Players must be bona-fide paid up Members of their Club and must be registered under the RFU Young Player Registration Scheme. Further Player eligibility criteria, ages, etc... are detailed in Appendix 1 of this Constitution; the Colts League Competition Rules.
(7). All participating Teams and Clubs shall have the Mandatory Minimum Insurance requirements, as laid down by the RFU, in place for their Teams participating in the Colts League.
(8). Each Member Team shall confirm by signing and submitting the Entry Form it’s acknowledgement of, and agreement to adhere to this Constitution, and to the Colts League Competition Rules (as amended from time to time), particularly in relation to honouring all fixtures arranged by the League.
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4. Fixtures
(1). The Competition shall consist of "Seeded Leagues" with Teams of similar grading levels.
(2). League Fixtures will be published as soon as possible in July, once the Seeded Leagues have been agreed.
(3). All other fixture criteria are detailed in the League Competition Rules.
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5. Administration & Organisation
(1). The Colts League is empowered by its Members and shall be organised, managed, and administered by a ‘League Organising Committee’, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, consisting of:
(2). (1). President
(2). Chairman or Chairmen. (3). Hon' Secretary
(4). Hon' Treasurer. (5). Hon' Fixtures & Results Secretary.
(6). Hon' Colts League Referee Association Secretary
(3). The Committee shall have the power to appoint or co-opt onto the Committee any further Committee Members 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 League 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 Colts League Competition Rules.
(7). The Colts League shall issue the “League Competition Rules” which shall provide further detailed guidelines, in addition to the Constitution, for the running of the Competition. This document shall be published on the Colts League’s WebSite and shall form Appendix 1 of this Constitution. In addition the Committee shall publish the “League Cup Competition Rules” to provide further information on the running of the end of season “Cross League” Cup Competitions.
(8). Suggestions for amendments or additions to the League Competition Rules will be considered by the Committee from any Member Team. 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 considered and voted upon. If accepted, 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.
(9). 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 Organising 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.
(10). The League Organising Committee shall have no liability whatsoever in respect of any injuries incidents or consequences which may arise from any match or competition organised by the Committee.
(11). The Colts League Organising 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.
(12). Extensive use is also made of Group E-mails to maintain communication with Team Managers and Coaches and to highlight any news items or information available on the WebSite.
(13). It should be noted therefore that to fully participate in the Competition requires each Team to have some form of Internet access and E-mail facility available. To prevent this requirement becoming a barrier to participation the WebSite has been specifically designed to be fully accessed using the bare minimum of computer hardware and software.
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6. Disciplinary Powers
(1). All participating Teams, Players, Officials, and Spectators are required to observe the Colts League “Code of Conduct” issued as Appendix 2.
(2). Any disciplinary process arising from a Competition game will be conducted under the normal Disciplinary Process and by a Disciplinary Committee of the offenders Club, CB, or Home Union.
(3). Further Disciplinary criteria and guidance notes are detailed in the Competition Rules and on the Disciplinary Pages of the League's WebSite.
(4). The League Organising Committee shall have the power of expulsion, fines, or the imposition of any other penalty it considers appropriate, in addition to those imposed by a CB or Home Union, against any Teams considered to have failed to support the Colts League Ethos.
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7. Annual General Meeting
(1). An Annual General Meeting shall be called by the Committee after 1st June and before the start of each season, as deemed practicable by the Committee. All participating Teams for the upcoming season shall be entitled to nominate one Member to be present and who may vote on their Team’s behalf, although more than one Member from any Team may attend the meeting. Only Members present may vote and 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 and fees for Membership, and ratify any changes made to the Competition Rules & Regulations, 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 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 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.
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8. Financial Management
(1). The Colts League is administered independently from the CB’s (or 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 Organising Committee at each Committee Meeting, and an annual financial report shall be presented to the Membership at the AGM.
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9. Further Regulation
(1). The Organising Committee shall be the sole arbiter in all cases of dispute or complaint, and shall have authority to make decisions at any time on matters which are not covered by either this Constitution or the Competition Rules.
Appendix 1 - Colts League “Competition Rules”
Appendix 2 - Colts League “Codes of Conduct”
Appendix 3 - Colts League "League Cup Competition Rules"
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