As approved at an AGM on 25th March 2018 and cricket AGM 23rd January 2022 and updated at the club AGM 26th March 2023

Code of conduct

Respect and Behaviour All Club members and Club officials must show tolerance, courtesy, good manners, fairness, honesty and integrity in their dealings with Club members, officials, Club members’ guests, playing and social visitors.

Equality The Club is opposed to discrimination in any form. All Club members have a responsibility to make everyone feel welcome and to ensure that membership of the club is a positive experience.
Safety and Responsibility All Club members will act responsibly and look to protect and ensure the safety of everyone at the Club at all times and particularly to consider the well-being and care of junior players and visitors.
Fair Play All Club members will respect the rules of the sports of tennis and cricket and address disputes with dignity and appropriate language.
Club Reputation All Club members should endeavour to protect and further the Club’s good reputation at all times. When representing the Club, all players and officials will observe the principles in this Code of Conduct.
Resolving Differences

All club members will endeavour to resolve differences in the following order:

  1. Between the parties involved.
  2. By reference to the appropriate Club Section Secretary, Junior Tennis Coordinator, Cricket Juniors
  3. Coordinator or the Club Safeguarding Officer who will determine the course of action to be followed.
  4. By reference to the appropriate Section or Club Committee.
  5. Where reference is made to a Section Committee and the difference remains unresolved further reference may be made to the Club’s General Committee
  6. The Section or Junior Committees shall have the power to censure any of their section members or suspend any of their section or junior members’ playing or membership rights and may suspend such rights for up to four weeks. Suspension beyond four weeks or recommendations as to expulsion must be approved by the Club General Committee.
  7. Except under rule E9 of the Constitution, removal of a Club or Section Officer or Committee Member shall require an EGM of the Club or Section as appropriate.
  8. All disciplinary action pursuant to this code shall be subject to a right of appeal to an Appeals Committee. This Appeals Committee shall comprise of three individuals appointed by the General Committee. The majority verdict of the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding.

Constitution

Highgate Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club

The objects of the Club are to provide facilities for and promote participation of the whole community in the sports of cricket and tennis. The income and property of the Club shall be applied solely towards promoting the Club’s objects as set forth in these rules and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the Members of the Club.

Section A The Club

  1. The Club shall be called the Highgate Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club.
  2. The Club colours shall be Red, Blue & Yellow.
  3. The Club’s financial year shall run from 1st November in each year to 31st October in the following year.
  4. No Club rule shall be altered, rescinded or added to unless by the consent of a majority of two-thirds of those Members voting at a General Meeting of the Club and notice of any proposed alteration shall be sent to the General Secretary, in time for it to be circulated with the notice of the meeting.

Section B Lands and Buildings

  1. The playing areas as at present constituted, shall be devoted to the playing of Cricket, Lawn Tennis and other sporting activities.
  2. The Club property shall only be used for Club purposes unless specifically authorized by the General Committee.
  3. The Club lands (comprising the pavilion buildings, main cricket pitch, five hard courts and three shale courts located at Brookside) are held in Trust by The Trustees of The Shepherds Cot Trust contained in a trust Deed dated 2nd December 1981, as varied following the merger with Brookside LTC. The club benefits from a shared user agreement with the London Borough of Haringey relating to four tennis courts located adjacent to the club on the Highgate Wood School site. Under this agreement the club has the right to use these courts outside school hours. This agreement was executed by the London Borough of Haringey and trustees on behalf of the club on 21st February 2011. The trustees shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the property of the club for all expenses and other liabilities properly incurred in the discharge of the trustee’s duties.
  4. No monies shall be borrowed upon the security of the grounds of the Club.
  5. The purchase of intoxicating liquors may be made by all Members and their bona-fide guests and, at the discretion of the General Committee, by Members of visiting Clubs playing arranged sporting fixtures or visiting the Club for the purpose of taking part in the Club’s social events, provided always that persons, other than those previously specified, may, at the discretion of the General Committee, be permitted to partake in the purchase of intoxicating liquors and other bar facilities, when visiting the Club for social, sporting or similar functions.
  6. The Club is a Community Amateur Sports Club. The Club Members shall not be entitled to dissolve the Club and distribute its assets to themselves. In the event the Club shall dissolve and is not amalgamated with any other Community Amateur Sports Club the Club’s assets shall be distributed to the English Cricket Board and Lawn Tennis Association or their successors in accordance with the ratio of cricket and tennis members registered at the time of such dissolution.
  7. The Club’s database, records, email addresses, website and all intellectual property created in connection with the Club’s activities is the property of the Club and shall not be used by members for any purpose that has not been authorised by the General Committee.

Section C Membership

  1. Admission of Members
    1. The Club has a policy of full open membership to all of the community. Any person who wishes to become a Member must submit an application in such form as the Tennis or Cricket Committees shall decide. Every candidate for Membership shall be admitted to Membership of the Club unless to do so would be contrary to the best interests of the sport or the good conduct and interests of the Club. The Tennis and Cricket committees will have the final decision in the event of any issues. All members of the Club are bound by the Club’s Code of Conduct. No person shall be denied membership of the Club on the grounds of race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, age, disability, sex, occupation, sexual orientation, religion or political beliefs. Persons below the age of 18 may be admitted as Junior Members without the right to hold office or vote at general meetings.
    2. Applications for new membership will be processed on receipt of an application form, subscription and, if applicable, joining fee, without the need for being proposed by an existing member. The club must provide that the parent/carer/guardian of any under 18 member is given automatic non-voting membership status in the club, and will be classed as a Non-Playing Member. Our subscriptions should be fair with reduced fees for students, unwaged (which are defined as unemployed claiming and receiving state benefits), players with a disability, juniors, and pensioners. Member’s financial difficulties should be considered when collecting subscriptions.
    3. Applications for non-voting Social Membership will be dealt with by the General Committee
    4. In the case of a person wishing to join both sections of the Club, membership will be processed on receipt of application forms for both sections, and by payment of the joint subscription and joining fees as determined by the General Committee.
    5. Each tennis section member agrees as a condition of membership:
  1. to be bound by and subject to these rules and the rules and regulations of the relevant County Lawn Tennis Association (as in force from time to time); and
  2. to be bound by and subject to the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code.
  1. Rule C1
  2. confers a benefit on the LTA and, subject to the remaining provisions of this rule, is intended to be enforceable by the LTA by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. For the avoidance of doubt, the members do not intend that any term of these rules, apart from Rule C1 (d), should be enforceable, by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999, by any person who is not a party to these rules.
  3. The General Committee may, subject to the Code of Conduct, terminate the membership of any person, or impose any other sanction it determines to be appropriate, in connection with the breach of any condition of membership set out in this rule.
  1. In case any Member shall, in the opinion of the General Committee, commit an act of misconduct and/or bring discredit upon the Club, the General Committee shall have the power to expel such Member from the Club by a majority of such meeting. Any such decision is subject to a right of appeal to an Appeals Committee. This Appeals Committee shall comprise three individuals and any majority decision of this Appeals Committee shall be final & binding.
  2. The Annual Subscriptions, entrance fees and match fees, shall be determined from time to time by the General Committee.
  3. The General Committee may at any time nominate any person, being a full Member, for election as an Honorary Life Member, without subscription, in recognition of valuable services to the Club. Such nomination shall then be submitted to the next Annual General Meeting for decision by the Members. Election shall be by simple majority vote.
  4. A complete list of the names and addresses of Members shall be kept at the Clubhouse.
    1. Subscriptions shall become due on the 1st April of each year.
    2. If any Member’s subscription is not paid within one month of the due date, the General Committee shall be informed and they shall be empowered to deem the Membership lapsed and subject to a re-joining fee. It is the responsibility of the section committee concerned to apply this rule.
    3. Where Membership is for less than a full year or in other exceptional circumstances, a reduced subscription may be authorized at the discretion of the section committee.
    4. A person shall not be entitled to any privileges of the Club until two days have passed since his application for membership was submitted, whether or not he/she is admitted as a Member before those two days have lapsed.

Section D General Meetings

  1. An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in either March or April of each year (subject to unforeseen circumstances), for the purpose of receiving accounts for the past year ended 31st October, and for general business, including the election of all officers and Members of the General Committee and Bar Sub-committee (See I1). Twenty one days notice of such meeting shall be given. All Members, excluding Junior, Non-Playing and Social Members shall be entitled to vote at this meeting. In the event of an equality of vote the Chair shall have a casting vote on all matters other than election of members to the General Committee. Twenty five Members shall constitute a quorum.
  2. Upon the request of the General Committee or receipt of a requisition for an Extraordinary General Meeting, signed by not less than 25 Members entitled to vote, stating the purpose for which such meeting is to be called, the General Secretary shall issue notices of such meeting. Twenty one days notice of such meeting shall be given to all Members.

Section E Officers and Committee

  1. The General Committee shall direct the general affairs of the Club, have control of the finances of the Club and consist of:
    1. The Chair, Vice Chair, the Hon. General Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer.
    2. The Chair of both the Cricket and Tennis sections.
    3. A minimum of one and a maximum of three duly elected representatives of each section.
    4. The Bar Secretary.
    5. The Club Safeguarding Officer.
  2. Each member of the General Committee must satisfy HMRC’s fit and proper person test to be involved in the general control, management and administration of the Club and must declare that he/she is a fit and proper person prior to being elected.
  3. Each member of the general committee is required, as a condition of election or appointment, to agree to be bound by and subject to these rules, the rules and regulations of the relevant County LTA, County Cricket Board and the LTA & ECB Rules and Disciplinary Codes. This agreement is to contain an express acknowledgement that the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 applies and that the LTA, ECB and the Club can enforce any breach at its option and in its sole discretion.
  4. The Officers of the Club, being The Chair, The Vice Chair, The Hon. General Secretary, The Hon. Treasurer, The Bar Secretary, The Social Secretary and The Club Safeguarding Officer, being aged 18 or over, shall be elected annually at a General Meeting and shall be nominated, in writing or by email, by not less than two voting Members. Voting members are all full members of the club which shall exclude those under 18 years of age, social members and parents/carer or guardians of members under 18 years of age. Such nominations shall reach the General Secretary not less than seven days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. If there is only one candidate nominated to fill any particular vacancy, that candidate shall be declared elected unopposed for that particular vacancy at the next Annual General Meeting. If there is more than one candidate for any particular vacancy there shall be an election for that position. The club secretary shall promptly inform the membership of the candidates that are standing. Voting by proxy may be made by e-mail to the Club Secretary at any time from the notice of candidates until 5pm on the day before the Annual General Meeting. Voting at the Annual General Meeting shall be by secret ballot and all secret ballot and e-mail proxy votes shall be added together to determine the result for that position. All elections shall be conducted by the General Secretary and another officer. In the event of a tie, the candidate to be elected shall (unless the candidates otherwise agree) be determined by lot.
  5. The members of the bar committee (Section I) shall be elected at the Club Annual General Meeting in accordance with the same procedures outlined in E4 above.
  6. If there are no nominations for a position of Officer of the Club, the General Committee will, at any time, be able to appoint a Member to fill the vacancy on the Management Committee until the next Annual General Meeting when that person shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election.
  7. The remaining Members of the General Committee will consist of the Chair of both the Cricket and Tennis Sections and up to two members from the Cricket Section Committee, and up to two members from the Tennis Section Committee. In addition one further representative for each Section may be elected from the general membership or the Section Committees. These additional 6 members will be elected as General Committee members at the first Section Committee meeting following the Club AGM. They will be co-opted onto the General Committee to serve until the next Annual General Meeting and shall be entitled to vote at the meetings of the General Committee.
  8. An Honorary Auditor shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to audit the Club accounts before presentation to Members.
  9. General Committee Members must put the interests of the Club first. General Committee members who have interests in competition with the Club are not entitled to serve as Committee members. A member of the General Committee shall be deemed to have vacated office if:
  1. he/she becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors generally; or
  2. a registered medical practitioner who is treating that person gives a written opinion to the General Committee stating that that person has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a member of the General Committee and may remain so for more than three months; or
  3. by reason of that person’s mental health, a court makes an order which wholly or partly prevents that person from personally exercising any powers or rights which that person would otherwise have; or
  4. he/she resigns his office by notice to the Club; or
  5. he/she shall without sufficient reason for more than three consecutive meetings of the General Committee have been absent without permission of the General Committee and the General Committee resolves that his office be vacated; or
  6. he/she is suspended from holding office or from taking part in any activity relating to the administration or management of the Club by a decision of the CLTA, the LTA or the ECB.
  7. he/she is requested to resign by all of the other General Committee members acting together.
    Any person accepting election or nomination to the General Committee who has any financial interest in tennis or cricket must, before such election or nomination, state in writing to the Club all such interests. Failure to do so will lead to automatic disqualification from the General Committee. The General Committee has the right to veto such an election if, in its opinion, it is not in the best interests of the Club.

Section F Proceedings of the General Committee

  1. Meetings of the General Committee shall be held regularly at least eight times throughout the year. At such meeting, five Members shall constitute a quorum. The Chair of the meeting shall have a casting vote.
  2. The Hon. General Secretary shall attend all meetings of the General Committee (where possible) and take minutes at all meetings of the General Committee. He/she shall send out all general notices and generally carry out the directions of the General Committee.
  3. The Hon. Treasurer shall receive all monies and make all payments, subject to the control of the General Committee, and keep the accounts of the Club. He/she shall also attend all meetings of the General Committee (where possible) and at such meetings, shall provide details of the current financial situation.
  4. Decisions of the General Committee shall be made by a simple majority and in the event of an equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote.
  5. The General Committee will be entitled from time to time to set up sub-committees to deal with specific matters such as sponsorship, grant applications, ground development or recruitment and will be entitled to co-opt on to these sub committees non General Committee members if it so decides where specialist skills are required. All sub-committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the General Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the General Committee.

Section G Section Committees

  1. The Cricket and Tennis Section Committees shall manage the affairs of their respective sections of the Club and may make such regulations as shall, in their opinion, be for the benefit of that section, provided always that such regulations, do not conflict with the general rules of the Club.
  2. The Section Committee Secretaries shall attend and take minutes of the proceedings at all meetings of their respective sections Sub-Committees and carry out their directions.
  3. Decisions of the Section Committees shall be made by a simple majority and in the event of an equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote.
  4. The Officers and Members of each Section Committee (being aged 18 or over), shall be elected annually at a General Meeting and shall be nominated, in writing or by email, by not less than two voting Members. Voting members are full members of the club which shall exclude those under 18 years of age, social members and parents/carers or guardians of members under 18. Such nominations shall reach the Section Chair or Secretary not less than seven days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. If there is only one candidate nominated to fill any particular vacancy, that candidate shall be declared elected unopposed for that particular vacancy at the next Annual General Meeting. If there is more than one candidate for any particular vacancy there shall be an election for that position. The Section Chair or Secretary shall promptly inform the membership of the candidates that are standing. Voting by proxy may be made by e-mail to the section chair or secretary at any time from the notice of candidates until 5pm on the day before the Annual General Meeting. Voting at the Annual General Meeting shall be by secret ballot and all secret ballot and e-mail proxy votes shall be added together to determine the result for that position. All elections shall be conducted by the Section Secretary and another officer In the event of a tie, the candidate to be elected shall (unless the candidates otherwise agree) be determined by lot.
  5. In case of any vacancy, temporary or otherwise, in any of the Section Committees during a current year, the remaining Members of the Section Committee in which the vacancy occurs, shall have the power to fill the same. This co-opted member shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting.
  6. The Section Committees will be entitled from time to time to set up sub committees to deal with specific matters such as sponsorship, grant applications, ground development, coaching or membership recruitment & will be entitled to co-opt on to these sub committees non committee members if it decides specialist skills are required.

Section H Permanent Section Sub Committees

  1. The Club has thriving tennis & cricket junior sections. These sections will be administered by the Junior Tennis Committee & the Cricket Juniors Committee. Both these permanent sub committees report to and take guidance from the relevant section committee who shall ratify all expenditure and subscription charges.
  2. Elections and committee member appointments shall be governed by the rules outlined in G2 to G5 and shall take place at the relevant section AGM.

Section I Purchase and supply of liquor & Bar Sub-Committee

  1. Purchase for the Club and supply by the Club of intoxicating liquor must be in the absolute discretion of a sub-committee of not less than three Members being Members over the age of 18 and elected for that purpose by the Members at the Club AGM.
  2. If any member of the Bar Sub-Committee for any reason ceases to be a Member, he/she automatically ceases to be a member of the Bar Sub-Committee, and another member of the General Committee must be appointed in his place if the number of members of the Bar Sub-Committee falls below three. This member must have been elected to the General Committee by the Members at the AGM or an EGM.
  3. The sub-committee must not in any way be restricted in freedom of purchase.
  4. No member of the Club may at any time receive at the expense of the Club or any Member any commission, percentage or similar payment on or with reference to purchases of intoxicating liquor by the Club.
  5. No one may directly or indirectly derive any pecuniary benefit from the supply of intoxicating liquor by or on behalf of the Club to Members or guests apart from any benefit accruing to the Club as a whole and apart also from any benefit which a person derives indirectly by reason of the supply giving rise to or contributing to a general gain from the carrying on of the Club.
  6. The Bar Sub-Committee shall ensure that age restrictions, permitted hours for the supply of intoxicating liquor and provision of regulated entertainment shall be as permitted by the Club’s Club Premises Certificate.
  7. As soon as possible & in any case within 28 days after the making of any alteration / addition to these rules the General Secretary must give written notice of the alteration / addition to the proper Licensing Authority & to the Chief of Police.

Cricket section rules

  1. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Cricket Section will take place between  1st September and 31st January in each year. 21 days notice of this date will be given and the agenda sent out or posted on the Cricket Section website. Ten voting members shall constitute a quorum.
  2. The Cricket Committee will consist of:
    • Cricket Chair
    • Saturday League Captains
    • Sunday & Mid-Week Captains
    • Cricket Secretary (also Membership Secretary)
    • Fixture & Hire-Outs Secretary
    • Cricket Treasurer
    • Director of Cricket
    • The Ground Manager
    • Chair of Selectors
    • Women & Girls’ Committee Representative
    • Club Safeguarding Officer
  3. The Cricket Juniors Committee will consist of:
    • Cricket Chairman (elected under 2 above and appointed by the Cricket Committee)
    • Cricket Colts Co-Ordinator (elected under 2 above and appointed by the Cricket Committee) who shall chair meetings of the Cricket Juniors Committee
    • Cricket Safeguarding Officer
    • Age group managers to support under 9, under 11, under 13, under 15 & under 17 age groups (as deemed appropriate by the Cricket Committee).
    • Age group administrators to support under 9, under 11, under 13, under 15 & under 17 age groups (as deemed appropriate by the Cricket Committee).
    • The Cricket Juniors Committee shall meet a minimum of three times a year to discuss membership issues, team selection, fixtures, health & safety, development issues within the cricket program and any other issues relating to Junior Cricket. Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum
    • The Cricket Juniors Committee shall (as soon as is reasonably practicable) report any Child Safeguarding Issue to the Cricket Committee and Club Safeguarding Officer.
  4. Voting and nomination procedure
    The positions set out in 2 & 3 above will be voted on at the Cricket Section Annual General Meeting in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section G4 of the club rules
    Before accepting nomination for these positions, members must be aware of the responsibilities that go with them and should discuss the position and its responsibilities with the incumbent and/or the Cricket Chair.
  5. The Cricket Committee will meet at least three times in each calendar year. Five members of the committee will constitute a quorum.
  6. Annual subscriptions are due on 1st April and are governed by Section C6 of the Club rules. Notwithstanding the club rules members who have not paid their subscription by 31st May will not be selected for any team.
  7. Members who bring the club into disrepute by word or action or fail to comply with these Rules will be subject to disciplinary action subject to a maximum four week suspension as decided by the Cricket Committee. (See also the club’s code of conduct and appeals procedure)
  8. All members of a team are expected to carry out any reasonable duty required of them by the Captain/Vice Captain on the day of the match and will fully comply with the responsibilities expected of him or her as set out in our Code of Conduct, the ECB Code of Conduct and the ECB ‘Safe Hands Policy for Safeguarding Children'(and adhere to the ECB Anti-Discrimination Code adopted at the Cricket Section AGM on 23rd January 2023).
  9. The Cricket Section of Highgate Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club adheres to the principles and guidelines of the ECB Cricket Equity Policy and any future versions of the Policy.
  10. The Cricket Section of Highgate Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club adheres to the principles and guidelines of the ECB ‘Safe Hands Policy for Safeguarding Children’ and any future versions of the Policy.
  11. Highgate C&LT Cricket section is affiliated to the England and Wales Cricket Board through the Middlesex Cricket Board

Tennis section rules

  1. The Tennis Section Committee shall consist of:
    • Tennis Chair
    • Tennis Secretary
    • Women’s Tennis Captain
    • Men’s Tennis Captain
    • Membership Secretary
    • Junior Tennis Coordinator
    • Three General Tennis Section Committee Members
  2. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Tennis Section will take place immediately after the General Club AGM.
    • 21 days notice of this date will be given and the agenda sent out or posted on the Tennis Section website.
    • All Members, excluding Junior and Social Members and parents/carer or guardians of members under 18 years of age, shall be entitled to vote at this meeting. Twenty five Members shall constitute a quorum.
  3. The Tennis Section Committee members shall be elected annually at the Tennis section Annual General Meeting in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section G4 of the club rules. The Tennis Section Committee shall meet a minimum of six times a year. Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum
  4. The Club Coach should attend all Tennis Committee meetings whenever possible. The Coach should be allowed to vote unless there is a conflict of interest (e.g. coaching issues).
  5. Tennis Committee Members must put the interests of the Club first. Tennis Section members who have interests in competition with the Club are not entitled to serve as Committee Members.
  6. LTA Disciplinary Code: The Club agrees that all unlicensed and unregistered tennis coaches and, so far as reasonably practicable, players and other persons using the tennis facilities of the Club will be required, as a condition of such use, to agree to be bound by and subject to this code of conduct, the rules and regulations of the relevant CLTA, the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code, such agreement to contain an express acknowledgement that the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 applies and that the LTA and the CLTA can enforce any breach at its option and in its sole discretion.
  7. Junior Tennis Committee
    This Junior Tennis Committee shall consist of:

    • Junior Tennis Coordinator (elected under 1 above and appointed by the Tennis Committee) who shall Chair the meetings of the Tennis Junior Committee
    • Junior Membership Secretary
    • Tennis Safeguarding Officer
    • Junior Fixtures Secretary
    • Three Junior Tennis Committee Members
    • For the avoidance of doubt all members of the Junior Tennis Committee shall be aged 18 or over. It is envisaged that the three additional Junior Tennis Committee members will be drawn from parents/carers/guardian of members of the Club’s junior squads or any senior member of the tennis section.
    • The Junior Tennis Committee shall meet a minimum of six times a year to discuss membership issues, team selection, fixtures, health & safety, development issues within the tennis program and any other issues relating to Junior Tennis. Three members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
    • The Junior Tennis Committee shall (as soon as is reasonably practicable) report any Child Safeguarding Issue to the Tennis Committee and Club Safeguarding Officer.

This Code of Conduct, Constitution, was approved as part of the Cricket Section’s Annual General Meeting, held on Sunday 23rd January 2022 at 2pm and Tennis Section Rules were passed at an AGM of Highgate Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club held on 25th March 2018 and updated at the club AGM 26th March 2023