ANNESLEY WOODHOUSE
WMC RULES
2026
Constitution of Annesley Woodhouse Working Men's Institute Club adopted on the ……………..day of ………………………..
1.Name
The name of the Club is the Annesley Woodhouse Working Men’s Club or other such name as the Management Committee may from time to time decide.
2. Administration.
Subject to the matters set out in this constitution, the Club and its property shall be administered and managed by the Management Committee acting on behalf of club members as defined in clause 6. The Management Committee may delegate day‑to‑day operational control to a nominated officer or manager, subject to committee oversight and review. No individual officer shall have independent authority unless expressly authorised by a resolution of the Management Committee.
The Management Committee are elected by the membership on a annual basis in accordance with the rules. In the event, that there are no challenges to the existing Management Committee for an election to take place, then the existing Management Committee can be re-instated without an election.
3. Objects
Its objects shall be non-sectarian and nonpolitical and to afford opportunity for mutual
advantage recreation, improvement and (subject to by-laws made by the Management Committee)
for supplying members with refreshments.
4 Powers
In addition to the objects but not otherwise the Management Committee may exercise the following powers;
4.1 Power to raise funds and to invite and to receive contributions provided that in raising funds the Management Committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law;
4.2 Power to buy, take on lease or in exchange any property necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use;
4.3 Power subject to any consents required by law to sell, lease or dispose of all or any part of the property of the Club;
4.4 Power subject to any consents required by law to borrow money and to charge all or any part of the property of the Club with repayment of the money so borrowed;
4.5 Power to employ such staff (who shall not be members of the Management Committee) as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects and to make all reasonable and necessary provision for the payment of pensions and superannuation for staff and their dependants;
4.6 Power to co-operate with other clubs, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities engaged in furtherance of the objects and to exchange information and advice with them;
4.7 Power to support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;
4.8 Power to do all such lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.
4.9 Member’s annual subscriptions shall be such amounts as the Management Committee from time to time determine and shall be paid in such times and in such a manner, as the Management Committee shall direct.
5 Members and Membership
5.1 Any person aged 18 or over may apply for membership by completing an application form providing their name, address, email address and/or phone number.. The application must be handed onto the Committee for scrutiny. The appropriate subscription fee must be paid in advance with the application form. If the application is acceptable then he or she will be accepted as a full member and be supplied with a membership card for the year and supplied with a membership identification number and if requested supplied
With a copy of the current rules. If the application is not accepted, then the fee will be returned to the failed applicant. Members can apply for a door key-fob if desired.
5.2 the membership fee shall only make the member eligible between Jan 1st to 31st December of each year. The member has from December1st to January31st of any year to renew the membership after that a penalty fee will be charged (new member fee).
5.3 Member’s annual subscriptions shall be such amounts as the Management Committee from time to time determine and shall be paid in such times and in such a manner, as the Management Committee shall direct.
5.4 Upon attaining the age of 65 with 3 years of membership members will be eligible to become honorary members of the Club.
5.5 A 'Visitor or visitors shall subscribe to become an associate member for the day. They
must sign the visitor's book and pay the appropriate subscription for that day’s
membership. Upon signing in the visitor(s) shall receive a subscription receipt, which must
be always available during that day for scrutiny. Once they become members for the day
they must abide by the rules of the Club. A member for the day will be allowed the same
facilities as a full member. This allows them to purchase drinks from the bar.
The visitor(s) shall be allowed to participate in any of the Club's activities for that day and
receive parity of a full member if successful in any of the Club's gaming facilities. They must however be able to produce their subscription ticket to claim any prize if asked to do so.
Associate members shall have no voting rights in any capacity. No person who has been
refused application for membership and whose admission the Committee shall have
objected to will be allowed as a 'Visitor.
6. Management Committee, Officers and Trustees.
The Management Committee is the governing body of the Club and holds collective responsibility for legal compliance, safeguarding, licensing, finance, and conduct acting on behalf of club members. All decisions of the Club shall be made by the Committee as a whole unless specific authority has been formally delegated by resolution.
6.1 Role and Authority of the Management Committee
The management of the Club shall be in the hands of a Management Committee of up to nine (9) members, together with the President, Secretary, Treasurer and Vice President, who shall be elected annually. Three Committee members shall retire each year but shall be eligible for re‑election. Terms of office shall commence and terminate on 1 January each year.
No person shall serve on the Management Committee for more than three (3) consecutive years without re‑election, unless there are insufficient serving Committee members to meet the requirement of nine (9).
6.2 Continuity Where Insufficient Nominations Are Received
If fewer than nine (9) nominations are received for the Management Committee, the existing Committee shall continue to conduct the business of the Club. In such circumstances, annual elections for Committee positions shall not be required until sufficient nominations are received. The three‑year re‑election rule is suspended during this period.
If no nominations are received for the positions of President, Secretary or Treasurer, the existing officers may continue in post without election until such time as nominations are received.
6.3 Officers of the Club
President
The President shall chair Management Committee meetings and General Meetings. The President shall have no executive authority outside meetings unless expressly authorised by a Management Committee resolution. The President may exercise a casting vote in the event of a tie.
Secretary
The Secretary shall manage administration, correspondence, records, and notices on behalf of the Management Committee. The Secretary acts solely on the authority of the Committee and has no independent decision‑making power.
Treasurer
The Treasurer shall oversee financial records, accounts, and financial reporting under the direction of the Management Committee.
Eligibility
All members of the Management Committee, including the President, Secretary and Treasurer, must have been full members of the Club in their own right for at least three (3) years.
No person under the age of 21, or disqualified under clause 7, may serve on the Management Committee.
6.4 Committee Proceedings
The proceedings of the Management Committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy among their number, nor by any failure to appoint, or any defect in the appointment or qualification of a member.
Committee meetings may be attended by all Management Committee members, the Secretary, Treasurer, Trustees, and up to three (3) member representatives elected by the Committee. Member representatives and Trustees may speak and make suggestions on behalf of the membership but shall not have voting rights.
6.5 Termination of Membership
The Management Committee may unanimously and for good reason terminate the membership of any individual, provided that the individual concerned has the right to be heard by the Committee, accompanied by a friend or representative, before a final decision is made.
6.6 Trustees.
Two (2) Trustees shall be appointed annually by a vote of members present at the Annual General Meeting. Trustees shall be members of the Club and eligible for re‑appointment.
Trustees hold property and assets on behalf of the Club and shall act only in accordance with lawful directions of the Management Committee. Trustees have no executive or decision‑making authority unless expressly authorised by the Management Committee.
Trustees may attend Committee meetings at any time but shall not vote. They may scrutinise the Club’s accounts at any time.
Trustees shall be provided with indemnity insurance, the cost of which shall be met by the Club.
If a Trustee resigns or is unable to fulfil their responsibilities during their term of office, a Special Meeting shall be called under Rule 13 to appoint a replacement.
7 Determination of Membership of the Management Committee
A member of the Management Committee, President, Secretary, Treasurer shall cease to hold office if he or she:
7.1 Ceases to be a full current member of the Club; or
7.2 Becomes incapable, due to illness or incapacity, of fulfilling their duties., illness or injury of managing and administering his or her own affairs; or
7.3 Is absent without permission of the Management Committee from all their meetings held within a period of six months and the Management Committee resolve that his or her office be vacated; or
7.4 Fails to observe and contravenes the code of Conduct; or
7.5 Gives to the Management Committee notice that he or she wishes to resign with effect from a date at least one month after the date of the notice (unless there are exceptional reasons for shorter notice), but only if at least five members of the Management Committee remain in office when the notice of resignation is to take effect.
8 Management Committee Members not to be Personally Interested.
8.1 Subject to the provision of sub-clause 8.2 no member of the Management Committee shall acquire any interest in property belonging to the Club (otherwise than as a trustee for the Club) or receive remuneration or be interested (otherwise than as a member of the Management Committee) in any contract entered into by the Management Committee.
8.2 Any member of the Management Committee for the time being who is a solicitor, accountant or other person engaged in a profession may charge and be paid all the usual professional charges for business done by him or her or his or her firm when instructed by the other members of the Management Committee to act in a professional capacity on behalf of the Club, provided that at no time shall a majority of the members of the Management Committee benefit under this provision and that a member of the Management Committee shall withdraw from any meeting at which his or her own instruction or remuneration, or that of his or her firm, is under discussion.
9. Meetings and Proceedings of the Management Committee.
9.1 Legal Compliance and Governance Standards
The Management Committee shall ensure that the Club and its members comply with all legal requirements in force from time to time, including licensing, health and safety, equality, and safeguarding legislation.
Any authority delegated by the Management Committee must be expressly agreed and recorded in the committee minutes.
9.2 Ordinary and Special Meetings
The Management Committee shall hold at least four ordinary meetings each year.
A special meeting may be called at any time by the President, the Secretary, or by any three members of the Management Committee. Not less than seven days’ written notice shall be given to all Committee members, specifying the matters to be discussed.
Where the business includes the appointment of a co‑opted member, at least twenty‑one days’ written notice must be given.
9.3 Chairing of Meetings
The President shall act as Chair at meetings of the Management Committee.
If the President is absent, the Committee members present shall elect one of their number to chair the meeting before any other business is transacted.
9.4 Secretary at Meetings
If the Secretary is absent, the Committee members present shall appoint one of their number to act as Secretary for that meeting before any other business is transacted.
9.5 Quorum
A quorum shall be formed when at least one‑third of the Management Committee members for the time being, or not fewer than three members (whichever is greater), are present.
9.6 Minutes
The Management Committee shall keep accurate minutes of all proceedings at meetings of the Committee and any sub‑committee, in books or systems maintained for that purpose.
9.7 Sub‑Committees
The Management Committee may appoint one or more advisory or sub‑committees consisting of three or more Committee members or Officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer) to undertake enquiries, supervise activities, or carry out functions that the Committee considers more effectively handled by a sub‑committee.
All acts and proceedings of any sub‑committee must be fully and promptly reported to the Management Committee.
9.8 Compliance With Rules and Activities
The Management Committee shall ensure that the Club and its members comply with all rules relating to the conduct of activities undertaken on Club premises, in addition to statutory requirements.
10 Receipts and Expenditure
10.1 the funds of the Club, including all donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into an account operated by the Management Committee in the name of the Club at such bank or building society as the Management Committee shall from time to time decide. The Club may operate more than one bank account.
10.2 The Committee shall cause the accounts of all business carried on by the Club to be entered into proper books. They shall cause a statement of accounts with all necessary vouchers up to the end of the month of November in each year to be laid before the auditors not less than 10 or more than fifteen days before each Annual General meeting of the Club. There shall be laid before such a meeting such a balance sheet signed by the Auditors showing receipts and expenditure, the assets, and liabilities. The Auditors shall make to such meetings a report on the balance sheet so laid before them and in case they do not adopt the same or any part thereof shall specially report thereon to such a meeting. Any member of the Club desiring to see the books of the Club may do so on applying to the Secretary stating the object of his application.
11 Property
11.1 Subject to the provisions of sub-clause 11.2 of this clause, the Management Committee shall cause title to:
- all land held by or in trust for the Club; and
- all investments held by or on behalf of the Club; and
- all assets of the Club other than land and investments; to be vested in not less than two individuals appointed by them as holding trustees. Holding trustees may be removed by the Management Committee at their pleasure and shall act in accordance with the lawful directions of the Management Committee. Provided that they act only in accordance with the lawful directions of the Management Committee, the holding trustees shall not be liable for acts and defaults of its members.
- Trustees shall be allowed to scrutinise the Club accounts at any time if desired. The Trustees of the Club shall be provided with indemnity insurance the cost of the insurance premium to be met by the Club.
11.2 The Management Committee shall have power at its sole discretion to vest the whole part of the property of the Club, in trustees upon such trusts and subject to such as to the management or otherwise and with such powers of disposition for the purpose of sales, exchanges, mortgages or leases or otherwise as the Committee may think fit and may direct the acquisition or disposal of any property required or not required for the purpose of the Club and in every case where at the foot of any deed or document it is certified by three persons appearing to be the Secretary and two members for the time being of the Committee of the Club that the document has been executed in accordance with the directions of the Committee or a resolution of the Club such certificate shall, in favour of any person acquiring any interest in property for valuable consideration in money or money's worth, and subject only to express notice to the contrary, be conclusive evidence that the contract is binding on the Club and every member thereof
12 Annual General Meeting (AGM)
12.1 There shall be an annual general meeting of the Club which shall be held each year within four months of the end of the Club’s financial year or as soon after as is practicable. The business of the annual general meeting shall be to receive the account or accounts and balance sheet or balance sheets as audited if required, and the report of the auditor on the revenue account or accounts and balance sheet. At the annual meeting a report for the year shall be presented by the management committee. At each annual general meeting the purpose of the meeting shall be to consider such other business as may be submitted by the management committee or any motion to be proposed by a member of which at least fourteen days' notice has been given to the secretary in writing. On receipt of such notice the secretary shall add it to the agenda posted in the club.
12.2 Every annual general meeting shall be called by the Management Committee. The Secretary shall give at least 21 days’ notice of the annual general meeting posted on notice boards in the Club. All members of the Club shall be entitled to attend and vote at the meeting.
12.3 Any Proposed motion or rule change must be presented to the Secretary at least 14 days before the AGM.
12.4 Any amendment or counter proposal to a proposed motion or rule change must be presented to the Secretary at least 7 days before the AGM
13 Special General Meetings (SGM)
The Management Committee may call a special general meeting of the Club at any time. If at least 10 members, request such a meeting in writing stating the business to be considered. The Secretary or other person specially appointed by the Management Committee shall call such a meeting. At least 14 days’ notice must be given. The notice calling the meeting must state the business to be discussed.
14 Procedure at Special General Meetings
14.1 The Secretary or other person specially appointed by the Management Committee shall keep a full record of proceedings at every general meeting of the Club.
14.2 There shall be a quorum when at least 10 members of the Club, are present at a Special general meeting.
15 Notices
Any notice required to be served on any member of the Club shall be in writing and shall be served by the Secretary or the Management Committee on such member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to the member at his or her last known address in the United Kingdom, and any letter so sent shall be deemed to have been received within 10 days of posting.
16 Voting
Every member shall have one vote on any resolution on which he or she is entitled to vote. Every resolution shall be decided by a majority of votes by those present and entitled to vote on the question but in the case of a tied vote the President\Chairman of the meeting shall have a second and casting vote.
17 Alteration to the Constitution
The constitution may be altered by a resolution supported by the majority of the members present and voting at a general meeting. The notice of the general meeting must include notice of the resolution, setting out the terms of the alteration proposed.
18. Behaviour and Discipline.
18.1 General All members and visitors must conduct themselves in a courteous, respectful, and safe manner at all times while on Club premises. Abusive, threatening, discriminatory, offensive, or antisocial behaviour — including intimidation or harassment — is strictly prohibited. Any member or visitor engaging in such behaviour may be removed from the premises immediately by authorised staff or a Management Committee member. The Management Committee shall define expected standards of behaviour through supporting policies.
18.2 Courtesy to Staff Members must always be courteous to bar staff and must not be abusive in any way. Complaints about staff must be raised with the Bar Manager, a Management Committee member, or a Member Representative. Members must not direct complaints to bar staff.
18.3 Misconduct, Intoxication and Removal from Premises Any member or visitor who becomes intoxicated, misbehaves, annoys others, is abusive to staff or members, or otherwise causes a disturbance shall be liable to expulsion from the premises. The Bar Manager, their staff, or any Management Committee member is empowered to remove such individuals immediately. Suspensions arising from misconduct shall be determined by the Management Committee
18.4 Disciplinary Procedure Any suspension or termination of membership shall follow a written disciplinary procedure approved by the Management Committee. This procedure shall include the right for the member to be heard, accompanied by a friend or representative if they wish.
18.5 Disputes All disputes between a member and an Officer of the Club shall be settled by the Management Committee unless the Committee elects to refer the matter directly to a Special General Meeting. Any Officer who is personally involved in the dispute must not vote or act as a Committee member in relation to that matter. The decision of the Management Committee shall be final.
18.6 Prohibited Activities
Abusive, threatening or offensive language is prohibited. The Management Committee urges all members to assist in enforcing this rule.
18.7 Damage to Club Property
Any damage to Club property must be paid for by the offending member or visitor.
No member shall remove, injure, or destroy newspapers, books, periodicals, or any other Club property.
18.8 Children on the Premises
Children are permitted in the Club Concert Room only on designated nights and must be accompanied by an adult member or visitor at all times.
The accompanying adult is fully responsible for the child/children while on Club premises.
Children are not permitted at the bar at any time.
The Club accepts no responsibility for any child leaving the premises unaccompanied by the responsible adult.
19 Smoking and Vaping Regulations
19.1 Smoking is strictly prohibited within the premises of the club in accordance with UK legislation. It is imperative that you are aware that smoking in the club’s entrance is not permitted.
19.2 Vaping is permitted on the club’s premises. However, any antisocial vaping behaviour will not be tolerated. E.g. big cloud.
20 Car Park and Parking
20.1 the car park is open to visitors and members of the club during opening hours.
20.2 the club assumes no liability for the safety or security of visitors or members’ vehicles. All vehicles are left at the owners’ risk.
20.3 Please be advised that all vehicles left on the premises after closing time may be locked in
20.4Vehicles left in the car park for an extended period exceeding five (5) days will be deemed abandoned and reported to the appropriate authorities for removal.
21 Safeguarding (New Clause)
The Club shall adopt and maintain a Safeguarding Policy covering children, young people, and vulnerable adults. A Safeguarding Lead shall be appointed by the Management Committee. All staff, volunteers, and committee members shall comply with the Safeguarding Policy.
22 Dissolution
If the Management Committee decides that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Club it shall call a meeting of all members of the Club, of which not less than 28 days’ notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed) shall be given. If the proposal is supported by two-thirds of those present and voting the Management Committee shall have power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the Club. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Club as the members of the Club may determine
This constitution was adopted on the date mentioned above by the persons whose signatures appear at the bottom of this document. These Model Rules supersedes all previous rules.
Signed ……………………………………….
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