Terms & Conditions

Article I

Name & Territorial Limits

  1. The name of the club shall be ‘Royal Sharks Poker Cub’ or, from time to time, any other name as decided by the Management Committee and a vote of the membership.
  2. The territorial limits of this club shall be the territory defined as The Arches, Nuneaton, CV11 4NL

Article II

Objects

  1. The objects of the club shall be defined as the development of, and provision of opportunities to engage in the activity of No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Poker and other derivatives of Poker.

Article III

Membership

Section I: Classifications

  1. There shall be three (3) classifications of membership as defined in the bylaws of this club:
    1. Full Membership - aged 18+ (herein referred to as FMs)
    2. Tournament Membership aged 18+ (herein referred to as TMs)
    3. Associate Members (herein referred to as AMs)

Section II: Privileges of Membership

  1. All FMs whose participation meet the expectations set forth in these bylaws shall be;
    1. Permitted to speak freely at general, annual general, and special general meetings,
    2. Run for the position of Honorary Officers as defined in this club’s constitution,
    3. Participate in all club activities and events permissible under their membership classification.
  2. All TMs whose participation meet the expectations set forth in these bylaws shall be;
    1. Permitted to speak freely at general, annual general, and special general meetings,
    2. Run for the position of Honorary Officers as defined in this club’s constitution,
    3. Participate in all club activities and events permissible under their membership classification.
  3. FMs and TMs in good standing (hereby defined as a member whose dues are fully paid and are not subject to any disciplinary action of the club) may be nominated for, elected to, or retain their role as an officer of the club.
  4. FMs in good standing shall be permitted to attend and participate in all cash games, tournament games, and events hosted by the club providing they meet the buy-in requirements of that game or event.
  5. TMs in good standing shall be permitted to attend and participate in all tournament games and events hosted by the club providing they meet the buy-in requirements of that game or event.
  6. AMs in good standing shall be permitted to attend all games and events hosted by the club but are strictly forbidden from engaging in play as outlined herein. AMs shall be permitted to engage in play on condition they are aged 18 or above and their respective membership is upgraded to a TM no later than seven (7) days prior to their intended date of play. AMs are entitled to spectate all games and events hosted by the club and may be permitted to run charity events including, but not limited to; raffles, tombolas, giveaways etc. at the discretion of the Management Committee.

Section III: Admission to Membership

  1. All members must pay their dues in full to be considered in good standing.
  2. The price of club dues shall be subject to ongoing review by the Management Committee. Any changes therein shall be communicated to the membership no later than twenty-eight (28) days prior to the start of the new club year.
  3. All individuals seeking new, or renewal of memberships, must meet the minimum requirements set down by the Royal Sharks Poker Club.

Section IV: Termination of Club Membership

  1. Any FM, TM, or AM may have their membership revoked at any time for good cause upon a unanimous vote of the Management Committee. Decisions made in this way will result in expulsion from the club. All members shall have the right to appeal these decisions in writing within 14 days to the Secretary at which point a Special General Meeting may be called. Any decisions made upon appeal shall be final.

Section V: Management Committee Leave of Absence

  1. Upon a temporary leave of absence of one or more members of the Management Committee the remaining Officers may, by majority vote, retain the rights to the exercise the following options;
    1. Assign an FM or TM to the vacant position to serve during the aforementioned absences,
    2. Assign the responsibilities of the vacant office to another member of the Management Committee,
    3. Delegate the responsibilities of the vacant office between multiple members of the Management Committee,
    4. Any other remedies available to the Management Committee deemed appropriate.

Article IV

Officers

Section I: Honorary Officers

  1. Honorary Officers of the Management Committee shall include the offices of Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section II: Additional Roles

  1. For the purposes of these bylaws, it shall be recognised that, from the date of inception, two additional roles shall be created outside of the Honorary Officers. These roles shall be as follows;
    1. Reward Coordinator
    2. Venue Proprietor
    These roles shall remain in place for the same duration as the Honorary Officers as outlined in item twenty (20) of this club's Constitution and shall be subject to the same election requirements as outlined in item 6.1 of the same Constitution.

Section III: Eligibility

  1. Members of the Management Committee and nominations to the officers thereof must be FMs or TMs in good standing to be eligible to hold office as outlined in S2 Item II.

Section IV: Term of Office

  1. The term of office for an Honorary Officer shall be two (2) years from the initial adoption date of the club as outlined in the Constitution and date in the signatory section of these bylaws. Following this initial period, all members of the Management Committee shall resign at the second Annual General Meeting as outlined in item 7.4 of the Constitution unless this item is voided by enactment of item 6.2 of the same Constitution.

Section V: Removal From Office

  1. The removal of any member of the Management Committee shall be enacted upon a majority vote of the club’s membership at a Special General Meeting called for the purposes of removing that individual from office. Any member wishing to request such a meeting should do so in writing to the Secretary at the earliest opportunity outlining their reasoning.
  2. In the event of a deadlock the Chairperson shall be granted a second deciding vote.
  3. Any request for removal of a member of the Management Committee prior to the end of their current term must show just cause.

Section VI: Vacancy in Office

  1. Refer to Article V: Nominations & Elections

Section VII: Duties & Responsibilities of Office

Specific Management Committee duties may include, but are not limited to:

  1. Chairperson
    1. The Chairperson shall administer all necessary executive decisions on behalf of the club, oversee the activities of the Management Committee, and delegate duties to club members and the Management committee as required and where appropriate.
    2. The Chairperson shall have the final say in all deadlocked votes by way of an additional deciding vote.
    3. The Chairperson shall have the right to veto any votes where the results are deemed to be contrary to the objectives of the club or that may lead to detriment of the membership. Other members of the Management Committee shall have the recourse to overrule the Chairpersons veto by way of majority vote where necessary to ensure this power is not abused.
    4. The Chairperson shall ensure the smooth running of all games, tournaments, and events provided by the club. Where necessary he/she/they may appoint another member of the Management Committee to adopt this responsibility, where practical.
  2. Treasurer
    1. The Treasurer shall keep accurate records of all club income and expenditure, in written and digital formats. Accurate records for all club assets and property will also be maintained.
    2. The Treasurer will ensure all legal documents of the club are reviewed frequently and correspond to all requirements outlined in UK law.
    3. The Treasurer shall, where practical, actively search out and recruit new members.
    4. The Treasurer shall take responsibility for the conception, promotion, and operation of additional engagement activities otherwise referred to as Side Games pending approval from the Management Committee.
  3. Secretary
    1. a. The Secretary shall support the Management Committee by ensuring the smooth functioning of club administration. They shall maintain accurate records of all club events and meetings including attendance and apologies in both written and digital formats.
    2. b. The Secretary shall hold responsibility for the arrangement and communication of annual, general, and special general meetings after such a time as the Management Committee has decided upon them.
    3. c. The Secretary shall, where practical, actively search out and recruit new members.
    4. d. In addition to the previously referenced duties, it is agreed that The Secretary shall hold responsibility for the running of the club’s weekly blackout game for all attending TMs & FMs. Should they be absent this responsibility may be assigned to another member of the Management committee or member where appropriate.
  4. Rewards Co-Ordinator
    1. The Rewards Coordinator shall support the Management Committee by taking responsibility for the arrangement, design, production, and/or sourcing of the various prizes and/or rewards associated with the predetermined prize structures of events/games run by the club that fall outside of the advertised cash payouts. These may include but are not limited to trophies, third party event tickets, clothing, glassware etc.
    2. The Rewards Coordinator shall, where practical, actively search out and recruit new members.
  5. Venue Proprietor
    1. The Venue Proprietor shall accept responsibility for the management of the venue as named in this club's Constitution.
    2. The Venue Proprietor shall accept responsibility for the security and safe storage of all club property and equipment used by the club that is stored upon the premises as outlined in the documented agreement put forward by this club to the landlord/s of the premises.
    3. The Venue Proprietor shall provide advice and support to the Management Committee in relevant matters to which they have an expertise above that of the Management Committee.
    4. The Venue Proprietor shall, where practical, actively search out and recruit new members.
    5. The Venue Proprietor shall take responsibility for access management to the venue ensuring that only club members are permitted access with no exceptions.

Article V

Nominations & Elections

Section I: Nominating the Executive Committee

  1. The Management Committee shall determine and announce any vacancies on the Management Committee (comprising Honorary Officers and any additional positions as outlined in Constitution item 7.1b).
  2. Letters of intent for any announced vacancies may be submitted to the Secretary by any active eligible member of the club in good standing for consideration by the Management Committee.
  3. For the purposes of these bylaws an active member is defined as;
    1. Any TM or FM who has maintained an active membership for a period of no less than two (2) years or,
    2. Any TM or FM who has attended more than 50% of the events or games run by the club for the duration their membership has been held, for a period of no less than six (6) months.

Section II: Elections

  1. Elections shall be held in line with Constitution item 7.4 unless this is voided by enactment of item 6.2 of the same Constitution.
  2. The members of the Management Committee and Executive shall resign from their respective offices at the second AGM following establishment of the club as referenced in Constitution item 20 and Article IV S3 Terms of Office of these bylaws.
  3. Subsequent resignations of the Management Committee and Executive shall occur annually at the beginning of the AGM at which time a new committee may be appointed, or the previous committee re-elected based on a vote of the existing membership.
  4. Members may be nominated by the membership, in writing to the Secretary, no later than fourteen (14) days prior to the AGM. Nominees will be advised of their proposed candidacy and must confirm their willingness to stand in writing to the Secretary to be eligible for ballot.
  5. A ballot shall be put to the membership with all eligible candidates at the AGM where members in attendance will be given a vote for each candidate proposed for each office. Appointments may only be confirmed by majority vote and will be final.
  6. If no nominations are received by the Secretary or no candidates elect to stand, Constitution item 6.2 shall be enacted and the previous Management Committee and Executive Committee shall be reelected for another term.

Article VI

Meetings

Section I: Meetings of the Management Committee

  1. Unless otherwise required by the club, Management Committee meetings shall be held no less than once a month. The date of the next meeting of the Management Committee shall be decided at the conclusion of the previous meeting. Any disputes surrounding where the proceeding meeting should take place that cannot be resolved amicably shall be decided by the Chairperson.

Section II: Annual General Meetings

  1. AGMs shall be held annually, in line with the Constitution and these bylaws, no later than two (2) months from the start of the new club year. Members shall be given notice of the date of these meetings by the Secretary no later than twenty-one (21) days prior to the proposed meeting date. Attendance is not mandatory but voting rights will only extend to members in attendance.

Section III: General Meetings

  1. A general meeting may be called by a majority of the Management Committee where it is deemed necessary or requested in writing by any member of the club to the Secretary for consideration.

Section IV: Special General Meetings

  1. Special General Meetings shall be held under extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the Management Committee where a need is identified. Any SGM will be communicated out to the membership by the Secretary at the earliest opportunity.

Article VII

Dues & Fees

Section I: Dues & Fees

  1. FMs shall pay an additional fee of £5.00 monthly to upgrade their active TM membership. All FMs are required to have an active TM membership which they can upgrade to a FM membership each month.
  2. TMs shall pay an initial fee of £6.00 to sign up for membership of the club in its first year.
  3. Subsequent fees for TMs shall decrease to £5.00 per annum from year two (2) onwards.
  4. AMs shall pay an initial fee of £2.00 to sign up for membership of the club in its first year with renewal remaining at £2.00 per annum from year two (2) onwards.
  5. The Management Committee reserves the right to monitor costs and amend the club dues and fees where appropriate, subject to a vote of the Membership Committee. Details of any changes to the club's fee structure will be made public to the membership as soon as is practical after a decision has been made.
  6. All changes to fees shall come into effect in the following club year for all members who have paid their renewal fees or joined prior to that change coming into effect. Any new members joining after an amendment to the current fee structure will be required to pay the new rate prior to their membership being activated.
  7. Buy-ins for events and games run by the club are separate to membership fees and must be paid prior to an FM or TM taking part. At times during the year, seasonal games with higher buy-ins may be offered to FMs and TMs, these will be published closer to the time.

Article VIII

Amendments

These bylaws may be amended through a unanimous vote of the Management Committee. Members may submit an amendment to these bylaws alongside a request for a Special General Meeting to the Secretary for consideration. The Chairperson reserves the right to have the final say on any amendments to these bylaws via their veto powers as outlined in Article IV S4.1a but the remaining members of the Management Committee retain their rights to overrule this by way of majority in the interest of checks and balance