GENERAL RULES

1. The League shall be called the LEES BREWERY LANCASHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE and shall consist of 14 clubs. Its object shall be to organise a Cricket League Competition for its member clubs. The League shall consist of THREE DIVISIONS, the 1st Division for 1st XI's, the 2nd Division for 2nd XI's and the 3rd Division for 3rd XI's.
The League will ensure a duty of care to all members of the League by adopting and implementing the ECB ‘Safe Hands – Welfare of Young People in Cricket' Policy and any future versions of the Policy.

2. The League Officials shall be a President, a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. They shall be appointed each year at the Annual General Meeting.

3(a). The management of the League shall be vested in the Management Committee which shall consist of the League Officials, the Assistant Secretary, the Umpire's Secretary and nominated members from each Club (each Club will be expected to nominate 2 members, one of whom shall be eligible to vote). The Management Committee may co-opt other members as and when they deem necessary.

3(b). The League Officials as at 2 above shall form an Emergency Committee empowered to deal with any urgent business or with any matter not provided for in these rules.

3(c). The Press Secretary, the Umpire's Association Representative and any co-opted member may attend Management Committee meetings but will not be allowed to vote.

4. The inspection of club grounds and facilities shall be under the jurisdiction of the Management Committee. The Ground Inspection Committee shall have powers to inspect grounds and facilities before and during the season.

5. The Management Committee may pay Committee expenses to any League Official or reimburse members of the Management Committee in any sum which they may in their discretion from time to time think fit.

6. Except where otherwise provided in these Rules, all decisions of the Management Committee shall be by a majority of votes, the existing Chairman shall be entitled to give a casting vote.

7. Ten Management Committee members shall form a quorum for any meeting of the Management Committee. However, where the Constitution of the League is decided, the quorum shall be 16 eligible voters of the Management Committee.

8(a). A member club applying to continue its membership shall not be removed from the League unless at least 75% of the eligible voters of the Management Committee (excluding abstentions) vote against its continued membership, subject to a quorum of 16.

8(b). A club may only be expelled from membership of the League at the June Management Committee meeting. Any such club will remain members of the League until the following Annual General Meeting.

8(c). However, a club applying for membership may be elected to the League by the Management Committee upon a majority vote. New clubs will become members of the League from the following Annual General Meeting.

8(d). The Management Committee shall, at its June meeting (the Constitution meeting), decide upon the membership of the League for the following year from amongst member clubs who have not withdrawn from membership in accordance with General Rule 8(e) together with those clubs who have applied for membership. All these clubs shall be listed in alphabetical order and eligible Management Committee voters shall strike out the name of such club(s) that they do not wish to be members; the names of 14 clubs remaining. Any voting paper which does not have exactly 14 clubs remaining shall be deemed an abstention. Notwithstanding the above, General Rule 8(a) retains primacy for existing member clubs.

8(e). Notice to withdraw from the League at the end of the year must be given in writing to the League Secretary no later than the May Management Committee meeting in such year. Any club not giving such notice will be deemed to have applied to continue its membership for the following year. At the May meeting any applications for membership, in writing, will be notified to the Management Committee.

9. The Annual subscription shall be payable not later than 31st May and be determined along with prize money for the forthcoming season, at the Annual General Meeting.

10. The Management Committee shall have the power to make such levies as from time to time they may deem necessary.

11. Any Club not fulfilling an engagement shall, unless excused by the Management Committee, be fined for each offence a sum not exceeding £50. The match shall count as a win for their opponents and also 5 points shall be deducted from the aggregate points of the offending club. In the event of the opponents being involved in any expense the Management Committee shall have the power to reimburse the opposing club for any expense incurred up to the amount of the fine imposed.

12. The Annual General Meeting shall be held on the first Tuesday in December for the purpose of receiving the accounts, electing the League Officials and transacting any other business of which notice has been given to the Secretary not later than 30th September. The Secretary shall give not less than 14 days notice of such meeting and the business to be transacted thereat to all member clubs.

13. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary within 21 days of the receipt by him of a written requisition so to do signed by or on behalf of seven member clubs setting out the business to be transacted by such meeting. The Secretary shall give not less than 14 days notice of such meeting and of the business to be transacted thereat to all Member Clubs.

14. At any General Meeting, no business may be transacted other than that of which due notice has been given.

15. At any General Meeting a member club may be represented by any number of members, but not more than one shall have power to vote on any matter. The existing Chairman shall be entitled to give a casting vote.

16. The Management Committee shall have power to make such byelaws as they deem expedient concerning Fixtures, Players and Umpires and any other matters. If, by a majority vote, the Management Committee makes changes to, or introduces new bye-laws, such byelaws must remain unchanged during any particular season.

17. At General and Management meetings voting will be by show of hands.

18. The Management Committee shall take such action as it deems necessary in respect of the breaking of League Rules by Clubs or players.

19. The Management Committee may impose such fines on Member Clubs as it deems fit, in cases not covered by more specific Rules or Bye-Laws. Member Clubs fined by the Management Committee shall have the right of appeal against the decision to the Lancashire Cricket Board in accordance with that Body's procedure.

20. All disputes between member clubs shall be submitted to the Management Committee for their decision, which shall be final.

21. Breaches of discipline by clubs or players shall be dealt with by a Disciplinary Committee, which shall consist of a Chairman and four other members selected from a panel of ten, who will be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Secretarial support will be provided by the League Hon. Secretary or other nominee. A member of the Management Committee may sit as a member of a Disciplinary Committee; however, he will not then be allowed to sit as a member on any subsequent Appeal. The Disciplinary Committee shall take such action as it deems necessary in respect of breaches of discipline, ungentlemanly conduct or bringing the game into disrepute.

22. Appeals from the Disciplinary Committee decisions will be heard by three members of the Management Committee who shall have the authority to confirm, increase or reduce the penalty imposed. An appeal must be made by a member club in writing within seven days of being informed of the Disciplinary Committee's decision and must be accompanied by a deposit of £30. The deposit may be forfeited in part or in full at the Management Committee's discretion.

23. Clubs shall insure all players, and policies are to be subject to scrutiny by the Management Committee.

24. All fines incurred by Clubs must be paid within one calendar month of notification except those notified after 1st September which must be paid by 30th September.

25. These rules, or any of them, may not be changed except by a resolution of a General Meeting supported by not less than three quarters of the member clubs. The three-quarters votes are exclusive of abstentions.