Club Rules

1. Club Details

1.1 Name

The club shall be known as The Chelmsford Bunker.

1.2 Location

Meetings will be held at the Essex Police Sports and Social Club, St Margaret’s Road, Chelmsford.

1.3 Purpose

The purpose of the club is to provide the opportunity for members to participate in the hobby of collecting, painting, and gaming with wargames miniatures and playing various tabletop wargames, card games, and board games.

1.4 Attendance Fee

There will be a weekly attendance fee of £4.00 for all individuals attending the club.

2. Club Membership

2.1 Membership Acquisition

Membership of the club is gained upon paying the yearly membership fee of £5.00, which can be paid on a club night or via a payment link. Membership is valid for one calendar year (January to December).

2.2 Voting Rights

AGM attendance and gaming are members-only privileges. Voting is restricted to paid members only.

2.3 Committee Membership

Committee members must be paid members.

2.4 Club Meeting Access

Club meetings are open to all. If a club member or guest attends a meeting without playing a game, there is no fee.

2.5 Attendance Record

A record of attendance will be kept in a register, with one copy held by the committee and another provided to the EPSA.

2.6 Age Requirements

Members must be adults aged 18 or over. Individuals aged 16–17 may attend only if always supervised by an adult, such as a parent, guardian, or responsible adult family member. All club signatories must be over 18.

2.7 Club Assets

The assets of the club (gaming equipment, cash in hand, and in the bank) belong to all current paid members.

Should the club cease to meet and the membership vote to dissolve the Chelmsford Bunker, these assets will be distributed evenly between all paid members who have attended more than half of the meetings in the previous six months.

Committee members’ significant decisions regarding this will be ratified by a majority vote of club members at any meeting or via an online vote.

2.8 Competition Entries

Access to other ad hoc benefits, such as a quarterly painting competition, as decided by the committee and/or club members.

3. Committee Members

3.1 Committee Eligibility

All committee members must be:

• Current paid members
• 18 years of age or older

If a committee member ceases to be a paid member, they automatically forfeit their committee position.

3.2 Committee Composition

The committee shall consist of 7 members, comprising:

• President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Four general committee members (unnamed positions)

3.3 Appointments

Committee members will be appointed at the AGM. Nominations should be posted 28 days before the AGM.

3.4 Committee Elections

At the AGM, paid members will vote to elect committee members from the approved nominations. The candidates with the highest number of votes will fill the available positions.

3.5 Removal of Committee Members

A committee member may be removed if:

1. They cease to be a paid member
2. They fail to attend for two months without agreement
3. Their conduct is inappropriate, harmful, or incompatible with committee responsibilities
4. They fail to fulfill their duties or repeatedly act against the club’s interests

For (c) and (d), removal must be confirmed by:

• A majority vote of the remaining committee members, or
• A majority vote of paid members at a meeting or via online vote

A removed committee member may only be reinstated by a majority vote of paid members.

3.6 Vacant Positions

The committee may co-opt any member into a vacant position as necessary.

3.7 Expenditure

Committee members will agree on all expenditure by a majority vote.

3.8 Meeting Presence

A minimum of one committee member will be present at any club meeting. Where this is not possible, one committee member will ensure that at least one suitable adult is present. Meetings will not run without either a committee member or a suitable adult present.

4. Club Funds

4.1 Bank Account

Club funds will be administered through a bank or building society account designed for this purpose.

4.2 Signatories

There will be three signatories to the club’s bank account, including the treasurer. Any two signatories must sign cheques and authorise withdrawals.

4.3 Financial Records

The treasurer will keep a record of all transactions and the current balance. Records will be available to any club member upon request.

4.4 Receipts

A receipt will be obtained for all club expenditure. If the treasurer makes the purchase, the receipt will be checked by a different signatory.

4.5 Year-End Audit

The club year runs from 1st January to 31st December. At year-end, a suitably qualified independent person may inspect the financial records if deemed necessary.

5. Voting and Club Decisions

5.1 Significant Decisions

Significant decisions regarding the club, including substantial changes to the club rules, will be made by the committee by a majority vote.

5.2 Record Keeping

The Secretary will keep a record of significant decisions made at meetings. Records will be available for inspection by any club member.

5.3 Voting Eligibility and Committee Referral of Decisions

Only current paid members may vote.

The committee may refer a decision to a vote of the full membership when:

1. It significantly affects members’ rights or obligations
2. It involves major financial or long-term commitments
3. The committee is divided or cannot reach a majority
4. The matter directly concerns the membership overall
5. A vote would provide greater fairness or transparency

Votes may be conducted in person or online.

5.4 AGM

There will be an Annual General Meeting to discuss the club’s direction and plan future events.

6. Standards of Conduct

6.1 Availability of Rules

A copy of the club rules will be available on request at any meeting and via the club website.

6.2 Behaviour Standards

Club members and visiting non-members must, always, adhere to the following standards of behaviour, including behaviour on the club’s website, social media, and at any event where the club is represented:

1. There will be no verbal or physical abuse of any other member or non-member.
2. There will be no discrimination of any kind towards any other member or non-member.
3. No member under the age of 18 years will be left unattended by fewer than two adults over the age of 18 years, at any time.
4. When representing and attending gaming events outside of the Chelmsford Bunker, members are expected to conduct themselves appropriately as members of the club.

Issues of conduct will be dealt with by committee members as follows:

1. For a minor first offence, a verbal warning will be given by one of the attending committee members.
2. For a serious offence or repeated minor offences, the attending committee member(s) may ask the member or non-member to leave the premises. A note will be made in the register to record any such actions and/or incidents.
3. For any serious offence or repeated minor offence, the committee may revoke membership and/or place a ban or suspension on the individual by a majority vote. A note will be made in the membership register to record the incident.
4. Any occurrences of a criminal offence will be referred to the police immediately. The member or non-member may also be suspended or banned by a majority vote of the committee.

6.3 Reinstatement

Following any ban, the individual may not attend a meeting until the committee overturns the ban by a majority vote.

6.4 EPSA Venue Rules

The Essex Police Sports Association (EPSA) has its own rules for the venue. Club members and non-members must adhere to these rules while on EPSA premises. Failure to follow these rules could jeopardise the Chelmsford Bunker’s use of the venue and may result in suspension or banning of the individual.

1. A record of attendance will be kept in a register, with one copy held by the committee and another provided to EPSA.
2. No trading on the premises.
3. No drinks from outside the venue should be consumed while the bar is open.
4. Only the main hall and “Club room” are part of the premises hired by the club. No football or other activities outside the venue.
5. No post/parcels should be sent to the venue. These are police-owned premises and should not be used as a mailing address.
6. No smoking in front of the venue. A designated smoking area is at the rear.
7. No access to the venue is permitted without EPSA staff present.
8. No bags or other items should be left unattended.