a. The Management Committee may appoint sub-committees and delegate such of their powers as they deem necessary. The decisions of all sub-committees shall be reported to the Management Committee for ratification. The Management Committee shall have power to deal only with matters within the Competition and not for any matters of misconduct that are under the jurisdiction of The FA or Affiliated Association. The Standing Committees of the League shall be: Cup Competitions Committee, Disciplinary Committee, Finance and General Purposes Committee, Executive Committee. These Committees shall have the power to co-opt members when deemed necessary. No Officer, other than the Executive Officers shall serve on more than one Standing Committee. The Executive Officers are ex-officio members of all committees and may serve as Chairman of Committees. The Emergency Committee shall comprise of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. In the event that any of these Officers are not available, the Deputy Chairman, Committees Secretary, or a Chairman of a Standing Committee may be co-opted.
b. Subject to the permission of the Sanctioning Authority having been obtained, the Management Committee may order a match or matches to be played each Season, the proceeds to be devoted to the funds of the Competition and, if necessary, may call on each Club to contribute equally such sums as may be necessary to meet any deficiency at the end of the Season.
c. Each member of the Management Committee shall have the right to attend and vote at all Management Committee meetings and have one vote at all such meetings, but no member shall be allowed to vote on any matters directly relating to that member or to the Club so represented or where there may be a conflict of interest. (This shall also apply to the procedure of any sub-committee).
d. In the event of the voting being equal on any matter, the Chairman of the Management Committee shall have a second or casting vote.
e. The Management Committee shall have powers to apply, act upon and enforce these Rules and shall also have jurisdiction over all matters affecting the Competition. Any action by the Competition must be taken within 28 days of the Competition being notified.
With the exception of Rules 6(I), 8(H), and 9, for all alleged breaches of a Rule the Management Committee shall issue a formal written charge to the Club concerned. The Club charged shall be given 7 days from the date of notification of the charge to reply. In such reply a Club may:
i. Accept the charge and/or submit in writing a case of mitigation for consideration by the Management Committee; or
ii. Accept the charge and notify the Competition that it wishes to put its case of mitigation at a hearing before the Management Committee; or
iii. Deny the charge and submit in writing supporting evidence for consideration by the Management Committee; or
iv. Deny the charge and notify the Competition that it wishes to have a hearing before the Management Committee.
Where the Club charged fails to respond within 7 days, the Management Committee shall determine the charge in such manner and upon such evidence as it considers appropriate.
Having considered the reply of the Club (whether in writing or at a hearing), the Management Committee shall make its decision and, in the event that the charge is accepted or proven, decide on the appropriate penalty (with reference to the Fines Tariff where applicable).
Where required, hearings shall take place as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of the reply of the Club as more fully set out above.
Where a Committee meeting is convened to deal with specific Clubs or individuals, the costs and expenses of that meeting shall be charged wholly or in part against the Club or Clubs concerned.
With the exception of Teams playing at Step 7 of the National League System, the maximum fine permitted for any breach of a Rule is £250 and, when setting any fine, the Management Committee must ensure that the penalty is proportional to the offence, taking into account any mitigating circumstances.
The maximum fine permitted for a breach of a Rule by a Team playing at Step 7 of the National League System is £500.
No Participant under the age of 18 can be fined.
All breaches of the Laws of the Game, or the Rules and Regulations of The FA shall be dealt with in accordance with FA Rules by the appropriate Sanctioning Association.
f. All decisions of the Management Committee shall be binding subject to the right of appeal in accordance with Rule 7. Decisions of the Management Committee must be notified in writing to those concerned within 7 days.
g. A minimum of 50% of its members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by the Management Committee or any of its sub-committees.
h. The Management Committee, as it may deem necessary, shall have power to fill any vacancies that may occur in their number.
i .A Club must comply with an order or instruction of the Management Committee and must attend to the business and/or the correspondence of the Competition to the satisfaction of the Management Committee. Failure to comply with this Rule will result in a fine in accordance with the Fines Tariff.
j. Subject to a Club’s right of appeal in accordance with Rule 7 below, all fines and charges must be paid within 14 days of the date of notification of the decision. Any Club failing to do so will be fined in accordance with the Fines Tariff. Further failure to pay the fine including the additional fine within a further 14 days will result in fixtures being withdrawn until such time as the outstanding fines are paid.
k. A member of the Management Committee appointed by the Competition to attend a meeting or Competition Match may have any reasonable expenses incurred refunded by the Competition.
l. The Management Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy that may occur in the membership of the Competition between the AGM or SGM called to decide the constitution and the commencement of the Playing Season. Subject to any provisions of the National League System Regulations of Women’s Football Pyramid Regulations (which take precedence if applicable).
m. The business of the Competition as determined by the Management Committee may be transacted by electronic mail or facsimile.
n. The Management Committee may from time to time hold a meeting of Clubs for administrative or information purposes only. Each Club shall be empowered to send a delegate to such meeting. Any Club not represented shall be fined in accordance with the fines tariff.
o. When a member of the Management Committee has served Twenty years, whether continuously or discontinuously, they shall become a Life Member and shall be awarded a long service memento. The Executive Officers shall be empowered to award long or outstanding service mementoes to any member of the League, or to any person having given special service to the Competition. A levy per club may be imposed, on recommendations of the Management Committee and approved at the AGM to cover any major expenses that are liable to be incurred by the League.
p. The Treasurer shall be invoiced with all charges concerning the hire of Reading Borough and other pitches used by member Clubs. All hire charges for Clubs playing on Reading Borough Council pitches shall be in accordance with price lists issued each year or any notice of increase received during the season. The Treasurer shall submit accounts to Clubs, which shall be paid within seven days from the date of notification. Clubs failing to comply shall incur a fine in accordance with the fines tariff and shall be automatically suspended until payment is received.