3.1 The League shall have two categories of members – Full Members and Associate Members. Unless otherwise stipulated, the number of Full Member Clubs shall be forty and shall comprise the Clubs who are members of the League at the date of adoption of this Constitution and any Clubs subsequently elected under Rule 8.1 below. In addition, the Executive Committee may admit Associate Member Clubs under Rule 8.1 below.

8.1 The Executive Committee may by 31st October in any year, to be effective in the following season, admit into the bottom 1st Xl Division the 1st Xls of an even number of clubs applying to become Associate Members of the League who have been previously approved by Essex Cricket in the Community, and who meet the criteria laid down by the Executive Committee. The 2nd Xl and any lower XIs of any clubs so admitted into Associate Membership shall not become a part of the League. Clubs wishing to be considered for admission as Associate Members must apply by 15th October of the year prior to the year in which they wish to be admitted. On election, associate members must continue to enter their lower XIs in their existing league structures or other Saturday leagues. Associate members must continue to meet the league entry criteria as laid down by the Executive Committee.

The Hamro Foundation Essex League is currently comprised of 40 full member and 12 assocation 12 Associate member clubs.

The league will continue to look for new associate members for future seasons and clubs are now able to apply before the end of September each year.

The HFEL Executive Committee has agreed on a set of mandatory criteria that applicant associate member clubs must meet for them to apply to join the HFEL.

It should be made clear that if a club meets the mandatory criteria this is no guarantee of entry to the HFEL 1st XI Division Four. The committee have also agreed on a set of recommended criteria that clubs do not necessarily need to meet although they will be looked upon preferentially during the selection process.

The criteria are listed below:-

Mandatory criteria – Clubs should not apply to join HFEL unless they meet ALL of the below criteria

1. The club must have a ground considered in good order and suitable for cricket purposes to be within the County of Essex or the London Boroughs of Havering, Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Newham or Barking & Dagenham.

2. The club must be a current member of an existing Saturday Essex league and have completed a full season with a minimum of two teams in the season prior to application.

3. The club must have a valid ECB Clubmark accreditation by the end of October prior to the year they are submitting an application to join the league.

4. The club had an active junior section.

Following guidance from ECB, the league will need clubs to have the following in place:-

• A robust development plan
• All safeguarding elements in place and up to date, this includes:
• A fully trained Welfare Officer
• A Clubmark compliant constitution
• All relevant DBS checks for appropriate persons in place
• Confirmation that coaches have safeguarding certificates in place

The league will work with the Development Managers of Essex Cricket in The Community (ECiC), and accept their recommendations regarding the above.

Recommended criteria – Clubs may still apply if they do not meet these criteria.

1. The club has more than 2 Saturday league teams.
2. The club has security of tenure for their main 1st XI ground for a period of greater than 5 years
3. The club had regular U11, U13 and U15 boys fixtures.
4. The club had an active Women and Girls section.
5. The club has a clubhouse, bar and showers near to the main 1st XI ground

Any clubs interested in applying should email the HFEL Chairman, Tom Clarke and the HFEL secretary, Cliff Greenhill, confirming their application and that they meet the mandatory criteria and provide details of any of the recommended criteria that are met.

They should also attach a word document that should detail the following minimum information:-

• Address of the club’s 1st XI ground.
• List of all club officers and committee members.
• League positions of all the club’s Saturday league teams for the past 3 years.
• Current financial position including the last year's approved accounts.
• Details of the security of tenure of the club’s 1st XI ground.
• Details of any disciplinary issues, both internal and league, for the last 3 years.
• Details of the number of junior members and the number of organised fixtures played at each age group in the current season.
• Details of any All Stars, Dynamos, Womens and Girls cricket.