Constitution of the Dublin South Region of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland

The following Constitution and Rules for the Dublin South Region of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland are hereby adopted by Annual General Meeting held this 31st day of May 2007 (as amended). The following constitution and rules for the Dublin South Region of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland are in every way subject to the Constitution and Rules of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland 1977 (as amended on the 5th day of July 2008) and in the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between them the said Constitution and Rules of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland shall prevail.

AREA

1. The Dublin South Region (hereinafter referred to as the D.S.R.) is a geographical area as set out by the Governing Council of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (hereinafter referred to as the C.B.A.I.)

MEMBERSHIP

2. Any Person who:
(i) Is a member of any club which is affiliated to the C.B.A.I. and which is situated in the D.S.R. as defined AND
(ii) Has paid his current affiliation fee to the C.B.A.I. through any club which is situated in the D.S.R. as defined
shall be a member of the D.S.R., notwithstanding that he may be a member of another region or other regions of the C.B.A.I.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

3 (i). The Management Committee shall consist of the Honorary President, Deputy President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer (the Officers), the Outgoing President and four ordinary members of the D.S.R. as may be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the D.S.R. together with not more than three further ordinary members of the D.S.R. that the Management Committee may co-opt. No person shall concurrently hold two or more Officer positions. The Management Committee of the D.S.R. may appoint a member or members of f the Management Committee as its Community Development Officer(s) (who must be different to the Honorary Secretary).

3 (ii) In addition to this, the Honorary President shall propose each year to the Management Committee three clubs within the DSR which will be asked to nominate one person from each club to serve on the Management Committee as a full member for one full term. Once so moniated, each club can only become eligible again for nomination when all clubs within the DSR have been afforded the opportunity of nominating a member to the Management Committee.
4. The Management Committee shall have power to appoint a substitute from among the members of the D.S.R. for any Officer of the Management Committee who shall resign or be unable to act during his term of office.
5. All the powers of the D.S.R. and the administration of its affairs including the control and power of disposition of its funds (save as hereinafter limited) shall be vested in and exercised by the Management Committee.
6. The Management Committee will have such powers as are delegated to it by the Governing Council of the C.B.A.I. and in particular shall be responsible for the organisation and promotion of tournament play in the D.S.R.
7. Any member of the Management Committee may retire by giving three weeks notice to the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. and in any event shall retire at the end of each Annual General Meeting of the D.S.R. but shall be eligible for re-election at that meeting, save as hereinafter provided. An Officer who resigns his officer position during the year may remain on the Management Committee.
8. A minimum of six (6) meetings of the Management Committee shall be held each year. Not less than seven days written or oral notice shall be given by the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. to the members of the Management Committee of every meeting, but in an emergency at the discretion of the Honorary President or of any three members of the Management Committee, a meeting of the Management Committee may be called on not less than twenty-four (24) hours notice.
9. The Honorary President of the D.S.R. shall be the Chairman of the Management Committee and in his absence the Deputy President of the D.S.R. shall be Chairman of the Management Committee and in the absence of both from a meeting, the Management Committee may elect a Chairman from its members present at that meeting, to chair that meeting only. The quorum for a meeting of the Management Committee shall be four (4) members entitled to be present at such meeting.
10. The Honorary Treasurer shall administer the funds of the D.S.R. and be responsible for keeping the financial accounts of the D.S.R. All withdrawals from the bank account(s) of the D.S.R. shall require the signature of two officers of the D.S.R. authorised by the Management Committee. The Honorary Treasurer shall keep the Management Committee informed of the state of the finances of the D.S.R. at each meeting of the Management Committee.
11. The Management Committee shall appoint such sub committees as are deemed necessary. Such sub committees may include persons who are not members of the Management Committee but the Chairman of any such sub committee must be a member of the Management Committee. The Chairman shall furnish a report of the findings of the sub committee at the following Management Committee meeting.
12. The Management Committee shall fix entry fees and prizes for Championships and Competitions as it may see fit and may stipulate that competitors shall jointly and/or severally hold a certain number of registered master points to compete in said Championships and Competitions.
13. The Management Committee may invite anyone to attend any of the D.S.R. meetings.

REGIONAL COMMITTEE

14. The Regional Committee shall consist of the Management Committee and at least one representative nominated by each affiliated club in the D.S.R. Any affiliated club in the D.S.R. having more than one hundred (100) registered members shall be entitled to one additional representative on the Regional Committee. i.e. a club has a maximum of two delegates.
15. The Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. shall call at least three Regional Committee meetings between the months of September and June of each year. At least two weeks notice in writing shall be given by the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. of the date of each Regional Committee meeting to the Honorary Secretary of each affiliated club in the D.S.R.
16. Regional Committee meetings shall be chaired by the Honorary President of the D.S.R. and in his absence by the Deputy President of the D.S.R. and in the absence of both from a meeting, the Regional Committee may elect a Chairman from its members present at that meeting, to chair that meeting only. The quorum for a meeting of the Regional Committee shall be twelve (12) members entitled to be present at such meeting.
17. At each Regional Committee meeting, the Officers of the Management Committee shall report to the meeting on the affairs of the D.S.R. The Regional Committee shall have the power to discuss and vote on all the affairs of the D.S.R. and the Management Committee shall be bound by the decisions of the Regional Committee.
18. A Management Committee meeting may be held in conjunction with a Regional Committee meeting.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

19. The Annual General Meeting of the D.S.R. (hereinafter referred to as the A.G.M.) shall be at a venue in the D.S.R. in the month of May or June of each year. At least four (4) weeks notice in writing will be given by the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. of the date of the A.G.M. to the Honorary Secretary of each affiliated club of the D.S.R.
20. The Chair at the A.G.M. shall be taken by the Honorary President elected at the last preceding A.G.M. (or Special General Meeting where appropriate) or where necessary by the acting Substitute President and he shall retain the Chair at that meeting to its conclusion. In the absence of the Honorary President, the Deputy President and the Substitute President (if any) the A.G.M. will elect a Chairman for the meeting.
21. All members of affiliated clubs in the D.S.R. shall be entitled to attend at and speak at the A.G.M. The quorum for an A.G.M. shall be twelve (12) members entitled to be present at such meeting.
22. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be transacted as follows:-
(i) The minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting (and Special General Meeting if any) shall be read and approved (with amendments if necessary).
(ii) The Honorary Secretary shall present his annual report for the preceding year.
(iii) The Honorary Treasurer shall present a statement of Income and Expenditure for the preceding financial year and a balance sheet as at 30th April of preceding financial year certified by the Honorary Auditor for adoption.
(iv) The Deputy President shall be elected as Honorary President. The Honorary President elected at the A.G.M. shall take office immediately after the conclusion of the A.G.M. and his term of office shall terminate at the conclusion of the next following A.G.M. In the event of the Deputy President being unable or unwilling to serve his term as Honorary President, the A.G.M. shall elect an Honorary President. In the event of it being necessary to elect an Honorary President at the A.G.M., the Honorary Secretary shall notify the Honorary Secretaries of the affiliated clubs of the D.S.R. of the necessity of such an election. If necessary the A.G.M. may be adjourned for a sufficient period to facilitate such notice and nominations.
(v) The A.G.M. shall elect a Deputy President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.
(vi) The A.G.M. shall elect four ordinary members of the Management Committee.
(vii) The A.G.M. shall elect an Honorary Auditor.
(viii) The A.G.M. shall discuss and vote on all motions moved by affiliated clubs and/or members of the D.S.R.
(ix) The A.G.M. shall be informed of appointments and motions that will be proposed at the next Annual General Meeting of the C.B.A.I.
(x) The A.G.M. shall appoint the Honorary President, the Honorary Secretary, the County Development Officer plus the appropriate number of members of the D.S.R. as Council members of the Governing Council of the C.B.A.I.
(xi) The A.G.M. shall appoint the Honorary President, the Honorary Secretary plus the appropriate number of members of the D.S.R. as delegates to the Annual General Meeting of the C.B.A.I.
(xii) The A.G.M. may award the title of Honorary Life Vice President to any member of the D.S.R. that has given outstanding service to the administration of bridge in the D.S.R. provided that the total Honorary Life Vice Presidents does not exceed five (5). Honorary Life Vice Presidents may attend and speak at Management Committee meetings and Regional Committee meetings but cannot vote.
(xiii) The A.G.M. shall then proceed to any other business.

NOMINATIONS

23. (i) No person shall be nominated to serve successive terms as Honorary President of the D.S.R.
(ii) No person shall be nominated to serve as Honorary President or Deputy President of the D.S.R. until two years have elapsed since the termination of his previous term of office as Honorary President.
(iii) No person shall be nominated to serve as Honorary Secretary for more than three (3) consecutive years.
(iv) No person shall be nominated to serve as Honorary Treasurer for more than three (3) consecutive years.
(v) Nominations for the positions of Honorary President, Deputy President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than twenty-one (21) days before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting. Such proposals must be signed by the proposer and seconder each of whom must be members of the affiliated clubs in the D.S.R. In order for a nomination to be valid, the person nominated must submit with the nomination a written note of his willingness to accept the position for which he is nominated. If there are no nominations received for any of the Officer positions up to twenty-one (21) days before the A.G.M., then the Management Committee may propose persons from the membership of the D.S.R. to fill that position.
(vi) In the event of the resignation or incapacity of the Honorary President during his term of office, then the Deputy President shall act as Substitute President, and in the event of the Deputy President also resigning or being unable to act as Substitute President, then the Management Committee may at its absolute discretion nominate one of its members to act as Substitute President until the conclusion of the following A.G.M. In the event of the resignation or incapacity of Deputy President, Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer, the Management Committee may at its absolute discretion nominate one of its members to the vacant post.
(vii) Nominations for ordinary members of the Management Committee of the D.S.R.,Council members of the Governing Council of the C.B.A.I. and delegates to the Annual General Meeting of the C.B.A.I. may be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. or may be made from the floor of the A.G.M.
(viii) The members of D.S.R. appointed as Council members of the Governing Council of the C.B.A.I. and to the Annual General Meeting of the C.B.A.I. may be mandated by the A.G.M. to vote in a particular way in respect of any appointments and/or motions on the agenda at those meetings of the C.B.A.I.

RESOLUTIONS

24. (i) Any affiliated club of the D.S.R. may submit a resolution to the A.G.M. by submitting same in writing signed by the Honorary Secretary of the club and the proposer and seconder of the resolution, to be received by the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. on or before the 30th of April preceding the date of the A.G.M.
(ii) Any member of the D.S.R. may submit a resolution to the A.G.M. by submitting same in writing signed by himself and one other member of the D.S.R. to the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. on or before the 30th of April preceding the date of the A.G.M.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

25. A Special General Meeting of the D.S.R. (hereinafter referred to as a S.G.M.) must be summoned by the Management Committee or by the Honorary Secretary on a requisition in writing signed by the Honorary President or the Honorary Secretary of each of any four (4) affiliated clubs in the D.S.R. or by the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. on a requisition in writing signed by seventy-five (75) members of the D.S.R. At least fourteen (14) days notice in writing of the date, time and place of the S.G.M. shall be given by the Honorary Secretary of the D.S.R. to the Honorary Secretary of each affiliated club in the D.S.R. Any such requisition as aforesaid and the notice convening a S.G.M. shall set out the terms of any resolution to be proposed. No other business shall be transacted at a S.G.M. other than that for which it has been convened.
26. The Chair at any Special General Meeting shall be taken by the Honorary President of the D.S.R. and in his absence by the Deputy President of the D.S.R. and in the absence of both from the meeting, the Special General Meeting may elect a Chairman from its members present at that meeting.
27. All members of affiliated clubs in the D.S.R. shall be entitled to attend at and speak at a S.G.M. The quorum for a S.G.M. shall be twelve (12) delegates entitled to be present at such a meeting.

VOTING

28. Voting at the A.G.M. and S.G.M. shall be by delegates duly appointed by the affiliated clubs of the D.S.R. and by members of the Management Committee of the D.S.R. except where hereinafter provided. Each club shall be entitled to one delegate. Any affiliated club having more than one hundred (100) registered members shall be entitled to one additional delegate. Each delegate shall be entitled to one vote only. In order to be eligible to vote, each delegate must be present at the meeting and must produce to the Honorary Secretary a note of his appointment as delegate signed by the Honorary Secretary of the affiliated club in the D.S.R. that he represents.
29. If there are three or more candidates nominated for any of the Officer positions, voting will be by proportional representation. If no one candidate has achieved more than 50% of the total valid poll, the candidate with the lowest vote is eliminated and a new vote is taken. This process will continue until a candidate has achieved more than 50% of the total valid poll or until two candidates remain in which case the candidate with the higher vote is elected. Members of the Management Committee of the D.S.R. are not entitled to vote in the election of any officer position of the D.S.R.
30. If there are more than four candidates for the positions of ordinary members of the Management Committee of the D.S.R., each delegate or delegates of the affiliated clubs of the D.S.R. and each member of the Management Committee present at the A.G.M. may cast up to four votes. The four candidates with the highest votes are elected.
31. Resolutions and motions at all meetings of the D.S.R., but excluding resolutions to alter the constitution of the D.S.R., shall be passed by a simple majority of the votes entitled to be cast at that meeting. In the event of equality of voting at Management meetings, Regional meetings and Annual General Meetings, the Chairman (or Acting Chairman) of that meeting shall have a casting vote but there shall be no second or casting vote on any resolution proposed at a Special General Meeting.
32. Voting for all Officer positions, for members of the Management Committee at the A.G.M., delegates to the Annual General Meeting of C.B.A.I. and delegates to Executive Committee of C.B.A.I. shall be by written poll.
33. Voting on motions and resolutions at all meetings of the D.S.R. shall be by show of hands but by a written poll if such a poll is requested by a delegate entitled to vote at that meeting and the Chairman deems it necessary that such a poll be taken.
34. Voting at the Management Committee meetings and Regional Committee meetings shall be by members duly appointed to those committees and present at the meeting.

MINUTES

35. The Honorary Secretary shall cause minutes to be kept of Annual General Meetings, Special General Meetings and Regional Committee meetings. Copies of such minutes shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary of all affiliated clubs in the D.S.R. within three months of the date of the meeting took place. Copies of such minutes shall be available to the Honorary Secretary of any affiliated club in the D.S.R. on application within two (2) years of the date that the meeting for which the minutes are required took place.
36. The Honorary Secretary shall cause minutes to be kept of all Management Committee meetings and copies of such minutes shall be made available to the Honorary Secretary of any affiliated club in the D.S.R upon request in writing received within twelve (12) months of the date on which the meeting for which the minutes are requested took place.

CLUB REGISTRATION

37. The registration fee payable to the D.S.R. by each affiliated club in the D.S.R. shall be such fee as set from time to time by the Governing Council of the C.B.A.I. together with such sum (if any) in addition as is determined by the Regional Committee of D.S.R. In addition each club shall pay to the Honorary Treasurer of the D.S.R. the appropriate affiliation fee for the C.B.A.I. according to the number of its members. The registration and affiliation fees must be paid before the 31st December each year and must be accompanied by a list in triplicate of the registered members of each club. Failure to pay its registration and affiliation fees and to supply a complete list of its members before the appointed date may result in the automatic suspension of the club concerned and its members from participating in the activities of the D.S.R. and all rights of the club and its members to attend Regional Committee meetings or vote thereat and of all rights of the club and its members to take part in regional tournaments and competitions.
38. Only persons on the registered list of a club will be recognised as members entitled to participate in Regional competitions and to attend meetings of the D.S.R. A club may forward additional lists of registered members that joined the club after the original list has been sent. The additional list shall be accompanied by the additional affiliation fee, if any. A member of an affiliated club in the D.S.R. whose name and fee is forwarded for registration after the 31st December shall be entitled to participate in subsequent competitions and tournaments as a registered member.

ALTERATION

39. The constitution of the D.S.R. shall be capable of addition, amendment or repeal by ordinary resolution at an Annual General Meeting of the D.S.R. or by special resolution at a Special General Meeting of the D.S.R. and any such resolution shall be passed only if the resolution receives at least two-thirds of the votes cast by the delegates present at that meeting. Any such resolution passed shall be in force at the conclusion of that meeting.

INTERPRETATION

40. In this constitution the masculine gender includes the feminine gender. The paragraph headings and paragraph numbers are for assistance only and shall not form part of the constitution.

AMENDMENTS

31 May 2010

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
MOTION
That, in Section 15 of the Constitution of the Dublin South Region, ‘three (3) Regional Committee meetings’ be replaced with ‘two (2) Regional Committee meetings’.
Proposed: by Martha Tuite Seconded by: Gerry McKenna

22 September 2010

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
MOTION
That Section 22 (xii) of the Constitution of the Dublin South Region be amended to read as follows. (xii) A member of the D.S.R. who has given outstanding services to the administration of Bridge in the D.S.R .may be proposed as an Honorary Life Vice President of the D.S.R. by any member or club of the D.S.R. Such a proposal must be put to a Regional Meeting and must be approved of by not less than two thirds of the members at this meeting who are entitled to vote.
(a) The A.G.M. may award the title of Honorary Life Vice President.
(b) The total of Honorary Life Vice Presidents shall not exceed three (3).
(c) An Honorary Life Vice President shall be entitled to attend all Management Committee Meetings and Regional Committee Meetings of the D.S.R. but shall have no vote.
Proposed by: Thomas MacCormac Seconded by: Gerry McKenna