| ~ ~ ~~~NAME~ ~~~1 The Club shall be called:-~ ~~~~ ~~~ CROSS IN HAND BRIDGE CLUB~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~OBJECTS~ ~~~~ ~~~2 The objects of the Club shall be:-~ ~~~~ ~~~( i ) To play contract bridge according to the laws of contract bridge and the laws of duplicate bridge currently in force~ ~~~~ ~~~( ii ) To engage in useful activities, which will encourage, develop and promote the playing of contract bridge~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~OFFICERS~ ~~~~ ~~~3 The Officers of the Club shall consist of a Chairman, an Honorary Treasurer and an Honorary Secretary~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~COMMITTEES~ ~~~~ ~~~4 ( a ) GENERAL~ ~~~~ ~~~The Club shall be managed by a committee (hereinafter referred to as the GENERAL COMMITTEE) consisting of the Officers and not less than five or more than seven ordinary members. The committee shall have full powers to conduct the affairs of the club according to these rules and in a manner designed to achieve its’ stated objects, subject only to resolutions passed at a General Meeting of the membership. The General Committee shall have full powers to administer the funds of the Club and to enter into and discharge commitments within the limits of those funds.~ ~~~~ ~~~( b ) SUB-COMMITTEES~ ~~~~ ~~~Sub-Committees for special purposes may be formed by the General Committee from time to time. A copy of the Minutes of each meeting of such Sub-Committee shall be laid before the next following meeting of the General Committee; and each of such Sub-Committees shall be dissolved as soon as the purpose for which it was appointed has been fulfilled.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS~ ~~~~ ~~~5 The Officers and other members of the General Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting ( or as demanded by a Special General Meeting) by a majority of those present at the meeting. Each member of the Club shall be free to exercise one vote in respect of each appointment. The names of the candidates for office, together with the names of their proposers and seconders should be sent, with the agreement of the candidate, to reach the Secretary at least three weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting. Any such candidate must have been a fully paid up member of the club for at least the preceeding consecutive two years.~ ~~~~ ~~~Within two weeks of the Annual General Meeting the Secretary shall inform members of the nominations and provide ballot papers on request to all those members wishing to record proxy votes. Such proxy votes shall be valid only if they are:-~ ~~~~ ~~~ ( i ) made on official ballot papers~ ~~~ ( ii ) signed by the voting member~ ~~~ ( iii) received in sealed envelopes bearing the inscrip tion “Proxy Vote”~ ~~~~ ~~~and delivered, unopened, to the Chairman at the start of the Annual General Meeting. ~ ~~~~ ~~~The members of the General Committee may, by vote of the majority of those present at a meeting called for the purpose, elect an eligible member of the Club to fill any existing vacancy or at their discretion to allow any such vacancy to continue.~ ~~~~ ~~~MEMBERSHIP~ ~~~~ ~~~6 Application for membership of the Club shall be made on a standard form (available from the Secretary) and shall be proposed by a Member and seconded by another member of the Club. The completed application form shall be displayed on the Club notice board for at least two weeks before being considered by the Committee for election. During this period Members may make recommendations in writing to the secretary that the application should be accepted or rejected. The General Committee shall then consider the application and decide by a simple majority whether to accept. The applicant shall be informed of the decision not more than 30 days after application for membership has been made. A copy of these rules shall be given to a new member, or to a prospective member on request.~ ~~~~ ~~~7 The Committee may require visitors, who play at the Club on a regular basis, to apply for membership if the Committee considers such an application to be warranted.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~FEES AND CHARGES~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~8 The entrance fee, annual subscription and table money (for members and visitors) shall be determined by the Members in Annual or Special General Meeting.~ ~~~~ ~~~9 The Committee may suspend or reduce the entrance fee and annual subscription of any member as it thinks fit.~ ~~~~ ~~~10 Every Member failing to pay the subscription within one calendar month of the date on which it becomes due shall be given notice of such default and if not paid within three calendar months after the due date the membership shall lapse unless otherwise resolved by the Committee~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ACCOUNTS OF THE CLUB~ ~~~~ ~~~11 The Honorary Treasurer shall keep, or cause to be kept, proper book records of all monies received and disbursed on behalf of the Club. The Accounts of the Club shall be made up to the 31st October each year; a Balance Sheet and an Income and Expenditure account shall then be prepared and examined by the Honorary Independent Examiner and shall be submitted to the Members at the Annual General Meeting for approval.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~HONORARY INDEPENDENT EXAMINER~ ~~~~ ~~~12 A competent person shall be appointed annually by the Members to independently examine the Club’s accounts.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~PLAY~ ~~~~ ~~~13 Members shall conform to the rules, proprieties and ethics laid down in the Laws of Contract Bridge. Copies of these laws shall be made available at the Club for use of members. Bidding systems shall conform with these laws and with the special rules notified from time to time by the sponsoring organisations. Unless and until the Club shall become a licensed Club under the Gaming Act Rubber Bridge shall not be played for stakes.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~IRREGULARITIES IN PLAY~ ~~~~ ~~~14 In organised competition under the control of an appointed Director all irregularities and disputes shall be settled by the Director. Behaviour prejudicial to the good name and well being of the Club shall be reported by the Director to the Committee. When no Director has been appointed, disputes shall be settled by the players or, in the event of a disagreement they shall be reported to the Committee whose decision shall be final. Members may lodge a written appeal with the Committee whose decision shall be final. Members may lodge a written appeal with the Committee in all circumstances.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~CONDUCT~ ~~~15 If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee, be such as to be prejudicial to the reputation, welfare or good order of the Club the Committee shall be empowered to write to such Member recommending that they resign from the Club. Should the Member not resign within seven days after the Committee have sent him/her notice in writing of such recommendation (as to which it shall not be necessary to give the Member any reason for such recommendation) the Committee may resolve that the Member shall be expelled from the Club and give the Member notice accordingly whereupon the member shall forthwith cease to be a Member of the Club and the unexpired portion of that Member’s subscription for the current year shall be refunded.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~MEETINGS~ ~~~~ ~~~16(a) Annual General Meeting ~There shall be a General Meeting of the members not later than 31st January called the “Annual General Meeting” for the presentation of the Balance Sheet and Income and ~ ~~~Expenditure Account and the election of officers and members of the General Committee for the current year. The Secretary (or appointed deputy) shall convene an Annual ~ ~~~General Meeting as soon as possible after the end of the Club year. The date of the Annual General Meeting shall be advertised at least five weeks before the meeting. A ~ ~~~convening notice shall be circulated to members at least two weeks before the due date.~ ~~~~ ~~~16(b) Special General Meeting~ ~~~~ ~~~The Secretary (or appointed deputy) shall convene a Special General Meeting at the request in writing of a minimum of one third of the registered members of the Club specifying the purpose of the Meeting. Two weeks notice of such a meeting shall be given to members and the purpose of the meeting shall be specified. The meeting shall otherwise be subject to these rules as appropriate.~ ~~~QUORUM~ ~~~~ ~~~17 The Quorum for an Annual or Special General Meeting of the Members shall be ten; for meetings of the General Committee four and for Sub Committees shall be such number as may be fixed on appointment by the General Committee to which they are subordinate.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~CONTINGENCIES~ ~~~~ ~~~18 The Committee shall have the powers to deal with any matters not provided for in these rules, but subject to the overriding mandate of the membership given at a General Meeting.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~DISSOLUTION AND DISPOSAL OF FUNDS~ ~~~~ ~~~19 If at any time it seems desirable to the Committee to dissolve the Club or dispose of the Club’s assets or any part thereof they shall call a Special General Meeting of Members to consider the matter and if two thirds of the Members present at the meeting agree to such dissolution or disposal the Committee shall be empowered to proceed accordingly and after discharging the liabilities of the Club the balance of any proceeds in the hands of the Club shall be disposed of in such a manner as the Special Meeting shall determine by vote of the majority of those present at the meeting.~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ALTERATION TO THE RULES~ ~~~~ ~~~20 These rules shall be altered only with the consent of a majority of members present given at a General Meeting~ ~~ |