CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF THE FIVE ACES BRIDGE CLUB

1 Aims and Objectives

1. To play and promote Duplicate Bridge in a smoke free atmosphere.
2. To encourage a friendly and courteous attitude to fellow members and visitors alike.
3. Where possible to welcome newcomers to the duplicate game.
4. To encourage members to share responsibilities.
5. To abide by the rules and proprieties of the English Bridge Union and where practicable to award E.B.U. Master Points.

2 Changes to the Constitution and Rules

Any proposed changes by the committee must be notified to the members at least 14 days prior to a General Meeting, by E-Mail, where possible and inclusion in the Club Members Information Folder, kept at the Clubs home venue.

3 The running of the club shall be regulated by the following rules:-

1. The club shall be affiliated to the English Bridge Union and all competitions shall be conducted in accordance with its laws and directives.
2. All members shall use a convention card and only General Licence conventions shall be allowed.
3. There shall be no smoking within the club premises (either in the playing area or in the kitchen) at any time.
4. If on any Club evening there are more people present than the committee considers can reasonably be accommodated, priority will be given to members, provided that they have arrived by 10 minutes before the time specified for the start of play.
5. When Simultaneous Pairs Events are played:-

       i) Guest Pairs are not allowed to participate.

       ii) A member of at least one years’ standing may play with a Guest partner, provided that:-

              1) an officer of the club is advised of the named guest player, at least three days before the event.

              2) two officers of the club must agree to permit the guest and approval be confirmed, at least one day before the event.

4 Financial Year

1. The finances of the Club shall be supervised by the Treasurer and any monies shall be deposited with a bank or building society in accordance with arrangements approved by the committee.
2. The Club’s financial year shall begin on January 1^st but all subscriptions shall fall due on April 1^st in each year.
3. Subscription rates and table money for the forthcoming year shall be fixed at the A.G.M.
4. The committee shall have the power to vary the amounts of table money and to fix additional charges for special events.
5. The accounts of the Club shall be audited prior to the A.G.M. by an auditor appointed be the committee.

5 The Committee

1. The administration of the Club shall be by a Committee which shall be constituted in the manner set out in this document.
2. The Committee shall consist of the Chairman, the Secretary and the Treasurer (“the Officers”) and up to five other members plus any additional members co-opted for specific tasks. All Committee members shall retire at the A.G.M. but may stand for re-election.
3. Nominations of members to serve as Officers or Committee Members must be made in writing, at least 14 days prior to the A.G.M.
4. If there is more than one nomination for any office, the voting shall be by secret ballot. The meeting shall then proceed to the election of other members of the Committee.
5. If the number of nominations for the other members of the Committee does not exceed the number of vacancies, the chairman may at his/her discretion ask for their election en bloc. If the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies, voting shall be by secret ballot.
6. The Committee may at its discretion co-opt members on to the Committee either (a) to fill a vacancy or (b) (without limit in numbers) to undertake a specific function.
7. If any Officer ceases to hold office, the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the next A.G.M. by appointing a new Officer.

6 The President

1. The Club may appoint a President. Such appointment shall be made at the A.G.M. and shall be for a specific term to be fixed by the members.
2. The President shall receive notice of and be entitled to attend all meetings of the Committee but shall not have a vote.

7 Proceedings of the Committee

1. The Committee shall hold at least four meetings a year, the first of which must be held within one month after the A.G.M.
2. The dates for Committee meetings shall be set at the preceding meeting but can be altered if a majority of the Committee agree.
3. At meetings of the Committee, all decisions shall be by a simple majority. The quorum shall be one half of the Committee and include at least one Officer.
4. In the event of equality of voting the chairman shall have a second vote.
5. A person shall cease to be a member of the Committee if he/she gives written notice of resignation to the secretary or fails to attend two sequential Committee meetings without due reason.
6. The Committee shall arrange and encourage participation by the members of the Club in:-

1. Weekly club duplicate bridge sessions.
2. Local, county national and international bridge competitions.
3. Social and other events.

8 Applications for membership

1. The Committee will consider applications for membership (which must be made in writing on the appropriate form) – each applicant being proposed by a Club member to whom he/she is known.
2. Applicants should be able to show a properly completed convention card (or play simple systems Acol only.)
3. The Committee may at its absolute discretion refuse membership to any applicant and shall not be obliged to give any reason for such refusal.
4. An application may be deferred by the Committee for consideration at a future date, and the name of the application may, if appropriate, be placed on a waiting list.

9 Termination of Membership

1. The Committee may terminate the membership of any member or refuse renewal of membership should the Committee in its absolute discretion consider that the member’s actions or behaviour are detrimental to the interests and/or the image of the Club. Such a member shall have his or her subscription for the current year refunded, but shall have no right of appeal nor any claim against the Club or the Committee.
2. The Committee may in its absolute discretion terminate the membership of any member whose subscription has not been paid by 1^st June in the relevant year and shall be under no obligation to reinstate the membership or to accept late subscription after that date.
3. Members who resign will not be entitled to a refund of any part of their subscriptions.

10 Honorary Members

1. The Committee may nominate honorary members in recognition of outstanding service to the Club or to Bridge. Such nominations shall be for such a period as the Committee may determine.
2. Honorary members shall enjoy the same privileges of membership and be subject to the same obligations as other members, save they pay no subscription.
3. Dependant children of members shall be treated as honorary members.

11 Annual General Meeting

1. An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in March of each year when (a) The Chairman shall give a brief report of the Club’s activities during the previous year and (b) the Treasurer shall present a financial report and (c) Officers and Committee members for the forthcoming year shall be elected.
2. Notice for the date of the A.G.M shall be notified to members by the means specified in Rule 2 at least 28 days prior to the date of the meeting.
3. The existing Chairman shall remain Chairman until the conclusion of the A.G.M and shall conduct the meeting unless he/she nominates an independent person to do so. In the event of any vote, the manner of the vote shall be the sole responsibility of the person conducting the meeting.
4. All members, including honorary members (other than dependant children) shall have one vote and all matters shall be decided by a majority of votes. Absentee votes will not be permitted.
5. In the event of equality of voting the Chairman shall have a second vote.
6. Any proposals that members wish to make at an A.G.M must be proposed, seconded and submitted to the Secretary in writing at least 14 days prior to the A.G.M.

12 Extraordinary General Meeting

1. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee at any time and shall be called if the Chairman receives a written notice signed by not less than ten members of the club requesting an E.G.M and specifying the purpose of such a meeting.
2. If the E.G.M is called pursuant to a written notice from members, the Committee shall arrange for such a meeting to take place within six weeks of receipt of such notice.
3. Unless the Committee considers the matter to be urgent (in which case an E.G.M can be held on shorter notice) notice of the date of the E.G.M and brief particulars of the purpose of the meeting shall be notified to members by the means specified in Rule 2 at least 21 days prior to the date of the meeting.
4. The voting procedure at an E.G.M. shall be the same as at an A.G.M.

13 Generally

1. Any matter not dealt with specifically by this constitution may be determined by the Committee.
2. The interpretation of this document shall rest with the Committee subject to the overriding authority of a General Meeting of the Club.

14 Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution of the Club, the Committee may dispose of the assets as it, in its absolute discretion, thinks fit and shall be under no obligation to divide the assets among the members.