Leven Bridge club

Constitution and Byelaws
Constitution

East Fife Bridge League

CONSTITUTION

(Re-typed and incorporating changes agreed at A.G.M. April 2017)

  1. The league shall be called the East Fife Contract Bridge League
  2. The object of the League shall be:
      1. to promote and encourage the game of Contract Bridge
      2. to hold or arrange Contract Bridge and other matches and competitions.
  3. The headquarters of the league shall be at such a place as the Executive may decide from time to time.
  4. The management of the League shall be vested in the Executive Committee hereafter named the Executive.

            The Executive shall consist of President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer and three representatives from within both Divisions of the League.  Service of the representatives in 1999/2000 season being- one for three years, two for two years and one for one year.  Thereafter one new members shall be elected each year to serve for three years.  A period of two years must elapse before re-election.

            Four members of the Executive will form a quorum.  Th President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer will be ex officio on all Committee of Management.  The President will normally be chairperson of the Executive.

  1. The President and Vice President shall be elected for a term of two years and shall not be eligible for re-election within two years of their termination of Office.

            A Secretary and Treasurer (these two offices may be combined) will be appointed for the ensuing year at the Annual General Meeting of the League.

  1. The Executive shall have the power to fill vacancies occurring in their number in the course of a year and to co-opt additional members if required.
  2. The Executive shall meet whenever summoned by the Secretary and Treasurer or by the Chairperson of the Executive.
  3. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote as well as a deliberative vote at all meetings of the League.
  4. The League shall consist of one or more Divisions as decided by the Executive.  Where possible the Divisions shall consist of not more than eight teams.  If there are two or more Divisions, the two teams occupying the bottom positions in the Division shall be relegated to the Division immediately below and the two teams occupying the top positions in a lower Division shall be promoted to the Division immediately above, after the completion of the year's competition.  New teams shall enter the lowest Division.  The executive may change the criteria for promotion/ relegation as circumstances change.

            The two teams occupying the bottom position of the lowest Division may be required to seek re-admission.

  1. Only named members of the League teams who are actually present shall have a vote at the Annual General Meeting.
  2. The A.G.M. shall be held normally on the occasion of the last League meeting of the season.

            An Extra-ordinary General Meeting may be called by the Executive or by any eight members of the League.

  1. The Secretary shall keep full and correct minutes of all proceedings a the League meetings and be responsible for proper records of the matches and tournaments.

            The Treasurer shall keep correct accounts and books showing the financial affairs of the League.

  1. The Executive shall have all powers necessary for the conduct of the affairs of the League.  All regulations and byelaws made, or orders given by the Executive, shall be binding on the League until rescinded at an Annual or Special General Meeting of the League.

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Byelaws

East Fife Bridge League

Byelaws – 1995 amended 1995, 2010 and 2017

  1. Play shall be according to the Laws of Contract Bridge and any recommendations made by the SBU in their annual brochure.
  2. A team shall consist of 4 named players.
  3. All players must be members of bridge clubs in the East Fife area as defined by the executive committee.
  4. If one substitute is required for any team in either division anyone eligible within the limits of ‘3’ above can play.  If 2 substitutes are required the permission of the president, secretary, or nominees of the executive must be obtained.
  5. A team shall be considered a ‘new team’ when 2 or more players are introduced.  (Such a new team shall enter the lowest division).

Amended at AGM April 2017

A team shall be considered a "new team" when two or more players are introduced at the beginning of a new seasonA new player would be one who has played in the team in the preceding season fewer than two times.  (Such a new team shall enter the lowest Division.)

  1. All matches shall take place as the executive may decide from time to time.  Only under exceptional circumstances, agreed by the executive. Shall matches be played outwith the designated league dates.  A table charge will be levied on both teams, the amount of which shall be decided by the executive.
  2. Amended at a committee meeting 14/2/2000.

If a captain cannot field a full team on the date scheduled he/she must:-                            a) notify the secretary and the opposing team captain well in advance.  The latest time being 5pm on the day of the match.                                                              b) the match must be played before the next league meeting.                

In the event of failing to comply with a) and/or b), the captains must submit in writing their reasons for non play to the executive for a ruling.  The executive’s decision will be final.    

Both teams will be liable to make good any losses incurred by the league.

Amended at a committee meeting held on 10/5/2010

If a team fails to turn up on the night and their opponents are present

            c) 5 points will be awarded to defaulting team and they will have to pay team dues for the evening.

            d) the opposing team who do turn up will not be awarded any points till the end of the season when they will be awarded 60% of their average points won on their total points for all other matches during the season

            e) if a team knew in advance that they were unable to raise a team and notified their opponents in time, then if mutually agreeable, they could arrange to play their opponents on a mutually agreeable date prior to the next league match date after the one on which they were unable to play.

Amended at AGM April 2017

      0 points will be awarded to defaulting team and they will have to pay both teams' dues for the evening.

       The opposing team who do present themselves for play, will not be awarded any points till the end of the season.  At this point they will be awarded 60% of a maximum for a win (25 x 0.6 = 15 VPs) or their average score over the whole season, whichever is the greater.

        If a team knew in advance that they were unable to raise a team and notified their opponents in good time, then if mutually agreeable they could arrange to play their opponents on a mutually agreeable date prior to the next League Match date after the one on which they were unable to play.

        If a team captain knows in advance that they cannot field a team they must notify the Secretary and the opposing team Captain well in advance.  The latest time for doing so being 12.00 noon on the day of the match.

  1. All players shall be in attendance at 7pm and all matches shall start not later than      7.15pm.  in the event of a team not being in attendance at 7.15pm the offending team shall be penalised 20% of maximum points.  Any dispute to be referred to the executive whose decision shall be final.

Amended at AGM April 2017

All players shall be in attendance at 6.45 p.m. and all matches shall start not later than 7.00 p.m.  In the event of a team not being in attendance at 7.00 p.m. the offending team shall be penalised 20% of maximum points.  Any dispute to be referred to the Executive whose decision shall be final.

      9.  Promotion and relegation shall be adhered to as outlined in the constitution.

  1. In the event of 2 or more teams sharing a position in the league the tie shall be broken in accordance with the rules currently in favour with the SBU.
  2. League matches shall be over 24 boards.  A pass all round shall constitute a deal.
  3. Scoring shall be agreed by the executive according to the SBU regulations.
  4. The captain of each team shall be responsible for the payment of the table money to the treasurer.
  5. The executive, whose decision shall be final, shall adjudicate on any point not covered by the Byelaws.
  6. The league entry fee and table monies shall be fixed annually prior to the start of the season.

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