Schedule of Disciplinary Procedures

1. Requirements of the Schedule

This Schedule is referred to under Clause 15 of the Constitution of the Norfolk and Norwich Bridge Club (hereinafter referred to as the Club) and prescribes the powers and procedures for enforcement. It will comply with and follow the EBU disciplinary procedures and any variations thereof that are made from time to time.  The Club shall act through the Disciplinary Committee for the enforcement of standards prescribed in Clause 15 of the Constitution.  The Club shall have additional powers as set out in the clauses below.

2. Receipt of allegation

Any person making a complaint against one or more members of the Club under the terms of Clause 15 of the Constitution must do so in writing to the Secretary or the Chairman of the Club.

3. Conduct Committee

The Executive Committee of the Club shall appoint it's Conduct Committee through it's powers to appoint sub committees under Clause 7.4of the Constitution.  The Conduct Committee shall be responsible for investigating complaints against the Cub’s members and to determine whether a disciplinary offence should be referred to the Club’s Disciplinary Committee.

The Conduct Committee shall consist of no fewer than three members of the Club and no more than five. A quorum for any meeting shall be three of it's members.  It shall act by simple majority vote and it's appointed chairman, or whomsoever in his absence the Conduct Committee shall select to chair it's meeting, shall have a second or casting vote in the event that there is parity of voting.

4. Disciplinary Committee.

The Committee of the Club shall appoint the Disciplinary Committee through it's powers to appoint sub committees under Clause 7.4 of the Constitution.  The Disciplinary Committee shall, determine sanctions for offences admitted by the defendant, hear charges of offences and determine whether those charges are proved and if proved, to determine the sanction imposed.

The Disciplinary Committee shall consist of no fewer than three members of the Club and no more than five.  At least three of its members must be present when it makes a decision to uphold a complaint and impose sanctions on the offending member.  It shall act by simple majority vote and it's appointed Chairman, or whomsoever in his absence the Disciplinary Committee shall select to chair its meeting, shall have a second, or casting vote in the event that there is parity of voting.

5. Conflicts of interest and independence of the Disciplinary Committee.

Any member of the Disciplinary Committee who is in any way personally involved in the allegations within a complaint will be disqualified from participating inthe Committee’s handling of the complaint.

A member of the Club cannot be a member of both the Conduct and Disciplinary Committees.

6. The Complaints Process.

6.1 Notice of Meetings.

Wherea written complaint is made, or a matter otherwise comes to the attention ofthe Conduct Committee, it shall first consider whether such complaint or matterfalls within the scope of the Disciplinary Rules and whether further action iswarranted.  If it does the ConductCommittee secretary shall first write to the Defendant, seeking the Defendant’scomments on the substance of the complaint or matter that has been raised.  The Conduct Committee shall also be entitledto seek advice both from within the Club and from the EBU Laws and EthicsCommittee and to obtain external legal advice.

6.2 Complaint not justified.

Ifthe Conduct Committee decides that the complaint is not justified, all parties shall be notified and the matter ended.

6.3 Complaint justified.

If the Conduct Committee decides that the complaint is justified, they may, in their absolute discretion, offer a verbal warning to the offending member, which if accepted, ends the matter.

If the caution is not accepted by the offending member, or the Conduct Committee does not feel that a caution is appropriate, they shall refer the case to a hearing by the Disciplinary Committee. The Defendant shall be notified in writing, within two weeks of this decision and of his right to make a written submission to the Disciplinary Committee and to attend the hearing.  The defendant shall have the right to be represented by the legal counsel of his choice or may be accompanied by a person to speak on his behalf.  The Disciplinary Committee shall give at least two weeks notice of the hearing to the Defendant.

6.4 Disciplinary Committee’s Sanctions.

If after the hearing the complaint is upheld, the Disciplinary Committee may in its absolute discretion:

(a) Give a written reprimand to the offending member(s), or

(b) Suspend the offending member(s) from all or some of the competitions sponsored or licensed by the Club for such period as it shall determine.

(c) Expel the offending member(s) from the Club.

Ifthe complaint is against a member of the Committee then in addition to any other sanctions applied, the Disciplinary Committee shall have the power to suspend such member from the Committee and any of its sub committees for such a period that it shall determine.

Any sanctions imposed by the Disciplinary Committee must be communicated to the offending member(s) in writing within twenty one days of the hearing.

Any sanction imposed by the Disciplinary Committee shall take effect as soon as time for appeal has lapsed except that if the Defendant has filed Notice of Appeal within the time allowed the sanction shall not take effect until such Appeal has been determined.

6.5 Appeal

Every Defendant found guilty of an offence by the Club Disciplinary Committee has the right to appeal to the County Disciplinary Committee.  Appeals must be in writing and lodged with the Secretary of the Association within twenty one days of the written communication of the Club’s Disciplinary Committee’s decision to the Defendant.

6.6 Referral to the EBU Laws and Ethics Committee.

At any time the County Disciplinary Committee may refer a complaint to the EBU Laws and Ethics Committee for its consideration.  In doing so the County Disciplinary Committee shall have fully discharged its responsibilities under this Schedule.