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Newcastle-under-Lyme & District B.C.
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Constitution
 
 
  Constitution

THE RULES OF THE NEWCASTLE AND DISTRICT BRIDGE CLUB

1.

The name of the club shall be the Newcastle and District Bridge Club.

2.

The club room and headquarters of the club shall be at 6 King Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs, or at such other address as the club may in General Meeting determine

3.

The objects of the club shall be the playing and encouragement of contract bridge. The club shall support and encourage all its members to join the Staffordshire County Bridge Association and the English Bridge Union.

4.

The club shall be a members club consisting of players who have been duly elected to membership as in Clause 5.

5.

Every candidate for full membership must be proposed by one member of the club and the proposal must be seconded by another member, both the proposer and seconder being members. The name and address of every candidate proposed for membership together with the names of his proposer and seconder shall, for a period of at least 2 clear days before such candidate is elected, be posted in the club in the manner prescribed in Rule 22.

Election to membership shall be by the General Management Committee. No reason need be given to any candidate in the event of his rejection

6.

No person shall be admitted to membership until, having been elected as provided in Rule 5, he shall have paid to the treasurer an entrance fee equivalent to the annual subscription.

7.

No person  shall be admitted to membership or be admitted as a candidate for membership to any of the privileges of membership without an interval of at least 2  clear days between his nomination or application for membership and his admission.

No person becoming a member without prior nomination or application may be admitted to the privileges of membership without an interval of at least 2 clear days between his becoming a member and his admission.

8.

The affairs of the club in all matters not in these rules reserved for the club in General Meeting shall be managed by the General Management Committee of the club.

The General Management Committee, shall consist of 12 members of the club together with the secretary and the treasurer. 4 members of the General Management Committee shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting and shall serve on the General Management Committee for three years. Vacancies arising from any cause shall be filled at the next Annual General Meeting in addition to the four normal vacancies and those so filling the casual vacancies shall complete the terms of 3 years of the persons who they replace.

The General Management Committee may appoint one or more subcommittees for such purposes as it may deem appropriate. 4 members shall constitute a quorum of the General Management Committee and 3 a quorum of a subcommittee.

9.

(a) There shall be a secretary, a treasurer and an auditor who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (or on the death or resignation of the holder of such office at a General Meeting, such election to be effective until the next Annual General Meeting of the club) from among the members of the club and such other officers of the club as the club in General Meeting appoint.

Nominations of candidates for the General Management Committee and the offices of secretary and treasurer and auditor shall be made in writing proposed and seconded by members of the club and delivered to the club's secretary at least 4 weeks before the advertised date of the Annual General Meeting (or General Meeting) and shall be posted on the club notice board at least 3 weeks before the Annual General Meeting (or General Meeting).

(b) As soon as possible after the Annual General Meeting the General Management Committee shall meet and elect a chairman, a vice-chairman, and such subcommittees as are referred to in Rule 8, and delegates to the county bridge associations. The details of these appointment shall be displayed on the club notice board. The chairman and vice-chairman shall not serve in this capacity for a consecutive period of more than 3 years.

10.

There shall be 3 trustees of the club who shall be appointed from time to time as necessary by the club in General Meeting from among members who are willing to be so appointed. A trustee shall hold office during his life or until he shall resign by notice in writing given to the General management committee or until the resolution removing him from office shall be passed at a General Meeting of the club by a majority comprising two thirds of the members present and entitled to vote.

11.

(a) All property of the club including land and investments shall be held by the trustees for the time being in their own name so far as necessary and practicable for the use and benefit of the club. On the death, resignation or removal from office of a trustee the General Management Committee shall take steps to procure the appointment by the club in general meeting of a new trustee and shall as soon as possible thereafter take all lawful and practical steps to procure the vesting of all club property in the names of the trustees as constituted after the said appointment

(b) The trustees shall in all respects act in regard to any property of the club held by them in accordance with the directions of the General Management Committee and shall have power to sell lease mortgage or pledge any club property for the purpose of raising or borrowing money for the benefit of the club in compliance with the committee's directions. No purchaser lessee or mortgagee shall be concerned to enquire whether any such direction has been given.

(c) Any directions given by the general management committee for the disposal of any freehold or leasehold property of the club shall be in accordance with the wishes of the members. In the event of a proposal for such disposal being made the members wishes shall be established as follows:

(i)   All members shall be invited to vote by postal ballot;

(ii)  After conclusion of the postal ballot an extraordinary general meeting will be called in accordance with Rules 9 and 17;

(iii) The committee will give directions to the trustees for the sale of the property only if:-

(a)  there is an absolute majority in favour of all members voting by postal ballot, and

(b)  there is a majority in favour by two thirds of those members present and eligible to vote at the general meeting

12.

The annual subscription for a member shall be £10 and becomes due on the 1st May. At the discretion of the treasurer a member may be allowed to pay a reduced subscription for any period less than 6 months.

13.

Table money will be fixed by the General Management Committee but shall not exceed £2.50 per day. Refreshments when provided shall be at prices fixed on the authority of the General Management Committee

14.

The General Management Committee may terminate the membership of any member whose annual subscription remains unpaid on August 31st

15.

The treasurer will keep such proper books of account as will enable him to present at every Annual General Meeting of the club or at any other time if required (on reasonable notice to him) by the General Management Committee, an accurate report and statement concerning the finances of the club.

16.

The club year shall end on the 30th April every year and an Annual General Meeting of the club shall be held before June 30th every year.

Notice of the day and time of the Annual General Meeting shall be posted in the club for a period of at least 21 days before such a day in the manner prescribed in Rule 22

17.

A General Meeting of the club may be summoned at any time by the General Management Committee and shall be so summoned immediately upon 20% of the members (each being entitled under Rule 18 to vote) delivering to the General Management Committee a written request in that behalf. A General Meeting shall be summoned by causing notice thereof to be posted in the club premises in the manner prescribed in Rule 22 for a period of at least 14 days immediately before the day appointed for the meeting but this period may be abridged at the discretion of the General Management Committee if the urgency of business to be discussed in their opinion so requires.

18.

At any General Meeting of the club every paid-up member of the club shall be entitled to be present and shall be entitled to one vote upon every question raised.

 In the case of equality of voting the chairman of the General Management Committee

appointed under Rule 9(b) shall have a second or casting vote. The secretary shall take  minutes of the proceedings at all General Meetings of the club.

19.

Members may introduce and entertain guests at the club and there shall be kept at the club premises a visitors book which both the member and his guest shall sign. Visitors may play up to three times before being invited to apply for membership of the club

20.

The General Management committee shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ensure that a reasonably high standard of both play and conduct is maintained in the club. It shall organise such competition with such conditions as it shall consider suitable. It may delegate authority for the appointment of tournament directors for any competitions organised by it and make such rules as it deems necessary to authorise tournament directors to penalise players.

The General Management Committee may from time to time make vary and revoke by-laws (not inconsistent with these rules) for the regulation of the internal affairs of the club and the conduct of members and the by-laws for the time being in force shall be binding on all members

21.

The General Management Committee may terminate the membership of any member at the end of the club year without disclosing reasons for its decisions and may suspend from membership any member whose conduct whether on the club premise or elsewhere is or has been in the opinion of the Committee contrary to the interests of the club or injurious to its reputation.

22.

Each member shall keep the secretary informed of that member's private address or some other address at which communications may be addressed to him. All notices shall be posted by being affixed in a prominent position on the club premises in a part of the club which is frequented by members and it shall be the duty of the secretary to ensure that any such notice remain so exhibited for a period of 3 weeks.

23.

These rules may be revoked, added to or altered by a majority comprising two-thirds or more of the members present and entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the club, and of which notice has been given under Rules 22 and 16 or 17 specifying the intention to propose the revocation, addition or alteration together with full particulars thereof.

24.

Any proposal to wind up the club shall be resolved in accordance with the procedure set out in Rule 11(c) and the general management committee shall be authorised in this manner to give directions to the trustees for the disposal of all club assets. The general management committee shall only give such instructions to the trustees as will ensure that

(i)   no individual club member will benefit financially or in any other manner from the disposal

(ii)   the proceeds will be used for the benefit of organisations of which the main purpose is the playing of bridge in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, the surrounding district or the County of Staffordshire

(iii)   if this cannot be achieved they will be used for the benefit of charities which will enhance the quality of life of the residents of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme and its surrounding district.