RUGBY BRIDGE CLUB
CONSTITUTION
V2 10/06/2014
1. Name.. 3
2. Affiliation.. 3
3. Objective and Aims.. 3
4. Membership.. 3
5. Application for Membership. 4
6. Membership Fees.. 4
7. Resignation from the Club.. 5
8. Termination of Membership.. 5
9. Bridge Sessions and Events.. 5
10. Management of the Club.. 6
11. Management Committee Meetings.. 7
12. Resignation from Management Committee. 8
13. Finance.. 8
14. General Meetings.. 9
15. Trustees.. 10
16. Discipline and Appeals.. 11
17. Changes to the Constitution.. 11
18. Dissolution.. 11
19. The Contingency Rule.. 11
THIS CONSTITUTION CONSISTS OF 19 RULES
The Club shall be called Rugby Bridge Club and is hereinafter called the Club.
The Club may be affiliated to the Warwickshire Contract Bridge Association and the English Bridge Union and to any other appropriate organisation.
The objective of the Club is to facilitate and encourage the playing of bridge.
The Club aims to meet this objective by:
i Providing a friendly, congenial atmosphere in which members and guests can play bridge.
ii Endeavouring at all times to raise the standards both of play and etiquette.
iii Actively prohibiting harassment and unsociable behaviour.
i The Club shall consist of its members. Members shall be either, Full Members, Provisional Members or Temporary Members.
Membership of the Club shall be open to any person who enjoys playing bridge, supports the Club’s objectives and is approved by the Membership Secretary on behalf of the Management Committee
a Such applicants, if successful, shall be Full Members.
Full Members shall enjoy all rights of membership. Full Members who have been nominated as Honorary Life Members by the Management Committee remain Full Members for their lifetime unless they resign.
b Until approved by the Membership Secretary on behalf of the Management Committee all applicants shall be deemed Provisional Members.
Provisional Members shall have all the rights of membership of Full Members except that they may not vote at General Meetings.
c Any non-member who has been nominated by a Full Member and approved by an Officer of the Club for a specific event shall be a Temporary Member.
Temporary Members shall not pay any membership fee or subscription. Their membership shall last only for the duration of the specified event. They may not vote at General Meetings.
ii The Management Committee may, at its discretion, nominate any Full Member to be an Honorary Life Member also.
iii In accepting membership a person agrees to abide by the Constitution of the Club and the rulings of the Management Committee.
iv The Club cannot operate without the support of its members and it relies upon members undertaking small but necessary tasks. Members are encouraged to find ways to actively help such as:
* Being a session host
* Stewarding
* Tournament Director
* Teaching beginners and improvers
* Organising and catering for social events
* Assisting with publicity, promotion and marketing of the club
* Editing the club newsletter and maintaining the web site
* Serving on the Management Committee either as a General Committee Member or an Officer
The Management Committee may from time to time amend this list.
i Application for membership of the Club shall be submitted in writing to a Membership Secretary appointed by the Management Committee of the Club.
ii The Membership Secretary shall be responsible on behalf of the Management Committee for approving any application for membership.
iii If an application is declined by the Membership Secretary the applicant may appeal to the Management Committee Chairman whose decision shall be final.
i Membership fees shall be recommended by the Management Committee from time to time and the acceptance of this recommendation shall be subject to a vote of all members present at the next General Meeting.
ii Members must pay the required membership fee when joining and the annual membership fee must be renewed before 1st April each year.
iii Honorary Life Members are entitled to free membership and are deemed to have paid their annual membership fee before 1st April each year.
iv No person may vote at meetings, serve on committees or hold office unless their current annual membership fee has been paid.
i Notice of resignation must be received by the General Secretary or Membership Secretary by 31st March or the member will be liable for their subscription for the ensuing year.
ii Any person ceasing to be a member shall thereafter cease to enjoy any of the privileges of the Club, or to have any claim on the property of the Club, but shall continue to be liable for their debts to the Club.
i The Management Committee shall have the power to expel or suspend members.
ii Any expelled or suspended member shall cease to enjoy any of the privileges of the Club, or to have any claim on the property of the Club, but shall continue to be liable for their debts to the Club.
i The Club shall make every endeavour to provide locations and facilities to enable members and guests to play bridge. Sessions and events shall be run in accordance with the Laws of Duplicate Bridge and English Bridge Union Regulations, supplemented where necessary by Rugby Bridge Club Tournament and Session Regulations.’
ii Rugby Bridge Club Tournament and Session Regulations shall be amendable by the vote of a simple majority being in favour of an amendment at any quorate Management Committee Meeting.
iii The Management Committee may at its discretion organise other events.
iv Members and guests shall pay a sum of money at every session and event unless the Management Committee has decreed otherwise.
v Guests shall pay a larger sum of money than members at every session and event unless the Management Committee has decreed otherwise.
vi The sums to be paid at regular, weekly sessions and events shall be recommended by the Management Committee from time to time and the acceptance of this recommendation shall be subject to a vote of all members present at the next General Meeting.
vii The Management Committee may allow members who have duties to perform at sessions or events to play without paying.
viii The Management Committee may award prizes to members who win sessions or events.
ix The Management Committee may decide upon other charges or subscriptions at its discretion.
x No guest may attend more than four bridge sessions in a calendar year unless an officer of the Club has given permission for the Guest to attend more than four sessions.
The transaction of the business of the Club and its entire management shall be vested in a Management Committee, which, in addition to the powers and authorities expressly conferred on it by these Rules, may exercise all powers and take all actions in furtherance of the objects for which the Club is established except those which are hereby expressly directed or required to be exercised by the Club in a General Meeting.
i The Management Committee, hereinafter called the Committee, must manage the Club in accordance with this Constitution and transact its business in accordance with written procedures named Management Committee Procedures.
ii The Management Committee Procedures shall be amendable by the vote of a simple majority being in favour of an amendment at any quorate Committee Meeting.
iii The Committee shall consist of no fewer than six and no more than ten Full Members of the Club as follows:
- Four Officers viz: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and General Secretary
- No fewer than two and no more than six General Committee Members.
iv The Officers and General Committee Members shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). They shall hold office for a calendar year and shall be eligible for re-election.
v Powers to co-opt eligible Members on to the Committee to act as Committee Members until the next AGM, to fill any casual vacancy or for any other purpose, shall be vested in the Committee.
vi The Officer elected as Chairman shall be chairman of the Committee. In their absence any Officer may act as chairman of a Committee meeting in accordance with the Management Committee Procedures.
vii The General Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings or may delegate minute taking to another member of the Committee.
viii The Committee shall act for the members and the Club. Liabilities incurred shall fall upon the membership provided that the Committee act in accordance with the constitution, in honesty and in good faith.
ix The Committee may employ people, including professional officers, and may appoint trustees, at its discretion.
x The Committee shall have power to appoint sub-committees to act on its behalf or merely to report.
xii Committee members may be indemnified and insured against risk and expense out of Club property.
i The Committee shall meet whenever summoned by the General Secretary:
a. Acting on the General Secretary’s own accord.
b. On the direction of the Chairman.
c. If requested of the General Secretary, in writing, by over half of the Committee.
ii The General Secretary shall ensure that the Committee meets twice per annum or more frequently if in accordance with Management Committee Procedures.
iii At least seven days notice of a meeting must be given by the General Secretary to all Committee Members.
iv The Committee may meet in person, by telephone, email correspondence or such other method as is satisfactory to the committee.
v The quorum necessary for the transaction of business at Committee Meetings shall be at least 50% of the Committee Members and must include at least one Officer.
vi At the request of any one Committee member, any question being discussed or debated at a meeting of the Committee shall be determined by a majority of the votes of the Committee members present and voting, every Committee member having one vote. In the event of an equality of votes cast the Chairman, or acting chairman, shall have a second, casting, vote.
vii The interpretation of the Club Rules shall be vested in the Committee who shall decide all questions relating to the Club except those involving an amendment to the Constitution which shall only be done at a General Meeting.
i Resignation must be effected in writing, stating the resignation date, to the Chairman or General Secretary.
ii The Management Committee shall, from time to time, state a certain number of consecutive meetings and if any Committee member is absent from this number of consecutive Committee meetings the Committee member is deemed to have resigned with effect from the date of the last of these Committee meetings.
i All monies raised by, or on behalf of, the Club shall be applied to further the objects of the Club and for no other purpose.
ii The Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Club and shall present written audited statements of income and expenditure to the Annual General Meeting.
iii The Club’s financial year commences on 1st April and ends on 31st March.
iv No member other than an Officer of the Club may spend money on behalf of the club without the prior approval of an Officer.
v Proper accounts shall be kept of all sums of money received and paid out by the Club.
vi The funds of the Club shall be lodged at a bank or banks in accounts in the name of the club and all cheques, drafts etc drawn on these accounts must be signed by any two Officers unless the sum is less than an amount which shall be set by the Committee from time to time in which case such cheques, drafts etc may be signed by one Officer.
i General Meetings shall be chaired by the Chairman of the Management Committee or in their absence any other officer as specified in the Management Committee Procedures.
ii The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held between 1st April and 30th June each year and it shall have the following main purposes:
a Receive annual reports from the Committee Chairman and the Treasurer.
b Elect such Committee members as the Constitution determines is necessary.
c Election of the Disciplinary Panel in accordance with the Disciplinary Procedures.
d Determine policy in accordance with the wishes of the membership.
e Elect an auditor of the Club’s finances.
iii At least fifteen days notice of the date of a General Meeting, together with a proposed agenda, shall be given to all Club members by the General Secretary.
iv Additional agenda items proposed and seconded by members must be received by the General Secretary not less than seven days prior to the date of the General Meeting. New resolutions may be proposed during the meeting only if proposed and seconded by Officers of the Club.
v Nominations for positions on the Committee must be received by the General Secretary not less than seven days prior to the AGM. Nominations must be in writing, be proposed by a full member and seconded by a full member and be signed by the nominee to signify their willingness to stand. Nominations shall be accepted during the meeting only if proposed and seconded by Officers of the Club.
vi An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing, which will include an agenda, to the General Secretary signed by not less than 20% of all Full Members. The Committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority at one of its meetings.
vii All Full Members shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings of the Club and shall have equal voting rights.
viii Provisional Members and Temporary Members may not vote at General Meetings of the Club but shall be welcome as observers at all General Meetings.
ix The quorum for General Meetings shall be 20% of all Full Members.
x Each Full Member shall be entitled to one vote on each question put. The Chairman, or acting chairman, shall have a second, casting, vote if required to decide a question.
xi Any motion proposed at a General Meeting must be proposed by a named member and seconded by another named member. A motion shall be carried by a simple majority of those present and voting.
xii Postal voting on items on the agenda shall be allowed at the discretion of the Committee with the caveats that:
a The wording of the motion to be voted upon is contained within the proposed agenda sent to all members by the General Secretary.
b No motion which may be subject to postal voting may be modified.
c Postal votes shall not be included in the quorum of the meeting.
i The property of the Club must be vested in four trustees nominated from time to time by the Committee.
ii The trustees must deal with the property as the Committee from time to time direct by resolution and an entry in the minute book is conclusive evidence of a resolution once the book has been approved and signed by the Chairman.
iii The trustees must not act without reasonable and suitable instruction from the Committee as it shall from time to time direct by resolution and an entry in the minute book is conclusive evidence of a resolution once the book has been approved and signed by the Chairman.
iv For the avoidance of doubt the Trustees shall have no discretion and must act only as directed by the Committee.
v The trustees shall be indemnified and insured by a reputable insurance company against risk and expense out of Club property.
vi The trustees shall hold office until death or resignation or until removal from office by the Committee.
vii Where by reason of death, resignation or removal it is necessary for a new trustee or trustees to be appointed the Committee must nominate the person or persons to be appointed as the new trustee or trustees as soon as reasonably practicable.
viii For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the Chairman of the Club is nominated as the person to appoint new trustees of the Club within the meaning of the Trustee Act 1925 Section 36 and he must by deed appoint the person or persons nominated by the Committee.
i Every Club member shall be required to conform to the standards of fair play, courtesy and personal deportment prescribed in the current Bye-Laws and Regulations of the English Bridge Union.
ii These standards shall be enforced by the Committee in accordance with Rugby Bridge Club Disciplinary Procedures.
iii These Disciplinary Procedures shall be amendable by the vote of a simple majority being in favour of an amendment at any quorate Committee Meeting.
i No Rule shall be repealed or altered and no new Rule made except by a majority of those present and voting at a General Meeting.
ii Motions to alter the Constitution must be submitted in writing to the General Secretary at least six weeks before the date of the next Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for such purpose. One month’s notice of the text of the proposed change must be made available to Club members.
i In the event of dissolution of the Club the Management Committee must call an Extraordinary General Meeting called a Dissolution Meeting.
ii The members at the Dissolution Meeting shall decide how the Club’s assets should be dealt with.
In the event of any question or matter arising which is not covered by the Constitution such question or matter shall be dealt with by the Management Committee whose decision shall be final.
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10 June 2014
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