BORDER BRIDGE CLUB CONSTITUTION
NAME
· The name of the club shall be "Border Bridge Club"
OBJECTS
1. To provide facilities for members to enjoy Duplicate Bridge on a regular and friendly basis
2. To further the growth of the game at all levels of abilities
3. To promote regular competitions
4. To obey the laws as laid down by the English Bridge Union
AFFILIATION
1. An application for membership, duly proposed and seconded by Members of the Club, must be submitted to the Secretary on the Club's Application form.
2. The membership will be at the sole discretion of the committee, who will require the potential member to have at least a basic knowledge of ACOL or other recognised bidding system
3. The Secretary shall inform the applicant in writing, of the Committee's decision. In the case of acceptance and where there is a waiting list for new members, the applicant shall be given an indication of the period of waiting before membership can be offered
4. The accepted applicants will be offered membership, as vacancies arise, in chronological order
TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
· The Committee shall have the right to terminate an individual's membership of the Club where it considers it justifiable in the interest of the Club to do so, provided that the member has been given the opportunity to be heard by the Committee before the decision to terminate has been taken.
MANAGEMENT OF THE CLUB
1. A Committee consisting of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Tournament Director, Immediate Past Chairman and 2 elected members (unless the Immediate Past Chairman is appointed to one of the other aforementioned Offices, in which case there will be 3 elected members) shall manage the Club.
2. The Committee may co-opt a Member of the Club onto the Committee to fill a casual vacancy. The Member so co-opted shall remain on the Committee only until the next Annual General Meeting when the Member shall become eligible for election
ELECTION OF THE COMMITTEE
• The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Tournament Director plus three others, one of whom will be the Immediate Past Chairman (unless he/she is appointed to one of the aforementioned Offices), shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting or Special Meetings.
VOTING
· Only fully paid-up Members are entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting or Special Meetings.
PRESIDENT
1. The club may appoint a President, who will be elected at the Annual General Meeting from any nomination received
2. There will be no specific duties and the vote in favour of any candidate must be 50% or more of the Members at the meeting
3. The post may be held for three years and the holder may stand for re-election for a further term of office.
4. The President will not automatically be a member of the Committee but may stand separately for nomination to the Committee.
5. The President may or may not be a subscriber to the Club whilst in Office.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
1. Each Member shall pay the subscriptions approved at an Annual General Meeting
2. The subscriptions shall be due on 1st January each year
GENERAL MEETINGS
1. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in November each year
2. A general meeting other than an Annual General Meeting shall be called an Extraordinary General Meeting
3. The Committee may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting whenever it considers necessary and also must convene the same if requested to do so, in writing, by not less than 20% of the Membership. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall only consider matter on the Agenda.
4. Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings can be called by giving fourteen days notice in writing and the notice convening same shall be served on each member, specifying the place, date and time of the meeting, and in the case of special business, the general nature of the business to be discussed shall be given in the notice.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
• No business shall be transacted at any General Meetings unless a quorum of members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Twenty five percent of the membership of the club shall constitute a quorum.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
1. Committee meetings will be held regularly and as often as necessary to properly conduct the business of the club.
2. A committee meeting may be called giving at least seven days notice in writing.
PROCEEDINGS AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS
1. No business shall be transacted at any Committee Meeting unless a quorum of the members of the Committee is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business
2. Fifty percent of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum
3. The decisions reached in the Committee are binding on all Members of the Club unless and until such decisions are discussed and subsequently changed at a subsequent Annual General Meeting
FINANCE
1. The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts and shall prepare audited accounts for the year
2. All members shall be equally responsible for the liabilities of the club, and any member wishing to resign shall give notice to the club secretary before the end of the Club year
3. No member shall pledge the credit of the Club or any other member thereof or involve the Club in any legal or other liabilities whatsoever without the consent of the Committee, and a member so doing shall be personally responsible for any liability incurred should he or she do so without such authority; but nothing in the Rules shall prevent the duly elected Secretary and Committee from doing such acts in connection with the Club as shall be within their province, either individually or collectively, provided that such acts comply with the Rules of the Club and are in accordance with authority previously laid or agreed by the Committee
VISITORS
1. A visitor must be introduced by a Member and shall not be permitted to attend more than five Club meetings in any one year
2. The introducing member shall introduce the visitor to the secretary and the visitor must sign the Visitor's book and pay the fee approved at the Annual General Meeting
DISSOLUTION
• In the event of formal dissolution of the Club, all surplus assets shall be disposed of as determined by a majority of at least fifty percent of the Members present at a General Meeting of the Club
MODIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
1. No amendment, omission or addition shall be made to the Constitution except by a resolution carried by a majority of at least fifty percent of the Members present at a General Meeting of the Club
2. The notice convening the General Meeting must give full details of any proposed amendment, omission or addition
3. At least twenty one days notice should be given and notice should be displayed for at least two Fridays. A member who is unable to attend an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary general Meeting may appoint a proxy who is a member of the Committee to vote on his/her behalf
ADDENDUM TO THE CONSTITUTION - AGREED AND PASSED AT THE 2002 AGM
1. A Formal Complaint must be in writing to the Secretary and acknowledged by letter from the Secretary. The letter will state that the Committee will contact the other person for their comments on the incident
2. It must be referred to the full Committee for consideration who must meet to discuss the complaint within fourteen days
3. The other party (the accused) will be written to apprising them of the situation, together with a copy of the complaint and asking for comments on the incident.
4. If a Committee member be involved, he/she will not be in the room whilst the matter is discussed
5. All correspondence will include the phrase 'It is in the best interest of all parties concerned that the events remain totally confidential to the Committee members and parties concerned.
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