Constitution of The Strettons Bridge Club
1. NAME
The Club shall be called The Strettons Bridge Club.
2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Club shall be to provide facilities for its members for playing Duplicate Contract Bridge in a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere in which players of all standards have the opportunity to enjoy the game.
3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Subject to 5.9, membership shall be open to all as detailed below.
3.2 Any person wishing to become a member of the Club shall apply for membership by completing and forwarding to the Secretary such form as may be prescribed from time to time by the Committee.
3.3 All members are deemed to have accepted the regulations of this constitution, and the membership criteria (as stipulated on the membership application form), and the rules and codes of conduct adopted by the Club.
3.4 The Committee will keep a register of members (compliant with current data protection legislation) which will include their names, addresses and contact details.
3.5 In considering applications for membership the Committee shall have regard to the playing facilities available, and may from time to time decide that the Club shall be closed to new applications for membership for such period as it may decide.
3.6 A member shall cease to be a member of the club immediately if expelled from the club under the provisions of clause 15, or if his resignation in writing is delivered to the Secretary.
3.7 A member whose subscription has not been paid shall cease to be a member on the expiration of the period of six months from the date on which the subscription was due for payment.
3.8 A former member of the Club who wishes to re-join as a member may do so without the necessity for a further formal application for membership, unless the Committee decides otherwise.
4. OFFICERS
4.1 The Officers of the Club shall be the Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.
4.2 No member of the Club shall simultaneously hold more than one Office of the Club.
4.3. Each of the Officers of the Club shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, and shall retire annually at the ensuing Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election. The Chair shall not be elected for morethan three consecutive years.
4.4 In the event of a vacancy arising during the year in the office of any Officer of the Club, the Committee shall choose one of their number to fill such vacancy until the ensuing Annual General Meeting.
5. COMMITTEE
5.1 The Committee of the Club shall consist of the Officers of the Club, together with up to two other members of the Club, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, and shall retire annually at the ensuing Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election.
5.2 The Committee may from time to time co-opt further members of the Club to serve on the Committee until the ensuing Annual General Meeting, whether to fill a vacancy arising, or as additional members, except that the total number of members of the Committee (including Officers) shall at no time exceed seven. Co-opted members shall be entitled to participate fully in the proceedings of the Committee.
5.3 A quorum at meetings of the Committee shall be three members of the Committee, including at least one of the Officers.
5.4 The Committee may from time to time appoint sub-committees to undertake on its behalf such aspects of the administration of the Club as it shall think fit, and members of such sub- committees may include members of the Club who are not members of the Committee.
5.5 Proceedings of the Committee and of any sub-committees shall be regulated in any manner as the Committee may from time to time decide.
5.6 The Committee shall make a report to each Annual General Meeting of the Club concerning the affairs of the Club since the previous Annual General Meeting.
6. MANAGEMENT
6.1 The affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Committee, and the Committee shall have power to determine any issue arising in connection with the affairs of the Club which is not specifically provided for in this Constitution.
8.2 The Committee may from time to time formulate and publish such rules as it thinks expedient for the efficient and harmonious running of the Club (but in the case of any conflict between such rules and this Constitution, the Constitution shall prevail).
6.3 Any issue of policy determined by the Committee or any rules published by the Committee may be varied by a resolution of members at a General Meeting of the Club, provided that such resolution is not in conflict with this Constitution and is not retrospective in application.
6.4 In the event of such variation being made, the policy or rules (as the case may be) shall not be further varied by the Committee in a manner inconsistent with the resolution.
7. GENERAL MEETINGS
7.1 An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in each year no later than four months after the end of the financial year (the Club’s financial year runs from 6 April to 5 April).
7.2 A Special General Meeting of the Club shall be convened by the Committee if a request for such a meeting signed by at least ten members of the Club is delivered to the Secretary, stating the reason for the meeting, and such a meeting shall take place within one month of the receipt of such request.
7.3 A Special General Meeting of the Club may be convened by the Committee on its own initiative at any time.
7.4 All General Meetings of the Club shall be held at the normal Club venue unless circumstances arise which render this impracticable.
7.5 The Chair, if present, shall chair all General Meetings of the Club, and in their absence some other member of the Committee, approved by a majority of those present at the Meeting, shall chair the meeting.
7.6 Notice of all General Meetings of the Club shall be given to all members by email and via the Club website no later than four weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
7.7 Any member may propose a motion to be discussed at a General Meeting provided that written notice of the proposed motion is delivered to the Secretary no later than three weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
7.8 Notice of the Agenda (including items arising through 9.7) of all General Meetings of the Club shall be given to all members by email and via the Club website no later than two weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.
7.9 The chair of the meeting may permit discussion of other business at a General Meeting if they think fit.
7.10 A quorum at General Meetings of the Club shall be ten members present at the meeting.
7.11 If fifteen minutes after the time fixed for a General Meeting of the Club no quorum shall be present, the meeting shall be adjourned to a new date (of which the like notice shall be given to members as was required to be given for the meeting which has been adjourned), and in the case of a General Meeting which has been adjourned due to the lack of a quorum (but not of a meeting adjourned for any other reason) such number of members as are actually present at the adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum.
7 .12 Voting at General Meetings of the Club shall be by show of hands, and in the event of parity of voting the Chair of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
8. NOTICES
8.1 Notices of any Special General Meeting of the Club, and of an Annual General Meeting at which in the opinion of the Committee any business of a non-routine nature is likely to be discussed, shall be given to members by email to the last address of each member notified to the Secretary.
8.2 Notices of any Annual General Meeting at which in the opinion of the Committee no business of a non-routine nature is likely to be discussed, may be given to members by email to the last address of each member notified to the Secretary.
8.3 Notices of any other matters to be brought to the attention of members shall be made by displaying a notice on the Club website.
9. NOMINATIONS
11.1. Nominations for the posts of Officers or Committee members will be supported by a proposer and a seconder, both of whom shall be members of the Club, and also by the person nominated (such nominations can be made at the time of the AGM).
10. SUBSCRIPTIONS and FEES
10.1 Each member of the Club shall pay an annual subscription, the basic amount of which for the time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. Subscriptions shall be due for payment by 6 April in each year in respect of the year to the following 5 April. Unless the Committee decides otherwise, any member whose subscription remains unpaid after the due date shall pay table money at the rate applicable to visitors until their subscription has been paid in full.
10.2 Each member of the Club, and each guest and visitor, shall pay table money on each occasion when they play at the Club, the basic amounts of which for the time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.
10.3 The Committee may determine variations on the basic amounts of subscriptions and table money for members, guests, and visitors in different circumstances, and may waive subscriptions or table money in the event of hardship or for any other good cause.
10.4 The Annual General Meeting may authorise the Committee to increase the basic amounts of subscriptions and table money prior to the ensuing Annual General Meeting.
10.5 The Committee may determine from time to time the amount of fees to be charged for use of the premises or equipment of the Club, or for any other purpose for which it is of the opinion that fees ought to be charged.
11. ACCOUNTS
11.1. The Committee shall arrange for accounts to be prepared in respect of the financial affairs of the Club for each year ending on 5 April.
11.2 The accounts for each year shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting of the Club for approval.
12. GUESTS and VISITORS
12.1 Any member may invite a guest to play at the club at any time, but in the event of the playing facilities being inadequate to accommodate all those who wish to play, priority shall be given to members.
12.2 Visitors may be permitted to play at the Club at any time, but in the event of the playing facilities being inadequate to accommodate all those who wish to play, priority shall be given to members and the guests of members.
12.3 The Committee may from time to time place a limit on the number of occasions on which a non-member (whether a guest or a visitor) may play at the club without being required to apply for membership.
12.4 If such a limit is for the time being in force, a non-member who has applied for membership shall (subject to available playing facilities) be permitted to play at the Club until his application for membership has been considered by the Committee, even if the limit imposed by the Committee is thereby exceeded.
13. MEMBERS’ BEHAVIOUR
13.1 Each member of the Club shall be required, whether at or away from the Bridge table, to conform to the standards of fair play, courtesy, and personal deportment recommended by the current Bye Laws and Regulations of the EBU, including the fundamental principles set out in the EBU’s “Best Behaviour at Bridge”.
13.2 Each member of the Club shall be sensitive to the Club’s responsibilities for safeguarding any vulnerable Club members or guests.
13.3 The Club shall have the powers and the procedures for the enforcement of the requirements in clause 15.1 and in clause 15.2. These powers and procedures are as set out in the current model Schedule of the Constitution (available from the EBU).
14. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
14.1 No alterations shall be made to this constitution except at a General Meeting of the Club.
14.2 In order for a resolution to alter this constitution to have effect, at least two-thirds of the votes cast on the resolution must be in favour.
15. WINDING-UP
15.1 In order for a resolution that the Club shall be wound up to have effect, at least two-thirds of the votes cast on the resolution must be in favour, and in addition the number of votes cast in favour of the resolution must exceed one-half of members of the Club entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting at which the resolution is put.
15.2 If a resolution that the Club shall be wound up is effectively passed, the Committee shall be responsible for winding up the affairs of the Club, and unless the winding up has been initiated with a view to amalgamating the Club with some other club (in which case any surplus assets and funds may be transferred to such other club), any surplus assets and funds shall be transferred to such of the organisations mentioned in clause 15.3 as may be specified in the resolution initiating the winding up, and if no such organisation is so specified, to such of those organisations as the Committee may think fit.
15.3 The organisations referred to in clause 15.2 are:
- English Bridge Education and Development (registered charity 1153543);
- The local EBU County Contract Bridge Association;
- Any registered or recognised charitable body;
- Any local Bridge organisation.
|