DRAFT - DEVENISH BRIDGE CLUB CONSTITUTION

1.         NAME

The Club shall be called Devenish Bridge Club

2.         AIMS and OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of the Club shall be:

• To offer competitive opportunities for its members to play Duplicate Contract Bridge

• To offer coaching for less experienced players to learn and to play Duplicate Contract Bridge in a friendly and supportive atmosphere

• To promote the club within the local community

• To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club

• To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone

3.         HEADQUARTERS

The headquarters of the Club shall be situated at such venue or venues as the Committee shall from time to time arrange within the Irvinestown area as playing accommodation for the Club.

4.         AFFILIATIONS

The Club will be affiliated to the Northern Ireland Bridge Union.

5.         MEMBERSHIP

5.1       Membership shall be open to all bridge players and those wishing to learn the game.

5.2       Any person wishing to become a member of the Club shall apply for membership by completing and forwarding to the Treasurer such form as may be prescribed from time to time by the Committee.

5.3.      All bridge players and those wishing to learn to play who are over the age of eighteen years will be entitled to apply for full membership of the Club.

5.4.    Players under the age of eighteen years will be entitled to apply for Junior membership. Such members are not entitled to vote at general meetings of the Club and cannot be Trustees of the Club.

5.5.    The Club may confer Honorary Life Membership on any member who has rendered special service to the Club.

5.6.    All members are deemed to have accepted the regulations of this constitution and the rules and codes of conduct adopted by the Club.

5.7.      The Committee will keep a register of members which will include details of their names, addresses and contact details.

5.8.      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.

5.9.      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.

5.10     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.

5.11     A former member of the Club who wishes to rejoin as a member may do so without the necessity for a further formal application for membership, unless the Committee decides otherwise.

5.12   Members of the Club are automatically enrolled as members of the Northern Ireland Bridge Union and shall abide by its Bye Laws.

6.         OFFICERS

6.1.      The Officers of the Club shall be the Captain, Secretary and Treasurer.

6.2.      No member of the Club shall simultaneously hold more than one Office of the Club.

6.3.      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.

6.4.      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.

7.         COMMITTEE

7.1.      The Committee of the Club shall consist of the the outgoing captain and incoming captain, together with 7 other members of the Club as voted for by members of the club, and shall retire annually at the ensuing Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election.

7.2.      The Committee may from time to time coopt 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. Co-opted members shall be entitled to participate fully in the proceedings of the Committee.

7.3       A quorum at meetings of the Committee shall be three members of the Committee, including at least one of the Officers.

7.4.      The Committee may from time to time appoint subcommittees 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.

7.5.      Proceedings of the Committee and of any subcommittees shall be regulated in such manner as the Committee may from time to time decide.

7.6.      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.

 8.        MANAGEMENT

8.1.      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).

8.3       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.

8.4       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.

9.         GENERAL MEETINGS

9.1.      An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held, as soon as is practicable, after the new season commences each year.

9.2.      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 meeting shall take place within one month of the receipt of such request.

9.3.      A Special General Meeting of the Club may be convened by the Committee on its own initiative at any time.

9.4.      All General Meetings of the Club shall be held at the headquarters of the Club unless circumstances arise which render this impracticable.

9.5       The Captain, if present, shall chair all General Meetings of the Club, and in his/her absence some other member of the Committee, approved by a majority of those present at the Meeting shall chair the meeting.

9.6.      Notice of all General Meetings of the Club shall be given to all members of the Club no later than two weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

9.7.      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 one week prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

9.8       The Captain may permit discussion of other business at a General Meeting if s/he thinks fit.

9.9.      A quorum at General Meetings of the Club shall be five members present in person.

9.10.    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.

9.11.    Voting at the A.G.M or E.G.M shall be by show of hands unless decided otherwise by a majority of those members present, and in the event of parity of voting the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

10.       NOTICES

10.1.    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 on the Club website or by e mail to the last address of each member notified to the Secretary.

10.2.    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 either on the Club website or by e mail to the last address of each member notified to the Secretary, and by announcement at the headquarters of the Club.

10.3.    Notices of any other matters to be brought to the attention of members shall be made by displaying a notice on the Club website and by announcement at the headquarters of the Club.

11.       NOMINATIONS

11.1.    Nominations for the posts of Officers or Committee members shall be signed by a proposer and a seconder, both of whom shall be members of the Club, and also by the person nominated.

12.       SUBSCRIPTIONS and FEES

12.1.    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 one month after the AGM in each year in respect of the year to the following AGM. 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 his subscription has been paid in full.

12.2.    Each member of the Club, and each guest and visitor, shall pay table money on each occasion when he plays at the Club, the basic amounts of which for the time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.

12.3.    Each successful applicant for membership of the Club may be required to pay a joining fee, the amount (if any) of which for the time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.

12.4.    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.

12.5     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.

12.6     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.

13.       ACCOUNTS

13.1.    The Committee shall arrange for accounts to be prepared in respect of the financial affairs of the Club for each year ending on 31 August.

13.2.    The accounts for each year shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting of the Club for approval.

14.       GUESTS and VISITORS

14.1.    Any member may invite a guest to play at the club at any time, but ONLY IF NO CLUB MEMBER is available through the liason service by Tuesday morning. In the event of the playing facilities being inadequate to accommodate all those who wish to play, priority shall be given to members.

14.2.    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.

14.3.    A Non-Member would be allowed to play at the club on THREE occasions and after this would be expected to join the club.

14.4.    Guest/Non-Members and Partner are Not Eligible for First Prize or any Nett Prize on prize nights.

15.       MEMBERS’ BEHAVIOUR

15.1 Each member of the Club shall be required in connection with the game of Duplicate Contract Bridge, to conform to the standards of fair play, courtesy and personal deportment prescribed by the Bye Laws and regulations for the time being of the NIBU.

15.2 The Club shall have the powers and the procedures for the enforcement of the requirement in clause 15.1.

16.       ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

16.1. No alterations shall be made to this constitution except at a General Meeting of the Club.

16.2.    In order for a resolution to alter this constitution to have effect at least twothirds of the votes cast on the resolution must be in favour.

17.       WINDING UP

17.1.    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 the number of members of the Club entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting at which the resolution is put.

17.2.    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 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.