HEMEL HEMPSTEAD BRIDGE CLUB CONSTITUTION
Adopted at AGM 21st June 2012, updated re AGM quorum 6th June 2022
1. NAME
The name of the club shall be the Hemel Hempstead Bridge Club.
2. OBJECTS
To organise and provide facilities for the playing of Contract Bridge, particularly duplicate Bridge, in the Hemel Hempstead area, in compliance with the rules and ethics of the English Bridge Union.
3. AFFILIATIONS
The Club shall be affiliated to the EBU through an affiliation to the Hertfordshire Bridge Association.
4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Applications for membership will be determined by the Committee. They should be made in writing, on the approved application form, to the Membership Secretary.
4.2 Subscriptions are due at the beginning of the Club Year currently 1st June. Membership will lapse immediately if the renewal subscription is not paid by 31 August each year.
5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
5.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be the governing body of the club and shall be held not later than 8 weeks after the end of the financial year. The Secretary shall give at least 21 days notice of the meeting. Twelve members of the club shall form a quorum.
5.2 The principal items of business shall be:
(i) To elect a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, hereafter called the officers and up to eight Committee Members. Nominations should be made and seconded in writing prior to the meeting or, with the leave of the Chairman, made and seconded verbally at the meeting;
(ii) to consider constitutional changes;
(iii) to receive an Annual Report and Financial Statement from the Committee;
(iv) to discuss motions which have been properly submitted in writing to the Secretary at least seven days prior to the meeting;
(v) to appoint an Honorary Auditor who shall not be an elected or co-opted member of the committee;
(vi) voting on all matters except an amendment to the club constitution shall be by a show of hands and a simple majority will prevail.
6 THE COMMITTEE
6.1 The general management of the Club’s affairs shall be in the hands of the Committee which shall consist of the officers and up to eight members elected by the Annual General Meeting for the ensuing year.
6.2 The Committee may co-opt up to two additional members for any period expiring before the next Annual General Meeting.
6.3 The Committee may fill any vacancy among the officers or Committee Members. These appointments shall continue until the Annual General Meeting.
6.4 The Committee shall determine the rules and conditions under which tournaments and competitions within the jurisdiction of the club shall be conducted.
6.5 The Committee shall ensure the Club’s financial arrangements are prudent and make interim adjustments as necessary.
6.6 A Tournament Director shall be appointed who shall have prime responsibility for the conduct of Club competitions and tournaments.
6.7 The Committee shall have power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting.
6.8 Committee meetings shall be held as and when necessary. Five members of the Committee shall form a quorum.
6.9 The Committee may from time to time appoint and disband sub-committees as may be deemed necessary and may delegate to them such powers or duties as may be deemed appropriate. Such sub-committees shall conduct their business as directed by the Committee.
7. FINANCIAL YEAR
The Club’s financial year shall end on 31st May.
8. MEMBERS BEHAVIOUR
8.1 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 EBU.
8.2 The Club shall have the powers and procedures for the enforcement of the requirements in clause 8.1. They are set out in the Schedule of the Constitution and shall stand as part of the Constitution and be subject to the same provisions of the Constitution for its amendment.
9. COMPLAINTS & ISSUES
Complaints and Issues should be made to the Club Chairman or in his/her absence, to an officer of the Club
10. CLUB ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
10.1 Club assets belong to the members. In the event of the Club being wound up for any reason these assets shall be disposed of as determined by a majority of the members at the General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.
10.2 The liabilities of the club shall be borne by members in equal shares.
11. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be demanded by notice in writing, addressed to the Secretary, signed by at least twenty five members, stating the purpose of the meeting and setting out the terms of any proposals to be put to such a meeting. The same rules as to period of notice to members, voting and formation of a quorum, shall apply as in the case of the Annual General Meeting.
12. CONSTITUTION
12.1 No amendment to the Club Constitution shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting. Notices in writing of the proposed amendment(s) shall be given to the Secretary at least 21 days before the meeting s that the members may be given sufficient notice of the proposal(s).
12.2 Any amendment must be carried by a two thirds majority of those present at the meeting and shall become immediately active.
Schedule of Disciplinary Procedures
1. Requirements of the Schedule
This schedule is referred to under clause 8.2 of the Constitution of the Hemel Hempstead Bridge Club (hereafter referred to as the Club) and prescribes the powers and procedures for enforcement. It will comply with and follow the EBU disciplinary procedures and any variations thereof that are made from time to time. The Club shall act through its Conduct and Disciplinary Committees for the enforcement of standards prescribed in clause 8.1 of the Constitution. The Club shall have additional powers as set out in the clauses below.
2. Receipt of the Allegation
Complaints against one or more members of the Club may be referred to the Conduct Committee under the terms of clause 8.1 of the Constitution as a written complaint either from a member or from the Club’s committee secretary following a minuted committee meeting.
3. Conduct Committee
The Committee of the Club shall appoint its Conduct Committee through its powers to appoint sub committees under clause 6.9 of the Constitution. The Conduct Committee shall be responsible for investigating complaints against the Club’s members and to determine whether a disciplinary offence should be referred to the Club’s Disciplinary Committee.
The Conduct Committee shall consist of no fewer than three members of the Club and no more than five. A quorum for any meeting shall be three of its members. It shall act by simple majority vote and its appointed chairman, or whomsoever in his absence the Conduct Committee shall select to chair its meeting, shall have a second, or casting vote in the event that there is parity of voting.
4. Disciplinary Committee
The Committee of the Club shall appoint the Disciplinary Committee through its powers to appoint sub committees under clause 6.9 of the Constitution. The Disciplinary Committee shall, determine sanctions for offences admitted by the defendant, hear charges of offences and determine whether those charges are proved and if proved, to determine the sanction imposed.
The Disciplinary Committee shall consist of no fewer than three members of the Club and no more than five. At least three of its members must be present when it makes a decision to uphold a complaint and impose sanctions on the offending member. It shall act by simple majority vote and its appointed chairman, or whomsoever in his absence the Disciplinary Committee shall select to chair its meeting shall have a second, or casting vote in the event that there is parity of voting.
5. Conflicts of Interest and Independence of the Conduct and Disciplinary Committees
Any member of either the Conduct or Disciplinary Committee who is in any way personally involved in the allegations within a complaint will be disqualified from participating in either Committee’s handling of the complaint.
A member of the Club cannot be a member of both the Conduct and Disciplinary Committees.
6. The Complaints Process
6.1 Notice of Meetings
Where a written complaint is made, or a matter otherwise comes to the attention of the Conduct Committee, it shall first consider whether such complaint or matter falls within the scope of the Disciplinary Rules and whether further action is warranted. If it does the Conduct Committee secretary shall first write to the Defendant, seeking the Defendant’s comments on the substance of the complaint or matter that has been raised. The Conduct Committee shall also be entitled to make such further investigations and enquiries as it in its absolute discretion considers appropriate. The Conduct Committee shall also be entitled to seek advice both from within the Club and from the EBU Laws & Ethics Committee, and to obtain external legal advice.
6.2 Complaint not justified.
If the Conduct Committee decides that the complaint is not justified, all parties shall be notified and the matter ended.
6.3 Complaint justified.
If the Conduct Committee decides that the complaint is justified, it may, in its absolute discretion, offer a verbal caution to the offending member, which if accepted, ends the matter.
If the caution is not accepted by the offending member, or the Conduct Committee does not feel a caution is appropriate, it shall refer the case to a hearing by the Disciplinary Committee. The Defendant shall be notified, in writing, within two weeks of this decision and of his right to make a written submission to the Disciplinary Committee and to attend the hearing. The Defendant shall have the right to be represented by legal counsel of his choice or may be accompanied by a person to speak on his behalf. The Disciplinary Committee shall give at least two weeks notice of the hearing to the Defendant.
6.4 Disciplinary Committees Sanctions
If after the hearing the complaint is upheld, the Disciplinary Committee may in its absolute discretion:
(a) Give a written reprimand to the offending member(s), or
(b) Suspend the offending member(s) from all or some of the competitions sponsored or licensed by the Club for such period as it shall determine.
(c) Expel the offending member(s) from the Club.
If the complaint is against a member of the Committee then in addition to any other sanctions applied, the Disciplinary Committee shall have the power to suspend such member from the Club’s Committee and any of its sub committees for such a period that it shall determine.
Any sanctions imposed by the Disciplinary Committee must be communicated to the offending member(s) in writing within twenty one days of the hearing.
Any sanction imposed by the Disciplinary Committee shall take effect as soon as time for appeal has elapsed except that if the Defendant has filed Notice of Appeal within the time allowed the sanction shall not take effect until such Appeal has been determined.
6.5 Appeal
Every Defendant found guilty of an offence by the Club Disciplinary Committee has the right to appeal to the County Disciplinary Committee. Appeals must be in writing and lodged with the Secretary of the Association within twenty one days of the written communication of the Club’s Disciplinary Committee’s decision to the Defendant.
6.6 Referral to the EBU Laws & Ethics Committee
At any time the County Disciplinary Committee may refer a complaint to the EBU Laws & Ethics Committee for its consideration. In doing so the County Disciplinary Committee shall have fully discharged its responsibilities under this Schedule.
May 2012, updated June 2022
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