LOWESTOFT BRIDGE CLUB

CONSTITUTION AND RULES MAY 2000.

1.      TITLE The club will be known as the Lowestoft Bridge Club

2.      AIMS The aim of the club is to promote the playing of DuplicateBridge in the Lowestoft area.

3.      AFFILIATION The club will be affiliated to the English Bridge Union (EBU) through the Norfolk Contract Bridge Association.

4.      MANAGEMENT The affairs of the club will be managed by a committee composed of three officers, namely Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer together with between three and seven ordinary members. The committee, all of whom must be club members, will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

5.      COMMITTEE The committee will hold regular meetings to discuss club business at which minutes will be kept. In case of the resignation or long term unavailability of an officer during the year the committee will appoint one of its members to the position. If the number of committee members falls below five during the year the committee will co-opt club members to ensure that the number of committee members is maintained. The quorum at a committee meeting will be five including at least two officers. In cases of emergency decisions may be taken by a smaller group of two officers and one member, such decisions must be ratified at the next full committee meeting.

6.      ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held annually in May, the date will be advertised in the club calendar. The agenda, minutes of the previous AGM and statement of accounts will be published on the club notice board at all club sessions for two weeks prior to the AGM.

7.      ACCOUNTS The club financial year will run from 1st April until 31st March of the following year. The treasurer will keep account of all club monies and will have signing authority for the club bank accounts. The club accounts will be audited annually by a person appointed by the committee for the purpose, the auditor must not be a committee member.

8.      MEMBERSHIP Membership will be open to anyone wishing to join the club, however a knowledge of the game will be required before a new member is accepted. If a person wishing to join has reached or exceeded the EBU standard of club master then membership will be automatic, Prospective members who have not reached that standard will be accepted on a two months trial basis. If during the trial period the tournament director(s) in consultation with other members of the club decides that the candidate has a reasonable knowledge of the rules and spirit of the game then full membership will be granted. Any candidate for membership who does not demonstrate such a knowledge will be rejected and have their subscription refunded. Rejected candidates will be advised of classes and assisted to improve, reapplication for membership can be made a minimum of two months after being rejected. Membership will be rescinded by the committee if a member is shown to be in breach of EBU Bye-Law 42 - 44 on Conduct.

9.      SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions and table money will be the two main sources of finance to the club. The annual subscription will fall due on the 1st June or upon acceptance as a member whichever is the later date in the financial year. Table monies will be payable at every bridge session, there will be two levels of payment, one for members and the other for guests. The amount of both subscription and table money will be proposed by the committee and approved by the members at the AGM to come into immediate effect.

10.  CONDUCT In all matters of conduct reference will be made to the relevant bye-laws of the EBU.

11.  ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION AND RULES This constitution may only be changed at the AGM following a properly prepared motion proposed, seconded and supported by at least five club members. A majority of two thirds of the club members present and all those voting by proxy will be required to pass an alteration to the constitution. Voting for any motion raised at an AGM will take members’ proxy votes into account, providing that the proxy vote has been given to the secretary in writing before the meeting.

12.  DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB Should the club support decline to the point at which it is considered to be impossible to continue then a full meeting of all members will be called to discuss the future of the club. The disposal of all assets of the club will be decided by the committee and members at that time.

13.  LIFE MEMBERSHIP The club committee may from time to time propose worthy members to life membership. Life members will not pay annual subscriptions but will pay Table monies.