1. The Club shall be called the “Maltings Duplicate Bridge Club”.

2. The Club exists to provide duplicate bridge facilities for members and shall be non-profit making.

3. Club events shall be governed by the current version of the English Bridge Union Regulations and the International Code supplemented by Club Rules for specific events.

4. The maximum membership shall be decided by the Committee having regard to the current attendance levels.

5. The Officers of the Committee shall consist of Chairman, Senior Director, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. The Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to serve until the following Annual General Meeting when they may present themselves for re-election.

6. The Committee shall consist of four officers and three additional members. It will meet at least quarterly and will be responsible for the running of the Club. Four members will form a quorum. One new member shall be elected to the Committee every year and (if necessary) the longest serving member shall retire.

7. Candidates for election to the Committee shall be nominated in writing, with their consent, by two Club members to the Honorary Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting.

8. The Committee may co-opt members to the Committee for specific purposes.

9. The Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to a normal vote at all committee and general meetings.

10. Applicants for membership must be proposed and seconded by two members. Application forms are to be posted on the Notice Board for a period of three weeks. Prospective new members will be played in three times before being placed on the waiting list. Final acceptance for membership will be a committee decision.

11. The Club year will run from 1 April. Subscriptions will be set by the Committee and must be paid by 1 May.

12. Any member whose subscription is unpaid by 1 May shall cease to be a member. Any member whose conduct is considered by the Committee to be against the best interests of the Club shall be asked to resign.

13. The Committee shall ensure that proper books of accounts are kept which shall be open for inspection by the Committee. These accounts shall be audited prior to the Annual General Meeting. A bank account will be kept in the name of the Club. Withdrawals can be made on one signature up to a limit of £200. Withdrawals over £200 will require two signatures per cheque. Persons authorised to sign cheques will be the Honorary Treasurer, the Chairman and the Honorary Secretary.

14. The Annual General Meeting shall be called by the Committee and shall be held before the end of March.

15. Voting at an Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be restricted to members.

16. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee or on receipt of a written request from at least ten members. Such a request must state the object of the meeting and be received at least 28 days before the proposed meeting.

17. Alteration to the Constitution shall not be made except at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose, and no part of the Constitution shall be repealed, altered or added to save by a majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting

At the discretion of the Chairman, matters which do not affect the Constitution shall be decided by a simple majority.

18. Notice of a General Meeting with the Agenda, and in the case of an Annual General Meeting, with the Agenda and Financial Statement, shall be prominently displayed on the Club Notice Board at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.

19. The business of an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be confined to the Agenda. An item “Any Other Business” may be included in the Annual General Meeting Agenda.

20. While observing the Constitution, the Committee shall have power to alter the Rules of the Club.

MDBC - 1.4.1989

1. The management of the Club is in the hands of the Committee.

2. Bridge is played according to EBU International Laws of Duplicate Bridge.

3. Smoking is not permitted at any time in the card room.

4. The maximum numbers of tables to be in play at any one session is 12.

5. All pairs must be seated five minutes before play is due to begin.

6. Members have precedence over visitors.

7. Any visitors who wish to play at any one session must make themselves known to the Director and will be permitted to play provided there is accommodation.

8. If, at the time when players must be seated, 12 tables are already occupied, any person arriving after that time will have forfeited their right to play.