Marple Duplicate Bridge Club Constitution.

1. Name.

The Club shall be called Marple Duplicate Bridge Club .

2. Objects.

The object of the Club is the encouragement of the game of Duplicate Bridge and other social

activities consistent therewith.

3. Affiliations.

The Club will be affiliated to the Manchester Bridge Association and the English Bridge Union.

4. Membership.

4.1 Any person wishing to become a member of the Club shall apply for membership by contacting

the Membership Secretary.

4.2 The Club may confer Honorary Life Membership on any member.

4.3 All members are deemed to have accepted this constitution and the rules and codes of conduct

adopted by the Club.

4.4 The Committee will keep a register of members which will include details of their names,

addresses and contact details.

4.5 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.

4.6 A member shall cease to be a member of the Club immediately if expelled from the Club under

the provisions of clause 13.2 or if the resignation in writing is delivered to the Membership

Secretary.

4.7 A member whose subscription has not been paid shall cease to be a member on the expiration of

the period of three months from the date on which the subscription was due for payment.

4.8 Members of the Club are automatically enrolled as members of the English Bridge Union and

shall abide by its Bye Laws.

5. Officers.

5.1. The Officers of the Club shall be the Chairman, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer.

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

5.3. 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.

5.4. 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.

6. Committee.

6.1 The Committee of the Club shall consist of the Officers of the Club together with six other

members 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.

6.2. 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 to fill a vacancy. Co-opted members

shall be entitled to participate fully in the proceedings of the Committee.

6.3. A quorum at meetings of the Committee shall be five members of the Committee, including at

least one of the Officers.

6.4. 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.

6.5. 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.

7. Management.

7.1. 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.

7.2. 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).

7.3. 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. General Meetings.

8.1. The financial year of the Club shall end on 31 December each year and an Annual General

Meeting shall be held each year no later than two months after that date.

8.2. 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.

8.3. A Special General Meeting of the Club may be convened by the Committee on its own initiative

at any time.

8.4. All General Meetings of the Club shall be held at a venue determined by the Committee.

8.5. The Chairman, 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.

8.6. 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.

8.7. The chairman of the meeting may permit discussion of other business at a General Meeting.

8.8. A quorum at General Meetings shall be ten members present in person.

8.9. 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). 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.

8.10. Voting at General Meetings of the Club shall be by show of hands, and in the event of parity of

voting, the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

9. Notices.

9.1. Notices of any Annual or Special General Meeting will be displayed on the club notice board not

later than two weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting and will be issued to all players

present at the preceding two weeks bridge sessions. In addition, notices of Special General

Meetings will be sent by post or email to any members not present at the preceding two

bridge sessions.

9.2. Notices of any other matters to be brought to the attention of members shall be displayed on the

club notice board.

10. Nominations.

10.1. Nominations for the posts of Officers or Committee members shall be in writing, and shall be

signed by a proposer who shall be a member of the club and also by the person nominated.

10.2. Nominations must reach the Secretary no later than one week prior to the date fixed for the

Annual General Meeting.

11. Subscriptions and Fees.

11.1. Each member of the Club shall pay an annual subscription, the basic amount of which for the

time being shall be decided by the Committee of the Club. Subscriptions shall be due for

payment on 1st January in each year in respect of the current calendar year. Unless the

Committee decides otherwise, any member whose subscription remains unpaid after 31th

March shall pay table money at the rate applicable to visitors until the subscription has been

paid in full.

11.2. 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 by

the Committee of the Club.

11.3. 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 by the Committee of the Club.

12. Accounts.

12.1. The Committee of the Club shall arrange for accounts to be prepared in respect of the financial

affairs of the Club for each year ending 31 December.

12.2. The Committee shall arrange for a suitably experienced person to inspect the annual accounts

and certify that they are in accordance with the books and records held by the Treasurer prior

to submission to the Annual General Meeting. The appointment of the person selected (who

shall not be a member of the Committee) will be proposed by the Committee for approval at

each Annual General Meeting.

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

approval.

13. Members’ Behaviour.

13.1. 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.

13.2. In the event that a complaint is made against a member for failing to comply with clause 13.1,

or for any other matter, the Committee will convene to hear the complaint and any defence

that the member may wish to make (either in person or in writing). The decision of the

Committee on action to be taken, if any, will be final.

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.

15.2. If a resolution that the Club shall be wound-up is 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:

(1) The English Bridge Union.

(2) The Manchester County Contract Bridge Association.

(3) Any Registered or recognised charitable body.

Approved at a Special General Meeting held on 29th May 2013.