1.1  The Club shall be called the Ness Bridge Club. Ness Bridge Club will be no longer be known as Ness Bridge Club Ltd. as has ceased to be a limited company.

1.2 The objectives of the club shall be :-

(a)  to provide facilities for its members for playing Duplicate Contract Bridge.

(b)  to play , to teach and to promote Duplicate Contract Bridge including providing facilities for less experienced players to learn and to play Contract Bridge in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.

(c)  to provide teams to represent the club in local or county matches or leagues and in open bridge tournaments.

(d)  to raise money for charitable bodies.

(e)  to promote and observe bridge etiquette at all times.

   2.  HEADQUARTERS

      The headquarters of the Club shall be situated at 28 Grieg Street , Inverness. 

   3   AFFILIATIONS

       The Club shall be affiliated to the Scottish Bridge Union and play will be in accordance with SBU rules.

  4.  MEMBERSHIP

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

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

 4.3   All Applications for membership must be proposed and seconded by existing members of the Club.

4.4   Acceptance into membership of the Club shall be at the sole discretion of the Committee which may decline an application without being obliged to give any reason for doing so.

4.5   In considering applications for membership the Committee shall have regard to the playing facilities available.

 4.6   A member shall cease to be a member immediately if expelled from the Club under the provisions of Clause 10, or if his resignation in writing is delivered  to the Secretary.

 4,7   Life Members may be elected following exceptional service to the Club and with the support of at least two-thirds of votes cast at an Annual General Meeting .(AGM)

  5.     SUBSCRIPTIONS & FEES.

 5.1   The funds of the Club shall be provided by subscriptions, donations, table monies, fund-raising activities and interest from Bank accounts.

 5.2   Each member of the Club shall pay an annual subscription, the basic amount of which shall be decided at the AGM of the Club.

 5.3   Annual subscription shall be due for payment on the 1st September each year and no later than 2 months (the grace period) after that date.

 5.4   Any member whose subscription remains unpaid after the grace period shall no longer be eligible to play at the Club until his/her subscription has been paid in full.

 5.5   A member whose subscription has not been paid, without good reason acceptable to the Committee, shall cease to be a member on the expiration of 4 months from the date on which the subscription was due for payment.

 5.6   Each member of the Club, and each guest, shall pay table money on each occasion when he/she plays at the Club. The basic amount of both these payments shall be decided at the AGM of the Club

 5.7   The Committee may determine from time to time the amount of fees to be charged for the use of the premises or equipment of the Club, or for any other purpose for which it is the opinion that fees ought to be charged.

  6.      MANAGEMENT.

6.1  The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the President,Secretary,Treasurer and the Master Points Secretary, "the Officers" and six "Other Members" one of whom shall be Vice President.

6.2  No member of the Club can simultaneously hold the office of more than one Officer in the Club, except in exceptional circumstances.

6.3  Each of the Officers shall be elected at the AGM of the Club and shall retire at the subsequent AGM, but shall be eligible for re-election,save that if the President holds the position for 3 consecutive years, he/she must step down from the Committee in its entirety for at least one year.

6.4  Each of the "Other Members" of the Committee shall also be elected at the Annual General Meeting for a period of 3 years and will be eligible for re-election. Sitting or retiring "Other Members" of the Committee are eligible for election to one of the Officers posts.

6.5  (a) Nominations for the posts of Officers or Other Members of the Committee shall be made by entering the names on a list which shall be posted on the Club Notice Board for a minimum period of 14 days prior to the AGM.

      (b) Nominations must be signed by a Proposer and a Seconder, both of whom must be Club members, and also by the person nominated.

6.6  (a) In the event of a vacancy arising during the year among the Officers, the Committee shall choose one of their number to fill such vacancy until the ensuing AGM.

       (b) In the event of a vacancy arising during the year among the Other Members, a Club member from outside the Committee may be co-opted to serve until the ensuing AGM. Such a co-opted member shall have voting rights.

6.7  The Committee may invite any Club member to act as an adviser within a meeting. Such an adviser shall not have voting rights.

6.8  The Committee may from time to time appoint sub-committees to undertake on its behalf such aspects of administration as it shall think fit but which shall remain under the ultimate control of the Committee. Members of such sub-committees may include members of the Club who are not committee members.

6.9  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.

6.10 The Committee shall 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.

6.11 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. 

6.12 In event of such variation being made, the policy or rules shall not be further varied by the Committee in a manner inconsistent with the resolution.

6.13 The Club shall appoint annually an Education Officer who need not be on the Committee. The Education Officer my be invited to attend committee meetings when matters of training /education are to be discussed.

7.1  A quorum for Committee Meetings shall be 5 including at least 1 Officer.

7.2  If fifteen minutes after the time fixed for a Committee Meeting no quorum is present, the meeting shall be adjourned.

7.3  Before discussion by the Committee of any matter in which any Committee member present has or seems to have a personal interest, thet member shall declare such interest. He or she may then contribute to the discussion but shall not vote on any related proposal.

7.4  Voting shall be by show of hands.

7.5  Proceedings of the Committee and of any sub-committees 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 AGM.

 8.  GENERAL MEETINGS.

8.1  The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the Spring at the close of every season on a date to be fixed by the Committee and will receive and consider , among other items, the duly audited accounts.

8.2  Special General Meetings of the Club may be called by the Committee at any time or upon a written request delivered to the Secretary and signed by at least 20 members of the Club or one fifth of the membership, whichever is the smaller.

8.3  Notice of all General Meetings shall be by a notice posted on the Club notice board and the Club website no later than 14 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

8.4  The Notice will specify the time and place of the meeting and the nature of business to be transacted, including the terms of any motions to be put forward to the General Meeting.

8.5  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 21 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

8.6  A quorum for a general Meeting shall be 20 members of the Club. If, fifteen minutes after the time fixed for a General Meeting, no quorum is present, then the meeting shall be adjourned to a new date of which normal notice under this Constitution  shall be given and at such meeting such number of members as are actually present shall constitute a quorum.

8.7  The President , if present, shall chair all General Meetings, and in his absence the Vice-President or some other member of the Committee.

8.8  Voting at a general Meeting shall be by show of hands or ballot at the discretion of the Committee.

 9   GUESTS & VISITORS

9.1   Any member may invite a guest , but any one guest may not be introduced more than 3 times per season with out becoming a full member.

9.2   A visitor to the town for a limited period of up to 8 weeks may be admitted as a temporary member at the discretion of the Committee and on a fee fixed by the Committee, Temporary members will also be required to pay the level of table money applicable to members.

9.3   In the event of the playing facilities being inadequate to accommodate all those wishing to play, priority shall be given to full members over guests and temporary members.

10   CONDUCT

10.1  Each member of the Club shall conform to the International Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge and to the standards of fair play, courtesy and behaviour acceptable to the committee.

10.2  The Committee shall be entitled to take disciplinary action should the above standards not be met. The options available shall be :-

(a) a verbal warning

(b) a written warning

(c) expulsion from the Club.

10.3  Any member so warned or expelled shall have the right to appeal to the Committee, which shall invite the member to attend its next meeting to state his or her case. The Committee shall then review and consider its decision and within 7 days advise the member of the decision, which shall then be final and binding.

10.4  Any allegation of unacceptable behaviour must be made in writing to the Secretary and signed be at least two members.

11.  ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

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

11.2  In order for a proposal to alter this constitution to have effect, at least two-thirds of votes cast at the General Meeting must be in favour.

11.3  Any proposed amendment to the Constitution must be displayed on the Club notice board for at least 14 days prior to the General Meeting at which it is to be considered.

12  WINDING UP

12.1  No decision to wind up the Club shall be made except at a General Meeting of the club.

12.2  In order for a proposal to wind up the Club to have effect, at least two-thirds of votes cast at the General Meeting must be in favour.

12.3  At least 14 days notice must be given of any proposal to wind up the Club.

12.4  If on winding up the Club there remain, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, any assets whatsoever, such assets shall be transferred to the Highland District of the Scottish Bridge Union.

This Constitution formally accepted at the Annual General Meeting on Monday 29th April 2013.

Signed   Allan Downie             (President)

Signed   Jean Armstrong         (Secretary)

Signed   Alice Holland             (Treasurer)

COMMITTEE STANDING ORDERS                                      Appendix 1

These Standing Orders are additional to the requirements for the Committee laid down in the Club Constitution.

1.   The Committee shall meet at such frequency as may be necessary for the transaction of business but not less than 4 times per annum.

2.   The business to be conducted at a meeting shall be outlined in an Agenda which will normally be circulated seven days prior to the meeting.

3.   Committee Members may submit matters for the Agenda to the secretary no later than 10 says prior to the meeting.

4.   If the President is not available, the Vice President shall chair the meeting. If both are absent, the committee shall appoint one of its number to chair the meeting.

5.   In case of a tied vote, the Chair shall have a casting vote.

6.   Meetings will normally not exceed 2 hours.

7.   Standing Orders, other than those provided for under the Constitution, may be suspended or varied by a majority of those present and voting at a Committee meeting.

8.   The Secretary shall circulate minutes of the meeting within 7 days to all Committee members and a copy for the notice board.

9.   Where the Committee has determined its policy on particular issues, Officers and Other Members should have full regard to the collective responsibility of the Committee, irrespective of their individual views, when representing the Committee.

Dated 29th April 2013.

President :-  Allan Downie.

Secretary :-  Jean Armstrong.