~NEWCASTLE BRIDGE CLUB
~~~~CONSTITUTION~
~Revised and updated June 2003
~~~~1. NAME
The name of the club shall be “Newcastle Bridge Club”. (The Club)
~~~~2. OBJECTS
The Objects of The Club shall be the advancement of the game of Bridge in Newcastle and the surrounding districts and the provision of playing facilities for the members.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~3. MEMBERSHIP.
~The Committee shall have sole power to admit new members to the Club.
~The Committee shall not be required to give any reason for the non-election of a
~candidate.The Committee shall have the power to suspend or expel members.
~The member in question shall have the right of appeal.
~Every member on payment of his/her subscription shall be deemed to have agreed to
~be bound by the articles of this constitution and by any rules, practices or procedures
~which the Committee may publish.
~~~~4. COMMITTEE.
The management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee comprising three officers: Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer and six other members of the Club.
~The quorum for meetings shall be four, including an officer who shall take the chair.
~Meetings of the Committee shall be called by the Secretary (who must give all those entitled to attend one week’s notice), or by notice at the previous committee meeting.
~A proper record of meetings shall be kept.
~Members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting each year,
~by the vote of members present. The Chairperson is elected for two years, after which time, he/she may stand for election as an ordinary committee member.
~The Chairperson Elect should be a serving Member of the Committee. The Secretary
~and Treasurer are elected for one year, but may be re-elected annually.
~The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members of the Club as required and
~to form sub-committees and create working parties as necessary.
~~~~5. RULES OF BRIDGE.
Play shall take place in accordance with the Laws of Duplicate Bridge 1987.
~~~~6. BYELAWS.
The Committee shall have the power to make such Byelaws and Regulations for the conduct of the Club as they think desirable. All such byelaws and Regulations shall
~be binding upon every member of the Club until altered or rescinded by the
~ Committee
~or by a General Meeting of the Club.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~7. SUBSCRIPTIONS.
~The Annual subscription to the Club shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting
~and is due for payment on 1st. April each year, in line with EBU Subscriptions. All subscriptions shall be paid by the date of the Annual General Meeting, failing this the Committee will assume that the membership of the member in question has terminated.
~~~~~~~8. FINANCE.
The Club shall be operated on a non-profit making basis, and all monies, derived
~from any source whatsoever, shall be devoted to advancing the objects of the Club.
~All incoming monies and all property acquired by the Club shall be deemed to be
~invested in the Committee, who shall act as trustees for the members.
~The Committee may place any cheques and funds etc., of the Club at any bank in the name of the Club, two officers of the Club must sign cheques for the withdrawal of
~such funds.
~In the event of dissolution of the Club, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of
~all debts and liabilities shall be disposed of in an equitable manner as decided by the members in a General Meeting.
~~~~9. GENERAL MEETINGS.
The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in June each year.
~Any member may request matters for discussion at an Annual General Meeting.
~Details of such matters shall be notified to the Secretary, in writing, at least three weeks prior to the meeting for inclusion in the agenda.
~An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee.
~Or by the Secretary, upon receipt of a written request for such meeting, signed by not fewer than one fifth of the fully paid up members of the Club and specifying the matters for attention. Notification of General Meetings, specifying the matters to be dealt with thereat, shall be posted on the Club notice board at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
~The Quorum for General Meetings shall be twenty-five.
~Questions arising at any General Meeting of the Club shall be decided by a majority
~of votes of members present. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson of
~the body transacting the business shall have a second or casting vote.
~~~~10. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION.
Alterations to the Constitution can only be made by a resolution passed by a General Meeting, by a majority of two thirds of the members present and voting on such resolution.
~~~~The Newcastle Bridge Club at its Annual General Meeting held on June 11th. 2003
~at West Denton Association, Hillhead Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, adopted this Constitution.
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