| Newent Bridge Club Constitution (2026) |
| 1. |
The Club is called Newent Bridge Club (NBC) |
| 2. |
The purpose of the Club is to conduct sessions where duplicate bridge is played and to promote the game of bridge. It will operate as an affiliated club within the English Bridge Union (EBU) and Gloucestershire County Bridge Association (GCBA) and abide by the Rules for Playing Contract Bridge as published by the EBU |
| 3. |
Membership |
| 3.1 |
Any person wishing to become a member of the Club is to apply in writing to the Secretary. Acceptance of applications is at the discretion of the Committee. |
| 3.2 |
All members are deemed to have accepted this Constitution and to have agreed to abide by the rules adopted by the Club. |
| 3.3 |
Each member of the Club is to pay an annual subscription. Subscriptions are due for payment by 30th September in each year in respect of the year to the following September. Any member whose subscription remains unpaid after the due date will be required to pay table money at the rate applicable to visitors until their subscription has been paid in full. |
| 3.4 |
A member whose subscription has not been paid ceases to be a member after 6 months from the date on which the subscription was due for payment. |
| 3.5 |
The Club is open to visitors who become Day Members for the day. Day Members may have Master Points awarded in line with their results but may not win any of the Club’s named competitions or vote at General Meetings of the Club. |
| 3.6 |
Players attending bridge lessons will be entitled to apply for Student membership. Student members are not entitled to vote at General meetings of the Club. |
| 4. |
General Meetings |
| 4.1 |
An Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held each year, usually in May. Two weeks prior, the members will be sent a copy of the Agenda, Minutes of the previous AGM and Nomination forms. At the AGM the membership will elect a committee which will consist of 3 nominated Officers and up to 5 members. The Officers will be: Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary; no person will be permitted to hold more than one post. Each officer may serve up to 3 consecutive years without re-election. If any post becomes vacant during the year the Committee may appoint a suitable replacement or continue to operate with a vacancy until the next AGM. The quorum for Committee meetings is 4 members including 2 Officers. |
| 4.2 |
Proposals may be raised by members prior to or at the AGM. However, if a proposal would change the wording of the Constitution or the governance or practices of the Club, the Chairman of the AGM has the authority to postpone that vote and the Committee will then advise the Members of the action to be taken within 14 days. |
| 4.3 |
An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) will be convened if ⅓ of the current membership entitled to vote at an EGM sign and submit a request to the Committee to consider a specific resolution. The Chairman will convene an EGM within 14 days of receiving the request which will only consider and vote on the one specific resolution specified in the request. |
| 4.4 |
The Committee may convene an EGM on its own initiative at any time. |
| 4.5 |
If Members are unable to attend an AGM, they have the right to a proxy vote for the election of Committee members submitted in writing to the secretary prior to the meeting. |
| 5. |
Club Committee |
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| 5.1 |
The Executive Committee of the Club (referred to as ‘the Committee’) will have the right and duty to manage all matters concerning the running and governance of the Club. In the event of a tied vote in the Committee the Chairman will have an additional deciding vote. The Committee may wish to appoint a Webmaster to manage the website and a Tournament Director to take responsibility for running the bridge sessions. The appointee(s) must be member(s) of the Club and will not serve in an executive capacity unless already elected to the Committee. The members(s) appointed will serve for as long as they and the Committee wish. |
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| 5.2 |
The Committee will ensure that, under the guidance of the Treasurer, the Club is run on a sound fiscal basis. This may include table monies, annual membership fees and/or a joining fee and the level for each. No charitable donations in excess of £500 will be made without the express consent of the membership. |
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| 5.3 |
The Committee may appoint sub¬committees to undertake on its behalf such aspects of the administration of the Club as it sees fit, and members of such sub¬ committees may include members of the Club who are not members of the Committee. |
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| 5.4 |
The Committee may nominate members who, having provided a service to the Club over a substantial period of years to be made Life Members. Life Members are exempt from paying membership fees. |
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| 6. |
Behaviour |
| 6.1 |
Each member of the Club is required, whether at or away from the bridge table, 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, including the fundamental principle set out in the EBU’s “Best Behaviour at Bridge”. |
| 6.2 |
The Club has the powers and the procedures for the enforcement of the requirement in clause 6.1. as set out in Appendix A - Schedule of Disciplinary Procedures. |
| 7. |
Winding Up |
| 7.1 |
In order for a resolution for the Club to be wound up to have effect, at least two thirds of the votes cast on the resolution must be in favour, and in addition the number of votes cast in favour of the resolution must exceed one-half of the number of members of the Club entitled to attend and vote at the General Meeting at which the resolution is put. |
| 7.2 |
If a resolution that the Club is wound up is passed, the Committee are responsible for winding up the affairs of the Club, unless the winding up has been initiated with the view to amalgamating with some other Club (in which case any surplus assets and funds may be transferred to such other Club). Otherwise, any surplus physical assets are to be transferred to GCBA and any surplus funds transferred to English Bridge Education and Development (EBED). |
| 8. |
The Committee may also nominate members who, having provided a service to the Club over a substantial period of years will be made Life Members. These Life Members will be exempt from all recurring charges. |
| 9. |
The Club will be open to visitors who will become Day Members for the day. Such Day Members may have Master Points awarded in line with their results but may not win any of the Club’s named competitions or vote on any resolution. |
| 10. |
An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting will be convened if ⅓ of the current membership sign and submit a request to the Committee to consider a specific resolution. The Chairman will convene an EGM within 14 days of receiving the request which will only consider and vote on the one specific resolution specified in the request. |
| 11. |
In the event that the number of fully paid-up members falls below 20 the Committee may call an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting to recommend winding-up the club. The assets of the Club will be donated to the Gloucestershire Contract Bridge Association (GCBA). |
| Adopted at EGM 28th October 2026 |