South Midland Bridge Region

Constitution (Approved at Annual General Meeting on 14 May 2024)

1. AREA

The South Midland Bridge Region (“SMR”) is the geographical area of South Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny and Laois as set out by the Governing Council of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland (“CBAI”).  

2. MEMBERSHIP of SMR

Any person who:

(i) is a member of any club which is affiliated to the CBAI and which is situated in the SMR as defined; and

(ii) has paid his/her current affiliation fee to the CBAI through any club which is situated in the SMR as defined

shall be a member of the SMR notwithstanding that he/she may be a member of other regions of the CBAI.

3. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the SMR are:

(i) to encourage, promote and regulate the playing,advancement, improvement and general interests of the game of bridge in the SMR;

(ii) to promote, hold and regulate bridge matches, tournaments and other like competitions in the SMR and to foster sociable conditions at such events.

4. REGIONAL COMMITTEE

(i) The Regional Committee shall consist of the Honorary President, President Elect, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer (the “Officers”), the outgoing President, four (4) County Development Officers and up to three (3) ordinary members of the SMR as may be elected at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”).  No person shall concurrently hold two or more Officer positions.  

(ii) The Regional Committee shall have power to appoint a substitute from among its members for any Officer of the SMR who resigns or is unable to act during his/her term of office.

(iii) The Honorary Treasurer shall administer the funds of the Region, be responsible for keeping the Accounts of the Region, keep the committee informed of the state of the finances of the Region and present a statement of the Income and Expenditure and a Balance Sheet for the financial year of the Region prior to the AGM, certified by the Honorary Regional Auditor, to the AGM, for adoption.  All withdrawals from the bank accounts of the SMR shall require the signature of any two Officers, authorised by the SMR.

(iv) All the powers of the SMR and the administration of its affairs including the control and power of disposition of its funds shall be vested in and exercised by the Regional Committee.

(v) The Regional Committee will have such powers as are delegated to it by the Governing Council of the CBAI and in particular shall be responsible for the organisation and promotion of tournament play in the SMR.

(vi) Any member of the Regional Committee may retire by giving three weeks’ notice to the Honorary Secretary of the SMR and in any event shall retire at the end of each AGM of the SMR but shall be eligible for re-election at that meeting.

(vii) An Officer who resigns his/her officer position during the year may remain on the Regional Committee.

(viii) A minimum of three (3) meetings of the Regional Committee shall be held each year.  Not less than seven (7) days’ notice either written, oral or by electronic means shall be given by the Honorary Secretary of the SMR to all members of the Regional Committee.  In exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Honorary President a meeting of the Regional Committee may be called on not less than twenty-four (24) hours’ notice.

(ix) The Honorary President of the SMR shall be the Chairperson of the Regional Committee.  In the absence of the Honorary President the President Elect shall act as Chairperson.  In the absence of the President and President Elect the Regional Committee may elect a Chairperson from its members present at that meeting to chair that meeting only.  

(x) The quorum for a meeting of the Regional Committee shall be four (4) members entitled to be present at such meetings.

(xi) The Regional Committee may appoint such sub-committees as are deemed necessary.  Such sub-committees may include persons who are not members of the Regional Committee but the Chairperson of any such sub-committee must be a member of the Regional Committee.  The Chairperson shall furnish a report of the findings of the sub-committee at the following Regional Committee meeting.

(xii) The Regional Committee reserves the right to invite non-committee members to attend Regional Committee meetings. Invitee will have no voting rights at such meetings.

(xiii) The Regional Committee shall fix entry requirements, fees and prizes for all competitions run by it.  

5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (“AGM”)

(i) The AGM of the SMR shall be held at a venue in the SMR in the month of May or June of each year.  At least twenty-one (21) days’ notice will be given by theHonorary Secretary of the SMR of the date, time and venue of the AGM to the Honorary Secretary of each affiliated club of the SMR.

(ii) The Honorary President shall chair the AGM.  In the absence of the Honorary President, the President Elect will act as chairperson.  In the absence of the President and President Elect the Regional Committee will elect one of its members to chair the meeting.

(iii) All members of affiliated clubs in the SMR shall be entitled to attend, speak and vote at the AGM.

(iv) The quorum for an AGM shall be ten (10) members entitled to attend, speak and vote at the AGM.

(v) The business of the AGM shall be transacted as follows:

a. The minutes of the previous AGM (and Special General Meeting if any) shall be read and approved (with amendments if necessary).

b. The Honorary Secretary shall present his/her annual report for the preceding year.

c. The Honorary Treasurer shall present a statement of Income and Expenditure for the preceding financial year and a balance sheet as at 30 April of preceding financial year certified by the Honorary Auditor for adoption.

d. The following Officer and Committee members will then be elected:

i. Honorary President

ii. Honorary President Elect

iii. Honorary Secretary

iv. Honorary Treasurer

v. County Development Officers

vi. Committee Members 

The above will take office from the end of the AGM.

e. The AGM shall elect an Honorary Auditor.

f. The AGM shall discuss and vote on all motions moved by the Regional Committee, Affiliated Clubsand/or by members of the SMR.

g. The AGM shall appoint the Honorary President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, County Development Officers plus the appropriate members of the SMR as specified by the CBAI as Council members of the Governing Council of the CBAI.

h. The AGM shall appoint the Honorary President, the Honorary Secretary plus the appropriate number of members of the SMR as specified by the CBAI as delegates to the Annual General Meeting of the CBAI.

i. The AGM shall then proceed to any other business.

6. NOMINATIONS

(i) Each county in the SMR shall be invited by the Regional Committee, in rotation, to nominate a President Elect to take office for the following year.

(ii) No person shall be nominated to serve as Honorary Secretary for more than 5 consecutive years.

(iii) No person shall be nominated to serve as Honorary Treasurer for more than 5 consecutive years.

(iv) Nominations for the positions of Honorary PresidentElect, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and County Development Officers shall be submitted to the Honorary Secretary not less than fourteen (14) days before the date fixed for the AGM.  Such nominations must be signed by the proposer, seconder and the nominee. 

(v) In the event of the resignation or incapacity of the Honorary President the Honorary President Elect shall fill the vacant post until the conclusion of the following AGM at which he/she will take up the position of Honorary President.  In the event of the resignation or incapacity of the Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer the Regional Committee may, at its absolute discretion, nominate one of its members to the vacant post until the conclusion of the following AGM.

(vi) Nominations for ordinary members of the Regional Committee of the SMR may be submitted to the Honorary Secretary or from the floor at the AGM.

(vii) Any affiliated club of the SMR may submit a resolution to the AGM by submitting same in writing signed by the Honorary Secretary of the club, the proposer and seconder of the resolution. Resolutions to be received by the Honorary Secretary of the SMR twenty-one (21) days preceding the AGM.

(viii) Any member of the SMR may submit a resolution to the AGM by submitting same in writing, signed by the proposer himself/herself and one other member of the SMR, to the Honorary Secretary of the SMR twenty-one (21) days preceding the date of the AGM.

7. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

(i) A special general meeting (“SGM”) of the SMR must be summoned by the Regional Committee or by the Honorary Secretary on a requisition in writing signed by the Honorary President or the Honorary Secretary of any four (4) affiliated clubs in the SMR or by the Honorary Secretary of the SMR on a requisition in writing signed by seventy-five (75) members of the SMR.  At least fourteen (14) days’ notice in writing of the date, time and place of the SGM shall be given by the Honorary Secretary of the SMR to the Honorary Secretary of each affiliated club in the SMR.  Any such requisition as aforesaid and the notice convening the SGM shall set out the terms of any resolution to be proposed.  No other business shall be transacted at an SGM other than that for which it has been convened.

(ii) The Chair at any SGM shall be taken by the Honorary President of the SMR and in his/her absence by the Honorary President Elect.  In the absence of the Honorary President and Honorary President Elect the SGM will be chaired by such person as agreed by the Regional Committee.

(iii) All members of affiliated clubs in the SMR shall be entitled to attend, speak and vote at an SGM.

(iv) The quorum for an SGM shall be ten (10) members entitled to attend, speak, and vote at such a meeting.

8. VOTING

(i) All members of affiliated clubs in the SMR may attend, speak and vote at AGMs and SGMs.

(ii) Resolutions (excluding resolutions to alter the Constitution) and motions at all meetings shall be passed by a simple majority.  In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the meeting will have a casting vote.

(iii) If there are two (2) or more candidates nominated for any of the Officer positions the candidate with a simple majority of the votes cast shall be deemed elected.  In the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the meeting will have a casting vote.

(iv) If there are more candidates nominated for positions on the Regional Committee (excluding the Officers and County Development Officers) than needed, the candidates with the highest number of votes cast shall be deemed elected.

(v) Voting on motions and resolutions at all meetings of the SMR shall be by show of hands but by a written poll if such a poll is requested by a member entitled to vote at that meeting and the Chairperson deems it necessary that such a poll be taken.

(vi) Voting at Regional Committee Meetings shall be by members duly appointed to the Regional Committee and present at the meeting.

9. MINUTES

(i) The Honorary Secretary shall cause minutes to be kept of AGMs and SGMs. 

(ii) The Honorary Secretary shall cause minutes to be kept of all Regional Committee Meetings.

10. CLUB REGISTRATION

(i) The affiliation fee payable directly to the CBAI by each affiliated club in the SMR shall be such fee as set from time to time by the Governing Council of the CBAI.  Failure to pay its affiliation fees and/or to supply a complete list of its members to the CBAI before the appointed date may result in the suspension of the club concerned and its members from participating in the activities of the SMR and all rights of the club and its members to take part in regional tournaments and competitions.

(ii) Only persons on the registered list of a club will be recognised as members entitled to participate in Regional competitions and to attend meetings of the SMR.  A club must forward additional lists of registered members that joined the club after the original list has been sent to the CBAI together with the additional affiliation fees.  A member of an affiliated club in the SMR whose name and fee isforwarded for registration after 31 December shall be entitled to participate in subsequent competitions and tournaments as a registered member.

11. ALTERATION

This Constitution shall not be capable of repeal or alteration nor shall any new provision be made except by a two-thirds majority of votes cast by members present and voting at a General Meeting or which due notice has been given.  

12. INTERPRETATION

The paragraph headings and paragraph numbers are for assistance only and shall not form part of the constitution.