CONSTITUTION OF THE PRESTON BRIDGE CLUB

 

1    NAME

1.1 The Club shall be called The Preston Bridge Club.

2 AIMS AND OBJECTS

2.1 The object of the Club shall be to promote and to further the interests of Contract Bridge, and to provide facilities for its members for playing Contract Bridge.

3 HEADQUARTERS

3.1 The headquarters of the Club shall be situated at Preston Grasshoppers RFC or at such a venue as the members at a General Meeting shall decide.

4 AFFILIATIONS

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

5 MANAGEMENT

5.1 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.

5.2 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).

5.3 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.

5.4 In the event of such variation being made, the policy or rules (as the case may be) shall not be further varied by the Committee in a manner inconsistent with the resolution.

6 TRUSTEES

6.1 All investments and the deeds to all property of the Club shall be placed in the names of three Trustees who shall be the Independent Examiner and two Trustees chosen by the Committee

7 OFFICERS

7.1 The Officers of the Club shall be the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

7.2 No member of the Club shall simultaneously hold the office of more than one Officer of the Club.

7.3 The Chairman shall retire at the ensuing Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election annually for a period of 2 years after which he/she shall not be eligible for re-election for one year.

7.4 The Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer 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.

7.5 The Honorary Independent Examiner shall retire annually at the ensuing Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election, and may not be a member of the Committee.

7.6 At the first Committee Meeting after the Annual General Meeting the Committee will appoint the number of Representatives to the Lancashire County Bridge Association as the County Constitution permits.   Representatives will be eligible to serve until the Committee decide to replace them and need not be members of the Committee.

7.7 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, or until a General Meeting is convened for the purpose.

8 OFFICIALS

8.1 The Committee may appoint a Chief Tournament Director, Webmaster, EBU Data Controller and Delegates to the Council of the Lancashire County Bridge Association and define their functions.   They will be eligible for election or co-option to the Committee, but will not automatically become Committee members.

9 COMMITTEE

9.1 The Committee of the Club shall consist of the Officers of the Club, together with six other members of the Club, 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 until they have served three years.

9.2 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, whether to fill a vacancy arising, or as additional members, except that the total number of members of the Committee (including Officers shall at no time exceed twelve (4 officials, 6 members, 2 co-opted).

9.3 A quorum at meetings of the Committee shall be five members of the Committee, including at least one of the Officers.

9.4 The Chairman or the Committee may from time to time appoint Sub-Committees to advise or 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.

9.5 Proceedings of the Committee and of any Sub-Committees shall be regulated in such a manner as the Committee may from time to time decide.

9.6 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.

10 MODE OF ELECTION

10.1 At least 4 weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting each year, the Secretary shall post in the Clubroom the names of the Officers of the Club and members of the Committee, annotating those who retire at the end of the current year.

10.2 Nominations for the posts of Officers or Committee members shall be in writing, and shall be signed by a proposer and a seconder, both of whom shall be members of the Club, having previously obtained the consent of the nominee.

10.3 Nominations must reach the Secretary no later than one week prior to the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting and must appear on the Club Notice board no later than the Monday preceding the meeting.

11 CHAIRMAN OR VICE-CHAIRMAN

11.1 The Chairman or Vice-Chairman, or in their absence another Committee member selected by the meeting shall preside at all meetings of the Cub and of the Committee, and in case of an equality of votes shall have a casting vote.

12 HONORARY TREASURER

12.1 The Honorary Treasurer shall pay to the bank, to the credit of the Club, all monies received and shall submit a Financial Statement to the Annual General Meeting, such Statement having been approved by the Honorary Auditor or had the Honorary Auditor’s commits added thereto.

13 HONORARY SECRETARY

13.1 The Honorary Secretary shall keep a permanent record of the minutes of all meetings of the Club and of the Committee, and shall produce the same at all meetings, and shall summon all meetings of the Club and Committee.

13.2 The Honorary Secretary shall enrol new members and furbish them with a copy of the Constitution and their rights under the Data Protection Act.

14 GENERAL MEETINGS

14.1 An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on a convenient date in April or May of each year.

14.2 A Special General Meeting of the Club may be convened by the Committee on its own initiative at any time.

14.3 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 placer within one month of the receipt of such request.

14.4 All General Meetings of the Club shall be held at the headquarters of the Club unless circumstances arise which render this impracticable.

14.5 The Chairman, if present, shall chair all General Meetings of the Club, and in his absence the Vice-Chairman or some other member of the Committee appointed by the meeting shall chair the meeting.

14.6 Notice of all General Meetings of the Club, and its purpose, shall be given to all members of the Club no later than two weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

14.7 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.

14.8 The Chairman of the meeting may permit discussion of other business at the General Meeting if he thinks fit.

14.9 A quorum at General Meetings of the Club shall be fifteen members present in person including the Committee.

14.10 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), and 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.

14.11 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.   The Meeting may elect to require individual items to be decided by secret ballot to if 25% of the members present agree.

15 NOTICES

15.1 Notices of the Annual General Meeting shall be published in the Club Calendar and by displaying a notice in a prominent position at the headquarters of the Club.   A change in the date of the Annual General Meeting shown in the Club Calendar shall not be prior to the original date and will be publicised by displaying a notice in a prominent position at the headquarters of the Club not less than three weeks prior to the Meeting.

15.2 Notices of any other matters to be brought to the attention of members shall be made by displaying a notice in a prominent position at the headquarters of the Club.

16 DURATION OF THE CLUB YEAR

16.1 The Club playing season shall commence on 1st September and shall end on 31st August of the following year.   The Club financial year shall commence on 1st April and end on 31st March of the following year.

17 MEMBERSHIP

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

17.2 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.

17.3 All applications for membership of the Club must be proposed and seconded by existing members of the Club.

17.4 All membership application forms received by the Secretary shall be displayed in a prominent place at the headquarters of the Club for a minimum period of two weeks.

17.5 A former member of the Club who wishes to rejoin as a member may do so without the necessity for a further formal application for membership, unless the Committee decides otherwise.

17.6 Any member who wishes to object to any application for membership should notify the Secretary in writing.

17.7 After the expiry of the period of two weeks mentioned above, the Committee shall as soon as convenient consider the application for membership, taking into account any objections notified to the Secretary, and shall promptly notify the applicant of the acceptance or otherwise of the application.

17.8 In declining an application the Committee may give a reason but shall not be obliged to do so.

17.9 A member shall cease to be a member of the Club immediately if expelled from the Club under the provisions of clause 15, or his resignation in writing is delivered to the Secretary.

17.10 A member whose subscription has not been paid by 31st July shall cease to be a member.

18 SUBSCRIPTIONS AND TABLE MONEY

18.1 Each member of the Club shall pay an annual subscription; the basic amount for the current financial year shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.   Subscriptions shall be due for payment immediately after the AGM.   There may be a discount allowed for prompt payment.   Any member whose subscription remains unpaid after 31 July shall pay table money at the rate applicable to visitors until his subscription has been paid in full.

18.2 Each member of the Club, and each guest and visitor, shall pay table money on each occasion when he play at the Club, the basic amounts of which shall be decided at the annual General Meeting of the Club.

18.3 The Committee will determine the charges payable for sessions that involve tuition, including supervised play.

18.4 The Committee may determine variations on the basic amounts of table money for members, guests and visitors for any bridge session, which is deemed to be a Special Event, or a Club Competition.

18.5 The Annual General Meeting may authorise the Committee to increase the basic amounts of subscriptions and table money prior to the ensuing Annual General Meeting.

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

19 FINANCES

19.1 The funds of the Club shall be under the control of the Committee and no expenses shall be settled nor monies paid out except by the authority of the Treasurer.

20 GUESTS and VISITORS

20.1 Visitors and guests may be permitted to play at the Club at any time, but in the event of the playing facilities being inadequate to accommodate all those who wish to play, priority shall be given to members and guests of members.  There is no requirement for visitors or guests to be members of the EBU,

20.2 There shall be no limit on the number of occasions on which non-members may play as visitors with the following exceptions:

No non-member shall be eligible to compete for any prize (but may play in competitions at the Tournament Director’s discretion.

Thursdays – where a reciprocal arrangement is in place with another bridge club, that club’s members may play in any session without payment of a Visitor’s Fee.   Other visitors may play on not more than 5 occasions in any Club year.

20.3 A General Meeting may vary the conditions which apply to guests and visitors.

20.4 A non-member who has applied for membership shall (subject to available playing facilities) be permitted to play at the Club without payment of a Visitor’s Fee until his application for membership has been considered by the Committee.

21 COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

21.1 All complaints and suggestions are to be submitted to the Secretary in writing and addressed not later than the next Committee Meeting.   The details will be entered into the minutes and a written reply sent to the originator.   The originator may respond to the written reply, but may not raise any topic on more than one occasion in a calendar year.

22 HIRING OF CLUB EQUIPMENT

22.1 The Committee may hire Club equipment to members and others and impose a suitable fee.   The Honorary Secretary will obtain a receipt for all hired items and monitor their safe return.

23 CONDUCT

23.1 In the event of a complaint being made to the Committee about the conduct of a member of the Club, the Committee may (and if a written complaint is received signed by at least three members of the Club, it shall) investigate the complaint.

23.2 On investigating such a complaint the Committee shall give the member about whose conduct the complaint has been made an opportunity to be heard and put forward evidence in their defence (this includes witnesses if appropriate).   If a live Hearing takes place a friend or representative who need not be a member of the club may accompany the member.   Additionally, the member has the right to have questions put to the complainant and supporting witnesses (if any) by the Committee.

23.3 If on investigating such a complaint the Committee is of the opinion that the member has behaved in an unacceptable manner or in such a manner as to cause injury to the interest of the Club, then the Committee may reprimand the member, suspend the member from the privileges of membership for such period as it may think fit, or expel the member from the Club.

23.4 The Committee shall forthwith notify the member of any decision made on the investigation of a complaint about this conduct, and may if it thinks fit publicise the decision by displaying a notice at the headquarters of the Club.

23.5 An appeal shall lie to a General Meeting of the Club against any decision to reprimand, suspend or expel a member of the Club following the investigation of a complaint about his/her conduct.

23.6 Notice of such an appeal must be in writing and delivered to the Secretary within two weeks of the notification to the member of the decision of the Committee.

23.7 In the event of an appeal being made against it, the decision of the Committee shall not be put into effect until the appeal has been determined.

23.8 On the appeal being heard by a General Meeting of the Club, the General Meeting shall have power to overrule the conclusion of the Committee, or to uphold it, in which event the sanction imposed by the Committee may be confirmed or varied (to any sanction which the Committee was empowered to impose or to none) no further appeal is allowed.

23.9 Nothing in this Constitution shall preclude the Committee from referring a matter of conduct to the Lancashire County Contract Bridge Association or to the Laws & Ethics Committee of the English Bridge Union, if it considers it appropriate to do so.

24 ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

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

24.2 In order for a resolution to alter this constitution to have affected at least two thirds of the votes cast on the resolution must be in favour.

25 WINDING UP

25.1 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, 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.

25.2 If a resolution that the Club shall be wound up is effectively 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 shall be sold by an Auction organised by the Trustees.  This being done, any available funds shall be transferred to such registered charitable body or bodies, as the Trustees shall determine.