Calne Short Mat Bowls Club
Constitution
NAME
The name of the Club shall be CALNE SHORT MAT BOWLS CLUB, hereafter referred to as “the Club”
OBJECTIVES
To provide facilities for the playing of Short Mat Bowls and other social activities
To act at all times in the best interests of the game, the Club and its members
To promote a safe environment in which Under 18’s and vulnerable adults can enjoy the game of short mat bowls. It will seek to underpin this and ensure this commitment by following and promoting the joint Child Protection Policy and Procedures of the English Short Mat Bowling Association
To ensure that Club members are treated fairly and without discrimination or harassment
To comply with the constitution and rules of the English Short Mat Bowling Association and Wiltshire Short Mat Bowling Association
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Club shall be open to any person, regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief or ability, who completes a membership application form and pays the relevant subscription/joining fee as determined by the Club
Application for Membership shall be submitted to the Club Secretary on the appropriate form and shall be subject to the approval of the Club’s Committee. The Committee shall have the right to refuse membership to any applicant if they consider that such membership would not be in the best interests of the Club, or of the game of Short Mat Bowls
Class of Membership shall be divided into Full Member (Member over 16 years of age) and Junior Member (under 16 years of age
- a) The Subscription and fees for the following 12 months will be set at the AGM in November
- b) Annual subscriptions will be due on the first of 1st November
VENUE AND TIMES OF CLUB SESSIONS
Sessions are held at the Beversbrook Sports Facility, Beversbrook Road, Calne on days and times as notified during the year
OFFICERS
Executive officers of the club.
Club Chair
Club Secretary
Treasurer
Captain
Fixture Secretary
Two other non-executive committee members
Election of Officers:
All Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from, and by, the Members for a term of office commencing at the end of the AGM at which they were elected and expiring at the end of the AGM in the following year
All Officers are elected for a period of one year, but may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year
If a committee member is co-opted during the year they will serve for a period of up to one year and may stand for re-election at the next AGM.
GENERAL COMMITTEE
The affairs of the Club shall be controlled by a General Committee comprising the Executive Officers and Non-Executive Officers elected from, and by, the Annual General Meeting. The General Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than 4 times per year
A quorum for such meetings shall be 4 of the Committee members
The duties of the General Committee shall be
To control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the MembersTo keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the Treasurer
To co-opt members to fill vacancies that arise between AGM’s if necessary
To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote.In the case of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to a second (casting) vote
To appoint Sub-Committees as necessary to fulfil the Club’s business
DISCIPLINARY MATTERS
Two Committee members, not involved in the allegations, will be appointed to review and investigate allegations made and decide what action to take. Any decision made will be transmitted to the individual (s) concerned within 14 days of any hearing and reported at the next Committee meeting
The individual(s) concerned must also be made aware of their right to appeal initially to an Appeals Sub-Committee within the Club. This subcommittee will comprise of a further two Committee members who are not involved in the allegations. The result of any appeal must be transmitted to the individual (s) concerned within 14 days of the appeal and reported at the latest to the next Committee meeting
At this stage the individual (s) concerned must be made aware of their right of further appeal to Wiltshire Short Mat Bowling Association
GENERAL MEETINGS
The Annual General Meeting shall be held after the 1st November and no later than the end of November each year.
28 clear days’ written notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting by either circulating a copy of the notice to every member at their home address or by electronic means, i.e. Email
Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be considered at the Annual General Meeting at least 14 days before a meeting
The Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting to Members not less than 10 days before the meeting
The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:
Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting
Receive the examined accounts for the year from the Treasurer
Receive annual reports from Officers
Elect an accounts examiner
Elect the Officers and Committee Members of the Club
Review the club subscription rates and agree them for the forthcoming year
Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members 14 days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda
Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than 25% of the Membership of the Club. At least 21 days’ notice of the meeting shall be given
Nomination of candidates for election of Officers and Committee shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting date. Nominations may be made from the floor for any position for which a valid nomination has not been received, providing the person so nominated is present at the meeting
At all General Meetings, the Chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by the Members attending the meeting
Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Members attending the meeting other than for changes to the constitution (see below). In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to a second and additional casting vote.
A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 25% of the membership of the Club
Each Member shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings, In the event of a tied vote, the Chairperson will have a second (casting) vote.
ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
If circumstances require, alterations to the Club’s Constitution can be made by the Committee during the year but must be presented for agreement at the next AGM. They can also be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be duly proposed and seconded. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those Members present at the meeting (assuming that a quorum has been achieved).
DISSOLUTION
If, at any General Meeting of the Club, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting to be held not less than 28 days thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.
If, at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the Members present, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club
After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Members of the Club, but shall be given or transferred to some other voluntary organization having similar objects
Issued – Feb 2019 SLB
Amended – March 2019 SLB