A.B.C.D. HENFIELD
CONSTITUTION
1. TITLE
The Club shall be known as the A.B.C.D. Henfield.
2. PREMISES.
The Club will meet at Henfield Village Hall or such other address as may be arranged by the Committee. Such change of address will not constitute an amendment to this Constitution and will not be subject to the voting restrictions of paragraph 15.
3. OBJECTIVE.
The Club shall exist to promote and organise Duplicate Bridge.
4. STATUS.
The Club shall be a members club and shall abide by Club constitution and rules
5. MEMBERSHIP
(i) The election of new members and the termination of membership shall be decided by the Committee in accordance with the rules of the Club.
(ii) No person whose membership has been suspended or terminated under paragraph 12 of this Constitution or whose application for membership has at any time been refused shall be introduced as a guest.
(iii) On being accepted as a member the person shall be made aware of the existence of this Constitution and they shall be given a copy of the current Rules of the Club.
6. MANAGEMENT.
(i) The management of the Club shall be vested solely in the Committee which shall comprise of:-
a. The Chairman
b. The Secretary
c. The Treasurer
d.Two other members
(ii) The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-Committees and working parties as it sees fit.
(iii) The Officers and the Committee member shall be elected in General Meeting for a period of one year. At the end of this time they will resign but will be eligible for re-election.
(iv) The Chairman will be responsible for the overall organisation of the Club's activities.
(v) The Secretary will be responsible for the day to day activities of the Club including the
maintenance of a membership list which may be in electronic form.
(vi) The Treasurer shall have responsibility to keep such proper books of account as will enable him to present at every Annual General Meeting examined accounts of the Club's financial state and at any other time required, upon reasonable notice, by the Committee an accurate report of the Club's financial state. The bank account will be operated under the signatory of any two of the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Committee member.
(vii) Nominations for Officers and Committee may be made by any member of the Club. Nominations shall be seconded, also by a Club member and will be accepted at any General Meeting of the Club where elections are on the agenda.
(viii) The Committee shall have the power to fill any casual vacancy occurring during the year by co-option; such co-optees shall have rights as if elected by the Club in General Meeting.
(ix) The Committee shall have the power to co-opt one or more additional members to the Committee, such co-optees shall have rights as if elected by the Club in General Meeting.
(x) The Committee shall have the power to appoint tournament directors.
(xi) Notwithstanding anything heretofore stated any member of the Committee shall resign forthwith should a "No Confidence" vote in such member be carried by a two thirds majority at a General Meeting of the Club. In such a case the vacancy so created shall be filled by election at the same General Meeting.
7. CLUB YEAR
The Club year shall be the period from 1st January to 31st December.
8. SUBSCRIPTIONS
(i) Annual subscriptions, table money, visitors fees, prizes, etc., shall be such as the Committee may from time to time determine.
(ii) Annual subscriptions shall be paid in accordance with the rules of the Club on initial application and thereafter are due immediately following the Annual General Meeting.
9. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
(i) The Annual General Meeting shall be held within eight weeks of the end of the Club year as defined in paragraph 7.
(ii) Notice of the A.G.M. shall be given at least 21 days in advance of the meeting by notice on
A.B.C.D. HENFIELD
RULES
1. ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP.
Application for Membership shall be made on the prescribed form, supported by two members of over two years standing. The subscription shall be paid, at the time of application. The application form shall be displayed on the Club notice board for three playing sessions and during this time the applicant will pay table money as a member. Any member who wishes to object to the applicant must inform the Secretary before the expiry of 14 days from the last time that the application is displayed. When the application has been considered by the Committee the applicant will be informed of the decision. If application is refused the subscription paid will be refunded. The Committee is not required to explain why refusal has been made. Any objections to the applicant will be treated by the committee as confidential. On acceptance of the application the new member will be given a copy of these rules of the Club and will be told that a copy of the Constitution is available.
2. SUBSCRIPTIONS
The subscription will be determined each year at the Annual General Meeting.
3. GUESTS
Any member shall be entitled to introduce guests to the Club provided such persons have not been refused membership of the Club nor had membership at any time withdrawn.
4. CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE
(i) Members will be expected at all times to conduct themselves in a manner which will not cause offence to other members and will not bring the Club into disrepute.
(ii) If the conduct of any member on the Club premises or elsewhere is in the opinion of the Committee, contrary to the interests of the Club or injurious to its reputation, that member shall be suspended forthwith whilst disciplinary procedure is being considered by the Committee. Should the Committee consider that expulsion is appropriate, the member concerned shall be informed in writing and shall have the right of offering a statement of explanation or mitigation to the Committee before a final decision is made. Any member so expelled shall forfeit all subscriptions paid for the year during which the expulsion occurs. Any member expelled from the Club under this rule shall not be admitted to the Club as a guest.
(iii) The Committee may terminate the membership of any member if the annual subscription is not paid by the 30th. April in any year. However, such members may be re-admitted as members and enjoy full rights of membership if the subscription is subsequently paid.
(iv) Members are expected to accept the ruling of the Tournament Director without argument but they have the right of appeal against such ruling. The disputed decision shall stand in such a case to allow play to continue and until such time as the appeal is adjudicated. Where appropriate appeals will be adjudicated by the Chief Tournament Director; otherwise the Tournament Director shall convene an Appeals Committee of up to three persons of sufficient standing to adjudicate.
(v) Members have the right of appeal against the score of any event provided they do so within one week from when the score sheet is displayed on the Club notice board.
(vi) Notwithstanding any of the above, all members and guests are required to observe the English Bridge Union duplicate bridge rules, regulations and bye-laws.
5. SMOKING
Smoking is not permitted at any time.
6. LIMITS ON CONVENTIONS
The club permits the use of conventions up to level two with the exception of Precision.
7. NOTICE OF MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED AT A GENERAL MEETING.
Notice of any matter proposed for discussion in General Meeting shall be given to the Secretary and posted on the Club Notice Board at least seven days before the date of the said meeting.
8. COMPETITION RULES.
Rules for Club competitions, such as the Eunice Cameron Trophy, Mike Goby Individual Trophy and the Mick Hunt Trophy shall be determined by the Committee or at a General Meeting and may vary from year to year.
9. COMMUNICATIONS
The club will maintain a website which will be additional to the Club notice board and have equal status to the notice board
Adopted – 28 June 2002
Amended – 2010 and 2015
the Club's notice board and /or the Club’s Website.
(iii) The business of the A.G.M. shall be:-
a) To receive the reports of the Officers.
b) To receive the examined accounts for the previous year.
c) To elect the Officers and Committee for the ensuing year.
d) To appoint an Independent Examiner for the ensuing year.
e) To deal with any other relevant business due notice of which has been given in accordance with the Rules of the Club.
f) To consider any other matter which may be raised by a member the discussion of which is deemed appropriate by the Chairman of the General Meeting or by two thirds of the members present.
10. EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING.
(i) An Extra-ordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee or at the written request of at least one third of the membership, submitted to the Secretary.
(ii) Notice of an Extra-ordinary General Meeting shall be given not less than 14 days in advance and the purpose of the meeting shall be stated.
11. QUORUM
(i) Quorum for a General Meeting shall be 16 members or one third of the membership whichever shall be the less.
(ii) Decisions at such meetings shall be made by a simple majority except as specified in paragraph 15. In the event of parity the Chairman of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.
(iii) Postal and proxy votes will not be accepted.
(iv) Guests may attend meetings and may, at the discretion of the Chairman, speak but they may not vote.
(v) Quorum for a meeting of the Committee or sub-Committee shall be one half plus one of those entitled to vote at such a meeting. Decisions shall be by simple majority the Chairman having an additional casting vote if required.
12. CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE
Members are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the rules of the Club and to submit themselves to the disciplinary procedures of the Club where necessary as set out in the Club rules.
13. LIABILITY
Neither the Club nor any Officer thereof shall be liable to any member or visitor for any loss or damage occurring from whatever cause in or about the Club premises. The Club shall have adequate insurance against any legal liability towards members or visitors.
14. DISSOLUTION
(i) In the event of the Club ceasing to function the Committee shall take immediate steps to convert into money all assets of the Club. Out of such conversion they shall discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club. Any surplus money following such payment shall be distributed in equal portion to all full members of the Club at the date of its dissolution or will be donated to a Registered Charity or Charities if so determined by simple majority in a General Meeting.
15. AMENDMENTS
(i) This Constitution may not be amended except at a General Meeting of the Club where two thirds of those present must vote in favour of any amendment before it is deemed carried. The Chairman of the meeting shall not have an additional casting vote.
(ii) Within this Constitution the Committee may make such decisions, rules and regulations as they may consider necessary for the good management of the Club. Such decisions, rules and regulations may be set aside only by the Committee rescinding them or by a majority vote at a General Meeting.
Adopted - 28 June 2002
Amended – 2010 and 2015
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