Updated 13^th May 2008            

CONSTITUTION OF THE LINGWOOD BRIDGE CLUB

1.      NAME

         The Club shall be called The Lingwood Bridge Club.

2.      OBJECTS

         The object of the Club shall be to provide facilities for its members for playing Duplicate Contract Bridge.

3.      HEADQUARTERS

         The headquarters of the Club shall be situated at The Danbury Community Association.

4.      AFFILIATIONS

         The Club will be affiliated to the Essex Contract Bridge Association and to the English Bridge Union.

5.      MEMBERSHIP

5.1.    Membership shall be open to all bridge players.

5.2.    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.

5.3.    All membership application forms received by the Secretary shall be displayed in a prominent place at the headquarters of the Club, Danbury Community Association until such time as the Committee have determined the acceptance or otherwise of the application.

5.4.    Any member wishing to object to an application for membership should notify the Secretary in writing and provide detailed reasons for their objection.

5.5.    After a minimum period of one month 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.

5.6.    In considering an application the Committee will normally expect the applicant to have played at the Club as a guest or a visitor on six occasions in the preceding four months.  For the avoidance of doubt this may therefore include attendances prior to the application being received. However the Committee may at its absolute discretion determine an applicationon fewer attendances if deemed appropriate in the circumstances.

5.7.    In declining an application the Committee shall not be obliged to give a reason.

5.8.    In considering applicationsfor membership the Committee shall have regard to the playing facilities available, and may from time to time decide that the Club shall be closed to new applications for membership for such period as it may decide.

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

5.10.  A member whose subscriptionhas not been paid shall cease to be a member on the expiration of the period of three months from the date on which the subscription was due for payment, at the discretion of the Committee. Subscriptions are due for payment on the first Tuesday in April.

5.11.  The Committee shall at their absolute discretion decide whether 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.

6.      OFFICERS

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

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

6.3.    Each of the Officers of the Club 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.

6.4.    In the event of a vacancy arising during the year in the office of any Officer of the Club or Committee member, the Committee shall be empowered to fill such vacancy from the Committee or the membership of the Club, until the ensuing Annual General Meeting.

7.      COMMITTEE

7.1.    The Committee of the Club shall consist of the Officers of the Club, together with three 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.

7.2.    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 eight.

7.3.    Co-opted members shall be entitled to participate fully in the proceedings of the Committee.

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

7.5.    The Committee may from time to time appoint sub-committees 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.

7.6.    Proceedings of the Committee and of any sub-committees shall be regulated in such manner as the Committee may from time to time decide.

7.7.    The Committee shall make areport to each Annual General Meeting of the Club concerning the affairs of theClub since the previous Annual General Meeting.

8.      MANAGEMENT

8.1.    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.

8.2.    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).

8.3.    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.

8.4.    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.

9.      GENERAL MEETINGS

9.1.    An Annual General Meetingof the Club shall be held in each year no later than four months after the end of the financial year.

9.2.    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 place within one month of the receipt of such request.

9.3.    A Special General Meeting of the Club may be convened by the Committee on its own initiative at anytime. 

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

9.5.    The Chairman, if present,shall chair all General Meetings of the Club, and in his / her absence some other member of the Committee shall chair the meeting.

9.6.    Notice of all General Meetings of the Club and requests for nominations and resolutions, shall be displayed at the Club's premises no later than four weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

9.7.    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 two weeks prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

9.8.    The chairman of the meeting may permit discussion of other business at a General Meeting as he / she thinks fit.

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

9.10. 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.

9.11. Voting at General Meetingsof the Club shall be by show of hands and in the event of parity of voting theChairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

10.    NOTICES ~

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10.1. Notice of any Special General Meeting of the Club,and of an Annual General Meeting at which in the opinion of the Committee any business of a non-routine nature is likely to be discussed, shall be given to members by post to the last address of each member notified to the Secretary.~

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10.2. Notices of any Annual General Meeting at which in the opinion of the Committee no business of a non-routine nature is likely to be discussed, may be given to members either by post to the last address of each member notified to the Secretary or by displaying a notice in a prominent position at the headquarters of the Club.~

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10.3. 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.~

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11.   NOMINATIONS ~

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11.1. 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, and also by the person nominated. ~

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11.2. Nominations must reach the Secretary no later than two weeks prior to the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting. ~

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12.    SUBSCRIPTIONS AND FEES ~

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12.1. Each member of the Club shall pay an annual subscription, the basic amount of which shall be decided at an Annual General Meeting of the Club. A member whose subscription has not been paid shall cease to be a member on the expiration of the period of three months from the date on which the subscription was due for payment, at the discretion of the Committee. Subscriptions are due for payment on the first Tuesday in April.~

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12.2. Each member of the Club, and each guest and visitor, shall pay table money on each occasion when they play at the Club, the basic amounts of which for the time being shall be decided at a General Meeting of the Club.~

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12.3. Each successful applicant for membership of the Club may be required to pay a joining fee, the amount (if any) of which for the time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. ~

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12.4. The Committee may determine variations on the basic amounts of subscriptions and table money for members,guests and visitors in different circumstances, and may waive subscriptions or table money in the event of hardship or for any other good cause. ~

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12.5. The Annual General Meeting may authorise the Committee to increase the basic amounts of subscriptions and table money prior to the next Annual General Meeting. ~

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12.6. 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. ~

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13.    ACCOUNTS ~

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13.1. The Committee shall arrange for accounts to be prepared in respect of the financial affairs of the Club for each year ending on 31st March.~

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13.2. The accounts for each year shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting of the Club for approval. ~

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13.3. An independent examiner will be appointed at each A.G.M. to examine the following years accounts. ~

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14.    GUESTS and VISITORS ~

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14.1. Any member may invite a guest to play at the club at anytime, but in the event of the playing facilities being inadequate to accommodate all those who wish to play, priority shall be given to members. ~

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14.2. Visitors 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 the guests of members. ~

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14.3. The Committee may from time to time place a limit on the number of occasions on which a non-member (whether a guest or a visitor) may play at the club without being required to apply for membership. ~

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14.4. If such a limit is for the time being in force, a non-member who has applied for membership shall (subject to available playing facilities) be permitted to play at the Club until their application for membership has been considered by the Committee. even if the limit imposed by the Committee is thereby exceeded. ~

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15.    CONDUCT

15.1. 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.

15.2. On investigating such a complaint the Committee shall give the member about whose conduct the complaint has been made an opportunity to be heard.

15.3. 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 interests 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.

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

15.5. An appeal shall lie to a Special 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 their conduct.

15.6. 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. The notice must  be accompanied by a request signed by at least ten members of the Club as required by the provisions of clause 9.2.

15.7. 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.

15.8. On the appeal being heard by a Special General Meeting of the Club, the Special General Meeting shall have power to overrule the decision 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).

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

16.    ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

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

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

17.    WINDING·UP

17.1. 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.

17.2   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 and funds shall be transferred to such of the organisations mentioned in clause 17.3 as may be specified in the resolution initiating the winding up, and if no such organisation is so specified, to such of those organisations as the Committee may think fit.

17.3   The organisations referred to in clause 17.2 are

          The English Bridge Union

          The Essex Contract Bridge Association; and

          any Registered or recognised charitable body