Chester & District Bowling League

Jan 2010

Constitution

1. Name and Affiliation

The name of the league shall be “The Chester & District Bowling League”, hereinafter referred to as the League.

The league shall be affiliated to the Cheshire County Bowling Association and British CGBA.

2. Objects

The objects of the League shall be :

to provide an efficient organisation for competitive and, social bowling in the area;

to spread the knowledge of bowling and generally promote the interests of the game.


3. Membership

3.1 Any bowling club within a fifteen mile radius of Chester Cross, having applied for, and received, permission from its parent body shall be eligible to become a member of the league by submitting an application, duly proposed and seconded, to the League Secretary on or before November 1st. in the year preceding the proposed membership.

3.2 Any club or team desirous of resigning from the League shall do so, in writing, and will be charged for any expenses incurred

3.3 No club or team that has ceased to be a member of the League shall have any rights or interest in the property or funds of the League.

3.4 All members shall be bound by the Rules and Byelaws of the League.


4. Subscriptions

All members shall pay such subscriptions and fees as the General Committee may from time to time determine.

5. Finance

5.1 All monies raised by or on behalf of the League shall be applied to further the objects of the League

5.2 The League Treasurer shall ensure that proper accounts are kept of the funds of the League.

5.3 The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by auditors appointed at the Annual General Meeting.

5.4 Audited statements of account shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting.

5.5 A firm of bankers shall be appointed and cheques and money transactions shall be countersigned by at least two officers of the League.


6. OFFICERS

6.1 The Officers of the League shall be: -

6.1.1 President
6.1.2 Honorary Life Members
6.1.3 Vice Presidents
6.1.4 Chairman
6.1.5 Vice Chairman
6.1.6 League Secretary (or sub Secretaries)
6.1.7 League Treasurer

6.2 The officers shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting, with the exception of the posts of President, Honorary Life Members and Vice Presidents which shall be for life. (But note the qualifying Paragraphs 7.2 and 8.2)

6.3 If an officer elected at the Annual General Meeting ceases to hold office, the General Committee shall have power to elect a successor (if appropriate) until the next Annual General Meeting of the League.

6.4 Honorary Life Members and Vice Presidents.
To be eligible for nomination for a Vice Presidency the nominee must have served the League as an authorised club delegate and/or an officer of the League for a minimum continuous (unbroken) period of twenty years. For nomination for Honorary Life Membership the continuous period shall be twenty-five years,

7. GENERAL COMMITTEE and SUB-COMMITTEES

7.1 There shall be a General Committee, which shall be the governing body of the League. (Note the qualifying Paragraphs 7.2; 7.2.2 and 7.2.3). It's  constitution shall be:-

7.1.1 The officers of the League
7.1.2 One delegate from each team in membership.
7.1.3 The General Committee shall meet at the discretion of the Officers of the League. 
7.1.4 A General Committee meeting will require a quorum of 11 members.

7.2    A Council shall be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting and shall consist of Chairman, Vice Chairman, League Secretary, League Treasurer, Competition Secretary, Match Secretary and five other members elected at the AGM. Only one council member per club is permitted, Chairman, Treasurer and League Secretary excepted. All members must be bonafide registered players with the Chester and District Bowling League.

7.2.1   A Council meeting will require a quorum of 5 members.
7.2.2   The Council shall have power, delegated from the General Committee, to deal with all day-to-day matters affecting the running of the League, including disciplinary matters.
7.2.3   The Council, through the General Committee, shall be the sole interpreter of the League Rules. There shall be no appeal from any interpretation or decision of the Council.
7.2.4   Meetings of the Council will be called as and when required by the Chairman, or in his absence the League Secretary.
7.2.5   Nominations for membership of the Council shall be in writing and sent to the League Secretary on or before November 1st. each year.


8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

8.1 The Annual General Meeting of the League shall be held during January each year for the following purposes:-

8.1.1 to accept nominations for membership;

8.1.2 to decide on the constitution of the League for the forthcoming season;

8.1.3 to receive and adopt reports from the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer of the League for the season which has just ended;

8.1.4 to elect officers of the League in accordance with Rule 6, and Council members in accordance with Rule 7; (note qualifying paragraph 8.2)

8.1.5 to appoint two auditors;

8.1.6 to transact any other business which may be brought before it, via the Agenda.


8.2 Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given at least twenty-eight days before the date of the meeting, and shall require nominations for officers and other vacancies to be made, in writing, before November 1st. However, if no nomination for a particular office or vacancy is so received, nominations for that office or vacancy shall be accepted from the floor at the AGM.

8.3 Any team in membership of the League shall be entitled to submit nominations.

8.4 Where the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies to be filled, voting shall be by ballot at the meeting.


8a Annual General Meeting Standing Orders

8a.1. An agenda for the meeting shall be prepared by the Secretary. This agenda shall be adhered to unless a proposition to suspend Standing Orders is made and carried.

8a.2 Notices of motions for consideration at the AGM must be received, in writing, not later than 1 November. The complete agenda will be circulated to all clubs at least four weeks prior to the AGM.

8a.3 Each speaker shall rise to address the meeting via the Chair and shall be limited to speaking to 4 minutes. A member shall not speak twice on any resolution under discussion and shall not be allowed to introduce fresh matter. Asking or answering a question, strictly by permission of the Chairman, shall not be considered as a speech.

8a.4 No proposal or amendment shall be discussed until it has been seconded. No second amendment or rider shall be voted on until after the first amendment has been disposed of.

8a.5 Every proposition shall be determined by card vote for which the Chairman may appoint tellers as necessary, and matters determined by the voting requirements specified below (13.1 and 13.2).

8a.6 In the event of a point of order being raised, the speaker shall resume his/her seat until the Chairman has given his decision.

8a.7 The rulings of the Chairman shall be strictly obeyed. When the Chairman rises, any member then speaking shall resume his seat, but shall be allowed to continue after the Chairman has resumed his seat, subject to the time limit noted in 3 above. In the event of anything transpiring not provided for in these standing orders, the Chairman of the meeting shall use his discretion as to the best course of action in the interest of the League.

9. SPRING GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING

9.1 A General Committee Meeting of the League shall be held at least twenty-one days prior to tile first League games each year, for the following purposes:

9.1.1 distribution of Match Results Cards etc.,

9.1.2 to transact any other permissible business which may be brought before it.

9.1.3 Although any player registered to play in the Chester & District League may attend, only one nominated member for each Club may speak and vote at the meeting.


9.2 An Extraordinary General Meeting of the League may be summoned at any time by the Chairman, or by not less than ten member clubs acting together, who shall send a written request to the League Secretary to convene such a meeting, giving reasons for the request

10. VOTING AT MEETINGS

10.1 At all meetings voting will be by "Voting Card" only and voting is restricted to one delegate per team in full membership of the League, together with members of the League Council and the President of the League.. The Chairman shall have a second or casting vote to be used in cases where the voting is declared equal.

Notwithstanding anything in this rule, no CLUB shall be permitted to cast more than 4 votes for any goven motion.  


11. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

11.1 The General Committee may expel any team or player whose conduct has, in its judgment, been inconsistent with the objects of the League. Before such power is exercised, seven days notice shall be given to the team or player concerned, and an opportunity afforded of showing cause, before the General Committee, why the team or player should not be so dealt with.




12. INTERPRETATION OF RULES AND OMISSIONS

12.1 The General Committee, and by delegation, the Council, shall have power to interpret these Rules if there should be any ambiguity concerning the interpretation of any Rule.

12.2 There shall be no appeal from decisions of the Council.

12.3 The Council itself may refer any matter to the General Committee.

12.4 The General Committee, and by delegation, the Council, shall have the Power to deal with any matter not provided for in these Rules.



13. ALTERATION OF RULES

13.1 Alterations and additions to the Constitution shall only be made at the Annual General Meeting and shall require the approval of not less than two thirds of the total votes cast.

13.2 Alterations and additions to Match and Competition Rules shall be decided by a simple majority and must only be dealt with at the Annual General Meeting.

13.3 Notice of any proposed alterations and/or additions must be submitted in writing, duly proposed and seconded, and delivered to the League Secretary not later than November 1st. Notice of the proposed alteration and/or addition to the Constitution and/or Rules shall be given to all member clubs of the League not later than 28 days before the date fixed for the meeting.

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