Constitution 2011

CONSTITUTION & RULES

1. NAME OF CLUB

The Club shall be called “NORTHERN BOWLING CLUB”, hereinafter referred to as the “Club”.

2.NUMBER OF MEMBERS

The number of members shall not exceed 120, excluding Honorary, Extraordinary, Waiting and Social Members, but inclusive of a maximum of 20 Senior Members. The maximum number of Social Members shall not exceed 25. There will also be a minimum of 25 members.

3. CLUB OFFICIALS

The Club, at the Annual General Meeting, shall appoint a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Match Secretary, the three members of the Selection Committee, and two Auditors.

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club, or if absent, the Vice-President, or in the absence of both, any member elected by the meeting shall preside.

The Secretary shall keep a Minute Book in which all transactions of the Club shall be entered. The Secretary shall conduct all the correspondence of the Club and keep a Roll-Book of the membership of the Club. In that Roll-Book the names and addresses of the members shall be entered.

The Treasurer shall keep an account of all intromissions, which shall be submitted to the Auditors for audit. At the discretion of the Management Committee the books of the Club may be checked by a firm of auditors at the end of the financial year and a report given at the following Annual General Meeting of the Club.
All monies shall be paid into a bank account in the name of the Club, “General Account”, to be operated on by cheque signed by any two of the following: President, Vice-president or Treasurer. The finances of the Bar shall be transacted through a separate Bar Account, entitled ‘’Bar Account’’, which shall be operated on in the same manner as the ‘’General Account’’.
All debts (of £5 or over) due on either of these accounts shall be receipted.
The books of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be open to inspection by the Management Committee at all meetings.

4. COMMITTEES OF MANAGEMENT

The affairs of the Club shall be conducted, subject to the Rules by:

(I) A Management Committee, consisting of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Match Secretary and five members, elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. Immediate Past President to be an ex-officio member of this Committee for a period of one year.

The Green shall be under the exclusive control of the Management Committee. Any member of that Committee shall have the power to determine when the green is unfit for play.

The Management Committee has power to negotiate loans if the occasion arises.

(II) A Match Committee, consisting of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Match Secretary.

(III) A Selection Committee of three members, elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club,
who shall have total control of ALL team selections outwith “friendly” matches.

All members of the above Committees shall retire at the Annual General Meeting of the Club but be eligible for re-election .

5. QUORUM

At all General Meetings, not less than 25% of the membership shall form a quorum. The secretary shall inform the meeting of the required number at the time. The Chairman to have a deliberative and casting vote and all other members present to have one vote only. The signature of the President of any meeting to be binding as to the accuracy of the minute or minutes.

Five members of the Management Committee, four members of the Match Committee and two members of the Selection Committee shall form a quorum.

6.CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP

(1) ORDINARY MEMBERSHIP

Applications for ordinary membership shall be in writing through the Secretary; and every application shall be proposed and seconded by two members who have been in full membership of the Club for at least two years; and shall be accompanied by a deposit of such annual sum as may, from time to time, be decreed by the Management Committee.
All applications shall be posted on the Pavilion notice board with the name of the Proposer and Seconder, allowing one week for objections, if any, to be lodged, and thereafter placed before the Management Committee for decision when a vacancy arises.

(11) WAITING MEMBERSHIP

Restricted to persons on the waiting list for ordinary membership. During the hours when the Club is normally open, they shall be entitled to all the privileges of ordinary members except that they shall have no voting rights, shall not be eligible to serve on the Management Committee and shall have no rights on the bowling green except as a ‘visitor’. They will be subject to the authority of the Management Committee and the same disciplinary procedures as ordinary members.

(111) HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

On the recommendation of the Management Committee it shall be competent at any Annual General Meeting of the Club for two-thirds of the members present to confer the distinction of Honorary Member on any member who may be regarded by the meeting as worthy of such honour, by reason of their renown as a bowler, or of services rendered in promotion of the game of bowls, in the Club. Such Honorary Members shall be subject to the authority of the Management Committee, and may have their privileges suspended or withdrawn at any time. They shall retain the same privileges as they had as Ordinary Members.

(IV) EXTRAORDINARY MEMBERSHIP

Extraordinary Membership shall be extended to any member who has been in membership of the Club for a period of not less than 15 years, and who, due to ill health, can no longer exercise their right to participate in a playing capacity, at the game of bowls.
Application for Extraordinary Membership shall be in writing by the member, or on behalf of the member, through the Secretary. The acceptance of such application shall be at the sole discretion of the Management Committee. No annual subscriptions shall be payable by an Extraordinary Member, but the member shall relinquish the right to vote in the Club’s affairs. An Extraordinary Member shall remain subject to the authority of the Management Committee and may at any time have this privilege suspended or withdrawn.

(V) SENIOR MEMBERSHIP

Senior Membership will be open to members of 65 years of age and over who have been in membership of the Club for not less than 15 years.
Application for membership shall be in writing through the Secretary. The maximum number of Senior Members in any year shall be 20. If necessary, a waiting list for entry into this category will be held by the Secretary.
Annual subscriptions shall be one-half of the Club subscription for that year. Such Senior Members shall be subject to the authority of the Management Committee and may have their privileges suspended or withdrawn at any time. They shall retain the same privileges as they had as Ordinary Members.

(VI) SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP

Social Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of Ordinary Members except that they shall have no voting rights, shall not be eligible to serve on the Management Committee, shall have no rights on the bowling green except as a ‘visitor’, and shall not be able to propose or second any individuals application for either Ordinary Membership or Social Membership of the Club. They will be subject to the authority of the Management Committee and the same disciplinary procedures as Ordinary Members.
Applications for Social Membership shall be in writing through the Secretary; and every application shall be proposed and seconded by two members who have been in full membership of the Club for at least two years; and shall be accompanied by a deposit of such annual sum as may, from time to time, be decreed by the Management Committee. All applications shall be posted on the Pavilion notice board with the name of the Proposer and Seconder, allowing one week for objections, if any, to be lodged, and thereafter placed before the Management Committee for decision when a vacancy arises.

(VII) LADIES MEMBERSHIP

Ladies to pay a membership fee to be decided at the AGM.
Ladies will have the same privileges as any full member but will not have any voting rights.
Ladies will be able to enter all 'club' competitions excepting SBA qualifying competitions. They may enter their own ladies SBA competitions if so desired.
They will not be available to represent the club in league or similar competitions e.g. Edinburgh Cup, Top Ten, Top Five etc.
Ladies will have use of the green in afternoons, and if rinks are available in evenings.
Any Ladies can at any time, choose to become a FULL member, paying full membership fees as decided at the AGM, where they will have the same voting and playing rights as any other FULL member.

7. ENTRANCE FEES & ANNUAL ASSESSMENT

The Entrance Fee for membership shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. The Annual Subscription shall be the sum fixed by the members at the Annual General Meeting of the Club. Subscriptions shall be payable to the Treasurer during a period of 14 days following the Annual General Meeting. The Management Committee may, at its discretion, if approached by a member in financial hardship, allow for payment of the Annual Subscription on a mutually agreed instalment basis throughout the year.
In the event of any member failing to pay the Annual subscription within 14 days of the Annual General Meeting the Management Committee may expunge that person’s name from the Roll of Members.

8. CALLING MEETINGS

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on such a date as the Management Committee may fix, but not later than the third week in March, for the purposes of considering the Annual Report and Balance Sheet, electing office-bearers and transacting any other competent business.
To allow the agenda to be drawn up Notices of Motion should be presented to the Secretary no later than the first week in February.

The Secretary shall at least seven days before this meeting give intimation thereof to each member by circular.

Special General Meeting

A Special General Meeting may be called at any time at the request of the President or on a requisition signed by ten members being sent to the Secretary. The requisition and the notice calling the meeting shall state the business for which the meeting is being called. No other business shall be discussed at that meeting. Seven clear days’ notice of any General Meeting shall be given.

Management Committee Meeting

The President, Vice-President or any three of the Management Committee shall at all times have power to direct the Secretary to call a meeting of the Management Committee.

9. MEMBERS’ PRIVILEGES & RESPONSIBILITIES

PRIVILEGES

Each new member shall receive a set of keys and a copy of the Constitution & Rules of the Club.

(1) Every member shall have the privilege (subject to the green being available to members) of inviting a friend to play on the green and shall enter that person’s name in the visitors’ book. It is expected that no one will abuse this privilege.

(11) Members desiring the use of the green or a part thereof for a private match must make a request by letter addressed to the Match Secretary and obtain the permission of the Match Committee.

(111) Members desiring the use of the Clubrooms or part thereof must make a request in writing to the Management Committee. The decision of the Management Committee to that request will be binding.

(1V) Members shall have the privilege of inviting 3 visitors to the Clubrooms and shall at all times be responsible for the conduct of those visitors whilst in the Clubrooms or in the immediate surroundings.

(V) The Management Committee may permit, for reasons of practicality and the smooth running of the Club as a whole, a “Senior Section”(as defined below) to operate within the Club.
The “Senior Section”, consisting of members age 60 or over, who generally (but not wholly) play their bowls on weekday afternoons, will normally be granted the following privileges: .
The right to appoint “Senior” equivalents to those officials operating within the Club as a whole, namely - a “Senior Chairperson”, a “Senior Secretary”, a “Senior Treasurer” and a “Senior Committee” .Those members so appointed will perform duties solely for the “Senior Section” equivalent to those defined under Section 3 (“Club Officials”) of the Constitution & Rules of the Club.
The “Senior Chairperson” will be permitted to chair all meetings of the “Senior Section” dealing with solely “Senior Section” business.
The “Senior Secretary” will attend to any correspondence relating solely to “Senior Section” business.
The “Senior Treasurer” will attend to any financial transactions relating solely to the “Senior Section” and record all his intromissions during each financial year and present these for Audit by the Club Auditors at the Club’s financial year-end.
The “Senior Committee” shall attend to “Senior Section” team selection only.
Any member so appointed should be aware of the extent of the privilege conferred by the Management Committee of the Club and not abuse this privilege at any time.
The Management Committee reserves the right to suspend or withdraw these “Senior Section” privileges at any time and remains the ultimate authority in the Club, as vested in it by the Constitution & Rules of the Club.

RESPONSIBILITIES

In the event of any change of residence, a member shall notify in writing such change to the Secretary within 14 days of the change.

Written intimation of resignation shall be received by the Secretary not later than the 1st February in any year, thereafter each member shall be held as continuing their membership and may be held liable for payment of the Annual Subscription as agreed at the subsequent Annual General Meeting of the Club.

Property belonging to anyone who has ceased to be a playing member should be removed from the Clubhouse.
All property belonging to anyone who has for two years ceased to be a playing member and which has been left in the Clubhouse, shall become the property of the Club, and be disposed of as the Management Committee shall direct after notice has been sent to the member or their representative.

10. CONTRAVENTION OF RULES

The Management Committee shall have power to suspend or expel from the Club any member who shall, in the opinion of the Management Committee, wilfully act contrary to these rules or shall by some conduct or otherwise make themselves obnoxious to the members or give any other cause which renders that person unfit to remain a member.

But, before exercising this power, the Management Committee shall give notice in writing to such person and shall afford that person an opportunity of showing cause why they should not be suspended or expelled, provided always that a motion to suspend or expel a member from the Club shall require a majority of two-thirds of the members present and voting at a meeting of the Management Committee specially summoned for the purpose of considering the conduct of such member.

11. LAWS OF THE GAME

The Laws of the Green shall be those adopted from time to time by the Scottish Bowling Association.
Any player who, after being warned, persists in playing in a manner damaging to the green shall be reported to the Management Committee.

12. LICENSING (SCOTLAND) ACT

In order to conform with the provisions of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 (Section 53, 1, 3, 4), as to the hours during which intoxicating liquors may be sold or supplied in Registered Clubs, the Bar will be opened during licensing hours if required. No excisable liquor shall be sold or supplied for consumption outside the Club premises or to any person under 18 years of age.

In order to conform with the provisions of Section 107 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976, the following shall apply:

(a) No member of the Management Committee and no Manager or servant employed in the Club shall have any personal interest in the sale of excisable liquors therein or in any of the profits arising therefrom.

(b) The Management Committee shall meet during the playing season at least once in each month for the dispatch of all competent business

(d) A visitor shall not be supplied with excisable liquors on the Club premises except on the invitation and in the company of a member, and that the member shall, upon admission of such visitor to the Club premises or immediately on that visitor being supplied with such liquors enter their own name and the name and address of the visitor in a book which shall be kept for that purpose, and which shall show the date of each visit.

13. NATURE OF BUSINESS

The Club is a non-profit making organisation. All profits and surpluses will be used to improve the club’s facilities. No profit or surplus will be distributed other than to another non-profit making body or to members on winding up or dissolution of the Club.

14. ALTERATION TO RULES

No alteration shall be made in the Constitution & Rules except at an Annual General Meeting of the Club or at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, and then only when supported by two-thirds of members voting.

March 2011