STOKE FLEMING BOWLING CLUB CONSTITUTION

1. Title

1.1 The Club shall be called STOKE FLEMING BOWLING CLUB, of Manor Green, School Lane, Stoke Fleming, Dartmouth, Devon TQ6 0PZ, hereafter to be referred to as “the Club”, and shall be affiliated to Bowls England, Bowls Devon, and the Mid Devon League.

2. Objective

2.1 To foster and promote the sport of flat green bowls at all levels, providing opportunities for recreation and competition.

3. Club Ownership

3.1 Under deed of gift dated June 25th 1952, the land and pavilion are the property of the ‘Fields in Trust’ (formally the National Playing Fields Association) and shall be administered by four named Trustees in accordance with the deed of gift. All other assets shall be the property of the Club and shall be managed and directed by the Committee.

4. Membership

4.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to any persons, 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. The minimum age for membership shall be eight years.

4.2 There shall be four Classes of Membership-: 4.2.1 Full Members who shall have the use of all Club facilities, including the green and social activities. They shall have the right to speak and vote at all General Meetings.

4.2.2 Junior Members (under 16 years of age) who shall have, under proper supervision of a Full Member, the use of all Club facilities, including the green and social activities. They shall have the right to speak, but not an entitlement to vote, at all General Meetings.

4.2.3 Social Members who shall have the use of all Club facilities, excepting the green. They may use the green on payment of a fee equal to the visitors’ fee. They shall have the right to speak, but not an entitlement to vote, at all General Meetings.

4.2.4 Life Members (maximum three in number at any time). The Management Committee, at its discretion, may recommend to the Annual General Meeting that Life Membership be awarded to any Member who has given long and devoted service to the Club. Such Life Membership shall entitle the Member to membership of the Club for life without any subscription being payable. Life Members shall have the use of all Club facilities, including the green and social activities. They shall have the right to speak and vote at all General Meetings.

4.3 The election of Members shall be vested solely in the Management Committee and shall be by ballot. A majority vote shall prevail.

4.4 Application for Membership -:

4.4.1 Written application for membership will be considered by the Committee on submission of a completed application form. The applicant shall be properly proposed and seconded by Full Club Members who have held a subscription for a minimum of 12 months.

4.4.2 The application form shall be posted on the Club notice board for a minimum of 14 days prior to the applicant being considered for membership by the Committee. During such time any Member may register an objection, and reasons for the objection, in writing with the Secretary who shall communicate this to the Committee.

4.4.3 The power to refuse applications is reserved to the Committee. No rejected candidate shall again be proposed as a member until expiration of twelve months of such a rejection

4.4.4 Following the decision of the Committee the applicant shall be advised in writing of its decision.

4.5 Resignation of Membership -:

4.5.1 Any Member wishing to resign from the Club must do so by sending written notification to the Secretary together with any subscription due up to its effect, whereupon the membership shall cease.

5. Officers

5.1 The Officers of the Club shall be eight in number comprising -:

Chairperson
Club Secretary
Match Secretary
Treasurer
Club Captain
Men’s Full Member
Ladies Full Member

5.2 The Club’s Head Greenkeeper will be automatically entitled to sit on the Committee and will be entitled to vote at Committee meetings.

5.3 The Club will appoint annually a Safeguarding Officer. If the Safeguarding Officer steps down from the post midway through the season, a replacement will be appointed.

6. Election of Officers, Co-opted Members, President, and Sub-Committee Members

6.1 All Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from and by, the Members, (see 6.4).

6.2 All Officers shall be elected for a period of one year but may be re-elected to the same office and/or another office the following year. No Officer shall hold more than two offices on the Committee at any one time.

6.3 By exception specific Officer Posts reserved for Ladies and Men on the Management Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from and by, their respective gender Members only. In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.

6.4 Should the number of Officers, during term in office, fall below the requisite Committee of eight, due to holding dual office, resignation, or any other reason, Members may be co-opted to the Committee to fill the vacant roles. The co-opted Members shall be elected by the Committee and shall have full rights as those of any other Officer on the Committee. Members so co-opted shall hold office only until the next Annual General Meeting.

6.5 A Club President shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from and by, the Members. The President shall be elected for a period of one year but may be re-elected the following year. The Post of President shall not be an Officer of the Management Committee.

6.6 By exception specific Member Posts reserved for Ladies and Men on Sub- Committees shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from and by, their respective gender Members only. In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.

7. Management

7.1 The affairs of the Club shall be controlled by a Management Committee comprising the Officers elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than four times per year.

7.2 The President may attend and speak at Committee meetings at own discretion but shall not have an entitlement to vote.

7.3 At all Committee Meetings, the Chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, if absent, by a deputy appointed by the Officers attending the meeting.

7.4 A quorum for a Committee Meeting shall be four.

7.5 The duties of the Committee shall be: –

7.5.1 To control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the Members.

7.5.2 To recommend the level of all Club fees, subscriptions, and other such charges.

7.5.3 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members and shall be examined by the appointed accounts Auditor before every Annual General Meeting. The Club shall maintain a bank current account and cheques drawn against Club funds shall be signed by the Treasurer and one other designated Officer. The financial year shall run from April 1st to March 31st. The maximum amount of petty cash to be held at any time by the Club shall be one hundred pounds.

7.5.4 To appoint Sub-Committees as necessary to fulfil the Club’s business.

7.5.5 To allow, from time to time, invited Members or guests to participate, where relevant, in the Committee’s deliberations. Such invitees shall be allowed to speak but have no voting entitlement.

7.5.6 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 and casting vote.

8. General meetings

8.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the third week of November each year. Twenty-one clear days’ written notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting, which shall also include a written Meeting Agenda, by circulating a copy of the notice and the Meeting Agenda to every member at their home address and by posting the notice on the Club Notice Board. Additionally, Members may advise the Secretary in writing of any motion they wish to be considered at the Annual General Meeting, at least fourteen days before the Meeting (see 8.2.7). The Secretary shall circulate notice of any received motions to Members, not less than ten days before the Meeting.

8.2 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to: –

8.2.1 Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting.

8.2.2 Receive the annual report of the Committee from the Secretary.

8.2.3 Receive the audited accounts for the year from the Treasurer.

8.2.4 Elect an accounts Auditor.

8.2.5 Elect the Officers and Sub-Committee Members of the Club.

8.2.6 Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members prior to the meeting.

8.2.7 The Chair may, at its discretion, allow for Any Other Business arising from the floor, if it is felt that the Business is time critical or will improve the Clubs standing.

8.3 Nominations for Officers and Sub-Committee Members shall be received from the floor at the Annual General Meeting providing they are properly proposed and seconded and there is clear evidence that the nominee agrees to be proposed. A ballot shall be held where more than one nomination for office has been received. Voting shall be by ballot paper.

8.4 Special General Meetings may be convened by the Committee or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than one third of the Members of the Club. At least 21 days’ notice of the meeting shall be given.

8.5 At all General Meetings, the Chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, if absent, by a deputy appointed by the Members attending the meeting.

8.6 Decisions made at General Meetings shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Full Members attending the meeting. In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to a second and additional casting vote.

8.7 Full Members shall be entitled to one vote on each motion at General Meetings.

8.8 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 50% of the membership of the Club.

9. Discipline and Disciplinary Action

9.1 The Committee shall have the power to reprimand, suspend or expel any Member who infringes any rule or byelaw or whose conduct could be prejudicial to the character, interest, or good name of the Club. No Member shall be suspended or expelled without first being requested to appear before the Management Committee and given a full opportunity to provide an explanation of the Members conduct. The Committee may then
require further investigations to be carried out (see 9.2) prior to a decision by majority vote being made. The Committee’s decision shall be final.

9.2 The Committee will adopt and follow all the procedures in Bowls England Regulation

9, 9A and 9B when dealing with any type of disciplinary/misconduct issues. This is a
qualification of membership to Bowls England and can be found in Regulation 2.5.2.

10. Legislation

10.1 The Club will comply with all applicable National and Local Legislation. In particular the Club will apply any laws applicable in the areas of discrimination of whatever form, disability, licensing, child and vulnerable person protection, and fire and safety protection.

11. Alterations to the Constitution

11.1 Any proposed alterations to the Club’s Constitution may only 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.

12. Indemnity Clause

12.1 Each Member of the Club shall (to the extent that such person is not entitled to recover under any policy of insurance) be entitled to be indemnified out of all funds available to the Club which may lawfully be so applied against all costs, expenses and liabilities whatsoever, and reasonably incurred by such person in the proper execution and discharge of duties undertaken on behalf of the Club arising there from, or incurred in good faith in the purported discharge of such duties. Save in any such case where any such costs, expenses and liabilities arise in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust.

13. Dissolution

13.1 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 later than one month thereafter, to discuss and vote on the
resolution.

13.2 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.

13.3 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 organisation having similar objectives.