MODEL
CLUB CONSTITUTION
VERSION
General
note
Where
numbers are included in [square brackets], please refer to the notes at the end
of the document.
The
changes to the document since the previous versions (Version 2, August 1999 and
Version 3,
2005)
are minimal, but the notes have been expanded, in particular to include
reference to somematters which, whilst not relevant
to the majority of bridge clubs, may concern some.
Comments
and suggestions are welcome. If you have any, or require advice, please feel
free to contact the EBU’s Aylesbury offices
(01296317200;
An
electronic version of this document (in Microsoft Word format) is available by
email on request.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE [1] BRIDGE CLUB
1.
NAME
The
Club shall be called [1].
2.
OBJECTS
The
object of the Club shall be to provide facilities for its members for playing
Duplicate Contract Bridge [2].
3.
HEADQUARTERS
The
headquarters of the Club shall be situated at [3].
4.
AFFILIATIONS
The
Club will be affiliated to the [4] Bridge Association and to the English Bridge
Union.
5.
MEMBERSHIP
5.1.
Membership shall be open to [5].
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.
EBU
Model Club Constitution (version
5.3.
All applications for membership of the Club must be proposed and seconded by
existing
members of the Club unless the Committee
decides otherwise.
5.4.
All membership application forms received by the Secretary shall be displayed
in a prominent place at the headquarters of the Club [6] for a minimum period
of two weeks.
5.5.
Any member wishing to object to an application for membership should notify the
Secretary in writing.
5.6.
After the expiry of the period of two weeks mentioned above, the Committee
shall as soon as convenient consider the application for membership, taking
into account [7] any objections notified to the Secretary, and shall promptly
notify the applicant of the acceptance or otherwise of the application.
5.7.
In declining an application the Committee may give a reason but shall not be
obliged to do so.
5.8.
In considering applications for 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 his resignation in writing is
delivered to the Secretary.
5.10.
A member whose subscription has not been paid shall cease to be a member on the
expiration of the period of six months [8] from the date on which the
subscription was due for payment.
5.11
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, unless the
Committee decides otherwise [9].
6.
OFFICERS
6.1.
The Officers of the Club shall be the Chairman, ViceChairman,
Secretary
and Treasurer[10].
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 reelection [11].
6.4.
In the event of a vacancy arising during the year in the office of any Officer
of the Club, the Committee shall choose one of their number
to fill such vacancy 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 four [12] 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 reelection.
7.2.
The Committee may from time to time coopt
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 ten. Coopted
members shall be entitled to participate
fully in the proceedings of the Committee 13].
7.3.
A quorum at meetings of the Committee shall be three [14] members of the
Committee, including at least one of the Officers.
EBU
Model Club Constitution (version
7.4.
The Committee may from time to time appoint subcommittees to undertake on its
behalf such aspects of the administration of the Club as it shall think fit,
and members of such subcommittees may include members of the Club who are not
members of the Committee.
7.5.
Proceedings of the Committee and of any subcommittees
shall be regulated in such manner as the
Committee may from time to time decide [15].
7.6.
The Committee shall make a report to each Annual General Meeting of the Club concerning
the affairs of the Club 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 Meeting of 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 any time.
9.4.
All General Meetings of the Club 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 absence the ViceChairman or some other member of
the Committee shall chair the meeting.
9.6.
Notice of all General Meetings of the Club shall be given to all members of the
Club no later than two weeks [16] 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 one week 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 if he thinks fit.
9.9.
A quorum at General Meetings of the Club shall be ten members present in person
[17].
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.
EBU
Model Club Constitution (version
9.11.
Voting at General Meetings of the Club shall be by show of hands, and in the
event of parity of voting the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or
casting vote.
10.
NOTICES
10.1.
Notices 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 nonroutine
nature is likely to be discussed, shall be
given to members by post to the last address of each member notified to the Secretary.
10.2.
Notices of any Annual General Meeting at which in the opinion of the Committee
no business of a nonroutine 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 [18].
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 [19].
11.
NOMINATIONS
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.
11.2.
Nominations must reach the Secretary no later than one week prior to the date
fixed for the Annual General Meeting.
12.
SUBSCRIPTIONS and FEES
12.1.
Each member of the Club shall pay an annual subscription, the basic amount of
which for the time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the
Club. Subscriptions shall be due for payment by [20] in each year in respect of
the year to the following [21]. Unless the Committee decides otherwise, any
member whose subscription remains unpaid after the due date shall pay table
money at the rate applicable to visitors until his subscription has been paid
in full.
12.2.
Each member of the Club, and each guest and visitor, shall pay table money on
each occasion when he plays at the Club, the basic amounts of which for the
time being shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.
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.
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 [22].
12.5
The Annual General Meeting may authorise the Committee to increase the basic
amounts of subscriptions and table money prior to the ensuing Annual General
Meeting.
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.
EBU
Model Club Constitution (version
13.
ACCOUNTS
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 [23].
13.2.
The accounts for each year shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting of
the Club for approval.
14.
GUESTS and VISITORS
14.1.
Any member may invite a guest [24] 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.
14.2.
Visitors [25] 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 begiven to members and
the guests of members.
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.
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 his application for membership has been considered by
the Committee, even if the limit imposed by the Committee is thereby exceeded.
15.
CONDUCT [26]
15.1.
In the event of a complaint being made to the Committee about the conduct of a
member of the Club the Committee [27] may (and if a written complaint is
received signed by at least three members of the Club, it shall [28])
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 and put
forward evidence in their defence (this includes witnesses if appropriate). If
a live Hearing takes place the member may be accompanied by a friend or
representative who need not be a member of the club. Additionally, the member
has the right to have questions put to the complainant and supporting witnesses
(if any) by the Committee.
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 his 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 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 his 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.
15.7.
In the event of an appeal being made against it, the decision of the Committee
shall not beput into effect until the appeal has been
determined.
15.8
On the appeal being heard by a General Meeting of the Club, the General Meeting
shall have power to overrule the conclusion 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).
EBU
Model Club Constitution (version
15.9
Nothing in this Constitution shall preclude the Committee from referring a
matter of conduct to the Conduct Committee [29] of the [30] County 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 [31].16.2. In order for a
resolution to alter this constitution to have effect at least twothirds of the votes cast on the resolution must be in
favour.
17.
WINDINGUP
17.1.
In order for a resolution that the Club shall be wound up to have effect at
least twothirds 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 witha 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
any Registered or recognised charitable
body
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Model Club Constitution (version
NOTES
1.
Insert name of Club.
2.
The model is designed for clubs who wish to be affiliated to the EBU. Such
clubs will naturally tend to focus on duplicate bridge, but may also provide
facilities for rubber/Chicago. For such clubs, insert “and
other” after the word “duplicate”. For the purposes of Bridge
for All and other clubs associated with teaching and/or catering particularly
for beginners, it may be appropriate to expand the statement of objects to
include something along the following lines:“ facilities
for less experienced players to learn and to play Contract Bridge in a friendly
and supportive atmosphere”
3.
In the case of peripatetic clubs, or those who meet at more than one venue,
this clause may need to be adapted, references to the headquarters later in the
Constitution being defined to include:“ such venue or
venues as the Committee shall from time to time arrange within the XYZ area /
within 10 miles of ABC as playing accommodation for the Club”.
or appropriate wording of a similar
nature.
4.
Insert name of
5.
Insert one of the following according to the circumstances of the club:
(a)
all bridge players
(b)
all bridge players and those wishing to learn the game
(c)
all members in good standing of the English Bridge
Union
6.
If the Club has no fixed HQ, then unless a suitable definition has been
included (see Note 3) then amend to:“ all premises at
which the Club regularly meets”
If
the club has a fixed HQ but also meets elsewhere, both forms of words should be
included.
7.
The general principle is that a members’ club is entitled to regulate its own
membership. Provided that it complies with the law of the land (e.g. in regard
to discrimination on the grounds of race, sex etc.), it does not have to have
what might generally be regarded as a good reason for accepting or rejecting
applications for membership. It must, however, comply with its own rules. It is
therefore desirable for most clubs to have defined procedures for applications
for membership, such as are contained in this model.
If
the object of a club is to cater for a particular sort of player, so that
applications for membership from players outside that category may not be
accepted, it is sensible to make this clear. For instance, for Bridge
for All and other beginners’ clubs it should be made clear that the
Committee has the power to reject applicants if they are thought too
experienced (see Note 2 such a power could usefully be crossreferenced
to clause 2 if expanded as suggested).
8.
Some clubs have a much shorter period, but it seems sensible to allow a
reasonable period, particularly for members who may not visit the club that
frequently. Note that the default provision is that visitors’ table money is
payable as soon as the subscription is overdue, but formal cessation of membership
follows later.
9.
You might wish to provide that a member who has been expelled from the club, or
has resigned from the club or allowed his membership to lapse whilst suspended
from the privileges of membership, should always have to reapply formally, but
no doubt the Committee would exercise its discretion to require a formal
reapplication in such a case.
10.
Clubs may wish to designate other posts (e.g. Chief Tournament Director,
Competition Secretary etc.). It is normally preferable
that the holders of such posts are not formally designated as Officers of the
Club.
11.
Clubs may wish to provide that a member should not serve as Chairman for more
than a specified number of consecutive years. It would not be normal to put a
limit on the length of service of the other Officers.
EBU
Model Club Constitution (version
12.
The size of the Committee will depend on a number of factors, including the
size and type of club and the scale of its activities. The intention is to
provide a number that will allow the jobs to be divided up sensibly without
having a Committee that is large enough to prove unwieldy.
13.
The model deliberately does not set out to specify how the proceedings of the
Committee should be regulated, preferring to let the Committee lay down such
matters for itself (see paragraph 7.5). The position of coopted
members can cause difficulty, as a result of which some organisations
(including the EBU itself) make coopted members
nonvoting.
This
does prevent a Committee flooding itself with its own cronies, but the model
endeavours to avoid this problem by putting a maximum limit on overall
Committee numbers and prescribing annual elections for the whole Committee.
14.
The quorum should be small enough to avoid the likelihood of meetings having to
be rearranged because of the lack of a quorum, and to allow for the possibility
of decisions by a small number of Committee members in an emergency (it should
be a matter for the Committee’s own rules (under paragraph 7.5) as to when it
is regarded as acceptable for a Committee decision to be made at such an
emergency meeting when a number of Committee members may not have the
opportunity to attend). Generally a quorum should usually be between one third and
one half of the total Committee membership (including officers).
15.
Committee members should in general withdraw from participation in decisions
where they may have, or seem to have, a conflict of interest. This is
particularly important where matters of conduct are being considered.
16.
The specified timetable occasionally gives rise to comment. The timetable in
the model means that the formal notice of the meeting effectively acts as a
reminder to members of when the meeting is, giving them the chance to react by
making nominations and proposing resolutions. The obvious consequence is that
the actual agenda is not finalised until after the notice of AGM has been
given. An alternative approach would be to require nominations and resolutions
to be delivered to the Secretary by a date further in advance of the meeting
than the formal notice that is required to be given. This means that the formal
notice can incorporate the final agenda. The disadvantage, of course, is that
members, not having had the notice, may miss the deadlines. Provided that youdecide how you want the process to operate, you can
freely make changes to the deadlines specified.
17.
This quorum may seem low. Obviously, if the club has a large membership, this
figure should be increased. You could use a proportion of the membership of the
club, rather than a specified number (or a combination, e.g. x% of the total
membership of the club, or ten members, whichever is the greater). General
meetings should normally have a lower quorum in percentage terms than is required
for meetings of the Committee. Many clubs suffer from a poor attendance at
AGMs. Clubs wishing to ensure that their members are involved in the decisions
reserved to general meetings might wish to consider one or more of the
following options:
(a)
provision for postal voting in advance of general
meetings
(b)
provision for proxy voting at general meetings
(c)
provision for a general meeting to refer a matter to a
postal ballot of members
(d)
provision for the Committee to refer a matter to a
postal ballot of members in lieu of a
decision at a general meeting 18,19. See Note
6.
20.
Insert due date for payment, often one or two months into the new subscription
year.
21.
Insert date to which the subscription year runs. Some clubs may prefer to have
rolling subscriptions(i.e. a member’s subscription
entitles him to membership until the anniversary of his first joining), although
this requires more detailed recordkeeping.
It
also requires amendments to the provisions as to payment in this clause and as
to lapse of membership in clause 5.10.
22.
For example, clubs may charge a proportion of the annual subscription to
members joining part way through the year, and many will have reduced
subscriptions and/or table money for juniors. Mostclubs
waive table money for officiating tournament directors. Many offer free
sessions as prizes, and/or run special competitions with entry fees or table money
which is different from that normally charged.
23.
Insert date of financial year end.
EBU
Model Club Constitution (version
24.
If the Club decides that members should be EBU members, then it will have to
decide whether
guests should also be required to be.
25.
See Note 24. The same applies to visitors.
26.
The club may wish not to prescribe such matters in the Constitution, but merely
to include a statement along the lines of:“ the
Committee shall be responsible for regulating matters of conduct and shall put
in place rules for dealing with any complaints which may arise”.
The
problem with this is that if the Committee does not do this until a case
arises, the rules may have to be put in place in a hurry, and the result may be
overcoloured
by perceptions of the particular case
which has arisen.
27.
See Note 15.
28.
It is perfectly feasible to require the Committee to investigate all complaints
(or at least all written complaints). In practice it is likely to be unwise for
a Committee to decline to investigate a complaint. However, the right of the
Committee to decline to investigate a complaint unless it is made in writing and
signed by three members may serve to avoid the Committee being troubled by
relatively minor matters.
29.
Some Counties call the appropriate committee their Laws & Ethics Committee,
and there may be other variants. Please check with the County concerned.
30.
Insert name of Association (as in clause 4).
31
If a club decides to make alternative provisions for the method by which
members participate in the decision making process (see note 17), a
consequential amendment to this paragraph will be required.
32. Insert name of Association (as in clause 4).