CLUB CONSTITUTION

1. Name

The Club shall be called Yate & District Bowls Club, (hereafter referred to as the Club), and will be affiliated to Bowls England, Gloucestershire Bowling Association and the City and County of Bristol Bowls Association.

2. Objectives

1. To promote the amateur sport of Lawn Green Bowls in the District of Yate, providing opportunities for recreation, competition and community participation in the sport.

2. To further this, the Club will be affiliated to the associations shown in 1.

3. All Matches shall be played in accordance with the laws of the game as approved by Bowls England. The Club and its members shall, as a condition of the continuation of affiliation to Bowls England, at all times and in all respects conform to and be bound by its rules.

4. To promote social activities within the Club for the benefit of all members.

5. To promote and atmosphere of goodwill between members.

6. To enter teams and competitors in Association Competitions.

3. Officers

1. Management Committee

President - An Honorary Non Executive Officer

Chairman

Vice Chairman

Treasurer

Secretary

Social Team Coordinator

Club Captain

Ladies' Captain

Men's Captain

Fixtures Secretary

Competitions Secretary

2. Other Officers

Club Vice-Captain

Ladies Vice-Captain

Mid Week Captain

Ladies' League Captain

Men's League Captain

Club Coach

Grounds Representative

Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Officer

Ladies' Association Representative

Men's Association Representative(s)

Auditor(s)

Social Committee

3. All of the above positions are to be elected annually. NB Only Ladies may vote for Ladies only posts, and Men may only vote for Men only posts.

4. The Chairman shall be elected after the minutes of the previous AGM have been read and agreed.

5. All officers will be accountable to the members at the Annual General Meeting and to the Management Committee.

6. No person can hold more than one management position on the committee.

7. No members are empowered to spend any club funds or monies without the permission of the Management Committee.

8. In an emergency the Chairman and the Treasurer shall have discretionary powers.

4. Committees

1. Management Committee

1. The Management Committee will have overall control of all club matters and activities - including renewing fixture lists, preparing agendas for club meetings, maintaining the objectives of the club and for fixing club membership joining and match fees.

2. The Management Committee will consist of the officers of the club as indicated in item 3 above.

3. A quorum of a meeting will be 5 members.

4. The Management Committee has the power to co-opt other club members to the committee as and when deemed necessary.

5. All decisions of the Management Committee must be by a majority.

6. The Management Committee will meet at least every 6 weeks during the playing season, and at least every 10 weeks during the closed season.

7. A minute book will be kept of all meetings.

8. The Chairman of the Management Committee will have the casting vote in the event of a tied vote by other members.

9. The property and/or assets of the club shall be vested in the Management Committee.

10. The Management Committee will be responsible for liaison with Yate Town Council.

11. The Management Committee will have the power to approve such subcommittees as from time to time may be deemed necessary and shall receive reports from such subcommittees at its meetings.

12. The Management Committee will have the power to fill vacancies of officers as and when necessary.

13. The Management Committee will vacate the position held by ant club officer, if the officer is absent from 3 consecutive meetings without an acceptable explanation to the Club Chairman.

14. The Management Committee will have the power to suspend or expel any member deemed guilty of conduct prejudicial to the good of the club and its objectives. This decision is to have a 4 to 1 majority.

2. Selection Committee

1. The Selection Committee is responsible to the Management Committee.

2. The Selection Committee will be responsible for making team selections and will have the power to require at least two reserves to be made available until 12 noon ( 4 pm for evening matches) on the day of the match. The Captain of the match is responsible for this.

3. The Selection Committee for all mixed non-league matches will consist of the Club Captain, the Club Vice-Captain, The Ladies' Captain, The Men's Captain and the Midweek Captain.

4. The Selection Committee will meet at least every 10 days during the playing season.

5. A quorum for a Selection Committee is 3 members. In the event of a quorum not being available the Club Captain will nominate a member to make up a quorum.

6. All league, Ladies and Men only, and cup match selections will be made by the appropriate Ladies', Men's and League Captains.

5. Membership & Joining Fees

1. Membership of the club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs and by paying the relevant subscription/joining fees as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the club members.

2. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities may be applied by the Management Committee on a non-discriminatory basis.

3. The club will endeavour to keep subscriptions at levels at which will not prevent people from joining.

4. There shall be four classes of membership available, there are;

- Full Membership (age 18 years or older)

- Junior Membership (age under 18 years). Members who are under 18 years on the 31st of August of the previous calendar year. The minimum age of juniors wishing to join shall be at the discretion of the management committee.

- Social Membership: For those that support the objectives of the club but who are not playing members.

- Honorary Life Membership: This is given for outstanding long term service to the club and elected at an AGM by not less than 75% of those present. Written nomination will be submitted to the Management Committee at least two months prior to the AGM. An Honorary Member will be exempt from membership fees.

5. The membership year shall be from 1st of April to the 31st of March each year. Fees to be paid in full by the 1st of May (unless specifically agreed by the Management Committee), such fees not paid by this date will deem membership lapsed.

6. Only Full, Junior and Honorary Life members shall be entitled to vote at Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings.

6. General Meeting

1. An Annual General Meeting will be called no later than the end of November in any year.

2. The Secretary is to give 21 days' notice of the meeting.

3. The business of the Annual General Meting will be to:-

- Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any Extraordinary General Meetings held since the last AGM.

- Receive the examined accounts for the year from the treasurer.

- Elect the officers, accounts examiners and delegates of the club.

- Decide the subscription rates for and the other fees for the forthcoming year.

- Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members submitted at least 10 days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.

4. Extraordinary General Meetings may be convened by the Management Committee or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than 20% of the Members of the Club entitled to vote. At least 21 days' notice of the meeting will be given.

5. Nominations for club officers must be given in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM.

6. A member who is not present at the meeting is not eligible for election to any post within the club unless a written apology has been sent to the Secretary.

7. In the event of no nominations being received prior to the meeting they can be made from the floor only at the discretion of the Chairman.

8. All proposals for the AGM must be submitted in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the meeting.

9. The Secretary will circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting not less than 7 days before the meeting, either by post or email and posting it on the notice board.

10. All discussions may only take place through and with the permission of the Chair.

11. The Quorum for general meetings is 25 members.

12. Proposals may only be voted upon at the AGM.

13. Alterations to the Constitution can only be made at an AGM or a duly constituted EGM by a majority of 2 to 1.

7. Finance

1. The Treasurer will submit an annual account which will be audited by at least one other member.

2. A detailed financial account is to be given to the Management Committee prior to the AGM.

8. Complaints & Disciplinary Procedure

1. Complaints regarding playing matters should in the first instance be directed to the Club Captain to try and resolve the matter on an informal basis.

2. Complaints regarding administration and other club matters should in the first instance be directed to the Club Secretary to try and resolve the matter on an informal basis.

3. If the complaint raised in 8.1 and 8.2 above is not resolved to the satisfaction of the member, then the member should make a formal complaint in writing to the Club Secretary.

4. The Club Secretary will acknowledge receipt of the complaint and place the complaint formally to the Management Committee.

5. A meeting of the Management Committee will be convened at the earliest opportunity to hear all sides, and decide on what actions should be taken on an urgent basis.

6. Should the complaint be about the Club Secretary , then the formal complaint should be directed to the Club Chairman who will follow the procedure outlined in 8.4 and 8.5 above.

7. For all matters concerning misconduct, Yate and District Bowling Club will adopt Bowls England current policies and guidelines on disciplinary procedure as shown in Bowls England regulation 9.

9. Club Competitions

1. All club competitions will be managed by the Competitions Secretary and the Club Captain.

2. The Competitions Secretary and the Club Captain have the power to scratch any members from any competition if the dates for that round are not adhered to.

3. All competitions will be played to the Club competition rules.

4. Members, who are also members of another club, may enter Yate and District Bowls Club Competitions. However at the start of the season they must nominate which Club they would represent should they wish to progress to County or National competitions.

10. Attendance and Dress

1. Players must be in attendance for a match at least 10 minutes before any match is due to start.

2. If a player(s) is not in attendance, the Captain of the match will bring in a reserve(s).

3. Should the replayed player arrive late, they will not be reinstated unless there are no reserves in attendance.

4. The order of reserves is to be as the team list.

5 Dress to be as stated on the team sheets, Club Competition rules or League rules, as shown in the club's general information.

6. Club members are to be properly dressed at all times while on Club premises.

11. Availability Lists

1. Availability lists must not be removed from Club Premises, even for selection purposes.

12. Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults Policy.

1. Yate and District Bowling Club fully accepts its legal and moral obligation to exercise its duty of care and protect all children and vulnerable adults participating in its activities, and to safeguard their welfares

2. The Club is committed to do this by acknowledging that:-

- The welfare of the child and vulnerable adult is paramount

- Each child and vulnerable adult irrespective of age, gender, race, religion, or disability has the right to protection from abuse.

- Each child and vulnerable adult has a right to be safe, and to be treated with respect and dignity.

3. We shall use our best endeavours to ensure that:-

- All allegations of abuse are taken seriously.

- The response to them is swift and appropriate

- The effectiveness of our policy is reviewed annually.

13. Property and Funds

1. The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefits of its members.

2. The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, club sporting equipment, coaching courses, insurance cover, post-match refreshments and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs. (CASC's as first provided for by the Finance Act 2002).

3. The club may also in conjunction with the sports functions of the Club, sell food to members and their guests.

14. Winding Up

1. The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than 75% of those present and entitled to vote, support a proposal at a properly convened General Meeting.

2. The Management Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club's affairs.

3. After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Management Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one of the following:-

- To another club with similar sports purposes which is a charity and/or

- To another club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC and/or

- To the Club's national governing body/bodies for use by them for related community sports.

15. Priority

1. Where there is any conflict between any of the above Key Rules (No's 2, 15, 13 and 14) and any other rule or rules, the Key Rule(s) will take priority.

2. Interpretation of all the rules must be consistent with the statutory requirements for CASC's.