Title
The organisation shall be called; “HUNTINGDONSHIRE BOWLS” hereinafter referred to as “the Association”.
Objective
To actively encourage, promote, control and administer all aspects of the outdoor flat green Sport of Bowls in Huntingdonshire and to liaise with other the relevant bodies concerned with the flat green Sport of Bowls in England.
Membership
Membership of the Association shall be open to all bona fide amateur Flat Green Bowling Clubs affiliated to Bowls England and within the County of Huntingdonshire as constituted on 31ST March 1965 and to any such Club by invitation, being in close proximity of the County Boundary.
3.1 All existing Affiliated Clubs, which are affiliated to Huntingdon County Women’s Bowling Association or Huntingdonshire (EBA) Bowling Association on the 22nd January 2010, will be automatically transferred to membership of Huntingdonshire Bowls and have the right to the renewal of their membership.
Rules and Regulations as follows:
Rule No 3
“7.2 Clubs with no fewer than sixteen bowler members, which are affiliated to a County Association which is a Full Member of Bowls England, shall be Associated members provided that such clubs possess level greens with a playing surface not longer than 40m or shorter than 31m in the direction of play exclusive of banks and ditches.”
3.2 Membership calculations should be based on the number of PLAYING members in each club as at 1st October yearly. All PLAYING members are required to be affiliated to both Bowls England (Rule number to be advised) and their respective county. The membership year starts on the 1st October when clubs are required to register their membership with their county. Registration of new PLAYING members should continue throughout the year.
A PLAYING member is defined as a member of a Club who pays an annual subscription to play the game of outdoor lawn bowls.
3.3 Applications for affiliation must be made in writing to the Secretary of the Association/BE Council Member and be received at least 28 days prior to the October Council meeting. Applications must be accompanied by a list of the Officers of the Club, address of the Secretary and the location of the green. The Council will ratify the application at that meeting.
3.4 A Past Presidents Association shall be formed. Membership is dependant on payment of an annual subscription but this does not give any rights or privileges in the running of the Association.
Life Membership
4.1 The Association may grant life membership of the Association to any person who has rendered exceptional service to the Association.
4.2 Life membership will be conferred at the Annual General Meeting or as appropriate.
4.3. Life Members of the Association shall be entitled to attend Council Meetings and the Annual General Meeting, without voting rights, unless nominated to represent a Club affiliated to the Association.
4.4 Presidents of the Association shall become Life Members of the Association on completion of their Presidential Year.
4.5 Past Presidents and Life members of the HCBA and HCWBA shall become Honorary members of Huntingdonshire Bowls.
Management & Administration
5.1 The accounting period of the Association shall be twelve months to the 30th November each year.
5.2 The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the Executive Committee and conducted by a Council, which shall meet at least twice a year. All meetings shall be subject to confirmation by issue of an agenda.
5.3. The Officers
5.3.1 The Officers shall comprise of the President, the SVP, the JVP and the IPP, Association Chairperson,Association Secretary/BE Council Member, Assistant Association Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, Ladies’ and Men’s Match Secretaries, Ladies’ and Men’s Competitions Secretaries, Ladies’ and Men’s Assistant Competitions Secretaries.
5.3.2 The Officers of the Association shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. In the event of a vacancy arising, the Executive Committee shall be authorized to co-opt a replacement who may serve until the next Annual General Meeting other than the Association Chairperson who shall be
Appointed to serve a 3 year term.
5.3.3 All other posts shall be filled by Executive Committee following the AGM by election.
5.4 The Council
5.4.1 The Council shall be comprised of two delegates from each Club, one of each gender would be preferred, the President, the SVP, the JVP and the IPP, Association Chairperson Association Secretary/BE Council Member, Treasurer, the Match Secretaries and the Competition Secretaries.
5.4.2 The Council shall meet at least twice in any one year.
5.4.3 The Council will be responsible for (i) the Constitution of the Association, (ii) policy, (iii) discipline, (iv) finance policy.
5.5 The Executive Committee
5.5.1 The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the President, the SVP, the JVP and the IPP, Association Chair Person,Association Secretary/BE Council Member, Assistant Association Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, Ladies’ and Men’s Match Secretaries, Ladies’ and Men’s Assistant Match Secretaries, Ladies’ and Men’s Competitions Secretaries, Ladies’ and Men’s Assistant Competitions Secretaries.
5.5.2 The Association Chairperson will serve as chairperson of the Executive Committee for the term of office as stipulated in 5.3.2.
5.5.3 The Executive Committee shall be responsible for (i) finance/budgets, ii) the Handbook/diary, (iii) open competitions, (iv) greens inspection (v) coaching & development, (vi) administration and revision of the rules and regulations, (vii) annual dinner/luncheon and prize presentation, (viii) child protection and vulnerable adults, (ix) the appointment of Team managers, Child Protection Officer, Benevolent Fund Officer, County Coach and the Greens Inspection Committees.
5.5.4 At meetings of the Executive Committee seven members shall constitute a quorum.
5.5.5 In the event of there being a matter or urgency, the Chairman shall be authorised to conduct a postal, electronic or telephone vote and which shall be ratified at the next Executive meeting.
5.5.6 The decision of where Huntingdonshire Bowls banks shall be made by the Executive Committee and reported to the Council as appropriate. 2 of 4 officers shall be cheque signatures.
5.5.7 The Executive Committee shall have the power to Co-opt.
5.5.8 The Executive Committee shall meet on the First Friday in each month at a venue to be advised.
Elected Officers and Other Officials
The duties shall be as detailed in the Rules and Regulations.
Affiliation
7.1 Affiliation fees will be based on the total number of PLAYING members of the Club as at 1st October for the upcoming year.
Fees. Subscriptions, County and Bowls England Year Books
7.2 Each members Club shall pay to the Association annual fees for affiliation (to be determined by the Executive Committee) and affiliation to Bowls England (to be determined by Bowls England) not later than the 1st January each year. Any Club failing to pay the affiliation fees by the date mentioned shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership unless the Executive Committee are satisfied with the reasons for the delay.
7.3 Each member Club shall purchase at least one Association Year Book and one Bowls England Year Book.
Resignation
8.1 A club may terminate its membership by giving written notice of its intention not to renew its membership for the coming year to the Association Secretary/BE Council Member by the 30th September.
8.2. Any debts outstanding must be paid to the Association before re-admission to membership.
Annual General Meeting
9.1 The Annual General meeting of the Association shall be held during Standard week 3 of each year with one third of those eligible to attend and vote to form a quorum. The notice and agenda of this meeting, a copy of the accounts to the preceding 30th November and a balance Sheet as at that date shall be sent to each club at least 14 days before the meeting.
9.2 The President and the Senior Vice President shall be appointed at the A. G. M. and serve in each capacity for one year. The Association Chairperson shall be appointed at the AGM for a term of 3 years. The Association Secretary/BE Council Member, Assistant Association Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, Ladies’ and Men’s Match Secretaries, Ladies’ and Men’s Assistant Match Secretaries, Ladies’ and Men’s Competitions Secretaries, Ladies’ and Men’s Assistant Competitions Secretaries shall be appointed at the A. G. M. and shall be eligible for re-election et the end of their terms of office.
9.3 Nominations from Affiliated Clubs for the posts of Junior Vice President and any other advertised vacancies must be with the Association Secretary/BE Council member at least 14 days before the AGM. Nominations will only be taken from the floor if no prior nominations have been received. In the event of there being more than one nomination for any post, a paper ballot shall be conducted at the Annual General meeting, the winner being decided by a simple majority.
9.4 Each affiliated Club shall be entitled to be represented by two delegates, one of each gender would be preferred, at the Annual General meeting and who along with the Executive and Management Officers shall be entitled to vote.
9.5 Every item on the agenda may be discussed and the outcome of any vote taken shall be announced and recorded.
9.6 Notices of intended proposals may be submitted by affiliated clubs to the Executive Committee which must be received by the Association Secretary/BE Council Member at least 28 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.
9.7 All changes to the Constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of those in attendance and entitled to vote in order to succeed. All matters other than changes to the constitution shall be by simple majority, and the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
9.8 The Executive Committee may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting upon 21 days notice to each affiliated Club. The agenda for such a Meeting shall state clearly the nature of the business to be transacted and no other business shall be transacted at that Meeting.
9.9 One third of the total affiliated clubs may call for an Extraordinary General Meeting.
9.9.1 The Accounts shall be audited by two auditors, appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
County Matches
The Management Committees will arrange competitive, inter-county and other association matches as detail in the Regulations.
County Dress, Badges and Flashes
The Association’s dress code, the awarding of County badges and flashes are as detailed in the Association Regulations.
Competitions
The Management Committees will arrange competitions as detailed in the Association Regulations.
Disciplinary Procedures, Disputes and Appeals
The Executive Committee will administer Disciplinary Procedures, Disputes and Appeals, as specified in the Rules and Regulations.
Benevolent Fund
The governance of and applicable rules shall be details in the Benevolent Fund Rules.
Indemnity
Each Member (and employee from time to time) of the Association shall (to the extent that such person is not entitled to recover under any policy of insurance) be entitled to be indemnified out of any and all funds available to Huntingdonshire Bowls which may lawfully be so applied, against all costs, expenses and liabilities whatsoever incurred by such person in the proper execution and discharge of duties undertaken on behalf of Huntingdonshire Bowls or arising there from or incurred in good faith in the purported discharge of such duties.
16 Monetary Gain
No person, or a firm, company or undertaking in which any association representative or officer is involved, shall be entitled to derive or otherwise receive any income, benefit or advantage from the Association where that person is able to determine or materially influence the amount or nature of that income, benefit or advantage. Provided that any persons who renders professional services to the Association shall be entitled to be paid all usual and reasonable professional business and trade charges for work done for the Association. The provisions and effect of this paragraph shall not be removed from this Constitution and shall be included and implied in any new Constitution replacing this Constitution.
Dissolution
17.1 A motion to dissolve the Association shall only be proposed at an Extraordinary General Meeting at which it is the only item on the agenda and shall only become a resolution of the Association if supported by at least three-quarters of the voting members present.
17.2 The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the Executive Committee shall be responsible for the winding up of assets and liabilities of the Association.
17.3 Any property remaining after discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Association shall be used for the benefit of the Sport of Bowls.
Matters Not Provided For
Any matters, which arise, that are not covered by this Constitution shall be brought before the Executive Committee and referred to the Council if deemed necessary, whose decision shall be final, save for matters of law.
Alterations to the Constitution of the Association
Alterations or addition to all or any of this Constitution shall only be made at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for that purpose.