Our Club Constitution & Bye-Laws
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Stewarton Bowling Club Constitution
1. Name and Object
The Club shall be called Stewarton Bowling Club.
The object of the Club shall be the promotion of good fellowship through bowling and mutual recreation.
The Club is a non-profit making organisation. All profits and annual surpluses will be used to maintain or improve the facilities of the Club.
No profit or surplus will be distributed other than to another non-profit making body on a winding-up or dissolution of the Club. (See Clause 11)
2. Management
The Management Committee
The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by the Management Committee which shall consist of Office bearers and Ordinary Committee members, all of whom shall be elected, in rotation, at the Annual General Meeting.
The Management Committee shall consist of 7 Office bearers:
- Chairperson (either the Gents President or the Ladies President in alternate years)
- Vice Chairperson (either the Ladies Vice President or Gents Vice President in alternate years)
- Club Treasurer
- Club Secretary
- Club Match Secretary
- Bar Convener
- Social Convener, and
- Green Bailie & Property Convener
The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be appointed annually at AGM; all other Office bearers shall be elected (in rotation) for a period of 3 years.
The Management Committee shall have 8 Ordinary Committee members – the 2 non-office bearing Gents / Ladies Presidents / Vice Presidents (elected annually), plus 6 others elected (in rotation) for a period of 3 years at the AGM. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the Management Committee, it may be filled by co-option by the remaining members of the Committee and the person co-opted shall serve only for the term of the member replaced.
Office Bearers Duties
The Chairperson, whom failing the Vice chairperson, shall preside over all meetings of the Management Committee and all General meetings of the Club, and in the absence of both the Committee shall appoint one of its members to chair the meeting. The Chair shall have a deliberative and casting vote.
The Club Treasurer shall keep accounts detailing the financial affairs of the Club, reporting monthly to the Management Committee and annually to the AGM.
He/she shall convene Finance Committee meetings as required and maintain communication with Bowling Section Games Committee Treasurers.
The Club Secretary shall control the correspondence of the Club and shall take minutes of Management Committee and General Meetings, and maintain communication with Bowling Section Games Committee Secretaries.
The Club Match Secretary, in conjunction with Bowling Section Games Committee Match Secretaries, shall control all Club Competitions, Club Fixtures, Wapenschaws and Special Games, reporting monthly to Management Committee. All grievanœs regarding games must be submitted in writing to the Club Match Secretary.
The Bar Convener shall control bar stock, convene Bar Committee meetings as required and report monthly to the Management Committee.
The Green Bailie/Property Convener is responsible for the green, will direct the work of the Green keeper and determine when the green is playable. In the absence of the Green Bailie or his/her Deputy, two members of the Management Committee shall make any decision regarding play on the green. The Property Convener shall be responsible for the property of the Club. Reports shall be made monthly to the Management Committee.
Committee Meetings
The Management Committee shall meet on the third Wednesday each month (except July & December) or as the business of the Club demands. 8 persons shall constitute a quorum. It shall cause minutes of meetings, proper records and books of accounts to be kept, with an Annual Report and Audited Accounts to be submitted at the AGM.
The Club Secretary, on the instruction of the Chairperson (whom failing the Vice Chairperson), shall call meetings of the Management Committee. In the absence of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, the Secretary shall have power to call meetings.
Sub Committees
The Management Committee shall establish such sub-committees it deems necessary to carry out the business of the club; including Bar, Social, Green, Property, Finance and Catering sub-committees, along with any other sub-committee which may be required.
All sub-committees shall be chaired by an Office bearer or appointed Convener.
The responsibility for organising games shall be vested in the Bowling Section Games Committees: Ladies, Gents and Seniors (see clause 3).
3. Bowling Sections
Each Bowling Section (Ladies, Gents and Seniors) shall have a Bowling Section Games Committee responsible for all Bowling matters pertaining to their Section, and shall be accountable to the Management Committee via the Club Match Secretary.
Bowling Section Committees
Each Bowling Section Committee shall comprise a President / Chairperson, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Match Secretary as required, all of whom shall be elected annually by ballot of members of the relevant Section. In addition, there shall be a number of Committee members elected annually by Ordinary members, each to serve for 3 years in rotation.
Members of the Management Committee shall be eligible to be elected to serve on their respective Bowling Committees. Vacancies can be filled by co-option.
A member who has served for 3 years shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election.
Bowling Section Committee Meetings
The Bowling Committees shall meet weekly during the bowling season or as the business of the Club demands. 50% of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Proper records and accounts must be kept
In conjunction with the Section Match Secretary, the President, whom failing the Vice President, shall preside over all meetings of the Bowling Sections.
4. General Meetings
Club AGM
The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on the first
Thursday in March.
The Agenda will include:
- Minute of the previous year’s AGM
- Management Committee Chairperson’s Report
- Club Secretary’s report
- Club Treasurer’s Report and presentation of Accounts & Appointment of Auditors
- Election of Bowling Sections’ Presidents / Chairperson & Vice Presidents
- Election of Management Committee Office bearers
- Election of Management Committee Ordinary members
- Fixing the annual fees
- Management Committee recommendations
- Other business – written notice of which have been passed to the Club Secretary 10 days prior to the Club AGM.
The Club Secretary shall have a Notice of the AGM displayed on the Notice board 35 days before the AGM and inviting Notices of Motion from members.
At the same time, the Club Secretary shall display a listing of all vacancies requiring to be filled. Nominations for election at the AGM must be lodged in writing with the Club Secretary not later than 21 days before the date of the AGM. Nominations must be signed by two Ordinary or Honorary members of the Club and must have the consent of the nominee who must be a member.
A detailed Agenda and associated papers will be delivered to Ordinary and Honorary members 7 days before the AGM. One third of the total membership must be present to constitute a quorum.
Any proposal to change to the Constitution must be submitted in writing to the Club Secretary, signed by two members eligible to vote at the AGM. Any change will require a two thirds majority of those present.
Special General Meetings
The Management Committee may call a Special General Meeting (SGM) at any time. The Club Secretary shall have a notice of a Special General Meeting issued to each member not later than 14 days before the date of the meeting. No business other than that specified in the notice shall be transacted at the meeting.
A Special General Meeting of the Club shall be called at any time on a requisition signed by 25 members eligible to vote and presented to the Club Secretary stating the business to be considered. Such a meeting will be notified to Members not later than 21 days after the requisition has been received. Notice of such a Special General meeting shall be issued not later than 14 days before the date of the meeting.
One third of the total membership must be present to constitute a quorum.
No members shall be allowed on the green while an SGM is taking place.
At all AGMs & SGMs, members must register their attendance by signing the census roll presented. Any member failing to comply with this requirement will be disqualified from taking any part whatsoever in the proceedings.
In the event of any AGM or SGM or any such extra-ordinary meeting being inquorate, the office bearers and Management Committee shall be empowered to deal with the issues contained within the requisition calling the meeting.
Bowling Section AGMs
Separate General Meetings of each Bowling Section shall be held annually for the purpose of electing each Bowling Committee and transacting any competent business pertaining to their respective Sections.
The Annual General Meetings of the Ladies Bowling Section, the Gents Bowling Section and the Senior Bowling Section will take place in the weeks following the Club AGM. The relevant Bowling Section Secretaries shall have notice of the relevant Section Meetings issued to each member not less than 7 days before the meeting.
The President/ Chairperson of each Bowling Section will chair the Bowling Section AGM and seek to appoint Office bearers and Ordinary members as required.
5. Membership
Any person seeking to join the Club shall submit an application form to the Management Committee. Membership is open to all and no application will be refused other than on reasonable grounds.
There will be no discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, political or other opinion, sex or sexual orientation. All members can be assured of an environment in which their rights, dignity and individual worth are respected.
It is a condition of membership that applicants agree to be bound by the Constitution and any Bye‑Laws. Copies will be made available to new members.
Ordinary Members
Ordinary members, having paid full fees, shall be eligible to vote at the AGM or any Bowling Section AGM.
Suspended Members
Suspended membership must be applied for annually in writing, except in cases of long‑term illness. Suspended members are non‑playing and non‑voting; they may access the clubhouse but may not sign in guests.
6. Finance
The Club financial year shall run from 1 January to 31 December.
Club Funds
All funds shall be deposited in the name of the Club in such Bank or Building Society accounts as nominated by the Management Committee. Cheques must be signed by the Club Treasurer and either the Chairperson or Club Secretary.
The spending power of the Management Committee, excluding bar trading and green upkeep, shall not exceed £10,000 in any one year, nor £5,000 on any one item.
The Joker Fund shall be used to improve the amenities of the Club, including social and capital projects approved by the Management Committee.
Annual Subscription
Annual subscriptions shall be recommended by the Management Committee and approved at the AGM. Fees are payable on or before 31 March. Membership shall be considered lapsed if fees are unpaid without just cause.
All members are jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club. The Management Committee shall ensure appropriate insurance cover is maintained.
7. Green Access
The Club Match Secretary, in conjunction with Section Match Secretaries, shall establish a Club Fixture Card. National and District competitions will also be added. The Management Committee may reserve the green for specific events.
At all other times, Ordinary and Honorary members shall have equal access. If all rinks are in use, members wishing to play ties or friendly matches should add their names to a waiting list. All players must be present before adding names. Ties take priority over friendly matches.
Members may introduce a friend to the green occasionally; no visitor may play more than 3 games per season.
The Green Bailie has full responsibility for determining when the green is playable. In their absence, two Management Committee members shall decide.
8. Complaints, Disputes and Discipline
Complaints and Disputes
All complaints relating to bowling matters must be submitted in writing to the Club Match Secretary. These will be considered by the relevant Bowling Section Committee or, in serious cases, the Management Committee.
Unacceptable Conduct
If the conduct of any member is considered detrimental to the Club, the Management Committee may initiate Disciplinary Procedures (see Appendix).
Concerns relating to conduct must be submitted in writing to the Club Secretary.
9. Licensing
The Club has been granted a Premises Licence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. No member of the Management Committee or employee shall have any personal interest in the sale of excisable liquor or profits arising therefrom.
No excisable liquor shall be sold to any person under 18. No excisable liquor shall be sold for consumption off the premises except to a member or licence holder.
10. Visitors
All visitors (except members of other Bowling Clubs) must be signed in. A visitor shall not be supplied with any drink unless on the invitation and in the company of a member. The member must enter their own name and the visitor’s name and address in the Visitors’ Book.
Children and Young Persons may enter the premises for appropriate activities but must be accompanied by an adult. They may not enter the bar, lounge, cellar or kitchen.
11. Dissolution
The Club shall not be dissolved except by agreement of at least two‑thirds of members present and entitled to vote at a duly convened SGM. Any surplus remaining after liabilities are met shall be transferred to non‑profit‑making organisations within and around Stewarton, or failing that, to the Association to which the Club is affiliated.