YORKSHIRE CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCIATION
REVISED RULES ADOPTED AT A GENERAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION
HELD ON 30th NOVEMBER, 2001
Name Definitions and Interpretation
1. (1) The name of the Association is "Yorkshire Contract Bridge Association" (hereinafter called "YCBA").
(2) In these Rules the following terms have the following meanings:
(a) “Affiliated Club” means a club or association affiliated to YCBA and to the EBU in accordance with Rule 5.
(b) “AGM” means the Annual General Meeting of YCBA.
(c) “Council” means the Council of YCBA established by Rule 6.
(d) “EBU” means The English Bridge Union.
(e) “Event” means a competition league congress match or
other like event organised licensed supervised sponsored
by, or otherwise under the jurisdiction of, YCBA.
(f) “Financial Year” means YCBA’s
financial year from 1st April to 31st March or such
other dates as the Council
may from time to time determine.
(g) “Management Committee” means the Management Committee of YCBA established by Rule 8.
(h) “Secretary” means the Secretary for the time being of YCBA.
(i) “Yorkshire” means the
counties of South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and the East
Riding of
Yorkshire
and such other area or areas adjacent thereto as the Council may from time to
time determine but
provided that there be no body or association similar
to YCBA established in such other area or areas at the
time of the determination.
(3)
Words importing the masculine gender shall be deemed to include the feminine
gender and neutral gender and vice
versa and words importing the singular number shall include the plural number and vice versa.
2. The objects for which YCBA is established are
(1) to provide a representative body in Yorkshire
(a) to regulate and administer the playing of competitive Duplicate Contract Bridge; and
(b) to organize and manage or to
assist in the organisation and management or to license or otherwise to promote
or
assist in the promotion of Events and of Duplicate Contract Bridge generally.
(2) to be a constituent member of the EBU and of its Council and
accordingly to observe the regulations contained in the
schedules to the Articles of Association of English Bridge
Union Limited, the Bye-laws of the EBU and the
decisions of the Council of the EBU; and
(3) to do all such other things as are incidental to the above objects.
Membership and Subscriptions - Individuals
3.
(1) (a) An individual may
become a member of YCBA by paying a subscription (whether annual or
otherwise) of such sum
as has been determined in accordance with Rule 10(2)(ii) and
also such subscription (whether annual or otherwise)
as shall be due and
payable to the EBU. Such individual (a “Member”)
shall thereby be deemed to have agreed to be
bound by these Rules, by any amendment thereof, and by
the rules regulations and decisions of the EBU.
(b) A Member shall be entitled to attend speak and cast one vote at the
General Meetings of YCBA and to all other
rights and privileges of membership.
(2) No Member shall by reason of his membership incur or be under any financial liability except to pay his subscriptions.
(3) Annual
subscriptions shall become due on the first day of the Financial Year and shall
be paid not later than the last day
of the second month of the Financial Year (or such other date or dates as the
Council may determine) and by such
means as the Council may determine.
(4) If
any Member's annual subscription has not been received by the last day of the
third month of the Financial Year or
by such other date as may be determined by the Council, the
Secretary or other person authorised by the Management
Committee shall have the authority to remove that Member's name from the list of Members.
(5) No
member shall by reason of resignation or non payment of membership fees avoid
any obligation previously incurred
to YCBA.
Conduct of Players
4. (1) In this Rule the term “Player” means any person (including a Member) who participates in an Event.
(2)
Every Player shall be required to conform to the standards of fair play
courtesy and personal deportment prescribed in
the Bye-laws and regulations for the time being of EBU. To enforce that obligation the Management Committee shall
(a) appoint an Appeals Sub-Committee in
accordance with Rule 8(5) whose function shall be to consider and rule
upon matters of Law and Ethics arising from Events played in
the absence of a director or in the presence of a
director but in the absence of an Appeals Committee or
referee. The Management Committee shall have power
from time to time as it may think fit to vary the
composition of that Sub-Committee. The number of members of
the Sub-Committee shall be not fewer than three nor more
than five, a quorum being three of its members from
time to time. Its Chairman shall be appointed by its members.
(b) appoint a Conduct Sub-Committee
in accordance with Rule 8(5). The Management Committee shall have power
from time to time as it may think fit to vary the
composition of that Sub-Committee. The number of members of
the Sub-Committee shall be not less than three and not more
than five, a quorum being three of its members from
time to time. Its Chairman shall be appointed by its members.
(3)
The details of any matter to be considered by either of the Sub-Committees
established in Rules 4(2)(a) or 4(2)(b) shall
be communicated in writing to the Secretary (or other
appropriate official of the YCBA) who will refer it to the
appropriate Sub-Committee.
(4)
The procedures of the Conduct Sub-Committee shall conform to those prescribed
in the Bye-Laws of EBU for enquiry
by its Laws and Ethics Committee into allegations of misconduct by its members. It shall have powers
(a) to make findings and decisions consequent
thereon in respect of allegations brought to its attention. The
Sub-Committee
shall have powers to decide as it may think fit to select and give effect to one
or more of the
following provisions in relation thereto:
(i) that the Player shall be rebuked;
(ii) that the Player shall be censured and admonished;
(iii) that the Player shall be barred from all or such as it may specify of Events for such period as it shall determine.
(b) at any time (whether it has
commenced any procedure in respect of the allegation or not) to refer the
allegation to
EBU
for the consideration of its Laws and Ethics Committee in the manner prescribed
in the EBU's Bye-Laws and
in so doing it shall have fully discharged its responsibilities in the matter.
(5) (a) The findings and decisions of the
Conduct Sub-Committee under Rule 4(4) above shall be delivered to the Player in
writing and shall have effect 21 days thereafter
except that the Player shall have the right to appeal against the said
findings and decisions (other than the exercise of powers in Rule 4(4)(b) above) within the said period of 21 days.
(b) In the event of an appeal any decision to apply the
provisions of Rule 4(4)(a) (i)
(ii) and (iii) shall not take effect
until the appeal has been determined.
(c) Any such appeal shall be referred to an appeals committee
to be appointed by the EBU acting by its Laws and Ethics
Committee
(“Appeals Committee”). The Appeals Committee may consider the
appeal as it thinks fit and confirm or
vary the findings and decisions of the Conduct Sub-Committee
but may not impose any penalty that the Conduct
Sub-Committee itself could not impose.
(d) The Appeals Committee may decide the allegation should be
referred to the Laws and Ethics Committee as an
allegation of misconduct under the Bye-Laws of the EBU
relating to conduct. In such cases the findings and
decisions of the Conduct Sub-Committee shall be revoked and the Player shall be so informed.
Membership and Subscriptions – Affiliated Clubs
5. (1) Any Contract
Bridge Club Association or Contract Bridge playing section of a club located in
Yorkshire (whether or
not all or any of its members are Members of YCBA) may apply
to the Council to become a Club affiliated to YCBA
and to EBU then, on payment of a subscription (whether
annual or otherwise) of such sum as has been determined
in accordance with Rule 10(2)(ii) and on due payment of the
appropriate EBU subscription, the applicant shall
become an Affiliated Club and shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of membership.
(2) Each
Affiliated Club shall be subject at all times to the Rules of YCBA and to the
general jurisdiction of the Council.
Subject thereto each Affiliated Club shall conduct its affairs in such manner as it considers appropriate.
The Council
6. (1) The Council shall
consist of representatives appointed in accordance with Rule 6(2) and (3)
(“Representatives”); the
members of the Management Committee as defined in Rule 8(2);
any co-opted members of the Management
Committee as defined in Rule 8(6); and any appointed officials as defined in Rule 8(7).
(2)
Each Affiliated Club may appoint one Representative to serve on the Council for
every 50 members of YCBA or part
thereof who are also members of that Affiliated Club and
whose subscriptions were paid in the preceding
Financial Year.
(3) No
Affiliated Club shall have more than three Representatives (excluding elected
officers of YCBA who for the
purposes of this Rule 6 may or may not be counted as
Representatives as the Affiliated Club shall decide). Any
Representative
may be represented by an alternate duly appointed by the Affiliated Club and
provided that the
name of the alternate has been notified to the Secretary prior to the start of the relevant meeting.
(4)
The names and addresses of the appointed Representatives shall be forwarded to
the Secretary not later than 31st May in
each year or by such other date as the Management Committee may from time to time determine.
(5)
Representatives shall hold office as members of the Council from 1st
June in one year until 31st May following or for
such other period as the Council may from time to time determine.
(6)
The Council may by a resolution approved by three quarters of the votes cast at
a duly convened meeting resolve to
remove any Representative from membership of the Council.
The intention to move such a resolution must be
notified to the members of the Council and to the said
Representative not less than fourteen days prior to the
meeting at which such resolution will be proposed.
(7)
The meetings of the Council shall be held twice in each year one of which
meetings shall immediately follow the AGM
and the other shall be held as nearly as practicable six months thereafter. Additional meetings of the Council may be called
(a) by resolution of the Management
Committee at such times as in the opinion of the Management Committee the
business for consideration or discussion is sufficient to warrant such meeting being called; or
(b) at the written request to the Secretary of not less than one fifth in number of the members of the Council.
(8)
If a vacancy of a Representative shall occur it may be filled by the Affiliated
Club entitled to representation by virtue
of such vacancy in accordance with these Rules.
(9)
The quorum for a meeting of the Council shall be 15 Representatives (or duly
appointed and notified alternate Representatives).
(10) A resolution
put to a meeting of the Council shall be decided by a show of hands or at the
discretion of the Chairman of
the meeting, or at the request made before or after a show of hands of not less than one third of those present, by a ballot.
Officers
7. (1) The Officers of
YCBA, shall be a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer and one or
more Assistant
Secretaries (with or without specific duties) who shall be elected
at an AGM. In addition the following Officers
may be elected at an AGM;
(a) a President and
(b) a Vice-President or Vice-Presidents.
(2)
Each Officer shall be deemed to be elected if only one nomination for that
position has been received. A ballot shall
be held if more than one nomination has been received for a
position. Vice-Presidents shall be elected by show of
hands. Nominations shall be made in writing and be received
by the Secretary not later than fourteen days before
the date of the AGM and shall be notified to all Affiliated
Clubs not later than seven days before the AGM.
Nominations
shall bear the signature of the proposer, the seconder and the nominee. In the event that
insufficient
nominations have been received for any particular position
or positions, those nominated shall be deemed to be
elected and nominations for unfilled positions shall be
taken verbally at the AGM. If more verbal nominations are
received than are required to fill the vacancies, a ballot
shall be taken of those candidates who were nominated
verbally at the AGM.
(3)
All Officers except the President and Vice-Presidents shall hold office until
the next ensuing AGM; the President and
Vice-Presidents
shall hold office until resignation; provided always that the Council may by a
resolution approved
by not less than three quarters of the members of Council
eligible to attend at any meeting of the Council require
the resignation of any Officer or member of the Management
Committee. The intention to move such a resolution
shall be notified to the
members of the Council (including such Officer or member) at least fourteen
days prior to
the meeting at which the resolution is to be proposed.
(4)
Should any vacancy occur in the Officers of YCBA such vacancy shall be filled
by the Management Committee at its
meeting next ensuing and the person so chosen shall hold office until the next ensuing AGM.
(5) Should the Council resolve that the business of YCBA so
warrants, it may appoint a paid secretary or other agent to
take over the duties of the elected Secretary and the office
of the elected Secretary will be suspended. Such
appointment will be bound by Rule 7(2) and (3). The
Council will authorise the Management Committee to pay
to such paid Secretary or other agent such remuneration as
the Council considers fit and shall define his duties.
Management Committee
8. (1) The business of YCBA and the promotion of its objects shall
be carried out and managed by the Management
Committee which shall not exceed ten in number. The
Management Committee shall have full power to bind
YCBA in all matters that are within its Objects.
(2) The Management Committee shall consist of:
(a) the Chairman
(b) the Vice-Chairman
(c) the Secretary
(d) the Assistant Secretary or Assistant Secretaries
(e) the Treasurer
(f) such other Members of YCBA
who shall be elected and hold office in the same manner as the Officers,
that is in accordance with Rule 7(2) (3) and (4).
(3) The quorum for meetings of the Management Committee shall be five members present of that Committee.
(4) The Management Committee shall meet whenever the business of YCBA shall so require.
(5)
The Management Committee may establish such Sub-Committees whether standing or
otherwise as it shall consider
necessary or appropriate. Members of standing
Sub-Committees will remain in place until removed or replaced
by a resolution of the Management Committee.
Membership of Sub-Committees of the Management Committee
shall not be restricted to members of the Management Committee.
(6) The Management Committee may co-opt additional non-voting members from among the membership of YCBA.
(7) The Management Committee may appoint from among Members of YCBA officials to perform specific duties.
(8)
The Management Committee shall produce to each meeting of the Council a report
on its work and activities and that
of its Sub-Committees in respect of the period from the date of its preceding report to the Council.
(9) Minutes
of the meetings of the Management Committee shall be taken and copies shall be
circulated within two weeks
of each meeting to the secretaries of all Affiliated Clubs
sufficient in number for such secretaries and for each
Representative.
(10) A record
shall be kept of the attendance at meetings of all Officers and members of the
Management Committee and
the attendance records of any Officers and members seeking re-election shall be announced at the AGM.
(11) (a) The Management Committee shall have the
power if it considers it necessary or advisable so to do to appoint
trustees (“Trustees”) (not exceeding four in number) in whom
the property of YCBA shall be vested (other
than cash which will be under the control of the Management Committee).
(b) The Trustees shall deal with the property of YCBA as
directed by resolution of the Management Committee
(of which an entry in the minute book of the Management
Committee shall be conclusive evidence) and the
Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of YCBA's property.
(c) The Trustees shall hold office until resignation or until
removed from office by resolution of the Management
Committee
which may be for any reason which may seem sufficient to a majority of the
members of the
Management Committee present and voting at any meeting.
(d) Where by reason of any such resignation or removal it
shall appear necessary to the Management Committee that
a new Trustee shall be appointed or, if the Management
Committee should deem it expedient to appoint an
additional Trustee, the Management Committee shall by
resolution nominate the person to be appointed a new
Trustee. For the purpose of giving effect to such
nomination the Chairman is nominated as the person to appoint
new Trustees of YCBA within the meaning of section 36 of the
Trustee Act 1925 and he shall by deed appoint the
persons so
nominated by the Management Committee as the new Trustee of YCBA and the
provisions of the
Trustee
Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in
any such Deed of Appointment shall,
in
favour of a person dealing bona fide and for value with YCBA or the Management
Committee, be conclusive
evidence of the fact so stated.
(12) The
Management Committee shall appoint from its own number delegates and reserve
delegates to the EBU Council in
accordance with YCBA's entitlement
as defined by the Bye-Laws of the EBU. In the event that it shall not be
possible
to appoint sufficient delegates from among its own number,
any Members shall be eligible to be appointed to make up
the required number.
Finances
9. (1) The Management
Committee shall be responsible for the proper management of the finances of YCBA
including the
collection of and accounting for all income and capital
receipts including subscriptions and fees and for the payment
of all debts and liabilities and for recommending to the AGM the level at which subscriptions be set.
(2)
The Accounts of YCBA for each Financial Year shall be audited as soon as
practicable after the end of each Financial
Year by accountants appointed by the Council. The
accountants of YCBA at the date of the adoption of these Rules are
Brown Butler, Chartered Accountants of Yorkshire Bank Chambers,
Infirmary Street, Leeds LS1 2JT.
(3) A
copy of the Accounts of YCBA shall be presented to the Council for its approval
at its meeting immediately
following the AGM and shall also be presented to the AGM in accordance with Rule 10(2).
(4)
The Management Committee shall lay before the Council at its meeting next
following one month after the date of any
Event
organised by or on behalf of YCBA detailed accounts of such Event. If
accounts shall not have been produced
within the specified period full financial details of such
Event will be included in an addendum to the Annual Accounts
submitted to Council pursuant to paragraph (3) of this Rule.
Annual General Meeting
10. (1) An AGM shall be held once in
every calendar year at such time (not being more than fifteen months after the
holding
of the last preceding AGM) and place as the Management
Committee shall determine. In default of an AGM being
so held an AGM may be convened by any two members of the
Council in the same manner as nearly as possible as
that in which AGMs shall be convened by the Management Committee.
(2) The business of the AGM shall be
(i) to receive and consider the annual accounts of YCBA.
(ii) to set the annual subscriptions to take effect from the
commencement of the Financial Year next following and to
confirm or otherwise any class of subscription set by the Management Committee.
(iii) to receive a report from the Management Committee of the activities of YCBA in the preceding year.
(iv) to elect Officers and Management Committee for the ensuing year in accordance with Rules 7 and 8.
(v) to decide on any resolution which
may be submitted to the Meeting of which notice in writing to the Secretary has
been given not later than twenty eight days before the date of the AGM.
(vi) to consider the working of any Sub-Committees of the Management Committee.
Extraordinary General Meetings
11. (1) All general meetings of the Members other than the AGM shall be called Extraordinary General Meetings.
(2)
The Management Committee or the Council may whenever they think fit convene an
Extraordinary General Meeting
and must do so on the written request to the Secretary
of not less than 50 Members or one tenth of the Members of
YCBA for the time being (whichever is the lesser).
Notice of General Meetings
12. (1) Notice of AGMs and of
Extraordinary General Meetings of YCBA shall be sent to the Members of the
Management
Committee,
the members of the Council, the secretaries of Affiliated
Clubs, and to Members who are not known to
be members of Affiliated Clubs not later than twenty eight
days before the date fixed for the meeting (or ten days
before the date fixed for a postponed general meeting)
whether arising from Rule 13(3), or otherwise, specifying
the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the
general nature of the business to be carried out at the meeting.
(2)
Notice of a General Meeting contained in any YCBA publication sent to Members
who are not known to be members
of Affiliated Clubs shall constitute service of that Notice to such Members.
(3)
The sending of Notice of General Meetings to a secretary of an Affiliated Club
in accordance with Rule 12(1) shall be
deemed to be valid service of notice to Members who are
members of that Affiliated Club. It shall be the responsibility
of the secretaries of Affiliated Clubs to convey Notice of
General Meetings to such of its members
as are Members of YCBA by such means as they shall determine.
(4)
The accidental omission to give notice to, or the non-receipt of notice of a
meeting by, any of those entitled to receive
the same shall not invalidate the proceedings of any meeting.
Proceedings at General Meetings
13. (1) No business shall be
transacted at any general meeting of Members unless a quorum of Members is
present at the time when
the meeting proceeds
to business; save as herein otherwise provided twenty Members personally
present shall be a quorum.
(2) A
resolution put to a General Meeting save for the
election of Officers or of Management Committee members (as to which
Rules
7 and 8 shall apply) shall be decided by a show of hands, or at the discretion
of the Chairman of the Meeting or at the
request made before or after a show of hands of not less than one third of those present, by a ballot.
(3)
If within half an hour of the time appointed for any General Meeting a quorum
is not present, the meeting, if convened upon
the requisition of Members, shall be dissolved; in any
other case it shall be postponed for a period not exceeding twenty-one
days and upon the day thus appointed if a quorum is not
present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting the
Members present shall be a quorum.
Voting procedures
14. (1) Show of Hands.
Each Member present and entitled to vote shall be entitled to one vote.
(2) Ballot.
Each Member present and entitled to vote will be entitled to one written vote
save that at a meeting of the Council Representatives
present may also cast the vote or votes of any absent
Representative or Representatives. In no case may votes be cast on behalf
of an
Affiliated Club exceed the number of Representatives nor may votes be cast on behalf of an Affiliated Club not represented at the meeting.
(3) Casting Vote
In the event of a tied vote, the Chairman of any meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
(4) A
declaration by the Chairman of any meeting that a resolution has been carried,
or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority,
or lost, shall be conclusive evidence, save in case of
manifest error, in favour of, or against, that particular resolution and an
entry
shall be made to that effect in the Minutes of the meeting.
(5) Unless otherwise specified a resolution at any meeting shall be decided by simple majority.
Amendment of Rules
15. These Rules may be added to, repealed or amended
by a resolution put to a General Meeting of YCBA provided that notice of the
meeting
including
notice of the proposed resolution(s) has been given in accordance with Rule 12
and provided that such resolution be approved
by
at least two thirds of the Members present voting thereon and provided that the
number of votes cast in favour of the alteration(s)
shall
be not less than thirty.