CONSTITUTION AND RULES THE SWINDON & DISTRICT BOWLING ASSOCIATION

TITLE:

  1. The Association shall be called ‘The Swindon & District Bowling Association’.

OBJECTS:

  1. The objects of the Association shall be:

(a) To promote, foster and encourage level green games of bowls in the Swindon & District area.

(b) To adopt and enforce the laws of the game as laid down by Bowls England.

(c) To organise League Matches, Competitions and Representative matches.

(d) To interpret and arbitrate in all differences referred to the Association.

MEMBERSHIP:

  1. (a) Association shall be open to all bona-fide Affiliated Clubs as approved by the Executive.

(b) Clubs applying for membership must forward with their application, a copy of their Rules, the number of their membership and names of their Club Officers and the situation of their green, which must not be more than 15 miles from Swindon Town Hall by the shortest driving route.

(c) The Executive shall have power to elect Honorary Members for special services rendered to the game, but such members, though entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting and Delegate meetings, shall have no right to vote, unless nominated to represent an Affiliated Club.

FINANCE

  1. The accounts of the Association shall be made up to the 31st October in each year and be audited by a affliated club member to be elected at the Annual General Meeting, such elected member shall not be a member of the Executive. Each Affiliated Club shall pay an annual subscription, as determined at the Annual General Meeting, not later than the 1st April in each year. Cheques should be payable to ‘The Swindon & District Bowling Association’ . If not paid by the 1st April then the club may be removed from all Swindon and District competitions at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

ADMINISTRATION

  1. The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by the Executive consisting of :

(a) President or chairman, honorary secretary, honorary treasurer, honorary 4-rink secretary, honorary afternoon secretary, honorary Association match secretary and honorary competition secretary to be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

Nominations for all officers to be proposed and seconded by the member’s own club by 1st October in each year. In the event of no written nominations having been received by this date, nominations may be accepted from the floor at the Annual General Meeting.

(b) One Delegate from each Affiliated Club shall have the power of voting at all Delegate meetings.

A Quorum for Delegate meetings shall be 50% plus one.

A Quorum for Executive meetings shall be one third.

A Quorum for the AGM shall be 50% plus one of the club representatives in attendance.

c) In the event of a Delegate being unable to attend a Delegates’ meeting, a deputy from the same Club may attend and have the same rights and privileges of the appointed member.

d) The Executive can appoint when required:

– an Emergency and General Purposes Committee;

– an Appeals Committee.

e) The Executive shall have power to fill any vacancy arising during the year, in the respect of the Executive Officers of the Association.

f) The Executive shall meet as often as the business of the Association demands.

g) The Honorary Secretary shall send to each member an agenda of the business to be transacted, so as to reach them at least seven clear days before each meeting, unless such meeting is called by the Emergency and General Purposes Committee.

h) Attendance at Delegates Meetings and the Annual General Meeting: A £10 fine per meeting will be imposed on any club that does not send the Delegate or nominated representative to the two/three Delegates meeting a year or to the Annual General Meeting. If the fine is not paid within 28 days the club shall be deducted six points per team at the end of the season from the Evening League (Afternoon League if a club does not compete in the Evening League).

j) Any disputes will go to the executive who will follow Bowls England Guidance.

GENERAL MEETINGS

6. a) A general meeting of the Association shall be held during the month of November for the presentation of the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, election of Officers and other motions which have been submitted.

b) Notice of Motions, which must be in writing or email, shall be submitted by the Affiliated Clubs only, and must reach the Honorary Secretary not later than 28 days prior to the date of such meeting.

c) Following receipt of the agenda for the AGM, the onus is upon each delegate to seek and ascertain the views of his club on all AGM motions or propositions. It will reasonably be assumed that each delegate will then have a club mandate on each motion or proposition for the AGM.

d) Note provisions of Rule 5 (h) applies.

EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

  1. An extraordinary general meeting shall be called:-

(a) At the request of the Executive Committee .

(b) On a written requisition addressed to the Honorary Secretary of the Association by a Club and signed by three senior Officers of that Club.

(c) The Notice calling a Extraordinary general Meeting shall state the purpose for which it is called and no other business shall be transacted at that meeting.

d) Note provisions of Rule 5 (h) applies.

TROPHIES

  1. All trophies shall be competed for annually and shall remain the property of the Swindon & District Bowling Association and it shall be their responsibility for providing adequate insurance.

All trophies shall be returned in good order to the Honorary Competition Secretary no later than two weeks before finals weekend of each year. Any damage caused to the trophies by clubs shall be repaired or replaced by that Club, at their cost.

ASSOCIATION BADGES

  1. The Association blazer badge will be awarded to a player who has represented the Association in three matches during the period of three years. The cost of the badge will be borne by the recipient.

DRESS CODE

  1. Dress Code and footwear shall be as stated in Association competition rules with guidance from Bowls England.

RULES

  1. Alterations or additions to all or any of the foregoing Rules shall be made only at the Annual General meeting or at a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose.

DISSOLUTION

  1. If at any General Meeting of the Association a resolution is passed calling for the dissolution of the Association, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Extraordinary General Meeting within one month to discuss and vote on the resolution.

If the motion is carried by at least two thirds of the member clubs, the Executive shall proceed to realise the assets of the Association and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Association.

After discharging all debts and liabilities the remaining assets should be distributed equally to the clubs who were members at the time the resolution was carried.

The above was agreed at the Extraordinary General Meeting, 04 March 2024.