HOME COUNTIES BOWLS ASSOCIATION
FOUNDED 1970
CONSTITUTION
Revised March 2020
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TITLE
The Association shall be called the HOME COUNTIES BOWLS ASSOCIATION.
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MEMBERSHIP
2.1 The Association shall be a member of Bowls England
2.2 The County Bowling Associations of the Royal County of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Kent, Middlesex, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Sussex shall form the Association.
In the event of any boundary or name changes it shall consist of these Associations within approximately the same geographical area.
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OBJECTS
The objects of the Association shall be:
3.1 To promote, foster and safeguard the level green game of bowls for males.
3.2 To discuss and exchange ideas on bowling matters of common interest.
3.3 To arrange Senior and Junior matches between member Counties on a League basis.
3.4 To arrange Inter-Association and other Matches.
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
A yearly subscription at the rate fixed at the October Management meeting of the Association shall be paid not later than the 28th February in each year.
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OFFICERS
5.1 The Officers of the Association shall consist of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Competition Secretary elected at the Annual General Meeting and the Immediate Past Chairman (for one year only).
5.2 The Deputy Chairman shall be nominated from the Member Counties in alphabetical order.
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ADMINISTRATION
6.1 The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a Management Council consisting of the Officers and two accredited Delegates from each Member County, all of who shall be entitled to vote.
6.2 The Chairman of all meetings, besides having a deliberate vote, shall have a casting vote.
6.3 Past Chairmen shall be entitled to attend all meetings and to engage in discussion, but only the Immediate Past Chairman shall be entitled to vote.
6.4 All resolutions shall be decided by a majority vote.
6.5 Seven shall form a quorum.
6.6 The Management Council shall have power to fill any vacancy which may arise among the Officers during the year without calling a General Meeting. Any member so elected shall hold office until the next A.G.M.
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EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
The Emergency Committee, consisting of any three of the six Officers, shall deal with any matters arising between meetings of the Management Council, reporting back to the next meeting of the Council on any action taken.
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MANAGEMENT COUNCIL MEETINGS
8.1 The Agenda shall be sent to each Officer, Delegate and Past Chairmen at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.
8.2 The Hon. Secretary shall convene a meeting at any time he deems necessary, or on request of any two Member Counties.
8.3 The meeting to be held on the Monday of Week 43.
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
9.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held on or before the first Monday in March each year, or no later than 3 months from December 31st.
9.2 The notice of motions and agenda shall be sent to each Officer, Delegate and all Past Chairmen at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.
9.3 All Officers and Delegates shall retire from office at the Annual General Meeting each year.
9.4 Members of any Member County may attend, but only Officers and accredited Delegates of the Association may vote.
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HONORARY SECRETARY AND HONORARY TREASURER
10.1 The Hon. Secretary shall keep a record of the business transacted at all meetings and at each Annual General Meeting submit a report.
10.2 The Hon. Secretary will issue a League and Association Programme incorporating the names of the Officers and Management Council prior to the start of the season.
10.3 The Hon. Treasurer shall render a precise account of the Income and Expenditure for the past year to December 31st to the Annual General Meeting, examined and signed by a competent person duly elected at the Annual General Meeting.
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COUNTY SECRETARIES
County Secretaries shall be requested to send to the Hon. Secretary by 31st January each year:
11.1 A list of their home and away League Matches, together with dates and venues.
11.2 The names and addresses of the two County Delegates for the ensuing year.
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SEVERANCE OF MEMBERSHIP
Member Counties wishing to sever their membership shall notify the Hon. Secretary, in writing, not later than 1st January.
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ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION AND RULES
Alterations shall only be made at The Annual General Meeting and notice of the motion of such alterations shall be given in writing to the Hon. Secretary, in writing not later than 1st December.
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SAFEGUARDING
(a) The Association shall adhere to the safeguarding Policy of Bowls England as outlined below.
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS
The Association fully accepts its legal and moral obligations to exercise its duty of care and to protect all children (and vulnerable adults) participating in its activities, and to safeguard their welfare.
The Association is committed to do this by acknowledging that:
(a) The welfare of the child is paramount
(b) Each child irrespective of age, gender, religion, race or disability has the right to protection from abuse
(c) Each child has a right to be safe, and to be treated with respect and dignity.
The Association shall use its best endeavours to ensure that:
(a) All allegations of abuse are taken seriously
(b) The response to them is swift and appropriate
(c) The effectiveness of the policy is reviewed annually
(d) Coaches, and other adults, have recourse to any allegations made against them
(e) A responsible person(s) shall be appointed annually as a Safe Guarding Officer, to whom members can address any concerns.
The Members acknowledge that these Rules constitute a legally binding contract to regulate the relationship of the members with each other and the Association.
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UNDER-TAKING BY MEMBERS TO COMPLY WITH RULES.
15.1 Every member, upon election and thereafter, is deemed to have notice of, and undertakes to comply with, the Association Rules and any Byelaws and Regulations of The Association.
15.2 Disciplinary action against members.
(a) All disciplinary matters will be dealt with in accordance with Bowls England Regulation 9 (Misconduct) https://www.bowlsengland.com/uploads/R_R_AMENDED_May_2015_FINAL.pdf
(b) Should any member be expelled, the former member shall not be entitled to have any part of the annual membership fee refunded and must return any property belonging to The Association or external bodies forthwith.
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MEMBERS’ INDEMNIFICATION OF COMMITTEE
16.1 In pursuance of the authority vested in the Committee by members of the Association, members of the Committee are entitled to be indemnified by the members of the Association against any liabilities properly incurred by them or any one of them on behalf of the Association wherever the contract is of a duly authorised nature or could be assumed to be of a duly authorised nature and entered into on behalf of the Association.
(a) Indemnity Clause
“Each member 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 all funds available to the Association which may lawfully be so applied against all costs, expenses and liabilities whatsoever [reasonably] incurred by such person in the proper execution and discharge of duties undertaken on behalf of the Association arising therefrom, or incurred in good faith on the purported discharge of such duties.”
“Save in any such case where any such costs, expenses and liabilities arise in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust.”
16.2 The limit of any individual members’ indemnity is this respect shall be a sum equal to one year’s subscription at the then current rate of that category of membership unless The Committee has been authorised to exceed such limit by a General Meeting of the Association.
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EQUITY
The Association shall ensure that no member, volunteer, employee or job applicant receives less favourable treatment on grounds of age, disability, race, ethnic origin, nationality, colour, parental or marital status, religious belief, social status, sexual orientation or political belief. The Association shall ensure that everyone who wishes has an equal opportunity to participate in the sport of bowls at all levels and in all roles.
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DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
18.1 If, at any General Meeting of the Association a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Association, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting to be held no less than one month thereafter, to discuss and vote on the resolution.
18.2 If, at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the Members present, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Association and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Association.
18.3 If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the Association, there remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities and property whatsoever, the same shall be paid to or distributed equally amongst the fully paid-up members of he Association at the point of dissolution.
Rev:
2/Mar 2020
6/Mar 2017
3/Feb 2013
2/Jan 2008
1/Feb 1995