Titchfield Bridge Club
Constitution

Introduction
1. The Club shall be known as The Titchfield Bridge Club and shall be affiliated to The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Contract Bridge Association and to The English Bridge Union.

Object of the Club
2. The object of the Club shall be to provide facilities for its members for the game of Contract Bridge.

Play at the Club
3. All play at the Club shall be governed by the Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge, English Bridge Union Directives and Licensed Conventions. Unless agreed by the Committee for a particular competition or evening, conventions allowed in Club play will be restricted to EBU licensed systems. All pairs must have a completed convention card; should a pair fail to comply with this rule, they must play "Simple System".

Club President
4. The Club may elect a President at the AGM. The President is an ex officio member of the Management Committee.

Management Committee
5. The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by the Management Committee.

6. The Committee shall consist of the following members:-
The Club President (ex officio)
The Club Chairman
The Honorary Secretary
The Honorary Treasurer
The Honorary Competition Secretary
The Honorary Membership Secretary
The Honorary House & Master Point Secretary
The Honorary Community Centre Representative

7. Members of the Committee shall be elected each year at the AGM, but shall not normally serve for a period of more than three consecutive years in any one post.

8. A list shall be placed on the Club notice board at least 28 days before the AGM. Members wishing to propose or second another member for election to a particular post should obtain the agreement of the member concerned and place his or her name on the list. The proposer, seconder and member should all sign the sheet. Such nominations for the committee shall be considered at the AGM. In the event of more than one applicant for any post, an open vote will be taken.

9. The committee shall meet at least three times per year and shall have the power to co-opt additional members who will be assigned specialist tasks. Co-opted members of the Committee are non-voting.

10. A list of the Management Committee together with the names of the co-opted members shall appear on the Club Notice Board.

Membership
11. Membership is confined to the following categories:-

a. Honorary Life Membership
Honorary Life Members may only be elected on the recommendation of the Management Committee and the approval of the membership at a General Meeting. Once elected, an honorary Life Member has the full same rights as a full member.

b. Full Membership
Full membership entitles participation in all club competitions and carries full voting rights at a General Meeting.

12. It is a firm condition of membership that all members participate in the organisation and running of club events, as may be requested by the Committee from time to time.

13. It is a requirement of the Club that all members are members of Titchfield Community Association.

14. Applications for membership must be made to the Membership Secretary in writing, who will place names on the waiting list. When vacancies exist for members, the Committee will instruct the Honorary Membership Secretary to place the name and address of the proposed members on the Club Notice Board for 14 days. During this time period members are at liberty to write to the Honorary Secretary, voicing opinions on the suitability of applicants. After this period has expired the proposed members will be considered by the Management Committee who will confirm or otherwise membership. The Management committee may decide to give priority to certain applicants.

15. The Membership Secretary shall inform all new members in writing of their election and furnish them with a copy of these rules.

16. The Membership Secretary shall publish a list of members and their Telephone Numbers. A copy of this list shall be placed on the Club Notice Board.

The Club Year
17. The Club Year is from 1^st January to the 31^st December and Club membership and Club competitions conform to these days.
The Club’s Financial Year for accounting purposes shall run from 1^st December to the 30^th November. The Annual General Meeting shall take place as soon after the end of the financial year as is practical.

Subscriptions
18. Subscriptions are due on the 1^st January and The Membership Secretary shall place on the club notice board a list of members whose subscriptions are unpaid by the 1^st February. Any member in default may have his or her name removed from the list of members.

Club Assets and Liabilities
19. The assets of the club are vested in the membership but no individual member shall be responsible for any Club liability beyond payment of their subscription and any other dues.

Annual General Meeting
20. The Secretary shall give at least 28 days notice of the meeting by placing a Notice on the Club Notice Board, showing the date, time and place. The meeting will take place in December each year. A quorum will consist of not less than 1/5^th of the membership.

The following matters will be attended to at the A.G.M.
Chairman’s Report
Treasurer’s Report & Financial Statement
Membership Secretary’s Report
Competition’s Secretary’s Report
Presentation of Cups & Trophies
The setting of the Annual Subscription & Visitors’ Fees
Recommendations of the Management Committee
Election of the New Management Committee
Any other business notified to the Secretary at least 14 days in advance.
Items of other business and recommendations of the Management Committee shall be displayed on the Club Notice Board for at least 7 days prior to the A.G.M.

Extraordinary General Meeting
21. The Honorary Secretary shall summon a special meeting of Members on the direction of the Management Committee or on a requisition signed by not less than 25 members, stating the object of the proposed meeting.
At least 7 days notice of the meeting must be given, but if under 14 days notice is given, the Secretary must make all efforts to inform members of the time and place of the proposed meeting. A quorum will consist of not less than 1/5^th of the membership.

Club Evenings
22. The Management Committee shall publish the table limit for any session.

23. Club evenings shall be organised by the Competition Secretary. The Treasurer or their substitute will collect competition and visitors’ fees.

24. The Director shall be responsible for the movement and the enforcement of the Laws. They will arrange for the event to be scored and the result to be placed on the Club Notice Board.

The Director will assign the initial starting position for each pair/team, it is normal for players with disabilities to be allocated stationary seats, if they so wish.

25. Play will commence at a time to be published and will normally complete by 10.30 p.m. Members not seated before the advertised start of play are not guaranteed a game.

Visitors
26. Visitors will normally be admitted on payment of a session fee, subject to the table limit for the evening not being exceeded. In the event of excessive demand, priority to play shall be as follows:
a) A member wishing to play with a visitor and having made prior arrangements with the Secretary.
b) A member wishing to play with a visitor.
c) A visitor wishing to play with another visitor and having made prior arrangements with the Secretary.
d) A visitor wishing to play with another visitor.

27. On arrival visitors are to register with the Competition Secretary or their stand-in, who will place them on a waiting list. Five minutes before play begins the visitor shall have their status confirmed.

Ethics & Appeals
28. The Club shall have an Ethics and Appeals Committee. Its members shall be jointly appointed by the President and Chairman. Appeals against any decision of the Duty Director or any matter of ethics shall be referred in writing to the Chairman. The Chairman may at his discretion place the matter before the Committee.

29. The Club shall maintain a book in which to record details of Psychic bids that are reported to the Director. The names of the pair involved, hand and bid shall be recorded.

Constitution
30. This constitution shall be altered or amended with the agreement of two thirds of those present at a General Meeting.