HURSTPIERPOINT BOWLING CLUB - Rules & Fees

HURSTPIERPOINT BOWLING CLUB RULES

 

THE CLUB

1.      The Club shall be called Hurstpierpoint Bowling Club. The main purposes of the club are to provide facilities   for, and to

         promote participation in, the amateur sport of bowls by the residents of the Parish of Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common.

 

MEMBERS    

2a.    Membership of the Club shall be open to any resident of the Parish wishing to participate in the sport of bowls, regardless

         of sex, age, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs or disability, except as a necessary

         consequence of the requirements of the sport.

2b.    The Club shall keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to those wishing to join the Club.  

2c.     The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring

          the Club or the sport of bowls into disrepute.   Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members.  If

          unsuccessful, the applicant or member has the right to appeal to the relative County Association in accordance with Bowls

          England Rules and Regulations.

2d.    Applications from non-residents of the Parish of Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common shall be considered by the Club

         Committee without discrimination on the grounds of sex, age, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other

         beliefs or disability, except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of the sport of bowls.

2e.     The Club shall have the following classes of membership:

              •  Full Members, paying the full annual subscription, shall be entitled to enjoy all the Club’s facilities; to attend Club

                 General Meetings, to nominate and serve as officers and to vote.

              •   Junior Members (those not yet 18 by the 1st April) shall enjoy the same privileges as Full Members, except that they pay

                  a  lower subscription and may not be supplied with alcohol until they reach the age of 18.

              •  Life Members, who have made an exceptional contribution to the Club for not less than 15 years, shall be nominated by

                  the Executive Committee and confirmed by the Members at a General Meeting.  They will pay no subscription, shall be

                  entitled to enjoy all the Club’s facilities; to attend General meetings, to nominate and serve as officers and to vote.

              •  Social Members, who pay a reduced subscription, shall enjoy the same social privileges as Full Members and may speak

                 at General Meetings, but they may not be nominated for office nor vote. They may make occasional use of the green

                 under the same conditions as “Visitors” (see clause 11a).

              •  Associate Members for the purposes of the Licensing Act 2003 shall include visiting bowls teams, tournament and

                  competition players, their supporters and bona fide visitors to the club.

2f.    No person, nominated or applying for adult membership, may purchase alcohol at the Club without an interval of at least

         two days between their nomination/application and their admission to membership.

2g.    No person becoming an adult member without a prior nomination or application may purchase alcohol at the Club for a

         period of at least two days after becoming a member.

 

PRESIDENT

3.       A President shall be elected annually at each Annual General Meeting.

 

OFFICERS

4a.    The Lady members shall elect a Captain and Vice-Captain at the Annual General Meeting.

4b.    The Gentlemen members shall elect a Captain and a Vice Captain at the Annual General Meeting.

4c.     A Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Green Ranger, Match Secretary, Publicity Officer,

         Recruitment Officer, Social Secretary and Clubhouse Manager shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to serve on

         the Executive Committee, together with the Captains and Vice Captains.  

4d.    The Ladies shall elect one Lady member and the Gentlemen shall elect one Male member at the Annual General Meeting to

         serve on the Selection Committee of the Club with the Captains and Vice Captains together with the Match Secretary in an

         advisory role.

4e.    The Lady and Gentlemen members shall respectively each elect a County Delegate at the Annual General Meeting.

 

MANAGEMENT

5a.    The Officers appointed under Rule 4a, 4b and 4c, shall form the Executive Committee and shall be responsible for the

         management and the running of the Club.

5b.    Until the following Annual General Meeting, the Executive Committee is empowered to fill any vacancies which may occur

        and,  subject to these rules, be empowered to make such bye-laws and to deal with all matters relating to the Club not

        covered in these rules.

 

QUORUM

6.      Seven members of the Executive Committee at a meeting shall form a quorum.

 

MEETINGS

7a.    The Annual General Meeting of the members shall be held within two months from the end of the playing season.   Twenty

        -eight days’ notice of meetings will be given to members and notice of members’ proposals must be given in writing to the

        Hon. Secretary twenty-one clear days before such meetings are held.   The final Agenda shall be distributed fourteen days

        prior to the meeting if any such proposals are received.

7b.   The Executive Committee, at their discretion, or at the request of six members of the Club, may call an Extraordinary

        General Meeting of the Club at which these Rules will apply.

7c.    A General Meeting of the members shall be held within two months of the beginning of the outdoor playing season.

7d.   All resolutions, except resolutions to change these rules (see rule 17), and all elections at General Meetings shall be decided

        by a simple majority of the votes cast by those members attending the meeting who are entitled to vote.

 

FINANCES

8a.    All surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the club. No surpluses or assets shall be distributed to members or

        third parties.  

8b    The Club's accounts for the year under review shall be presented to members for approval at the General Meeting held under

        rule 7c prior to the start of the outdoor playing season. The accounts shall have been examined and verified by an Honorary

        Accounts Examiner appointed for the purpose at the previous Annual General Meeting.

8c.    Upon dissolution of the club any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to a registered Community Amateur Sports

        Club, a registered charity or the sport’s governing body for use by them in related community sports in the Parish of

        Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common, as decided by the members at the final General Meeting of the Club.  

 

SUBSCRIPTIONS

9a.    The subscriptions for all classes of members shall be fixed at each Annual General Meeting.

9b.    New members with no previous experience of bowling may pay a reduced Annual fee in their first year at the discretion of

         the Executive Committee.

 

BOWLING

10a.   The Club and its members, as a condition of affiliation to Bowls England, shall at all times and in all respects confirm to and

          be bound by the constitution of Bowls England, and all matches shall be played in accordance with the laws of the game as

          approved by Bowls England.

10b.   Subject to the Green Ranger’s discretion, the green may be used from 10.30 am each day during the season except

          Mondays when play will commence at 2.00 pm.

10c.   Players shall wear smooth, soft-soled, heel-less footwear.

10d.   Dress for matches and Finals Day participants shall be a Club shirt and white below the waist or all white, unless otherwise

          specified.   White shorts or white cropped trousers may be worn.

10e.   Dress for drives will be specified at the time.

10f.    Dress for other play shall be a Club shirt or white above the waist and grey below the waist but  members may wear white

          or grey shorts or cropped trousers.   For roll-ups and other informal play the colour code need not apply.

10g.   Any person who damages the green shall leave it when requested to do so by a member of the Executive Committee.

 

VISITORS

11a.   Providing a Club member is present throughout, but not otherwise, visitors wishing to play bowls may use any rink not

          required by members, subject to the strict observance of Club rules and on payment of the current fee which is set by the

          Executive Committee and displayed in the Pavilion.

11b.   Such visitors when accompanied by a member, together with visiting bowls teams, tournament players and their

          supporters are permitted to use the Pavilion.

11c.    Such persons (known as Associate Members for the purposes of the Licensing Act 2003) may purchase alcohol in

          accordance with Club rules, but the Executive Committee reserves the right to withdraw this privilege at any time.

 

GUESTS

12.     Guests to the Club must be accompanied by a member who is responsible for their behaviour and for ensuring that Club

          rules and bye-laws are complied with at all times.

 

ALCOHOL

13a.   Alcohol will be available on Club premises for sale to Playing Members, Life Members, Social Members, Associate Members

          and bona fide Guests within the hours stated in The Club Premises Certificate granted under the Licensing Act 2003.

13b.   All alcoholic drinks are to be consumed on the Club premises, either indoors or out.

13c.    The purchase and supply of alcohol will be under the sole control of the Executive Committee and no person shall receive

          any direct financial advantage whatsoever from these activities.   Any benefit shall accrue to the Club as a whole.

 

SECURITY

14.     The last member to leave the Club premises shall ensure that visitors also leave and that all equipment is correctly stored

          away and the premises are secured.

 

TRUSTEES

15a.   Not less than two nor more than four trustees shall be elected at a General Meeting of the club.

15b.   The trustees shall hold office until death, resignation or removal from office by a resolution of the playing members at a

          General Meeting of the club.

15c.   There shall be vested in the trustees all the property of the Club other than cash and bank or similar accounts and grounds

          maintenance equipment and other non-fixed assets which will be under the control of the Executive Committee.

15d.   The trustees may only deal with the property vested in them as directed by the Club. Such direction shall be given by a

          resolution of the members of the Club passed by a majority of the members present at a duly convened meeting of the

          Club, and when so passed, shall be binding upon all members of the Club. A certificate purporting to be signed by the

          secretary for the time being of the Club shall be conclusive evidence that a direction complying in all respects with the

          above provisions of this rule was duly given to the trustees.

 

INFRINGEMENT OF RULES

16.     If, in the opinion of a member of the Executive Committee, the conduct of any member or visitor is detrimental to the

         interests of the Club, the member of the Executive Committee may request such person to leave the premises and, subject

         to the right of appeal to the Executive Committee and thereafter to a Meeting of the Club, such member may be expelled.

         Any Misconduct matter deemed necessary under this Rule will be dealt with in accordance with Bowls England Regulation 9.

 

RULES 

17.      Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common Parish Council reserves the power to approve these rules, which shall only be

          amended at a General Meeting of the members by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by those members attending the

          Meeting who are entitled to vote.

 

 

Version - 16th October 2018