CONNAUGHT BOWLS CLUB

Constitution and Rules

For the purpose of these Rules the term Member shall mean a Member who is either a Life Member or a Playing Member and is not a Social or Junior Member

1 NAME

The Club shall be called “The Connaught Bowls Club”.

2 OBJECTS

The objects of the club shall be
(a) The provision of facilities for playing bowls on an amateur basis.
(b) To promote sporting, social and recreational facilities for members and guests.
(c) To provide adequate care and maintenance of the Club House and Bowling Green at Station Road, Attleborough, NR17 2AS.

3 MEMBERSHIP

(a) Membership shall be open to persons of either sex, always providing that the applicant is not less than eight (8) years of age. All members shall have equal rights within their category of membership.
(b) Any applicant desiring membership shall be required to complete a prescribed membership application form. When a candidate’s application has been accepted, a letter will be sent to him/her requesting payment of subscriptions. If at any time the Club is deemed to be full, waiting lists may be started in any category of membership.
(c) The Management Committee may admit, as social members, persons over 18 years of age who do not wish to become playing members.
They will pay a reduced subscription but unlike full members will not be entitled, within these rules, to voting rights or to make proposals or nominations.
(d) The restrictions applying to Social members shall also apply to Junior members under 18 years of age.
(e) Honorary Life Members – the Management Committee shall have the right to grant Honorary Life membership to those members who are considered to have given long and meritorious service to the Club. Names of members so appointed will be announced at the Annual General Meeting. Life members are not required to pay annual membership subscriptions but shall otherwise enjoy all other rights and responsibilities of membership.

4. TRUSTEES

In compliance with the terms of the lease, the Management Committee must appoint a minimum of two Trustees. For the purpose of this rule the elected officers at the time being, namely, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer will be deemed to be the Trustees.
The Trustees should always act in the best interests of the club.

5. PRESIDENTS

The President, Vice President and Lady President’s shall be elected at the appropiate A.G.M. Their terms of office shall be two years. They shall not eligible for re-election for a further period until at least two years have elapsed.
The Vice President shall succeed the President the at the end of his term in office
The President and the Ladies President shall have the right to attend and speak at meetings of the Management committee but will not have the right to vote.

6. OFFICERS OF THE CLUB

The Officers of the Club will be the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon Secretary, and Hon Treasurer who will be elected in accordance with these Rules at the Annual General Meeting.

7. MANAGEMENT

The general affairs of the Club, including finance, shall be the responsibility of the Management Committee, which will consist of the Officers together with the Ladies’ section chairman and Secretary, Green Keeper, Bar Manager, Short Mat Section Secretary, Social Section Secretary, Assistant Secretary (if appointed), Ladies and Gentlemen’s Captains and Competitions Secretary.
The Management Committee may appoint an Assistant Secretary if it deems necessary.
The Management Committee may co-opt other members with specialist knowledge should they consider it necessary. Co-opted members may speak but not vote at meetings of the Management Committee.
The Management Committee may also appoint sub-committees for specific purposes as and when considered appropriate.
The Hon Secretary (or person acting on his/her behalf) shall keep a record in the Club Minutes of the proceedings and decisions of the Management Committee.
Likewise, Section Secretaries (or persons acting on their behalf) shall keep a record of the proceedings and decisions of their respective committees.
The quorum for Management Committee meetings shall be not less than five (5) voting Members.

8. LADIES SECTION

The Ladies Section shall appoint their own Officers and Committee and arrange their own AGM and Agenda but shall otherwise be subject to the Constitution and Rules of the Club.

9. SHORT MAT SECTION

The Short Mat Section shall appoint their own Officers and Committee and arrange their own AGM and Agenda but shall otherwise be subject to the Constitution and Rules of the Club.

10. SOCIAL SECTION

The Officers of the Social Section will be the Chairman and the Secretary who will be elected in accordance with the Rules at the Club’s Annual General Meeting. Additionally, no more than three Committee Members will be elected by the Annual General Meeting.

11. FINANCE AND ASSETS

(a) The Club’s financial year shall run from 1st October to 30th September and a proper record of all income and expenditure shall be kept by the Treasurer who will present the year-end accounts duly certified by an independent examiner at the Club’s Annual General Meeting. The independent examiner shall be appointed, on the recommendation of the Management Committee, by the Annual General Meeting. Any accounts administered by other sections of the club shall be certified by an independent examiner and made available for information at the clubs Annual General Meeting.
(b) The Club will reinvest any surplus income in the Club for the purpose of bowls. Club members are not entitled to any distribution.
(c) In the event of dissolution of the Club, any surplus assets will not be distributed to Club members but must be applied for either
(i) the purposes of the governing bodies of the game of bowls, to which the club is affiliated, for use in community related sport or
(ii) the purposes of another Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) within the CASC scheme or
(iii) the purposes of a Charity.
The decision on application of such assets will be taken by the Club Members at a General Meeting.

12. SUBSCRIPTIONS

Annual subscriptions, rink fees, competition fees and mat fees, based on the recommendations of the Management Committee will be approved at the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions will be due on 1st January each year. Playing members over state Retirement Pension age, Social members and junior members will pay a reduced rate. Any member, social member or junior member failing to pay the annual subscription by 31st January may be declared a non-member by the management committee, and a further application will be necessary to rejoin.

13. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

An Annual General Meeting shall be held in November of each year.
The purpose of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:

(a) Receive and adopt the reports of the Management Committee.
(b) Receive and adopt the duly examined accounts for the previous year.
(c) Elect the Club Officers as per Rule 6.
(d) Elect the Men’s captain and note the election of the ladies’ captain.
(e) Elect any other post as necessary.
(f) Consider any proposals for alterations to the Rules of the Club as per Rule 25.

Members shall be entitled to vote on any matter at a General Meeting. Any vote shall be taken by a show of hands but, if 50% or more of the full members attending shall so demand, the vote shall be taken by a secret ballot.

Any two members may nominate a member to serve as an Officer or on the Management Committee and all members shall have equal rights to nominate or be nominated. All such nominations must reach the Hon Secretary at least twenty-eight (28) days before an Annual General Meeting. Any person nominated must have agreed in writing to accept nomination. A list of all nominations together with the date, time and place of the Annual General Meeting will be displayed in the clubhouse at least twenty-one (21) days before the meeting together with any Motions or Rule alterations to be considered.

The quorum shall be not less than 50% of the membership, social members excepted

14. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

The Hon. Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting when so directed by the Management Committee or upon receipt of a requisition to do so by 20% of the total Membership of the Club (social and junior members excepted).
Such requisition shall state the business for which the meeting is called.
Notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting stating date, time, place and the agenda shall be posted by the Hon. Secretary in the Club House at least ten (10) days before the meeting.
The quorum shall be not less than 50% of the membership (social and junior members excepted).
No business other than that specified in the posted Agenda shall be discussed.

15. NOTICES

All notices placed on the notice boards at the Club House shall be deemed sufficient information to all members. All such notices must be approved.

16. CARE AND USE OF THE GREEN AND SHORT MATS

During inclement weather, or for any other reason the closure of rinks, or the complete green, or the use of wet nets, shall be at the discretion of the Green Keeper. If the Green Keeper is not present then the Captain of the day, or any Club Officer or member of the management Committee present, must decide. The need to protect the playing surface must be given priority at all times.

Persons damaging the green during play may be asked to cease play by a member of the Management Committee. New members must satisfy the Green Keeper or a Club Officer that they are competent.

Appropriate care and attention must also be applied to the Short Mats when in use.

17 DRESS

Dress for ladies shall be mid grey skirts or tailored bowls trousers and white and club coloured tops. For men mid grey tailored bowls trousers and white and club coloured tops, unless otherwise determined for specific matches. Regulation bowls shoes shall be worn at all times on the green and mats

18. MISCONDUCT AND DAMAGE

Any Member, Social Member or Junior Member deemed by the management Committee to have engaged in misconduct to the prejudice of the club or any member or other person may be required to resign their membership. Any person wilfully damaging any property owned, leased or hired by the Club shall be required to make good the damage to the satisfaction of the Management Committee

19 COMPLAINTS Any complaint by a member, social member or junior member must be expressed in writing to the Club Secretary for consideration by the Management Committee its next meeting

20. VISITORS Members or Social Members may entertain their individual guests within the Club premises provided that: -

(a) The member or social member ensures that the guest’s name and address is entered in the visitor’s book at the time. No member or social member shall introduce more than two (2) guests at any one time.

(b) The member or social member introducing guest accepts full responsibility for them.

(c) No guest may bowl at the club more than twice (2) in each calendar month.

(d) No member or social member may leave the Club premises before their individual guest.
The Management Committee may give permission for the holding of functions and meetings within Club premises to which none members may be admitted.

21 CLUB OPENING HOURS The hours of opening shall be decide by the Bar Manager.

22 CLUBHOUSE BAR FACILITIES The bar facilities will be managed

23 SALE OF ALCOHOL

The permitted hours for the supply of intoxicants shall be the permitted hours for the licensing division. These hours will be the ones currently in force by a Bar Manager appointed by the management committee. The Bar Manager will report at each Management Committee meeting.
The actual hours of sale will be determined by the Bar Manager acting within the Law. No alcohol shall be sold to purchased for, or consumed by, any person under the age of eighteen (18) years.
Sales of intoxicating Liquors to Strangers
There may be admitted to the Clubs’ registered premises people, other than members or social members or their guests, to whom intoxicating liquor may be sold for consumption on the premises and not elsewhere, provide that such sales shall be restricted to visiting bowls teams, their boni fide officials and supporters and to those non-members attending official functions.
The Management reserves the right to refuse to serve alcohol to any individual.

24 CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS

The Connaught Bowls Club is committed to promoting a safe environment in which children and vulnerable adults can enjoy taking part in games of bowls. It will seek to underpin and ensure the commitment by following and promoting the guidance procedures and policies enforced from time to time by the National Governing Bodies.

25 ALTERATION TO RULES
A rule may be altered or rescinded by a resolution passed by 60% of the members present and voting at an Extraordinary or Annual General Meeting.
Proposed alterations to Rules shall be made in writing to the Hon Secretary twenty-eight (28) days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting or Extra Ordinary General meeting, such proposals shall be signed by the proposer and seconder.

26 PUBLICATION OF CONSTITUTION AND RULES
These rules shall be exhibited in the Club House and on the Connaught Bowls Club website.

15th November 2019

CONNAUGHT PRIVACY POLICY

To comply with Data Protection and Human Rights legislation, the Club has published a Privacy policy in respect of information kept about individuals. The policy is set out below so that all connected with the Club are aware of how the Club will treat the information that is provided to it.

The Policy

We, the Connaught Bowls Club (the “Club”) will take all reasonable care to keep your personal information secure and prevent any unauthorised access or unlawful use of it. We process all personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation. We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time and the change will take effect once the revised Privacy Policy is available on our website homepage. Please refer to this policy each time you submit your personal information.

Our Privacy Promise

The Club promises:

• To keep your data safe and private.
• Not to sell your data.
• To give you ways to manage and review your choices at any time.

Collection of personal information

The club may ask you to provide information at certain points, which include, but are not limited to, your name, postal address, date of birth, gender, telephone numbers, email address.
The information that you are asked to provide will vary depending on the reason for the collection. In some instances, the provision of certain information will be mandatory.

How we will use your information

The Club will use your personal information as part of the necessary information held to properly administer the Club and, in particular for such purposes as:
• verifying your identity, where required;
• managing and administering bowls;
• responding to enquiries;
• sending information to you;

By using our website or submitting information to us through or in connection with our other social media sites or to comply with Club Rules, you signify your consent to our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, you must not use our website, our other social media sites or submit information to us through or in connection with the administration of the Club.

Sharing information

The League may also share your personal information Norfolk EBA & FBA to assist in the overall administration of bowls within the County in which case you agree that any personal information we hold about you may be passed on to Norfolk EBA & FBA subject to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

Links

The Club website may contain links to other sites. Please be aware that the Club is not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites and users should be aware when they leave the website of the need to read the privacy statements applicable on such sites. This privacy policy applies solely to information collected on the Club website or by other electronic means.

Your right to access the information

You have the right to access the information that the Club holds about you in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. In order to do this, please make a written application to the Data Protection Officer, at or via email to the club secretary. The Club may require you to provide verification of your identity to provide a copy of the information that it holds. Please note that in certain circumstances The Club may withhold access to your information where it has the right to do so under current data protection legislation.

Updating your information

In the event that there is a change to your personal information for example your contact details, please let us know of this by writing to the Club Secretary so that the Club can keep your information up to date and accurate.

Contact us

If you have any queries about this Privacy Policy, please contact the Club Secretary.

Adopted on 24th May 2018