OXFORDSHIRE BRIDGE ASSOCIATION

The OBA Constitution was agreed at the OBA AGM on June 10^th 1999.

It still has to be ratified by the EBU.

Sections marked in red are changes that have been made to the draft since 1/1/199.

OXFORDSHIRE BRIDGE ASSOCIATION

C O N S T I T U T I O N

1. NAME

The Association shall be called "The Oxfordshire Bridge Association" (hereinafter referred to as the OBA).

2. OBJECTS

(1) To promote and further the interests of Duplicate Contract Bridge.

(2) To run competitions.

(3) To be constituent members of the English Bridge Union (hereinafter referred to as the EBU) and to select County Teams to compete in competitions run under the auspices of the EBU.

(4) To employ the funds of the Association for the best interests of Duplicate Contract Bridge, the Association being conducted on a non profit distributing basis.

(5) To deal with such matters as may be referred to the Association by the EBU.

3. MEMBERSHIP

(1) Full Membership of the Association shall be open to any Bridge player who fulfils and continues to fulfil any of the following conditions, namely he or she:

(i) resides in the County of Oxon; or

(ii) has his principal place of business in Oxon; or

(iii) resides in a neighbouring county in respect of which there is no county Bridge Association; or

(iv) has been a Full Member of the Association for a minimum period of three years, and wishes to retain Full Membership although not qualifying otherwise hereunder.

A full member as above must declare allegiance to the county as defined by the English Bridge Union.

(v) Membership shall be open to all Players who are members of a Club affiliated to this Association; but players who belong to another County Association, which they have named as their County of allegiance, shall be eligible for a restricted membership. The Association reserves the right to exclude dual members from such of its competitions as it may from time to time determine.

Members of the OBA may also be members of other County Associations, but they can represent the County only if they have not in that year played for any other County Association and have paid their annual subscription.

(2) Clubs shall be affiliated to the EBU through the Association.

(3) Membership of the Oxfordshire Bridge Association shall carry with it membership of the EBU. All members of the Association shall observe the rules, regulations, and bylaws of the EBU, and of this Association and shall be bound by their decisions.

4. PRESIDENT

A President shall be elected by the Management Committee and shall hold office for a period, which is renewable, of five years.

5. MANAGEMENT

(a) The Management Committee of the Association shall consist of Officers and Delegates.

(i) The number and duties of the Officers shall be determined from time to time by the Management Committee and approved by an AGM.

(ii) The Officers shall be nominated annually on forms supplied for display to affiliated clubs. If necessary a secret ballot will be held at the AGM to fill positions where there has been more than one nomination. Nomination forms must be with the Hon. Secretary not less than 7 days prior to the AGM.

(iii) The Delegates shall be appointed each year by the affiliated clubs.

Each affiliated club shall appoint one delegate for every thirty (or part of thirty) OBA members providing it has a minimum of twelve OBA members fully paid up, on its books.

(iv) All Officers and Delegates are eligible for re-election.

(b) The Management Committee is empowered to fill any vacancy among the officers occurring during the year, but a member thus appointed shall serve on the Committee only until the AGM.

(c) The Management Committee may appoint sub-committees for specific purposes. The Chairman of such sub-committee shall be a member of the Management Committee. The Management Committee may disband sub-committees created in 5(c).

(d) The Management Committee shall have the power to make Bylaws.

6. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

Each member of the Association shall be required in connection with the game of Contract Bridge and variations thereof to conform to the standards of fair play, courtesy and personal deportment prescribed in the Bylaws and regulations for the time being of the English Bridge Union. The Association shall have the powers and the procedures for the enforcement of this requirement which are set out in the Schedule of this Constitution (which shall stand as part of the Constitution and be subject to the same provisions as the Constitution for its amendment).

7. SUBSCRIPTION

Each member shall pay an annual subscription, the amount of which shall be proposed from time to time by the Management Committee, and endorsed at the next AGM.

8. ACCOUNTS

The Association’s Accounts shall be made up to the thirty-first day of March in each year and shall be presented to a General Meeting as soon as maybe thereafter. An auditor shall be appointed at each AGM.

9. GENERAL MEETING

(a) At least one General Meeting, to be called the Annual General Meeting, shall be held in the months of May or June. For any General Meeting, notice and the agenda shall be sent to all of the members of the Association three weeks, at least, prior to the date fixed for such meetings.

(b) Any affiliated club or Member may bring forward a resolution or motion at the AGM, provided that due notice in writing is given to the Hon. General Secretary not less than six weeks before the meeting.

(i) by the Management Committee at any time, or

(ii) by a written request to the Secretary, signed by not less than six full members, when the Secretary, shall call a General Meeting within twenty-eight days of the request.

10. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

(a) GENERAL MEETINGS — All members of the Association shall be entitled to attend and vote at a General Meeting. A Quorum shall consist of TEN full members. The Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote in addition to his original vote.

(b) MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS — These shall be called from time to time by the Chairman, or on the request of any two members of the Committee, when the Chairman shall call a meeting within fourteen days. A Quorum shall consist of FIVE full members. The Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his original vote.

11. VOTING

The election of officers shall be by a secret ballot of the full members present at the meeting. Voting on all other matters shall be by show of hands unless one-third of the members present at that meeting demands a ballot.

12. DELEGATES TO THE EBU

Delegates to the EBU shall be members of the OBA and shall be nominated by the Management Committee in accordance with the Bylaws of the EBU. The delegates shall become members of the Management Committee.

13. TEAM SELECTION

Teams shall be selected by a Selection Committee of not less than THREE persons to be elected at the AGM, plus the County Captain. The Selection Committee may be changed, new members co-opted and later endorsed by the Management Committee. Only one member may be elected from each club. The County Captain is nominated by the Selection Committee, and endorsed by the Management Committee. The County Captain becomes a full member of the Selection Committee.

14. COMPETITIONS

These shall be subject to such rules and fees as the Management Committee shall prescribe.

15. INTERPRETATION

On all questions of interpretation of this Constitution the decision of the Management Committee shall, subject to EBU bylaws, (unless the matter has been considered by a General Meeting), be binding. Any point not covered by this Constitution shall, pending the calling of a General Meeting, be decided by the Management Committee.

16. CHANGES

No changes shall be made in this constitution unless passed at a General Meeting by a two-thirds majority vote of those present, and the alteration shall come into force forthwith, provided the item has appeared on the notice for the meeting.

17. SCHEDULE REFERRED TO IN (6)

A. This Schedule is required by Section 6 of the Constitution of the Association and prescribes the powers and procedures for enforcing it.

B. The Management Committee of the Association shall appoint a Conduct Committee and shall have power from time to time as it may think fit to vary the composition of that Committee. The number of members of the said Committee shall not be fewer than three or more than seven. A quorum for any meeting of the Conduct Committee shall be three of its members for the time being. It shall act by simple majority vote and its appointed Chairman (or whomsoever in his absence the Committee shall select to chair its meeting) shall have a second and casting vote in the event that there is parity of voting.

C. (i) The Association shall act by its Conduct Committee for the enforcement of the standards prescribed in the said Section 6 of its Constitution.

(ii) The procedures of the said committee shall conform mutatis mutandis to those prescribed in the Bylaws of the English Bridge Union for enquiry by its Laws and Ethics Committee into allegations of misconduct by individual members. It shall have powers to make findings and decisions consequent thereon in respect of allegations brought to its attention: to be entertained and considered by the said Conduct Committee an allegation that an individual member of the Association has not conformed to the said standards in (i) herefor shall be made in writing lodged with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman or Secretary of the Association and referred to its said Conduct Committee.

(iii) At any time after it has duly received an allegation in the aforementioned manner, the Conduct Committee shall have power (whether it has commenced any procedure in respect thereof or not) to refer that allegation to the English Bridge Union for the consideration of its Laws and Ethics Committee in the manner prescribed in the said Union’s Bylaws, and in so doing it shall have fully discharged its responsibilities under this schedule.

(iv) Where the Conduct Committee does not use its power in (iii) above and after it has duly enquired into an allegation concerning an individual member and has found him to be in default of the before mentioned standards, the Conduct Committees shall have power to decide as it may think fit to select and to give effect to one or more of the following provisions in relation thereto:

(a) that the said Individual member shall be rebuked;

(b) that the said Individual member shall be censured and admonished;

(c) that the said Individual members shall be barred from all or such as it shall specify of the competitions sponsored or licensed by the association for such period as it shall determine.

D. (i) The findings and decisions of the Conduct Committee under Section C above shall be delivered to the individual member in writing and shall have effect 21 days thereafter except that the said individual member shall have the right to appeal the said findings and decisions other than the exercise of powers in (c) (iii) above within the said period of 21 days. Such appeal shall be put in writing and delivered to the Secretary of the Association within the said period.

(ii) In the event of such appeal, any decision to apply the foregoing sections (iv) (a), (b) or (c) shall not take effect until the appeal has been determined.

(iii) Any such appeal shall be referred to an Appeals Committee to be appointed by the English Bridge Union acting by its Laws and Ethics Committee. The said Appeals Committee is fully empowered to consider and enquire into the matter appealed in such manner as it shall think fit to determine the outcome of the Appeal and to confirm or vary the findings and decisions of the Conduct Committee in relation to the matter appealed (but not to impose any penalty which it was not within the power of the Conduct Committee to impose). Alternatively, the Appeals Committee shall have the power to decide that the allegation is one that shall be referred to the said Laws and Ethics Committee as an allegation of misconduct under the Bylaws of the Union relating to Conduct whereupon such referral shall occur, the prior findings and decisions of the Conduct Committee in relation to the matter shall be nullified, and the individual member shall be so informed.

18. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

(a) At a General Meeting a resolution to dissolve the Association may be put. The quorum for such a Meeting shall be 100 paid up members present thereat, or if the paid up membership numbers less than 100 the quorum shall be 60% of the paid up membership. To be effected such a resolution must be supported by at least 51% of the paid up membership of the Association voting in person or by proxy as provided in sub clause (b) hereof.

(b) A proxy form shall be sent to all paid up members with a notice of a General Meeting proposing the dissolution of the Association. Such a form appointing an officer of the Association or any paid up member shall be valid if signed by the absent member and delivered to the Hon. Secretary prior to the commencement of the said General Meeting. Such proxy votes shall be valid in determining if 51% of the paid up membership has voted for the motion to dissolve the Association.

(c) In the event that a motion to dissolve the Association shall be passed in accordance with the requirements of this clause, then the Management Committee of the Association existing at the time of the dissolution shall settle all the Association's outstanding debts and shall donate any remaining capital funds to a charity or charities of their choice. Such action shall be a full discharge of the duty of the members of the Committee to the membership as a whole.

June 10^th1999