Constitution
CONSTITUTION (2023)
1. The Club shall be known as ORESTON AND DISTRICT BOWLS CLUB (men founded in 1928 and ladies in 1987)
The Club colours are to be green and yellow with a black blazer. The badge to be the lighthouse design
The Club shall be affiliated to Bowls England, Bowls Devon and the Plymouth and District Bowling League.
- Aims and Objectives
The aims of the Club shall be
To bring together the members of the local community and surrounding areas to play the game of bowls during the outdoor season with our home green being at Dean Cross Plymstock.
To provide basic bowling equipment in order to allow beginners to play the game and to allow them to apply to join and integrate within the club regardless of age, race, religion and political view and disability. The criteria to be ability to play to a reasonable standard within the rules of the game.
To stimulate confidence in players by encouragement and support to enable them to participate in representative matches in both league and friendly.
The club will be nonprofit making and have an Equal Opportunity Policy. No member shall receive less favourable treatment on grounds of age, race, ethnic origin, religion, nationality, colour, parental or mental status, social status or political view.
- Membership
Membership is by application, if possible seconded by two Club Members.
New members to have a trial period before becoming full members.
There is an annual membership fee, set at the AGM, to cover the various registration and affiliation fees payable each year. In addition members also have to purchase a Plymouth City Council season ticket in order to use the bowling green.
All members will be eligible to vote at AGM.
4. Committee
The Club shall elect each year at the end of season meetings the following officers: -
Captain (ladies and men), Vice Captain (ladies and men), Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Fixture Secretary (ladies and men), Treasurer, Assistant treasurer, Competition Secretary, Two Accounts Checkers , and delegates for GPC.
There shall be a General Purposes Committee consisting of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurers, fixture secretaries and two members elected at the AGM.
There shall be Selection Committees (1) for ladies consisting of the Captain, Vice Captain, secretary and one other elected member, and (2) for men the Captain, Vice Captain, Fixture Secretary and one other elected members.
It is the club policy to give equal consideration for selection to all Club Members, except when it may be necessary, at their discretion, to select a team considered to be the strongest available.
5. Meetings
There will be four meetings of the membership annually, one in March (Spring Meeting), one in June (mid season), one in October (end of season), and AGM in November. The Secretary to give at least three weeks’ notice by placing a notice on the Notice Board.
The purpose of the November AGM is: - To agree the minutes of the last meeting, to hear various reports of the year’s activities and to be presented with and accept the annual accounts. To ratify officers and Committee Members elected at the end of season meetings accordingly. To vote on proposals to alter the Constitution if necessary. To decide voting policy for the delegates to P&D and Devon Section 8 Meetings.
At all General Meetings there is to be a quorum of a third plus one of the Club Membership.
Any propositions will be put before the members and decided by a majority vote. The Chairman to have a casting vote where necessary. The Secretary will keep written records of all meetings. Amendments and/or additions to the Rules/ Constitution are to be submitted to the GPC by the First of September for consideration and for acceptance or rejection at the AGM.
The GPC will only meet as and when necessary.
6 Special General Meetings
A Special General Meeting can be called on the written request of ten members to deal with serious problems. Notice of the issues to be raised to be given to the Secretary and GPC at least ten days before the meeting.
7. Control of Funds
The Treasurers to keep written records of accounts and hold bank statements in the name of Oreston and District Bowls Club and Oreston and District Bowling Club ladies section. The Financial year shall end on 30 September and the checked statement of accounts showing the financial position for the previous year to be presented at the AGM of the Club.
All monies wheresoever held in the name of the Oreston and District Bowls Club, belong to the club and shall only be used in the running of the club and furthering its objectives, and are non transferable to any other Association or Organisation.
Cheques are to be signed by any two of the three authorised signatories (Treasurer, Secretary and Chairperson)
Expenses paid to the Secretary, Captain and Fixture Secretary in respect of postage, telephone, stationery etc. shall be submitted by the individual to the Treasurer but referred to the GPC should there be any doubt or query.
Each member of the club shall (to the extent that such person is not entitled to recover under any policy of Insurance) be indemnified out of any and all funds available to the Club. Which may lawfully be so applied, against all costs, expenses and liabilities whatsoever incurred by any such person, in the proper execution and discharge of duties undertaken on behalf of the Club or rising there from, or incurred in good faith in the purported discharge of such duties.
8 Regulations
When representing the club at Matches and Interclub/County Competitions etc the Club shirt should be worn.
All play will be under Bowls England guidelines.
9 Dissolution
In the event of The Club disbanding a Special General Meeting shall be called at which the decision will be made to distribute the assets. For the purposes of this meeting a simple majority will be sufficient.
10 Club Competitions
The club will organize such internal club competitions as deemed appropriate.
There is to be an Annual Presentation of Trophies at an event to be arranged in the Autumn of each year.
11 Disciplinary Matters
The guidelines set out in Bowls England Regulation 9 must and only be taken into consideration by the club when dealing with disciplinary matters.
The above Constitution was presented and adopted at the Annual General Meeting held on
19 October 2005 and recorded in the minutes of that meeting. Amendments were presented and adopted at AGM 2007. Revised Edition incorporating the men’s club (Oct 2009). Further amendments were presented and adopted at AGM 2017, 2019 and 2023.
Signed on behalf of the Club by the person whose signature appears below.
Dated Signed Position
09/11/2023 Vicky Hingston Hon Secretary