Rules of the Constitution
  1. The Association shall be called the:
    "NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY BOWLING ASSOCIATION".

  2. OBJECTS

    3. The objects of the Association shall be:
    1. To promote, foster and safeguard the level green game of bowls.
    2. To adopt and enforce the laws of Bowls England
    3. To hold the Annual championships in Single-handed, Pairs, Triples and Fours completion, and other competitions.
    4. To hold Inter-County matches.
    5. To interpret, when called upon by Affiliated Clubs or Members thereof, difficult or doubtful questions of law and practice, to arbitrate in all differences referred to the Association between and among Affiliated Clubs.
    6. To foster, safeguard and maintain the various Competitions, Leagues and such other activities as may be organised by the Association, Membership shall be open to any Club affiliated to the N. C. B. A., providing that the General Purposes Committee is satisfied that its green is in reach of other members.
    7. To administer the County Benevolent Fund.

  3. MEMBERSHIP

    1. Membership of the Association shall be open to all Clubs in the County that play the level green game, either on private or on municipal or other public greens. Providing that such Clubs possess level greens of at least 31metres in length exclusive of banks and ditches (Laws of the Sport of Bowls(Crystal Mark Edition) Rule 2.2) Clubs affiliated to the Association before 1st January 1962 shall not be excluded from membership if their greens do not comply with the conditions set forth above. Every Club however, is earnestly requested to comply with these conditions when possible, and Clubs are recommended to lay down greens of 37 metres square (Laws of the Sport Bowls (Crystal Mark Edition) Rule 2.2)
    2. By playing on municipal or other public greens must possess a permit from the municipal or other authority, allowing them use of Rinks for competitive purposes. No club playing, or intending to play, on municipal or other public greens upon which an Affiliated Club or Clubs is or are playing shall become affiliated to the Association until the existing Club or Clubs using the said green has, or have, been consulted by the Association and in opinion of the Association has, or have, offered no bona fide objection to its affiliation, square (Laws of the Sport Bowls (Crystal Mark Edition) Rule 2.5)
    3. Application for affiliation must be made to the Secretary of the Association and should be accompanied by a list of office-bearers of the Club, the address of the Hon. Secretary and of the green.
    4. Past Presidents shall be appointed Honorary Members of the Association.
    5. The Association shall have the power to elect other Honorary Members and Life Membwers for the special services to the game. Nominations for Honorary or Life Membersjip must firs be considered by the General Purposes Committee. All members and Life Members will be privileged to attend all General meetings of the Association

  4. FEES and SUBSCRIPTIONS

    1. Every Club on joining the Association shall pay an Entrance fee of £5 and an Annual Subscription of £30 plus the BE affiliation fee.
    2. The Annual subscription shall be paid not later than the 31st January in each year and any lub failing to pay its Subscriptions by the date named shall forfeit all the rights and privileges of membership until the whole of the arrears has been discharged.
    3. Hon. Vice Presidents will be welcome at a minimum subscription of £1 per annum.

  5. ADMINISTRATION

    1. The officers of the Association shall be the President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, Retiring President, (for one year after his term as President has expired). Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary, Honorary Competition Secretary and Honorary League Secretary, all of whom shall be elected each year at the Annual General Meeting.
    2. The Association shall have a General Purposes Committee consisting of:
      1. The Officers of the Association
      2. Eight other Members properly proposed and duly elected each year at the Annual General Meeting.
    3. The General Purposes Committee shall be competent to:
      1. Arrange all Meetings of the Association and ensure that reports of the year's activities are presented each year at the Annual General Meeting.
      2. Arrange all County and Representative Games and select teams to play in same
      3. Organise the County Championships.
      4. Organise the Edwardson, Challenge and Jubilee Cups and League Programmes.
      5. Publish the Year Book annually.
      6. Deal in a prudent manner with any emergency that may arise.
      7. Transact all other lawful business of the Association, having due regard for the Rules of the Association and all resolutions duly passed at the annual or any other General Meeting.
      8. Fill any vacancy which may occur in its membership.
      9. Consider and recommend to the Annual General Meeting any nominations for Honorary or Life Membership.
    4. The Association shall be governed by a General Council consisting of the General Purposes Committee, Honorary members and Life Members, three members from each affiliated Club, and only members of the General Council will have power to vote at any General meeting of the Association.
    5. All nominations for the various offices must be in the hands of the Hon. Secretary one calendar month before the date of the Annual General Meeting and shall be made through Secretary of the Club of which the nominee is a member. These shall be included in the Notice convening the Meeting.
    6. When more persons than required are nominated for any office or the General Purposes Committee voting will proceed by Ballot. No person shall be elected who does not secure more than half the number of voting papers returned. Any ballot paper containing less votes that there are vacancies shall be declared void. If no person secures the required number of votes, the candidates shall be reduced by the deletion of one or more from the lowest list and a fresh vote taken on the remainder and this process shall continue until the office(s) is/are filled. If a ballot results in a tie between two or more candidates who have secured the legitimate proportion of votes, a further ballot between the candidates will be held.
    7. All voting figures shall be declared.

  6. ANNUAL AND OTHER GENERAL MEETINGS

    1. The Association shall hold an Annual general Meeting in November or December for the purpose of receiving the Financial Statement and other Reports, election of Officers and the General Purposes Committee, arranging the programme for the ensuing season and any other competent business
    2. If the General Purposes Committee should decide that sufficient cause has been shown, a Special General Meeting of the General Council shall be summoned on their requisition or on the requisition of an affiliated Club to consider the business set forth in the requisition. The requisition shall state clearly the nature of the matter at issue and when made by a Club shall be signed by at least three of its principal Officers. The notice convening the Special General Meeting shall state the purpose of which the said meeting has been convened and no other business shall be transacted at the Meeting.
    3. All proposed changes to the Constitution at an Annual General Meeting must be carried by at least two-thirds of the members of the General Council who are present at the meeting.
    4. At all General Meetings 30 members shall form a quorum and the Chairman shall have the casting vote in addition to a deliberate vote. Each Club shall receive at least ten days notice of all General Meetings and with the notice a copy of the agenda. No club shall be represented by mopre than three Delegates at any General Meeting except those Clubs from which the Members of the General Purposes Committee are elected.
    5. All proposed changes to the constitution at an Annual General Meeting must be carried by at least two thirds of the members of the General Council who are present at the meeting.

      6. N.B The Association recommend that Clubs hold their Annual meetins in October of each year.

  7. SEVERANCE OF MEMBERSHIP

    8. It shall be competent for the General Purposes committee, after due investigation, to suspend or determine the membership of any Club, but such Club shall have the right to appeal to the Association, pro9viding the appeal is signed by the Officers of the Club and lodged with the Secretary of the Association within Twenty-one Days of the General Purposes Committee's decision. Such appeal shall state the grounds on which it is made.

  8. THE HON. SECRETARY AND HON. TRESURER

    • The Honorary Secretary shall deal with correspondence and keep a record of business transacted at all General and Committee Meetings. The assistant Hon. Secretary shall assist the Hon. Secretary with the administration of the County.
    • The Honorary Competition Secretary and the Honorary League Secretary will supervise the Competitions and League respectively, and shall at all times co-operate with the Honorary Secretary.
    • The Honorary Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Association and submit to the Annual General Meeting a precise statement of accounts, audited and signed by two Hon. Auditors elected each year at the Annual General Meeting.
    • The Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer shall at all times act in conjunction with the General Purposes Committee.

  9. LIQUIDATION

    10. In the event of liquidation of the Northumberland County Bowling Association, the funds and assets of Northumberland county Bowling Association remaining after payment and satisfaction of its debts and liabilities and the costs and expenses of liquidation shall be distributed by Northumberland County Bowling Association in General Meeting to a sporting body which is established substantially or primarily for the purpose of promoting any game or sport providing that the game or sport is conducted for the recreation and benefit or entertainment of the general public in Northumberland and no part of the income or other funds of the body corporate operating such sport is used or available to be used for the pecuniary profit of the proprietor, member or shareholder.

  10. INDEMNITY

    1. The General Purposes committee and each and every General Purposes Committee Representative, or Trustee, except in the case of wilful default or fraudulent acts or omissions, be indemnified by and out of the funds of Northumberland County Bowling Association, against any loss, damage, expenses or liability incurred by reason of or in connection with any legal proceedings instituted against them or any of them for any act done, omitted or suffered in relation to the performance of any of the ir duties in respect of Northumberland County Bowling Association.
    2. The General Purposes Committee shall effect any appropriate insurance cover in respect of the indemnity provision of this clause at the expense of Northumberland County Bowling Association.
    3. Each member of the County Association shall (to the extent that such person is not entitled to recover under any policy of insurance) be entitled to be indemnified out of any and all funds available to the County association which may lawfully be so applies, against all costs, expenses and liabilities whatsoever incurred by such person in the proper execution and discharge of duties undertaken on behalf of the county Association or arising therefrom, or incurred in good faith in the purported discharge of such duties.

  11. ALTERATION OF RULES

    12. Alterations or additions to all or any of the Rules shall be made only at the Annual General Meeting. The same to have the approval of the Club concerned and all such notices must be submitted by the Club Secretary, not individuals. One calendar month's written notice of the terms of such proposed alteration or addition (which shall be stated in the notice of business of meeting) shall be given to the Hon. Secretary.

Patron: His Grace The Duke of Northumberland
© 2010. Bowls Northumberland