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SHEFFIELD AND DISTRICT CHESS
ASSOCIATION
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CONSTITUTION
as updated 2019
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1.
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NAME
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The
Association shall be known as “The Sheffield and District Chess
Association.”
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1.
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OBJECTS
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The
objects of the Association shall be to
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(a)
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enter
teams to play in county or national competitions
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(b)
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organise
local team and individual competitions
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(c)
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promote
the interests of chess players generally.
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3.
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MEMBERSHIP
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(a)
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Membership
shall be open to all chess clubs approved by the Annual General Meeting
(referred to as "AGM" hereafter). Individual members of member
clubs shall be associate members of the Association.
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(b)
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Individual
membership shall be open to all players approved by the AGM or the
Executive Committee, whether or not they are members of member clubs. Individual
members are not eligible to vote except by virtue of holding office.
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(c)
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In
these Rules, the word “member” denotes an individual or associate member,
and the words “member club” denote a club in membership of the Association.
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4.
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THE
OFFICERS
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(a)
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The
Officers of the Association shall be as follows: a President,
Past-Presidents, Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, a General Secretary, a
Tournament Controller, a Bulletin Secretary, (a Chair of the Executive -deleted,
2019), a Webmaster, a University Chess Supervisor, one Secretary for each
division in the League, a Secretary for the Richardson Cup and associated
Plate competition, and a Secretary for the Summer League.
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(b)
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The
Officers (except the Past-Presidents) shall be elected at the AGM, from
among the members; or, if a vacancy arises during the year, by the
Executive.
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5.
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THE
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
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(a)
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The
AGM shall be held not later than September 15th in each year.
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(b)
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The
agenda shall include the following:
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(i)
minutes of the previous AGM, a hard copy of which, signed by the chair of
the meeting if approved by the meeting, shall be filed in a Minute Book for
future reference
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(ii)
financial statement for the previous financial year
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(iii)
election of Officers, Auditors, Archivist and Match Captains
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(iv) fees
and subscriptions for the ensuing season
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(v)
election of teams to League
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(vi)
proposed alterations to the Constitution or Rules
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(vii)
election of four members to serve on the Executive
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(viii)
organisation of the teams into divisions, and
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(ix)
any Other Business, covering minor items taken at the discretion of the Chair.
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(c)
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The
AGM shall be open to all members.
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(d)
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Nine
voting members shall form a quorum.
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(e)
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The
AGM may appoint sub-committees for special purposes, and may co-opt any
member to serve on such sub-committees.
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(f)
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The
AGM will normally be chaired by the president.
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6.
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SPECIAL
GENERAL MEETINGS
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(a)
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Special
General Meetings shall be called when requested by the Executive, or on 21 days’
written notice being given to the General Secretary, signed by 20 members.
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(b)
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Business
at a Special General Meeting shall be limited to the business for which the
meeting was called.
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(c)
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A
Special General Meeting shall be open to all members
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(d)
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Nine
voting members shall form a quorum.
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(e)
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A
Special General Meeting will normally be chaired by the President (2019).
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7.
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THE
FIXTURE MEETING
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(a)
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The
Fixture Meeting shall be a General Meeting held in September, after
the AGM, to:
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(i)
distribute fixture lists in accordance with Rule 16(a)
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(ii)
make the draw for the first two rounds of the Richardson Cup competition
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(iii)
register players, in accordance with Rule 17
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(iv)
handle business delegated by the AGM
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(v)
take Any Other Business, covering minor items taken at the discretion of
the Chair.
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(b)
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The
Fixture Meeting shall be open to all members.
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(c)
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Nine
voting members shall form a quorum.
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(d)
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The
Fixture Meeting will normally be chaired by the Presidsent (2019).
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8.
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THE
EXECUTIVE
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(a)
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The
Executive shall consist of The President (2019), the Treasurer, the General
Secretary, the Divisional Secretaries, the Webmaster, the Tournament
Controller and four members elected annually by the AGM.
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(b)
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The
Executive shall meet when required by a General Meeting, when deemed
expedient by the General Secretary or when petitioned by ten members.
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(c)
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The
Executive may:
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(i)
authorise expenditure for any purpose within the scope of Rule 2
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(ii)
make arrangements for successive rounds of the knock-out competitions
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(iii)
interpret and apply the Rules of the Association and the F.I.D.E. Laws of
Chess and decide any matter not covered therein
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(iv)
deal with complaints from, or disputes between, officers, clubs or players,
and where appropriate, impose penalties
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(v)
investigate defaulted or unreported matches and, where appropriate, impose
penalties
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(vi)
transfer players, according to Rule 18(c)
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(vii)
carry out such other functions as may be delegated to it by a General
Meeting
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(viii)
appoint sub-committees for special purposes, and co-opt any member to serve
on such sub-committees
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(ix)
investigate non-payment of the Annual fees and impose such penalties as are
appropriate. (See also Rule 11(b)).
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(d)
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A
quorum for the Executive shall consist of half the members or five members,
whichever is the less.
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9.
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PROCEDURE
FOR MEETINGS
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(a)
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The
General Secretary shall give at least fourteen days’ written notice to all member
clubs, officers and individual members of all General Meetings. The notice
shall include a full agenda and details of any proposed changes to the
Constitution or Rules. For the AGM the notice shall be 30 days. E-mail
shall be acceptable notification to those who have provided an e-mail
address.
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(b)
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The
General Secretary shall give at least seven days’ written notice to all
members of the Executive of all Executive Meetings, except that in an
emergency, the Executive may be called together without formal notice.
Where Executive meetings are called together in this way, the General
Secretary shall, as far as possible, notify all members of the Executive of
the time and place of the meeting.
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(c)
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At
General meetings, each officer and member club shall have one vote, except
that on matters relating to team competitions, including proposed
alterations to the Rules for team competitions, non-competing member clubs
shall not be eligible to vote.
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(d)
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At
Executive meetings each member shall have one vote.
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(e)
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If
voting is tied, the Chair of the meeting shall have a second or casting
vote.
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(f)
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No
votes by proxy shall be allowed.
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(g)
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Provided
that the procedure in (a) or (b) above has been followed no decision reached
at any meeting shall be invalid because of the failure of any member to
receive notice of that meeting.
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10.
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ALTERATIONS
TO THE CONSTITUTION OR RULES
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(a)
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Any
member may propose an alteration to the Constitution or Rules at the AGM,
provided notice of the proposed change has been given to the General
Secretary by 30th June before that AGM.
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(b)
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In
the event that a member makes more than three proposals to an AGM, it shall
be at the discretion of the AGM whether to take more than the first three
proposals received chronologically by the General Secretary from that
member.
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(c)
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A
proposal for alteration of the Constitution or Rules shall, in order to be
carried, be supported by at least two thirds of the votes cast.
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11.
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FINANCIAL
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(a)
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All
the fees and subscriptions shall be fixed at the AGM. The Association may
levy:
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(i)
annual club membership fees
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(ii)
annual individual membership fees
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(iii)
annual League team entry fees
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(iv)
annual fees for Richardson Cup teams, other than the first entered by each
club
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(v)
match fees, payable by players who represent the Association
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(vi)
entry fees to the individual tournaments
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(vii)
such other fees or levies as may be imposed by a General Meeting
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(viii) such
fines as may be imposed by the Executive or are incurred under rule 11(b)
below.
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(b)
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Annual
fees shall apply from one Fixture Meeting to the next, and must be paid
before 31st December. Any clubs, which have not paid all annual
fees before 31st March following, shall be reported to the Executive
for action.
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(c)
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All
payments out of Association funds shall be authorised by a General meeting
or approved by the Executive.
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(d)
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The
Association’s financial year shall end on 30th June.
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(e)
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Audited
accounts for the previous financial year shall be circulated to all member
clubs at least 14 days before the AGM and presented to the AGM.
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(f)
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The
Treasurer, President, General Secretary (and Chair of the Executive
Committee - deleted 2019) shall be appointed as trustees for the bank
accounts, the signatures of any two being necessary for the authorisation
of withdrawals and payments.
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12.
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REPRESENTATIVE
MATCHES
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(a)
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Association
teams may be entered in any competition, with the approval of the AGM, at which
Match Captains shall be elected and match fees fixed.
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(b)
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The
General Secretary may arrange friendly fixtures for Association teams, for
which he may appoint Match Captains and fix match fees, subject to
confirmation by the Executive.
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(c)
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Match
arrangements, including the selection of teams and the collection of match
fees, shall be entirely the responsibility of the Match Captain.
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(d)
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Members
representing the Association in matches played outside the Sheffield area
may claim a refund of reasonable travelling expenses. Such refunds shall be
at the discretion of the Match Captain.
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13.
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OFFICIAL
COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION
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(a)
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The
Association shall effect official communication normally, as detailed
below, by means of one or more the following:
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(i)
e-mail,
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(ii)
the Association Website,
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(iii)
an external website updated by League Secretaries,
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(iv)
printable or printed Bulletins; and only in emergency shall a telephone be
used.
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(b)
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At
the start of the season, the Association shall arrange for the publication,
via the Association website, and/or in a Bulletin (or “Hand Book”), of the
following:
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(i)
names and appropriate contact details of those elected or appointed by the
Association;
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(ii)
details of fees and subscriptions fixed for the ensuing season;
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(iii)
details of club officials, match venues &c, supplied by competing
clubs.
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(c)
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As
appropriate, throughout the season, the Association shall arrange for
publication, via e-mail or post, and also the Association website and/or
Bulletins, of the following:
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(i)
pairings for the team knock-out competitions;
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(ii)
pairings for individual tournaments;
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(iii)
such other news and information as the Secretary may decide.
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(d)
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Regularly,
throughout the season, the Association shall arrange for publication via an
external website, and/or the Association website, and/or periodic
Bulletins, of the following:
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(i)
results of representative matches, detailed game by game;
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(ii)
results of League and of team knock-out competition matches, detailed game
by game;
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(iii)
results of successive rounds of individual tournaments.
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(e)
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When
the requirements of 13(d) are not met by periodic Bulletins throughout the
season, a single, all-embracing Bulletin (or “Year Book”) may be produced.
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(f)
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Any
Bulletin (or “Hand Book” or “Year Book”) shall be distributed free of
charge to the Officers, members of Executive, the secretaries of member
clubs, individual members, captains of Association teams and such other
persons as the Executive may decide.
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