(as amended in May
2006)
1. NAME
The
name of this organisation shall be ‘THE NORTHUMBERLAND CHESS ASSOCIATION’
(hereinafter called ‘the Association’). The expression ‘Northumberland’ is for
the purpose of defining the area of activity of the Association deemed to mean
the administrative
The
Association shall affiliate to the Northern Counties Chess Union and the
English Chess Federation.
2. OBJECTS
The
objects of the Association are:
(a) to encourage and extend the practice and playing of chess in
Northumberland and beyond;
(b)
to
institute, promote or sponsor chess.
To
these ends the Association will organise:
(i) an annual tournament
for the championships of Northumberland;
(ii) inter club, county and other team matches;
(iii)
such other tournaments or events as seem likely to
promote the primary aims of the Association;
ensuring that appropriate
trophies or prizes are provided.
3. MEMBERSHIP
The categories of membership are as follows:
a.
clubs affiliating to the Association. A club may
affiliate by paying the appropriate fee
b.
individuals
who are bona fide members of affiliated clubs
c.
individuals registered directly with the Association
(hereinafter called ‘direct members’) by paying the appropriate fee..
d.
Vice-Presidents
No club or individual shall be eligible to participate in any event or activity organised or arranged by the Association (other than an open event) unless they are members of the Association. The membership year shall run from 1st August to 31st July each year.
4. MANAGEMENT
The
affairs of the Association shall be managed by an Executive Committee
comprising of all elected officials and a maximum of four delegates
representing clubs affiliated to the Association
In
addition to its general powers of management the Executive Committee shall:
(i) co-opt a member of the Northumbria Junior Chess Association, who shall have no voting rights on the Committee;
(ii)
have authority to co-opt further members as deemed
necessary, but such co-opted members shall have no voting rights on the
Committee;
(iii)
have power to elect sub-committees to carry out
specific functions of administration as is considered necessary, e.g. finance,
league, congress, etc.;
(iv)
have
the power between Annual General Meetings to elect Vice-Presidents of the
Association.
(v)
where
a vacancy occurs in any office between Annual General Meetings be empowered to
fill such vacancy at their discretion.
5. MEETINGS
a) The
Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in the month of May
chaired by the Executive Committee Chairman. All members of the Association
shall be entitled to attend and vote. Fifteen (15) members shall form a quorum.
The business of the meeting shall be:
(i)
to
elect a President and Vice-Presidents.
(ii)
to elect an Executive Committee comprising of a
Secretary, Treasurer, League Conductor, Congress Organiser, News Organiser, Bulletin Editor, Lightning Organiser, Knock-Out
Organiser, Correspondence Organiser, Individual Championship Organiser, Grading
Results Officer, Promotions Officer, a Vice-President representative
(Vice-Presidents only may propose or second a nomination for this), Delegates
to the Northern Counties Chess Union, Delegate to the English Chess Federation
and other officials as deemed necessary. Nominations shall be submitted to the
Secretary not later than the commencement of the meeting.
(iii)
to appoint an auditor
(iv)
to
consider the accounts and reports from each official and determine annual
subscriptions An official who does not give a satisfactory report shall be
disqualified from holding office until the following Annual General Meeting.
(v)
to advise competition organisers on the running of
their competitions.
(vi)
no
addition to or amendment of this constitution shall be made except at the
Annual General Meeting of the Association. Notice of proposed additions or
amendments shall be sent to the Association Secretary in writing, and must
reach him or her not later than 1st April preceding
the Annual General Meeting. At the Annual
General Meeting a proposal to alter this Constitution shall require a
two-thirds majority to be carried.
(vii)
At all meetings where voting is necessary to carry
any motion or proposal a simple majority shall be sufficient to carry such a
motion or proposal, and where the vote is tied, the Chairman of the meeting
shall have a casting vote
(viii)
to
transact any other business of which due notice has been received. Notice of
any business to be considered at the Annual General Meeting must be given in
writing to the Association Secretary, and must reach him or her not later than
1st April.
The President shall be elected for a
five-year term and shall not thereafter be re-elected. All other office-holders
shall be elected annually and shall serve until the end of the following Annual
General Meeting.
b) An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association shall be held on the requisition of 24 members of the Association representing at least four (4) affiliated clubs. Such requisition shall give the purpose for which the meeting is requested and only specified business can be discussed. All members of the Association shall be entitled to attend such meeting, which must be held within 42 days of the receipt of the requisition. Fifteen (15) members shall form a quorum.
c) The Executive Committee shall meet annually in the week before the Annual General Meeting and on at least three (3) other occasions during the membership year. A Chairman shall be elected at the first meeting of the Executive Committee following the Annual General Meeting to hold office until the end of the following Annual General Meeting. The Chairman shall be entitled to vote as a member of the Executive Committee.
d) Special Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held on
the requisition of five (5) of its members. Such meetings must be held within
21 days of the receipt of the requisition. At all meetings of the Executive
Committee five (5) members shall form a quorum.
e) A League Meeting shall be held in the month of September chaired by the Executive Committee chairman. Each club intending to enter the Northumbria Chess League shall be represented and is entitled to one vote on each item of business. In addition all Association Officials shall be entitled to attend but shall have no voting rights. The business of the meeting shall be:
(i) to elect league delegates to serve on the Executive Committee. Nominations shall be submitted to the Secretary no later than the commencement of the meeting. Elected members shall serve until the end of the following September League Meeting;
(ii)
to advise the League Conductor on the running of
the League;
(iii)
to
amend League Rules. Proposals shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary to
reach him or her by 20th August preceding the meeting. Additional
League Meetings shall be held as deemed necessary by the League Conductor.
f) The
Association Secretary shall convene all meetings and keep full and correct
minutes of all proceedings at such meetings. At least 21 days’ notice shall be
given of the Annual General Meeting or of an Extraordinary General Meeting to
all Association Officials, club secretaries, Vice-Presidents, and direct
members.
At least 14
days' notice shall be given of League Meetings to all Association officials and
club secretaries. At least 10 days’ notice shall be given of Executive Meetings
to Committee members.
6. FINANCE
The
financial year of the Association shall end on 31st March. The Treasurer shall
lay before the Annual General Meeting an audited statement of the finances of
the Association for the preceding year. The price of the Association Bulletin, club
affiliation fee, league fee, individual competition fee, and all annual
subscriptions payable by Vice-Presidents and direct members shall be determined
each year at the Annual General Meeting following recommendations made by the
Executive Committee.
The
Association is a non-profit making organisation, and any surplus from a year's
activities shall be carried forward to the next year for the benefit of the
membership in general.
7. DISPUTE
In any dispute as to the interpretation of this constitution the findings of the Executive Committee shall be final.