Worcestershire Chess Association

Worcestershire Chess Association Constitution

Last updated 25 August 2015

 

1. The Association shall be called "The Worcestershire Chess Association".

 

2. The objects of the Association shall be:

• to promote, play, teach and develop the game of chess in the County;
• to promote competitions between clubs and individual players in the County;
• to arrange matches, both over-the-board and by correspondence with other counties;
• to co-operate with other bodies for the furtherance of the best interests of chess in Great Britain.

3. The Association shall consist of:

• a President;
• Vice-Presidents;
• Ordinary Members not members of member clubs;
• Member Clubs.

4. Any Chess Club whose place of meeting is within the geographical area of Worcestershire (as defined by the Ordnance Survey immediately prior to the re-organisation incorporating Herefordshire) shall be eligible for membership of the Association. Any other Chess Club shall be eligible for membership if such an application be approved by the Executive Committee.

 

5. All subscriptions shall be payable by the 15th November in each year. Membership of the Association is a pre-requisite for participation in any match in the County competitions. The following shall be the subscriptions of the various grades of members:

• Vice-Presidents shall be as recommended from time to time by the Executive Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting;
• Ordinary members not registered by a member club shall be as recommended from time to time by the Executive Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting;
• Member Clubs competing in the County Competitions and Member Clubs not competing in the County Competitions shall be as recommended from time to time by the Executive Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting;
• Independent Leagues operating within the County shall pay an affiliation fee based on the number of players in such Leagues at a rate to be laid down from time to time by the Executive Committee and agreed with the independent League's representatives.

6. Any Club or Member desiring to terminate membership of the Association shall give notice in writing to the Honorary GENERAL Secretary before 31st October. Failure to give such notice shall render such Club or Member liable for the ensuing year's subscription.

 

7. The supreme authority of the Association shall be vested in the General Meeting of its members, which alone shall have the power to make, repeal, or amend this Constitution. The Quorum for a General Meeting shall be nine persons. The following shall have the power to vote at General Meetings:

• the President;
• Vice-Presidents;
• Officers of the Association for the time being;
• all COUNTY REGISTERED MEMBERS of each Member Club;
• Ordinary Members not members of Member Clubs;
• two representatives of each independent league operating within the County and affiliated to the County Chess Association.

8. The business of the Association shall be conducted by the Executive Committee in accordance with the decisions of the Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee shall meet at such times as the President and Honorary General Secretary may deem necessary and shall consist of:

• the President;
• the Honorary General Secretary;
• the Honorary Treasurer;
• the Match Captains;
• the Vice-Captains;
• one delegate from each Member Club;
• two delegates from each independent League operating within the County and affiliated to the County Chess Association;
• all Officials and representatives appointed by the Annual General Meeting, and such additional persons as the Annual General Meeting may from time to time determine.

All Officers shall be honorary and shall be elected or confirmed by the vote of the Annual General Meeting and shall vacate their offices annually with the exception of the President who shall be elected biennially. The quorum for an Executive Meeting shall be six persons

 

9. The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt any suitable person, and shall be empowered to form sub-committees, if these are considered necessary. Should any Officer die or resign, the Executive Committee may appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting.

 

10. The Annual General Meeting shall be held on a Saturday in May to be decided by the Executive Committee.

 

11. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called upon a requisition to the GENERAL Secretary, signed by the Secretaries of not fewer than three Member Clubs, stating the purpose for which the meeting is requested. Such meetings shall take place within a month from the receipt of the requisition by the General Secretary, and the business to be transacted shall be confined to that dealt with in the requisition, and any other business of which the General Secretary shall have received similar notice not less than ten days before the date of the meeting.

 

12. In all cases fourteen days notice of any meeting together with an Agenda of the business to be transacted, shall be sent to each Member Club, Member, or Officer. Notice of any motion to be submitted to the Annual General Meeting shall be forwarded to the General Secretary not later than the 15th April.

 

13. Voting at all meetings shall be by show of hands, unless a secret ballot shall be demanded by any member present. In all cases a simple majority shall suffice to carry any proposition or amendment, save in the case of an alteration to the Constitution, when a two-thirds majority of those voting shall be required. Should the voting on any motion be equal, the President, or if he be absent, the duly elected Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote. No person shall have more than one vote by virtue of possessing more than a single qualification. There shall be no voting by proxy.

 

14. All monies expended and received shall be accounted for by vouchers. The Accounts of Association shall be audited by an Honorary Auditor who shall be elected by the Annual General Meeting and shall not be a member of the Executive Committee.

 

15. All matters arising out of, or not covered by this constitution shall be decided by the Executive Committee, subject to confirmation by a General Meeting.

 

Accepted by the AGM 9 May 1992 and amended at the EGM held 27 August 2015 to make the quorum for annual meetings 9 persons.

 

 

 

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