HERTFORDSHIRE INDOOR BOWLS ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION, RULES, AND OBJECTIVES
1. Title and Affiliations
The Association shall be called the Hertfordshire Indoor Bowls Association and shall be affiliated to the English Indoor Bowling Association, and to the Home Counties Indoor Bowling Association.
2. Objects.
The objects of the Association shall be.
a) To promote, foster and Safeguard the Amateur game of Indoor Bowls for men and ladies in Hertfordshire, as laid down in the Rules of the of the English Indoor Bowling Association
b) To arrange Inter County Matches and other competitions.
c) To organise Social events and tours.
d) To enforce the Laws of the Game as directed by the World Indoor Bowls Council.
e) To recognise and acknowledge its responsibilities to safeguard the welfare of young persons and vulnerable adults participating in its activities by the appointment of a Child Protection Officer from its Executive.
3. Membership
The Association shall consist of Indoor Bowls Clubs and Clubs with Indoor Sections that have a minimum of Twenty (20) members, whose green is in Hertfordshire and are affiliated to the English Indoor Bowling Association.
Membership will also be open to a club that has a membership of Twenty (20) members and is temporarily without a green, provided that, any such club submits to the County Secretary at least Fourteen (14) days prior to an Annual General Meeting, a clear statement of the facilities it has arranged for the following season, upon which basis the Annual General Meeting will make a decision regarding that clubs membership of this Association.
Provided that.
a) All affiliated clubs shall play on greens which conform to the World Laws of the Sport of Indoor bowls.
b) No Club intending to play on any green on which an affiliated club is already playing shall become affiliated until the existing club or clubs have been consulted and have offered no bona fide objection to the affiliation
c) Affiliated clubs are expected to provide reasonable facilities for the playing of competitions provided by the E.I.B.A. H.C.I.B.A. and H.I.B.A.
d) Application for affiliation shall be made to the Honorary Secretary and shall be accompanied by a list of Officers, the names and addresses of the Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer, together with a copy of the Club Rules and / or Constitution.
4. Subscriptions.
A yearly subscription at the rates fixed at the Annual General Meeting shall be paid not later than 31st December of the current season for all male and female playing members of each affiliated club. The membership numbers used for payment shall be those submitted to the E.I.B.A. in December of the current season.
5. Administration.
a) The County Committee.
The Affairs of the association shall be conducted by a COUNTY COMMITTEE
consisting of:
President
Deputy President
Immediate Past President
Honorary Chairman
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Match & Fixture Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
Honorary Competition Secretary
Honorary Webmaster
Two delegates appointed by each club. In the event that either or both are unable to attend a meeting, the club shall be responsible for appointing substitutes for that meeting
Past President’s for Five years following the termination of their period in office, shall be entitled to continue to attend all County Committee Meetings and engage in discussions with full voting rights.
In addition to dealing with all matters in connection with the proper conduct of the business of the Association, the County Committee shall also deal with matters as may be delegated to it by the Annual General Meeting.
The COUNTY COMMITTEE shall also be responsible for the appointment of:
A Team Manager or Team Selection Committee not exceeding three members, whose duties shall comprise the selection and management of teams for the Liberty Trophy and Inter County Senior League Matches.
A Team Manager or Team Selection Committee not exceeding three members, whose duties shall comprise the selection and management of teams for Under 25 League and other Matches.
A Tour Organiser whose duties shall comprise the organisation of the Annual County Tour.
A Child Protection Officer whose duties shall be the administration of the Child Protection Policy.
The County Committee will meet in, February, May, October and December of each year.
If necessary these dates may be varied at the discretion of the Hon. Secretary, together with the discretion to call for additional meetings
A minimum of fourteen (14) days notice shall be given by the Hon. Secretary to each member of the County Committee.
A quorum shall consist of Seven (7) members including at least Two (2) affiliated clubs being represented by an accredited Delegate or Delegates.
b) The Selection Committee
Selection for friendly or other matches as determined by the County Committee shall be undertaken by a SELECTION COMMITTEE consisting of.
President
Deputy President
Honorary Match & Fixture Secretary
Hon. Secretary
Plus two nominated representatives from each Affiliated Club not represented by an officer, but in the event that a nominated representative is unable to attend then his club shall appoint a substitute for that meeting.
If in the event that an Officer is unable to attend then a substitute shall attend in his/her place to ensure that his Club has representation at that meeting and for no other reason.
c) Emergency Committee
This committee will consist of the President, Deputy President, and either the Secretary or Assistant Secretary. The Immediate Past President will substitute for either the President or for the Deputy President. The members may co-opt as necessary, A quorum shall be three members. This committee will only meet in exceptional circumstances, and will report its actions to the County Committee.
6. Honorary Chairman
The function of the Chairman is to
a. Conduct meetings in a manner to ensure proper debate
b. He should be independent of club requirements and therefore should not be a club delegate
If the elected Chairman is a Club delegate he must relinquish that position on being elected
c. The Chairman will not be a member of any subcommittee i.e. selection etc.
d. The Chairman shall not enter into debate and shall remain neutral
e. The Chairman shall have a casting vote only, therefore, except when a casting vote is required he will abstain from voicing his opinions.
7. Honorary Secretary
The Honorary Secretary shall keep a record of all business transacted at General or other meetings and shall submit to the Annual General Meeting a report of the proceedings since the previous Annual Meeting. Copies of the Annual Report shall be sent to each affiliated club not less than fourteen (14) days before the Annual Meeting.
The Hon. Secretary shall have the right to summon the County Committee, and any other Special Committee in being, whenever in his opinion, circumstances warrant it.
8. Honorary Treasurer
The Honorary Treasurer shall keep a record of all income and expenditure for the current Season and shall provide a cash flow statement at each Executive meeting. He shall provide an accurate account of the income and expenditure for the past Indoor Season ending 31st. March at the May County Committee meeting. The Account shall have been checked and signed by an Examiner agreed at the previous AGM. A draft copy of the account shall be sent to each affiliated club not less than 14 days prior to the County Committee meeting.
9. Annual and Other General Meetings
a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of April each year. The notice and agenda of this meeting shall be sent to each affiliated club not less than fourteen (14) days before the date of the meeting
b) Members of any Affiliated Club may attend the Annual General Meeting and take part in the business, only Officers and accredited Club Delegates shall be allowed to vote, except as provided for in Rule 17
Each affiliated Club will be entitled to two (2) Delegates for the Annual General Meeting.
c) Every item on the Agenda shall be submitted to the Meeting for discussion and all votes for and against counted.
d) The President, Deputy President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Match Secretary, Honorary Fixture Secretary Honorary Assistant Secretary, Honorary Competition Secretary, Hon. Assistant Competition Secretary, and Honorary Webmaster shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for these offices may be submitted to the Honorary Secretary by the 31st March or any other date considered suitable by the Honorary Secretary.
e) In the event that the President, Deputy President or Vice-President does not complete his term of office, the County Committee shall make such arrangements as it deems necessary to ensure the satisfactory conduct of the Association’s affairs until the next following Annual General Meeting.
f) A special General Meeting shall be called if so determined by the County Committee or on the requisition of not less than three (3) affiliated clubs. Fourteen (14) days notice shall be given of such a meeting specifying the purpose for which the meeting has been called. No other business shall be transacted at the meeting.
g) A quorum at Annual and other General Meetings shall consist of Nine (9) members entitled to vote at the meeting; of which two (2) shall be Officers of the Association and shall include representation from at least Four (4) affiliated Clubs.
10. Voting at Meetings
At any vote taken at a General Meeting or Committee Meeting of the Association, the decision shall be by simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second and casting vote.
11. Life Members
The Annual General Meeting shall have the power to appoint Life Members of the Association upon recommendation of the County Committee which generally will be in recognition of services to the Association.
Such Life Members will have the right to submit an application direct to the Honorary Secretary for consideration for inclusion in matches, tours and all activities of the Association.
12. The County Committee in Appeal
The County Committee shall be empowered to adjudicate upon any disputes referred to it arising between or among affiliated clubs as to the interpretation of any of the Rules or any matter of practice, policy or complaint. The subject of reference or appeal must be stated in writing to the Honorary Secretary who shall call a meeting of the County Committee to deal with the matter.
The County Committee shall have the power, after due investigation of the facts and if need be the examination of witnesses and relevant evidence, to suspend or terminate the membership of any club or any member thereof.
The Right to Appeal to the next Annual General Meeting shall be reserved to the club or member concerned.
13. Laws
The World Bowls Laws of the sport of Indoor Bowls shall apply to indoor games. Clubs may make modifications to these Laws as may be necessary to meet special local conditions provided that such modifications are reported to, and approved by the Executive Committee and are published for the information of members and visiting players. Special attention is drawn to the requirements that all bowls used in competitive or representative games must bear a valid IBB/WBB stamp, or that of its National Authority, of 1985 or subsequent date.
14. Amateurism
The Association is subject to the Rules of the English Indoor Bowling Association.
15. Competitions and Matches
The County Committee shall have entire control of Inter-County and other Matches and of Competitions and may draw up Rules and Regulations for the latter.
16. County Badges
The full Association Blazer Badge shall be awarded to those players who qualify to receive same. The qualification shall be to have been selected for and to play in five Inter-County games over a period of not less than three seasons. The cost of the badge to be borne by the recipient. A County Badge shall be awarded to an unbadged player winning the County Senior Singles Championship, the cost of the badge being borne by the Association.
17. Alterations to Rules
Alteration of, or addition of any of the foregoing Rules shall be made only at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose. Proposed changes can only be made and seconded by the Associations affiliated clubs. Written notice of such alterations must be given to the Honorary Secretary four (4) weeks prior to the Meeting.
Voting on any proposed changes can only be taken by One (1) accredited delegate from each member club, and no proposal for alteration of the Rules shall be deemed to have been passed unless there is a majority of accredited Club Delegates in favour. Any changes of rules agreed at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall stand for at least Two (2) years before further amendments or alterations can be proposed.
18. Lady Bowlers
Lady members of Hertfordshire IBA affiliated clubs will be permitted to enter and play in Mixed and Ladies & Open competitions run under the Hertfordshire IBA county competition programme and under approved Hertfordshire IBA 2024/2025 Competition Rules
Lady members of Hertfordshire IBA affiliated clubs will be permitted to nominate and play in open and mixed association games.
Lady members of Hertfordshire IBA affiliated clubs will be subject to the affiliation subscription rules set out under “rule 4 – Subscriptions”.
19. Delegates
Each Affiliated Club shall notify the Honorary Secretary by the 31st May each year of the names and addresses of its Delegates to the County Committee, and Selection Committee.
20. Dissolution
If at any General Meeting a resolution for the dissolution of the Association is passed by the majority of those present and entitled to vote, the assets of the association shall be realised and after deduction of any expenses incurred shall, at the sole discretion of the
Executive, either:-
a) Be transferred to any successor organisation with objects generally similar to those of this Association,
or
b) Be distributed to member clubs at the time of dissolution in proportion to the last subscriptions paid by those clubs.
Revised 14th August 2024