BARBARIANS BOWLS ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION AND RULES

Title

1.            The Association shall be called the Barbarians Bowls Association.

Objects

2.            The objects of the Association are to honour Male Bowlers of any nationality who have achieved distinction in the playing or administration of Bowls, and to encourage others to attain such distinction.

Membership

3.            Membership shall be open to Male Bowlers for their ability as Players or who have devoted their energy and ability to fostering the game of Bowls. Candidates for admission to the Association must be proposed and seconded by Two Members who have been members for at least three years, both of whom must testify in writing that the Candidate is an eligible person. Nominations must be in the hands of the Secretary not later than the 31st October for consideration at the December Management Committee Meeting or not later than 28th February for consideration at the April Management Committee Meeting.

New Members shall normally be limited to six in number in any one year, but additional members may be nominated and considered at the discretion of the Management Committee.      

The Members may, at the Annual General Meeting, on the recommendation of the Management Committee, elect ‘LIFE MEMBERS’ for special services rendered to the Association. They shall be entitled to the benefits of full membership of the Association, including the right to vote.

The Members may, at the Annual General Meeting, on the recommendation of the Management Committee, elect Honorary Members of the Association for special services rendered to the game. They may attend General Meetings and be allowed to speak on any motion but shall not have the right to vote.

Subscriptions

4.            An Annual Subscription at a rate fixed by the General Management Committee shall be paid not later than the 31st May in each year.

Members that are inactive or have ill-health will pay a fee of £10, and will be known as Associate Members who have the same rights as other members.

Members failing to pay their subscriptions as stated shall forfeit their rights and privileges of membership until the whole of the arrears have been paid. The maximum period that a member may be in arrears shall be three years.

Administration

5.            The Officers of the Association shall be:

                                             President

                                             Vice-President

                                              Secretary

                                             Treasurer

                                              Immediate Past President

 Retiring President from the previous year

6.            (a)          The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a Management Committee consisting of the aforementioned Officers together with eight other members of the Association who have been nominated, seconded and elected at an AGM. The President shall act as Chairman of Management Committee meetings and there shall be a quorum of seven.  In the event of equal votes the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote. 

(b)          At each Annual General Meeting the Vice President shall succeed to President.  The Secretary shall invite nominations from the members for:

               (i) President, where something untoward has interrupted or is likely to interrupt the natural succession

               (ii) Vice President.

               (iii) Secretary

               (iv)Treasurer

               (v) Two management Committee members.

Each nomination shall be seconded by a member.

The Secretary shall send out the invitations for these nominations by the 30th September and any nominations made shall be received by him by 31st October.

The Immediate Past President and Retiring President from the previous year shall automatically succeed to the Management Committee.

(c) The two longest serving members of the Management Committee shall retire. Should there be members of the Management Committee who were elected on the same day, the Management Committee member to retire will be determined by lot unless they agree otherwise between themselves. Retiring Management Committee members shall be eligible for re-election.          

7.            The Management Committee shall be empowered to appoint a Sub-Committee for any specific purpose and may delegate to it such power as they may think fit and may co-opt to a Sub Committee any member whom they consider would be beneficial to that Committee.

8.            The Management Committee shall have power to make appointments to fill any vacancies on the Committee arising during the year. Such appointees shall have the right to vote and may serve until the next Annual General Meeting.

9.            In those cases where a member of the Management Committee has indicated that he will be resigning, a ‘shadow appointee’ may be co-opted to the Committee in order to gain experience of the job.  Such ‘shadow appointee’ shall not have the right to vote. 

10.          The Management Committee shall meet in December and April. The Secretary, after consultation with the President or at the request of three Committee Members may call further meetings when circumstances require it.

11.          The Secretary shall keep a record of all business transacted at Management Meetings.

12.           Any member of the Management Committee (with the exception of Life Members) who ceases to be a member of the Association during the course of his term of office for which he has been elected, shall be disqualified from office with immediate effect.

13.          The Financial year shall end on the 31st December.

General Meetings

14.          The Annual General Meeting shall be held in February of each year, and the Notice of the Meeting shall be sent to each member 14 days before the date of the meeting.

               Included with the notice shall be:

      (a)  Reports from the Secretary (to include business conducted since the previous Annual General Meeting) and Treasurer (to include the certified examined accounts).

     (b) Details of all nominations for office.

     (c ) Any motions put forward in accordance with Rule 15.

     (d) Any recommendations from the Management Committee for Life or Honorary membership.

15.          Any Notice of Motion for the Annual General Meeting, shall either obtain the majority support of and be at the request of the Management Committee or be submitted by a Member, which shall be seconded by a member. Any such motion shall reach the Secretary by the 31st December.

16.          The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

               (a) If necessary appoint scrutineers.

               (b) Consider for adoption the reports and audited accounts presented in accordance with Rule 14(a).

               (c) Consider any motions put.

               (d) Elect its Officers from the validly nominated candidates. With the exception of the Management Committee (See 6(c) above), each elected Officer shall serve for one year.

              (e) Elect any Life and Honorary members as recommended by the Management Committee

              (f) Appoint an Account Examiner who shall not be a member of the Management Committee.              

17.          A Special General Meeting shall be convened by the Secretary, at any time, should a motion be received (a) obtaining the majority support of and at the request of the Management Committee or (b) on receiving a motion signed by any ten fully paid up Members of the Association. At least 21 days notice shall be given of such Special Meeting and the Notice shall specify the purpose for which the said Meeting has been called and no other business shall be transacted at the meeting.             

18.          For all General Meetings the President shall act as Chairman and there shall be a quorum of 15 members. Voting shall be on a simple majority basis and in the event of equal votes the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote. No proxy votes shall be allowed.

19.          The Secretary shall keep a record of the business transacted at General Meetings             

Selection

20.          Match selections will be chosen by a selection committee consisting of the President,  Vice-President and Immediate Past President.

The Association will play games in the British Isles.

In the event of the team being short for a match the selection committee can invite country members to play. Country members will pay a one-off £5 membership fee and have no voting rights or rights of a full member within the association.

21. The Master copy of each selection will be put on the Barbarians Bowls Association website

Disputes

22.          Other than with regard to a matter of discipline, the Management Committee shall be empowered to adjudicate upon any dispute referred to it, by a Member of the Association, which it shall hold to be within its jurisdiction and the decision of the Management Committee shall be final.                              

Discipline

 23.        For all matters relating to Discipline, the procedure, as set out in Bowls England Regulation 9, Sections 1 to 4, shall be followed. Should there be an appeal of the decision of the Disciplinary Committee the Management Committee will set up an Appeal Committee and the procedure as set out in Bowls England Regulation 9, Sections 5 – 8, shall be followed. The decision of the Appeal Committee shall be final.

Protection of Children and the Vulnerable

24.          The Association is committed to promoting a safe environment in which children and vulnerable adults can enjoy taking part in the sport of bowls. It will seek to underpin and ensure this commitment by following and promoting all legislation regarding Safeguarding Policy Procedures.

Discrimination, Equal Opportunities and Human Rights Legislation

25.          The Association acknowledges its responsibility under this Legislation to ensure, inter alia, that nobody is unfairly discriminated against solely on grounds of (sexuality, age, race, religious belief, disability or level of personal income) whilst participating, or seeking to participate, in the Association activities

Data Protection Act 1984

26.   All Members that supply personal details shall be deemed to be aware of the provisions of the Act

relating to the disclosure of personal information and to have given their authorisation to such disclosure.

Indemnity

27.      (a)The Association shall effect liability insurance to cover any member or third party in the event of an accident, as a result of negligence, whereby injury is sustained or damage caused to property at facilities when under the temporary control of the Association.

           (b)The Management Committee and each and every member whose appointment has been ratified by the Annual General Meeting shall, except in the case of wilful default or fraudulent acts or admissions, be indemnified by and out of Association funds against any loss, damage, expense or liability incurred by reason of or in connection with any legal proceedings instituted against them or any of them for any act done, admitted or suffered in relation to the performance of any of their duties in respect of the Association.

The Association shall effect any appropriate insurance cover in respect of the indemnity provisions in this rule at the expense of the Association

28 ,    In the event of the liquidation of the Association  the funds and assets of the Association remaining after payment and satisfaction of its debts and liabilities and the costs and expenses of liquidation shall be distributed in general meeting to a sporting body which is established substantially or primarily for the purpose of promoting any game or sport, provided that the game or sport is conducted for the recreation and benefit or entertainment of the general public 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 any proprietor, member or shareholder. 

Alteration of Rules

29.          Alteration to all or any of the foregoing Rules shall be made only at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose by motion put in accordance with either Rule 15 or Rule 17, whichever is appropriate. Such motion will set out in full the proposed amendment(s) and be voted upon without any amendment thereto. It shall be necessary for at least two-thirds of the votes to be in favour for the motion to succeed.

Matters not provided for

30. If any matter shall arise which in the opinion of the Management Committee is not provided for in these Rules then the matter may be determined by the Management Committee in such manner as it sees fit, and every such determination shall be binding upon Members unless and until set aside by a resolution of a General Meeting

Last Updated Feb, 2024