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NCBA Constitution

NORTHERN COUNTIES BOWLING ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

1 TITLE

The Association shall be called the Northern Counties Bowling Association.

2. OBJECTS

      The objects of the Association shall be :

      a) To promote, foster and safeguard the game of level green bowls

      b) To observe the Laws of Bowls England

      c) To organise and fix dates for the playing of Male inter-County matches for the Muras (6 Rinks, 18 ends per match), Alsop (6 Rinks, 21 Ends per match) respectively.

      d) To hold annual competitions for Male Singles, Pairs, Triples Fours, Junior Singles and Two Wood Singles Championships.

      e) To hold an annual Open Under 25 team competition, open to mails and females, during the Northern Counties Championships with each member County entitled to enter 1 team.

      f) To organise an annual fixture, The Federation Cup, whereby an under 25 team from the Northern Counties competes in a 6 Rink match against a team from the Scottish Young Bowlers Association.

      g) To meet consultatively and without detriment to the domestic policy of any member County, to formulate and adopt an acceptable policy of questions of common interest.

3. MEMBERSHIP

      Membership of the Association shall be open to the County Associations of Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire.      

4. FEES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

      Each County Association enjoying membership shall pay an Annual subscription of an amount to be agreed at the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

      All monies due under the above Rule shall be transmitted to the Hon. Secretary/Treasurer not later than 1st February.

5. ADMINISTRATION

      a) The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a Council consisting of three Male delegates from each member County, together with a Chairman and an Honorary Secretary/Treasurer, all of whom shall be entitled to vote on all occasions. The Chairman at all meetings, besides having a deliberate vote, shall be entitled to a casting vote. 

      b) Providing that they belong to a member County, Male persons holding Office within the Bowls England and Past Presidents of Bowls England and the English Bowling Association shall be entitled to attend all meetings, as ex-officio members.

      c) Ex-officio members, unless attending as a delegate prescribed in a) or who are Past Presidents of Bowls England, shall not be entitled to vote.

      d) A Chairman shall be appointed at each Annual General Meeting from Counties by rota.

      e) The Hon. Secretary/Treasurer shall be elected or re-elected at each Annual General Meeting.

6. ANNUAL AND OTHER GENERAL MEETING

      a) The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held on the third Sunday in October or such other date as agreed by the Association.

      b) The Hon. Secretary shall convene a meeting at any time he deems necessary or upon the request of any two member Counties.

      c) The notice and agenda of all meetings shall be sent to each member County at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.

      d) Seven delegates shall form a quorum for all meetings.

7. SEVERANCE OF MEMBERSHIP

      Counties desiring to sever their membership shall notify the Hon. Secretary in writing, not later that 30th September.

8. THE HON. SECRETARY AND HON. TREASURER

      The Honorary Secretary shall keep a record of all the business transacted at the Annual General and other meetings. He shall be responsible for the convening of all meetings and the issue of agendas to the member Counties.

      The Honorary Treasurer shall render to the Annual General Meeting a precise account of the Income and Expenditure for the past year, ending 30th September, examined and signed by a competent person duly elected at The AGM.

      The Offices of Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer shall be combined.

9. RESULTS OF INTER-COUNTY MATCHES

      Results of all Middleton, Muras, Alsop games shall be reported to the Hon. Secretary or such person authorised by the Association, by the Home County within 48 hours of the match being concluded.

      In each Muras Cup and Alsop Cup game a win for an individual four shall count two points, a tie one and a loss nothing and for the County a win shall count ten points, a tie five and a loss nothing.        

If any game be unfinished, postponed or rearranged, notification shall be made within 48 hours to the Hon. Secretary, by the Home County, of the new date of play being agreed by the Counties involved.

      If, on account of inclement weather, or other good cause agreed upon by the respective Counties, a game cannot be completed i.e. 18 ends Muras / 21 ends Alsop,  a game in which the number of ends played equals or exceeds an aggregate of 12 ends per rink will be deemed to have been completed and the scores will stand. In games where the total number of ends played is less than an aggregate of 12 ends per rink, the tie will be declared void and the game replayed at a later date.      

      In the case of other postponed or unfinished games, i.e.. other than those which comply with the foregoing Rule and which in account of circumstances over which one or both sides have no control, it is found impossible or impracticable to arrange a suitable date for play or replay within the season, then the game shall be counted as a tie and eleven points awarded to each team involved. 

The Muras Cup team fielded by any County must consist of a minimum of 12 current Middleton Cup players of that County. If an opposing County feels that the minimum number of Middleton Cup players have not been fielded in a match, an objection should be registered with the Secretary of the Northern Counties BA. If the objection is proved the matter will be referred to a meeting of County delegates.

10.NORTHERN COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIPS

      Whilst the Council shall generally be responsible for all matters pertaining to the Championships, they will delegate to the Chairman, Hon. Secretary and any other member nominated by the Association, in conjunction with the host County, the power to make the detailed arrangements for the actual playing off of the various competitions.

The Championships shall be open to all Male Champions of member Counties in Singles, Pairs, Triples, Fours, Junior Singles and Two Wood Singles. County finalists will be permitted to compete in the Championships where the County Champions are unable to play. They will however play in their entirety as finalists and not as substitute players in the team of a County Championship winner.

      The draw for the Championships shall be conducted so that all preliminary round ties shall be drawn first, thereafter the semi-final ties, so that only two Counties shall be involved a total of three preliminary round ties.

      In the event of any player being engaged in more than one event, provision shall be made to give the player or players concerned an opportunity to play in each competition, by the advancement of the previous round(s) to a date (generally one week) earlier than the date allocated to the competitions.

      The onus of making themselves available for the playing of any advanced round rests upon the players and subject to a week’s notice being given by the Hon. Secretary, all competitors involved shall be prepared to fulfil their obligations. Failure to do so will entail the tie being awarded to the competitor(s) not in default.

      Subject to a reasonable and good cause being tendered and accepted by the Association or their duly appointed delegates, substitutes will be allowed in Pairs, Triples and Fours competitions, in accordance with the Bowls England Rules governing similar competitions. 

An extension of the laws of substitution will be permitted where players are involved in more than one Championship on the same day, where any two players from four will be permitted in the pairs championship, any three players from five in the triples championship and any four players from six in the fours championship. One original player must participate in the pairs championship.

      The names of all qualified players desiring to participate in the Championships shall be submitted in writing, by the respective member Counties, to the Hon. Secretary, not later than 31st July.

      It is the responsibility of the host County to determine a venue for holding the Northern Counties Championships which shall be final and binding.

11. REPRESENTATION UPON BOWLS ENGLAND COMMITTEES

      Where resident or district representatives for the Selection Committee of Bowls England are required, the selection of nominees shall be made by the decision of the delegates of the Committee.

12. ALTERATION OF RULES

      Alterations of, or addition to, all or any of the Rules shall be made only at the Annual General meeting and written notice of the terms of such proposed alteration or addition (which shall also be stated in the notice of business for such meeting) shall be given to the Hon. Secretary, not later than 31st August.

13. PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS

It is the policy of the Northern Counties Bowling Association to protect the rights and privileges of those bowlers who through age and disability may be abused or maltreated.

      

 

 

 

 

As agreed on 8thNovember 2015