CHILTERN REGION
CONSTITUTION
1. Name and
Scope
1.1
The Region shall be called the Chiltern Region.
1.2
The scope of the Region shall be the Counties of Hertfordshire
and Bedfordshire.
2.
Objects
The Objects of
the Region are to promote the game of Pétanque by all means at its disposal including
2.1Setting up or encouraging the formation of EPA member leagues.
2.2 Encouraging and supporting the formation of affiliated clubs.
2.3 Organising competitions
2.4 The creation of centres of excellence with facilities for practice, coaching and holding of competitions.
3
Office Address
The office address
of the Region shall be that which the CRMC shall decide from time to time as considered necessary.
4.
Definitions
4.1 EPA
The English Pétanque
Association, being the governing body for England.
4.2 Members
Members shall be
persons who have paid the annual fee appropriate to their category as defined in Clause 6.2.
Membership shall not be denied to any person on the grounds of gender, race, religion, colour, politics, sexual orientation
or disability.
4.3 MC
Management Committee:
the managing body of the EPA.
4.4 CRMC
Chiltern Region
Management Committee: the managing body of the Chiltern Region.
4.5 Affiliated Leagues
Affiliated Leagues
shall be such Pétanque Leagues as are admitted to the Chiltern Region in the manner described in the Constitution.
4.6 Registered Clubs
Registered Clubs
shall be such Pétanque Clubs as are admitted to the Chiltern Region in the manner described in the Constitution.
4.7 FIPJP
The Fédération
International de Pétanque et Jeu Provençal, the International Governing Body.
5.
Structure
5.1 Member
Individual members
of the EPA who may be members of clubs or unattached.
5.2 Club
To register, a
club must have a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, all of whom must be EPA Members.
5.3 Affiliated League
A Pétanque League Affiliated to the EPA.
5.4 Chiltern Region
5.4.1
Powers
The Chiltern Region
shall have the power to run their own affairs including, setting a regional subscription, determining their boundaries and
name, holding funds and assets separately from the EPA, organising pétanque competitions and publishing a playing calendar.
5.4.2
Chiltern Region Management Committee
The Chiltern Region
shall be managed by a Management Committee comprising elected Officers, appointed Officers, and a maximum of 4 (four) members elected from candidates nominated by Clubs.
5.4.3
Elected Officers
The Chiltern Region shall have the following elected officers Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Competition
Secretary, Membership Secretary, Public Relations Officer, Team Manager.
5.4.4
Appointed Officers
The Chiltern Region
shall have the following officers appointed by the Chiltern Region Management Committee to serve on that committee with voting
rights, Regional Coach, Regional Umpire, and Regional YDO.
5.4.5
Elected Members
The Chiltern Region shall
have a maximum of 4 (four) members elected from candidates nominated by Registered Clubs.
5.4.6
Term of Office
5.4.6.1 The term of office for all CRMC officers shall
be 2 years.
5.4.6.2 To maintain continuity on the CRMC the posts of Chairman, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, and Team Manager of the elected officers and Regional Coach and Regional
YDO of the appointed officers shall be offered to the membership for re-election/nomination
every even numbered year and the posts of Vice Chairman, Secretary, Competition
Secretary, Public Relations Officer of the elected officers and Regional Umpire
of the appointed officers shall be offered to the membership for re-election/nomination
every odd numbered year.
5.4.6.3 The term of office for all CRMC elected members
shall be one year.
5.4.7
Annual General Meeting
There shall be
an Annual General Meeting of members in each period of twelve calendar months convened by the CRMC for the purpose of presenting
an Annual Report, Annual Accounts, election of officers, determination of fees and subscriptions, consider motions.
5.4.8
Extraordinary General Meeting
Extraordinary General
Meetings may be called upon direction of the CRMC or upon a requisition of not less than 10 [ten] registered clubs signed
by an officer of each of those clubs.
6.
Membership
6.1
The following
individual memberships of the EPA will be recognised by the Chiltern Region.
6.1.1 Ordinary Members shall be players
aged 18 or over on 31st December in the current year.
6.1.2 Juniors shall be players aged
under 18 on 31st December in the current year.
6.1.3 Cadets shall be players aged
under 14 on 31st December in the current year.
6.1.4 Minors shall be players aged
under 11 on 31st December in the current year.
6.1.5 Honorary Life Members of the
EPA.
6.2 Member Clubs shall be such Pétanque
Clubs as are admitted to the EPA and are located in the scope of
the Chiltern Region or who have applied to belong to the Chiltern Region and been
accepted by the CRMC or who have been invited to join the Region by the CRMC.
6.3 Affiliated
Leagues shall be such Leagues as are admitted to the EPA and are located in the scope of the Chiltern Region or who have applied to belong to the Chiltern Region and been accepted by
the CRMC or who have been invited to join the Region by the CRMC.
6.4 Notice of the refusal or acceptance
of an application shall be sent to the applicant within 14 days and
in the case of refusal shall give the reasons.
7.
Elections
7.1
Nomination
All nominations must be in writing and received by the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM and the members nominated must consent in writing to be nominated and to serve if elected.
7.1.1
Elected Officers
Candidates, who
must have been a Member for not less than 2 years (Chairman 4 years) at the closing
date for nomination, must be nominated by at least 3 members.
7.1.2
Elected Members
Each Club may nominate
candidates, who must have been a Member for not less than 2 years at the closing date for nomination.
7.2
Election.
7.2.1 If there are no more nominations
than vacancies for a particular office then the Presiding Officer at the AGM
shall declare that member or officer to be elected. If more than one member or officer is
nominated for a particular office a ballot of all members at the AGM will be conducted.
7.2.2 It is permissible for Elected Members
to be proposed, seconded and co-opted on to the Committee at times other than
the AGM.
8
Powers and
Duties
8.1
Chiltern Region Management Committees
The CRMC shall have the following powers and duties
8.1.1 To organise and run Chiltern
Region Competitions.
8.1.2 To nominate candidates to the
EPA MC.
8.1.3 To receive Notice of EPA General
Meetings and submit motions to the EPA Annual General Meeting
8.1.4 To participate in the requisition for an EPA Extraordinary General Meeting
8.1.5 To promote and develop the game
of pétanque within the Chiltern Region.
8.1.6 To organise and fund coaching.
8.1.7 To establish and maintain qualified
Umpires.
8.1.8 To establish as and when required
disciplinary tribunals to hear and determine appeals in accordance with Clause 11.
8.1.9 To appoint sub-committees for
specified purposes and duration.
8.1.10 To co-opt additional members
as and when deemed necessary or desirable.
8.1.11 To propose changes to the Constitution
and Rules for the decision of the members at the AnnualGeneral Meeting (AGM) of the Chiltern Region.
8.1.12 To propose rates of subscription
for the decision of the members at the Chiltern Region AGM.
8.1.13 To hold and operate assets
and the funds of the Chiltern Region.
8.2
Chiltern Region Chairman
8.2.1 Shall preside, when present,
at meetings of the CRMC.
8.2.2 Shall preside, when present,
at Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings of the Chiltern Region.
8.2.3 Shall act as a counter-signatory
in respect of any property or financial transactions on behalf of the Chiltern Region.
8.3
Chiltern Region Vice Chairman
Shall carry out the duties as set
out in Clause 8.2 in the absence of the Chairman
8.4 Chiltern Region Secretary
8.4.1 The Chiltern Region Secretary
shall convene, attend and maintain accurate Minutes of all Meetings of the Chiltern Region.
8.4.2 The Chiltern Region Secretary
shall be responsible for all communications of the Chiltern Region.
8.5 Chiltern Region Treasurer
8.5.1 To operate the Chiltern Region’s
finances.
8.5.2 To prepare the Chiltern Region’s
Books of Account for Audit.
8.5.3 To prepare and present audited
accounts to each AGM of the Chiltern Region.
8.5.4
To prepare and present a budget annually for the CRMC.
8.6 Chiltern Region Membership Secretary
8.6.1
To undertake the administration of Region membership
8.6.2
To maintain the register of Members, Clubs and Leagues
8.7 Chiltern
Region Public Relations Officer
8.7.1
To promote the sport of petanque throughout the Region
9
Finance
9.1 Fees
The fee to be retained by Chiltern Region shall
be at a rate to be determined from time to time by the
Annual General Meeting of the Chiltern Region based, in all cases, on the membership fees set by EPA.
9.2 Accounts
Proper Books of
Account shall be maintained by the Treasurer and shall be available for inspection by members at any reasonable time.
9.3 Expenses
Reasonable expenses
may be reimbursed for costs incurred on behalf of the Region.
9.4 Bank Accounts
The Region shall
maintain a cheque account with a Bank from time to time selected by the CRMC. Such account shall operate under the joint signatures
of the Treasurer and one other Officer.
Such other accounts
as may be deemed desirable may be opened and operated provided the signature requirements are as those for the cheque account.
9.5 Grants
The Region may
not make grants or donations to any person or organisation other than specifically for the achievement of the Objectives.
9.6 Borrowing
The Region may not borrow advances of
money at rates in excess of 7% above LIBOR and in any event may not borrow in excess of 10 [ten] times its last audited annual
income.
10
Privileges
10.1 General
Individual members,
Affiliated Leagues and Registered Clubs shall be covered for third party liability insurance by the EPA and shall be entitled
to:
10.2 Individual Members
10.2.1 Receive a membership card on
payment of the annual subscription.
10.2.2 Have particulars recorded in
the Register of Members.
10.2.3 Submit motions to, attend and
vote at Region’s Annual General Meetings.
10.2.4 Have the membership card upgraded
to an international licence recognised by the FIPJP.
10.2.5 Compete in the Association’s
Competitions at County and National level and in international competitions, if in possession of a valid FIPJP recognised
licence.
10.2.6 Receive one copy of the current
Official Rules of the Game of Pétanque.
10.2.7 To participate in the requisition
of an Extraordinary General Meeting
10.2.8 Submit motions to, attend and
vote at, EPA Congress, Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary
General Meetings
10.3 Affiliated Leagues
10.3.1 Receive one current copy of
the Constitution, the Bye-laws, the Standing Orders for Meetings and the Rules of national competitions.
10.3.2 Receive Notice of Region’s
Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings and submit motions to the Annual General Meeting.
10.3.3 Enter teams in competitions
sponsored or supported by the Region
10.3.4 To participate in the requisition
for an Extraordinary General Meeting.
10.4 Registered clubs
10.4.1 Have its particulars recorded
in the Register of Clubs.
10.4.2 Receive one current copy of
the Constitution & Rules of Region’s competitions.
10.4.3 Receive Notices of Annual General
Meetings & Extraordinary General Meetings.
10.4.4 Submit motions to the Annual
General Meetings
10.4.5 Enter teams in competitions
sponsored or supported by the Region.
10.4.6 To participate in the requisition
for an Extraordinary General Meeting.
11
Discipline
11.1 Chiltern Management Committees
will establish a Disciplinary Tribunal to handle disciplinary matters
referred to them
11.1.1 In respect
of appeals from the decisions of Affiliated Leagues or Clubs where the Constitution and Rules of such allow such reference.
11.1.2 By an Umpire or Official of
any Chiltern Region Competition in respect of alleged unacceptable conduct of any individual or club.
11.1.3 By any Chiltern Region Officer
in respect of alleged unacceptable conduct of any individual or club.
11.2 The CRMC should refer any matter to the national MC.
11.3 A club or individual shall have the right to appeal a decision of the
CRMC to the National MC.
12
Dissolution
12.1
The Region may be dissolved at any time by consent of a majority of members voting in a Ballot of Members.
12.2
Funds and assets can be transferred to successor bodies on their formation and on dissolution of the Region.
12.3
In the absence of designated successor bodies any funds and assets shall be donated to the EPA.
13
Alterations to Constitution
13.1 The constitution of the Chiltern Region may be rescinded or
altered by vote of two-thirds of the Members present at an Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called
for that purpose.
13.2 Proposals to amend the
constitution may be submitted by the Chiltern Region Management Committee, Individual Members, Affiliated Leagues or Registered
Clubs.
13.3
No proposal to amend the constitution which has been defeated,
nor any of like effect, shall again be proposed until a period of two calendar
years has elapsed.
14
Administrative Rules
14.1 Annual General Meeting
14.1.1
Date and Place
The Annual General Meeting shall, subject to Clause 5.4.5 of the Constitution, be held in the month of November or such other month
and at such place as the CRMC may from time to time determine.
14.1.2
Preliminary Notice
At least 36 working days before each Annual General Meeting, the Secretary shall
publish the date, time and place of the meeting. Those entitled and wishing to put proposals or nominations to the meeting
shall submit their motions or nominations to the Secretary at least 14 working days before said Annual General Meeting.
14.1.3
Notice
At least 7 working days prior to the meeting the Secretary shall send by post to each Registered
Club and Affiliated League, notice of the meeting and the agenda of the business to be transacted and details of any motions
submitted and nominations received in accordance with the Constitution and Rules.
14.1.4
Agenda
The agenda shall be:
(a)
To confirm
the date of notice of meeting.
(b) To receive apologies
for absence.
(c) To approve the minutes of the previous
Annual and any subsequent General Meeting.
(d) To receive
the Chairman’s Report.
(e) To receive and, if so resolved, adopt the
Region’s accounts and the Auditor’s and Financial reports.
(f) To
approve the rates of the Region’s membership fees determined by CRMC.
(g) To elect Elected Officers and Elected Members and appoint Appointed Officers
(g) To consider
and, if so resolved, approve motions submitted in accordance with the Constitution
to amend the Constitution
Proposed by the CRMC
Proposed by Affiliated Leagues and Registered Clubs
(h) To consider such other business as the Presiding Officer may admit. No vote to be taken.
The CRMC shall decide the order in which motions will be considered and may consolidate motions.
(a) To elect the Association Officers.
14.2 Extraordinary General Meeting
14.2.1
Convening
The Secretary may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting by direction of the CRMC or upon a
requisition signed by the Club Secretaries and delivered to the Secretary on behalf of not less than
10 [ten] Registered Clubs and or Affiliated Leagues.
14.2.2
Location
The meeting shall be held at such place, as the CRMC shall decide.
14.2.3
Failure To Convene
Should the Secretary not convene an Extraordinary General Meeting within 36 working days of receiving a duly signed requisition,
the requisitioners may convene the meeting and shall have a claim upon the Region for all expenses reasonably incurred in convening it.
14.2.4 Notice
The notice convening an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be sent by post to every Affiliated
League and Registered Club and not less than 28 days before the date of the meeting, stating the date, time and place thereof
and the purpose for which it is convened.
14.2.5
Quorum
No Extraordinary General Meeting shall proceed to business unless a representative of not less
than two thirds of the organisations convening the meeting are present within half an hour of the notified time of start.
14.2.6
Business
An Extraordinary General Meeting shall not be competent to transact any business other than that specified in the notice convening it.
Prepared by Alan Brockett & John Deaville
Ratified at The Chiltern Region AGM.
27 November 2006
