C.B.B.A. Constitution

The Rules of the Colchester Bowling Association

(Incorporating the Tournament)

 

These rules were presented to and approved by the Members in Annual General Meeting on Thursday 7th December 2000 and include subsequent amendments as approved.

 

Name and Eligibility.

The Association shall be known as The Colchester Borough Bowling Association and shall be open to bowling clubs in the Borough and District of Colchester subject to approval by the Annual General Meeting.

 

The Object of the Association.

The object of the Association shall be to promote the sport of bowls through competition and good sportsmanship.

 

Executive Committee

a) The affairs and management of the Association shall be conducted by an Executive Committee consisting of:- The President, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. League Secretary, Hon. Competition Secretary, Hon. Fixture Secretary, Tour Secretary, Sports Council Delegate, and two Committee Members, all of whom shall be elected annually, at the Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy occurring, during the year.

b) Past Presidents of the Association are entitled to attend meetings of the Executive Committee, but not to vote.

c) No member of the Executive Committee shall be allowed to vote on any matter pertaining to his club. Further, if there shall be a dispute between two clubs, no member of the Executive Committee, or a Past President, shall be allowed to speak on the subject, involving his club, if it could be held that to do so, may be injurious or prejudicial to the position of the other club.

d) Five members of the Executive Committee shall form a quorum.

e) The finances of the Association shall be in the control of the Hon. Treasurer who shall account to the Executive Committee for the income and expenditure of the Association. Payments up to an agreed amount, as approved from time to time by the Executive Committee, may be made by the Hon. Treasurer without reference to the Executive Committee. Payments in excess of the approved amount may only be authorised by the Executive Committee. All cheques must be signed by any two of three appointed signatories.

 

Registration of Clubs.

All member clubs may register, with the Hon. League Secretary, more than one team for the Evening Fours League and the Afternoon Triples League subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting.

Each member club shall pay an annual subscription of such amount as shall be approved by the Annual General Meeting, as proposed by the Executive Committee, in respect of each Evening Fours League Team and each Afternoon Triples League Team, together with an amount for each player registered as determined above.

 

League Composition.

Evening Fours

f) The Evening Fours League shall be divided into two or more Divisions known as Division A, Division B etc., of an equal number of teams, or if there is an unequal number, the lower Division shall have the lesser number, or as decided by the Executive Committee.

Division shall be determined at the end of each season with two teams being promoted and two teams relegated from their respective League positions at the end of the playing season, subject to the application of Rule 13 below.

g) Each Evening Fours League Team shall play home and away matches on Wednesday or, if necessary, some Monday evenings.

Matches will begin on a date in May determined by the Hon. League Secretary and continue until no later than the last Wednesday in August.

h) Choice of ground may only be waived with the consent of the Hon. League Secretary.

i) A team shall consist of three rinks of four players. If a team is only able to field ten players, two rinks of four players shall form the team and two points and 21 (twenty one) shots shall be forfeited.

j) Before each match all score cards shall be placed in pairs, face down, and numbered in rinks by the visiting captain.

 

Afternoon Triples.

The above rules shall apply to the Afternoon Triples League except as stated below.

Matches to be played on Tuesdays commencing on a date in May determined by the Hon. League Secretary and continue until no later than the last Tuesday in September.

A match will be decided by two rinks of three players.

If a team is only able to field five players, then the team will consist of 1 (one) rink of three players and shall forfeit two points and 18 (eighteen) shots.

 

The Executive Committee shall have the power to fine any team that fails to complete its League fixtures by the approved date with the sum of £5.00 unless a satisfactory reason is given. The Executive Committee shall have the power to extend the closing date or award or deduct points as deemed necessary.

 

Points.

In both the Evening Fours League and the Afternoon Triples League each winning rink shall be awarded two points, or in the event of a draw, one point.

 

Overall shot advantage shall benefit from an additional two points.

In the event of a team withdrawing during the playing season any previous results shall be declared null and void for both that team and its opponents.

 

Dates of Play and Postponements.

Teams will adhere to the set fixture dates, however, where both teams agree, a match may be played at an earlier date, but  no postponement of a match shall be normally allowed except as may be necessary on account of climatic conditions or unfitness of greens. Any breach of this rule must be notified to the Hon. League Secretary, who shall Award 8 points and in addition 21 shots per rink, in the case of the Evening Fours League, and 6 points and in addition 18 shots per rink in the case of the Afternoon Triples League, to the opposition of the defaulting Club, or demand the match be played within a certain time scale, if he considers the reason for postponement to be unsatisfactory. It should be understood that postponement, due to team shortages would not not be considered a satisfactory reason. Postponements on account of climatic conditions or unfitness of greens, MUST be notified within 48 hours to the Hon, League Secretary. The match MUST be re-arranged within 7days of the original date, and played, not later than 7 days before the date of the last game on the fixture list of the division involved. The Hon. League Secretary must be advised of the new date. It is the Home Club's responsibility, to telephone, e-mail, or deliver by hand, the match results (points and shots), to the League Secretary, within 24 hours, following the match, and also, to send the completed score card by mail or hand, to arrive, with the League Secretary, within five days of the match. Failure to conform to this Rule will result in a £5.00 fine, to be paid within 10 days of notification of the fine, by the League Secretary, or his delegate. If the fine is not paid in this time, a loss of  6 points, in the case of a Borough League Triples Match, and 8 points in the case of a Borough League Fours Match will result. An appeal, if necessary, will be made in accordance with RULE 9 Protests and Disputes. except that the time span will be 10 (ten) days, and not 3 (three) days, in this instance only.

 

Registration of Players.

Each Club Secretary will, on or before the third Saturday in April in each year, furnish to the Hon. League Secretary a list of players eligible to play. This shall constitute registration. Players are permitted to move between a Club’s teams, with the restriction that having played FOUR games in a higher league during that season, that player, may not play in a lower league for the remainder of the season. No player is permitted to play for more than one team, in the same division.

Registration shall be determined by the first game played in the season for that member club and shall apply for that season only. The names of players may only be added to the original list until 30th June, except in the case of new bowlers or those moving into the area and provided that seven days notice has been given to the Hon. League Secretary before any new players are to take part in a match.

No transfer can be made until seven days notice has been given to the Hon. League Secretary and sanction of the Executive Committee obtained. Any team infringing this Rule will be fined £5.00 and have 2 (two) points deducted from their score at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

 

League, Knock-Out and Tournament Championships.

The League Championship shall be determined by the highest points gained. In the event of two or more teams being equal on points the leadership shall be decided by shot difference. All trophies must be returned to the Hon. Competition Secretary no later than the day of the Association’s Semi-Finals each year and shall be in good condition. Any cost of restoration shall be borne by the member’s club who shall be responsible to the Hon. League Secretary. Souvenirs shall be presented to the League leaders and the runner-up as the Executive Committee may determine.

 

Protests and Disputes.

Protests and disputes shall be decided by the Executive Committee whose decision will be final. All protests must be from the Club Secretary involved and received by the Hon. Secretary in writing within 3 (three) days of the fixture, accompanied by a fee of £1.00, which will be returned if the protest is upheld.

 

General and/or Special Meetings.

A General Meeting or Special Meeting shall be called at the request of 2 (two) clubs in writing to the Hon. Secretary or as may be deemed necessary by the Executive Committee.

 

Competitions

k) Except as mentioned in these Rules, the Rules of the English Bowling Association and the Essex County Bowling Association shall apply to all games in connection with the League, Tournament and Competitions. All competitions will be completed on set dates, Single Handed on Mondays, Pairs on Tuesdays, Triples on Thursdays, and Fours on Fridays. All competitions to be played on the best rinks available.

The two dates offered by the challenger in the Tournament Competition must only include 1 (one) weekend date. C.B.B.A. Competitions will take precedence over all other competitions excepting the four major competitions of the E.C.B.A., (E.B.A.); the Single Handed, Pairs, Triples and Fours.

l) All competition entries which will only be accepted from Member Clubs close on the second Saturday in October preceding the competition year and the draw will be made by 31st December.

m) Dates for completion of rounds will be decided by the Executive Committee at the time of the draw and the Clubs will be notified of the dates of the Semi-Finals and Finals and greens to be used.

n) All entries for Single Handed, Pairs, Triples, Fours and Tournament competitions will only be accepted through one of the member clubs of the Association. If a player enters any Essex County Bowling Association competitions entries to Colchester Borough Bowling Association competitions may only be made through the same club and no other club to which the player may belong.

o) Entry Fees for the four major competitions and the Tournament shall be determined by the Executive Committee by 31st July in each year and will apply in the following season.

p) Any players withdrawing from Single Handed, Pairs, Triples and Fours competitions in the Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals or Finals and failing to advise the Hon. Competition Secretary of a reason satisfactory to the Hon. Competition Secretary and the Executive Committee will not be permitted to enter any competition in the following year.

q) A cloth blazer badge will be awarded to a player who:

(a) Is a finalist in any of the four major competitions.

(b) Plays for the Association in four matches against other Associations, but only 2 (two) Association matches in any one season.

A credit towards an Association Badge will be awarded to all losing semi-finalists in any of the four major competitions and winners of the Tournament (The recipient of four (4) credits will be awarded an Association cloth badge).

 

Press Officer

The League shall appoint a Press Officer to issue weekly copy to the local press on all Borough Bowling Association activities.

 

Cessation and Amalgamation of Clubs

r) In the event of a club winding-up, its name shall be removed from the list of clubs and the remaining clubs shall constitute the member clubs of the Association for the purpose of determining League Divisions as referred to in Rule 5 (a) above.

s) Clubs amalgamating without a change of name shall be known by the first name of their title and shall assume the position in any League in which that club has competed in that season.

t) Clubs amalgamating with a change of name shall be regarded as a new club and enter any League for which they apply as a new club and be placed in the lowest Division of that League.

For the purpose of this rule "without change of name" shall mean the incorporation of both names in full.

For the purpose of this rule "with change of name" shall mean any completely new name of a combination of or any part of the names of the amalgamating clubs.

 

Life Member

Any member of a Club, forming part of the Association, who has, by his work or conduct, contributed to the Association, and for the benefit of its members, may be recommended to the Committee, to be elected at an Annual General Meeting to the position of Life Member of the Association.

Life Members shall be presented with a suitable certificate, confirming this honour, and in addition, where the member holds the cloth badge of the Association, a flash, designating the member as a Life Member, shall be awarded, at the Association's cost.

Any President of the Association shall, on his retirement from this position, be made a Life Member.

Note: The position of Vice-President is removed from the Constitution of the Association , but all present Vice-Presidents shall be awarded Life Membership of the Association.

Alterations, Resolutions and Nominations

No alteration or addition shall be made to these Rules except at the Annual General Meeting held on the first Thursday in December each year.

Resolutions and nominations proposed by one Member Club and seconded by another Member Club for consideration must reach the Hon. Secretary by the 1st November of that year.

Indemnity

Every Officer and Committee member shall be indemnified by the Association in respect of any claim made against him, in respect of the pursuance of his duties, except in so far as such a claim may relate to the wilful and individual fraud or wrong-doing on the part of the Officer or Committee member who is sought to be made liable.

Interpretation

Any difference regarding interpretation of these Rules, and/or any matter not provided for within them, shall be dealt with by the Executive Committee, whose decision shall be final and binding on all members.

 

 

 

 

Amendments

2001 in red

2002 no changes

2003 in green

2004 in blue

2005 in magenta

2006 in brown

2007 in mauve

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