a)     a.  to organise contract bridge matches and competitions and associated social gatherings in the Counties of Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland and the Metropolitan County of Tyne & Wear and that part of North Yorkshire delegated by the Yorkshire Bridge Association to remain part of the above mentioned. Association.

b)     b.  to co-operate with similar Associations for the advancement of the game.

c)      c.  to support the activities of the English Bridge Union and to be a constituent member of it and operate within its current Bye-Laws.

d)      d.  to employ the funds of the Association in such a manner as its Council may deem to be in the best interests of the game.

3.   MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify as a member each person must either belong to an affiliated Club in the area, or be a direct member of the Association.

a)      a.  Membership of the Association shall embrace membership of the English Bridge Union.

b)       b.  A member of the Association may also be a member of another Association.

c)       c.  Every person joining the Association thereby expressly agrees to comply with this Constitution.

d)       d.  Only members are eligible to represent the Association in matches.

a)     a.  The subscription shall be determined annually by Council and this sum shall include the subscription for membership of the English Bridge Union.

b)     b.  All subscriptions shall fall due on the 1^st April each year and shall be paid to the Association Secretary through an affiliated club except in the case of direct members.

c)     c.  Each member on payment of his subscription is entitled to receive a membership card and programme.

d)     d.  Subscriptions shall be paid by no later than 31^st July in each year.

a)     a.  Any bridge playing organisation in the area covered by the Association may become affiliated to the Association, subject to the approval of the NEBA Council, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

b.  Affiliated Clubs are obliged to abide by the rulings and decisions of such Council in order to retain affiliation privileges, provided that such rulings are within the term of the English Bridge Union Bye-Laws.

c)     c.  Any affiliated club is responsible for paying any affiliation fees required by the English Bridge Union to the Association which will pay the same to the English Bridge Union.

d)     d.  The Association shall not be responsible for the liabilities of affiliated clubs.

a)     a.  The affairs of the Association shall be vested in a Council which shall comprise the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Tournament Secretary and Membership Secretary all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting together with the Chief Tournament Director, Congress Secretary, Tournament Secretaries and Team Selectors who shall be permanent co-optees to the Council, together with one representative from each club affiliated to the Association who shall be elected by the club which they are representing. Any co-optees to the Council shall be entitled to vote at its meetings.

b)     b.  The day to day management of the Association shall be deputed to a Committee of the Executive of the Association consisting of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Tournament Secretary, Chief Tournament Director, Congress Secretary and Membership Secretary and such management Committee shall meet not less than four times in each year and may co-opt any member of the Association to its number.  Any co-optees to the Committee shall be entitled to vote at its meetings. A quorum shall be three members.

c)     c.  The Council shall from time to time set up or disband such Committees or Sub-Committee as are thought proper, necessary or desirable for the conduct of the business of the Association and shall delegate to such Committee or Sub-Committee such power and authority as may be considered desirable for the purpose for which they are formed,  the terms of reference of such Committee or Sub-Committees being laid down in the Minute of Appointment.  The decisions of any such Committee or Sub-Committee shall be subject to the approval of the Council.

d)    d.  The Council may from time to time deem it necessary and have the power to co-opt any person to assist in the furtherance of the Association, such persons to have such voting rights as the Council shall determine.

e)    e.  Any vacancy amongst the officers may be filled by the Council until the next Annual General Meeting and any vacancy in the club representatives shall be filled by that club.

f)      f.  A representative who is absent from any Council meeting may send a substitute who may speak or vote in his/her place.

g)     g.  The quorum for a Council meeting shall be 8.

h)     h.  An Honorary Auditor shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to audit the accounts of the Association.

i)      i.   Nominations for Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Auditor for the ensuing year must be in writing and in the hands of the Secretary not after than 7 days before the Annual General Meeting, but in the absence of such written nominations verbal nominations may be accepted at the meeting.

j)      j.  The Chairman may not serve in that capacity for more than 3 successive years.

k)    k.  The Council shall appoint delegates to the E.B.U. Council in accordance with the Association's entitlement as defined by the Bye-Laws of the E.B.U. and such delegates shall be co-opted to the Council (if not otherwise a member of the Council) with full voting rights.

l)      l.  The Council may appoint such person or persons to be Honorary President(s) or Honorary Vice-President(s) of the Association as it shall determine who shall hold office until death or resignation or until removed from office by a resolution of the Council.

m)    m.  In the event of parity of voting at any meeting of the Council or any Committee or Sub-Committee of the Association or at any General Meeting the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

     8.    CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

Each member of the Association shall be required in connection with the game of Contract Bridge and variations thereof to conform to the standards of fair play, courtesy and personal deportment prescribed in the Bye-Laws and regulations for the time being of the English Bridge Union. The Association shall haw the powers and the procedures for the enforcement of this requirement which are set out in the Schedule of this Constitution (which shall stand part of this Constitution and be subject to the same provisions as this Constitution or its amendment).

a)     a.  Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be posted to members at least 21 days prior to the date of the meeting unless the date shall have been published in the annual Programme, and the time, place and business notified to the Clubs which are affiliated to the Association.

b)     b.  Only members of the Association shall have the right to vote at General Meetings.

c)     c.  The Annual General Meeting shall be held by May 31^st in any year or as otherwise determined by Council.

d)     d.  A statement of Accounts, duly audited up to the 31^st March, shall be submitted by the Treasurer for the Annual General Meeting.

e)     e.  An Extraordinary General Meeting of Members must be called upon the instruction of the Council, or upon the receipt by the Secretary of a written requisition signed by at least 25 members, and stating the nature of the business to be discussed.  In the latter case the Extraordinary General Meeting must be held not less than 21 days and not more than 28 days after the receipt of the written requisition by the Secretary.  Notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be posted to affiliated clubs not less than 14 days before agreed meeting.

f)      f.  A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 30 members.

a)    a.  The Constitution of the Association shall be amended only at an Annual General Meeting of members or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose.

b)     b.  Particulars of proposed alterations to the Constitution shall be enclosed in the Notice of the General Meeting.

c)      c.  Any alterations to the Constitution will be made only if supported by at least two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.

S     schedule above referred to

1.  This Schedule is required by Clause 8 of the Constitution of the Association and prescribes the powers and procedures for enforcing it.

2.  The Council of the Association, shall appoint a Conduct Committee and shall have power from time to time as it may think fit to vary the composition of that Committee. The number of members of the said Committee shall not be fewer than three nor more than seven. A quorum for a meeting of the Conduct Committee shall be three of its members for the time being.  It shall act by simple majority vote.  It’s Chairman appointed by the Council (or whomsoever in his absence the Conduct Committee shall select to chair its meeting) shall ham a second and casting vote in the event that there is a parity of voting.

3.   i) The Association shall act by its Conduct Committee for the enforcement of the standards prescribed in the said Section 8 of this Constitution.

     ii)  The procedures of the said Committee shall conform muttatis mutandis to those prescribed in the Bye-Laws of the English Bridge Union for enquiry by its Laws and Ethics Committee into allegations of misconduct by individual member. It shall have powers to make findings of fact and decisions consequent thereon in respect of allegations brought to its attention: to be entertained and considered by the said Conduct Committee an allegation that an individual member of the Association has not conformed to the said standards in Clause 8 hereof shall be made in writing, lodged with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, or Secretary of the Association and referred to its said Conduct Committee.

4. The Conduct Committee may decide to refer the allegations to the English Bridge Union for consideration by its Laws & Ethics Committee, either before or after the Conduct Committee has completed its deliberations. Such action discharges the Conduct Committee from its responsibilities.

5. If the Conduct Committee does not use its power in 4 above, and after it has made enquiries into the allegation, and found a member in breach of the standards,  the Conduct Committee may do one or more of the following : 

a)       rebuke the individual

b)       censure and/or admonish the individual

c)       ban the individual from some or all competitions sponsored or licenced by the Association     for such period as it shall determine.

6. The findings and decisions of the Conduct Committee shall be delivered to the individual in writing and take effect 21 days after delivery.  Apart from a decision in 4 above, the individual shall have a right of appeal against the findings or decisions, and such appeal must be made in writing to the Secretary of the Association within the 21 day period.  If an appeal is lodged, any decision of the Conduct Committee is suspended until the appeal is determined.  

7. Any appeal shall be referred to an Appeals Committee appointed by the English Bridge Union acting through its Laws & Ethics Committee (Appeals Committee). The Appeals Committee may   consider the matter as it thinks fit,  and confirm or vary the findings or decisions of the Conduct Committee.         

8. The Appeals Committee may decide the allegation should be referred to the Laws & Ethics Committee as an allegation of misconduct under the Bye-Laws of the English Bridge Union relating to Conduct.  In such cases the findings and decisions of the Conduct Committee are nullified and the individual shall be so informed.

            
  May 2004