1.
NAME
The Association shall be called ‘THE NORTH
EASTERN BRIDGE ASSOCIATION’ (NEBA)
2.
OBJECTS
The aims and objectives of NEBA shall be:
2.1. To organise duplicate, aggregate and
contract bridge matches and competitions and
associated social gatherings in
Northumberland, Tyne & Wear,
County Durham, Tees Valley
and that part of North Yorkshire delegated by
the Yorkshire Bridge Association to remain part
of NEBA.
2.2. To co-operate with similar Associations
for the advancement of the game.
2.3. To support the activities of the English
Bridge Union Ltd. (EBU) and to be a constituent
member of it and operate within its current
Bye-Laws, Rules and Policies.
2.4. To
employ the funds of NEBA in such a manner as its
Council may deem to be in the best interests of
the game.
3. MANAGEMENT
3.1. The affairs of NEBA 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. The Chief Tournament Director,
Congress Secretary, Tournament Secretaries,
County Youth Officer,
and Team Selectors shall be
permanently co-opted to the Council, together
with one representative from each Club
affiliated to NEBA who shall be elected by the
Club which they are representing. Members
co-opted to the Council shall be entitled to
vote at its meetings.
3.2. The day to day management of NEBA shall
be deputed to an Executive Committee consisting
of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary,
Treasurer, Chief Tournament Secretary, Chief
Tournament Director, Congress Secretary and
Membership Secretary. This Executive Committee
shall meet not less than three times in each
year and may co-opt any NEBA member to its
number. Any members co-opted to the Committee
shall be entitled to vote at its meetings. A
quorum shall be three members.
3.3. The Executive Committee shall from time
to time set up or disband such Sub-Committees as
are thought proper, necessary or desirable for
the conduct of the business of NEBA and shall
delegate to such Sub-Committees such power and
authority as may be considered desirable for the
purpose for which they are formed. The terms of
reference of such Sub-Committees should be laid
down in the Minute of Appointment. The
decisions of any such Sub-Committees shall be
subject to the approval of the Executive
Committee.
3.4. 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 NEBA,
such persons to have such voting rights as the
Council shall determine.
3.5. 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.
3.6. A representative who is absent from any
Council meeting may send a substitute who may
speak or vote in his/her place.
3.7. The quorum for a Council meeting shall be
8.
3.8. An Honorary Auditor shall be elected at
the Annual General Meeting to audit NEBA
accounts.
3.9. 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 later than 7 days before the
Annual General Meeting, but in the absence of
such written nominations verbal nominations may
be accepted at the meeting.
3.10. The Chairman may not serve in that
capacity for more than 3 successive years.
3.11. The Council shall appoint delegates to the
EBU Council in accordance with NEBA’s
entitlement as defined by the Bye-Laws of the
EBU and such delegates shall be co-opted to the
Council, if not otherwise a member of the
Council, with full voting rights.
3.12. The Council may appoint such person or
persons to be Honorary President(s) or Honorary
Vice-President(s) of NEBA as it shall determine
who shall hold office until death or resignation
or until removed from office by a resolution of
the Council.
3.13. In the event of parity of voting at any
meeting of the NEBA Council or any Committee or
Sub-Committee or at any General Meeting, the
Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
3.14.
The Council will meet on not less than two
occasions during each year for the purposes of
determining NEBA policy and approving or
disapproving so far as is necessary the actions
of the Executive Committee.
4. GENERAL MEETINGS
4.1 Notice of the Annual General Meeting
shall be given 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 NEBA.
4.2. Only members of NEBA shall have the right
to vote at General Meetings.
4.3. The Annual General Meeting shall be held
by May 31st in any year or as
otherwise determined by Council.
4.4. A statement of Accounts, duly audited up
to the 31st March, shall be submitted
by the Treasurer for the Annual General Meeting.
4.5. 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 given to affiliated
Clubs not less than 14 days before agreed
meeting.
4.6. A quorum for a General Meeting shall be
30 members.
5. MEMBERSHIP
5.1. All members of NEBA must be Player
Members of the EBU.
5.2. A Player Member of the EBU shall become a
NEBA member when their primary allegiance to
NEBA is recorded with the EBU.
5.3. A Player Member of the EBU whose primary
allegiance is with another Association, or does
not have primary allegiance to any Association,
can become a NEBA member by meeting its terms
and conditions in force at the time of the
request for membership.
5.4. The Membership Year shall run for the
twelve month period from 1st April to
31st March.
5.5. A NEBA member becomes a paid up member in
that Membership Year through payments of any
NEBA Pay to Play county component when
participating in events at a NEBA affiliated
Duplicate Bridge Club.
5.6. If a NEBA member is within a membership
category that has a nil Pay to Play county
component for a Membership Year, then that
member shall automatically become a paid up NEBA
member for that Membership
Year.
5.7. Only NEBA members may vote at its Annual
General Meeting and participate in its main
competitions in that Membership Year.
5.8. The NEBA membership categories shall be
as follows:
5.8.1. Ordinary Member – a Player Member of
the EBU who has their primary allegiance
recorded with NEBA.
5.8.2. Dual Member – a Player Member of the
EBU who does not have their primary allegiance
recorded with NEBA.
5.8.3. Direct Member – a Direct Player
Member of the EBU who does not have primary
allegiance to any Association.
5.8.4. Life Member – the NEBA Council may
honour long standing members for their service
by electing them to life membership of NEBA. A
Life Member of NEBA shall automatically become a
paid up member of NEBA for each Membership Year
whilst they remain a Playing Member of the EBU.
In addition, a NEBA Life Member shall not be
required to pay the entrance fee to any of its
county competitions.
6. AFFILIATED CLUBS
6.1. Any bridge playing organisation in the
area covered by NEBA may become affiliated to
NEBA, subject to the approval of the NEBA
Council, which shall not be unreasonably
withheld.
6.2.
Affiliated Clubs are obliged to abide by the
rulings and decisions of the Council in order to
retain affiliation privileges, provided that
such rulings are within the terms of the EBU
Bye-Laws.
6.3. Any affiliated Club is responsible for
paying any affiliation fees required by the EBU
direct to the EBU, but which will not include
any annual fee, if charged, by NEBA.
6.4. NEBA shall not be responsible for the
liabilities of affiliated Clubs.
7. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
7.1. Each member of NEBA shall be required in
connection with the game of Duplicate Aggregate
and Contract Bridge, to conform to the standards
of fair play, courtesy and personal deportment
prescribed by the Bye Laws and regulations for
the time being of the EBU.
7.2. NEBA shall have the powers and the
procedures for the enforcement of the
requirement in clause 7.1. They are set out in
the Disciplinary Schedule of the Constitution,
and shall stand as part of the Constitution and
be subject to the same provisions of the
Constitution for its amendment.
8. COMPETITIONS
In determining conditions for Competitions, the
Council shall be empowered to restrict entry to
NEBA members and to authorise the charging of
higher fees to non-members if otherwise eligible
to play.
9. DISSOLUTION OF NEBA
NEBA can be dissolved at a General Meeting,
provided at least two-thirds of the NEBA members
present vote positively for its dissolution. The
assets of NEBA shall then be donated to a
charity or charities decided by those present at
the meeting.
10. ALTERATION OF THIS
CONSTITUTION
10.1. The NEBA Constitution shall be amended
only at an Annual General Meeting of members or
at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for
the purpose.
10.2. Particulars of proposed alterations to the
Constitution shall be enclosed in the Notice of
the General Meeting.
10.3. Any alterations to the Constitution will
be made only if supported by at least two thirds
of those present and entitled to vote.
Schedule of Disciplinary
Procedures
1.
Requirements of the
Schedule
This Schedule is referred to under clause 7.2 of
the Constitution and prescribes the powers and
procedures for enforcement. It will comply with
and follows the EBU disciplinary procedures and
any variations thereof that are made from time
to time. NEBA shall act through its Conduct and
Disciplinary Sub-Committees for the enforcement
of standards prescribed in clause 7.1 of the
Constitution. NEBA shall have additional powers
as set out in the clauses below.
2.
Receipt of allegation
Any person making a complaint against one or
more members of NEBA, under the terms of clause
7 of the Constitution, must to so in writing to
the NEBA Secretary or Chairman.
3.
Conduct Sub-Committee
The NEBA Executive Committee shall appoint its
Conduct Sub-Committee through its powers to
appoint sub-committees under clause 3.3 of the
Constitution. The Conduct Sub-Committee shall
be responsible for investigating complaints
against NEBA members and to determine whether a
Disciplinary Offence should be referred to the
NEBA’s Disciplinary committee.
The Conduct Sub-Committee shall consist of no
fewer than three NEBA members and no more than
five. A quorum for any meeting shall be three of
its members. It shall act by simple majority
vote and its appointed chairman, or whomsoever
in his absence the Conduct Sub-Committee shall
select to chair a meeting, shall have a second,
or casting vote in the event that there is
parity of voting.
4.
Disciplinary
Sub-Committee
The NEBA Executive Committee shall appoint the
Disciplinary Sub-Committee through its powers to
appoint sub committees under clause 3.3 of the
Constitution. The Disciplinary Sub-Committee
shall, determine sanctions for offences admitted
by the defendant, hear charges of the offences
and determine whether those charges are proved
and if proved, to determine the sanction
imposed.
The Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall consist of
no fewer than three NEBA members and no more
than five. At least three of its members must
be present when it makes a decision to uphold a
complaint and impose sanctions on the offending
members. It shall act by simple majority vote
and its appointed chairman, or whomsoever in his
absence the Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall
select to chair a meeting, shall have a second,
or casting vote in the event that there is
parity of voting.
5.
Conflicts of Interest
and Independence of the Conduct and Disciplinary
Sub-Committees
Any member of either the Conduct or Disciplinary
Sub-Committee who is in any way personally
involved in the allegations within a complaint
will be disqualified from participating in
either Committee’s handling of the complaint.
A NEBA member cannot be a member of both the
Conduct and Disciplinary Sub-Committees.
6.
The Complaints
Process
6.1.
Notice of Meetings
Where a written complaint is made, or a matter
otherwise comes to the attention of the Conduct
Sub-Committee, it shall first consider whether
such complaint or matter falls within the scope
of the Disciplinary Rules and whether further
action is warranted. If it does the Conduct
Sub-Committee secretary shall first write to the
Defendant, seeking the Defendant’s comments on
the substance of the complaint or matter that
has been raised. The Conduct Sub-Committee
shall also be entitled to make such further
investigations and enquiries as it in its
absolute discretion considers appropriate. The
Conduct Sub-Committee shall also be entitled to
seek advice both from within NEBA and from the
EBU Laws and ethics Committee, and to obtain
external legal advice.
6.2. Complaint not justified
If the Conduct Committee decides that the
complaint is not justified, all parties shall be
notified and the matters ended.
6.3. Complaint justified
If the Conduct Sub-Committee decides that the
complaint is justified, it may, in its absolute
discretion, offer a verbal caution to the
offending member, which if accepted ends the
matter.
If the Defendant does not accept the verbal
caution, or the Conduct Sub-Committee decides a
verbal caution is inappropriate, the Conduct
Sub-Committee shall refer the case to a hearing
by the Disciplinary Sub-Committee. The
Defendant shall be notified, in writing, within
two weeks of this decision and of his right to
make a written submission to the Disciplinary
Sub-Committee and to attend the hearing. The
Defendant shall have the right to be represented
by legal counsel of his choice or may be
accompanied by a person to speak on his behalf.
The Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall give at
least two weeks’ notice of the hearing to the
Defendant.
6.4. Disciplinary Sub-Committee’s Sanctions
If after the hearing the complaint is upheld,
the Disciplinary Sub-Committee may in its
absolute discretion:
6.4.1. Give a written reprimand to the
offending member(s), or
6.4.2. Suspend the offending member(s) from
all or some of the competitions sponsored or
licensed by NEBA for such period as it shall
determine.
If the complaint is against a member of the
Executive Committee then in addition to any
other sanctions applied, the Disciplinary
Sub-Committee shall have the power to suspend
such member from the NEBA’s Executive Committee
and any of its sub committees for such a period
that it shall determine.
Any sanctions imposed by the Disciplinary
Sub-Committee must be communicated to the
offending member in writing within twenty one
days of the hearing.
6.5. Appeal
Each member found guilty of a Disciplinary
Offence by the Disciplinary Committee has the
right to appeal to the EBU Laws and Ethics
Committee. Appeals must be in writing and
lodged with the Secretary of the EBU Laws and
Ethics Committee within twenty one days of the
written communication of the Disciplinary
Committee’s decision to the offending member.
6.6. Referral to the EBU Laws & Ethics
Committee
At any time, the Disciplinary Sub-Committee may
refer a complaint to the EBU Laws & Ethics
Committee for its consideration. In doing so,
the Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall have fully
discharged its responsibilities under this
Schedule.
7.
Definitions
The terms Disciplinary Rules and Disciplinary
Offence have the meaning set out by the Bye Laws
of the EBU.