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Constitution Admin Papers English Chess Forum

Published 8 June 2014

MCCU CONSTITUTION

REVISED TO INCORPORATE AMENDMENTS UP TO 2011 AGM

 

1. The organization shall be called “The Midland Counties Chess Union” which shall be a non profit making organization.

2. The term “Midland Counties” shall include such counties or parts of counties as may be approved by the Union General Meeting

3. The objects of the Union shall be to (a) encourage the teaching, study and practice of the game of chess in the Midland Counties (b) maintain & increase a fund known as “the permanent invested fund” to be invested in the name of the trustees to be appointed by the Union as at clause 6 (c) Organise a tournament for the individual championship of the Union (d) institute county and team championships (e) arrange such other tournaments, matches, meeting and events as the Management Board deems appropriate

4. Membership of the Union shall be open, subject to the approval of the Union in General Meeting to: (a) Affiliated corporate bodies- any county chess association, chess club or other corporate organization whose meeting place or area of activity shall be within the Midland Counties shall be deemed to be an affiliated corporate body eligible for membership (b) Affiliated members - any such person who is a member of any county chess association which is a member of the Union shall be eligible for affiliated membership of the Union (c) Associate members - any such other corporate bodies or individual as the Annual General Meeting may, for time to time, deem appropriate for membership of the Union shall be eligible to be associate members, but such members shall not be permitted to take part in any of the team or individual contests of the Union.

5. The officer of the Union, who shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting of the Union, shall be as follows:­ (a) a President (b) a Chairman who shall, whenever necessary deputise for the President in chairing General Meetings of the Union (c) a Chief Executive Officer (d) a Secretary (e) a Financial Director (f) a Director forJunior Chess (g) a Director for Grading (h) a Director for Events (i) a Director for Public Relations (j) a Webmaster Vice Presidents and Corporate Vice Presidents shall be approved by the Union General Meeting. The Union shall have power to elect as honorary Vice President any person or organization whose position among chess players or whose services in the interest of the game merit such distinction.

6. Three trustees of the Union may be appointed from time to time by means of a trust deed, the terms of which shall be settled by resolution of the Annual General Meeting. The duties of such trustees shall be confined to management of the Permanent Invested Fund and any other funds which the Union may, from time to time, find it expedient to commit to their care for the purpose of temporary investment.

7. An honorary auditor shall be appointed at each Annual General Meeting for the purpose of auditing the annual accounts of the Union

8. Subscriptions for the following shall be such sums as decided by the Union in General Meeting (a) Vice Presidents (b) Affiliated corporate bodies (c) Associate members

9. Affiliated membership of the Union shall cease in the following circumstances (a) the non-payment of due after one month from a written demand by the Financial Director (b) by letter of resignation sent to the Chief Executive

10. The affairs of the Union shall be managed by a Board comprising the Directors plus two non-executive directors. The non-executive directors shall be elected by county delegates at the Union Annual General Meeting and shall normally serve for one year. The Board shall meet under the chairmanship of the Chief Executive as often as deemed appropriate. The Chief executive shall give at least 14 days notice to Board members. Four shall be a quorum at Board meetings. 11. The Board shall have the power to (a) fill any vacancy from resignation or death until the next General meeting of the Union (b) appoint officers as deemed necessary for the expeditious handling of the Union’s affairs (c) appoint sub-committees as deemed necessary (d) prescribe standing orders as deemed necessary for the regulation of its business

12. The union will meet at least once in General Meeting each year. A second General Meeting may be called at the discretion of the CEO. At each General Meeting the following items will be heard (a) Minutes of the previous General Meeting (b) Directors Reports In addition at the General Meeting, deemed to be the Annual General Meeting, the following items will be heard (c) Election of Officers as prescribed at Item 5 (d) Presentation of accounts & determining of subscriptions (e) Election of Auditor as prescribed at Item 7 No alteration to any rule or regulation of any competition run by the Union may be made except at a General Meeting of the Union.

13. A special general Meeting shall be convened at any time upon a requisition signed by the secretaries of any three county associations which are, for the time being, members of the Union. Such a requisition shall state the business required to be transacted and should be sent to the Chief Executive. The Board shall have the power to call a Special General Meeting. Within 21 days of receiving such a notification of the need for a Special General Meeting the Chief executive shall send notification for such a meeting as prescribed in item 14.

14. Notice of General Meeting shall be posted as least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting by the Chief Executive. Notice of items, rule amendments, constitution changes, should reach the Chief Executive at least 28 days prior to the date of a General Meeting.

15. The voting rights at General Meetings shall be confined to (a) Officers as prescribed at item 5 if present (b) Four votes per county officially represented Proxy voting shall be allowed. Proxies shall be delivered to the Chief executive or the Chairman of the meeting prior to commencement of the meeting. Voting shall be by show of hands, unless at least 5 of the voters present shall demand a secret vote. In the event of an equal number of votes being cast for and against a resolution the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. The full voting strength of any county association may be exercised by any one delegate of that association.

16. The quorum at any general meeting of the Union shall be eight persons present who are entitled to vote, representing at least five counties.

17. Notice given to the secretary or appointed delegates of a county shall be deemed to be notice to all members of that county.

18. Disputes (a) Any dispute arising in connection with any competition or event organized by or conducted under the auspices of the Union shall in the first instance be referred to the officer appointed to run the said event or competition for a decision. (b) Any party (hereinafter called the appellant) feeling aggrieved by such a decision may appeal there from to the Disputes Committee of the Union. Such appeal shall be in writing. (c) The following shall be eligible to serve on the Disputes Committee:­ All the officers of the Union, delegates to the general Meetings, with the power to co-opt thereto exercised by the Chief Executive. (d) Any dispute shall be dealt with by a panel of the Disputes Committee which shall comprise an odd number of not less than 3 persons, who shall be selected by the Chief Executive. (e) None of the members of the panel dealing with the dispute shall have any interest therein. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing an interest shall be deemed to include membership of a club or county involved in the dispute or being an officer of the Union involved in the dispute. The parties to the dispute shall have the right to object to members of the panel. (f) The appellant shall within seven days of receipt of the decision of the Union Officer (which period may be extended in appropriate cases by the panel dealing with the dispute) give notice in writing of the full particulars of the dispute to the Chief Executive, and shall, at the same time, send copies to the Union’s officer and to the other party to the dispute, who shall, in the case of a club or county dispute, be deemed to be the opposing captain. (g) Not withstanding the above the Chief Executive has the power to convene a Disputes Committee immediately at events such as Congresses organized by The Union in order that a decision may be reached before such an event has ended. (h) In other cases the Chief Executive shall, as soon as reasonably convenient after receipt of the appellant’s notice, arrange for a panel to discuss the dispute, the precise forum to be at the discretion of the Chief Executive. Any of the parties concerned may insist on a formal hearing, but in such cases must pay a fee of £25.00 before the hearing is arranged. This fee shall be returnable if the claim of the party concerned is upheld. If a meeting is to be convened, the Chief executive shall give not less seven days notice of the meeting to the parties mentioned at (f). The failure of the parties to attend the meeting shall not affect the power of the panel to decide the dispute. (i) The procedure to be adopted where a meeting of the panel is convened shall be as follows­ (i) the Union’s officer for the competition or event shall report on all matters within his knowledge affecting the dispute (ii) the appellant shall present his/her case (iii) the other party to the dispute shall present his/her case (iv) the appellant shall have the right of reply (v) the panel shall consider the appeal in private and shall deliver its decision either verbally or in writing at a time to be appointed by it. (vi) without prejudice to the generality of the above, either party shall have the right to deliver his submissions in writing and also the right to call witnesses (j) The despite shall be decided in accordance with the current FIDE Laws of Chess and the Tournament rules of the British Chess Federation, unless otherwise provided for in this constitution, or the Union’s competition rules. (k) There shall be no appeal from the decision of the panel on issues of fact but, with the consent of the panel, an appeal may be made to the British Chess Federation (and thence to FIDE) upon a question involving the Laws of Chess, provided that the appellant shall furnish the ECF or FIDE with a statement of facts prepared by the panel and shall pay all fees due to the ECF or FIDE in respect of such an appeal.

19. Officers may claim expenses properly incurred in the execution of their duties, but must do so within 6 months of the financial year end in which they are incurred. Claims must be supported by relevant evidence, individual items below £15 may be accepted without additional documentation, provided that the Finance Director is satisfied they have been properly incurred.

20. No alterations to this Constitution shall be made except at a General Meeting of the Union.