Club Constitution
The Constitution of the Cowley Chess Club
The Constitution of the Cowley Chess Club 1.Aims and Objectives
The purpose of the club is to provide chess activities for its members:
by arranging club nights for casual play, analysis, coaching, internal competitions etc.
by entering teams in the local league and knockout competitions
by entering teams (assuming sufficient support and the availability of appropriate
competition) in events run by the national federation and by other bodies
by any other activities that are in accord with the main purpose
2. Administration
a) The Annual General Meeting
The club holds an Annual General Meeting before the start of every season. (Traditionally, the meeting is held on the Monday following the first Sunday in September. Usually, this will coincide with the St. Giles Fair, unless 1st September falls on a Sunday.) The AGM is open to all current members (club members are defined in 2d), intending members, and to anyone with an interest in the activities of the club. The number of current members required to establish a quorum is five. No chess is to be played whilst the meeting is in progress. In the absence of the elected Chair, one shall be elected for the duration of the meeting.
On issues that are put to the vote, current members have one vote each, except that the Chair will have only a casting vote. Voting in absentia or by proxy is not permitted.
The format for the meeting would typically be as follows:
Opening remarks from the Chair.
Apologies for absence.
Minutes of the previous AGM.
Matters arising.
The Secretary’s report.
The Treasurer’s report.
Team Captains’ reports.
The Lester Fund.
Election of officers.
(There is usually a short interval after the election of officers.)
Formation of teams for the coming season.
Any other business.
The Chair will alter the format, or add items, if the need should arise.
b) The Team Captains’ Meeting
This takes place before the AGM (usually on a separate evening within a fortnight of the AGM). The Chair, the Secretary and those holding the title of team captain (for teams in the local league and knockout) will be invited to attend. Those expected to assume the captaincy of a team after the
AGM will also be invited. At least two existing team captains (or at least one of the Chair, the Secretary or the Treasurer, plus at least one captain) must be present to establish a quorum.
The purpose of the meeting is to negotiate as far as possible the likely composition of teams for the new season, and to enable an informed discussion of this issue at the AGM.
c) Extraordinary General Meetings
An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) can be convened to meet an exceptional circumstance that cannot wait until the next AGM. Any five club members can call for an EGM, and demand that it be held within twenty-one days of their petition to the Secretary, which must be in writing. Procedures and voting will be as for the AGM.
d) Club Members and Voting Rights
For the purposes of establishing a quorum and determining voting rights at an AGM, a current member is defined as a person aged thirteen or over who has either been made an Honorary Member or has paid his or her subscription for the current year (the subscription year being defined as running from 1st October to 30th September).
In order to be able to vote at any EGM, a member must also have counted as a current member at the most recent AGM.
3. Equipment
All chess equipment and materials (sets, boards, clocks, clock boxes, score sheets, books, videos, cd-roms and sundries) stored permanently in the club cupboard are the property of Cowley Chess Club.
Individuals wishing to place chess materials (e.g., coaching materials) in the cupboard for a short period of time, should ensure that the arrangement is understood and approved by the Chair, the Secretary, or the Treasurer (the ‘cabinet’, as defined in Section Five).
4. Changes to the Club Constitution
Any changes to the club constitution can only be effected at an AGM, or at an EGM, and must be supported by at least two-thirds of those at the meeting who are entitled to vote.
5. The Club’s Officers and their Responsibilities
The elected officers of the club are as follows:
Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Team Captains Safeguarding Officer Librarian
Internal Tournament Organiser Minutes Secretary
Website Manager Magazine Editors Coaching Panel
Trustees of the Lester Fund
Of these, those in bold italics are Core Officers, whose duties form part of the club constitution. The other officers’ duties are described in Appendix 1.
The Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer will together act as a ‘cabinet’ to ensure the smooth running of the club throughout the year. Any cabinet member may call for it to meet. The Chair shall organise the meeting at a convenient date and time within twenty-one days of the request being made. In any event the Chair shall call for at least one meeting of the cabinet between AGMs. Individuals who are not cabinet members may be invited to a meeting if their presence is thought likely to be helpful.
Additional officers can be elected at an AGM, according to the needs of the club; equally, job titles that become redundant can be removed.
Key Responsibilities
a) The Chair
To chair the AGM
To act as facilitator at the team captains’ meeting
To represent the club’s interests externally, in relation to any matter that falls outside the
boundaries of routine administration
To ensure that the club is represented at the AGM of the County Association
To act as part of a cabinet with the Secretary and the Treasurer to ensure the smooth running
of the club throughout the year b) The Secretary
To act as part of a cabinet with the Chair and the Treasurer to ensure the smooth running of the club throughout the year
To organise the AGM, and also the team captains’ meeting and any EGMs
To receive club mail and respond to it, or forward it to the relevant club member(s)
To maintain a database of members’ contact details, and to make this available to team
captains
To maintain a club notice board, and/or a folder, to provide club members with an up-to-date
record of local events, league tables etc.
To display congress entry forms and information
c) The Treasurer
To maintain up-to-date, accurate records of the club’s financial affairs
To prepare a statement of accounts to be made available at the AGM
To liaise with other officers in order to identify likely areas and amounts of expenditure
To make recommendations at the AGM, based on known or likely financial commitments for
the coming season
To receive membership subscriptions from individuals and from team captains
To make payments to the County Association in respect of team affiliations
To liaise with and make payments to Rose Hill Methodist Church in respect of our use of the
premises
To maintain the club’s bank account, and act as custodian of the club’s money
To act as part of a cabinet with the Chair and the Secretary to ensure the smooth running of
the club throughout the year
To furnish the cabinet with an interim statement of accounts if the need should arise
To liaise with the other appointed trustees in the management of the Lester Fund, to make
agreed disbursements on the Club’s behalf, and to maintain separate records of income and expenditure relating to the Fund
d) Team Captains (Items marked ‘*’ apply only to those captaining teams in the local league and knockout competitions.)
To attend the Captains’ meeting*
To furnish a written report on the team’s activities during the season to the editors of the club
magazine in time for it to be included in the issue available at the AGM. If there is no club
magazine, then a written or verbal report will be offered to the AGM*
To collect club subscriptions from team members (when these have not been paid directly)
and forward them to the Treasurer*
To promote the team’s efficient participation in the event(s) for which it is registered
To supervise appropriate transportation of team members to matches
e) Safeguarding Officer
To maintain contact details for local statutory services (Social Services, Police and Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board)
To act as a point of contact for any safeguarding concerns
To record safeguarding cases effectively and reliably
To communicate with the relevant authorities over safeguarding cases – ensuring that confidentiality is maintained and that information is passed on where necessary
To attend an Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board training event (or other equivalent course) every three years
To seek training and information from the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board and English Chess Federation, and to cascade this information to other club members by:
Keeping policies and guidelines up to date (yearly, in advance of AGM):
Maintaining Cowley Chess Club’s safeguarding policy
Maintaining Cowley Chess Club’s associated policy documents (Policy statement on
secure storage, handling, use, retention & disposal of disclosures and disclosure information, Policy statement on recruitment of ex-offenders)
Maintaining Cowley Chess Club’s guidance documents (Complaints procedure)
Retaining up-to-date versions of CRB-provided guidance documents (CRB Code of Practice, DIP 001 Mandatory Field Do’s and Dont’s, Continuation sheets, DIP 002 ID checking process, Employing ex-offenders – a practical guide)
Endeavouring to ensure that the safeguarding procedures are understood and adhered to by members, as by:
Ensuring that Cowley Chess Club’s safeguarding policy and other associated documents mentioned above are publicly available on the club website
Ensuring that copies of the Cowley Chess Club’s safeguarding policy and other associated documents mentioned above, including the safeguarding incident report form, are physically available on club nights
To ensure that the requirements for enhanced DBS checks and safeguarding training for volunteers, club officials or people working with the club outlined in the Safeguarding Policy are carried out.
6. Other policies
Cowley Chess Club also has the following policies:
• Safeguarding
Secure storage, handling, use, retention & disposal of disclosures and disclosure information
Recruitment of ex-offenders
Cowley Chess Club will follow the DBS Code of Practice for registered persons and other recipients of disclosure information.
These documents can be found in Appendix 3. 7. Complaints Procedure
The club operates a procedure that allows club members to raise complaints about issues, which might include the following:
● The safety of club activities
● Poor standards of instruction or leadership
● The standard of equipment used for club activities
● Poor club administration
● The lack of suitable activities for their level of participation
Complaints concerning club safety or operational matters should be addressed to the club Chair. If this does not prove satisfactory, a written complaint should be made to the club cabinet via the club secretary. The club's cabinet may decide to call a hearing into the complaint.
The club Chair and Secretary's contact details can be obtained from the club noticeboard on any club night.
APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Other Officers’ Key Responsibilities
f) Librarian
To maintain the club’s library
To receive and catalogue new materials
To administer the library’s loan system
To pursue fugitive materials (for example, books in the possession of individuals who have
left the club) within reasonable bounds
g) Internal Tournament Organiser
To organise competitions within the club in such a way as to encourage the participation of players of all strengths
h) Minutes Secretary
To attend the AGM and to minute the proceedings, accurately detailing the decisions made
To present these minutes at the next AGM, either verbally by reference to the written notes,
or by a handout of the minutes
To maintain the Minutes Book
To make available the Minutes Book to the Chair or Secretary or Treasurer at any time,
assuming reasonable notice given i) Magazine Editor(s)
To actively encourage the submission of articles and raw material
To work up material that requires development
To edit submissions in the interests of clarity and quality
To prepare and arrange for the production of the magazine to agreed schedules. At present,
there are two issues a year
To distribute the magazine to paid-up club members and to others at the editors’ discretion
To consult with the Treasurer about likely costs relating to the magazine during the year
j) Website Manager
● To ensure the integrity and security of the ‘Cowley Chess Club’ website and other Club platforms on the internet
● To research and implement the most suitable technical applications for use on the internet ● To oversee the provision of relevant, informative and up to date content on the web
● To promote the use of the website for members and prospective members
●To encourage and enable Club members to enter material on the website
k) Coaching Panel
To make available coaching opportunities to club members
To encourage club members to share expertise and knowledge, contributing to the
development of skills and understanding in others l) Trustees of the Lester Fund
To consult with each other and jointly decide on suitable disbursements from the Fund in accordance with its agreed aims
Appendix 2: The Lester Millin Memorial Fund (‘Lester Fund’)
The purpose of the Lester Fund (originally the ‘Harriet Fund’), which will be administered by the Treasurer and two other trustees appointed by the AGM, is to support and promote junior chess at Cowley. It will do this by using its resources, at the discretion of the trustees, to provide financial assistance for junior members of the club playing in international and other strong tournaments, and
to sponsor or subsidise professional chess coaching as well as other activities and events which further the purpose of the Fund. The club is committed, according to its means, to continuing the Fund and its work, for instance by setting aside as appropriate proceeds from Blitz tournaments for the use of the Fund.
The Treasurer, or another trustee of the Lester Fund, will report briefly on its activities to the AGM.
Appendix 3:
See Safeguarding Policy and associated documents
(28 August 2016: as amended in accordance with decisions of the 2015 AGM)