MALVERN CHESS CLUB CONSTITUTION
1. NAME & LOCATION
1.1 The name of the club is “Malvern Chess Club”, hereafter referred to as MCC or “the
club”.
1.2 Current clubroom premises are at the Manor Park Sports Club, Albert Road North,
Malvern WR14 2TL. A change of location to an alternative convenient place would be
ratified at a Special General Meeting.
2. PURPOSE
2.1 To provide a recreational and educational chess facility for all its members, from
beginner to expert.
2.2 To encourage the study and practice of chess in, and around, Malvern
2.3 To play competitively in various leagues and competitions and to be members of,
and/or affiliated to, national, county or local chess organisations.
3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Membership is open to everyone except children under the age of 5. Membership
shall be at the discretion of the Committee and no reason shall be given for any
refusal of membership.
3.2 A member shall be deemed such when his/her application for membership has
been approved by the committee and he/she has paid the appropriate rate of
subscription. Honorary members appointed by the committee are waived subscription
fees.
3.3 Non-‐members, whether invited by a member or otherwise, must apply for
membership after four trial visits on club nights. There are no fees for such trial visits
to encourage new membership.
3.4 Junior membership will be available at a greatly reduced rate with a minimum
age of 5 and a maximum age of 21.
4. CLUB OFFICERS & RESPONSIBILITIES
4.1 PRESIDENT
4.1.1 Provide strategic direction to the club and act as an experienced advisor
to its committee of officers
4.2 CHAIRMAN
4.2.1 Act as an ambassador for the club, helping to promote it locally.
Responsible for chairing the committee and club meetings and for ensuring the club has
an up-‐to-‐date Constitution.
4.3 SECRETARY
4.3.1 Maintenance and preservation of the records of MCC and responsibility
for the day-‐to-‐day running of the club. Arrangement of the date and papers for club
meetings and record minutes of such meetings.
4.4 TREASURER
4.4.1 Management of the club’s finances including the collection of
subscriptions, arranging insurance , payment of all club running costs and keeping
proper records of the financial affairs
4.5 EQUIPMENT OFFICER
4.5.1 Management and safe storage of all MCC equipment including chess sets,
boards, clocks, trophies, library and teaching equipment.
4.6 TOURNAMENT SECRETARY
4.6.1 Management and recording of the annual club championship and other
club tournaments occasionally organized on an ad-‐hoc basis
4.7 WEBSITE & PUBLICITY OFFICER
4.7.1 Development, design, updating and management of the club website,
ensuring it has relevant content for both existing and prospective members. Displaying
the up-‐to-‐date Club Constitution on the website.
4.8 SAFEGUARDING OFFICER
4.8.1 Implementation and management of the English Chess Federation child protection policy within the club.
4.9 TEAM CAPTAINS
4.9.1 Choose club members to play in each match and decide on board order.
4.9.2 Have basic awareness of league rules such as time controls.
4.9.3 Report match results to the league and to the website officer in a timely
manner.
4.10 AUDITOR
4.10.1 Conduct a timely annual audit of the treasurer’s accounts. The auditor should
not hold another office in MCC but can be a member of the club.
5. COMMITTEE
5.1 The Committee shall consist of :-‐ the Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer,
the Website & Publicity Officer -‐ the Team Captains of the teams playing in graded
competitions -‐ such other members as may be co-‐opted by the Committee for the
remainder of the year - such other members as may be co-‐opted by the Committee
temporarily, either for a particular matter or meeting.
5.2. The Committee shall, subject to matters reserved to a General Meeting or to any
directions of a general meeting, have the responsibility for the management of the Club
and the activities of the Club. It may delegate individual tasks to individual members
of the Committee or of the Club.
5.3 The Committee shall act by majority of those attending a meeting with the Chairman
having an additional casting vote. Meeting shall be called at not less than 7 clear days
notice. Meetings shall usually be called by the Secretary but any member of the
Committee may request the Secretary so to do and in default may do so himself.
5.4 Each officer shall hold his office for one year (or thereabouts) until the next AGM
which appoints a successor or declares a vacancy or until a General Meeting shall
earlier declare the office vacant.
5.5 The Committee members or others mentioned shall be indemnified out of the assets
of the Club for all liabilities incurred by them acting in good faith in pursuance of the
purpose of the Club.
6. SUBSCRIPTIONS
6.1 Subscription fees are reviewed annually and levels fixed at the AGM. All members
are liable to pay subscriptions with the exception of honorary members.
7. FINANCES & PROPERTY
7.1. The club’s financial year runs from April 1st to March 31st. Its subscription year
runs from 1st September to 31st August.
7.2 Money and property must only be used for the club’s purposes detailed in section 2.
Officers cannot receive any money or property from the club, except in re-‐ imbursement
of reasonable out-‐of-‐pocket expenses actually incurred exclusively and wholly on Club
business -‐-‐ as to which the Committee may make regulations or conditions including
suspension of this exception.
7.3. A copy of the club’s annual accounts, duly audited, will be issued to all members
at the AGM, the auditor having been elected annually at the previous AGM.
8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM), of which due notice shall have been given,
shall be held as soon as possible after the end of the league playing season.
8.2 Objectives of the AGM:
8.2.1 Ratification of previous AGM minutes
8.2.2 Receive a report on actions from previous AGM
8.2.3 Receive reports from club officers
8.2.4 Receive a statement of accounts prepared by the treasurer
8.2.5 Elect officers for the coming year
8.2.6 Decide on subscriptions for the coming year
8.2.7 Decide on which leagues to enter teams
8.2.8 Decide on annual insurance for the coming year
8.2.9 Take decisions on any other matters of policy
8.3 The agenda shall be circulated to members at least 7 days before the meeting
8.4 All motions must be proposed and seconded. All issues shall be decided by a
simple majority with each member having one vote. The chair shall have a casting vote
in addition.
8.5 Minutes must be kept of the meeting and signed by the secretary and chairman
as an accurate record of the event with final ratification at the following AGM.
8.6 There must be at least eight members or one half of the membership (whichever is
the smaller) present at the AGM for it to be quorate.
9. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
9.1 A special general meeting (SGM) shall be held at the discretion of the club
committee to take decisions on matters that require attention before the next AGM
9.2 The provisions relating to the conduct of the AGM shall also apply to the SGM
10. AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
10.1 The Constitution can only be altered by a majority vote at a SGM of club
members that has been advertised at least one week in advance of the date of the
meeting. The amended Constitution will appear on the website within one month of that
meeting.
11. CLUB DISSOLUTION
11.1 The club may at any time be dissolved by members at an SGM voting for a
scheme of dissolution. Such dissolution needs to be supported by at least 70% of
current membership votes. In the event of MCC being wound up, the financial club
assets shall be transferred to the Worcestershire Chess Association, to be held in trust
until the club is reconstituted. Should the club not be reconstituted within a period of
10 years, the Worcestershire Chess Association shall be free to use the transferred assets
as they see fit. The physical club assets (listed under section 4.5.1) will be held by the club officers. Should the club not be reconstituted within a period
of 10 years, the officers (in post at the time of dissolution) shall be empowered to
donate those assets to local schools or other local chess clubs as they see fit.