(Adopted 13th October, 2010).
1. NAME
This organisation will be called the Hertfordshire Schools Chess Association (the ‘Association’).
2. OBJECTIVES
The objects of the Association will be to promote the study and playing of chess among people under the age of 18 (‘juniors’) in Hertfordshire by, inter alia, the provision of facilities, including equipment and books, by holding chess tournaments and other events, by organising representative teams and by the provision of coaching.
3. MEMBERSHIP
The members of the Association will be:
a. Any school within the county of Hertfordshire.
b. Individual Members, who must renew their membership annually.
c. Honorary Members, who may be elected at any General Meeting. Honorary Members will normally retain their membership for life unless a different term is specified by the Meeting which elects them.
d. Junior Chess Clubs in Hertfordshire may apply to be members.
School and Individual Members will pay an annual fee, which may be zero and which will be determined for these two classes of Membership separately at each Annual General Meeting.
It shall be the duty of the Committee, if at any time it shall be of the opinion that the interests of the Association so require, by letter to invite any Member to withdraw from the Association within a time specified in such letter; and in default of such withdrawal to submit the question of his expulsion to a Special General Meeting to be held within 6 weeks after the date of such letter. Not less than 2 weeks’ notice of the Meeting shall be given to the Individual Members.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to inform the Member in question of the time and place of the Meeting and of the nature of the complaints against him in sufficient time to afford him a proper opportunity of offering his explanation. At such Meeting, the Member shall be allowed to offer an explanation of his conduct orally or in writing and, if, after that, two-thirds of the Members present shall vote for his expulsion, he shall immediately cease to be a Member of the association, provided that the voting at any such Special General Meeting shall be by ballot, if not less than 5 Members present at that Meeting shall so demand. It shall be in the power of the Committee to exclude such Members from the Association until such Special General Meeting shall be held.
4. THE OFFICERS.
The Officers of the Association will be elected at each Annual General Meeting. They will be:
a. The Chairman.
b. The Secretary.
c. The Treasurer.
d. Tournament Secretary.
e. Any other Officer elected.
5. GENERAL MEETINGS.
a. The following General Meetings will be held:
1. An Annual General Meeting, which will be held near the beginning of each Autumn term.
2. A Special General Meeting, which will be held: i. within 60 days at the written request to the Secretary of not less than 10 Members of the Association; or ii. By resolution of the Committee
b. Any Individual Member may attend General Meetings.
c. Any School Member may appoint a Delegate to attend General Meetings.
d. The Secretary of the Association will send notice of General Meetings to all Individual Members and to School Members that have shown an active interest so as to arrive at least 3 weeks before the Meeting. This notice will include an agenda of business to be conducted.
e. The quorum will be 4 Members.
f. Voting will be restricted to Members and Delegates present. Each will have one vote, except as provided by h. below.
g. The Constitution of the Association may be changed only at General Meetings. It may not be changed unless notice of the proposed change has been given on the agenda and at least two-thirds of votes cast are in favour of the change.
h. Except as provided by g. above, all decisions will be taken by a simple majority vote and, in the event of an equality of votes, the person in the chair will have a second and casting vote.
i. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:-
The business of the Annual General Meeting will be:
1. Consideration of the accounts for the previous year. Copies of the accounts, audited if possible, will be sent with the notice of the Meeting.
2. Other reports from Officers, which may be presented orally.
3. The election of Officers and not more than five other people (in addition to Team Managers) to serve on the Committee.
4. The appointment/ratification of Team Managers.
5. The appointment/ratification of an Auditor.
6. The determination of Membership fees for the coming year.
7. Any business in respect of which the Secretary has received notice from a Member within one week of the meeting.
8. Any other business which the person in the chair sees fit to accept.
j. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS:-
Only business on the agenda may be considered.
6. THE COMMITTEE
a. Subject to decisions of General Meetings, the Committee will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the Association.
b. The Committee will consist of the Officers of the Association, the Team Managers and such other people as the Annual General Meeting may have elected under 5.i.3 above.
c. If an Officer resigns or fails, in the opinion of the Committee, to fulfil the duties of his office, the Committee may appoint another Individual Member of the Association to fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting, this person to have full Officer’s rights.
d. The Committee may co-opt not more than three additional Members, who will have full voting rights at Committee meetings.
e. The Committee may delegate business to sub-committees, who will report back to the Committee.
f. The Committee will meet within 30 days at the request of the Chairman or the Secretary or any three members of the Committee.
g. The Secretary will give at least 7 days’ notice of all Committee meetings to all Committee members with an agenda of business to be conducted.
h. The quorum will be 4 members.
i. All decisions will be taken by a simple majority vote.</p<
j. Voting will be restricted to Committee members present. Each will have one vote, except that, in the event of an equality of votes, the person in the chair will have a second and casting vote.
7. DISSOLUTION
If, at any General Meeting, a resolution for the dissolution of the Association shall be passed by a majority of the Members present and, at a Special General Meeting held not less than 6 weeks later of which not less than 4 weeks’ notice has been give to each Member and at which not less than one-half of the Members shall be present, that resolution shall be confirmed by a resolution supported by at least two-thirds of the Members voting on such resolution, the Committee shall immediately or at such future date as shall be specified in such resolution discharge all liabilities of the Association and arrange to transfer the remaining assets to such chess-playing institutions or associations as the Membership shall at the General Meeting have specified and the receipt of the Secretary or Treasurer for the time being of such institution or club shall be a good discharge for the members of the Committee; and upon the discharge of such liabilities and the transfer of such assets the Association shall be dissolved.
8. ADOPTED AT A MEETING:-
AT (place):_Bowmansgreen Primary School, Telford Rd, London Colney.
ON (date):_Wednesday 13th October 2010 (at HSCA Annual General Meeting).
NAME: Richard Dawson.
SIGNATURE:-
(Name and signature of chair of meeting)
WITNESSED BY:-
NAME: Mr Yogesh Jina.
SIGNATURE:-
(Name, address, occupation and signature of witness)