Surrey Ladies Golf
Surrey Ladies County Golf Association
Constitution
RULES OF THE SURREY LADIES COUNTY GOLF ASSOCIATION 2022
The Association shall be called Surrey Ladies’ County Golf Association (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”) and the Association shall be affiliated to England Golf (EG).
2. OBJECTS
The objects of the Association shall be:
(a) To promote and encourage the development of ladies’ amateur golf at all levels, including the organisation of the County Championship, scratch and handicap competitions, inter-county matches and to regulate and administer the organisation of ladies’ golf in the County of Surrey in accordance with the rules and regulations of EG, to which it shall be affiliated.
(b) To assist in maintaining a uniform system of handicapping by acting as the Area Authority for SLCGA for the Council of National Golf Unions and to duly operate the CONGU unified Handicapping System as laid down from time to time.
(c) To employ the funds of the Association in such a manner as shall be deemed best for the interest of ladies’ amateur golf in Surrey with power to borrow or raise money for such purposes. No profit or surplus will be distributed to any organisation, unless it operates as a non-profit making organisation, nor to members on the winding up or dissolution of the Association. Upon dissolution, funds shall be distributed in accordance with Rule 19. The Association is a nonprofit making organisation and all profits and surpluses will be used to maintain or improve the Association’s facilities and services, save as otherwise provided by these Rules.
(d) To elect the SLCGA Voting Member to attend England Golf Meetings and to meet with the Voting Members of the South Region Counties.
(e) To make, maintain and publish such regulations as may be considered necessary to meet the above objects.
(f) To participate in a joint initiative known as the Surrey Golf Partnership, together with the Surrey County Golf Limited and Surrey PGA, to promote the development of golf in Surrey.
3. MEMBERSHIP
(i) AFFILIATION OF CLUBS
(a) A Club may apply to join the Association subject to the approval of the Committee who shall have power to reject the application. A Club whose application is refused may make an appeal to the next General Meeting. The Committee shall fix the annual rate of subscription to the Association at least ten months prior to the effective date and any variation thereof shall be notified to member Clubs.
(b) Each Affiliated Club shall pay such annual affiliation fees and per capita levies to the Association as decided by the Association. Such annual affiliation fees and levies shall be payable once per calendar year and shall be calculated on a per capita basis for every Playing Member irrespective of membership category. Fees shall be paid on a date sixty days after the Affiliated Club's annual membership renewal date or, if an Affiliated Club does not have one fixed date for renewal of membership for all members, on such date as may be agreed between the Club and the Association, and, failing agreement, the 1st April in each year. Any Club whose affiliation fee and per capita levies are in arrears by more than 60 days shall be liable to be struck off the list of Affiliated Clubs and neither the Club nor its members may enter any county competitions.
(c) Any Club wishing to resign from the Association shall give notice, in writing, to the Association not later than the last day of November. A Club failing to do so is liable for the affiliation fee for the following year.
(d) All Clubs affiliated to the Association must also be affiliated to EG.
(ii) INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP
(a) All female members of an affiliated Surrey Club shall be members of the Association and an annual per capita levy in respect of them shall be paid by the home Club to the Association. The amount of the per capita levy for all categories of membership shall be fixed annually by the Committee. No per capita levy need be made in respect of any honorary life members. A player who is a member of two or more affiliated Surrey Clubs shall pay one county levy in respect of the club that is her nominated club for handicap purposes. It shall be the responsibility of the member to inform the nominated club when this occurs.
(b) All members of the Association, including honorary members, shall be entitled to represent their Club in any Surrey County competition, to enter any individual competition run by the Association and to compete in the County Championship and to play for the County teams. If a player is also a member of an affiliated club in another county and pays affiliation fees to that county, she must state at the beginning of each calendar year which county is to be her home county for representative purposes. A player may only play in one County Championship and represent one county in any given year.
(c) Any Surrey born female player or one who has had a long past membership of a Surrey club and who has membership of an EG affiliated club in another County may, on payment of the levy, become a member of the SLCGA. It is the responsibility of such a player to make payment directly to the SLCGA by the 1st January each year if they wish to maintain or commence membership under this criterion.
(d) Junior Membership A candidate for junior membership shall be under eighteen years of age on 1st January. Junior members shall pay an annual subscription fee equal to the per capita levy. Juniors, including those who are elected under (c) above and subject to (b) above, will be entitled to play in county meetings at a reduced fee agreed by the committee. Juniors, may attend any General meeting.
4. HONORARY LIFE VICE PRESIDENTS
In recognition of outstanding past services to the county, the Committee may from time to time recommend a member to be elected an Honorary Life Vice President at a General Meeting of the Association.
5. HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
A member may be elected an Honorary Life Member at a General Meeting of the Association on the recommendation of the Committee.
6. SANCTIONS
(a) The Committee shall have the power to suspend for a period not exceeding 12 months, or to expel a Club or member whose conduct is deemed to have breached any rule or is, in the opinion of the Committee, injurious to the good name of the Association.
(b) No Club or member shall be suspended or expelled from the Association without first being notified in writing, by the Captain or President, of the circumstances giving rise to the proposed action.
(c) No Club or member shall be suspended or expelled from the Association without first being summoned before the Committee and full opportunity given to them to advance an explanation or defence. 7 days notice shall be given of such summons. Three quarters of the Committee then present shall vote for their suspension or expulsion. The Captain or President of the Committee shall not have a casting vote on this occasion. Where the decision is to suspend, the decision of the Committee is final.
(d) A Club or member who is expelled, shall have the right of appeal to the members of the Association, at a Special General Meeting, if they so request in writing, to the Secretary within 7 days of their expulsion. The meeting shall be convened by the Secretary within 28 days of receipt of the appeal. If at least two thirds of the Clubs’ representatives present and entitled to vote are in favour of allowing the appeal, the Club or member shall be automatically reinstated.
7. CLUB DELEGATES
Each affiliated Surrey Club shall appoint a delegate. The delegate must be a member of the Association and be the representative for the purpose of voting at General Meetings (Rule 13(a)). The delegate should actively communicate between the Association and her own ladies’ committee and Club members. In addition she will act as the communication link between her Club and EG. Delegates should be appointed for a minimum of three years.
8. MANAGEMENT OF THE ASSOCIATION
The management of the Association shall be vested in a Committee consisting of officers and elected members who must be members of the Association.
(i) OFFICERS
(a) The officers of the Association shall consist of President, Vice-Presidents, County Captain, County Vice-Captain, Honorary Treasurer, County Training Officer and County Junior Organiser.
(b) Nominations for the office of President shall be presented by the Committee to the members at the Annual General Meeting. Upon election by the members the President shall serve for a term of two years.
(c) There shall from time to time be Vice Presidents, not exceeding two in number. Nominations for the office of Vice President shall be presented by the Committee to the members at the Annual General Meeting and upon election by the members; the Vice Presidents shall serve a term of three years, renewable once only. After six years in office a Vice President must stand down for a year before being eligible to be nominated to hold office in the Association. Vice Presidents shall be without voting rights at Committee Meetings.
(d) The County Captain shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office for two years consecutively. At the end of the term of office she must retire and at least one year shall elapse before she is eligible for re-election under this Rule. The County Captain is also responsible for the management of the County First Team.
(e) The County Vice Captain shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office for two years consecutively. At the end of this term she is eligible for election to the office of County Captain. The County Vice Captain is also responsible for the management of the County Second Team and the Stovold Team.
(f) The Honorary Treasurer, County Junior Organiser and County Training Officer shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. They may serve a maximum of six years consecutively. To aid continuity the successors for these posts may be co-opted onto the committee without voting rights.
(g) Candidates for office under (d), (e) and (f) above may be nominated by the Committee or two affiliated Clubs. The nominations shall be in writing, signed by the proposer(s) and endorsed by the candidate as to their willingness to stand for office. The nominations shall be forwarded to the Association Secretary by 30th September. Nominations by the Committee shall not take any automatic priority at election over nominations made by Clubs.
(ii) ELECTED MEMBERS
(a) Up to nine members with a minimum of seven shall be elected to the Committee in accordance with the following rules:-
(i) Not more than two members may be elected from the same Club
(ii) An elected member may not serve in office for more than three consecutive years (including if applicable a year in which she may have been a co-opted member) after which time she must retire and at least one year shall elapse before she is again eligible for election under this rule.
(b) Nominations for Elected Members to the Committee shall be as follows:
(i) The nominated candidate for election to the Committee must be proposed and seconded by an Affiliated Club or members of the Association.
(ii) The consent of the nominee must be obtained in writing.
(iii) The nominations must be given in writing to the Secretary not later than the June Delegates' Meeting of that year
(iv) If there are no nominations at the June Delegates' Meeting the Committee will/may present nominations for Committee at the October Delegates' Meeting.
(v) The nominated and elected members of the Committee shall be elected/re-elected annually at the October Delegates' Meeting to take effect from the following Annual General Meeting.
(iii) COUNTY SECRETARY(i) The County Secretary shall be engaged by the Committee and his/her duties will be as laid down by the Committee.
(ii) His/her hours, conditions of work and remuneration will be as decided by the Committee.
(iii) His/her dismissal must obtain a majority decision of the Committee.
(iv) The County Secretary shall attend and minute all Committee Meetings, without voting rights.
(iv) HANDICAP ADVISERS
Handicap advisers will be appointed to serve a term of five years. They will attend Delegates Meetings and from time to time may be invited to the Committee Meetings.
(v) STANDARD SCRATCH SCORE ASSESSOR AND DEPUTY
The EG approved Standard Scratch Score Assessor or deputy will attend Delegates' Meetings and from time to time may be invited to the Committee Meetings.
(vi) COUNTY VOTING MEMBER FOR EG MEETINGS
For EG meetings the Committee will nominate the Association’s voting member who will attend EG meetings. The nominated person may be the Captain or Vice Captain.
(vii) PEARSON TROPHY MANAGER
The Pearson Trophy Manager shall be appointed by the Pearson Committee and will attend Delegates' Meetings and from time to time may be invited to the Committee Meetings.
9. COMMITTEE MEETINGS
(a) The Committee shall hold four regular meetings each year, chaired by the Captain. In the absence of the Captain the meeting shall be chaired by the Vice Captain, in her absence by a chairperson elected by those present. Minutes of all meetings will be taken by the Secretary for approval by the Committee and signature by the Captain.
(b) The Committee may be summoned to meet, at any time, by the Captain or by not fewer than four committee members.
(c) Six shall form a quorum of whom at least three must be elected members.
(d) If for any reason a vacancy occurs during an Executive’s term of office, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt another member of the Association to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the year. The election of a previously co-opted member must proceed as in 8(ii)(a) above.
(f) The Committee may from time to time appoint from members of the Association such sub-committees as it shall deem necessary or expedient to assist it in managing the affairs of the Association. All sub-committees shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions from the Committee and shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee for approval or ratification.
10. GENERAL MEETINGS
The President shall preside at General Meetings. In the absence of the President any meeting shall be presided over by the Captain or in her absence the Vice Captain or by a Chairperson elected by those present.
11. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
(i) The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the last week of November or in the first week of December for the purposes of:
(a) Receiving reports on the progress of the Association during the preceding year
(b) Receiving the statement of accounts for the year ending 30th September. The accounts shall be reviewed by a qualified accountant and approved by the Committee.
(c) Electing officers in accordance with Rule 8.
(d) Discussing and deciding any matter of general business of the Association duly submitted to the meeting.
(ii) Any affiliated club or member of the Association may propose resolutions to the Annual General Meeting provided that notice shall be given in writing to the Secretary not later than 15th September of that year. Any such resolution must be seconded by an affiliated club of the Association. No Club or member, save with the consent of the Chairperson of the meeting, shall bring any matter before the meeting unless she has given notice of the motion in writing prior to the meeting.
(iii) Twenty Club representatives shall form a quorum.
12. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
(a) A Special General Meeting shall be convened by the Secretary within 28 days of receipt of a direction of the Committee or of a requisition signed by no less than ten delegates from Affiliated Clubs or fifty members of the Association. All Affiliated clubs and individual members (3(ii)(e)) will receive not less than 21 days notice in writing of the meeting. The notice shall specify the purpose of the meeting and no other business may be brought before the meeting.
(b) If the Secretary fails to convene the meeting within the 28 day period, the requisitioners themselves may convene, in accordance with Rule 15 (Notice of Meeting), a special meeting to be held not later than 56 days after the deposit of the requisition with the Secretary.
(c) Twenty Club Representatives shall form a quorum.
13. DELEGATES MEETINGS
(a) The Captain shall chair the Delegates’ Meetings and in her absence the meeting will be chaired by the Vice Captain. The Delegates’ meetings will be held for the following purposes:
(i) To report on the progress of the Association during the year
(ii) At the October meeting to elect new members and re-elect existing members to the Committee
(iii) To keep delegates informed of EG matters
(b) Each delegate or her representative will be entitled to a vote. Committee members will be without a vote unless they are present at the meeting as the designated representative of an affiliated club (Rule 14(a)). In the event of equality of votes, the Captain or in her absence the Vice Captain shall have the casting vote.
(c) Fifteen delegates or their representatives shall form a quorum.
14. REPRESENTATION AND VOTING AT MEETINGS
(a) At all General and Delegates' Meetings every Affiliated Club shall have one vote.
(b) Members of the Committee shall not be entitled to vote at General Meetings unless they are the designated representative of their Affiliated Club.
(c) All members of the Association are entitled to attend and speak at General Meetings but only those designated as representing their Affiliated club are entitled to vote.
(d) A resolution put to a meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands a poll is duly demanded by the Chairperson or at least two representatives having the right to vote at the meeting. A demand by a person as proxy for a representative shall be the same as a demand by the representative.
(e) Where the duly designated representative is unable to be present at a General or Delegates’ meeting, Affiliated Clubs may vote by proxy. The proxy vote shall be deposited with the Secretary not less than 72 hours before the time for holding the meeting.
(f) Save for an amendment of the rules, which shall require a two thirds majority, all resolutions considered at General and Delegates meetings, shall be passed by a simple majority of representatives voting at the meeting or by proxy. In the event of equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a second and casting vote.
15. NOTICE OF MEETING
A notice of any General Meeting of the Association shall be sent to all Affiliated Clubs and individual members (Rule 3(ii)(e)) not less than 21 days prior to the date fixed for such meeting. Such notice shall specify the date, time and place of such meeting and the nature of the business to be transacted thereat. Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be accompanied by a copy of the Statement of Accounts for the past year and the names of the persons nominated under Rules 8(i) and (ii) for the ensuing year. The accidental omission to give notice to any person entitled thereto, or the non-receipt thereof by any such person, shall not invalidate the proceedings of any General Meeting.
16. INDEMNITY
The Association shall fully indemnify and hold harmless officers and members of its Committee, from any cost, expenses, liabilities and awards arising out of any action instituted at any time against the Association or any of the above such persons as a result of or arising out of the activities of such persons which were carried out in good faith believing that these activities fell within the scope of their responsibilities as a member of the Committee.
17. AMENDMENT OF THE RULES
(a) These rules may be added to altered or revoked by the members at a Special Meeting or at the Annual General Meeting. Any amendment to be proposed at a General Meeting must be sent out as part of the notice referred to in Rule 15.
(b) In the discussion of a resolution to amend the rules, any proposed amendment to the resolution may be carried by a simple majority of the representatives voting at the meeting or by proxy vote.
(c) To be carried, any change to the rules must acquire two thirds majority of the representatives voting at the meeting or by proxy vote.
18. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
If, at any General Meeting, a motion for the dissolution of the Association (which, unless proposed by the Committee must be sent to the Secretary and signed by the Delegate of not fewer than twenty Affiliated Clubs) shall be passed by a majority of two-thirds of the votes properly recorded at that General Meeting, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such future date as shall be specified in such resolution, proceed to realize that property of the Association and, after discharge of all liabilities, shall transfer the same to EG or to such body as shall in the opinion of the Committee constitute the governing body of women’s golf in England at that time, and upon completion of such transfer, the Association shall be dissolved.
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