THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ENGLISH TIDDLYWINKS ASSOCIATION
Article One
The name of the Association shall be 'The English Tiddlywinks Association', hereafter called the Association, which may be abbreviated to 'ETwA'.
Article Two
The purposes of the Association are:
1. To promote the game of Tiddlywinks throughout the United Kingdom.
2. To organise annually National Singles, Pairs and Teams of Four competitions and oversee other competitions as appropriate.
3. To select the National Team and promote relations with all other winks-playing nations.
2. MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
Article Three
Membership shall be open to anyone resident in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Article Four
1. Council shall have the right to expel or debar any person from membership as it thinks fit.
2. Before Council may expel any member, it shall give him fourteen days notice of the proposed expulsion, and allow him the opportunity to make representation to it regarding the matter.
3. Any member of the Association shall have the right to have the reason for any expulsion announced at Congress or published in Winking World.
4. A member may resign from the Association by notifying the Secretary in writing.
Article Five
1. Each member shall pay annually a subscription at a rate set by Council and approved by Congress. Council may introduce differential subscription rates at its discretion.
2. Subscriptions shall become due at the annual Congress and shall run until the following annual Congress. The Treasurer may, at his discretion, reduce the subscription proportionately when a member joins part way through a subscription year.
3. THE COUNCIL
Article Six
There shall be established as the administrative organ of the Association the Council.
Article Seven
1. The Council shall consist of the Chairman, the Treasurer (who shall be the Vice-Chairman), the Secretary, the Editor of 'Winking World', the Tournament Organiser, and the Publicity Officer.
2. The Council may from time to time, as it thinks fit, co-opt other persons onto the Council for such a period of time as it may determine.
3. Members of Council shall be elected at Congress in accordance with article sixteen.
Article Eight
1. The Chairman shall be the titular head of the Association.
2. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all General and Rules meetings of the Association and of all meetings of the Council.
3. The Treasurer shall keep accounts of all the Association's transactions.
4. The Council shall meet from time to time and may be called by:
(a) The Chairman
(b) By any two other members of Council.
5. Council shall be responsible for the selection of representative England teams. In so doing it may consult anyone whom it thinks fit.
6. Council may, from time to time, appoint committees for whatever purposes as it thinks fit.
7. A member of the Council may resign from the Council by notifying the Chairman in writing.
In the event of such a resignation, Council may co-opt another member to fill the vacated post until such time as an election can be held. Alternatively, an existing Council member may take over the post until an election is held.
Within one month following the receipt of notice of resignation, the Secretary shall inform all members of who has filled the casual vacancy and invite nominations for the post to be sent to him within 21 days.
If more than one candidate is proposed and seconded then ballot papers shall be sent to all members which shall be returned within 21 days. If only one candidate is proposed and seconded then he shall be deemed elected and members informed accordingly.
4. THE RULES SUB-COMMITTEE
Article Nine
There shall be established to advise the Association on the rules of the game the Rules Sub-committee.
Article Ten
The Rules Sub-committee shall consist of a Chairman and three ordinary members.
Article Eleven
1. The Rules Sub-committee shall rule on matters of dispute involving the rules of the game at any tournament over which the Association has jurisdiction.
2. The Rules Sub-committee shall consider all proposed changes to the rules and report them to the Rules Meeting in accordance with article twelve.
5. CHANGES TO THE RULES OF THE GAME
Article Twelve
1. Any member shall be able to propose changes to the rules of the game and shall, in the first instance, submit such proposals, in writing, to the Chairman of the Rules Sub-Committee.
2. The Rules Sub-committee shall consider all changes submitted to it with reference to workability, desirability and overall effect on the game.
3. The Rules Sub-committee shall report its findings to the proposer of the change and discuss amendment or withdrawal as it thinks fit.
4. When the Rules Sub-committee and proposers reach agreement on the final wording for the proposed changes, the Chairman of the Rules Sub-committee shall notify the ETwA Secretary of those proposed changes in writing in order that they reach him prior to the circulation of the newsletter informing members of the Rules Meeting.
5. If the Rules Sub-committee and proposer cannot reach agreement on the wording or desirability of a proposed change, the proposer may, if he wishes, persue his proposal at the Rules Meeting, in which case, he must inform the Secretary of the proposed change subject to the deadline outlined in clause 4.
6. The Secretary shall inform all members of proposals submitted to him as outlined under clauses 4 or 5 above in an agenda for a Rules Meeting.
7. Proposed changes, which must have been considered by the Rules Sub-committee, shall be debated and voted upon according to article thirteen.
Article Thirteen
1. There shall be held annually a meeting of the Association to discuss and decide upon changes to the rules of the game as outlined in article eleven.
2. The meeting shall be held under the auspices of Council and shall be chaired by the Chairman of the Association or the most senior member of Council present.
3. Members of the Rules Sub-committee shall, wherever possible, be present at the Rules Meeting.
4. Each proposed change to the rules shall be read to the meeting by its original proposer, or, in his absence, by the Secretary. The reason for the proposal shall be briefly stated.
5. The Chairman of the Rules Sub-committee shall then be invited to give the sub-committee's views of the proposal. If the proposal does not have the approval of the sub-committee, the Chairman shall state how the sub-committee believes it should be amended, or why it believes it should be withdrawn.
6. (a) The proposal shall then be opened for discussion to the floor.
(b) During the discussion, the Chairman shall call all members of the Rules Sub-committee to speak, if they so wish.
7. The Council may, if it so wishes, impose a guillotine on the Rules Meeting and individual items of business.
8. (a) At the end of discussion, or on expiry of the allocated time, the Chairman shall call a vote.
(b) Only paid-up members of the Association shall be eligible to vote.
(c) A motion shall require both a two-thirds majority of those present and voting, and a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote, in order to be passed.
9. Rules changes approved by the Rules Meeting shall take effect after the completion of the tournament in progress at the time of the meeting.
6. CONGRESS
Article Fourteen
1. (a) A Congress of the Association shall be held annually.
(b) This Congress shall be the Annual General Meeting of the Association held to transact the ordinary business of the Association together with any other motions raised by members.
2. An Extraordinary Congress may be called only by:
(a) The Council.
(b) A written request by one third of the paid-up members of the Association signed by those members and delivered to the Secretary. Any such requisition shall state the objects of the meeting.
The meeting shall be held as soon as practicable but not later than three months following Council's decision or receipt of the members' requisition.
3. Elections to the Council shall take place at Congress according to article sixteen.
4. The constitution may only be changed at a Congress of the Association in accordance with article eighteen.
5. Not less than 21 days notice in writing of every Congress (whether an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary Meeting) specifying the day, time and place of the meeting shall be given to members.
7. VOTING
Article Fifteen
Formal Motions at Congress.
1. All formal motions shall be proposed and seconded by paid-up members of the Association.
2. A decision on a formal motion shall only be taken if at least five paid-up members of the Association are present, of whom at least two shall be members of Council.
3. Only paid-up members of the Association shall be eligible to vote, unless Council decides to extend the franchise to all present.
4. A decision shall be made by a simple majority of those present, eligible and voting, which shall be by show of hands.
5. The Chairman shall have a vote, and an additional casting vote in the event of a tie.
Article Sixteen
Elections to Council.
1. Elections to Council may take place at Congress or an Extraordinary Congress or in the event of a member of the Council resigning other than at a meeting of Congress.
2. Elections to Council shall only be made if at least ten paid-up members of the Association are present, of whom at least two shall be members of Council.
3. All candidates shall be proposed and seconded.
4. A decision shall be made by a simple majority of those present, eligible and voting.
5. The Chairman, or other designated officer who is not seeking re-election, shall act as returning officer. The returning officer shall have a vote and an additional casting vote in the event of a tie.
6. Officers shall be elected in the order specified in article seven.
Article Seventeen
Council Voting.
1. The Council shall, where practicable, reach a decision by general agreement.
2. Where voting is necessary, the decisions shall be made by a simple majority of those present and voting.
3. The Chairman shall only vote in the event of a tie.
Article Eighteen
Constitutional Changes.
1. Constitutional changes may only be considered at the annual or an extraordinary meeting of Congress.
2. Constitutional changes must be proposed and seconded by paid-up members of the Association who must communicate the proposed change to the Secretary no later than the last day of the month preceding Congress.
3. The Secretary shall ensure that all paid-up members receive copies of the proposed changes with the notification of the meeting.
4. A decision on a constitutional change shall be made by a two-thirds majority of those present, eligible and voting.
5. Constitutional changes shall come into effect after the close of the Congress at which they were introduced.
Last modified: April 2002
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