Constitution

CONSTITUTION and RULES FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS OF THE

ASSOCIATION AND COLLECTION AND DISBURSEMENT OF THE FUNDS OF THE ASSOCIATION

NEW CONSTITUTION 2023/2024

1.

Name: Norfolk County Bowls Coaching Association (NCBCA) hereinafter called “Bowls

Coaches Association”

2.

Affiliation: The Bowls Coaches Association shall be affiliated to and work within the

coaching standards and guidance of the English Bowls Coaching Society

3.

Membership: All suitably Qualified Bowls Coaches undertaking the Coaching of the sport

of bowls within the County of Norfolk (both Indoor and outdoor).

4.

Associate Members will be those individuals who have registered to be trained as Bowls

Coaches (typically under the EBCS Scheme) but who have not yet ‘passed’ assessment or

completed the appropriate tests AND EXAMINATION OF COMPETENCE.

5.

Aims & Objectives:

5.1

The Bowls Coaches Association will seek to ensure the highest possible standards of

Coaching are maintained throughout the County of Norfolk. This will be facilitated through

ongoing supervision and assessment of Bowls Coaches and any necessary specific

monitoring, to ensure standards are maintained and that Insurance Cover is not

compromised by an individual coach or coaches.

5.2

It will provide suitable learning and mentoring opportunities for its members to develop

appropriate skills to enhance the playing of Bowls at all levels and will establish routes to

excellence and create ‘pathways’ for the development of the entire coaching body as well as

for individuals wishing to progress within the Coaching family.

5.3

The Bowls Coaches Association will develop and deploy an appropriate structure

addressing the needs of the sport of bowls throughout Norfolk. This will include the

appointment and/or recommendation of coaches to the EBCS or successor body in an

ongoing and timely way.

5.4

Whenever a need is identified, suitable re-training and/or supervision will be provided,

under the guidance of the Association Executive Committee and with the specific support of

the appointed County Coach.

5.5 The Association will identify opportunities for enhancement of coaching the sport of bowls

and develop strategies to meet those needs, encouraging sportsmanship and the accepted

etiquette of the sport of bowls.

5.6

The Bowls Coaches Association will strive to ensure inclusivity for all in the Coaching and

playing of the Sport of Bowls.

5.7

The Association will, at all times, be non-political but will advocate for any perceived

changes with appropriate bodies at local, regional and national level to ensure the best

interests of its members are maintained. This may also include providing feedback and

oration on suggested changes from outside of the Association having a perceived impact on

the members of the Association.

6.

Standards and Supervision.

6.1

The Bowls Coaches Association will ensure adherence to the highest possible coaching

standards of its members.

6.2

The Executive Committee will investigate any complaints received about its individual

members and may take disciplinary action as is seen fit. The ultimate sanction being removal

from membership of an offending coach (reserved for the most serious breaches).

6.2.1

In the event of removal of membership the coach concerned may seek leave to

appeal the decision. Such appeal should be made, in writing, and sent to the Chairman within

7 days of the notification letter setting out the original decision.

6.2.1.1

If the grounds for appeal are seen to be substantive (and not frivolous) then a

specially convened Extraordinary General Meeting will be called, the sole business of that

meeting shall be to hear, from the individual, their reasons for appealing the original decision

and members will then vote to decide if the appeal is to be successful. This shall be an open

vote. A record of those voting may, exceptionally, be taken if requested (prior to the vote) by

the appellant.

6.3

Confidentiality is paramount and, as such, cases will not be the subject of specific ‘open

debate’ at any General Meeting of the Association (refer to 6.2.1.1 above).

6.4

Good Practice and shared learning will be encouraged and supported at all times.

6.4.1

Mentoring schemes may be established, with assistance from the County Coach,

especially where the number of coaches at one location is small and/or no coaches above

level 2 are in place there.

6.4.1.1

Reviews of individual Coaches with recommendations for learning shall be made at

least every two years, under the guidance of the County Coach. These are NOT intended to be

punitive but rather to provide ‘supervision’.

7.

Executive Committee

7.1

The Executive Committee shall consist of the following officers: Chairman, Meetings

Secretary, Membership Secretary,Treasurer. In addition two members (without portfolio) will

be appointed to the Committee.

7.2

Each Officer shall serve no more than two years without their continued membership of

the Committee (or Officer-ship) being ratified by the Annual General Meeting of the Bowls

Coaches Association.

7.3

Any member of the Executive Committee may be RECALLED from their position by a vote

of a properly constituted Annual General or Extraordinary General Meeting when FIVE

members of the Association submit a written request to the Executive Committee.

7.3.1.

Given that, in exceptional circumstances, the subject of such a RECALL could be an

OFFICER then the written request MUST be sent to ALL Executive Committee Members.

7.4

No member of the Executive Committee shall take any decision, unilaterally, which has a

demonstrable impact on a member or members of the Bowls Coaches Association. The will of

the members shall be sought in any instance of significant change to the operation and/or

management of the Bowls Coaches Association.

7.4.1

The Executive Committee shall conduct meetings no fewer than three times during

a year. At least one of these meetings shall be ‘in person’.

7.4.1.1

All meetings, using technology or in person, shall be recorded, including details of

any votes taken, by the Meeting Secretary or an agreed substitute and ALL minutes shall be

made available to members through the Bowls Coaches Association (NCBCA) website; any

confidential matters shall be redacted to ensure that confidentiality is maintained.

7.4.1.1.1

In the case of a tied vote then the Chairman shall have the right to cast an

additional CASTING VOTE if, in their opinion, it is necessary for the continued operation and

management of the Bowls Coaches Association.

7.5

Four Members shall constitute a QUORUM; meetings with fewer than this in attendance

shall be deemed ‘for discussion only’ and NO decisions may be reached.

7.6

The Executive Committee may co-opt members for SPECIFIC purposes but such

appointments can only be for a specified time and all must cease at an AGM.

8.

Annual General Meeting

The Bowls Coaches Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the spring of

each year (i.e. before the end of April) at which the duly authorised voting membership shall

elect, as necessary, members of the Executive Committee set out in 7.1.of this constitution.

9.

Extraordinary General Meetings

Where matters requiring the active engagement of all members of the Bowls Coaches

Association become urgent then an Extraordinary General Meeting may be called either by

the Executive Committee or when a letter, signed by five members, specifying the matter for

discussion, is sent to the Meetings Secretary and/or Chairman. Only matters specified in the

‘invitation to attend’ will be discussed at such a meeting.

10.

Stewardship of Association Funds

The Treasurer shall maintain a bank account or accounts, as deemed necessary by the

Executive Committee.

10.1

The account(s), in the name of Norfolk County Bowls Coaches Association shall

remain the responsibility of the Executive Committee in support of the Treasurer.

10.2

ANY matter substantively affecting the finances and/or management of those

finances MUST be referred to the Executive Committee.

10.3

Expenditure will ALWAYS require authorisation of two (from FOUR) named

signatories, typically the officers as set out in 7.1.

10.4

It shall never be acceptable for a single person to authorise expenditure.

10.4.1

The Treasurer will seek to replace any signatory as soon as possible after that

signatory’s tenure becomes void (through resignation, illness or death).

10.4.2

It is imperative that the list of current signatories is supervised and maintained with

the necessary and immediate contingency action being properly authorised by the Executive

Committee, at ALL times.

11.

County Coach

The position of County Coach will be through nomination by members and will be subject to a

vote either at the AGM or an EGM when the matter is urgent. The EBCS have, traditionally,

made the ‘appointment’ of County Coaches and, whilst this may be reviewed, it is expected

that the nomination from the County Association will be endorsed by EBCS.

11.1

Appointment of County Coach is usually expected to last a minimum of two years to

enable the ethos of the appointee to be embedded/rolled-out County Wide.

11.1.1

As part of the Bowls Coaches Association succession planning, those interested in

the role of County Coach are always to be encouraged and may be mentored by the County

Coach* or a specified piece of work, authorised by them*, may be undertaken.

11.2

The County Coach, if not otherwise an elected member of the Executive Committee,

may attend Executive Committee Meetings but will not have voting rights. They will provide a

written report, as part of the ongoing standards and supervision under the remit of the

Executive Committee.

12.

AUTHORITY

No member of the Bowls Coaches Association is authorised to operate outside of this

constitution or these rules.