Name
The name of the Association shall be the Welfare Bowling Association herein after referred to as the Association.
Objects
The objects of the Association shall be:
To promote, organise and encourage the game of Crown Green Bowls.
To organise the following competitions:
The Welfare Bowls League
The Wright Rosebowl Competitions
Individual Merit Competitions
Doubles Competitions
Ad hoc Competitions as required
Which will operate as in previous years subject to such variations and
entrance fees as may be fixed from time to time.
To secure uniformity in the style of bowling and to foster the sporting and social understanding between Welfare League Clubs.
Membership
At the discretion of the Management Committee membership shall be open to all bone-fide Crown Green Bowling Clubs.
Any club accepted for membership shall agree, on behalf of all its members, to accept and abide by all of the rules of the Association and the decisions reached by the Management Committee.
Applications for membership shall be proposed and seconded, approved by the Management Committee and confirmed at the Annual General Meeting.
All clubs in membership must be financially sound with the Association and all players must be financially sound with their present club and other clubs in the Association.
Officers of the Association
The Officers of the Association, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, shall be:
President and an Auditor (non-management)
Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, Competitions Secretary and Treasurer (Management)
Management Committee
The Management Committee shall consist of the Management Officers of the association and TWO representatives of each club, each representative having a vote on joint matters, but Ladies “representatives” only to vote on matters concerning only Ladies. Gents “representatives” only to vote on matters concerning only Gents.
Finances
The Treasurer shall keep and maintain a record of all income and expenditure and these shall be subject to inspection by the Management Committee at any time.
A bank account or accounts shall be opened in the name of the Association at such banks or building societies as the Management Committee may decide.
All withdrawals from such banking accounts shall be signed by TWO Authorised signatories as determined by the Management Committee.
The Financial Year shall be 1st January to 31st December.
A statement of the Income and Expenditure and a Balance Sheet of the Financial position of the Association shall be produced annually as at 31st December.
The accounts shall be audited annually and an audited copy of Statement of Income and Expenditure and the Balance Sheet shall be sent to each member club along with the notice calling the Annual General Meeting, such notice to be given at least seven days prior to the meeting.
Dissolution of the Association
Should the Management Committee decide, by a two-thirds majority, on the grounds of expediency or otherwise, to dissolve the Association, the Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting, if a two-thirds majority of those present and eligible to vote decide to dissolve the Association, the Management Officers of the Association shall have the power to dispose of the assets of the Association after all liabilities and debts have been cleared. The beneficiaries of such assets shall be all the clubs who are members at that time.
Rules Revision
No Byelaws of the Association or Rules of the League or Competitions shall be altered, rescinded or added to without the consent of at least two-thirds of the representatives eligible to vote, who are present at the meeting.
Notice of any amendments or alterations of the Rules and Byelaws of the Association with the name of the proposer shall be given in writing, countersigned by the Secretary or Chairman of the proposing club, to the Secretary of the Association not later than 1st December.
A Rules and Byelaws Revision Annual General Meeting will be held in January no more than 14 days prior to the Annual General Meeting when any proposals or alterations of the Rules and Byelaws that have been received by the due date will be discussed and finalised. Any amendments or alterations that are passed will take effect from the beginning of the following season.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Association will be held on the First Saturday in February each year or as close to that date as is practical.
The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be posted in the meeting agenda. Any item on the agenda that is voted on must carry a two-thirds majority of the votes cast to be acceptable.
Management Committee Meetings
The Management Committee Meeting dates for the year shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting. If a club does not send a delegate, or fails to forward their apologies to the Association Secretary before the start of the meeting (identified drop in meetings excluded), then a fine of £ 5.00 will be served to the offending club.
Special Meetings shall be convened upon receipt, by the Association Secretary, of a request signed by not less than three of the secretaries of clubs in membership.
Registration of Players
Club Secretaries will submit the names (identify the team A/B etc) and registration numbers of team players prior to the commencement of the season.
As soon as team names are submitted the rule will apply that “No more than three
‘A’ team players shall play in the ‘B’ team and no more than three ‘B’ team players shall play in the ‘C’ team.
No ‘A’ team players shall play in the ‘C’ team.
All teams shall consist of bona-fide members and each player must be registered with the Welfare Bowling Association secretary.
No player shall play for more than one club in the same league in the same season. However, if a club secretary withdraws a team from the league on or before 31st May, individual players can contact the Association to ask for permission to play for an alternative team in the same league for the rest of the season.
Leagues
The Association shall organise the following leagues with the number of teams in each division being at the discretion of the Management Officers.
Mixed Doubles League
This league will be played on a Monday Evening except when re-arranged by mutual agreement, with matches starting at 6.30 pm with a potential scratching time of 7.00 pm. Each team will consist of three pairs, each pair consisting of 1 Male and 1 Female player, playing 3 doubles games. No more than 2 A team players to play in the B team per match. No more than 2 B team players to play in the A team per match. Each game will be 21 points up to constitute a match. Total aggregate scores to count as the result.
Breach of the above rule will result in the best scoring pair with an A team player being void and the opponents given 21.
Ladies League
This league will be played on a Tuesday Evening except when re-arranged by mutual agreement, or where three teams are entered by any one club using only one green, with matches starting at 6.00 pm with a potential scratching time of 7.00 pm.
Each team can consist of 4 to 8 players, playing in 4 singles and 2 doubles games
Each game will be 21 points up to constitute a match.
Total aggregate scores to count as the result
Over 60s League
This league will be played on a Thursday afternoon, except when re-arranged by mutual agreement, with matches starting at 2.00 pm with a potential scratching time of 3.00 pm. Each team will consist of six players aged 60 years or over playing 3 doubles games. Each game will be 21 points up to constitute a match.
Total aggregate scores to count as the result.
Gents League
This league will be played on a Friday evening except when re-arranged by mutual agreement, or where 3 teams are entered by any one club using only one green, with matches starting at 6.00 pm with a potential scratching time of 7.00 pm.
Each team can consist of 4 to 8 players, playing in 4 singles and 2 doubles games.
Each game will be 21 points up to constitute a match.
Total aggregate scores to count as the result.
Wednesday Morning Singles League
This league will be played on a Wednesday morning, with matches starting at 11.00 am with a potential scratching time of 11.30 am (except when rearranged by mutual agreement). Each team will consist of 6 players (male/female), playing in 6 singles games. Each game will be 21 points up to constitute a match. Total aggregate scores to count as the result.
League Matches
In all leagues the games will be played in accordance with the Rules of the British Crown Green Bowling Association, except where they are in conflict with the Rules of the Association, in which case the Rules of the Association will take preference.
In ALL league matches the captains to act as referees. Home team captains to have preference in how many jacks are put on the green.
Scorers shall sit close together and shall check the scores every three ends. In the case where a dispute cannot be resolved, the game must go back to the last end where the cards were in agreement.
League matches are to be played on the specified fixture dates OR when clubs mutually agree to play on another date.
The names of team members and substitute players must be specified to each team captain before scratching time. Team members must be readily available to play when called upon to do so.
All League matches to be played/finished within 7 days of the last date of the said league.
If a club withdraws a team from the league after the agreed submission date (confirmed at the AGM) then a fine of £10.00 will be served to the offending club.
If a club has 2 teams or more in the same league (for example A+B) and want to withdraw a team the lower positioned team will be withdrawn and the higher team fixtures fulfilled.
Re-Arranged Matches
If clubs are in mutual agreement, a match may be played in advance of the fixture date.
Notice of re-arrangement of a fixture must be given in writing by the HOME team to the Secretary of the Association without delay and such re-arranged date shall be regarded as the date authorised by the Management Committee. Failure of the notification will result in a fine of £ 10.00 to the HOME team.
Any club/team failing to fulfil a fixture by the end of the league fixtures shall receive no points and be liable to a fine of £10.00 at the discretion of the Management Committee. Refer to the process in Rule 14.4 if a dispute arises.
All disputes arising as to the original or re-arranged date shall be forwarded to the Association Secretary in writing for the attention of the Management Committee.
Unfinished Matches
If a match is commenced and left unfinished, by reason of inclement weather or other exceptional circumstances, it must be continued on an agreed date within 28 days.
Substitutes may be made for any player on the re-arranged date, but these may not be a player who has already played, substitutes cannot be made for players in a game already started.
Scores for any unfinished games unable to be completed shall count as they stood when play was interrupted.
Matches not Commenced
If a match is not commenced due to inclement weather or other exceptional circumstances, it shall be re-arranged and played within 28 days.
The fitness of a green is the sole responsibility of the green keeper and in their absence the Home team captain.
Return of Result Sheets
The secretary of the HOME club in league matches shall forward the result sheet of each match signed by the two captains to the Association Secretary within 7 days of the completion of a match.
Results sheets, which are received and are incomplete or incorrect will incur a fine of £5.00 for each offence and will be levied on both clubs concerned.
Determination of Final League Positions
League positions will be determined on the basis of total aggregate scores.
In cases where there is a tie for league positions, the team with least points against will be awarded the higher position.
Should this still result in a tie the higher league position will be awarded to the team having won the greater number of matches.
Should this also be equal at the end of the season, a match will be played at a neutral green as decided by the Management Committee to decide final league positions.
Competitions
The Association shall organise the following competitions:
The GENTS WRIGHT ROSEBOWL Competition – 8 Singles Matches
All teams entering in the Gents Leagues shall be entitled to enter the appropriate knock-out competition.
In order to play in the competition ALL team players MUST have played in at least 2 matches (on separate dates) in the Gents league prior to the commencement of the competition.
Dates and venues will be decided by the Management Committed.
Start time 6.00 pm scratch time 6.45 pm except Semi-finals and Final which will be decided by the Management Committee.
Matches to be played on a Handicap Basis between teams of eight players playing eight singles 21 up.
Aggregate score to decide the winning team.
At the commencement of the match the following system of pairing will be strictly adhered to “Each captain shall shuffle and number their opponents cards and after being shuffled and numbered shall be called to the green in that order”
Before the commencement of the match captains shall nominate one player to play off in case of draw **One Game 11 Points Up**
Any player playing on a green where they are a member shall give 2 shots to their opponent.
HANDICAP for each team (Ladies or Gents)
Division 1 Scratch
Division 2 Receive 8
Division 3 Receive 16
Division 4 Receive 24
The LADIES WRIGHT ROSEBOWL Competition
All Ladies registered to a bowling club in the Welfare Association shall be entitled to
Enter a team from that bowling club (ie, not just from Ladies Tuesday League).
Matches will be played on a knockout (home & away) basis – 21 Up (total aggregate score to determine the winner) throughout the bowling season of a Tuesday evening as determined in the Tuesday Ladies fixture programme. Before the commencement of the 2nd leg match, captains shall nominate a pair to play off in case of a draw (one game 15 points up).
Start time 6.00 pm with a scratch time of 6.30 pm – except the Final which will be decided by the Management Committee.
Matches can be rearranged by mutual agreement of both team captains BUT MUST be played before the next scheduled Ladies Rosebowl Fixture date (failure to do this will result in the offending team being withdrawn from the competition).
Matches to be played between teams of 6 players playing in 3 doubles games.
OVER 60 Competition
Open to all who are 60 years of age or over on the date of the First round.
YOUTH Competition
Open to all players who are under 16 years of age on the day of the competition.
ADULT and JUNIOR Competition
Open to all juniors who are under 16 years of age on the day of the competition.
ALL COMPETITIONS
All games will be 21 points up.
All entrants must be registered players in the Welfare Bowls League.
Anyone entering the competitions must be available for Finals Day if they qualify.
The only reason for absence will be illness
If any player fails to attend Finals Day a penalty will be imposed as set by the Management Committee.
All entrants must declare on the entry form ALL clubs of which they are a member and no player will be drawn to play on any green where they are members.
In all competitions entrants must be named (A.N. Other or Partner will not be accepted).
In competitions substitutes will be allowed by members of the same club as the original entrant, who were not previously entered into the draw and must not be a member of the allocated green club.
Dates, times and venues to be arranged by the Management Committee and strictly adhered to.
In All Doubles Competitions, players may be mixed from different clubs but must be registered to play in the Welfare Bowls League, and ALL the clubs of both players declared on the entry form.
Substitutes will be allowed by registered players who are not members of the chosen venue and who were not previously entered into the draw.
Dress Code
The British Crown Green Bowling Association Dress Code Rule (Bye-Law 25) will apply on Rosebowl Finals Day. Club dress code will also be accepted on the Rosebowl Finals Day - Denim jeans are unacceptable.
General
Any player who has won prize money in the final of a Welfare Bowling Competition and who is not present at the Annual Presentation Evening without good reason shall forfeit any trophy and prize money that they may be entitled to.
Any player or club not paying any fees or fines levied by the Association within 14 days of being requested so to do, will be suspended from all LEAGUES and COMPETITIONS organised by the Association until such time as the aforesaid fees or fines are received by the Treasurer of the Association.
Any club not represented at the Annual Presentation Evening by at least one of their own playing members shall forfeit any League prize moneys or trophies that they have won.
Members playing in Competitions on an away green shall pay 50p per player to the host club.
In a case of a member of the Association using serious abusive/threatening behaviour, the Association will take appropriate action regarding punishment as deemed necessary and in line with the BCGBA.
Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy – The Association will comply with the County BA child protection and vulnerable adult policy and implement the procedures laid down (see current handbook).
Disputes
Disputes/grievances should be received in writing within 7 days of the alleged incident to the Association Secretary. The incident will be passed to and dealt with by the Welfare Emergency Meeting Group who will convene as soon as possible after being notified of the incident (normally within 21 days).