Constitution

NAME

The name of the Association shall be the “Northern Ireland On Course Bookmakers Association” and shall be referred to herein as “the Association”. The Association is a Constituted Association which is not a “Public Body”.

LOCATION

The Honorary Secretary’s address will be used for this purpose.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Association shall be to:

Manage On Course Bookmakers.
Represent the interest of members and protect the character and status of the profession.
Mediate in disputes between members, between members and the public which arise at any Greyhound Meeting, Horse-Race Meeting, Point To Point Meeting, or any other race meeting at which members operate.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Association is open to any person who:-(i) Holds a current Northern Ireland On Course BookmakersLicence; (ii) Applies to the Association for admittance to membership in the membership registration form required by the Management Committee to be completed and signed by Members;(iii) Is approved for membership by the ManagementCommittee;(iv) Consents to becoming a member and to comply with the rules of the Association from time to time; and
(v) Pays the relevant membership subscription
Membership subscriptions shall be determined by the Management Committee from time to time and shall be payable on each race day.
The Management Committee may refuse an application for membership if, acting reasonably and properly, they consider it to be in the best interests of the Association to refuse an application. The Management Committee’s decision following any written representation must be notified to the applicant but is final.
Membership is not transferable to anyone else.
The Management Committee must keep a register of names and addresses of all members.
Membership is terminated if: (i) the member dies.(ii) the member resigns by written notice to the Association.(iii) any sum due by the member to the Association is not paidin full within [3] months of it falling due.(iv) the member is removed from membership by a resolution of the Management Committee that it is in the best interests of the Association that the individual’s membership is terminated. A resolution to remove a member from membership may only be passed by the management committee if:
(a) the member has been given at least 21 days notice in writing of the meeting of the Management Committee at which the resolution will be proposed and the reasons why it is to be proposed; and
(b) the member or, at the option of the member, the member’s representative (who needs to be a member of the Association) has been allowed to make representations to the meeting

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The affairs of the Association will be managed by a Management Committee, which shall consist of not more than 14 individuals unless otherwise determined by an ordinary resolution of the Members.
The officers of the Management Committee shall be the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary. The Secretary shall conduct the general correspondence of the Association, have the orders and resolutions of the Management Committee attended to and shall perform such work as appertains to his or her office.
The members of the Association shall elect the members of the Management Committee [and the officers of the Management Committee] at the Annual General Meeting each year from nominations proposed and seconded by members of the Association.
A member of the Management Committee may not appoint any person to act as his or her alternate at any meeting of the Management Committee.
The Management Committee may at any time co-opt any person who is a member of the Association to fill a vacancy in their number but such co-opted Management Committee member may only hold this position until the next Annual General Meeting at which he or she may be proposed for election.
The Management Committee must hold a minimum of 3 meetings within a 12 month period. Any member of the Management Committee may call a meeting. The Secretary must call a meeting within a reasonable period if requested to do so by a member of the Management Committee.
Questions arising at a meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of votes cast at the meeting. All members of the Management Committee shall have one vote on each issue [except in an equality of votes when the Chairperson shall be entitled to a casting vote in addition to any other vote he or she may have.]
No decision may be made by a Management Committee meeting unless a quorum is present at the time the decision is purported to be made. The quorum shall be six members of the Management Committee present. If the number of the Management Committee members present is less than the number fixed as the quorum the continuing members present may act only for the purpose of filling vacancies or calling a general meeting of members.
The Council of Management shall:-(i) Manage the business of the Association and exercise allthe powers of the Association unless they are subject to any restrictions imposed by these rules or any resolution passed by the Members at any general meeting.(ii) Enter into contracts on behalf of the Association.(iii) Establish procedures to assist the resolution of anydisputes within the Association.(iv) Raise funds for the purpose of the Association and the Association’s Benevolent Fund in any manner of which they approve.
(v) Exercise any powers which are not reserved to the Members at any general meeting.
The Council of Management may delegate any of their powers or functions to committees or sub-committees of two or more members of the Management Committee.
A member of the Council of Management shall cease to be a member of the Management Committee if he or she:(i) ceases to be a member of the Association;(ii) becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness orinjury of managing and administering his or her own affairs;(iii) resigns as a member of the Management Committee bywritten notice to the Association;(iv) is absent without permission from the other members of the Management Committee from the last 2 consecutive meetings and the Management Committee members resolve that he or her position on the Management Committee be vacated.

GENERAL MEETINGS

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association shall be held on Good Friday each year.
Only paid up Members of the Association will be permitted to attend the AGM.
The following business will be duly transacted at each AGM:-(a) the receipt and consideration of the annual accounts of theAssociation for the previous financial year.(b) the receipt and consideration of the report of theManagement Committee.(c) the election of the members and officers of theManagement Committee.(d) any other matter required to be considered by theManagement Committee.With the exception of (a), (b) and (c) above, all business that is transacted at an AGM shall be deemed special business.
The quorum for all meetings of members shall be one fifth of the total membership.If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting or during the meeting a quorum ceases to be present the meeting shall be adjourned to such time and place as the Management Committee shall determine. The Management Committee must reconvene the meeting and must give at least seven clear days notice of the reconvened meeting stating the date, time and place of the meeting. If no quorum is present at the reconvened meeting within 15 minutes of the time specified for the start of the meeting the members present in person at time shall constitute the quorum for that meeting.
A meeting of the Members will be called by the Secretary when requested by the Management Committee or at any time on the receipt of a requisition signed by at least 25 members stating the purpose for which the meeting is required. At such meetings only the notified business shall be taken.
A minimum of 21 days notice is required for the convening of any meeting of the Members of the Association. A general meeting may be called by shorter notice if it is so agreed by a majority in number of members. Any notice must state the date time and place of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be transacted. The notice must to given to all members but the proceedings will not be invalidated because of an accidental omission by the Association to give notice to any member or where they have not kept the Association informed of change of contact details.
General Meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the Management Committee. If there is no such person or he or she is not present within fifteen minutes of the time appointed for the meeting a member of the Management Committee nominated by the Management Committee shall chair the meeting. If no member of the Management Committee is present and willing to chair the meeting within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for holding it, the Members present entitled to vote must choose one of their number to chair the meeting.
Every issue is decided by a simple majority of votes cast. Each paid up Member has the right to one vote. [The person chairing the vote is entitled to a casting vote in addition to the vote he or she may have]
Any vote at a meeting shall be decided at a show of hands unless before or on the declaration of the result on the show of hands a ballot is demanded by the person chairing the meeting or by at least [2] members. The ballot may be taken in such manner as the person who is chairing the meeting directs. The declaration by the person chairing the meeting of the results of a vote shall be conclusive.

MINUTES

The Management Committee must keep minutes of all:

(i) proceedings of the Management Committee;

(ii) appointment of officers and members of the Management Committee; and

(iii) proceedings at meetings of the members

ACCOUNTS

The Management Committee must keep accurate accounting records and prepare for each financial year accounts for the Association which must be prepared to show and true and fair view and where applicable following accounting standards.
Accounting records relating to the Association must be made available for inspection by any member of the Association upon request.

NOTICES

Any notice to be given to or by any person pursuant to these rules must be in writing or must be given using electronic communications.
The Association may give any notice to a member either:(i) personally; or(ii) by sending it by post in prepaid envelope addressed to themember at his or her address; or(iii) by leaving it at the address of the member; or(iv) by giving it using electronic communications to the member’s address.
A member who does not register an address with the Association shall not be entitled to receive any notice from the Association.
A member present in person at any meeting of the Association shall be deemed to have received notice of the meeting and of the purposes for which it was called.
Proof that an envelope containing a notice was properly addressed, prepaid and posted shall be conclusive evidence that the notice was given.
Proof that a notice contained in an electronic communication was sent in accordance with guidance issued by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators shall be conclusive evidence that the notice was given.
A notice shall be deemed to be given:(i) 48 hours after the envelope containing it was posted; or(ii) in the case of an electronic communication, 48 hours after it was sent.

INDEMNITY

Every member of the Management Committee shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Association against any liability incurred by them in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgement is given in their favour or in which they are acquitted or in connection with any application in which relief is granted to them by the Court.
The Management Committee shall have power to resolve to effect indemnity insurance notwithstanding their interest in such a policy.

RULES

The Management Committee may from time to time make such reasonable and proper rules as they may deem necessary or expedient for the proper conduct and management of the Association.
The rules may regulate the following matters but are not restricted to them:(i) The admission of members of the Association and therights and privileges of such members, and the entrance fees, subscriptions and other fees or payments to be made by members.(ii) The conduct of members of the Association while operatingon authorised racecourses.(iii) The procedure at General Meetings and meetings of the Management Committee in so far as such procedure is not regulated by these rules.
The Management Committee must adopt such means as they think sufficient to bring the rules to the notice of members of the Association.
The rules shall be binding on all members of the Association. No rule shall be inconsistent with or shall affect or repeal anything contained in these Rules.