1. Title:
The Society shall be called the ENGLISH BOWLS COACHES SOCIETY – herein referred to as the EBCS.
2. Objects :
The EBCS represents bowls coaches and is committed to empowering its members to enable them to provide a quality service for the bowls clubs they serve and for all bowlers generally.
The objectives of the EBCS shall be :
a. To promote, foster and develop bowls coaching in all bowls codes and to encourage the growth of the sport through the instruction of beginners and the ongoing coaching of bowlers of all abilities and constraints by :
i. Setting and maintaining appropriate, necessary and best practice standards for bowls coaching.
ii. Establishing, designing and controlling training methods and assessment criteria for the examination, certification and licensing of coaches at all levels.
iii. Arranging training courses of all kinds for registered licensed coaches and for persons intending to become coaches.
iv. Making provision for the continuing development of all registered licensed coaches via the delivery of seminars and group meetings generally.
v. Commissioning and publishing ( including online ) literature and sound / visual recordings relating to coaching and playing games of bowls.
b. To maintain a register of licensed coaches and to provide such benefits of registration as the National Bowls Coaching Board shall decide.
c. To consider and deal with all relevant matters raised by registered members and authorised representatives of any affiliated coaching bodies.
d. To do all other such things as in the opinion of the National Bowls Coaching Board are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects or any one of them.
3. National Bowls Coaching Board
a. The controlling body for the EBCS shall be the National Bowls Coaching Board (hereinafter called the National Board). It shall have full executive powers over general coaching policy and administrative and financial matters.
b. The National Board shall comprise of :
i. A maximum of seven persons duly elected by the registered membership with no individual county entitled to more than one Board representative. Each Board member shall be a licensed coach and have designated responsibilities for the key aspects necessary to effectively maintain the Society. Designated responsibilities shall include Director of Coaching; Secretary; Treasurer and Director of Communications.
ii. Board appointments shall be by individual vote of registered members and candidates must be proposed and seconded by members. Voting to be by online ballot ( with provision for postal voting where requested).
iii. Elections to the National Board to be held biennially.
iv. The Chairman and Vice Chairman to be appointed annually from and by the elected National Board members.
c. The National Board shall meet as often as the business of the EBCS demands. Four shall form a quorum. The National Board shall establish such other committees as it deems appropriate. Each such committee shall convene its own meetings and conduct its affairs in accordance with the terms of reference delegated to it by the National Board to whom it shall report.
d. The National Board shall have powers of co-option.
4. Membership (including fees and entitlements)
a. EBCS membership shall be open to all EBCS accredited coaches on application to the National Board and subject to payment of the appropriate annual subscription.
b. The EBCS shall have power to elect Honorary Life Members for special services. Such members shall not be required to pay any annual subscription.
c. Members, including Honorary Life Members, shall be entitled to attend General Meetings at their own expense and take part in debate.
d. Membership may be refused, suspended or terminated subject to a right of appeal to the National Board whose decision shall be final. Such appeal must be lodged and considered within two months of the date of refusal, suspension or termination.
e. Members shall pay an annual license fee at such rate as shall be determined from time to time by the National Board. The license fee shall be due and payable on first registration and annually by the 1st Registration, together with any associated rights, benefits and privileges may be withdrawn or suspended while the license fee remains unpaid.
f. Members shall be entitled to an individual vote on all issues ( including constitutional amendment ) as determined by the National Board provided that their membership is in order and that all due fees have been paid. Notices of motions will be published on the website and otherwise as decided by the National Board. The conducting of voting by members will be in accordance with a policy set by the National Board and published on the EBCS website. No form of block or proxy voting will be permitted. Votes may be cast by email or in writing. Only individual email addresses previously notified to the Registrar will be accepted.
g. All members shall be required to accept and adhere to at all times the terms and conditions of membership as published on the website. The National Board shall be enabled the right to alter and amend such Terms and Conditions as considered appropriate.
h. All registered licensed coaches shall comply with the Disciplinary Code. Any complaint(s) made against same shall be recorded and processed in accordance with the EBCS published Code of Practice.
5. General Meetings
a. The National Board shall have the power to call meetings of members to enable the debating of key issues as they may deem necessary. Twenty-one days notice shall be given. The notice and agenda shall be sent to the members of the National Board and shall be published on the EBCS website for the benefit of all registered members.
b. A minimum of 150 individual members shall also have the power to call meetings of members to enable the debating of key issues for the same purpose and under the same terms as indicated per clause 5(a).
c. Members, including Honorary Life members, shall be entitled to attend General Meetings at their own expense and take part in debate.
d. No binding decisions can be made at General Meetings but resolutions may be agreed which shall then be subjected to the vote of the members as set out in clause 4 (f) above.
6. Operations
a. The EBCS shall operate through a network of Area coaches. All such appointments shall be made by the National Board based upon recommendations made by the Director of Coaching and determined in such numbers as are required for the most effective delivery of coaching services to the whole sport of bowls.
b. It will be a condition of the appointment of all Area Coaches that they will perform in accordance with the terms of the role as set out by the National Board.
c. The National Board shall have the power to review all appointments and to withdraw same if performance is not considered to be in accordance with the terms of the role.
d. The National Board shall offer Affiliated status to any suitable coaching body which wishes to support the operational aspects of the EBCS and which is prepared to comply with such conditions of affiliation as may be determined by the National Board.
7. Finances
a. The National Board shall be responsible for all financial matters including the approval of the financial statements and budgets presented by the Treasurer.
b. Copies of the independently examined financial statements shall be published annually on the EBCS website together with any statement(s) as agreed by the National Board.
c. The National Board shall be responsible for the appointment of a suitable examiner for the financial statements.
d. The financial year shall end on the 31 March
e. Payments such as contractual expenses shall be determined by the National Board.
f. The Society may reimburse travelling and other costs incurred wholly and necessarily in the course of their duties by members of the National Board and other authorised individuals. All claims must be supported by receipts and approved by the Treasurer.
8. Alterations or Additions -Constitution
a. Amendments to the Constitution shall only be effected following the passing of a motion to do so which has been voted upon by the full membership in accordance with the provisions of clause 4 (f).
b. A two thirds majority of those voting shall be required to pass any constitutional amendment.
c. Two calendar months notice of any motion (via publication on the EBCS website) to amend the Constitution shall be given.
9. Dissolution
a. A resolution to dissolve the EBCS shall only be effected following the passing of a motion to do so which has been voted upon by the full membership in accordance with the provisions of clause 4 (f).
b. Twenty one days notice of such motion shall be given on the website.
c. A two thirds majority of those voting shall be required to pass the motion.
10. Other Matters
a. The National Board may establish such Terms and Conditions as it deems necessary for regulating the conduct of the registered licensed coaches.
b. If any matter shall arise which is not provided for in this Constitution it may be determined by the National Board in such manner as it deems fit. Such determination shall be binding upon the membership. Any such actions shall be ratified at the next general meeting. The National Board shall decide if such matters should be ratified by the membership. If necessary a vote in accordance with clause 4 (f) shall apply.
11. Policies
a. The EBCS shall determine any policies that are necessary to maintain the integrity of the Society, its members and its responsibilities to the sport of bowls.
b. Policies, which shall include Equity and Safeguarding, shall be determined by the National Board and be subject to set review dates.
c Policies shall be published on the website.
Passed for use at the Special General Meeting on 7 September 20414