CONSTITUTION and RULES of BOWLS OXFORDSHIRE (revised in March 2022)
1 Title
1.1 Bowls Oxfordshire is the unified governing body for outdoor bowls in Oxfordshire as agreed at the inaugural
General Meeting on Wednesday, 21st October 2009.
1.2 The title of the Association shall be ‘Bowls Oxfordshire’, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Association’.
2 Bowls Oxfordshire will be a Member (Company Guarantor) of Bowls England and will seek to conform to all
Bowls England Regulations, Rules and Policies.
3 Objectives
3.1 To be the unified Body of the Sport of Outdoor Bowls in Oxfordshire regardless of gender.
3.2 To advise and assist its two affiliated associations, the Oxfordshire Bowling Association (OBA) and the Bowls
Oxfordshire Ladies (BOL) to promote, foster and safeguard all aspects of the outdoor, flat green Sport of Bowls in
Oxfordshire and to liaise with other relevant bodies as appropriate.
3.3 To advise, guide and direct affiliated clubs on matters relating to bowling greens, or such matters as may be
identified by Bowls England or other bodies that may affect clubs.
3.4 To ensure that its affiliated associations include, in their constitutions, those Bowls England regulations relating to Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, anti-doping, discrimination, equal opportunities and human rights, health and safety, insurance and indemnification, and shall adopt the current policy/guidelines of Bowls England under regulation 9 relating to matters of misconduct, suspension and exclusion of members, and to advise those affiliated associations of all or any amendments and additions as put forward by Bowls England.
3.5 To promote equal opportunities for the sport of bowls within the County of Oxfordshire.
4 Membership
Membership of Bowls Oxfordshire shall be restricted to affiliated members of the OBA and BOL as defined in the
constitutions of those two associations.
5 Administration
5.1 The administration of Bowls Oxfordshire shall be conducted by an Executive Committee to consist of the President, Secretary, Treasurer and one other officer from each of the two affiliated associations together with two delegates, one of each gender, all previously nominated by their respective associations. It shall meet regularly at intervals to be decided.
The Executive Committee shall appoint an Administrator and Deputy Administrator, these appointments
to be confirmed at the AGM. The Administrator and Deputy Administrator shall be the county’s Authorised
Representative to Bowls England or, if not available, other members appointed from the committee.
Each affiliated association’s President shall take the Chair of the Executive Committee. Alternately, if neither President is present, or if present, is unwilling to Chair a Bowls Oxfordshire Executive meeting, then the appointed Bowls Oxfordshire Administrator shall take the Chair for that meeting.
The Bowls Oxfordshire Executive (via the County Administrator) will be responsible for all day-to-day contacts with Bowls England and with the two associations it represents.
It will inform those associations of all current and relevant Bowls England business including affiliation,
competition and other fees. Such fee’s to be returned to the Administrator or Deputy Administrator by the specified
date.
The quorum for an Executive Committee meeting shall be 60% of those entitled to serve on the committee at the
time of the meeting. If this calculation does not yield a whole number then the required attendance shall be the next whole number of members above 60%.
5.2 The Executive Committee may form sub-committees as and if required to assist in carrying out its duties. All
decisions of such sub-committees shall be subject to final approval by the Executive Committee.
5.3 The Executive Committee may put forward proposals to amend the administrative structure to be submitted to the AGM for consideration.
5.4 If, as it may require, to carry out its duties the Executive Committee may co-opt such persons, or seek professional assistance.
5.5 The BO Executive Committee shall have a maximum of 12 members. However, in transition from old to new structure, members shall have the option to invite “guests” to specific meetings, for the purpose of updating or informing on a particular subject relating to the process of further unification. Any guest invited will have no voting rights”.
6 Annual General Meetings / Special General Meetings
6.1 To consist of the principal officers of the OBA and the BOL together with two appointed representatives; one of
each gender from each mixed club and one from each singles gender club.
6.2 The AGM shall be held at a suitable venue on a date in March each year, the date to be notified at the previous years AGM. 15 members shall form a quorum.
6.3 The Chair of the AGM shall alternate year-on-year between the Presidents of the OBA and the BOL or their
deputies.
6.4 At the AGM, proposals from the Executive Committee shall be put to the members for consideration.
The Association shall receive nominations and elect from its members such posts as shall be jointly agreed by the
OBA and BOL to serve the needs of both associations.
6.5 Either or both affiliated associations may request a Special General Meeting. Such a request shall state the nature of the business and be submitted to the Executive Committee which, if the matter is considered to be of sufficient importance shall direct the Administrator to call the meeting, the notice of which shall state the business for which it has been called and this shall be the only business discussed.
Fourteen days notice shall be given to those entitled to attend and 15 members shall form a quorum.
7 Finance
The authorised expenses of Bowls Oxfordshire shall be shared equally between the two affiliated associations it
represents.
8 Complaints and Discipline
Complaints about a club or specific members should be considered by club officials initially, but when the
complaint concerns a club official or a judgment involving any of the listed subjects, Bowls Oxfordshire should
ascertain whether the complaint is valid and complies with Bowls England Policies and procedural guidance:
Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, anti-doping, discrimination, equal opportunities and human rights,
health and safety, insurance , indemnification or discipline. In the case of a disciplinary matter, an appeal may be
made to Bowls Oxfordshire after action has been agreed by a club. In all cases the BE guidance for regulation 9
must be followed.
All complaints or appeals should be sent to the County Administrator within 14 days of a hearing on the form
provided by Bowls England.
The county Administrator may appoint a competent person(s) to investigate the situation, particularly if the material
facts presented by both parties appear to differ.
The BO Administrator will:
• County Association to arrange for a Review Hearing within 42 days. Re-hearing only to be considered if
in interests of Natural Justice or there has been procedural impropriety
• Respondent to be provided with three dates of availability within 42 days, and date selected by
respondent. If possible the date should also be agreed with the Appellant/Appellants
• The County Association shall convene an Appeal Committee comprising of THREE Members and
appoints one to be Chair, none of whom shall have had any previous involvement or prior material
knowledge
• Names of members of the County Appeal Committee to be forwarded to Appellant/Appellants who may
object to a maximum of two.
• Chair of County Appeal Committee must arrange for Minutes to be taken
• Club Chair/President or Selected Nominee to act as Case Presenter
The hearing process is described in Bowls England -regulation 9.6
Should the appellant or complainant be dissatisfied with the outcome of the appeal, they have a further right
to appeal to Bowls England.
If a complaint is made about a county official, the matter should be considered by the County Administrator,
who together with the President will appoint three members of the Executive Committee to examine the
complaint and decide on any action that may be required. Regulation 9a provides a process for dealing with
this.
9 Amendments to the Constitution
Any proposed amendment to the Bowls Oxfordshire Constitution and Rules may only be considered at an Annual
General or Special General Meeting convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any amendment
must be duly proposed and seconded and shall be considered to be passed if supported by not less than two thirds of those members present at the meeting.
10 Dissolution
A decision to wind up the Association shall require a majority of two thirds of the voting members present and
voting at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting convened for that purpose.
11 Indemnity
The Executive Committee and each and every member of its sub committees or members acting under delegated
powers from such committees / sub committees shall, except in the case of willful default or fraudulent acts or
admissions, be indemnified equally from the funds of the OBA and the BOL against any loss, damage, expense or
liability incurred by reason of or in connection with any legal proceedings instituted against them or any of them for
any act done, admitted or suffered in relation to the performance of any of their duties in respect of Bowls
Oxfordshire or committees thereof.
The Executive Committee shall ensure that appropriate insurance cover is held in respect of the indemnity provision
in this clause.
12 County Audits
The Executive committee may conduct any specific audits of associated clubs to ensure that Bowls England
policies, rules and procedures are being utilized for governing clubs within the county.
13 Data Protection
Bowls Oxfordshire has a legal and moral duty to protect the data of their members. Many points of the
GDPR already apply under current data protection laws. The GDPR became enforceable from 25th May
2018. It replaces the Data Protection Act 1998 and covers the storage and use of ‘Personal Data’. Personal
data is defined as any piece of personal information that can be used to identify an individual, either directly
or indirectly.
GDPR covers a range of information which includes for example: an individual’s: • Name • Telephone
Number • E‐mail address • Date of birth • Health information • Location data • bank details * Online
identifier e.g. IP addresses or cookies. However, only those things considered necessary for managing
bowling in the county are relevant (Name, address, telephone number and Email address.) This ensures
bowlers can contact each other in the course of their bowling activities. It does not allow the use of this
information for any non – bowling reasons.
There is no valid reasons for keeping details about an individual’s D.of.B or age, bank details, Online
identifiers and IP addresses etc. In normal circumstances, details of medical conditions would not be held,
unless the individual has a specific disability and has asked for “reasonable adjustments” and understanding
to support them to bowl on an equal basis with their peers.
The GDPR states that Personal Data can be held, without the need for consent, if it is adequate /
relevant/non‐excessive. This means that as long as a Club, or County Association, reasonably considers the
storage of Personal Data to be relevant and non‐ excessive, they can continue to hold it. Under the GDPR, an
organisation can lawfully process data only if at least one of the following conditions are met:
• The data subject has given their consent;
• If the processing is necessary for the performance of a contract;
• For compliance with a legal obligation;
• If the processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject;
• Public interest purposes;
• If there is a legitimate interest pursued by the data holder or a third party.
Bowls Oxfordshire therefore suggests that, for example, should a Club or County Association wish to
‘publish’ the telephone number of a member they should obtain ‘consent’ for this purpose – this must be ‘opt
in’ rather than ‘opt out’.
13 Other Matters
Any matter not covered by the foregoing rules shall be dealt with by the AGM or a SGM and that decision shall be
final. However, if an immediate decision is required, the matter shall be dealt with by a specially called meeting of
the Executive Committee and that decision shall be final.