Constitution | Shetland Darts Association

Shetland Darts Association: 2023/2024 Constitution

1. NAME:

The name shall be “Shetland Darts Association.”

2. OBJECTIVES:

(a) To promote the sport of darts.

(b) To organize darts events and competitions.

(d) To encourage darts with teams from other areas.

3. MEMBERSHIP:

(a) Membership shall be open to all members of the community over fourteen years of age who are interested in and prepared to play within the Association’s boundaries as per Rule 15 (c).

(b) The annual League fee for each team will be set at a pre-AGM meeting prior the August AGM each year and will include fees for both league and team knockout competitions.

(d) Team fees MUST be paid at the AGM following the pre-AGM, any team failing to pay their fees shall cease to be a member for the forthcoming season.

4. COMMITTEE

(a) The Overall affairs of the Association shall be governed by an Executive Committee consisting of the 3 office bearers elected at each of the Men’s and Ladies AGM’s.

(b) The affairs of the Men’s section will be managed by the Executive Committee plus a minimum of 6 ordinary members elected at a Men’s AGM.

(c) The affairs of the Ladie’s section will be managed by the Executive Committee plus one member of each registered team elected at a Ladies AGM.

(d) The Office bearers shall be the Honorary President, Treasurer and Secretary. If the post of any officer should fall vacant after such an election, the executive committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding AGMs.

(e) All Executive Committee members must be members of the Association.

(f) The said Officers shall also be the trustee’s ex officiis of the Association who shall hold any property belonging to the Association in their name and shall further be entitled to sue and be sued on behalf of the Association as trustee’s ex officiis. They shall be entitled to personal indemnity out of the funds of the Association where they are acting bona fide in their capacity as Officers of the Association.

5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:

The Shetland Darts Association Men’s and Ladie’s AGMs shall take place in the month of August each year and only members associated in the previous year shall be entitled to vote at annual meeting or extraordinary general meeting.

6. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING:

(a) An Extraordinary General Meeting must be called by the Secretary on a requisition in writing by 12 members (as at an AGM), or by direction from the presidents

(b) The committee shall have the power to call special meetings, should they think advisable and shall be bound to call special general meetings of the association on receiving a requisition (specifying the object) from no fewer than three members.

7. MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE

The Committee’s will meet on a regular basis throughout the season as they deem practical.

8. CHAIRPERSON:

At all meetings the President of the respective section shall be the Chairperson, and in their absence the meeting will elect a chairperson.

9. QUORUM:

(a) At any Committee meeting the quorum shall consist of five members.

(b) At an AGM the quorum shall be twenty members.

10. VOTING:

(a) Voting at all meetings shall be a show of hands with each delegate having one vote.

(b) If immediately following the declaration of the result of the voting on any question on a show of hands at least five delegates present shall demand a card vote, then the question shall be decided on a card vote.

(d) In the event of equality of votes cast the chairperson shall have the casting vote.

11. FINANCE:

(a) The finances of the Men’s and Ladie’s section will have their own account under the Shetland Darts Association name. The respective Treasurer’s shall be responsible for all receipts and payments and for keeping a record of transactions as may be required on present these on the request of an association member.

(b) The financial year of the Association shall end seven days before the AGM’s each year when an Abstract of the Accounts shall be presented to the AGM’s.

12. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

a) Anyone causing a misdemeanor at a function of the association, or at a function of any organization of which the association is a member, which is likely to bring the association, another organization, or the sport of darts into disrepute, shall be called before the Association disciplinary committee and a decision taken as to their participation in darts events. If they fail to present themselves when called to do so, a decision shall be taken on their behalf.

b)Members being called to appear at the disciplinary committee hearing may request that committee to allow witnesses to appear on their behalf.

c) The disciplinary committee shall have the power to impose fines to a maximum of one hundred pounds (£100) and to impose suspensions. Any suspension imposed shall be binding on all member league/associations and no member under suspension shall be allowed to play in, or take part in any way, in any matches, or functions of the member league/associations.

d)All decisions of the disciplinary committee shall be subject to ratification by the association committee. The decision shall then be notified to the member in writing before any statements are released.

(ii)The disciplinary committee shall be represented by at least five members of the associations sub-committee, under the chairmanship of the respective section (Men’s or Ladies) chairperson of who shall have no vote at disciplinary meetings. The association shall have the right to increase the membership of the disciplinary committee, if deemed necessary.

(iii)Members fined or suspended by the disciplinary committee shall have the right to appeal against the decision. Any appeal must be lodged with the association committee within fourteen days of the postmark on the envelope conveying the decision. All such appeals shall be heard by an appeal committee which will consist of the elected office bearers. No person who was a member of the disciplinary committee which dealt with the case under appeal shall be eligible to be a member of the appeal committee.

13. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION:

No alteration to the foregoing constitution shall be made, except at the Annual General Meeting or a special meeting or EGM called for that purpose. Any member desiring to submit a motion proposing changes in the constitution shall give notice of such a motion in writing, specifying the changes proposed, to the committee no later than two weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting or Special meeting.

14. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION:

Should for any reason the Shetland Darts Association dissolve, an EGM must be called and any monies remaining after all debts are cleared will be distributed to other sporting organizations or charities, voted on at that EGM.

15. VENUES:

(a). It is the captains and teams’ responsibility to maintain the playing area and the boards to a good standard throughout the season. It is the responsibility of team captains to report a problem to the elected committee if any matters arise. In that case the committee would act if deemed necessary.

(b). The use of electronic score boards is acceptable providing there is a backup of a marker board in case of dispute or failure of the electronic scoring system.

(c). All players are obliged to abide by the RULES of the establishment that they are playing in and respect the patrons in the establishment so as not to bring the association into disrepute.

16. TOURNAMENTS AND COMPETITIONS:

All tournaments and competitions shall be governed by the playing rules of each tournament or competition.

17. OTHER MATTERS:

Any matter not covered by the foregoing can be temporarily decided at a meeting of the executive committee with the provision that it is placed on the agenda for the next AGM.

18. DECISIONS:

ALL DECISIONS OF THE ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE ARE FINAL.

Downloadable copy of the 2023/24 SDA Constitution can be found here:consitution_2023-24.pdf