The Association shall be called "The Cleveland Chess Association" (incorporating The Teesside Chess Association founded in 1883). The objects of the Association shall be to promote, encourage and administer the game of chess within the Cleveland area.

The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a committee (known as the Executive Committee) consisting of the elected officers as elected at the Annual General Meeting and one member representing each club (as to club membership, see paragraph 6 hereof).

An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held after the conclusion to the league season, at such time as the Executive Committee shall determine. It shall be a function of the meeting to receive a report by the Secretary, a statement of the financial affairs of the Association and to elect the Officers of the Association for the following year. The meeting shall deal with such other business as may be required. The Secretary shall prepare the Agenda of the Annual General Meeting and give at least fourteen days notice, in writing, to each officer and Member Club of the date, place, time and Agenda of the meeting.

Officers

The following Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting:

1. A President to serve for one year only from the date of his election, but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

    

2. A Chair person to serve for a period of one year from the date of his election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

    

3. A Secretary to serve for a period of one year from the date of his election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

    

4. A Treasurer to serve for a period of one year from the date of his election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

    

5. A Registration Secretary to serve for a period of one year from the date of his election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

    

6. A Match Captain to serve for a period of one year only from the date of his election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting. The Match Captain when so elected shall be responsible for the selection of the County Team for all matches.

    

7. A Grader to serve for a period of one year from the date of election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

    

8. A Junior Organiser to serve for a period of one year from the date of his election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

    

9. An Individual Organiser to serve for a period of one year from the date of his election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

    

10. Delegates to the B.C.F. and N.C.C.U. as required by these bodies, to serve for a period of one year from the date of their election but to be eligible for re-election at each Annual General Meeting.

     

11. Honorary Vice Presidents may be elected for life or such other period as the Annual General Meeting may determine.

Any member of the Cleveland Chess Association (as to membership see paragraph 6) may serve as one or more officer if so elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting (or any Executive Meeting) may elect additional Officers as may be required from time to time in order to conduct the affairs of the Association but that such additional officers may serve only for the period ending with the date of the next Annual General meeting after their election. Such additional Officers shall be entitled to attend and vote at the Executive Committee Meetings and at the Annual General Meeting following their election. They shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting for a period of one year only and thereafter in the manner provided for the Officers at a to i above.

Voting

At the Annual General Meeting all individuals that are registered members of the Cleveland Chess Association shall be entitled to one vote. The voting on any proposal at the meeting shall be decided by a show of hands of those present on a simple majority, the President having the casting vote in the event of an equal vote. At the meetings of the Executive Committee, resolutions shall be decided by a simple majority of those present with the President having the casting vote.

Membership

1. Membership of the Association shall be open to any Club or individual within the boundaries of the Cleveland area. In the case of an individual the membership fees shall consist of the current registration fee payable to the Cleveland Chess Association for the time being.

    

2. In the case of membership by a Club the fee payable by the Club as a contribution towards the funds of the Association shall be an annual payment of such amount as may be fixed by the Annual General Meeting for each year. In addition, each Club is required to submit to the Secretary of the Association a list of all registered Club Members. Such list to reach the Secretary no later than the 31st October of each year. Each Club Member who plays or is likely to play in any match on behalf of his Club or in any tournament organised by the Association or by his Club must pay the appropriate registration fee to this Association. Members of Clubs who do not play in such matches or tournaments are exempt from such compulsory registration but may register on a voluntary basis at the same rate of fees if they so desire.

    

3. A member who plays for more than one Club in the Association must pay the current registration fee then payable to the Association at one club only.

    

4. The Association (acting through the Executive Committee) may accept for membership such individuals or Clubs outside the boundaries of Cleveland and the Association may decide upon payment of the fees mentioned in sub paragraphs a and b above.

Events

1. Cleveland League:- the Association shall organise a League during each season which shall be open to teams from any member Club who shall compete for such trophy or trophies as shall from time to time be provided by the Association. The Association shall provide rules to govern the running of the league. Such rules, when enacted shall have the same binding effect as if they were incorporated directly into the Constitution.

2. Individual Championship:- the Association shall organise an individual Championship each year, the winner of which shall be the Cleveland Champion for one year and shall receive such Trophy or other prize as shall from time to time be determined by the Association.

3. Junior Events:- the Association shall encourage junior players, i.e. those under 18, by organising such events as it shall consider appropriate.

The Executive Committee

The Executive shall meet at least twice a year in the months of January and September and on such occasions as may from time to time be arranged in order to supervise and transact business on behalf of the Association as may be necessary to properly discharge the functions of the Association in accordance with the terms of the constitution and of any rules made thereunder. In the absence of the President the meeting shall elect a Chairman for that meeting only. The meeting shall not be in quorum unless two officers and three other eligible members are present.

Extraordinary General Meeting

An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association may be called at the request of at least three member clubs who shall notify the Secretary in writing of such a request. In that event the Secretary shall arrange a meeting not later than twenty-one days after receipt of such a request and shall give written notice to all member clubs of the date, time and place of the meeting. The voting procedure shall be the same as that outlined in paragraph 5.

Financial Matters

All money received by or on behalf of the Association shall be paid into such account as the Annual General Meeting may determine. During the year following each Annual General Meeting the Executive Committee shall have power to authorise the payment of such accounts as they fall due and a statement by the Treasurer of all income and expenditure shall be received by the Annual General Meeting.

Any individual or Club wishing to propose any resolution (whether to change the Constitution or otherwise) shall give notice of such proposal to the Secretary at least twenty eight days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.

It is expressly provided that the Constitution of the Association shall be altered only at the Annual General Meeting.