WEST LOTHIAN BOWLING ASSOCIATION - CONSTITUTION AND RULES Instituted 1882 as Linlithgowshire Bowling Association Renamed 1999 West Lothian Bowling Association NAME 1. The name of the Association will be WEST LOTHIAN BOWLING ASSOCIATION, hereafter referred to as WLBA. OBJECTIVE 2. The objective of WLBA will be to foster and promote the level green game of bowls on outdoor greens. MEMBERSHIP 3. WLBA will consist of the 35 Clubs which are at present affiliated, and be open to any other Bowling Clubs in West Lothian and surrounding district. 4. Application by a Club for admission to WLBA will require to be made in writing to the Secretary not later than the first day of February in any year. Applications will be considered at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM will at its discretion grant or refuse membership. 5. All Clubs in membership of WLBA will pay an annual subscription to the Treasurer not later than the eighteen day of April each year. In the event of any Club failing to pay the subscription within the time stated such Club will forfeit all rights and privileges of membership so long as its subscription remains unpaid. ANNUAL and SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS 6. The AGM of WLBA will be held on the last Friday of February each year when the following will be elected:- a. any Honorary Presidents; b. a President and a Vice-President (according to Club rotation) each of whom will hold office for 1 year; c. a Secretary; d. a Treasurer; e. a Sponsorship Convener; f. Auditor; g. a Management Committee of 6, comprising President, Vice-President, Immediate Past President, Treasurer, Sponsorship Convener and Secretary; The newly approved Management Committee will appoint 2 Selection Committees with responsibility for selecting Association teams to participate in the Scottish Cities and Counties Championship (Hamilton Trophy), Scottish Under 25 s League, Calder Cup and any other tournament in which WLBA is competing; each Selection Committee to comprise a Team Manager and 3 other Selectors with the Team Manager chairing the meetings and having both a Deliberative vote and a Casting vote. 7. Secretary s, Treasurer s and Sponsorship Convener s expenses will be fixed at the AGM. 8. Each member Club will be entitled to have 2 representatives attend all General Meetings.
9. Special General Meetings (SGM) will be convened in the following circumstances:- h. requests from Clubs that must be made in writing to the WLBA Secretary and must be signed by a minimum of 3 member Clubs. The Secretary after consultation with the President will call such a meeting. Such requisitions must state the nature of the business and the resolution(s) to be proposed which must be included in the notice calling the meeting. No other business other than that specified in the notice will be considered at a SGM; and, i. called by the Management Committee along identical lines to these specified at para. 9a above. 10. Two thirds of member Clubs will form a quorum at all General Meetings and two thirds of appointees will constitute a quorum at all Management Committee meetings. 11. Decisions at all meetings will be carried by a majority vote. The Chairman will have both a deliberative and casting vote. 12. In the absence of both the President and Vice-President the Meeting will appoint a Chairman. MANAGEMENT 13. The Management Committee will have full powers to transact the whole business and affairs of WLBA. The Association is a non-profit making organisation. All profits and surpluses will be used to foster and promote bowling. No profit or surplus will be distributed other than to another non-profit making body or to members on winding up or dissolution of the Association. 14. Any vacancy occurring in Committees during the year will be filled by the Management Committee co-opting replacement members. 15. The Management Committee may appoint Sub-Committees with special powers and for such time as deemed necessary. 16. The Secretary will provide an oral report of the previous year s highlights at the AGM. 17. The Treasurer s Financial Statement, duly audited, for the year ending 31 December will be submitted to the AGM with an Abstract sent to member Clubs with the Notice calling the AGM. 18. The Secretary will keep a record of the business transacted at all General and Committee meetings. 19. The Treasurer will keep a record of all income and expenditure and report these to the 20. Any Club can withdraw from WLBA on giving written notice to the Secretary before the first day of February in any year. ALTERATION OF RULES 21. No alteration will be made to the Constitution and Rules unless at the AGM. Notice of any proposed alteration must be sent by the Club proposing the change to the Secretary one month before the AGM, and intimation will be sent to member Clubs with the Notice calling the meeting. RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR COMPETITIONS 22. WLBA will be entitled to the use of greens of member Clubs for all Competitions. 23. WLBA will have power to make a levy on member Clubs for all such Competitions to provide prizes for the winners and runners-up, with such sums being reviewed by the Management Committee on the recommendation of the Secretary and Treasurer.
24. All players must be members of the Club for which they play in the Competition. 25. No player is, under any circumstances, eligible to play for more than one Club in any of the Competitions. Any Club infringing this Rule will be disqualified from the Competition. 26. The respective WLBA trophies will be played for annually with all Competitions open to all member Clubs. However, in any Competition qualifying for an Inter-Counties play-off (eg. Top Ten) a member Club cannot compete in more than one Association s qualifying Competition. 27. All the Competitions will be conducted on a Knock-Out basis other than the West Lothian Council tournament. 28. The Clubs whose player(s) win the Competition will be entitled to the custody of the respective trophies for one year, and for their return to the Secretary when called upon. Such Clubs will be responsible for the appropriate engraving of trophies and for their proper keeping. 29. All Competitions will be conducted under the Rules of the Scottish Bowling Association. However, there will be no limit on the number of substitutes allowed in the Rosebery Cup, Top Ten and Top Five tournaments. In relation to dress standards all players participating in an Association competition must conform to their own Club s dress code as registered with the Association. A Club s dress code allows for the use of a coloured shirt rather than a white shirt, AND where required, as an alternative to a white warmer garment, eg a pullover, a matching coloured warmer garment. It is also permissible for a player to use bowling gear provided by a sponsor and approved by the Additionally where a Club is represented by more than one player in a competition all players must abide by the same dress code. ALL Clubs are required to inform WLBA Secretary of their Club s dress code for players participating in WLBA Tournaments. Responsibility for adhering to dress codes will rest with Clubs. Breaches of the dress code noted by umpires (Club or Association) or the governing body must be reported to WLBA Management Committee (via Secretary) for consideration of the application of sanctions ranging from a warning to a Club fine and possible disqualification from the appropriate Tournament. 30. The Club on whose green a Competition is to be played will appoint an umpire. He will decide all points which may arise in the course of the game and all questions relative to the Rules of the Game, and his decision will be final. 31. The Management Committee will decide all disputes that may occur in connection with any of the Competitions and their decision will be binding on all parties. No protest or appeal by a Club will be entertained unless notice has been sent to the Secretary of WLBA not later than 3 days following the occurrence. 32. The draws for all Competitions together with the allocation of neutral venues, other than for finals will be the responsibility of the WLBA Secretary. Finals venues will be decided by the 33. All ties must be played on the greens and on the dates decided by either the Secretary or 34. In the event of any Club failing to appear after the game has been duly fixed such Club will be disqualified unless in the opinion of the Management Committee a satisfactory explanation is forthcoming. The Management Committee will also decide whether any further penalty is appropriate. 35. When a tie has been played the Umpire will pass the scorecards to the host Club, which will then be responsible for the immediate telephoning of the result to the WLBA Secretary or appropriate Tournament Convener and for the despatch of the cards, duly signed, to the Secretary.
36. The various Competitions will be played for as follows:- ROSEBERY CUP (instituted 1882): Each Club (side) to be represented by four fours. Each round to consist of 17 ends with the Final over 21 ends on the green of the President. BAILLIE TROPHY (instituted 1903): Single hand (4 bowls) with each Club represented by one player. Each round to be 21 shots up. DALYELL SHIELD (instituted 1994) (previously Crichton Shield 1912-93): Pairs (4 bowls) with each Club represented by 2 players. Each round to consist of 17 ends. MacLARDY TROPHY (instituted 1967): Triples (3 bowls) with each Club represented by 3 players. Each round to consist of 15 ends. HOPETOUN CUP (instituted 1905): Fours with each Club represented by 4 players. Each round to consist of 17 ends. FRED MEIKLE CUP (instituted 1975): Single hand (4 bowls) for players under age 30 on 1 April. No limit on the number of entries from any Club. Each round to be 21 shots up. TOP TEN (instituted 1975): TOP FIVE (instituted 1977): Side game with each Club represented by 10 players. Each round to consist of a 4 bowls single hand (21 shots up), 4 bowls pairs (15 ends), 3 bowls triples (13 ends) and fours (15 ends). 2 points for each tie won and 1 point for a draw. Winner is side with higher number of points. If equal on points game then decided on total shots. If still equal game decided on single hand winner. 5 Single hand ties (4 bowls) with each Club (side) represented by 5 players. Each tie to consist of 21 shots up. Winner is side winning higher number of ties. CHAMPION of CHAMPIONS (instituted 1977): Single hand (4 bowls) with each Club represented by current year s green champion. Each round to be 21 shots up. WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL TROPHY (instituted 1976): Fours with each Club represented by 4 players with no more than 2 being Rosebery players. Pre-lim. and Round 1 played over 17 ends on a knock-out basis with 16 qualifiers playing off in a round-robin. WEST LOTHIAN MASTERS (instituted 1999): Single hand (4 bowls). Each round to be 21 shots up.
SENIORS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (instituted 2001): Single hand (4 bowls) for players age 60 or over on 1 April. No limit on the number of entries from any Club. Each round to be 21 shots up. LIVINGSTONE TROPHY (instituted 1923): Each Club (side) to be represented by four fours, 2 playing at home and 2 away. Only 1 round will be played on the same date with 2 points for each winning rink and 1 for a draw, with the winner being the Club gaining the highest number of points and highest aggregate shots up. APPROVAL 37. The foregoing Constitution, Rules and Regulations were confirmed at the AGM held in Linlithgow Bowling Club on 26 th February 1999, with amendments formally approved at subsequent AGMs in February 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009 and 2011 also incorporated. R Simpson, President M Wilson, Secretary February 2011