1. Title and Construction of League
Constitution & Rules (revised 2022 AGM)
A. The League shall be called Durham & District Bowling League (D&DBL).
B. It shall consist of up to a maximum of thirty clubs in three divisions of ten clubs, or if less than thirty clubs the loss shall be spread equally across the remaining divisions, Where possible the remaining divisions should be of equal numbers.
2.The Executive Committee and its duties
A. The League will be administered by a committee elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall be known as the Executive Committee with powers to co-opt from the membership up to the next AGM.
B. The Executive Committee will be composed of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.A quorum will comprise of three members but not all from the same club .
C. Each member of the Executive Committee shall have one vote.
D. The Executive Committee will appoint an Auditor as an Elected Officer who will not be a member of the Executive Committee.
E. When the voting for and against is equal the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
F. No member of the Executive Committee shall be present during the discussion of, nor may they vote upon any subject affecting their club unless their presence is required. In such circumstances the Chairman will request the assistance of members of other clubs to act as a panel on behalf of the Executive.
G. The Executive Committee shall adjudicate on all complaints and protests, impose and enforce any penalties, and shall report such action at the AGM. In such circumstances where a member of the Executive is conflicted, the Chairman may request the assistance of members of other clubs to help ajudicate.
H. All Executive Members together with Elected Officers and any co-opted members shall retire at each AGM but shall be eligible for re-election. Any nominations for these positions are to be received by the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the AGM.
I Honoraria may be paid to the Secretary, Treasurer, Competition Secretary and other officers as shall be determined at the AGM. The amount of each honorarium will be determined at the AGM.
J. Legitimate out of pocket expenses incurred by the Executive Committee and Officers will be reimbursed.
3. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
A. The AGM shall be held on any Saturday in October of each year.
B. Twenty one days notice of this meeting shall be given to each club together with an agenda and a financial statement..
C. Each club will be allowed two delegates with voting powers.
D. Only at the AGM/ Extraordinary General Meeting may the league rules be amended and suggestions of such change must reach the Secretary in writing 28 clear days before such a meeting.
E. Any club unable to attend the AGM must inform the Secretary in writing, prior to such meeting, of their intention to remain in the League the following season non-attendance will result in a fine of 50% of league fees.
F. Any club that is unable to fulfil its fixtures must advise the Secretary as soon as possible and may apply to re-join for the next season by the Spring Meeting at the latest. Under such circumstances the Executive will determine which league the club plays in for the next season.
G. Membership of the League would normally apply from AGM to AGM.
H. The AGM shall have powers to appoint Honorary Vice -Presidents for outstanding services to the League as recommended by the Executive Committee.
I. Each Club is responsible for ensuring that its members are personally responsible for arranging their own insurance and that the D&DBL has no responsibility or liability in respect of any accidents or incidents that may occur in club members participating in this League or its competitions.
4. Spring Meetings
A. Notionally, the dates of the AGM and Spring Meetings shall be agreed at the previous year’s AGM.
B. Any club failing to be represented at the meetings will be fined 25% of league fees.
C. The main function of the Spring Meeting will be the receipt of league fees from all clubs, receive the audited accounts for the previous season, together with competition entry forms. Any business that has arisen since the previous AGM will also be discussed at this meeting as decided by the Chairman.
D. Any club wishing to raise an issue at the meeting should notify the Secretary 28 days prior to the meeting and it will be at the Chairman’s discretion as to whether it ist included on the Agenda.
5. Extraordinary General Meetings (EGM)
A. The Executive Committee may call an EGM with a minimum of 14 days notice to each club.
B. The Executive Committee shall call an EGM if a request is received signed by the Secretaries and Chairmen of at least three clubs stating the reason for the meeting or.at the request of the Executive Committee.
C. Only the stated subject may be discussed at any EGM.as per the agenda.
6. Financial matters
A. All cheques must be made payable to Durham & District Bowling League.
B. All monies shall be paid into a bank designated by the Executive Committee with the exception of a small floating fund for immediate expenses.
C. The Treasurer shall be the only official to hold such a fund.
D. Cheque signatories shall be any two of three officers designated by the Executive Committee.
E. A league fee, the amount of which shall be agreed at the AGM, shall be charged to each club.
F. The fee must be paid to the Treasurer at or before the Spring Meeting.
G. Competition fees must be paid with the entry form to the Competition Secretary by the closing date. All monies and the list of all clubs participating to be passed to the Treasurer as soon as possible after the closing date.
H. All fines must be paid initially to the Secretary who shall pass them to the Treasurer at the first opportunity.
I. The Treasurer will be responsible for presenting audited accounts as at the 31st December each year to the Spring Meeting and a financial report to the AGM,
J. The accounts prepared by the Treasurer will be examined, and reported on, at the Spring Meeting by the Auditor.
K. Receipts will be issued for all monies paid to the League
7. League and competition matches
7.1 General
A. All League and Competition matches are to be played under the rules as set out in the World Bowls Laws of the Sport Crystal Mark Edition except where the following rules apply.
B. Clubs are to register the names of all their bowlers with the League Secretary before the start of each season. Only registered players may play in League and Competition matches. During the season additional players can be added at any time but may not play unless registered before their first game with the Secretary.
C. Clubs must mark the four corners of the rinks with white markers
D i) Where a club has a designated coloured bowling shirt, trousers, caps etc. they must be worn by all members in the league and competitions. In all other circumstances a white shirt with a collar is to be worn unless part of a club uniform, grey or black trousers ,shorts or skirts are to be worn. No jeans. Non -white coloured waterproofs may be worn during rain.
Dii) Where a club has a designated coloured bowling shirt and they have a new member who doe not have a club shirt, they must play in a white shirt.
Diii) A penalty of 10 shots will be applied to any rink where this rule is breached.
Div) Smoothed soled non-healed bowling shoes should be worn.The host club shall have the right to stop any visiting player who does not have the correct footwear.
D v) Any bowler under the age of nine years is allowed to use carpet bowls.
E. A representative of all winners and runners-up of divisions and competitions must attend the Presentation Evening to receive the appropriate trophies/prizes. Failure to be represented will mean forfeiture of any such prizes, which will revert back to the League Funds.
F. Smoking – of all kinds
i) Should the club where the game is being played have a total ban on smoking on the premises, the Club prohibition shall apply.
ii)In all other circumstances , smoking is only allowed off the green or in designated areas.
7.2 League
A. Being a Saturday league all league games will be played on Saturdays.
B. If inclement weather causes a green to become unplayable, the home team must inform the visitors between 12.00noon and 1.00pm. If a green becomes unplayable after 1.00pm and before 2.00pm the home captain has authority to cancel the match. In all such cases the points shall be shared 5-5.
C. If a club fails to play a fixture for any other reason, then that Club shall forfeit all points to the other Club. In all such cases both clubs shall inform the Secretary.who with the Chairman will determne whether a fine should applu.
D. Any club failing to report to the Secretary a cancelled league game giving details of who cancelled and why, will be fined £5 in each instance. Notification must be in writing/email by first post of the following Monday to the secretary. Both clubs to report. b. Failure to pay a fine within 7 days of notification will incur a further £5 fine. Failure to pay the fine(s)will result in the club being dismissed from the league , but with the right to re-apply for the next season into the lowest league.
E. A team shall consist of 12 players (4 rinks of three) playing 2 woods each, 21 ends. 1 shot the first 2 ends.
F. In the event of a club dropping out of the league during the season, the points for and against will be deducted from the teams they have played.
G. Players can only play for one league team per season. If a club does allow a player, who has already played for another club that season, to play for them, then that club will lose two points in each instance.
(In the event of a club closing down during a season its players will be allowed to join and play for another club and to continue to compete in League Competitions).
H. No restriction on the number of ladies in a team.
I. A Saturday fixture list will be drawn up by the League Secretary and club secretaries must make the arrangements for having the matches played on those dates. The League programme will start on the first Saturday in May whenever League Fixtures permit it.
J. All matches will normally start at 2.00pm.
L. If any rink consists of only two players (due to a team not being able to field a full side) then those 2 players play three bowls each, but will have a third of the shots deducted from their total.
(In the event of a rink being reduced to two players during a game, all shots scored after the player has left the green will be subject to a one-third reduction).
M. If a rink consists of only two players, due to a player/s arriving late, then the game will start at the normal time. The player/s arriving after the game has started may take their place/s on the re-arranged rink/s provided not more than five ends have been completed, and those rinks will lose one-third of shots scored while the rink/s had only two players.
N. Should any circumstances occur after a game has started, which prevent its completion, provided that not less than 15 ends per rink in any one game have been fully completed and both team captains agree that the game cannot be further continued, such a game shall be regarded as completed, otherwise the points shall be shared.
(Any resulting dispute will be adjudicated by the Executive Committee under Rule 2F).
7.3 Results
A .The Secretary of the home club is responsible for sending an approved match result advice, either by post, by e-mail or by completing the online form, to reach the League Secretary by the following Monday.. All players’ names are to be entered on the form.
B. Failure to do so shall incur a fine of £2 in each case.
C. For the purpose of deciding the championship, points shall be awarded as follows; 2 points for each winning rink and 2 points for the highest aggregate score. In the event of a tie, each team or rink will be awarded 1 point.
D. In the event of two or more teams having equal points at the season’s end, the total shots scored will be counted, and the team with the highest number of shots will be the Champions.
E. Promotion and relegation will normally be two up and two down.
F. Prizes will be awarded to the Champions and Runners-up in each division up to a limit fixed annually by the AGM. The full amount of these prize monies will be paid by cheque/cash to the recipient clubs.
7.4 Competitions
A. Competition entry fees will be fixed annually by the AGM. All entries must consist of players from the same club.
B. On receipt of the competitions draw the first named player(s) within three days is to offer the opponent(s) three dates, two in one week, and one in another week, to be accepted within 72 hours. In the first instance these will be weekday evenings and any other times will be by mutual agreement.
C. If as an opponent you do not receive any dates, or do not receive any reply from your opponent about dates you offered one week before the closing date then the Competition Secretary must be contacted immediately and your case stated.
D. Ladies may constitute up to but not more than half a team.
E. One substitute will be allowed in all competitions except the Singles, provided that the substitute has not previously played in the same competition. A substitute can play in any position in a new game. If the substitute is brought on during a game he is not permitted to play as skip.
F. In the Mixed Pairs competition, if either of the two original players cannot play, then a substitute can play for either player but only one each. Both substitutes cannot play together. One player must be an original player or the match will be forfeited to their opponents.
G. Competition results should where-ever possible be texted or emailed to the Secretary within 24 hours together with all the names of players.
H. Any competitor or competitors, who after reaching the final in a competition, fails to turn up to play the final, shall forfeit any right to the runners-up trophy or prize.
I. All semi-finals are to be played on neutral greens agreed with the Competitions Secretary.
J. In the case of singles, the first named must organise a marker.
K. There will be two different round completion dates and competitions will be split between each.
L. The duration of all K.O. Competitions shall be the same as Bowls England.
M. Slow Play Rule.
Both Skips to leave the head together.
Players will be only allowed to visit the head in the following circumstances.
Four Bowl Singles. – After delivery of there third and fourth bowl.
Four Bowl Pairs. – The leads after delivery of there fourth bowl. The skips after delivery of there third and fourth bowl.
Three Bowl Pairs ( Mixed Pairs ) The leads after delivery of there third bowl. The skips after delivery of there second and third bowl.
Triples.- The leads after delivery of there third bowl. The seconds after delivery of there third bowl. The skips after delivery of there second and third bowl.
Fours. – The leads after delivery of there second bowl. The seconds after delivery of there second bowl. The thirds after delivery of there second bowl. The skips after delivery of there first and second bowl.
If these rules are broken the opposing skip should warn the offending skip after the first time.
If these rules are broken again a 3 shot penalty will be awarded against the offending every time it is broken.
8 Millennium Trophy Rules
The Millennium Trophy is a handicap competition. All clubs will be entered into the draw which will be made at the spring meeting by the Competition Secretary. The following Competition Rules apply.
A. Each club is to field a team of six players (two rinks of three) bowling three bowls each (18 ends). 1 shot on first two ends
B. Division 1 teams will play off scratch, Division 2 teams will receive 3 shots, and Division 3 teams will receive 6 shots.
C.. All ties are to be played on a shots only basis (aggregate) taking into account the handicap shots
D. The Challenger shall nominate one designated rink number at the start to play an extra end, before the draw is made for rinks. The extra end should only be played if the game is a draw.
E. In the event that a tie has not been played by the due date, the Competition Secretary will rule on which club if any should progress to the next round.
F. The result must be telephoned, texted or emailed to the Competition Secretary within 24 hours of the game finishing.
G.. Prizes of a 50% reduction in League Fees for the next season will be awarded to the highest placed team from each division.
H.. Any club on joining the League and entering the competition in its first season will play off scratch.
9 Dissolution
In the event that the Durham & District Bowling League is discontinued or merged with another League, the Executive Committee shall have the power to determine whether any remaining funds are returned, on an equal basis, to the remaining clubs, or transferred to another League
(Amended AGM 2022)ed