Constitution

last amended September 2023

1. Chess Edinburgh shall be an amalgamation of all Chess Clubs within the Lothians, as shall comply with the membership requirements of paragraph 5 below.

2. The objects of Chess Edinburgh shall be to arrange League and other competitions among Member Clubs and otherwise to further the interests of Chess within the Lothians.

3. The governing body of Chess Edinburgh shall be designated 'The Chess Edinburgh Council' (hereinafter referred to as 'The Council') and shall be constituted and elected as defined in paragraphs 6 - 7 below.

4. The business of Chess Edinburgh shall be transacted by The Council, which shall have the authority to set up such committees as it may deem necessary to supervise the detailed handling of its business. Each such committee shall be directly responsible to The Council and shall have at least one elected member of The Council as its Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer. Within the terms of reference set by The Council, each committee shall operate autonomously and shall have the delegated authority to co-opt such further members as it may deem necessary to carry out its business.

5. All Clubs which enter teams into any of the Chess Edinburgh League Competitions, such entries being accepted by The Council and the appropriate fees being paid, shall automatically become Members of Chess Edinburgh for the year of such entries. However, Clubs which do not enter such League competitions may apply directly to The Council for affiliation to Chess Edinburgh, upon payment of a fee to be set by The Council. Such Associate Membership shall not confer voting rights.

6. The Office Bearers of Chess Edinburgh shall comprise:-

  • An Honorary President
  • A President
  • A Vice-President
  • A General Secretary
  • A League Secretary
  • A Minutes Secretary
  • A Treasurer
  • A Congress Director
  • A Tournaments Secretary, and
  • Two Schools League Representatives (Primary and Secondary Schools Leagues)

all of whom shall be elected by the Annual General Meeting of Chess Edinburgh. Additionally, four Ordinary Council Members shall be elected at the AGM, and an Auditor shall be appointed.

7. The Council shall comprise fourteen members, elected as defined in paragraph 6 above, but excluding the Honorary President. Any elective Council posts which remain vacant at the AGM or which subsequently become vacant, may be temporarily filled by Council co-option.

8. The Council shall hold at least four meetings in each year, at which five members shall form a quorum. These meetings shall always include:

  • a) A Pre-Season Meeting, to formulate policy and to plan for the coming season's activities;
  • b) A Meeting - in late September or early October - to arrange the League Programme and transact other relevant business,
  • c) A Mid-Season Meeting; and
  • d) An End-of-Season Meeting, which shall prepare for the AGM.

9. The Annual General Meeting of Chess Edinburgh shall be held in September, the date and place to be set by The Council. The Agenda and any proposals for consideration at the AGM shall be sent, at least fourteen days prior to the meeting date, to all Member and Associate Member Clubs. At this meeting the General Secretary and Treasurer shall submit annual reports, Office Bearers and other Council Members shall be elected, subscriptions shall be fixed for the coming season, League Trophies shall be presented and any other competent business shall be transacted.
Proposals, by any Member Club, for consideration at the AGM, must be given, in writing, to the General Secretary before 1st April.
Representatives from seven Member Clubs shall form a quorum at the AGM and each Member Club shall be entitled to one vote in Council elections and on any proposals or motions which are put to the meeting.

10. Special General Meetings may be summoned by The Council, and the General Secretary must also call such a meeting within 28 days of receipt of a written request to do so from the Secretaries of four Member Clubs.
The notice calling a Special General Meeting shall be sent to all Clubs at least fourteen days before the meeting date and shall state the business or proposals to be considered; no other business shall be competent. Each Member Club shall be entitled to one vote at Special General Meetings and seven Member Club representatives shall form a quorum.

11. The organisation of League Competitions shall be a primary responsibility of The Council, but detailed running of the Leagues may be delegated to an ad hoc League Secretariat, constituted at the discretion of The Council. However, questions or problems which are deemed to require wider consideration shall be decided in Council, and any Club in irreconcilable dispute with a League Secretariat decision may appeal to The Council for a ruling. Detailed rules for Adult Leagues are provided separately, but in any conflict of interpretation this Constitution shall take precedence over the Adult League Rules.

12. In the event of dissolution of Chess Edinburgh, all Association property (including trophies) shall be held in trust by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, who may transfer such property to any new Chess Association which may subsequently be set up in Edinburgh.

13. Any dispute or issue which is not covered by either this Constitution or the Adult League Rules shall be resolved by The Council.

14. Amendments to this Constitution may be made only at the AGM or at a Special General Meeting called for this purpose.
Proposals for such amendments shall be submitted in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 9 (for AGM proposals) or paragraph 10 (for SGM proposals).
The acceptance of a Constitutional Amendment shall require approval of not less than TWO THIRDS of all Clubs voting. Clubs unable to be represented at the meeting may send a written vote to the General Secretary, who shall record all such votes received before the start of the meeting.

15. All decisions of the Council shall be decided upon by a majority of votes of those present. Each member of the Council present shall have one vote and in the case of an equality of votes the President shall have a casting vote in addition to a deliberative vote.