- 1A Dunlop Street, Stewarton, KA3 5AS
- 01560 484230
Read our full Constitution and Bye-Laws here. Together, these make up the guiding framework that shapes how our club is governed, operates, and supports its members.
Our Constitution is the foundational document that defines who we are and how we operate as a club. It sets out our purpose, membership structure, leadership roles, decision‑making processes, and the principles that guide our activities. The Constitution ensures clarity, consistency, and transparency—helping us run effectively, uphold good governance, and stay true to our mission.
Bye‑Laws outline the practical rules and procedures we follow in day‑to‑day operations. While the Constitution provides the framework, the Bye‑Laws explain how that framework works in practice—covering topics such as meeting procedures, conduct expectations, and operational guidelines. They are designed to be flexible, allowing the club to adapt and improve its practices without changing the core Constitution.
The Club shall be called Stewarton Bowling Club.
The object of the Club shall be the promotion of good fellowship through bowling and mutual recreation.
The Club is a non-profit making organisation. All profits and annual surpluses will be used to maintain or improve the facilities of the Club.
No profit or surplus will be distributed other than to another non-profit making body on a winding-up or dissolution of the Club. (See Clause 11)
The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by the Management Committee which shall consist of Office bearers and Ordinary Committee members, all of whom shall be elected, in rotation, at the Annual General Meeting.
The Management Committee shall consist of 7 Office bearers:
The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be appointed annually at AGM; all other Office bearers shall be elected (in rotation) for a period of 3 years.
The Management Committee shall have 8 Ordinary Committee members – the 2 non-office bearing Gents / Ladies Presidents / Vice Presidents (elected annually), plus 6 others elected (in rotation) for a period of 3 years at the AGM. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the Management Committee, it may be filled by co-option by the remaining members of the Committee and the person co-opted shall serve only for the term of the member replaced.
The Chairperson, whom failing the Vice chairperson, shall preside over all meetings of the Management Committee and all General meetings of the Club, and in the absence of both the Committee shall appoint one of its members to chair the meeting. The Chair shall have a deliberative and casting vote.
The Club Treasurer shall keep accounts detailing the financial affairs of the Club, reporting monthly to the Management Committee and annually to the AGM.
He/she shall convene Finance Committee meetings as required and maintain communication with Bowling Section Games Committee Treasurers.
The Club Secretary shall control the correspondence of the Club and shall take minutes of Management Committee and General Meetings, and maintain communication with Bowling Section Games Committee Secretaries.
The Club Match Secretary, in conjunction with Bowling Section Games Committee Match Secretaries, shall control all Club Competitions, Club Fixtures, Wapenschaws and Special Games, reporting monthly to Management Committee. All grievances regarding games must be submitted in writing to the Club Match Secretary.
The Bar/Social Convener
The Bar Convener shall control bar stock, convene Bar Committee meetings as required and report monthly to the Management Committee.
The Green Bailie/Property Convener
The Green Bailie is responsible for the green, will direct the work of the Greenkeeper and determine when the green is playable. In the absence of the Green Bailie or his/her Deputy, two members of the Management Committee shall make any decision regarding play on the green.
The Property Convener shall be responsible for the property of the Club. Reports shall be made monthly to the Management Committee.
The Management Committee shall meet on the third Wednesday each month (except July & December) or as the business of the Club demands. 8 persons shall constitute a quorum. It shall cause minutes of meetings, proper records and books of accounts to be kept, with an Annual Report and Audited Accounts to be submitted at the AGM.
The Club Secretary, on the instruction of the Chairperson (whom failing the Vice Chairperson), shall call meetings of the Management Committee. In the absence of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, the Secretary shall have power to call meetings.
The Management Committee shall establish such sub-committees it deems necessary to carry out the business of the club; including Bar, Social, Green, Property, Finance and Catering sub-committees, along with any other sub-committee which may be required.
All sub-committees shall be chaired by an Office bearer or appointed Convener.
The responsibility for organising games shall be vested in the Bowling Section Games Committees: Ladies, Gents and Seniors (see Section 3).
Each Bowling Section (Ladies, Gents and Seniors) shall have a Bowling Section Games Committee responsible for all Bowling matters pertaining to their Section, and shall be accountable to the Management Committee via the Club Match Secretary.
Each Bowling Section Committee shall comprise a President / Chairperson, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Match Secretary as required, all of whom shall be elected annually by ballot of members of the relevant Section. In addition, there shall be a number of Committee members elected annually by Ordinary members, each to serve for 3 years in rotation.
Members of the Management Committee shall be eligible to be elected to serve on their respective Bowling Committees. Vacancies can be filled by co-option.
A member who has served for 3 years shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election.
The Bowling Committees shall meet weekly during the bowling season or as the business of the Club demands. 50% of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Proper records and accounts must be kept
In conjunction with the Section Match Secretary, the President, whom failing the Vice President, shall preside over all meetings of the Bowling Sections.
The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held on the first
Thursday in March.
The Agenda will include:
The Club Secretary shall have a Notice of the AGM displayed on the Notice board 35 days before the AGM and inviting Notices of Motion from members.
At the same time, the Club Secretary shall display a listing of all vacancies requiring to be filled. Nominations for election at the AGM must be lodged in writing with the Club Secretary not later than 21 days before the date of the AGM. Nominations must be signed by two Ordinary or Honorary members of the Club and must have the consent of the nominee who must be a member.
A detailed Agenda and associated papers will be delivered to Ordinary and Honorary members 7 days before the AGM. One third of the total membership must be present to constitute a quorum.
Any proposal to change to the Constitution must be submitted in writing to the Club Secretary, signed by two members eligible to vote at the AGM. Any change will require a two thirds majority of those present.
The Management Committee may call a Special General Meeting (SGM) at any time. The Club Secretary shall have a notice of a Special General Meeting issued to each member not later than 14 days before the date of the meeting. No business other than that specified in the notice shall be transacted at the meeting.
A Special General Meeting of the Club shall be called at any time on a requisition signed by 25 members eligible to vote and presented to the Club Secretary stating the business to be considered. Such a meeting will be notified to Members not later than 21 days after the requisition has been received. Notice of such a Special General meeting shall be issued not later than 14 days before the date of the meeting.
One third of the total membership must be present to constitute a quorum.
No members shall be allowed on the green while an SGM is taking place.
At all AGMs & SGMs, members must register their attendance by signing the census roll presented. Any member failing to comply with this requirement will be disqualified from taking any part whatsoever in the proceedings.
In the event of any AGM or SGM or any such extra-ordinary meeting being inquorate, the office bearers and Management Committee shall be empowered to deal with the issues contained within the requisition calling the meeting.
Separate General Meetings of each Bowling Section shall be held annually for the purpose of electing each Bowling Committee and transacting any competent business pertaining to their respective Sections.
The Annual General Meetings of the Ladies Bowling Section, the Gents Bowling Section and the Senior Bowling Section will take place in the weeks following the Club AGM. The relevant Bowling Section Secretaries shall have notice of the relevant Section Meetings issued to each member not less than 7 days before the meeting.
The President/Chairperson of each Bowling Section will chair the Bowling Section AGM and seek to appoint Office bearers and Ordinary members as required.
Any person seeking to join the Club shall submit an application form to the Management Committee. Members shall be admitted by the Management Committee. Membership is open to all and no application for membership will be refused on other than reasonable grounds.
There will be no discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, political or other opinion, sex or sexual orientation. All members can be assured of an environment in which their rights, dignity and individual work are respected, and in particular that they are able to enjoy their sport without the threat of intimidation, victimisation, harassment or abuse.
It shall be a condition of any person becoming a member of the Club that they accept and agree and by applying to become a member they shall be deemed to have agreed) to be bound by the terms of this Constitution and any Bye-Laws from time to time adopted by the Club. Copies of the Constitution will be made available to new members.
The Club shall consist of the following categories of Membership:
Members granted Suspended membership will be non-playing and non-voting; they will have access to the clubhouse facilities but may not sign in any guest to the clubhouse.
The Club financial year shall run from 1st January to 31st December each year.
All funds of the Club shall be deposited in the name of the Club in such Bank or Building Society Account as nominated by the Management Committee. The Club Treasurer and Bowling Section Treasurers shall retain in hand a sum sufficient to meet current expenses. Cheques issued in the name of the Club must be signed by the Club Treasurer and either the Management Committee Chairperson or Club Secretary.
The spending power of the Management Committee, excluding bar trading and green upkeep, shall not exceed E10000 in any one year, and shall not exceed £5000 on any one item.
The Joker Fund shall be used to improve the amenities of the club – including any such social and capital projects approved by the Management Committee.
Annual Subscription. The Management Committee, having given due consideration to green costs and inflation, shall recommend the annual subscription fees to the AGM for approval or amendment. The annual subscription shall be payable on or before the 31st March each year. Unless without just cause, membership shall be considered to have lapsed if payment of the current year’s subscription is not paid by this date.
Any person wishing to resign from the Club must intimate his/her intention to do so to the Club Secretary in writing before the above date.
All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club. The Management Committee will ensure that appropriate insurance cover is maintained against anticipated risks associated with the activities of the Club.
The Management Committee, having given due consideration to green costs and inflation, shall recommend the annual subscription fees to the AGM for approval or amendment. The annual subscription shall be payable on or before the 31st March each year. Unless without just cause, membership shall be considered to have lapsed if payment of the current year’s subscription is not paid by this date.
Any person wishing to resign from the Club must intimate his/her intention to do so to the Club Secretary in writing before the above date.
All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club. The Management Committee will ensure that appropriate insurance cover is maintained against anticipated risks associated with the activities of the Club.
The Club Match Secretary, in conjunction with the Section Match Secretaries, shall establish a Club Fixture Card detailing all fixtures pertaining to each Bowling Section. National and District competitions will also be added. In addition, the Management Committee shall be empowered to reserve the green at certain times – for eg touring teams, Ladies wapenschaws (Wednesdays), Open wapenschaws (Monday and Friday), visitors and guests – always with flexibility to accommodate ties.
At all other times. all Ordinary and Honorary members shall have equal access to the green. If all rinks are in use, members wishing to play ties or friendly matches should add their names to a waiting list. All players involved in the game must be present before placing names on the list. In the event of the green being busy, ties will take priority over friendly matches.
Members shall have the privilege of introducing a friend to the green occasionally but no visitor shall be allowed more than 3 games in one season.
The Green Baillie has full responsibility for the green and will determine when it is playable. In the absence of the Green Baillie, whom failing their Depute, 2 members of the Management Committee shall make any decision regarding play on the green.
All complaints or protests related to Bowling matters must be submitted in writing to the Club Match Secretary, duly signed by the person complaining or protesting, giving full details of the complaint. All such matters will be considered by the relevant Bowling Section Committee (or in serious cases by the Management Committee) who shall have the power to take such action they consider necessary.
If the conduct of any member, either in or outwith the Club, is in the opinion of the Management Committee considered to be detrimental to the character, interest or good order of the Club, the Management Committee may initiate Disciplinary Procedures listed in the Appendix of the Constitution.
If any member has a concern relating to the conduct of a member, such complaint must be submitted in writing to the Club Secretary, who will refer the matter to the Management Committee to consider any necessary action.
The Club have been granted a Premises Licence by East Ayrshire Licensing Board under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. The bar opening hours are contained in the Operating Plan of the Premises Licence.
The following provisions shall apply in respect of the sale of excisable liquor in the club premises:
All visitors to the Club (except members of other Bowling Clubs) must be signed in at all times. A visitor shall not be supplied with any drink (excisable liquor or soft drinks) unless on the invitation and in the company of a member. On the admission of such visitor to the club premises, the member shall enter his/her own name and the name and address of the visitor in the Visitors’ Book which shall be kept for the purpose and shall show the date of each visit. Members shall have theprivilege of introducing visitors to the club occasionally, and shall be responsible for the conduct of those visitors introduced by them.
Children and Young Persons will be allowed into the premises to participate in appropriate social and recreational activities and must be accompanied by an adult at all times. They will be allowed entry to all areas of the Club except the bar, lounge, cellar or kitchen.
The Club shall not be dissolved except by the agreement of at least two-thirds of the Members present and entitled to vote at a duly convened Special General Meeting of the Club called for this purpose.
If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the Club, there remains a surplus after the satisfaction of all the Club’s debts and liabilities, such surplus will be transferred to other non-profit making organisations within and around Stewarton, as determined by resolution of the members at the General meeting, or in the absence of such a resolution to the Association to which the Club is affiliated.
Coming soon – please check again later.
