WELSH CHESS UNION CONSTITUTION
(with changes agreed at 2020 AGM added)
- TITLE
The organisation shall be called the Welsh Chess Union (hereinafter “the Union”)
and its address shall be that of the Executive Director or such other place as the
Management Board (hereinafter “the Board”) may decide.
- CONSTITUTION
The Union shall consist of:
(i) County Associations or Zones within the geographical area of Wales which have
been admitted to the Union;
(ii) Clubs within that area which are members of such a County Association or Zone
or which have been recognised under Article 4;
(iii) Registered members as defined in Article 4;
(iv) Honorary members as defined in Article 5;
(v) Other Welsh chess organisations approved by the Management Board, subject
to ratification at the next AGM.
3. OBJECTS
The objects of the Union shall be to:
(i) Promote
(ii) Organise
(iii) Regulate
the playing of competitive chess throughout Wales.
4.MEMBERSHIP & SUBSCRIPTION
(i) Application for admission to the Union by a County Association or Zone shall
be made to the Executive Director and such applications shall be accompanied by
the names of affiliated clubs and their respective secretaries.
(ii) The Board is authorised to accept or reject any such applications, subject to
ratification at the next AGM.
(iii) Each County or Zone admitted to the Union shall be entitled to elect a
delegate to serve on each of the main committees of the Union listed in Article
6(iv) and an honorary Vice-President to the WCU whose sole administrative
function within the WCU shall be to sit on the Appeal Committee referred to in
6(vi).
(iv) Any club having registered four or more members with the Union through a
County Association or Zone shall be recognised by the Union as an affiliated
club.
(v) Any other club which has four or more of its members registered as
members of the Union may apply to the Management Board to be recognised as
an affiliated club.
(vi) Any individual registered by an affiliated club, County or Zone shall be
recognised as a member of the Union and shall be entitled to vote at General
Meetings.
(vii) Membership, carrying the same entitlement to vote, may also be granted to
an individual who makes a direct application to the Executive Director or other
person designated by the Management Board.
(viii) Officers of the Union and Zone delegates must be registered members of the Union.
(ix) Subscriptions payable by registered members for a season of 12 months commencing on 1st September shall be decided at a General Meeting of the Union. Different subscription rates may be determined for different classes of registered member. Junior members shall form such a class. A junior member is a person who is under 18 at the start of the season in question.
(x) Affiliated bodies shall be charged in accordance with the number of their members on the last Union membership list.
(xi) Dues shall be paid by affiliated bodies to the Union by 30 November each year, in respect of the season commencing on the previous 1 September.
5. HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
The Union shall have the power, to be exercised at an Annual General Meeting, to elect as an
Honorary Life Member any person whose position among chess players or whose services in the interests of the game are such as to entitle him or her to this distinction and who has been approved by the Board for election. An Honorary Member shall be entitled to attend and vote at General Meetings of the Union.
6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND OFFICERS & COMMITTEES
(i) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
An Annual General Meeting shall be held each calendar year. At least 31 days prior to the AGM, the Executive Director shall announce the date and venue of the AGM. A notice placed on the Union website shall discharge this responsibility. At least 14 days prior to the AGM, the Executive Director shall put a copy of the agenda on the website and send a copy to officers of the Union, Zone Secretaries and secretaries of affiliated clubs. The business of the AGM shall be:
(a) Minutes of the last AGM and any intervening Special General Meeting
(b) Annual report of the Executive Director
(c) Annual report of the Finance Director, with the presentation of accounts for the financial year ending the previous 31 August, together with the report of the independent accountant
(d) Annual reports of Directors
(e) Reports called for by the Board
(f) Election of:
- President, Vice-President, Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director,
- Directors of Finance, Home Chess, International Chess, Junior Chess, Publicity, Development, Women’s Chess and Rating,
- Chairman of Selectors, Chief Arbiter, FIDE Delegate, Rapidplay Rating Officer and
- any other officers recommended by the Board(g) Appointment of an Independent Accountant, who shall not be an officer of the Union(h) The authorization of payment of officers’ honoraria for the preceding financial year(i) The Election of Honorary Members(j) Other business of which due notice shall have been given. Any notice of motion or any other matter for inclusion in the agenda shall be submitted to the Executive Director not later than 28 days prior to the meeting.
Twelve shall be a quorum at an AGM.
(ii) SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
The Executive Director shall call a special General Meeting within twenty-eight days of receipt of a written petition signed by not less than six registered members. At least 14 days prior to the meeting, the Executive Director shall put a copy of the agenda on the website and send a copy to officers of the Union, Zone Secretaries and secretaries of affiliated clubs. Twelve shall be a quorum at a Special General Meeting.
(iii) MANAGEMENT BOARD
The Union shall be governed by a Management Board comprising President, Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, Finance Director, Director of Rating, the Directors of the main committees listed in Article 6(iv) together with one delegate from each Zone within the Union. It shall meet under the chairmanship of the Executive Director as often as is deemed necessary for the efficient conduct of the Union’s affairs but at least twice annually. The Executive Director shall give at least fourteen days notice to Board members. Five shall be a quorum.
(iv) COMMITTEES
A: General
The President and Executive Director are ex-officio members of all committees and the committees have the power to co-opt. Such co-opted members shall not have a vote. Main committees shall not take decisions involving the outgoing of Union funds without the prior consent of the Finance Director. Each main committee is responsible for the use of funds raised by itself but must submit accounts to the Finance Director on request.
B: Main Committees
(a) The Home Chess Committee shall comprise the Director of Home Chess, one delegate from each zone and a delegate nominated by the Welsh Women’s Committee.
(b) The International Chess Committee shall comprise the Director of International Chess, one
delegate from each zone and a delegate nominated by the Welsh Women’s Committee.
(c) The Junior Committee shall comprise the Director of Junior Chess, one delegate from each zone and a delegate nominated by the Welsh Women’s Committee.
(d) The Publicity Committee shall comprise the Director of Publicity, one delegate from each zone and a delegate nominated by the Welsh Women’s Committee.
(e) The Development Committee shall comprise the Director of Development, one delegate from each zone and a delegate nominated by the Welsh Women’s Committee.
(f) The Welsh Women’s Committee shall comprise the Director of Women’s Chess plus one
delegate from each zone.
The Main Committees of the WCU shall meet at least once annually which may be by formal
electronic means and reported to Management Board meeting.
C: Other Committees
(a) Selection Committee
The selection of individuals or teams to represent the Union in international tournaments or
matches, excluding events within the responsibility of the Junior Selection Committee, shall be
decided by a committee comprising:
- the Chairman of Selectors,
- the International Director,
- an elected representative from each zone, and
- the Director of Rating.(b) Junior Selection Committee
The members of the Junior Selection Committee shall be the elected members of the Junior
Committee and a quorum shall be three. The Junior Selection Committee is responsible for the
selection of players to represent Wales in any event which excludes players who are 18 or over at any time during the 12 months immediately prior to that event.
(v) POWERS OF THE BOARD
(a) The Board shall have the power to fill an office made vacant by resignation or any other cause and a person so appointed shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting.
(b) The Board shall have the power to legislate for any eventuality not provided for in its
constitution and its power shall be binding subject to the pending ratification by a General Meeting.
(c) The Board shall have the power to inquire into and take disciplinary action in respect of the following offences:
1) Non-payment of subscriptions
2) Illegal activities involving the affairs of the Union
3) Conduct of any member, club, County or Zone calculated to bring the Union into disrepute
4) Illegal conduct
5) Failure to comply with the laws of chess and/or the rules governing play at any international or home competition, congress or tournament involving the Union except that where the rules of the competition concerned provide for an Appeals Committee to decide the matter, or for the decision of the Controller of the competition to be final, the Management Board shall not consider the matter.
Every inquiry held by, or on behalf of, the Union concerning the conduct of any individual, club,
County or Zone shall be conducted in accordance with the principles of natural justice and, in
particular, the individual shall have the right to be present, or the club, County or Zone the right to be represented, throughout the inquiry and to furnish evidence.
The Board may after inquiry take whatever action it sees fit. Such action may include suspension or expulsion of any member, club, County or Zone whom they consider guilty of each, or any, of the offences above.
(vi) RIGHT OF APPEAL
The decisions of the Board shall be forwarded by the Executive Director to all parties concerned who shall have the right to appeal against an adverse decision. The appeal must be lodged with the Executive Director within twenty-one days of the Board’s decision and such appeal shall state the grounds on which it is made. The appeal shall be considered by the President and the elected Zonal Vice-Presidents to the Union in accordance with the same principles as Management Board enquiries under paragraph (v) above. The decision of the Management Board may only be overturned if it is considered to be one which no reasonable person could reach. The decision of the appellate body shall be final. Neither the President nor any Vice-President shall take part in consideration of an appeal if that person took part in the deliberations leading to the decision of the Board which is the subject of the appeal.
7. LAWS OF THE GAME
Except as otherwise provided by the rules of the event in question the FIDE laws of chess shall be binding on all members, affiliated clubs, Counties and Zones.
8. COMPETITIONS
(a) The controller of the Welsh Championship and Welsh Open Congress shall be approved by the Chief Arbiter.
(b) The following competitions are deemed to be closed:
(i) The Welsh Championship
(ii) The Welsh Women’s Championship
(iii) The Welsh Rapid Play Championship
(iv) All Welsh Junior Championships designated closed by the Junior Committee.
(c) The Selection Committee shall exclude from consideration for international events those players who have not actively associated themselves with Welsh Chess.
9. QUALIFICATION RULES
(i) Closed Championships
The qualification for a person to take part in a closed Championship organized by the WCU, subject to any specific rules laid down by the Organizing Committee, is one or more of the following:
(a) Birth in Wales
(b) Child of a person who was born in Wales
(c) Spouse or civil partner of a person who was born in Wales
(d) For the Welsh Championship (Henry Golding Trophy) and the Welsh Women’s Championship, any previous winner of the corresponding event.
(e) Ten years consecutive residence in Wales at any time prior to the event in question.
(f) Residence in Wales for at least two years immediately before the event in question.
(g) Competing in the equivalent Championship in at least one of the previous three years.
In addition at the time of entry to a closed championship a player must be a registered member of the WCU and registered as a Welsh player by FIDE.
(ii) Internal Junior Events
(a) In order to take part in a closed championship, a player must be under the relevant age for that event.
(b) A player must be qualified to take part either
(i) by virtue of at least one of the clauses in 9(i) above; or
(ii) throughout the period of six months immediately before the event in question
- by virtue of attendance as a student at a school or establishment of further or higher education in
- Wales; or
- by virtue of residence in Wales.(c) Subject to paragraph (a) above, a player who has represented the Union in any junior international event remains qualified to take part in junior closed championships.(d) The requirement for all players to be registered members of the WCU may be waived in junior events at the discretion of the Junior Committee.
(iii) International Representation
The qualification for a person to represent Wales in either team or individual events organised
under the auspices of FIDE is one or more of the following:
(a) Birth in Wales
(b) Child of a person who was born in Wales
(c) Spouse of a person who was born in Wales, provided that the spouse possesses a British
passport.
(d) ten years’ consecutive residence in Wales at any time prior to the selection meeting for the event
(e) Residence in Wales throughout the three years ending immediately prior to the selection
meeting for the event. The period of qualification begins from the occasion that a home address in Wales is supplied at the time of a registration in the WCU or an affiliated club or zone.
(f) This period of residence and registration shall be reduced to any period of at least two years before they can represent Wales, for any player who has neither represented another country in a FIDE event including continental, individual and team events, nor has held a FIDE rating with another country in any of the five years prior to the date of first registration with the WCU.
(g) Players who are up to and under the age of 18 years prior to the date of first registration with the WCU shall have their period of registration and residence reduced to one year before they can represent Wales.
(h) To represent the Union in a junior international event organised under the auspices of FIDE a player must either be one
(i) who would be qualified to take part in a junior event which is a closed championship, were it held at the same time, by virtue of 9(ii)(b) above; or
(ii) who has represented the Union in a previous junior international event held under the auspices of FIDE.
All persons (adults and juniors) in order to play for Wales at an International Event must be
registered members of the Welsh Chess Union at the time of selection.
NON FIDE EVENTS
The qualification for a player to represent Wales in events organised outside FIDE auspices is
registration with the WCU at the time that the selection is made.
JUNIOR EVENTS
A Welsh Junior event is one which includes only players who are under 18 on 1st September
immediately prior to the evemt.
10. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
No alteration of, or addition to, the Constitution and Rules of the Union except for consequential re-numbering, shall be made except at the AGM or a Special General Meeting.
The wording of any proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be given to the Executive Director in writing by the 10th of the month immediately prior to the month in which the AGM is to be held, the full proposed alteration or addition which shall be stated in the notice of business for the meeting and such proposal shall be voted on without amendment thereto.
Any change to the Constitution, voted on at the AGM, will require a majority of 2/3 of those present at the AGM and eligible to vote.
The normal agenda of the Annual General Meeting shall include the authorization of payment of officers’ honoraria for the preceding financial year.
11.USE OF E-MAIL
Any right or duty to notify a matter under the constitution may be exercised or, as the case may be, discharged by sending the notification by electronic mail to the last known e-mail address of the recipient. A paper version of the communication shall be sent to such a recipient if he or she requests it.
