WELSH LAWN BOWLS CONSTITUTION.
The National Governing Body for Flat Green Outdoor Bowls in Wales.
The Constitution must be read along with the following policies Standing Orders (Rules of Debate) -
Disciplinary Policy - Appeals Procedure- Safeguarding Policy - Equality Policy - Data Protection Policy Anti-Doping Policy - Codes of Conduct for Officers and Players.
In addition to: Role Specifications and Role Descriptions for each officer role, and Terms of Reference for each of the Committees.
1.Title:
a. Welsh Lawn Bowls (WLB) is the sole governing body for the sport of flat green outdoor Bowls in Wales.
b. Welsh Lawn Bowls is a “not for profit” organisation.
The registered office shall be that of the Secretary in post.
2. Constitution:
Welsh Lawn Bowls shall consist of:
a. County Associations each having affiliated clubs, whose Constitution and Rules have been approved by Welsh Lawn Bowls.
b. Club’s affiliated to a County Association, provided that such clubs possess a green of Regulation size and approved Associate members.
3.Objectives:
a. The objectives of Welsh Lawn Bowls shall be to foster, promote and regulate the flat green outdoor game of Bowls in Wales in every legitimate way, and may adopt whatever measures it may deem expedient in furtherance of these objectives.
b. To protect and safeguard the welfare of children and adults at risk, entrusted to its care.
c. To promote a safe environment for everyone playing bowls, including children and vulnerable adults, underpinning and ensuring this commitment by following policies and procedures laid down by Welsh Lawn Bowls, in conjunction with Bowls Wales.
d. To arbitrate, where appropriate, on disputes between Counties, and if necessary, clubs and individuals. To interpret on questions of rules and practice referred by Counties, Clubs, and/or members, and act in matters of misconduct as set out and recommended by this Constitution and WLB. Rules.
e. To promote equal opportunities in the sport of Bowls.
f. To take all reasonable measurers to conform to the WLB. Anti-Doping Policy.
4. Membership & Subscriptions:
a. Welsh Lawn Bowls shall be open to all flat green outdoor clubs in Wales.
b. Application for membership to Welsh Lawn Bowls by a County Association shall be made to the Hon. Secretary and such an application shall give the names and addresses of its Officers the names and addresses of their affiliated clubs and respective Secretary and numbers in each affiliated club. Upon receipt of any application for membership, the Welsh Lawn Bowls, at their next meeting will decide whether such an application shall be granted. All clubs that apply must be a bona fide club that play on outdoor flat greens with banks and ditches as defined in the laws of the game.
c. A County may withdraw from the WLB. By giving written notice sent to the Hon. Secretary.
The County shall there by forfeit all rights and interests in the funds of the WLB. But shall remain liable for any money due at the time of withdrawal.
d. The annual subscription for the County Associations, Affiliated Clubs and Associate members
shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting. Registration fees and the bowling levy for affiliated clubs shall also be determined at the Annual General Meeting. All fees due shall be paid by 1st May each year.
e. Any County failing to pay fees by the set dates shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership, unless the Executive Committee is satisfied with the reasons for the delay.
f. No refunds of Affiliation Fees or Competition Fees shall be made.
5. Affiliation:
a. Each Affiliated Club shall be required to pay the Club Affiliation Fee which shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting each year and shall be paid to their County Association.
b. Each member of a Club shall pay an Annual Affiliation Fee.
c. The Treasurer of the County Association shall pay all Fees to the Welsh Lawn Bowls, no later than the 1st of June in each year.
6. Administration:
a. The Officers of the Welsh Lawn Bowls shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, 2 Assistant Secretaries and 2 Competition Secretaries, who will be elected annually.
b. The affairs of the Welsh Lawn Bowls shall be conducted by an Executive Committee consisting of the Officers and County delegates, normally the County Secretaries and the Safeguarding Officer, the Team Managers will attend by invitation only.
c. The quorum for an Executive Committee meeting shall be two Executive Officers plus seven others.
d. In the event of a vacancy occurring during a year, the Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt a replacement to serve until the next AGM.
e. The Emergency Committee will be convened to deal with urgent matters when it is not appropriate towait for a full Executive Committee meeting and shall have the power to make decisions that will be binding. This Committee shall consist of the following Officers, each with a power to vote.
President, Hon.Secretary, Hon.Treasurer, plus two other Executive members.
7. Offices and Committee:
a. The Welsh Lawn Bowls may appoint a Patron.
b. At each Annual General Meeting Welsh Lawn Bowls shall elect all Officers annually.
c. Nominations for any of the forgoing offices may be made by affiliated clubs through their County Associations, or directly by the County Associations. All nominations shall be receivedin writing to the Hon. Secretary at least 28 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting, and such names shall be stated in the notice of business for the meeting.
d. In the event of two or more nominations being made for any of the above-named offices the voting shallbe done by balloting, but no election shall be valid unless decided by a majority of the votes of the members present.
e. The President is only entitled to a casting vote at all meetings, unless otherwise specified.
f. As of December 2025, the Presidential Chain will be by nomination on a gender-based rota.
g. The Executive Committee shall have the power to give instructions to the Officers of Welsh Lawn Bowls, which they consider necessary to defend any action that may be brought against Welsh Lawn Bowls.
h. The period of office of the Team Manager shall be for four years and three years for the members of the Selection Committee. All positions will be reviewed annually.
The Team Managers four-year appointments cannot be successive.
i. The Team Manager and Selectors shall not be allowed to play in County Championship matches.
j. Applications for the Team Manager and Selection Committee posts to be addressed to the Hon. Secretary accompanied by a detailed C.V.
k. The Executive Committee shall meet as often as is deemed necessary, but at least three times a year.
l. The Executive Committee is responsible for conducting the ordinary business of Welsh Lawn Bowls and the budgetary control of the finances, in line with the Executive Committee Policies and Decisions.
m. The Executive Committee shall appoint all Sub Committees as and when necessary.
n. A Committee Chairperson shall have a deliberate and in case of equality, a casting vote at all meetings.
o. The Executive Committee may elect one Representative to serve on the World Bowls Board.
p. The Executive Committee shall appoint one of its members to act as Press and Information Officer.
q. The Executive Committee may appoint four members to serve on the B.I.B.C. two of which must be the Secretary and Treasurer, a maximum of two delegates shall be allowed to attend these meetings, with appointments being made annually.
r. Any affiliated club wishing to transfer from one County Association to another must have the permission of the executive.
8. General Meetings:
a. The Annual General Meetings shall be held during the first week in December of each year. 14 days’ notice shall be given of all General Meetings.
b. Each County Association, and other approved Associations and Clubs shall be entitled to send one representative to any General Meeting of the Welsh Lawn Bowls.
c. All Notices of Motions/Propositions must be submitted through the County Associations to the Hon. Secretary in writing, 28 days before an A.G.M.
9. Special General Meetings:
A special General Meeting may be called by the Executive Committee or at the request of a minimum of six County Associations. Such a requisition shall state the nature of the business to be brought forward. Upon its receipt the Hon. Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting. The notice of the meeting shall state the business for which it is called.
10. Life Members:
a. Life Membership may be awarded to members who have given exceptional service to Welsh Lawn Bowls over a minimum period of five years.
b. Life Members will not have voting rights unless an Office is held giving them the rights to vote and may if elected serve on any committee or sub-committee.
c. All nominations must be submitted to the Executive Committee who will reserve the right to recommend to the Annual General Meeting.
d. All nominations to be submitted to the Hon. Secretary before the first of September by the County and Club of the nominee.
e. Existing Life Members of the W.W.B.A. and W.B.A. will automatically be Life Members of Welsh Lawn Bowls.
11. Alteration of Constitution:
No alteration of, or addition to, this Constitution shall be made, except at the A.G.M. or at an S.G.M. called for that purpose. Ten days’ notice shall be given by the Hon. Secretary setting forth such alterations or additions, which shall be stated in the Notice for the Meeting and suchproposals shall be voted upon without any amendments there to.
12. Record of the Association and Treasurer Accounts:
a. The Hon. Secretary shall keep a record of all business transacted at, Executive and Committee Meetings and at each General Meeting, they shall submit a record of the year’s work.
b. The Hon. Treasurer shall present an account of the year’s income and expenditure duly audited by a qualified accountant, who is not a member of the Executive.
c. The Auditor shall be appointed by the Annual General Meeting of Welsh Lawn Bowls. The financial year shall end on the 30th of September. Copies of the report and accounts shall be sent to each club in the Association at least 10 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.
13. Laws of the Game:
The current World Bowls Limited code of Laws shall be binding on all Member Clubs of Welsh Lawn Bowls.
14. Open Tournaments:
Organisers of Open Tournaments must apply to Welsh Lawn Bowls for a licence and ensure that the tournament is conducted in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Executive. The application must be accompanied by an administration fee of £5.00 or as fixed by the Executive.
15. Appeals:
Should any dispute arise as to the meaning or interpretation of any of the World Bowls Limited Laws of the Game, or associated rules, by-laws, regulations and conditions, or in respect of any other matters of practise, right of privilege, coming within the jurisdiction of the Association, any one of the said parties to the said dispute may refer the same to the Association.
No references shall be entertained by the Executive unless the clubs concerned belong to Welsh Lawn Bowls and in personal disputes where the complainant is not a member of the clubs connected with it.
Such personal disputes must, however, be transmitted through a representative member.
The determination of all disputes so referred to Welsh Lawn Bowls shall be left to the Executive Committee for decision, the decision of the Executive shall be forwarded by the Hon. Secretary to all parties concerned.
Any club disregarding, refusing compliance with or acting in contravention of a decision given on any matter by the Executive may have its membership suspended or terminated, but such a club shall have the right of appeal to Welsh Lawn Bowls against any adverse decision, provided the appeal be signed by any of its office bearers, and lodged with the Hon. Secretary of the Executive with 21 days of the Executive decision. Such an appeal shall state the ground or grounds on which it is made.
16.Standing Orders:
At the General meeting and the Committee meetings, the mover of a motion, and not the mover of an amendment shall have the right to reply, immediately after which reply, the question shall be put, and a vote taken later. No other person shall be allowed to speak more than once on the same motion, unless permission to explain is given by the President or in exceptional circumstances by consent of three-quarters of those voting. The mover of the motion, when exercising his right to reply shall not introduce new matters but confine his reply to questions raised in the decision. The seconder of a motion or amendment may do so formally and exercise his right to speak at a later period of the discussion. A direct negative to a motion is not a legitimate amendment. All amendments must be relevant to the motion under discussion. If an amendment be negative then another amendment may be moved to the motion under discussion, but only one amendment shall be submitted to the meeting at one time.
No member shall be permitted to move more than one amendment upon the same motion. Any member who has not already spoken may move that the question be put, and on this being seconded by a like member.
The President must take a vote and if carried, the discussion ceases, and after the mover of the motion has replied, the vote must be taken. When a motion has been submitted “that the question be now put” and a negative it shall not be permissible for the same person to again move a similar motion on the same question, and no similar motion shall be moved by any other person until a period of 10 minutes shall have elapsed from the former vote. No motion on any other matter not arising out of a report to the Executive shall be considered at any General Meeting unless specified on the agenda.
All sub-committees must have a quorum of 50% of the voting members present.
ADDENDUM.
2.b Associate Members.
These are usually groups of bowlers that are not members of county association and do not play in recognised leagues.
Examples, The Barbarians Bowling Association, Merthyr and District Bowling League, City & County of Swansea Bowling Association.
They are not entitled to a vote.
4.d Bowling Levy.
This is the levy each member pays when they enter county tournaments and is set annually by the Executive Committee.
8.0 Other Approved Associations.
This is groups such as the Welsh Bowls Umpires Association, The Welsh Coaching Association or Welsh Indoor Bowls.
They are allowed to send a delegate to our meeting but are not entitled to vote.
APPENDIX A.
TEAM SELECTION.
The selection committees shall be appointed by the Executive Committee, and shall consist of: -
• A Ladies Team Manager and up to six selectors.
• A Men’s Team Manager and up to six selectors.
Any member of the Executive Committee seeking an appointment to the selection committee must declare an interest and take no part in the proposals.
The President or in their absence the Vice President will chair the selection committee meetings, the Secretary or in their absence the Assistant Secretary will be expected to attend the meetings.
Neither of them will have voting rights.
