Constitution & Bye-Laws
Constitution
1. Title the Association shall be called the West Fife Bowling Association.
2. Object To promote and foster the flat green game of bowls among the Bowling Clubs
affiliated to the ASSOCIATION according to the Laws of the Game as defined by the
INTERNATIONAL BOWLING BOARD.
3. Membership of the ASSOCIATION shall consist of those clubs already in membership at
AGM January 1978 together with such clubs as are subsequently elected to membership at
an ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.
4. Administration
a) The affairs of the ASSOCIATION shall be conducted by a Council,
which shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary/Secretaries, Honorary
Treasurer, and nine members, all of whom shall be elected at the AGM. The
Immediate Past President shall automatically remain a member of Council for the years
following his years as President.
b) The President, failing whom the Vice-President shall preside at all
meetings, in their absence, the Members present shall elect a Chairman
c) The Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to a deliberative
vote.
d) Seven members shall form a quorum at all meetings of the Council.
e) The Council shall have the power to co-opt a member to fill any
vacancy, or to appoint such Sub-Committee as deemed necessary.
f) No West Fife Councilor shall be permitted to take up office with another
Cities and Counties Association.
5. Meetings
a) The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING shall be held on the first Tuesday in
December, or on a date as Specified by the Council provided the necessary 14-day notice is
given.
b) The Secretary’s Report and a Statement of the Finances of the
ASSOCIATION, duly audited, shall be presented at the AGM.
c) The Secretary shall give 14 days’ notice to all Clubs in the ASSOCIATION, of
the date and venue for the AGM, and shall provide an agenda of the business to be
conducted. Any proposals, which it is intended, should be in the Agenda, must be in the
hands of the Secretary by 15th September preceding the date of the AGM and should be
signed by the President or the Secretary of the proposing club.
d) A Special General Meeting shall be convened:
1) At any time by the President of the Association
2) Within 14 days of receipt, by the Secretary, of a written request signed by at
least one third of clubs in the ASSOCIATION. THE REASON FOR THE MEETING MUST
BE GIVEN. No other business shall be conducted at the meeting.
6. Representation
At the AGM or SGM, each club in the ASSOCIATION shall be represented by
TWO representatives on the floor, each of whom shall have the power to vote.
7. Finances
Each CLUB shall pay before the 14th of February, annually, an affiliation fee,
the amount of which will be decided at the AGM. The AGM shall also determine the amount
of the ENTRY FEE for the Competitions promoted by the ASSOCIATION. The accounts of
the ASSOCIATION shall be made up to the 15th October each year.
8. General
a) Alterations and additions to the Foregoing Constitution shall only be made at an
AGM or SGM convened for the purpose. A two-thirds Majority of those present shall be
required to effect any change.
b) Any matter not covered by this Constitution, or any question as to the
interpretation shall be decided by the Council.
c) Any player picked for Hamilton Trophy representation and not turning up
without good reason is banned for 3 games.
d) West Fife Councillors should make a reasonable attempt to attend the majority
of Hamilton Trophy games and Council meetings. Failure to do so may result in expulsion
from the council.
9. Competitions
a) The Council or Sub-Committee duly appointed, shall be responsible for the
organisation of the all-County competitions: -
b) Such other competitions or Friendly games as may appear desirable.
c) No club shall be allowed to participate in any of the competitions organised by
the WFBA until such fees have been paid.
d) All competitions shall be played in accordance with the rules of Bowls Scotland except
where stated, with substitution for County Championships following the Bowls Scotland rule 6c i.e.
“second stage” pre-2018 change
e) All players shall be dressed in greys/black and predominantly white tops for all external competitions, or
Official club colours. Players not adhering to this will not be permitted to participate
f) A THREE-YEAR SUSPENSION from WFBA Competitions for player(s) who fail
to turn up for semi-final or Final games of WFBA competitions, because they had entered
other competitions and had elected to play in those.
g) Any FINALIST failing to appear for the Final, and its presentation for any reason other than ill health
or Bereavement will forfeit the right to any prizes that may have been awarded.
h) All trophies are to be returned to the ASSOCIATION SECRETARY not less
than TWO WEEKS before the final is to be played.
i) Should there be dual qualification for League Finals day, and with the addition
of the Under 21 singles and Senior Singles, games shall be played at 12.00pm then 2.30pm
as required.
j) No player can represent 2 clubs in West Fife competition in any one season. The first club played for will be the club of choice for that season.
Also, a player who has played for any other club in another Association in "QUALIFICATION"
of a "NATIONAL COMPETITION" I.e. Scottish, Top 5 singles and Top 10 cannot represent a West Fife club
in those aforementioned competitions. Penalty will be disqualification if a
knockout competition or loss of points if a league competition.***
Note 1 – If a game is postponed because of bad weather, the game is to be played by the
end of the following week, or should it be the last match of the season by the Friday of the
same week. In the event of the date of a re-arranged game not being acceptable to both
teams the WFBA COUNCIL to set a date.
NOTE: All entry forms are to be returned to the Association Secretary by 31st January or a date as specified by the Council.
Up to and including AGM Dec 2019
*** updated at E.G.M. Tues 7th June 2022
BYE LAWS
a) Clubs not appearing for a League Match must give 48 hours’ notice to the Club
concerned, and inform the Association Secretary or other Member of the Council (with a
letter to the association secretary) The points shall be forfeited and the loss of 24 shots.
Failure to comply with this may result in the club being suspended from the League the
following season and fined.
b) Club Secretaries are responsible for sending SCORES / CARDS to the
Association Secretary immediately after the competition.
b) The County Championships
¨ The HUSBAND TROPHY (Single-hand) 21 shots
¨ The GARDINER PAIRS TROPHY 17 ends.
¨ The SCOTCASTLE TRIPLES TROPHY 15 ends
¨ The PEACE RINK TROPHY 17 ends
¨ UNDER 25 SINGLE-HAND tournament 21 shots.
¨ A SYME MEMORIAL TROPHY (Senior Fours) 15 ends to be played Friday afternoons
at 2.00pm with exception of Final.
d) The LEAGUE competition (3 Full Rinks*) games to start at 6.30pm on
Wednesdays. Playing for 2 points per rink plus 1 point** for overall shots17 ends with 1 trial end FINAL to be played on the last Saturday in August or a date determined by the Council.
Should a team not have a full complement of players then 1 rink shall concede 2pts + 8 shots
to their opponents and the other 2 rinks shall compete unchanged for the remaining points.
* Teams can on a maximum of twice play with 11 players, with the rink playing with 3 players losing 25% of their score.
** Should a team not have the minimum of 11 players or are playing with 11 players for a 3rd time, or more will forfeit the right to winning the bonus point awarded for overall shots. The team playing with a full compliment of players must earn the right to attain the bonus point for overall shots.
d.1) league to be divided into 3 divisions of 7/8 teams and play each other home and
away. The original League Trophy going to the winner of Division 1 with Trophies to both
winners of Division 2 and 3.
LEAGUE CUP competition (3 Full Rinks) shall be competed for by the top 4 teams from
Division 1 + the top 2 teams of both Division 2 and 3 in an open draw for quarter and
Semi-finals with the final being played at a predetermined green on the last Saturday in
August or a date as deemed by the Council.
e) The WILLIAM BABB MEMORIAL TROPHY, a full rink* competition – 15 ends:
for Men over 55 years, to be played Tuesday afternoons at 2.00pm. Clubs may enter up to as many
rinks as there are sections players from one rink are not eligible to play for any other rink. Clubs failing to appear
shall forfeit the points and lose 8 shots (See note 1)
*Teams can, on a maximum of twice, play with 3 players. In doing so that team will lose 25% of their score.
f) Clubs not returning results to the Secretary shall receive a written warning; any
further discrepancies could lead to a fine as decided by the council.
g) The CARNEGIE TROPHY (3 Rinks) 21 ends. To be played annually on the
fourth Saturday in June, OR ON A DIFFERENT DATE AS SET BY THE COUNCIL games to
start at 2.30pm. In the event of bad weather, minimum number of ends is 11, with all scores
being taken at 11 ends.
h) The CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS competition. Clubs to inform the Association
secretary by the 31ST JANUARY, or a date as decided by the Council of their intention to enter their CLUB
CHAMPION including the name of your club's participant. Substitution of the runner up will be allowed if the club
champion is unavailable to play from the first round. Final to be played the last Saturday in
August or on a date predetermined by the Council
i) The TOP TEN Competition. The team to consist of a Single-hand, a Pair, a
Triple and a Rink. The team drawn first will be deemed to be the home team, all games
played on the Green as drawn at the outset of the competition with rinks, having been
chosen by the home club be drawn on the day of the game with both teams being present . If each team wins two games
within the tie, the total shots to be taken to decide the winner, if the shots are equal, the
winner of the Single-hand takes the tie. Overall winner shall represent West Fife in the
Scottish Top Ten the following season.
j) Any player taking ill during the Top Ten Tournament can be substituted if a
player was available, but if no player was available and the player was in the team who were
winning then that team would get 2pts and 8 shots. If the player taken ill was in the team
who were losing or drawing then the other team would receive the 2 pts and the score if
more than 8 up, or 8 shots if the score was less.
j.1) Should there be no substitute available due to a player falling ill then that particular
team shall forfeit the points for that game.
j.2) The TOP FIVE Competition. The team shall consist of five Single hand players. The
team drawn first will be deemed to be the home team, all games played on the Green as
drawn at the outset of the competition with rinks, having been chosen by the home club be
drawn on the day of the game with both teams being present. Overall winner shall represent West Fife in the Scottish Top
Five competition the following season. Only full complement of players can compete, should
a player/ or player fall ill or are unable to complete their game that particular game shall be
forfeited to their opponents.
k) SENIOR TOP NINE tournament be run for over 55’s Teams shall consist of
pairs and fours playing 15 ends and a triple playing 13 ends.
l) The UNDER 25 championship - A one day play down at a date set by the council shall take place to decide the 2
finalists. under 25 players shall be eligible to take part in this and 1 other County Championship discipline. Should dual
qualification happen then the Under 25 final will take place during League Finals Day
As at and including AGM Dec 2023
