Removing A Member From A Club

[HaizeyDays]

I am on the committee of a small informal bridge club. We have a member about whom a number of other members have complained, and we have to ultimately consider their removal (it is unlikely that the situation can be improved).

The club has no constitution or disciplinary procedure - this has never been necessary, and so I am wondering how best to proceed.

We charge a membership fee per year to fund the running of the club, which we would be happy to refund in full.

What kind of legal position will the committee be in if the member does not accept his expulsion? What do we need to consider?

[IJKLM]

One suspects that the member in question is of the 'difficult' variety.

Maybe you and the rest of the committee should develop some amendments to the rules & constitution, setting out a procedure for the removal of a member.

It doesn't have to be modelled on dismissing a person from employment.

You can simply say something like, “OurClub reserves the right to accept, refuse, or revoke Membership without cause.”

Depending on how your existing constitution is written (you do have one of those, don't you?), you may need to get the rest of the membership to vote on the change to the constitution.

This might help:
https://www.bivio.com/crowriver/file/Public/Webpages/Wrong%20Member.pdf

Alternatively, (from an online community perspective):
https://www.themembershipguys.com/dealing-with-difficult-members/

[Zacs-Master]

Can't you simply tell them their not welcome anymore following a number of complaints. And then exclude them from any matches (rubbers?)?. You don't need a constitution.

[Zacs-Master]

'they're'in my post. Sorry.

(before i started using answerbank I could use They're / Their and There perfectly)

[Peter Pedant]

Legal position - I dont think you have one to be honest

there are books on this

The law of clubs: with a note on unincorporated associations,1969
by Josling, J. F. Alexander, Lionel,
Hardcover

Club Law ManualApr 30, 2011
by Kerry Barker

I think no 1 is the one I read thirty y ago

You have a contract by the way - so the contributing member has contractual rights - but what are they ?
certainly to fair treatment if he is gonna be chucked out

so you need to warn him for a start

Now if you need to do that you could turn it into a nice cozy chat,
and work in ... that you dont have to accept his next years contribution.... and then he isnt a member anymore.

Raising a constitution whilst he is a member and the chucking him out under it .... I think is fraught with problems.

( how do I know all this, as an ex pen pushing doo dah?
someone ran away with all our thruppences in 1990 and took the account books with him!)

[Peter Pedant]

eek and oh remember
as an unicorporated association
all the members are liable for legal costs and charges
( but not jointly, in common as far as I can recollect)

[Maydup]

This is a simple informal bridge club which shouldnt be troubled with legal issues or constitutions. Its probably not even affiliated to the EBU, English Bridge Union, and should take fair but firm action to warn a member against inappropriate behaviour and ultimately refuse their membership if they dont improve.

The only laws that can affect you are those of discrimination. Be sure that the complaints are genuine and not based on prejudice against, age, race, gender, sexual orientation etc, and you will be fine.

Going forward you might create a very short form that describes the rules of the club for new members. It would be reassuring for you should the situation arise again. Which is probably will, as bridge players are competitive people and there's often one who takes that out on other members who they consider less able or committed when they accidently revoke or lead away from an ace!

[Maydup]

Here's are link to a suitable document to use as your guidelines for members.

http://www.ebu.co.uk/documents/laws-and-ethics/articles/best-behaviour-at-bridge.pdf