SOUTHPORT & FORMBY QUIZ LEAGUE
CONSTITUTION (1992)
1. Introduction.
1.1 The body shall be titled the Southport & Formby Quiz League.
1.2 Southport & Formby Quiz League shall consist of those teams which have met the stipulated affiliation requirements.
1.3 Southport & Formby Quiz League is a member of the Merseyside Quiz League (MQL) and shall be subject to MQL rules.
2. General Meetings.
2.1 Southport & Formby Quiz League shall be governed by a General Meeting comprising those teams which are at the time affiliated to the League. There shall be at least one General Meeting per year, the Annual General Meeting.
2.2 A General Meeting shall have the following powers:
a) set local registration fees and fees for competitions organised by the League;
b) establish or adopt local rules, provided these do not conflict with MQL rules;
c) elect the officers of the League and an Executive Committee;
d) receive reports from the Officers and Committee on the conduct of League affairs;
e) nominate charities to benefit from League fund-raising activities;
f) amend the Constitution.
2.3 Each team of the League may be represented and speak at the General Meeting, but not more than 5 members of each team shall have the right to vote.
2.4 The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 20 members, drawn from at least one quarter of the teams of the league.
2.5 All votes at the General Meeting shall be carried by a simple majority of those attending and voting, with the exception of amendments to the constitution which shall require a two thirds majority. A casting vote shall be vested in the Chair.
2.6 General Meetings may be called by the Executive Committee which shall give teams a minimum of 28 days notice. They may also be called at the request of not less than 5 teams notified in writing to the General Secretary.
2.7 Teams wishing to put forward proposals to a General Meeting shall submit them in writing to the General Secretary not less than 14 days before the meeting.
2.8 Nominations of candidates for election as Officers or members of the Committee may be made to the General Secretary before and up to the time the elections take place.
3. Executive Committee.
3.1 The executive powers of the League shall be exercised by a Committee elected by the General Meeting and comprising, a Chair, a Vice-chair, a General Secretary, a Treasurer, a Public Relations officer, a Registrations and Fixtures Secretary, a Secretary for each Division and up to 8 ordinary members. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members at any time.
3.2 All members of the Committee shall serve for one year but will be eligible for re-election at the subsequent Annual General Meeting
3.3 The Committee shall be responsible for the general organisation and playing arrangements of Southport & Formby Quiz League fixtures.
3.4 The Committee shall set a Final Registration Date each year. In order to affiliate to the League, all teams must submit a completed registration form and the appropriate fee, and must have submitted their team questions by the due date.
3.5 The Committee shall be responsible for the representation of the League at any MQL or other external competitions.
3.6 The Committee shall have the power to set Local Rules governing Southport & Formby Quiz League fixtures (providing that these are not in conflict with MQL rules), and to set fines or other penalties where these are not adhered to. However such rules must be brought forward at the next General Meeting for approval.
3.7 The Committee shall be responsible for keeping member teams informed of any rule changes, fixture changes, competition deadlines and other matters of relevance to the League.
3.8 The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees to assist with effective running of the League and shall set their composition and delegated powers. Any vacancy arising during their term of office may be filled by co-option by the Committee.
3.9 The Committee, or an appointed sub-committee, shall hear any protest arising from local league matches, and its decision shall be final.
3.10 The Committee shall have the power to open bank on building society accounts to hold the funds of the League. All monies drawn on such accounts shall require the signature of one of two nominated officers.
3.11 The Committee shall meet not less than 3 times per year. The General Secretary shall give at least 7 days notice of each meeting. Extra-ordinary Committee Meetings may be called by 4 Committee Members submitting a request in writing to the General Secretary, or Chair or Vice-chair.
3.12 The quorum for a Committee Meeting shall be 5 members representing at least 3 teams.
SOUTHPORT & FORMBY QUIZ LEAGUE
LOCAL RULES/PROCEDURES - These are in addition to the rules of MQL
1. Fines for late scoresheets: The fine for the first offence is £2. Divisional Secretaries are empowered to increase the level of fines for second and subsequent scoresheets. (Jan 91)
2. New teams must join lowest division (Jan 76)
3. Each team must have its own secretary (Mar 75)
4. Top two in Division 2 must accept promotion - relegation as necessary, not automatic (Apr 80)
5. Where 2 or more teams are tied for a decisive league position then this be resolved in the first instance by results against each other. Failing that the following sequence would apply – points difference, points total, play-off. (AGM 2016)
6. Don Standing & Handicap Cups to be played at end of league season.
7. An entry fee is charged for MIMIR individual competition (Jan 90) - (Currently £l)
8. Teams which fail to fulfil a fixture without, in the opinion of the committee, good reason will be subject to a £6 fine. (Apr 96)
9. Teams who fail to submit their questions by the 30th November deadline will be fined at a rate of £2 for each month, or part thereof, late. (Apr 96)
10. Postponement and Rearrangement of Fixtures (Apr 01)
Teams are expected to make every effort to fulfil fixtures as scheduled; deviations from the published fixture list are discouraged.
10.1 Emergency Situations
If emergency or unforeseeable circumstances arise which cause late cancellation of a match, arrangements to play the match at a subsequent date should be made as soon as possible following consultation between the teams involved and the Divisional Secretary.
10.2 Postponement of Matches
Teams may request postponement of a match in a situation where significant difficulty is experienced in fulfilling the fixture. Such a request will not be granted without both:-
i) the agreement of the opposing team, and
ii) the approval of the Divisional Secretary
The request must be conveyed to the specified individuals not less than 5 days prior to the match in question.
Unless both (i) and (ii) are obtained, the team requesting postponement will be required either to fulfil the fixture on the scheduled date, or to concede the match to their opponents. If both (i) and (ii) are obtained, definite arrangements to play the match must be made at the time of the original negotiations, and the Divisional Secretary must be made aware of these arrangements.
No team may make more than two such applications in a playing season; any unsuccessful application shall count towards these two.
No postponements will be allowed in local knock-out competitions.
10.3 Switching of Matches between Monday and Tuesday in a given week
Except that the number of requests for such a switch shall not necessarily be restricted to two, all the criteria of 10.2 shall apply.
11. ‘If there is to be more than one division in the Southport & Formby League, then all divisions should, as far as possible, be of equal size.’ (AGM 2003)
12. ‘Protests arising from local league matches will be heard within 14 days of their receipt.’ (May 2003)