Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Management Rules (Last updated 1/2/26 – changes in bold)
NAME OF LEAGUE
1. The league shall be known as the Shropshire Premier Bowling League with a proviso that at the discretion of the Management Committee the addition of any sponsors name can be included in its title.
2. The league shall consist of 14 clubs, who play each other home and away. If a team pulls out between the last game of the previous season and the March Meeting, then the Management Committee will ask the losing team in the previous Playoff if they would like to take the place. If there was no playoff, then the Management Committee decide on any suitable teams that could enter, and a vote taken by the current member clubs on whether to allow a club in or not. If a team pulls out after the March Meeting, then they must pay the affiliation fee to the league. If a team pulls out during the season, they must pay at least half of their match fees.
3. All clubs in the league, as well as any invited clubs to our competitions, shall abide and follow our Code of Conduct.
4. The League aims to:
- Organise and promote competitive Crown Green Bowling between member clubs.
- Promote participation across the whole community, regardless of age, background, or ability.
- Ensure a duty of care and a safe playing environment for all participants.
- Enforce consistent safeguarding, disciplinary, and membership standards in line with BCGBA guidance.
- Support member clubs with governance, welfare, and dispute resolution.
OFFICERS/MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
5. The officers of the league shall be its President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Meetings Secretary, Treasurer, Fixtures Secretary, Competitions Secretary and Webmaster. These officers will form the Management Committee. The Management Committee shall consist of at least five members at all times. The following officers will be paid honorarium: Chairman, Meetings Secretary, Treasurer, Fixtures Secretary, Competitions Secretary and Webmaster. This will be determined at the AGM, with any increase being based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) at the time of the AGM.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
6. The executive committee shall comprise of the Management Committee and one delegate from each of the clubs affiliated to the league.
This committee shall meet in March and October of each year and on such other occasions as may become necessary at the discretion of the Management Committee.
It shall be compulsory for each affiliated club to send a representative, who is a member of their club, to serve on the Executive Committee for each meeting.
FEES
7. All clubs shall pay an affiliation fee of £75 per year and thereafter such annual fees as may be decided at the Annual General Meeting.
All clubs shall pay £2 per player per match fees.
These fees shall be paid to the Treasurer in two instalments each year the first by the 1st May and the second by the 1st October.
Any club not paying the fees by the due date shall be fined £25.
Any alteration in player’s fees shall also be decided at the Annual General Meeting.
DATES TIMES AND NOTICE OF MEETINGS
8. Executive committee meetings shall be held on the third Tuesday in March and October respectively. Notice of meetings shall be given to each club 7 days prior to the meeting accompanied by a copy of the minutes of the previous meeting’s agenda together with copies of any correspondence to be discussed.
The Annual General Meeting will be held on the third Tuesday in January each year when the officers of the League shall be elected to serve for the ensuing year.
At this meeting representatives will be appointed to serve on any outside bodies and Auditors appointed. An audited statement of accounts of the Leagues financial position will be presented and any rule changes if any will be made. Any club failing to attend in person to the Annual General Meeting shall pay a fine of £30 to the League and £15 for failing to attend an Executive Meeting.
A quorum for all meetings shall be at least two thirds of clubs in the league.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
9. An extraordinary general meeting may be called by the Management Committee at the request of a minimum of two thirds of those clubs registered with the League provided that 7 days notice is given to the Management Committee who shall then arrange for a meeting to be held within 14 days of receipt of such request. It can also be called on request of two thirds of the Management Committee.
Only business stated in the request will be discussed at the meeting.
ALTERATION TO RULES
10. Any rule changes can only be made at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting (as called above). Proposals to make any alterations to the rules (other than those proposed by the Management Committee) shall be given in writing to the Meetings Secretary at least 28 days prior to the meeting for an AGM or 14 days for an EGM.
VOTING
11. Any resolution duly proposed and seconded and accepted by the Chairman of the Meeting shall be carried by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote. Any resolution proposed by the League Management Committee does not need to be seconded and shall be carried by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote. If a vote is tied, the resolution will be defeated.
Any bowler registered with the league may attend and at the discretion of the Chairman speak at any meeting. Officers of the league are not entitled to vote.
ACCOUNTS
12. League funds shall be held in a dedicated back account with two signatories.
All income and expenditure will be recorded annually and audited by the league auditor before the AGM.
An audited statement of accounts of the Leagues financial position will be presented at the AGM along with a report.
Proposed accounts will be presented at the March Meeting along with proposed prize money for the year ahead which will be agreed upon for the league and its team competitions. If a team pulls out after the March Meeting then the Management Committee has the right to change any prize money in accordance with the reduced income.
Estimated Accounts will be presented at the October meeting based on the income and expenditure up till that date.
PLAY OFF
13. In the event of a team wishing to join the League, the team finishing bottom in each season will take part in a play off with any team from within the County Association who have won their respective first division league and whose green they have won the league on must have floodlights. Where the application is from a club whose green is located outside the Shropshire county boundary, the application will only be considered if the club is solely affiliated to the Shropshire County Bowling Association and they have been affiliated for a minimum period of 10 years. Applications must be made by the 20th September.
Where more than one team wishes to join the League then the Management Committee shall arrange a date and venue for those teams to play against each other to determine who shall go forward to play against the team finishing bottom of the League. Teams must be submitted for these games to the league secretary at least 24 hours before the match.
If there is only one application to join the League then that team will automatically play against the team finishing bottom of the League. This play off match will be decided by a single match played at a neutral venue on the first Friday in October (or such other date as may be decided by the Management Committee). Teams must be submitted for this game to the league secretary at least 24 hours before the match.
The match will comprise 12 games of 21 up with the winners to be decided by overall aggregate. In the event of a tie then four players who competed in the match will play again up to 11 and the play off place will be awarded to the team whose players combined have the highest number of aggregate points. If there is another tie, the process is continued with the same players playing each other again in the same format until a team scores the highest number of aggregate points and is awarded a playoff place.
Any club wishing to participate in a play off must nominate the league they are applying from. Players must have played 6 league games from that league for the club on the same primary fixture night in the league they have nominated. These players must have not played in any premier league game that season.
Premier league clubs can select players who have played 6 Premier League games or played 6 other league games on a Friday night, or a combination of both.
If neither team can provide a full complement of players, they will give a game away 21-0 per absent player.
PRESENTATION EVENING
14. Suitable Premier League venues (i.e. with two greens) that want to host the Pool A&B Competition will be put onto a rota and selected in order for each season. If a club is unable to host the event when it is their turn, then their turn will go to the next club in line. Once a club hosts the event, then they will go to the end of the rota. Any new suitable Premier League Venues will be added to the end of the rota.
LEAGUE COMPETITIONS
15. All member clubs must make their green available for League competitions, unless there are valid reasons (i.e green maintenance).
If the reason is considered by the League Executive insufficient, then members/players from that club will be ineligible to enter that particular competition.
All players registered with a premier league club, or a club or clubs invited by the management committee, are allowed to enter individual league competitions.
Any club that holds an individual competition will be paid £15 for a qualifier and £20 for a final. All referees will be paid £40 and all measurers £20.
DATA PROTECTION (GDPR)
16. The League will collect and store data in line with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Personal data will only be used for league administration, safeguarding, and governance. Clubs must inform the League of any changes to contact details and confirm their contact details for that year before 1st March.
PHOTOGRAPHY & MEDIA
17. The League will publish images on their website and social media unless consent has not been given by clubs or individuals. The League will not publish any images of juniors without prior parental consent.
DISSOLUTION
18. In the event of League dissolution, any remaining funds shall be transferred to the SCGBA or a recognised bowls development body. A resolution to dissolve the League requires a three-quarters majority of all member clubs.
OTHER
19. Any matters not provided for in the above rules, and not covered in our Competition or Management Rules, shall be dealt with by the Management Committee, whose decision shall be final.