BISHOP’S STORTFORD LAWN TENNIS CLUB
Constitution and Rules
Constitution
1. The Club shall be called the Bishop’s Stortford Lawn Tennis Club.
2. The main purposes of the club are to provide tennis facilities for, and to promote participation in the amateur sport of Tennis in Bishops Stortford. This also includes the promotion of social, competition and league tennis, and social and other functions, for the benefit of members
3. The Club shall be managed by a General Committee of members, and the General Committee shall consist of the following Officers, Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and five to ten senior members of the Club including the Trust Directors nominated by the Tennis Club.
4. The General Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and, subject to termination of office by resignation or otherwise, shall remain in office until their successors are elected at the A.G.M next following their appointment. .
Any Officer of the Club or Trust Director not performing his or her core duties can be voted off the committee at any time by a simple majority. The General Committee shall have power to fill any vacancy occurring between A.G.M.s by majority vote of a General Committee meeting at which a quorum is present.
A list seeking nominations for the Officers and Members of the General Committee shall be published on the Club’s notice-board at least two weeks before the A.G.M. The list shall be closed seven days prior to the A.G.M. If there are sufficient nominations the election of officers and members shall only be made from the nomination list. It there are insufficient nominations for each position, the Chairman of the A.G.M is empowered to accept further nominations at the A.G.M.
If there are still insufficient nominations, the Chairman of the Club is empowered to co-opt further members to the General Committee up to the minimum number specified in Clause 3
The Officers and Members of the retiring General Committee shall be eligible for re-election.
The appointment of the President & vice Presidents of the club shall be at the discretion of the committee
The General Committee shall have power to co-opt other members for specific duties; these members shall not be members of the committee.
A Men’s Captain and a Ladies’ Captain shall be elected at the A.G.M. and become members of the committee
5. The Chairman shall preside at General Meetings and General Committee Meetings of the Club. If absent, those members present shall elect a Chairman from amongst themselves. The chairman of a meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tied vote.
At General Meetings twenty senior members are required to form a quorum. At General Committee Meetings five members, including at least one Officer, are required to form a quorum.
All members aged 18 & above are entitled to vote at General Meetings.
The accidental omission to send the prescribed notice of a General Meeting to a member in time shall not invalidate the proceedings of the meeting.
Members entitled to vote at a General Meeting may vote by proxy, submitted in writing, if unable to attend in person. They should apply to the Secretary for a proxy form.
6. The Annual General Meeting shall comprise the Chairman’s report, consideration and adoption of the accounts, the election of the Officers and the Members of the General Committee and the consideration and adoption of subscription rates and entrance fees for the ensuing Club year.
The financial year shall end on 30th September and the A.G.M. shall be held as soon as practicable thereafter and no later than 30th November each year.
The notice of the A.G.M. shall be posted on the Club notice-board not less than 14 days before the date of the meeting and shall include a detailed statement of proposed subscription and entrance rates for the ensuing year.
An statement of accounts and a budgetary statement shall be posted on the website and circulated via e-mail at least 14 days prior to the A.G.M. Copies shall be made available to any senior member on request.
A simple majority of members voting shall be sufficient to carry any resolution at the A.G.M into effect. Resolutions at AGM’s require a proposer and seconder and must be published at least 7 days prior to the AGM
7. The General Committee may convene a Special General Meeting on giving not less than 14 days notice to members, specifying the business to be transacted, and must convene a Special General Meeting it requested to do so in writing by at least 12 senior members of the Club, the meeting to be held within 28 days of receipt of such request.
At Special General Meetings only the specific business for which the meeting has been convened may be transacted. Resolutions to be put to such meetings shall be included in the notice of the meeting and amendments shall not be put to the vote unless received in writing by the General Committee at least 7 days before the date of the meeting. A simple majority of senior members voting shall be sufficient to pass an amendment or carry any resolution at a Special General Meeting into effect.
8. The Club is a constituent member of the Bishop’s Storttord Sports Trust Ltd. Its relationship to the Trust is defined in the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Trust. Members of the Club are eligible to be candidates for individual membership of the Trust. Each constituent Club in the Trust is required to be managed by a management committee which in the case of the Tennis Club is the General Committee.
The Tennis Club is entitled to nominate members for election to the Board of the Trust. The General Committee shall nominate up to two eligible members for election as Directors at the A.G.M. of the Trust. The General Committee shall also nominate one or two members for election to the Wine Committee of the Trust.
In line with Clause 63 of the Trust’s Articles of Association the Trust has powers to charge an annual levy to constituent clubs. The amount of such levy shall not be increased by an amount more than 5% above the amount paid in the previous year unless the Chairman of all clubs agree unanimously to a higher level.
The constituent clubs are entitled to such services from the Trust as may be agreed from time to time.
Individual members are entitled to use the Bar and premises of the Trust in accordance with the rules of the Trust at the time.
9. This constitution and accompanying set of rules are binding on all members of the Lawn Tennis Club. Application for membership shall be deemed to be acceptance of obligations under the constitution and rules.
10. The General Committee shall have the following powers exercisable through a simple majority:
(a) To borrow and raise money in such manner as the General Committee may
think fit
(b) To mortgage sell manage lease dispose of and otherwise deal with all or
any part of the legal and beneficial property of the Club
(c) To purchase take on lease or in exchange hire or otherwise acquire
property which may be deemed necessary or convenient for any purpose of the Club
(d) To invest the money of the Club not immediately required for its purposes
in or upon such investments securities or property as may be thought fit
(e) To do all such other lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the
attainment of the above powers or any of them”
11. If upon dissolution of the Club, any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to another registered CASC, a registered charity or the sports governing body for use by them in related community sports.
12. This constitution may be amended only by a Special General Meeting of the Club.
Rules
1. Subscriptions
Annual subscriptions will be paid on joining the Club and are valid from 12 months from the date of the first subscription. Thereafter payment is due on the anniversary.
The membership subscription categories, annual subscription rates and the entrance fee for new members for the ensuing Club year shall be fixed at the A.G.M.
Any member who has not paid within one month shall not use the Club’s facilities until the subscription has been paid.
The General Committee has discretion to apply a surcharge to any member that has not paid their subscriptions within the due date. The General Committee is required to call an SGM if they believe there is a need to alter subscription rates during the financial year because the club is suffering from a financial shortfall.
2. Membership
Membership of the club shall be open to anyone interested in Tennis on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
The club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.
The Club Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members.
The following categories of membership are available:-
(a) Full Senior
All full playing members aged 26 and over
(b) Full Senior Couple
Adult Couples over 26
(c) Full Family
Parents & juniors up to the age of 17
(d) Parent
Limited to Parents of juniors and playing times as per Adult Off-Peak
(e) Young Person Ages 18-25
(f) Junior
12-17
7-11
Under 7
(h) Temporary
Open to members of any age for a stated period not exceeding three months in any club year. Includes Summer Membership
Members of visiting teams shall be honorary members of the club on the day of their match.
(i) Non-playing
Only senior members shall possess unqualified right to the full facilities of the Club.
3. New members.
Every candidate for membership of the Club shall apply by submitting a copy of the Club’s membership application form, duly completed, to the Membership Secretary.
Election of members shall be made by the General Committee who shall have power to refuse any application without giving a reason.
The Membership Secretary shall notify provide new members with a membership card, a welcome pack and a copy of the club’s constitution
4. Playing rules
The General Committee or, at its discretion, a sub-committee set up for that purpose, shall determine playing rules, court usage and allocations and shall put up notices informing members of the current arrangements.
Except at times or occasions permitted by the Committee, no players shall occupy a court for more than one short set plus tie-break at 5-all, or one half-hour of practice play, or commence a set of singles, if others entitled to play are waiting to play and no other court is available.
Junior members may be restricted in their use of the courts by any member of the General Committee when conditions require it.
5. Visitors
Members are entitled to introduce guests for play. The member must arrange payment to the Club Treasurer of the appropriate charge. The member is responsible for the behaviour and attire of the guest.
No person shall play as a visitor on more than three occasions in any Club year.
6. Dress
No-one shall play on any of the courts in shoes other than non-marking flat-soled tennis shoes without heels. This is for the protection of the courts. Members disregarding this rule will be turned off the courts and be banned from the Club if the offence is repeated.
Recognised tennis attire shall be worn when playing.
During warm-up and in inclement weather protective clothing may be worn but it must be of a kind generally recognised as tennis wear.
7. Behaviour
Members should behave at all times with due regard for other members and for the care of the courts, premises and grounds. They must keep off the court area except when playing, officiating in matches or assisting in court maintenance. Litter must be put in the receptacles provided. Members whose behaviour is unsatisfactory will be warned and may be excluded from the Club for further unsatisfactory behaviour.
8. Child protection
All members shall observe the Club’s child protection policy and shall report to the child protection officer any behaviour which contravenes the policy.
9. Suspension or termination of membership
The General Committee has power to suspend or terminate the membership of any member whose conduct shall in its opinion render him or her unfit for membership of the Club on a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of those present at a meeting of the General Committee.
The General Committee shall give any such member seven days notice to attend a meeting of the Committee, which notice shall contain particulars of the complaint made against the member. No membership shall be terminated without the member first having the opportunity of appearing before the Committee and answering the complaint.
No such member may be introduced as a visitor to any part of the Club
.
10. Sports Trust premises
Club members who may use the Charles Edwards Pavilion and Bar in accordance with the rules of the Trust.
11. Club property
Any member causing loss or damage to Club or Trust property is liable for the cost of making good the loss or damage.
12. Personal effects
The Club shall not be liable for loss or damage to the personal effects of members or visitors.
13. Accident or injury
The Club shall not be liable for accident or injury to members or visitors on the Club premises and grounds.
14. Use of surplus income
All surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.
15. Power to alter these rules
The General committee has the power to alter these rules at any time by means of a simple majority. Any changes must be formally communicated to the members by means of a re-issue of this document
Issue No: 9 Date: June 2018