BARNARD CASTLE
LAWN TENNIS CLUB
CONSTITUTION
(REVISED 2018)

1. Name
The Club shall be called “The Barnard Castle Lawn Tennis Club”.
2. Objects
The object of the club is to provide facilities for and promote participation of the whole community in the sport of tennis.
3. Powers
For the furtherance of this aim the Club may within the relevant requirements of the law, operate as necessary for the attainment of these objects.
a) Appoint a Committee and any necessary Sub-Committees as the Committee may think fit.
b) Affiliate with the Lawn Tennis Association for advice and support.
c) Raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscriptions and otherwise PROVIDED THAT the Club shall not undertake permanent trading activities in raising funds for the said objects.
d) Provide a Pavilion, suitable courts, coaching and arrange training as appropriate and other social activities relative to the Club.
e) Levy subscriptions. Subscriptions for the following season shall become payable anytime following the AGM.
f) The Committee will invest the moneys of the Club not immediately required for the said objects, in or upon such investment, securities or properties as may be thought fit, subject nevertheless to such conditions (if any) as may for the time being be imposed or required by law.
g) Subject to such consents as may be required by law, borrow or raise money for the said objects and accept gifts on such terms and with such security as shall be deemed to be necessary.
h) Liaise with Durham County Council (Sports Centre), local schools, Tourist Information Office, local disabled groups; advertise through the local media and other bodies to meet the aims of the Club and exchange relevant information and advice, subject to the Data Protection Act.
4. Membership
Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons irrespective of ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs; or of age, sex or disability except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of tennis as a particular sport.
The Committee may refuse membership or expel from membership only for good and sufficient cause, such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against such as decision may be made to a separate appeal panel no member of which will have been involved in making the initial decision.
Membership of the Club shall be open to:
a) Adults
b) Family membership (consisting of 2 adults plus Juniors or Children)
c) Juniors – under 18 years and over 11 years by 1st April.
d) Children – aged 5 years and under 11 years by 1st April.
e) Senior Citizens – according to current government rules.
f) Unemployed and Students (over 18 years)
g) General Public (courts as available)
h) Honorary Members or Patrons.
i) Winter Membership available at reduced rated from 1st October.
j) Disabled - 50% of personal fee (ie. Adult, Junior, Child)
Honorary Life Membership may be offered by the Club on the recommendation of the Full Committee, which is then put to the members at an Annual General Meeting. Honorary Life members shall be entitled to vote and be a Committee member or officer.
Upon payment of subscriptions, new member shall receive a copy of the Constitution and Bye-Laws.
5. Officers
At the Annual General Meeting, the Club shall elect a Chairperson, a Treasurer, a Secretary and such other Officers as the Club shall from time to time decide. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall hold office for three years whereupon they shall retire but be eligible for re-election. All other Committee members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. A member of the Club must nominate each candidate. The retiring Chairperson will remain an ex-officio voting member of the Committee for one year as Past Chairperson, unless re-elected. The Match Secretary and Coach shall be voting members of the Committee.
6. Committee
The Committee shall consist of not less than 5 members (not including the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer or Ex-Officio Past Chairperson). Election to the Committee shall be for 2 years, but shall be eligible for re-election. The Committee shall meet at such times as they consider necessary for the transactions of the affairs of the Club. The Committee shall have the right.
a) Expulsions. Should the conduct of any members, either in the opinion of the Committee or not less than ten members of the Club, notified in writing to the Secretary, be injurious to the character or the interests of the Club, the Committee shall have the power to expel such members from the Club. There shall be a right of appeal against the Committee’s decision to the Lawn Tennis Association.
b) Quorum. A quorum shall consist of four.
c) Voting. All matters shall be decided by a simple majority. In the case of equality of votes, the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
d) Bye-Laws. The Committee shall have power to make or rescind Bye-Laws consistent with the Rules of the Club. Such Bye-Laws shall be brought to the notice of members.
e) Minutes. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Committee and shall record attendance.
f) Casual Vacancies. The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies during the year.
g) Resignation. Any member wishing to resign shall notify the Secretary before 1st April.
7. General Meeting
a) An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than 31st March in each year and not less than 7 days notice of such meetings shall be given. The Chairperson shall preside at all General and Extraordinary Meetings. A quorum shall consist of 10 persons present. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:
i. To receive audited annual accounts made up to the previous 31st December and the report of the Secretary and Treasurer.
ii. To elect officers and Committee members for the coming year.
iii. To elect an Auditor(s) for the coming year
iv. To fix rates of subscriptions for the coming year.
v. To deal with Pre-notified other business which must be sent to the Secretary in writing with not less than 14 days notice prior to the Annual General Meeting.
b) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Committee with 14 days notice. Such a notice shall be given by the Secretary not less than 28 days after having received a request signed by not less than 10 members of the Club for the holding of such meetings which must specify the business for which it is to be held.
c) Voting. Resolutions at an Annual General Meeting shall be passed by a simple majority of members present.
d) Voting Rights. All ordinary members present in person having paid the appropriate subscription shall have one vote. Family membership shall have two votes. Juniors shall have half a vote.
e) Alteration of Constitution. The Rules of the Club may be altered only at a General Meeting of the Club and the notice convening the meeting must specify the alterations proposed
8. Finance
a) All monies raised by or on behalf of the Club shall be applied to further the objects of the Club and for no other purpose PROVIDED THAT nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses as agreed by the Committee.
b) The Treasurer shall keep proper Accounts of the finances of the Club.
c) The Accounts shall be audited at least once a year by the auditor appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
d) An audited statement of the Accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting as aforesaid.
e) Bank Account/s shall be opened in the name of the Club or with such other Bank or Building Society as the Committee shall from time to time decide. The Committee shall authorise in writing the Chairperson, the Treasurer and the Secretary of the Club to sign cheques on behalf of the Club. All cheques must be signed by two of the three authorised signatories.
9. Dissolution
If the Committee by simple majority decide at any time that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Club it shall call a meeting of all members of the Club who have the power to vote, for which meeting not less than 21 days notice shall be given, stating the terms of the Resolution to be proposed thereat. If such decision shall be confirmed by a simple two-thirds majority of those present and voting at such a meeting, the Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by or on behalf of the Club. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to the Lawn Tennis Association or to another Tennis Club which the Committee may recommend at the point of dissolution.
10. Constitution and Bye-Laws
The Rules of Lawn Tennis shall be those adopted from to time to time by the International Lawn Tennis Federation and the Club shall be bound by the Rules and regulations of the Lawn Tennis Association.

BARNARD CASTLE LAWN TENNIS CLUB BYE-LAWS
1. Attire: Only tennis shoes or plimsolls may be worn on the tennis courts. Suitable tennis sports-wear (including tracksuits) or whites must be worn at all times (Especially our teams)
2. Tennis Balls: Players will provide their own tennis balls, except for club nights.
3. Limit of Play: When four or more members are waiting to play doubles will be played rather than singles and the limit of play shall be nine games.
4. Child Members: Those children aged five and under eleven on 1st April may play until 6pm as long as there is an adult in attendance. Play is allowed after 6pm with priority given to Adult members.
5. Outside Organisations: Times / Dates as notified on the notice board. (One court always available for members.)
6. Club Sessions: Tuesdays/ Fridays for adults and advanced juniors from 6pm. Juniors may play if authorised by the Coach. Sunday afternoons in the Winter.
7. One, two or three members waiting will replace the first foursome to finish their game.
8. The one remaining place will be allocated on a racquet spin.
9. If 4 or more are waiting then the first foursome to finish will exit the court and go to the end of the queue for play.    Care should be taken to ensure twosomes and foursomes do not stick together. In other words, use the arbitrary method of racquet spin to ensure fair play.
10. Matches/Tournaments. The majority of courts will not be available for general use during the course of any inter club matches or club tournaments; Dates/times posted on the notice board and club website.
11. Coaching: Check with the bookings on the notice board.
12. Visitors: Tickets are available at the Bowes Museum (when open) or from the Club Treasurer currently available at Connelly’s Toy Shop. Visitors will thereby become temporary members of the club and shall be bound by the laws of the Club posted on the club website.
13. Member Guests: Members taking guests onto the courts are expected to pay the appropriate fee before play. Members should encourage their guests to join the Club at the first available opportunity.
14. Nets: The last players leaving the courts should slacken the nets. The gates and the clubhouse should be locked and checked.
15. Cars: Cars must not be parked beside the pavilion or on any grassed area without prior permission from the Bowes Museum. Cars should only be parked in the car parks provided.
16. Keys: Keys for the Clubhouse for Adults and Juniors over 16 may be purchased from the Treasurer.
17. Litter: The Clubhouse, courts and surrounding area should be kept clean and tidy at all times. No food or chewing gum allowed on courts.
18. Shoe tags: Should be worn or be available for inspection at all times