APPROVED 23rd April 2025

Aims

Bassett Lawn Tennis Club (the Club) is a members’ club, run by and for the benefit of its members. The Club has its own Constitution to set out the guiding principles of the Club, and Rules to facilitate its management.
As a member of the Club, you are asked at all times to support and promote its endeavours. All members of the Committee are volunteers, and as a member you are also asked to assist wherever possible with the running of the Club.
The Rules, together with the Constitution, are for your guidance. This is not an exhaustive code of behaviour. You are asked at all times to respect the Club’s property, other members and our neighbours.

Club Constitution and Club Rules

Some items in the Constitution are also paraphrased in the Rules below. Changes to some parts of the Rules will also require an amendment to the Constitution.
The Rules can be varied at the discretion of the Committee, subject to the normal quorum and majority rules. All changes throughout the year should be ratified or amended at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). An item should be included on the AGM agenda to allow changes to the Rules to be made.
The Constitution can only be altered at the AGM or by a properly constituted General Meeting. Under the Constitution an elected Committee manages the Club.
The Rules and Constitution should be posted on the Club web site and should be clearly displayed in the clubhouse at all times. All members should familiarise themselves with, and abide by, the Rules and Constitution.
Repeated violations of the rules or behaviour making others uncomfortable or otherwise not aligned with the inclusive, friendly spirit the Club should be reported by any member, parent of a member or coach, witnessing these violations to a member of the Committee, which will deal with it as seen fit. After reasonable investigation and interactions with the person(s) in question, this can include ending the membership or other disciplinary measures as appropriate. If useful, a Disciplinary Sub-committee can be convened for the purpose of dealing with such exceptional cases, on an individual basis. Any such sub-committee will include at a minimum the (Acting) Welfare Officer and Chair.
Members are encouraged to make constructive comment about the running of the Club, preferably in writing, and handed to the Chairman or Secretary.

Membership

Categories

Adult membership categories are: Adult 18-30yrs, Adult 30-65yrs, Joint, Over 65, Joint both over 65,  Family,  Student in full-time education,  Life Member, Parent of a Junior.
The above members have voting rights at the General Meetings of the Club. Changes to voting rights can only be made via a change to the Constitution.
Junior members’ categories are: 16 -17 years, 12 -15 years, 11 years and under. 11 years and under category can only play with a responsible adult. They do not have a court key.
Junior members in the 16 -17 years category may attend General Meetings, but do not have voting rights.

Subscriptions

Subscriptions are determined annually at the AGM. As a default position, and as a guide to the committee, the committee’s recommendation to the AGM for the level of subscription for the following year should, in normal circumstances, be based on the annual change in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) to the end of August in that year. If circumstances determine that the committee wish to recommend a different level of change the full reasons for this recommendation should be explained to the AGM.
The Subscription Year runs from April 1 to March 31. All age categories are based on the member’s age on April 1 at the start of the subscription year. An Adult member must be 18 years or over. New members joining during or after
June of a subscription year will pay the pro rata rate determined by the Committee.
Subscriptions should be paid by April 1 each year. A discount of £10 against the normal fee will be applied to those members who pay early or on time.

Visitors

Non-members (visitors) can only play at the Club, with an introducing member. Before play all visitors’ names (excepting visiting players in official Club matches) must be entered into the Visitors Book and the appropriate daily fee for each visitor paid. The introducing member is wholly responsible for the payment of that fee, and the behaviour and compliance with the Rules of the visitor(s).
Non-members (visitors) can only play a maximum of six times in any membership year.

Officers of the Committee

The Constitution states that the Committee can co-op unelected members onto the Committee, provided that it brings the total to no more than 12 people (excluding the President, if applicable).
If the designated positions of Chair, Secretary or Treasurer are vacated during the year the Committee must ensure that they be filled, as soon as practicable, by an Acting Chair, Acting Secretary or Acting Treasurer as appropriate, until the next AGM.
The Acting Chair must be appointed from one of the Committee members elected at the previous AGM.
All Committee members (excluding the President, if applicable) must be playing members of the Club when they are elected at the AGM.
If any Committee member does not renew their playing membership during their year of office they may continue in the office to which they were elected until the next AGM, subject to committee approval.
In the event of a Secretary or Treasurer not being elected at an AGM the committee must, at its first meeting after the AGM, discuss how to fill the vacant role. The committee must, as its highest priority, appoint a Secretary or Treasurer at the earliest opportunity.
Until the Secretary or Treasurer is appointed the Chair’s name will be given to the LTA and any other relevant organisation as first contact. The work of the Secretary or Treasurer will be allocated to, and carried out, by the existing committee members.

Security

Security of the clubhouse and courts is paramount. The clubhouse has previously been a target for thieves. All members must ensure that the clubhouse and courts are properly secured when they leave the clubhouse, or that arrangements have been made with another member. Adults should remember that Juniors do not have clubhouse keys. At no time may the clubhouse and courts be left unsecured, if unattended. The front door should not be left unlocked at any time unless it is attended.
The Club is not responsible, nor insured, for members’ personal belongings. Bikes must be locked in the bike shed and not left anywhere else on the Club premises.

Court booking

Courts can only be booked through the web site. A member who has booked a court can ask another member to vacate the booked court. If a court is not booked no member has the right to ask another member (Adult or Junior) to move. If a member has not used a booked court within 15 minutes of the start of the booking time the right to the booked court is lost. If a member is unable to fulfil a booking the member must delete the booking immediately.

Members can book courts at any time provided that they are not already booked for an event (eg matches or group coaching). Courts can be booked for a maximum of two hours up to two weeks beforehand. Coaches need to book courts unless they have previously booked as an event.

Court use

Out of consideration for our neighbours play is not permitted before 8.00am (9.00am on Sunday) nor after 10.00 pm. The courts cannot be used for anything other than tennis unless the committee have specifically agreed such use.
Adult Members are permitted to use the floodlights (free of charge) if necessary, but must turn them off when a court is not in use and under no circumstances to use them after 10.00pm.
Shouting, swearing or making undue noise on court is not acceptable.
At all times all players must wear acceptable tennis clothing and non-marking and non-damaging tennis shoes. 
Any member of the Committee shall have the right to prevent play on any court, if, in their opinion, damage may result.

Sale of alcohol

The times and conditions governing the sale of intoxicating liquors at the Club shall be under the overall control of the Committee and in accordance with the Club’s licence and safeguarding policy. The Clubhouse should be vacated by 11.30 pm unless the Committee have specifically given permission for it to be used after this time.

Team captains’ responsibilities

These include:

• Prompt arrival of all members of the team at the correct venue
• Selection of the playing order and pairing of the team players
• Behaviour and courtesy of all team members
• Completion and signature of appropriate scorecards
• Awareness of all rules concerning conduct of the match
• Collection of the designated match fees from all players in the team
• Accounting and payment of all fees collected at the end of each league season

Additional responsibilities at all home matches:

• Availability of Club before start of match to welcome visitors
• Preparation and availability of playing facilities including balls
• Availability of refreshment and food where appropriate
• Prompt start to match