BLAKEDOWN & HAGLEY TENNIS CLUB CONSTITUTION

1. The Club shall be called Blakedown & Hagley Tennis Club and shall have as its objectives the provision of facilities for and the promotion of lawn tennis.

2. The Club forms part of the Churchill and Blakedown Sports Centre. It shall also be affiliated to the Lawn Tennis Association and the Hereford & Worcestershire Lawn Tennis Association, and shall act in accordance with their rules where applicable. The Club shall be constituted as a non-profit making Members’ Club.

3. The Club offers equality of opportunity to anyone wishing to join in its activities irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual
~ orientation.

4. The Club shall be managed by a committee consisting of a Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer, plus up to six other committee members, all of whom shall be elected at a General Meeting (AGM or EGM). A quorum for Committee meetings shall consist of four committee members, two of whom must be either the Chairperson (or meeting elected Chairperson), or the Secretary or the Treasurer. In the situation whereby a vote is tied the nominated Chairperson for the meeting shall have the casting vote. The Club President shall be an ex-officio member of the Committee.

The Committee shall from time to time, make and revise the Club Rules and may decide any matter not provided for by the Constitution. The Committee may delegate any part of its duties to one or more sub-committees, and shall also be able to co-opt.

5. Membership

a) The membership year will commence on 1st April and the age qualifying date (for juniors) will also be 1st April. Categories of membership shall be as follows;

i) HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP – may be granted at the discretion of the Committee as a reward for long and/or exceptional service.

ii) SENIOR – Members 18 years and over.

iii)STUDENT – Members over 18 years and in full-time education.

iv) JUNIOR – Members under 18 years.

v) FAMILY – to include Family Units to a maximum of 2 seniors and their dependants under the age of 18 years.

b) Only Members over the age of 18 shall carry voting rights.

c)Subscriptions shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting.

d) All applicants for Membership shall be accepted subject to the approval of the committee, which shall have the power to limit the number of Members in the respective categories.

6. No visitor, junior or senior, may play more than four times as a guest of a Senior Member. All visitors except visiting teams and players in Open Tournaments will be required to pay the appropriate fee as defined in the Club rules.

7. The Committee shall have the power to terminate or suspend any membership or to exclude any Member or Visitor whom it considers guilty of misconduct or offensive behaviour to any other Member or Visitor, whether on the Club’s premises or representing the Club elsewhere. A  Member shall have the right of appeal to a General Meeting.

8. Members and Visitors leaving property at the Club do so at their own risk and the Club shall not be responsible for any loss or damage to such property.

9. The Club financial year shall be from 1st October to 30th September next following.

10. The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held during October/November with a maximum of 15 months between Annual General Meetings, for the presentation of independently audited accounts, election of the President, Officers and committee, and any other business of which notice has been given and details included in the Agenda.

The Secretary shall send every member at least 14 days’ notice of any General Meeting, together with a copy of the Agenda.

Nominations for Officers and Committee and items for AOB must be submitted in writing to the Secretary at least seven days before the meeting.

Any Member wishing to call an Extraordinary General Meeting must submit a requisition signed by one fifth of the voting membership, stating the business proposed, and such a meeting shall convene within 30 days of receipt of such requisition.

 The Committee shall have within its duties the ability to present a resolution calling for a General Meeting, supported by two-thirds of the Committee present when the Resolution is presented. A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 6 voting members to include one of Chairperson, Treasurer or Secretary. In the situation whereby a vote is tied the nominated Chairperson for the meeting shall have the casting vote.

11. The Constitution shall not be altered except at a General Meeting after due notice, and then only provided that two-thirds of those present and eligible to vote, are in favour

12. A copy of the constitution and of the Club rules shall be displayed in the clubhouse and issued to members.

13. The Club may only be dissolved after the passing of a resolution to that effect at a General Meeting after due notice. The resolution must be carried by 75% of the voting membership.

In the event of such dissolution, any assets remaining shall be given to the Churchill and Blakedown Sports Centre, but should this no longer exist, to the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Lawn Tennis Association.

Presented at AGM 16th April 2018