Cocks and Hens Cambridge Tennis

Club Rules

This page contains the Club Rules and should be read in conjunction with the Club Constitution and other general Housekeeping rules.

Date of Club Rules (last amended): 9 November 2025

CLUB RULES

1.         Purpose

The Club is formally governed by a Constitution approved by the Charity Commission. The Club Rules are determined by the Trustees to enable the proper conduct and management of the Club, as provided for in Clause 26 of the Constitution. In the event of there being a difference of interpretation between these Rules and the Constitution, the Constitution shall prevail.

2.         Definitions

2.1      

  • “the Constitution” - means the Constitution of the Cocks and Hens Lawn Tennis Club CIO, as approved by the Charity Commission;
  • "the Chair" - means the person elected to be the Chair of the Management Committee;
  • "the CLTA" - means Cambridgeshire County Lawn Tennis Association;
  • "the LTA" - means The Lawn Tennis Association;
  • “the Club” - means The Cocks and Hens Lawn Tennis Club;
  • "the Officers" - means those who occupy positions on the Management Committee;
  • "the Management Committee" - means the Committee appointed by the Trustees to manage the Club in accordance with Clause 18 of the Constitution;
  • "the Members" - means the members of the Club admitted to membership of the Club in accordance with Clause 9 of the Constitution;
  • “the Rules” - means the Rules of the Club enabling the proper conduct and management of the Club, in accordance with Clause 26 of the Constitution;
  • “the Trustees” - means the Trustees of the Cocks and Hens Lawn Tennis Club as duly elected by the members of the CIO.

3.         Facilitating the Object of the Club

The Object of the Club is set out in the constitution as principally “the promotion of community participation in healthy recreation for the benefit of the inhabitants of Cambridge and the surrounding area, in particular by the provision of facilities for playing tennis”.

The Club shall ensure that all competitions and events comply with the LTA Competition Regulations, including safeguarding, inclusion, and disciplinary policies.

In order to achieve this, subject to the Constitution and the provisions of Schedule 18 of the Finance Act 2002, the Club will:

  • maintain the Club premises and Club-owned tennis equipment and any other equipment for the use of its members;
  • promote, improve, develop and support the interests of tennis and such other benefits as its members shall think fit;
  • provide suitably qualified coaches, coaching courses, insurance, medical treatment, post-match refreshments;
  • sell or supply food or drink as an adjunct to the sporting purposes of the Club;
  • provide such other benefits to its members as it shall think fit;
  • affiliate to the CLTA (and by doing so affiliate to the LTA) and comply with and uphold the Rules and Regulations of the CLTA and the LTA as amended from time to time and the rules and regulations of any body to which the LTA is affiliated;
  • acquire, establish, own, operate and turn to account in any way the tennis court facilities of the Club together with buildings and easements, fixtures and fittings and accessories as shall be thought advisable;
  • make rules, regulations, bye-laws and standing orders concerning the operation of the Club including regulations concerning disciplinary procedures that may be taken against the Members;
  • discipline the Members where permitted by its Constitution and refer its Members to be disciplined by the LTA or the CLTA (as appropriate) where so required by the Rules and Regulations of the LTA or the CLTA (as the case may be);
  • do all such other things as the Trustees think fit to further the interests of the Club or to be incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the objects stated in this Rule 3.

4.         Financial Management

4.1       All financial transactions of the Club shall be carried out in accordance with the Constitution and governed by separate Financial Regulations and Procedures approved by the Trustees.

4.2       The Financial Regulations may be amended by the Management Committee from time to time, but will not come into force unless and until approved by the Trustees. The exception to this shall be regulations concerning Borrowing, which may only be amended by a general meeting of the Members.

5.         Membership

5.1       Eligibility for membership

5.1.1    All persons are eligible for full membership of the Club provided they are at least 18 years old. No person shall be denied membership of the Club on the grounds of gender, race, culture, age, ability, sexual identity, religion, political or other beliefs. Membership eligibility shall comply with the LTA’s Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals Policy and  the Club shall ensure reasonable adjustments are made for players with disabilities in accordance with LTA inclusion policies.

5.1.2    Persons aged 17 and under, as at 1st April of the membership year, may be elected as Junior Members without the right to hold office, other than as Junior Representative, or vote at general meetings.

5.1.3    The number of Members may be limited at the discretion of the Trustees provided it is in the best interests of the Club.

5.2       Admission of Members

5.2.1    All membership applications shall be reviewed by the Membership Secretary, who will determine whether to approve the applicant. If there is any uncertainty regarding the applicant’s suitability, the Membership Secretary will refer the matter to the Management Committee and Trustees for further consideration.

5.2.2     Applicants seeking student membership must apply directly to the Membership Secretary, providing proof of full-time student status for verification.

5.3       Classes of Members

5.3.1    There shall be the following classes of voting members for the Club:

  • Full member
  • Family member
  • Young adult member (aged under 28)
  • Associate member
  • Senior member
  • Student member (on production of a NUS card and in full time education)

5.3.2      There shall be the following classes of non-voting members for the Club:

  • Parent practice member
  • Junior member (being aged 17 and under at 1st April)
  • Mini Junior member (being aged 9 and under at 1st April)
  • Affiliate member
  • Temporary member

Affiliate Members are elected by the Management Committee annually on the basis of their distinctive contribution to the Club.

Club Coaches approved to coach at the Club will be considered Affiliate Members.

In addition, the Annual General Meeting may elect persons to the position of Honorary Member, Life Vice President and President. These people will have served the Club with distinction.

The Management Committee shall be empowered to vary these categories from time to time, subject to approval by the next Annual General meeting.

5.3.3    The Management Committee shall be empowered to define these categories in further detail as it deems appropriate.

5.3.4    All adult members and parents of junior members, shall be entitled to receive notice of general meetings, but only those categories defined as voting members in 5.3.1 shall be entitled to vote, with the exception of the voting for Junior Representative that is described in Rule 8.2 below.

5.4       Subscriptions

5.4.1    The annual subscription (and entrance fee if one is charged) for each type of Member shall be reviewed annually by the Trustees on the advice of the Management Committee and agreed at the Annual General Meeting. The Trustees may overrule the Annual General Meeting, if they deem that the fees set are detrimental to the objects or long-term future of the Club.

5.4.2    The Trustees and/or Management Committee may, from time to time, approve subscriptions for limited periods of time.

5.4.3    The Members shall pay the annual subscription fees (and entrance fee if one is charged) as set by the Trustees.

5.4.4    No Member shall be entitled to the privileges of membership until they have paid the entrance fee (if any) and their first subscription.

5.4.5    Any Member whose renewal subscription is not paid by the fifteenth day of May shall be deemed to have resigned their membership of the Club.

6.         Resignation

In accordance with Clause 9(4)(a) of the Constitution, a member may withdraw from membership of the Club on clear notice to the Membership Secretary at the time. Membership shall not be transferable in any event and shall cease immediately on death or on the failure of the Member to comply or to continue to comply with any condition of membership set out in the Club Constitution and these Rules.

7.         Removal from membership

7.1       In accordance with Clause 9(4)(b) of the Constitution, the Trustees shall have power to remove a person from membership when, in their opinion, it would not be in the best interests of the CIO for them to remain a Member and pass a resolution to that effect.

7.2       The Management Committee may exclude the Member from the Club's premises until the meeting considering their expulsion has been held.

7.3       Any person ceasing to be a Member forfeits all right to and claim upon the Club, its property and its funds and they have no right to the return of any part of their subscription.

8.         Governance and management

8.1       The Club shall be governed by its Trustees, guided by the Management Committee and managed by the club managers. At least one member of the Management Committee must be a Trustee, and the Committee will consist of:

  • Chair
  • Vice Chair
  • Honorary Treasurer
  • Club Manager & Membership Secretary
  • On-site Manager
  • The Head Coach

The Club Welfare Officer has the right of attendance at any meeting and has full voting rights.

The Management Committee may be supplemented at any time by additional invited members in accordance with Rule 8.7 below.

The Head Coach, Club Manager and On-site Manager are invited to attend the Management Committee in an ex-officio, non-voting, capacity for the period they provide contractual services to the Club.

8.2       Each year, all positions on the Management Committee - whether filled by new candidates or existing Officers - shall be subject to a vote by the Management Committee prior to the Annual General Meeting. Elected Officers are expected to serve a minimum term of two years. The Chair should have at least one year of prior experience on the Management Committee and will typically have previously held the role of Vice Chair.

8.3       The Management Committee’s proposed selection of Officers shall be submitted to the Trustees for review prior to the Annual General Meeting. Final confirmation will be made by the Trustees, and the elected Committee Officers will be formally announced at the Annual General Meeting. The Trustees reserve the right to veto any election outcomes they believe are not in the best interests of the Club.

8.4       The Trustees shall appoint a President to serve a minimum term of three years. This is an honorary role and does not carry the right to attend meetings of the Management Committee or Trustees unless specifically invited.

8.5       Adult members who have held Club membership for at least two years are encouraged to apply for positions on the Management Committee. Applications should be submitted directly to the Membership Secretary.

8.6       In addition to the Officers elected or appointed in accordance with Rule 8.1 and 8.2, the Management Committee may co-opt further members to assist with the running of the club within the Management Committee itself or through separate sub-committees

8.7       In the event of a vacancy for any committee position, the Chair may, with the agreement of the other Officers and Trustees, make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that tasks are carried out.

8.8       A Management Committee Officer shall be deemed to have vacated office if:

  • they resign their office by notice to the Club;
  • they shall without sufficient reason for more than three consecutive meetings of the Management Committee have been absent without permission of the Management Committee and the Management Committee resolves that their office be vacated; or
  • they are requested to resign by a resolution of the Trustees.

9.         Annual General Meeting

9.1       Full procedures for Annual General Meetings are set out in clause 11 of the Constitution.

The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in either January or February each year to transact the following business:

  • to receive the Trustees’ Annual Report;
  • to receive the accounts of the Club for the last financial year ended previous 31 December, the Examiner’s Report for the year previous to that and Honorary Treasurer's report as to the current financial position of the Club;
  • to determine categories of membership of the Club and subscription fee levels for the forthcoming year starting 1 April;
  • to elect the auditor/examiner;
  • to elect the Trustees as required by Clause 13 of the Constitution;
  • to announce the elected Officers of the Management Committee for the coming year;
  • to provide details of the Management Committees’ activities for the previous year and their  plans for the coming year
  • to deal with any special matters which the Trustees desire to bring before the membership;
  • to decide on any resolutions which may have been successfully submitted and accepted in accordance with Rule 9.2 below;

9.2       Any resolution intended for discussion at the Annual General Meeting must be submitted in writing to the Membership Secretary, signed by at least two Full Members, no later than 21 days before the meeting.

The Trustees will assess each proposed resolution to determine its relevance, feasibility, and compliance with applicable regulations. A resolution will only be included in the AGM agenda if prior informal discussions with the Management Committee (or relevant Officers) have not resolved the matter satisfactorily.

To be considered for inclusion, proposed resolutions should:

  • Directly relate to the Club’s management, rules, policies, or strategic direction.
  • Be clearly articulated, specifying the issue, the proposed change, and the reasoning behind it.
  • Align with LTA regulations, safeguarding standards, and relevant legal requirements.
  • Avoid repeating existing rules or previously rejected proposals unless new, compelling justification is provided.
  • Be practical to implement, taking into account financial, operational, and social implications

Once a decision has been made regarding the inclusion of a resolution, the Trustees will notify the relevant members in writing within five days, outlining the next steps.

9.3       At the AGM, there shall be no right for a Member to vote by proxy. No person may represent more than one Member.

10.       Extraordinary General Meetings

For the avoidance of doubt, Extraordinary General Meetings are dealt with under the procedures for General Meetings set out in clause 11 of the Constitution.

A draft and unapproved version of the minutes shall be circulated to all Club members within one month of the meeting.

There shall be no right for a Member to vote by proxy. No person may represent more than one Member.

11.       Guests

11.1      Members are welcome to bring guests to the Club. However, individuals whose membership applications have been declined or who have been expelled from the Club are not permitted to attend as guests.

11.2      Guest bookings must follow the guidelines outlined on the Club’s website.

12.       Permitted hours

            The permitted hours for play under floodlights are restricted to those specified under the Club’s planning consent.

13.       Amendment of the Rules

The Rules in this document may be amended by the Trustees on a simple majority vote. Before making changes to the Rules, the Trustees will ensure a consultation with the Management Committee.

14.       Finance

All financial transactions of the Club shall be governed by separate Financial Regulations.

The Financial Regulations may be amended by the Management Committee from time to time but will not come into force unless and until approved by the Trustees. The exception to this shall be the regulation which specifies the maximum amount which the Club may borrow, which may only be amended by a general meeting of the Members.