LAVENHAM LAWN TENNIS CLUB

 

CONSTITUTION AND RULES

 

1.      Name

 

      The Club shall be named Lavenham Lawn Tennis Club.

 

2.      Objectives of the Club

 

         The objectives of the Club are:

 

         a) To promote the sport of lawn tennis in and around Lavenham and community participation

               in the same.   

 

         b)   To encourage promising talent in the sport.

 

         c)   To provide facilities for lawn tennis and other outdoor or indoor recreation that it may   introduce.

 

         d)   To hold occasional social activities to foster a good club spirit.

 

3.      Constitution

 

         a) The Club shall consist of a President, Vice-Presidents, Honorary, playing members and social members.

 

          b) All surplus income or profits are re-invested in the club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.

 

4.      Government of the Club

 

         The Government of the Club shall be vested in the Executive Committee (hereinafter called the Committee), consisting of the Club Chairman, Hon Secretary and Hon Treasurer, and such other officers as may be appointed by the Members at an Annual General Meeting, but with a maximum Committee membership of twelve.   All Committee members must be members of the Club (and all but a maximum of three must be Senior Members) and will be elected to serve at the Annual General Meeting.   The Committee shall meet at such times deemed necessary, six forming a quorum.

 

5.   Powers of the Committee

 

5.1    The Committee shall have control of the Club’s day to day finances but this power does not extend to the committing of the Club to any loan obligation, decisions concerning which can only be taken by members at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.  The Committee also has the power to engage and dismiss servants of the Club, i.e. grounds men, and to appoint additional sub-committees as may be necessary for the proper running and administration of the Club in accordance with these rules.

 

5.2    The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any members of the Club to serve on the Committee or any sub-committee and to fill vacancies among the officers of the Club which may occur during the season.

 

5.3    The Committee shall have power to replace any Committee or sub-committee member who absents him or herself from three consecutive meetings or is considered to be not making a positive contribution to the Committee.

 

5.4    If the conduct of any member in the opinion of the Committee (whose decision shall be final) be injurious to the character and interests of the Club, the Committee shall have the power to request such member to resign or ultimately expel such member from the Club and his or her name be erased from the register of members.

 

6.      Sub-Committees

 

6.1    Sub-committees may be formed to deal with tournaments, team selection, catering, entertainments, etc and shall consist of one member of the Committee and such other members of the Club as is deemed appropriate.

 

6.2    Each sub-committee shall appoint one of their number as Secretary.   They shall meet when deemed necessary by their Secretary or Chairman, three to form a quorum.

 

7.      President and Vice-Presidents

 

         The President shall be elected or re-elected at an Annual General Meeting for a period of three years and shall be involved in Club affairs.   The title of Vice-President shall be granted to members in recognition of services rendered to the Club.   It is an honorary title, carries no executive role and persons may be nominated and elected at an Annual General Meeting.

 

8.      Membership

 

8.1    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.

 

8.2    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.

 

8.3. The 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.

 

8.4.  Application for membership should be made to the Treasurer or secretary on the form provided either accompanied by full payment or notification of full payment if paying electronically as per details on the form.  Payment may also be made via Clubsparke on our website.

 

8.5    Membership shall comprise the following classes:

 

a)	Adults
b)	Senior Citizens	Persons who by their age are considered pensioners of the state
c)	Student	Persons over the age of 16 in full-time education
d)	Junior	Children under the age of 16 on the 1st of April of the given year who are not allowed to play at club times save by prior sanction of the committee
e)	Local Juniors	Children as defined above with the same restrictions on play, residing within the parish bounds
f)	Family	Restricted to students, juniors and two adults, as defined above within one family unit)
g)	Social Members
h)	Presidents, Vice-Presidents & Honorary Members

 

 

8.6    Balls will be provided all year round for members’ use.

 

9.      General Meeting

 

9.1    An Annual General Meeting shall be held during November/December each year and the following business discussed:

 

         Minutes of previous Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, Chairman’s Report, Treasurer’s Report (including audited accounts up to 31st October), report on the season’s activities, the election of the Committee, officers and any other business.

 

9.2    A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by the Committee or Hon Secretary at the written request of and countersigned by 20 or 20% of the voting members, whichever is the greater.

 

9.3    At least one month’s notice shall be given to all members of any meeting and will comprise agenda and details of any proposed additions, alterations or rescissions of these rules and nominations for officers and Committee.

 

10.    Election of Officers and Executive Committee

 

10.1  All Committee members and officers (Presidents excepted) shall retire at each Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election.

 

10.2  Nominations shall be proposed and seconded by members eligible to vote at the Annual General Meeting on the form provided and received by the secretary at least three clear days before the Annual General Meeting

 

10.3  In the event of there being more nominations than vacancies, a secret ballot shall be held of the voting members present.   The Chairman of the Annual General Meeting shall appoint two members present to conduct the ballot and announce the result.

 

10.4  All members of the General Committee or of the Sub-Committees shall be entitled to be indemnified out of the assets of the Club against all losses or liabilities reasonably incurred by them on behalf of the Club in or about the proper execution and discharge of their duties as committee or sub-committee members in accordance with the Rules of the Club.

 

11.    Voting

 

11.1  The right to vote at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting is restricted to adults in membership categories a,b,f,h

 

11.2  All elections and proposals except where otherwise defined in these rules shall be decided by a show of hands by a majority of those voting members present at the meeting and shall be binding on all members.

 

11.3  No amendment or alteration of the club constitution shall be made at the AGM without two thirds majority of the voting members present at the meeting.

 

12.    Subscription

 

12.1  Annual subscriptions shall be due on 1st April each year. Non-payment by that date may incur loss of membership.

 

12.3  The rates for all classes of membership, including visitors’ fees shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting.

 

13.    Visitors

 

13.1  Each playing member may introduce visitors but subject to the convenience of members waiting to play.

 

13.2  No visitor shall be allowed to play on more than three separate occasions in one season and shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Club.

 

13.3  A member introducing a visitor must sign the Visitor’s Book housed in the ball cupboard before playing and advise the visitor of the ground rules and be responsible for paying the visitor’s fee to the Hon Treasurer or other committee member or placing in the secure box provided in the ball cupboard.   The member must also be responsible for the conduct of the visitor.

 

16.    Observance of the Rules

 

16.1  All members shall be bound by these Rules and other such Rules or Ground Rules the Committee shall adopt.

 

16.2  The Committee shall have the power to determine and act upon anything not provided for in these Rules.

 

17.    Dissolution

 

         A resolution to dissolve the Club requires 75% of the members eligible to vote to agree by postal ballot. Upon dissolution of the Club any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to another non-profit making tennis club or voluntary organisation having objects similar to those of the club or to a registered charity or the sport’s governing body.

 

 

 

 

Confirmed at AGM 3.12.2019