LYMINGTON TENNIS CLUB

1. Name of Club

The club will be called Lymington Tennis Club (hereinafter will be referred to as ‘the Club’). The Club will

be registered and affiliated to the Lawn Tennis Association (including the relevant County Lawn Tennis

Association, and hereinafter referred to as ‘LTA’ or ‘CLTA’).

2. Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the Club will be:

• To promote the club and tennis participation within the local community

• To provide a relaxed and fun environment to enjoy playing tennis

• To offer tennis coaching and competition for those players looking to develop and compete.

• To be for the community, with non-members welcome on a ‘pay and play’ basis.

• To have Club premises at The Sports Ground, Avenue Road.

• To provide other ordinary benefits of an amateur sports club as set out in schedule 18 of the Finance Act

2002 including without limitation, provision of suitably qualified coaches, coaching courses, insurance

and post- match refreshments.

• To affiliate to the CLTA (and by doing so affiliate to the LTA) and to comply with and uphold the Rules

and Regulations of the CLTA and the LTA.

3. Constitution

The Club is constituted by these rules as a non-profit making Members’ Club. All profit and surplus income

will be re-invested in the club and used to maintain, or improve, the Club’s facilities. No surplus or assets

will be distributed to members or third parties.

4. Membership

a. b. c. d. e. Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in volunteering or participating in tennis, regardless

of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

The membership (at a minimum) shall consist of the following categories:

• Adult member (who are 18 years of age or older)

• Junior member (who shall be under the age of 18)

All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed

to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.

Members in each category will pay membership fees. The costs and time frames for paying these fees

will be determined at the Annual General Meeting.

Individuals shall not be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings or be

eligible for selection of any Club team unless the applicable subscription has been paid by the due date

and/or membership has been agreed by the Club committee.

f. Only adults are entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at general meetings.

5. Equal Opportunities

a. b. This Club is committed to ensuring that equity and equal opportunities is incorporated across all aspects

of its development.

The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the

context of tennis, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or

social/economic status.

c. d. e. The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from

threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of

opportunity.

The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club

disciplinary procedures.

6. Committee

a. b. The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Management Committee (‘Committee’) which shall

consist of the Chairperson, Treasurer, Club Secretary, Membership Secretary, and Welfare Officer, who

shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

All committee members must be members of the Club.

c. d. e. f. g. If required, the committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its members.

The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.

If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the

Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General

Meeting.

The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the

organisation of the club.

The Committee will have powers to appoint any advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its

business.

h. The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club

rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or

discipline following such hearings.

i. The Committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than 4 times

j. k. per year.

Only the posts listed above will have the right to vote at Committee meetings.

The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings will be 4.

7. Finances

a. b. c. The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.

Unless otherwise agreed, the financial year of the club will run from 1 April and end on 31 March.

All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.

8. d. A statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

e. With the exception of annually budgeted and ongoing required commitments agreed at AGM, the

following rules for spending club funds in each instance will apply:

• Operational spend up to £50 – Treasurer can commit.

• Spend £50 - £200 – requires Treasurer plus two additional committee member approvers (Chair plus

one).

• Spend £200 - £1000 requires majority Committee approval.

• Spend over £1000 requires majority Committee approval, and may require club member input/vote

(with the exception of operational and security requirements such as door locks), to be agreed case

by case.

f. All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club.

g. All surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed

to members or third parties.

Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

a. General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in

conducting the Club’s affairs.

b. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held at such time as the Committee shall decide each

year to transact the following business:

• Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.

• Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.

• Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.

• Elect the officers on the committee.

• Agree the membership fees for the following year.

• Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.

• Deal with other relevant business.

c. Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary with at least 14 days’ notice to be given to all

members.

d. e. f. g. h. i. j. Nominations for officers of the committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM.

Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate

them at least 7 days before an AGM.

All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

The quorum for AGMs will be 10 members.

The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee

meetings.

An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary

supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The committee shall also have the power to call

an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the committee members.

All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.

9. Amendments to the constitution

a. The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

10. Discipline and appeals

a. b. c. d. e. All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of all members, in

particular including children and young people, will be recorded and responded to swiftly and

appropriately in accordance with the club’s safeguarding policy and procedures. The Club Welfare

Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns.

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the

Secretary.

The Committee will meet to hear complaints within 7 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee

has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.

The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the

complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.

There will be the right of appeal to the Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The

committee should consider the appeal within 14 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

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Updated November 2024