R O T H B U R Y      L A W N      T E N N I S      C L U B

RULES AND REGULATIONS

1.       NAME

 The club, founded before 1914 and relocated to its present site in the 1920’s will be called ‘Rothbury Lawn Tennis Club’.

2.       MAIN PURPOSE

The main purposes of the club are to provide facilities for, and to promote, participation in the amateur sport of Tennis in the area of Rothbury and Coquetdale.

3.       CONSTITUTION

The Club is constituted by these Rules as a non-profit-making Members’ Club. 

4.       DISTRIBUTION OF PROFITS

All surplus income or profits are to be reinvested in the club. No surplus or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.                                                                            

5.       MEMBERSHIP

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.

6        CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP

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.     

There shall be the following classes of Member at the rates of subscription decided at each Annual General Meeting:

          Senior Member - (over 18 on 1st April)                                      

          Concession (senior in receipt of unemployment benefit or state pension)

          Family Membership - maximum of two Seniors and all Juniors

          Junior Member - (under 18 on 1st April)

          Winter member – for a new member joining after the end of September

          Student - (over 18 but in full time education)

          Non playing guardian member

          Weekly Member

          Temporary Visiting member

Honorary Memberships and Honorary Life Memberships are options, which are open for the Committee to consider in special circumstances.

The subscription year runs from 1st April to 31st March.

A Member whose subscription is not paid by the due date will not be entitled to the privileges of membership until he/she has paid.  If not paid by 1st June, he/she will cease to be a Member.

The subscription of a new Member shall be due on completion of an application form.

For a new member after the end of September, the Committee may, at their discretion, accept a proportionately reduced subscription.

Suspension or expulsion are extreme options which the Committee shall have – i.e. the power to terminate or suspend the membership of any Member or to exclude any Member or Visitor whom it considers guilty of a breach of these Rules or of misconduct or offensive behaviour to any other Member, Visitor or Employee.

7.       APPEALS

The club 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. Members may appeal against refusal or removal.

8.       ACCOUNTANCY YEAR

The Club’s Financial Year shall run from 1st January to 31st December, and the accounts submitted to the Annual General Meeting shall be prepared accordingly.

9.       INJURY, LOSS OF PROPERTY ETC

Members or Visitors leaving unattended vehicles, rackets, clothing or other property at the Club, do so at their own risk and the Club shall not be responsible for any loss, damage or injury resulting from this or any other cause.

10.     COURT USE

Junior Members are encouraged to use the courts during the daytime and early evening until 7.30pm.  After 7.30pm Senior Members have priority use. 

11.     PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

Junior Members under the age of 13 should not be allowed to play on the courts unless supervised by a responsible adult.

Parents should be aware that courts are unsupervised when allowing Junior Members to go to the courts on their own.       

Parents should be aware that in case of an accident there is no public telephone. 

There is a First Aid Box available for Junior Members in the clubhouse entrance lobby.      

Parents should give children clear instructions on how to act in an emergency.

12.     VISITORS AND TEMPORARY MEMBERS

Visitors may apply for temporary Membership or Weekly Membership by paying the appropriate ‘Visitors Fee’ advertised at the Club.

Every Member of a visiting match team shall be an Honorary Member for the occasion and competitors in ‘open’ tournaments at the Club shall be Honorary Members for the period of the tournament.

Only fully paid up Members can enter any ‘club’ tournament.

13.     MANAGEMENT

The management of the Club shall be in the entire control of a Committee of about 12 Members in addition to the Officers, who shall be ex-officio Members of the Committee.  The Officers will be:

          Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary/Membership Secretary and Treasurer

Nomination for the position of the officers (with name of proposer and seconder) must be with the secretary, in writing or by e-mail, at least 7 days before the AGM meeting.

All Officers shall be elected for one year at the Annual General Meeting and the Committee can elect Members to the Committee to fill any vacancy or to recruit specialist expertise, such as Junior Chair, Fixture Secretary, Tournament Secretary, etc.

The Committee shall have the power to make and revise the Club’s Regulations and shall have the power to decide any matter not provided for by these Rules and the Current Regulations.  They shall meet at least three times a year and additionally as circumstances require.  The quorum at a Committee meeting shall be 6 and in the event of equality of voting, the Chair shall have a second or casting vote.

14.     PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE

The Club shall maintain a valid Public Liability Insurance policy.

15.     ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting shall be held each year at the end of the Financial Year.

Any Member wishing to propose a resolution at the Annual General Meeting must send a copy thereof to the Secretary, in writing or by e-mail, at least 7 days before the meeting, so that provision may be made on the Agenda.  The Secretary shall display notices or send notices, giving 7 days notice of any General Meeting.

The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be the confirmation of the minutes of the previous General Meeting, consideration of the Committee’s report and the Treasurer’s accounts for the year, the election of Officers and the Committee for the ensuing year and any items of which notice has been given and details included on the Agenda.

Further business may be accepted at the discretion of the Chair, provided that it does not call for an alteration of Rules, the winding up of the Club, the transfer of any of the Club’s assets, the borrowing of money, or any expenditure not within the immediate financial resources of the Club.

Every Member shall be entitled to be present and to speak at any General Meeting, and if a Senior Member, to vote.  In the event of an equality of votes the Chair shall have a second or casting vote.

16.     RULES AND REGULATIONS

A copy of these Rules and of the Regulations made by the Committee shall be prominently displayed at all times in the Club building and on the website and all Members shall be deemed conversant therewith.  The Rules shall not be altered except at a General Meeting, after due notice, and then only provided that two-thirds of those present vote in favour.  The Regulations shall be made and periodically revised by the Committee. 

17.     DISSOLUTION

The Club shall be dissolved on the passing of a resolution to that effect at a General Meeting after due notice, by at least two-thirds of those present and voting.  Such a meeting shall appoint a Committee to wind up the affairs of the Club.

Upon dissolution of the club, any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to another registered CASC, a registered charity or to the sport’s governing body, The Lawn Tennis Association, for use by them in related community sports.

This amended constitution was approved by the committee at a meeting on 24th July 2019.