Writhlington Tennis Club Constitution

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Writhlington Tennis Club

Constitution

1. Writhlington Tennis Club

1.1 The Club, established in 2016, is called Writhlington Tennis Club (“the Club").

2. Interpretation

The following definitions and rules of interpretation apply in this Constitution:

2.1 Definitions:

“AGM” means the Club’s annual general meeting;

" Chair" means the person elected from time to time to be the chair of the Club in accordance with Rule 6;

" CLTA" means the County Lawn Tennis Association to which Writhlington belongs;

“Club Selection Policy” means the policy drawn up and adopted by the Club governing league team selections:

“ LTA” means the Lawn Tennis Association (the governing body of tennis within Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) of The National Tennis Centre, 100 Priory Lane, Roehampton, London SW15 5JQ and its subsidiaries or such successor entity or entities as become(s) the governing body of the game of tennis within Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man from time to time;

" Management Committee" means the committee appointed under Rule 6 to manage the Club;

" Members" means the members of the Club admitted from time to time to membership of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“Membership Secretary” means the person on the management committee volunteering to oversee membership

" Secretary" means the person elected from time to time to be the secretary of the Club in accordance with Rule 6;

“Team Coordinators” means the people elected to organise and coordinate the various league teams of the Cclub;

" Treasurer" means the person elected from time to time to be the treasurer of the Club in accordance with Rule 6;

“Writhlington Trust” means the charity and company with registration nos 1111515 and 04757263 respectively.

2.2 Words denoting the singular number include the plural number and vice versa; words denoting the masculine gender include the feminine gender and vice versa.

3. Objects

3.1 The objects of the Club are:

(a) to provide tennis, social and other activities and generally to encourage, promote and facilitate the playing of tennis in the area of Writhlington and the surrounding community;

(b) to promote, improve, develop and support the interests of tennis;

(d) to work with and Writhlington Trust as the owners of the premises used by the Club and in light of the agreement dated February 2016 drawn up between the Club and Writhlington Trust; and

(f) to ensure the Club is affiliated to the CLTA (and by doing so affiliated to the LTA) and to 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.

4. Constitution

4.1 The rules laid out below define the conduct of the Club. They may only be varied by a majority of two-thirds or more of the Members present at the AGM or at an extraordinary general meeting. Members must be given at least 21 days’ notice of any proposed rule change.

5. Annual General Meetings

5.1 The AGM shall be held at such time as the Management Committee shall decide each year and there will be no more than 15 months between each AGM.

5.2 Changes to the constitution, rules and policies must be agreed at the AGM. The accounts for the year will also be presented and approved. All other matters can be decided at general meetings.

5.3 Voting at the AGM is open to all members. The Chair will have a casting vote, if required.

5.4 An extraordinary general meeting may be called at any time by the Members and shall be called within 21 days of receipt by the Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by not less than 15 Members stating the purposes for which the meeting is required and the resolutions proposed.

5.5 A quorum at a general meeting will be 6 members at an AGM will be 8 or 20% of the membership, whichever is lower.

6. Management Committee

6.1 The Club will be managed by a Management Committee consisting of:

a) the Chair;

b) the Secretary;

c) the Treasurer;

d) Team coordinators (x 3 or 4; ladies, mens and mixed);

e) the membership secretary; and

f) a member for Public Relations

h) 3-4 other members making a maximum of 12 in total

6.2 The Management Committee shall be elected at the AGM in each year, and subject to termination of office by resignation, removal or otherwise, the Members remain in office until they step down at the AGM in the following year and they or their successors are re-elected or elected (as the case may be) at the AGM following their re-election or election (as the case may be). Members nominated as a member of the Management Committee must be a member of the Club. Where possible officers are recommended to stand for not more than three years in a given post.

6.3 Members each year can nominate members to be elected to the Management Committee. Those persons proposed to be nominated as members of the Management Committee to fill any vacancies that have arisen must be nominated by any two Members and nominations must be submitted to the Secretary at the AGM each year. No Member may nominate more than one member for any one vacancy.

6.4 If there is only one candidate nominated to fill any particular vacancy, that candidate shall be declared elected unopposed for that particular vacancy at the next AGM. If there is more than one candidate for any particular vacancy there shall be an election at the AGM for that position. In the event of a tie, the candidate to be elected shall (unless the candidates otherwise agree) be determined by lot.

6.5 The Management Committee may appoint any Member to fill any casual vacancy that may arise between AGMs on the Management Committee until the next AGM when that person shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election.

6.6 The Management Committee will meet at least quarterly.

6.7 The duties of the Committee shall be as follows:

a) To conduct the running of the Club;

b) To recommend annual subscriptions and any other fees; these will be proposed and adopted each year at the AGM;

c) To recommend any necessary additional or amended rules to general meetings of the Club ;

d) To authorise expenditure on behalf of the Club and oversee income;

e) To uphold the Club rules and, if necessary, following a written reprimand, withdraw membership of non-conforming Members;

f) To liaise with Writhlington Trust over the allocations and booking of courts, the annual review of the agreement between the two parties and any other relevant matters;

g) To facilitate club sessions, club championships and social events and to organise participation in the leagues;

h) To appoint club captains after establishing those Members interested in the roles; and

i) To ensure the provision of ITF standard balls for all league features, and balls of an acceptable standard and quantity for all other club sessions.

6.8 Decisions of the Management Committee shall be made by a simple majority and in the event of an equality of votes the Chair (or the acting chairperson of that meeting) shall have a casting or additional vote.

6.9 The Management Committee may from time to time appoint from among its number such sub-committees as it considers necessary and may delegate to them such of the powers and duties of the Management Committee as the Management Committee may determine. All sub-committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Management Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Management Committee.

6.10 Responsibilities of Team Coordinators are:

a) selection of players for teams in line with the Club Selection Policy;

b) to notify team players of their selection in adequate time and designate a match captain where required;

c) to collect match fees or delegate collection of such and ensure payment to the Treasurer within one week of the completion of fixtures; and

d) to arrange for the provision of refreshments after home fixtures.

7. Accounts & Finance

7.1 The Treasurer shall prepare interim accounts for committee meetings and also an income and expenditure account for the period to the end of January each year presented for approval at the AGM.

7.2 All moneys payable to the Club shall be received by the person authorised by the Management Committee to receive such moneys and shall be deposited in a bank account in the name of the Club. The Treasurer is authorised by the Management Committee to draw funds from that account by the various means available up to the value of £250. Amounts over £250 will be individually authorised by the Management Committee.

8. Application of Surplus Funds

8.1 The Club is a non-profit-making organisation. All surpluses will be used to maintain or improve the Club's operation and in furtherance of the Club's objects. No surplus will be distributed other than in accordance with Rule 18.3 on winding-up or dissolution of the Club.

9. Membership

9.1 All Members must complete an application form and, subject to Rule 10, pay the then-current annual subscription in full and when this is done will be deemed Members of Writhlington Tennis Club and subject to its rules and entitled to use the facilities available to it at Writhlington Leisure through its agreement with Writhlington Trust. Persons of either sex are eligible for membership of the Club provided they are at least 14 years old. No person shall otherwise be denied membership of the Club on the grounds of race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, age, disability, sex, occupation, sexual orientation, religion, political or other beliefs.

9.2 The membership categories (for which different subscription rates will apply) are as follows:

Individual aged 18 and over not in full-time education

Student member aged 16 and over in full-time education
Student member aged 14-16 years
Senior member aged 65 and over

9.3 Each Member (of each class) agrees as a condition of membership:

• to be bound by and subject to these rules and the rules and regulations of the relevant CLTA (as in force from time to time);

• to be bound by and subject to the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code.

Any Member whose entrance fee or subscription is not paid by within 1 month in arrearsof the due date shall be deemed to have resigned his membership of the Club.

10. Subscriptions

10.1 Subscriptions are annual and can be taken out at any time throughout the year. The ‘full time education’ and age criteria shall apply at the date of joining. The rights of a member may be withdrawn for non-payment of subscription by the end of the arrears period stated in 9.3

11. Resignation

11.1 A Member may withdraw from membership of the Club on immediate notice to the Club. Membership shall not be transferable in any event and shall cease immediately on death of the Member or dissolution of the Clubor on the failure of the Member to comply or to continue to comply with any condition of membership set out in these Rules.

12. Expulsion

12.1 The Management Committee shall have power to expel a Member when, in its opinion it would not be in the interests of the sport or of the Club for him to remain a Member or on the failure of the Member to comply or to continue to comply with any condition of membership set out in these Rules. No Member can be expelled unless given 14 days' written notice of the meeting of the Management Committee at which his expulsion shall be considered and written details of the complaint made against the Member.

12.2 The Member shall be given an opportunity to make written representations and/or to appear before the Management Committee and at any such meeting to be accompanied by a representative or friend, who may answer complaints made against the Member and to cross-examine any witnesses on behalf of the Member. The Member must not be expelled unless at least [two-thirds] of the Management Committee then present vote in favour of the Member’s expulsion.

12.3 The Management Committee may exclude the Member from the Club's premises until the meeting considering his expulsion is to be held. For the avoidance of doubt, the Member shall be entitled to attend that meeting for the purpose of making his representations.

13. Effect of Resignation or Expulsion

13.1 Any person ceasing to be a Member forfeits all right to and claim upon the Club, its property and its funds and he has no right to the return of any part of his subscription. The Management Committee may refund an appropriate part of a resigning Member’s subscription if it considers it appropriate taking account of all the circumstances.

14. Trustees

14.1 The Management Committee shall appoint Trustees, to hold office until death or resignation unless removed from office by a resolution of the Management Committee or by a resolution duly passed at a general meeting. The Chair from time to time is nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925. A new Trustee or new Trustees shall be nominated by resolution of the Management Committee and the Chair shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated as the new Trustee or Trustees of the Club and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such deed of appointment shall in favour of a person dealing with the Club or the Committee in good faith be conclusive evidence of the fact so stated.

14.2 The number of Trustees shall not be more than four or less than two.

14.3 Every member of the Management Committee, employee or agent of the Club shall be indemnified by the Club and the Club shall pay all costs, losses and expenses which any such member of the Management Committee, employee or agent may incur or for which he may become liable by reason of any contract entered into or act or thing done by him in good faith and within the rules and constitution set out by the Club as such member of the Management Committee, employee or agent in accordance with the instructions of the Management Committee or of a general meeting of the Club or otherwise in the discharge of his duties. The Management Committee may give to any member of the Management Committee, employee or agent of the Club who has incurred or may be about to incur any liability at the request of or for the benefit of the Club such security by way of indemnity as may seem expedient.

15. Guests

15.1 Any Member may introduce guests to the Club up to a maximum of three times per year. The Member introducing a guest in accordance must pay the visitors fee as determined at the AGM each year and enter the name and address of the guest together with the name of the introducer in the signing in book used for club nights etc.

16. Alteration of the rules

16.1 These Rules may be altered by resolution at an annual or extraordinary general meeting provided that the resolution shall not be passed unless carried by a majority of at least two thirds of the Members present and voting at the general meeting, the notice of which contains particulars of the proposed alteration or addition.

17. Property

17.1 The property of the Club, other than cash at the bank, shall be vested in the Trustees. They shall deal with the property as directed by resolution of the Management Committee and entry in the minutes shall be conclusive evidence of such a resolution.

18. Dissolution

18.1 A resolution to dissolve the Club shall be proposed only at an extraordinary general meeting and shall be passed only if carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the Members present and voting.

18.2 The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Management Committee shall be responsible for the winding-up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.

18.3 Any property remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be paid to or distributed to another non-profit making tennis club or voluntary organisation having objects similar to those of the Club or to a registered charity for lawn tennis or the LTA for use in community related tennis initiatives .

This document has been amended following agreement at the AGM on February 5th 2019 to sections 5 and section 9 concerning age changes.