Constitution and Rules

1.  Name of Club

The club will be called Great Brickhill Tennis Club, hereinafter will be referred to as The Club, and may also be known as GBTC.  

GBTC will be affiliated to the Lawn Tennis Association.

2.  Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the Club will be:

• To offer an opportunity for people to play Tennis
• To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in Tennis
• To manage the tennis facilities located close to the Great Brickhill Parish Hall
• To promote the Club within the local community and provide social activities
• To ensure a duty of care to all members of the Club
• To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone

3.  Membership

Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in tennis, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

The membership shall consist of the following categories:

• Adult member- defined as any persons over the age of 18.
• Junior member- defined as anyone under 18 on 1st January or in full time education.

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, as 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.

Non-members will be allowed to make court bookings and play on a ‘Pay and Play’ basis at an hourly rate to be agreed by the Committee and amended from time to time.

4.  Sports Equity 

This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development.  In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

“Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.” 

The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

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.

5.  Committee

The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee, which shall consist of the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary plus up to 5 other non-designated members, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

All committee members must be members of the Club.

If required, the Committee shall elect a Vice Chair from among its number.

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 advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.

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.

The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than 4 times per year.  Only Committee Members will have the right to vote at committee meetings.

The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be 3.

6.  Finances

The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club.

The financial year of the Club will run from 1st January and end on 31st December.

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

An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

Any cheques or money transfers drawn against club funds should hold the physical or electronic signatures of two Committee Members normally the Treasurer plus one other Officer.

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

7.  Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of March to: 

• Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
• Receive a report from the Chairman.
• Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the certified 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. 

Notice of the AGM will be given by the Club Secretary with at least 14 days’ notice to be given to all Members.

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 at least 7 days before an AGM.

All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

The quorum for AGMs will be 7.

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 30% 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.  

8.  Amendments to the constitution

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

9.  Discipline and appeals

All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the Club’s Child Protection Policy and Procedures. The Club’s 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 Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 21 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 10 days of the hearing.

There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The Committee should consider the appeal within 10 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

10.  Dissolution

A resolution to dissolve the Club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any Club’s funds. Any assets of the club that remain following this will become the property of Great Brickhill Table Tennis Club or a similar organisation.

11.  Declaration

Great Brickhill Tennis Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.

Ammended by Russell Dunn and adopted at AGM March 9th 2021