WREKIN & TELFORD TENNIS COMMUNITY CONSTITUTION.

1.            Name

The Club, established in 2018, is called WREKIN AND TELFORD TENNIS COMMUNITY ("the Club").

2.            Definitions

"the Chairman” means the person elected/appointed from time to time to be the chairman of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“the CLTA” means Tennis Shropshire (County Lawn Tennis Association). 

“the Game” means the game of tennis;

"the [Honorary] Secretary" means the person [elected] [appointed] from time to time to be the [honorary] secretary of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

"the [Honorary] Treasurer" means the person [elected] [appointed] from time to time to be the [honorary] treasurer of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“the 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;

“the LTA Disciplinary Code” means the disciplinary code of the LTA in force from time to time;

“the LTA Rules” means the rules of the LTA as in force from time to time;

"the Officers" means members of the committee;

"the Management Committee" means the committee appointed under Rule 9 to manage the Club;

"the Members" means the members of the Club admitted from time to time to membership of the Club in accordance with Rule 5;

"the President" means the person [elected] [appointed] from time to time to be the president of the Club in accordance with Rule 9; and

"the Trustees" means the persons appointed from time to time to be the trustees of the Club in accordance with Rule 10.6.

2.1          Words denoting the singular number include the plural number and vice versa; words denoting the masculine gender include the feminine gender; and words denoting persons include bodies corporate (however incorporated) and unincorporated, including unincorporated associations of persons and partnerships.

3.            Objects

The objects of the Club are:

(a)          to provide tennis, social and other activities and generally to encourage and facilitate the playing of tennis;

(b)          to provide Club premises (a place to play);

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

(d)          to such other benefits to its members as if shall think fit;

(e)          to take and retain a membership of the CLTA (and by doing so become and remain registered as an associate of the LTA) and to comply with and uphold the Rules and Regulations of the CLTA as amended from time to time and the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code and the rules and regulations of any body to which the LTA is registered or affiliated;

(f)           to acquire, establish, own, operate and turn to account in any way [for the members' benefit] the tennis court facilities of the Club together with buildings and easements, fixtures and fittings and accessories as shall be thought advisable;

(g)          subject to the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code and the LTA’s wider jurisdiction, to make rules, regulations, bye-laws and standing orders concerning the operation of the Club Including without limitation regulations concerning disciplinary procedures that may be taken against the Members;

(h)          subject to the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code and the LTA’s wider jurisdiction, to discipline the Members where permitted by its Rules/Regulations and to refer its Members to be disciplined by the LTA or the CLTA (as appropriate);

[(i)          to make donations or offer support to lawn tennis clubs which are charities or community amateur sports clubs;]

(j)           to do all such other things as the Management Committee thinks fit to further the interests of the Club, to advance and safeguard the interests of the Game, to promote increases in participation at all levels of the Game or to as are otherwise incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the objects stated in this Rule 3.

4.            Application of Surplus Funds

4.1          The Club is a non-profit-making organisation. Subject to Rule 26.3, the income and property of the Club shall be applied solely towards promoting the Club's facilities and in furtherance of the Club's objects as set forth in these Rules no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the Members of the Club.

4.2          Nothing in Clause 4.1 shall prevent the Club from entering an agreement with a member for the supply by him to the Club of goods or services or for his employment by the Club, provided that such arrangements are approved by the Management Committee (without the member being present) and are agreed with the member on an arm's length basis.

5.            Membership

5.1          Eligibility for membership

5.1.1      Persons of either sex are eligible for [full] membership of the Club provided they are at least 18 years old. No person shall 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.

5.1.2      Persons below the age of 18 may be elected as Junior Members without the right to hold office or vote at general meetings.

5.1.3      The number of Members is unlimited.

5.2          Admission of Members

Any person who wishes to become a Member must submit an application in such form as the Management Committee shall decide. Every candidate for membership shall be considered by the Management Committee, [which shall, in its absolute discretion, decide whether to admit that candidate as a Member]. [A person shall not be entitled to any privileges of the Club until two days have passed since his application for membership was submitted, whether or not he is admitted as a Member before those two days have lapsed]

5.3          Conditions of membership

5.3.1      Each member (of each class) agrees as a condition of membership:

(A)          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); and

(B)          to be bound by and subject to the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code.

5.3.2      Rule 5.3.1 confers a benefit on the LTA and, subject to the remaining provisions of this rule, is intended to be enforceable by the LTA by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. For the avoidance of doubt, the members do not intend that any term of these rules, apart from Rule 5.3, should be enforceable, by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999, by any person who is not a party to these rules.

5.3.3      The Management Committee may subject to Clause 7 terminate the membership of any person, or impose any other sanction it determines to be appropriate, in connection with the breach of any condition of membership set out in this rule.

5.4          Classes of Members

5.4.1      There shall be the following classes of members for the Club: Full Member/Junior Student/Family

5.4.2      Only Full Members shall be entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at general meetings. A Member other than a Full Member shall be entitled to all the other privileges of membership relevant to this class of membership but shall not have the right to receive notice of, attend and vote at general meetings.

5.5          Subscriptions

5.5.1      The entrance fee and annual subscription for each type of Member shall be determined from time to time by the Management Committee.

5.5.2      The Members shall pay any entrance fee and annual subscription fees set by the Management Committee from time to time.

5.5.3      No candidate who has been elected a Member shall be entitled to the privileges of membership until he has paid the entrance fee (if any) and his first annual subscription.

5.5.4      Any Member whose entrance fee or subscription is [not paid by such date as the Management Committee shall decide each year] more than [three months] [one year] [insert other time limit] in arrears] shall be deemed to have resigned his membership of the Club.