Wedmore Tennis Club Constitution

1  Name

 The Club is called Wedmore Tennis Club (the Club).

2 Definitions

2.1 The following definitions apply throughout this document unless the context otherwise requires:

“the Game” the game of Lawn Tennis;

“the CLTA” the Somerset County Lawn Tennis Association;

“the LTA” 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 Chair” the person elected from time to time to be the chair of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“the Vice-Chair” the person elected from time to time to be the vice-chair of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“the Secretary” the person elected from time to time to be the secretary of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“the Treasurer” the person elected from time to time to be the treasurer the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“the Men’s Captain” the person elected from time to time to be the captain of the men’s tennis

Of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“the Ladies’ Captain” the person elected from time to time to be the captain of the ladies’ tennis of the Club in accordance with Rule 9

“the Juniors’ Secretary” the person elected from time to time to be the juniors’ secretary of the Club in accordance with Rule 9;

“the Officers” the holders of the offices of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer,  Men’s Captain, Ladies’ Captain, Membership Secretary and Juniors’ Secretary;

“the Committee” the committee appointed pursuant of Rule 9 to manage the Club;

“a Member” a member of Wedmore Tennis Club;

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

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

3 Objects

3.1 The objects of the Club are:

3.1.1 to provide tennis, social and other activities for its members and generally encourage and facilitate the playing of tennis;

3.1.2 to provide and maintain Club premises at Wedmore;

3.1.3 to promote, improve, develop and support the interests of tennis;

3.1.5 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 and the LTA as amended from time to time and the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code and the rules regulations of any body to which the LTA is affiliated;

3.1.6 to acquire, establish, own and turn to account in any way the tennis court facilities of the Club together with buildings and easements, fixtures and fittings and accessories as shall be thought advisable;

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

3.1.8 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) where so required by the Rules and Regulations of the LTA or the CLTA (as the case may be);

3.1.9 to make donations or offer support to lawn tennis clubs which are charities or community amateur sports clubs: and;

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

4 Application of Surplus Funds

4.1 The Club is a non-profit-making organisation.  All profits and surpluses will be used to maintain or improve the Club’s facilities and in furtherance of the Club’s objects.  No income or property shall be transferred to Club Members.  No profit or surplus will be distributed other than to the Wedmore Playing Fields Management Committee on winding up or dissolution of the Club.

4.2 Nothing in Rule 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 Committee (without the Member being present) and are agreed with the Member on an arm’s length basis.

4.3 No Member shall be paid a salary, bonus, fee or other remuneration for playing for the Club.

5 Membership

5.1 Eligibility for Membership

5.1.1 Persons of either sex are eligible for membership of the Club.  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 of the age of 18 or above may become Adult Members.

5.1.3 Persons of the ages from 18 to 25 may become Student Members provided they are in full-time education without the right to hold office or vote at general meetings.

5.1.4 Persons below the age of 18 may become Junior Members without the right to hold office or vote at general meetings.

5.2  Admission of Members

Any person who wishes to become a Member must submit an application in such form as the Committee shall decide.  The Committee will consider each application and shall admit that candidate to membership of the Club unless to do so would be contrary to the best interests of the sport or the good conduct and interests of the Club.

5.3 Conditions of Membership

5.3.1 Each Member agrees as a condition of membership:

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

5.3.1.2 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 Committee may subject to Rule 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.

5.3.4 Only full Adult Members shall be entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at general meetings.  Student and Junior Members may attend but not vote at general meetings.

5.4  Subscriptions and Fees

5.4.1 The entrance fee and annual subscription for each class of Member shall be approved by the annual general meeting.  Any other fees shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.

5.4.2 The Members shall pay any entrance fee and annual subscription fees set by the annual general meeting.  Annual subscriptions shall run from 1st April.

5.4.3 No candidate for membership shall be entitled to the privileges of membership until s/he has paid the entrance fee (if any) and her/ his first annual subscription.

5.4.4 Any Member whose entrance fee or subscription is more than three months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned his/her membership of the Club.

6 Resignation

A Member may withdraw from membership of the Club on 28 days clear notice to the Club.  Membership shall not be transferable in any event and shall cease immediately on death or dissolution or on failure of the Member to comply or to continue to comply with any condition of membership set out in these rules.

7 Expulsion

7.1 Subject to the remaining provisions of this rule, the Committee shall have the power to expel a Member when, in its opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Club for them to remain a Member.

7.2 A Member shall not be expelled unless s/he is given 14 days written notice of the meeting of the Committee at which her/his expulsion shall be considered and written details of the complaint made against them.

7.3 The Member shall be given an opportunity, at the sole discretion of the Committee, to make written representations and/or to appear before the Committee and at such a meeting to answer complaints made against him/her and to cross-examine any witnesses and must not be expelled unless at least two-thirds of the Committee then present vote in favour of his/ her expulsion.

7.4 The Committee may exclude the Member from the Club’s premises until the meeting considering their expulsion has been held.  However under Rule 7.3 the Member shall be entitled to attend that meeting.

7.5 The Member may appeal against the Committee’s decision by notifying the Committee who shall put the matter to the Club’s members in general meeting and decided by a majority vote of members present and voting at such meeting.

8 Effect of Resignation or Expulsion

Any person ceasing to be a Member forfeits all right to and claims upon the Club, its property and its funds.  The Committee may refund an appropriate part of a resigning Member’s subscription if it considers it appropriate taking account of all the circumstances.

9 The Committee

9.1 The Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of:

9.1.1 The Chair;

9.1.2 The Vice-Chair (who may also hold another office );

9.1.3 The Secretary;

9.1.4 The Treasurer;

9.1.5 The Men’s Captain;

9.1.6 The Ladies’ Captain

9.1.7 The Membership Secretary

9.1.8 The Junior Secretary

9.1.9 No more than three other Adult Members elected annually at the annual general meeting.

9.2 The members of the Committee may exercise all powers of the Club for the purposes of the management of the Club.

9.3 The Committee members shall be proposed, seconded and elected by ballot at the annual general meeting.

9.4 In addition to the members elected in accordance with this Rule 9, the Committee may co-opt up to three further Adult Members who shall serve until the next annual general meeting.  Co-opted members shall be entitled to vote at the meetings of the Committee.

9.5 The Committee may appoint any Adult Member to fill any casual vacancy on the Committee until the next annual general meeting.

9.6 Election to the Committee shall be for one year.  Retiring Committee members may be re-elected indefinitely (subject to Rule 9.7), with the exception of the Chair whose period of office may not exceed three years at a time.

9.7 A member of the Committee shall be deemed to have vacated office if:

9.7.1 S/He resigns their office by notice to the Club; or

9.7.2 S/He shall without sufficient reason for more than three consecutive meetings of the Committee have been absent without permission of the Committee and the Committee resolves that his/her office be vacated; or

9.7.3 S/He is suspended from holding office or from taking part in any activity relating to the administration or management of the Club by a decision of the CLTA or the LTA; or

9.7.4 S/He is requested to resign by not less than two-thirds of the Committee acting together.

9.7.5 In the event of a committee member objecting to a decision taken and passed with a clear majority s/he cannot raise a Petition calling for an extraordinary general meeting without firstly standing down from the committee. ”

10 Proceedings of the Committee

10.1 Committee meetings shall be held as often as the Committee thinks fit provided that there shall not be less than three meetings each year.  The quorum of such meetings shall be five.  The Chair and the Secretary shall have discretion to call meetings of the Committee if they consider it to be in the interests of the Club.  The Secretary shall give all the members of the Committee not less than 7 days’ notice of a meeting.

10.2 The Chair shall be the chair of the committee.  Unless s/ he is for any reason unwilling to do so, the Chair shall preside at every meeting of the Committee at which s/he is present.  But if there is no person holding that office, or if the Chair is unwilling to preside or is not present within five minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, the Vice-Chair shall preside.  If there is no Vice-Chair or s/ he is unwilling to preside, or if s/he is not present within five minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, the members of the Committee present may appoint one of their number to be chair of the meeting.

10.3 Decisions of the Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those present and in the event of equality of votes the Chair (or acting chair of that meeting) shall have the casting vote.

10.4 The 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 Committee as the Committee may determine.  All sub-committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Committee.

10.5 The Committee shall be responsible for the management of the Club and shall have the sole right of appointing and determining the terms and conditions of service of employees of the Club.  The Committee shall have power to enter into contracts for the purposes of the Club on behalf of all the Members.

10.6 Every member of the Committee, employee or agent of the Club shall be indemnified by the Club and the Committee shall pay all costs, losses and expenses which any such member of the 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 as such member of the Committee, employee or agent in accordance with the instructions of the Committee or of a general meeting of the Club or otherwise in the discharge of his duties.  The Committee may give to any member of the 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.

11 Annual General Meeting

11.1 The annual general meeting of the Club shall be held in March each year to transact the following business:

11.1.1 To receive the Chairman’s report of the activities of the Club during the previous year;

11.1.2 To receive and consider the accounts of the Club for the previous year and the Treasurer’s report as to the financial position of the Club, and to set the annual subscriptions;

11.1.3 To elect Officers and other members of the Committee;

11.1.4 To decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted in accordance with Rule 11.2 below;

11.1.5 To deal with any special matters which the Committee desires to bring before the membership.

11.2 Notice of any resolution proposed to be moved at the annual general meeting shall be given in writing to the Secretary not less than 21 days before the meeting.

12 Extraordinary General Meetings

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

12.2 No Member may vote at an extraordinary general meeting whose application to join the Club was made on or after the date of the meeting causing the petition to be raised.

13 Procedures at the Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings

13.1 The Secretary shall send to each Adult Member at his/her last known address written notice of the date of the general meeting together with the resolutions to be proposed at least 14 days before the meeting.  The accidental failure to give notice to any person entitled to notice, or the accidental omission of any such details in any notice, shall not invalidate the proceedings at the meeting.

13.2 The quorum for the annual general meetings shall be 15% of the Adult Members and for the extraordinary general meetings 20% of the Adult Members.

13.3 The Chair shall preside at all general meetings of the Club but if s/he is not present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for the meeting or has signified his/her inability to be present at the meeting, the Adult Members present may choose one of the other members of the Committee present to preside and if no other member of the Committee is present or willing to preside the Adult Members present may choose one of their number to be chair of the meeting.

13.4 Each Adult Member present and eligible to vote under Rule 12.2 shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of those Adult Members present and voting.  For contested election of Officers a paper ballot shall be conducted.  In the event of an equality of votes the chair of the meeting shall have an additional or casting vote.

13.5 Any objection to the eligibility of any person voting at any meeting must be made at that meeting and any votes allowed at the meeting will be considered valid.  Any such objections must be referred to the  meeting’s chairperson at the time of the meeting

13.6 There shall be no right for a Member to vote by proxy.  No person may represent more than one Member.

13.7 The Secretary, or in his/her absence a member of the Committee, shall take minutes at annual and extraordinary general meetings.

14 Guests

14.1 Any Member may introduce guests to the Club, provided that no one whose application for membership has been declined or who has been expelled from the Club may be introduced as a guest.

14.2 No one may be admitted as a guest on more than three occasions in any calendar year.

14.3 A visitor’s fee shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.

14.4 Members who introduce guests shall pay any visitor’s fees set by the Committee in the box by the courts, or to any one of the members of the Committee within 7 days.

14.5 The Committee shall have the right to cancel or restrict the admission of guests at any time if it considers it in the interests of the Club.

15 Public Hire of Courts

15.1 The courts of the Club are available as a community amenity for hire to the public.

15.2 The Committee shall determine the number of courts, the times they are available, the hire charge and the associated procedures.

16 Alteration of the Constitution

This Constitution 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 Adult Members present at the general meeting, the notice of which contained particulars of the proposed alteration or addition.

17 Club Regulations

The Committee shall have the power to make, repeal and amend such regulations as it may from time to time consider necessary for the wellbeing of the Club.  Such regulations and standing orders any repeals or amendments to them shall have effect until set aside by the Committee.

18 Finance

18.1 All moneys payable to the Club shall be received by the person authorised by the Committee to receive such moneys and shall be deposited in a bank account in the name of the Club.  No sum shall be drawn from that account except by cheque signed by one of the three signatories who shall be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

18.2 Subject to Rule 2.1.3, the income and property of the Club shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club and no part thereof shall be paid by way of bonus, dividend or profit to any Member.

18.3 The Committee shall have the power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any Officer, member of the Committee, Member or employee of the Club and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.

18.4 The financial transactions of the Club shall be recorded in such manner as the Committee thinks fit by the Treasurer.

18.5 Full accounts of the financial affairs of the Club shall be prepared each year ending on the last day of February.  These accounts shall be examined by an independent person.  The accounts must be made available to Adult Members attending the annual general meeting.

19 Borrowing

19.1 The Committee may borrow money on behalf of the Club for the purposes of the Club from time to time with the approval of a general meeting.

19.2 When so borrowing the Committee shall have the power to raise in any way any sum or sums of money (up to the total approved by the general meeting) and to raise and secure the repayment of any sum or sums of money in such a manner and on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.

19.3 The Committee shall not have the power to pledge the personal liability of any Member for repayment of any sums so borrowed.

19.4 The Committee shall have the power to make such dispositions of the Club’s property or any part thereof, and enter into and execute such agreements and instruments in relation thereto, as it may deem proper for giving security for such interest payable thereon.

20 Notices

20.1 The Club can send, make available or supply any notice, ballot paper, accounts, document, or other information by personal delivery, by posting it to reach the intended recipient’s usual address, by sending it or supplying it in electronic form to an address notified by the intended recipient to the Club or by making it available on a website and notifying the intended recipient of its availability in accordance with this rule.

20.2 If any notice or other information is left by the Club at the intended recipient’s usual address, it is treated as being received on the day it was left.

20.3 If any notice or other information is sent by the Club by post, it is treated as being received the day after it was posted if first class post was used, or 72 hours after it was posted if first class post was not used.  In proving that any notice or other information was received, it is sufficient to show that the envelope was properly addressed and put into the postal system with postage paid.

20.4 If any notice or other information was sent using electronic means, it is treated as being received on the day it was sent.  In the case of notices or other information available on the website, the notice or other information is treated as being received on the day on which it was made available on the website or if later, the day on which the notice of availability is treated as being received by the intended recipient in accordance with this rule.

 

21 Dissolution

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

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

21.3 Any property remaining after discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be paid to the Wedmore Playing Fields Management Committee.

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