Constitution and Rules

Membership shall be open to all persons who wish to play, support, or otherwise encourage the game of lawn tennis without discrimination. The committee may refuse membership or expel from membership only for good and sufficient cause, such as conduct or character likely to bring the club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against such a decision may be made to the Club’s members and decided by a majority vote.
The Club shall include: (i) Honorary President and Honorary Vice-Presidents who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. (ii) Adult, Senior Citizens and Social members who shall pay the full annual subscription and be eligible to vote at General Meetings. (iii) Junior Members, those Junior members who have reached the age of 16 shall be eligible to vote.

4. Management

The Management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the officers of the club. Namely the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Match Secretary and a committee as elected up to a maximum of 12 members. A quorum shall consist of 5 members of the committee.

5. Election of Officers and Committee

The Officers and other members of the committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and retire annually.

7. Powers of Committee

The committee shall have power to fill any vacancies on the committee that may occur during their year of office.
The committee may appoint such sub-committees as is deemed necessary and may co-opt not more than three members to each sub-committee.

8. Finance

The financial year of the Club shall end on 30th September.
A statement of Accounts duly audited shall be presented by the Honorary Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting. The Income and Property of the Club shall be applied solely towards promoting the Club’s object as set forth in this constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to the Members of the Club. The club may employ members (though not for playing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the committee, without the person concerned being present.

9. Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the 30th November. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be; to receive the Annual Report by the Chairman; to receive the Honorary Treasurer’s Statement of Accounts, duly audited; to elect the President and Vice-Presidents; to elect the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Match Secretary, other committee members; to appoint the Honorary Auditor, and to consider any other club business. Nominations for office will be accepted before or at the time of the Annual General Meeting. In the case of the nominated members not present at the Meeting, the written consent of the nominee must accompany the nomination.

10. Special General Meeting

A Special General Meeting may be called at any time on the instructions of the committee or upon receipt by the Honorary Secretary of a written request signed by not less than five Senior Members, setting out the business to be discussed. All such meetings shall be held within twenty-one clear days of the such instructions or request by the Honorary Secretary who shall give not less than seven days clear notice to all senior members, specifying the purpose for which the Meeting is called.

11. Alterations and Additions to Rules

No alteration or addition to these Rules shall be made except by two-thirds majority of those present at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. Notice of any proposed alteration or addition must be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary, who shall give not less than seven clear days notice to all Senior Members of such a Meeting stating in full the proposed alterations or addition. Amendments may be incorporated at that meeting by simple majority.

12. Annual Subscription

Membership subscriptions shall be fixed annually at the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions are due on 1st May.

13. Members (Definition)

A Junior member (Primary) shall be so classed up to and including the season in which the member attains the age of 11. A Junior member (Secondary) shall be so classed up to and including the season in which the member attains the age of 16, or remains in full time education, whichever is the later. A Senior Citizen shall be so classed from the season in which the member attains the age of 60. A social member shall be so classed as any member who participates with the afternoon social group or at other off-peak times agreed by the committee. All other members shall be classed as Adult members. Playing members who have joined by Family subscription shall be individually classed by the above age stipulations.

14. Dissolution of the Club

In the event of the dissolution of the club, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the club, but shall be given or transferred to one or more of the following approved sporting or charitable bodies:

1) A registered charitable organization(s)
2) Another Club which is a registered CASC
3) The sport’s national governing body for use by them for related community sports.

RULES

All members shall conduct themselves in a manner which shall not bring either the game of lawn tennis or the Club into disrepute.
Dress on court should be suitable tennis clothing and must include non marking, flat tennis shoes.
Senior Club nights, to which all Adult and Senior Citizen and invited Junior members may attend, are every Monday and Thursday from 6.30 pm onwards during the season. After 7.30 pm other Junior members may play, if a court or courts are not required by Adult and Senior citizen members.
Junior members are only permitted to play after 6.30 pm on Tuesday Wednesday and Friday evenings if the courts are not required by Adult or Senior citizen members.
Club afternoon, to which all Adult or Senior Citizen members and other invited guests/visitors may come, will be held on Tuesday afternoons between 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm. Juniors may play if courts are available and not required by the other members or their guests/visitors.
At times, other than those above, Adult, Senior Citizen and Junior members have equal right to the use of the courts.
If all courts are in use and there are members waiting to play, singles should not be played and playing time is limited to 30 minutes per court.
The committee reserve the right to use the courts for special events i.e. League Matches, Coaching, Tournaments etc. at any time.
Club balls must be returned to the pavilion after use, making sure that none have been left in the grass around the courts or in the field. If balls are knocked into the gardens of the adjoining houses they must not be retrieved.
The net should be lowered at the end of play.
All members should ensure that the courts are used by members only.