UNINCORPORTED ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION OF BUDE TENNIS CLUB (the Club)
Objects
1. Object
The object for which the Club is established is to:
1.1 promote, encourage and facilitate the playing of the Game in the area of Bude and amongst the community.
1.2 promote a fun and safe environment for all Members.
1.3 maintain the clubhouse and floodlights and provide club-owned equipment for the use of its Members.
1.4 take and retain a membership of the Cornwall County Lawn Tennis Association CCLTA (and by doing so become and remain registered as an associate of the Lawn Tennis Association LTA) and to comply with and uphold the Rules and Regulations of the CCLTA and the LTA.
1.5 work in partnership with Budehaven Recreation Ground (BHRG) who own and provide the club facilities on an indefinite licence.
1.6 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 and to promote increases in participation at all levels of the Game
2. Sports Equity
The Club recognises that people have unique needs, which should be met to ensure that everyone has a fair and equal opportunity to participate. The Club will endeavour to incorporate this across all aspects of its development.
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 identification, 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.
The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to Club Disciplinary Procedures.
3. Number and Composition of the Management Committee
3.1 The Club shall be managed by a Management Committee which will include the following roles:
3.1.1 Chairman
3.1.2 Secretary
3.1.3 Treasurer
3.1.4 Safeguarding Officer
3.1.5 Membership Secretary
3.1.6 Tournament Secretary
3.1.7 Match Secretary
3.1.8 Ladies Captain
3.1.9 Men’s Captain
3.1.10 a maximum number of two (but not less than one) Independent Management Committee Members
3.2 At least three of the Management Committee Members must be unrelated or non-cohabiting.
3.3 Each Management Committee Member agrees to be bound by and subject to this Constitution, the rules and regulations of the CCLTA, the LTA Rules and the LTA Disciplinary Code.
3.4 The Management Committee can determine and amend the constitution of the club subject to approval at the following AGM or at an EGM.
4. Appointment of the Management Committee
4.1 All Committee Members shall retire annually and be eligible for re-election.
4.2 The secretary shall send to the Members 28 days prior to the AGM, an email asking for nominations for the election of members of the Management Committee in the place of those retiring. Nominations must be received at least 14 days before the AGM. Those persons proposed to be nominated as members of the Management Committee must be nominated by an Adult Member and seconded by another Adult Member at the AGM.
4.3 All committee members must be approved at the AGM.
4.4 Any casual vacancies in an office on the Management Committee may be filled by the Committee at their discretion.
4.5 In the event of equality in voting the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote.
5. Calling a Management Committee Meeting
5.1 The Management Committee must hold at least four meetings every calendar year.
6. Quorum for Management Committee Meetings
6.1 The quorum for a Management Committee meeting is at least 50% of the Management Committee Members appointed at the time of the meeting.
6.2 If the total number of Management Committee Members in office for the time being is less than the quorum required, the Management Committee Members must not take any decision other than a decision:
6.2.1 to appoint further Management Committee Members; or
6.2.2 to call a general meeting so as to enable the Members to appoint further Management Committee Members.
7. Casting Vote
7.1 Decisions of the Management Committee shall be made by a simple majority.
7.2 If the number of votes for and against a proposal at a Management Committee meeting are equal, the chairman or other Management Committee Member chairing the meeting shall have a casting vote.
8. Records of Decisions to be Kept
Where decisions of the Management Committee are taken by electronic means, such decisions shall be recorded by the Management Committee in permanent form, so that they may be read with the naked eye.
9. Membership
9.1 Membership of the Club is open to anyone interested in coaching, volunteering or participating in the Game, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
9.2 BHRG set their membership categories, and these may change from time to time. The Club can add their own categories, if deemed necessary.
9.3 Prospective Members may play up to three times for a fee per session to be decided annually by the Management Committee. The cost of this will be deducted from their Membership fee on joining.
9.4 Prospective Members shall submit a Membership Application to the Management Committee for consideration. The Management Committee reserves the right to reject any Membership Application, that it feels will be to the detriment of the Club, the Club’s Objects and its members.
9.5 An email shall be sent to each successful applicant confirming their Membership of the Club and the details of each successful applicant shall be entered into the register of Members.
9.6 All members will be subject to the regulations of the Constitution and by joining/re-joining the Club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the Club has adopted including those of the CCLTA and the LTA.
9.7 All Members must pay to the Club Membership fees that are to be voted and decided at the AGM.
9.8 The Membership Year starts on the 1 April. New members joining during the year will pay the full membership if they join up to halfway through the year; after that it will be pro rota for the rest of the season if they intend to join the Club the following Membership Year.
9.9 No candidate who has been accepted as a Member shall be entitled to the privileges of Membership until he or she has paid the Membership fee.
9.10 Any Member whose Membership fee is not paid by 30 April shall be deemed to have resigned their Membership of the Club.
10. Withdrawal of Membership
10.1 A Member whose Membership is withdrawn shall not be entitled to a refund of any subscription or Membership fee and shall remain liable to pay to the Club any subscription or other sum owed by him or her.
10.2 Membership shall not be transferable in any event and shall cease immediately.
11. Disciplinary Procedure, Suspension or Expulsion of a Member
11.1 If, following completion of the disciplinary procedure outlined below, in the reasonable opinion of the Management Committee, any Member(s) (Respondent(s))
11.1.1 is guilty of conduct which has or is likely to have an adverse effect on the Club or bring the Club or any of the Members and/or the Management Committee into disrepute; or
11.1.2 has acted or has threatened to act in a manner which is contrary to the interests of the Club as a whole; or
11.1.3 has failed to observe the terms of this Constitution, the Club’s Rules or Code of Conduct,
the Management Committee can apply proportionate and appropriate sanctions, such as; verbal warning, written warning, final warning, temporary suspension, and in extreme cases, terminate or suspend the membership of any Member.
11.2 The club will always seek to resolve matters as constructively and fairly as possible, applying the lowest possible sanction required to achieve the outcome that upholds the Constitution, Rules and Code of Conduct.
11.3 All complaints regarding the behaviour of a Respondent(s) should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary or if it concerns the secretary, then another Committee member.
11.4 The Management Committee will have an initial meeting within 14 days of a complaint being lodged to consider the complaint and decide whether the disciplinary procedure needs to be implemented. If the complaint is regarding a Member of the Management Committee, they will not be included in the process.
11.5 If the Management Committee decide that the disciplinary procedure needs to be implemented, then the respondent will be notified immediately with full written details of the complaint made against them and given 14 days notice of a meeting with the Management Committee to discuss the complaint.
11.6 The Respondent shall be given the opportunity to make written representations, to appear at the meeting and to be accompanied by a representative or friend if they wish.
11.7 Within 7 days of meeting with the Respondent, the Management Committee shall meet to review the complaint and evidence submitted. Should they consider they need further evidence to conclude the matter, they may request this prior to issuing a decision. Once a decision has been made, the complainant and respondent will be informed immediately.
11.8 The Respondent may appeal against the Management Committee’s decision by notifying the Club Secretary in writing within 7 days of notification of the decision.
11.9 The Management Committee will convene an appeals panel of 5 members from the Membership. None of the appeals panel members will be current Management Committee members and should, to the greatest extent possible, represent a cross-section of the Membership and be independent from the Respondent concerned. The Management Committee has 10 days to convene members for an appeals panel once the written appeal has been received.
11.10 A Respondent whose Membership is terminated under this Rule shall not be entitled to a refund of any subscription or Membership fee and shall remain liable to pay to the Club any subscription or other sum owed by him or her.
11.11 Once such special resolution is passed, the name of the Respondent shall be removed from the register of Members.
12. Votes of Members
12.1 Every Member shall be entitled to be present and speak at any general meeting, including parents/guardians of any Member aged under 18 years. Every Adult Member aged 18 or over, who is present, shall on a show of hands have one vote.
12.2 There shall be no right for a Member to vote by proxy. No person may represent more than one Member.
12.3 In the event of equality or of votes, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
13. Annual General Meeting
13.1 The annual general meeting of the Club shall be held at such time as the Management Committee shall decide, but normally between 15 January and 29 February each year, to transact the following business:
13.1.1 to approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM;
13.1.2 to receive the Chairman's report of the activities of the Club during the previous year;
13.1.3 to receive and consider the accounts of the Club for the previous year;
13.1.4 the election of Management Committee for the ensuing year;
13.1.5 any items of which notice has been given and details included in the agenda and
13.1.6 to deal with any other matters which the Management Committee desires to bring before the Membership.
13.2 Notice of any resolution proposed to be moved at the annual general meeting shall be given in writing to the Members not less than 14 days before the meeting.
13.3 Any Adult Member wishing to propose a resolution at the AGM, must provide a copy thereof to the Secretary at least three weeks prior to the AGM.
13.4 In all matters of interpretation of the Rules of procedure the Chairman of the Meeting’s decision is final.
14. Extraordinary General Meeting
An extraordinary general meeting may be called at any time by the Management Committee and shall be called within 21 days of receipt by the Chairman of a requisition in writing signed by not less than [40%] of the Members stating the purposes for which the meeting is required and the resolutions proposed.
15. Procedures at the Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings
15.1 The Secretary shall send to each Member written notice of the date, time and place 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.
15.2 The quorum for the annual and extraordinary general meetings shall be 15% of Adult Members of the Club.
15.3 The Management Committee Members may attend and speak at annual or extraordinary general meetings. The chairman of the meeting may permit other persons who are not Members to attend and speak at a meeting.
15.4 The Secretary shall take minutes at annual and extraordinary general meetings.
16. Finances
16.1 The Club’s financial year shall run from 1 January and end on 31 December.
16.2 The Club’s Treasurer will be responsible for the Club’s finances. All Club money will be banked in an account held in the name of the Club.
16.3 The income and property of the Club from wherever derived shall be applied solely in promoting the Club’s objects.
16.4 Any monies not required for immediate use may be invested as the Management Committee in its discretion thinks fit.
16.5 The Club may pay any reasonable expenses that the Management Committee Members properly incur in connection with their attendance at meetings of the Management Committee or at annual or other general meetings of the Club or otherwise in connection with the exercise of their powers and the discharge of their responsibilities in relation to the Club.
16.6 The financial transactions of the Club shall be recorded in such manner as the Management Committee thinks fit by the Treasurer.
16.7 Each year, full accounts of the financial affairs of the Club shall be prepared, independently reviewed and presented at the AGM.
17. Dissolution
17.1 A resolution to dissolve the Club shall be proposed only at a general meeting and shall be passed by a special resolution of the Members present, and by at least two-thirds present and voting.
17.2 The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the Management Committee Members shall be responsible for the winding-up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.
17.3 Any property remaining on a winding up or dissolution of the Club after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club 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 sporting or charitable bodies (i) the LTA for use in community related initiatives for the Game; (ii) another registered community amateur sports club for the Game; or (iii) a registered charitable organisation.
18. Rules, Policies and Regulations
The Management Committee shall have power to make, repeal and amend such rules, policies and regulations e.g. Safeguarding Policy and Club Rules and Code of Conduct, as it may from time to time consider necessary for the wellbeing of the Club. Such regulations and any repeals or amendments to them shall have effect until set aside by the Management Committee. These documents shall be displayed in the Clubhouse for the attention of Members and Guests.
19. 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 Members present and voting at the general meeting, the notice of which contains particulars of the proposed alteration or addition.