Constitution BRISTOL
LAWN TENNIS AND SQUASH CLUB
CONSTITUTION
Preamble The
Club is a members' club. By a Transfer dated 29th September 1993 the four Trustees
of the Club acquired the Freehold of the existing tennis grounds at Redland Green,
Bristol; by a Deed of Trust of even date, the Trustees agreed to hold the Freehold
land for the benefit of the Members of the Club and in accordance with these rules. By
a Transfer dated 12th September 1997 Bristol Lawn Tennis Club Limited ("the
Company") acquired the Freehold of the Club house and car park at Redland
Green on behalf of the Club.
By a Deed of Trust dated 21st July 1997 the Trustees
agreed to hold the shares of the Company for the benefit of the members and in
accordance with these rules. Name
and Structure 1.
The Club shall be named the BRISTOL LAWN TENNIS AND SQUASH CLUB formerly known
as the Bristol Lawn Tennis Club (hereinafter referred to as "the Club")
situated at Redland Green Road, Redland, Bristol and the tennis, squash and other
teams shall be entitled to play under such names as from time to time approved
by the Management Committee. 2.
The object of the Club is to provide, improve, develop and maintain lawn tennis,
squash and other sporting and leisure activities and associated social and other
facilities for the benefit and enjoyment of its members. The club is a non-profiting
making body, neither during the running of the club or it's dissolution can any
surplus or asset be distributed to club members or Trustees. Management 3.1
Except as otherwise provided for in these rules, the entire management of the
Club including the power to borrow money from members and others in respect of
past or future expenditure be vested in a committee herein called the Management
Committee. 3.2
Periods of office shall be three years for the major officers and two years for
other committee members. 3.3
The Management Committee shall consist of the following officers, Chairman, Secretary,
Treasurer who shall each be elected for 3 years, the committee shall also have
5 other officers who shall each be elected for a period of 2 years. The Chairman
of the Tennis, Squash and Social Committees will also form part of the Management
Committee with all members having equal voting rights. The Trustees representative
shall also be invited to attend all meetings
A minimum of 6 committee members
shall be members of the tennis section and a minimum 3 members of the squash section. 3.4.
All committee members except the Trustee shall be elected at the Annual General
Meeting. Nominees for the committee shall be proposed by one member with voting
status and seconded by another; nominations shall be made either to the Club Secretary
or on the official nominations form on the Club notice board at least seven days
before the AGM. Members so nominated must indicate their willingness to stand
by signing the nomination form. A list of valid nominees shall be posted on the
Club notice board for seven days prior to the AGM. Each post shall be voted on
separately. Election shall be by majority vote of those present and entitled to
vote. 3.5. Management
Committee members shall be eligible for re-election on standing down at an AGM.
A record of attendance at Management Committee meetings shall be made available
during the nomination period. 3.6
The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies caused by resignations;
also to co-opt up to three members in any one year, additional to the members
filling named positions, until the next AGM. Such members shall be eligible for
election to office at the AGM following their appointment. Co-opted additional
committee members will not have voting rights. 3.7
Nominees for the major offices of the Club shall have been Club members with effect
at least from April 1st in the penultimate year, for the other offices they shall
have been Club members with effect at least from April 1st in the previous year
with the proviso that full squash membership of the Club run by BS Group plc during
the above periods shall be deemed to qualify as membership of this Club for the
purpose of this clause. 3.8
At meetings of the Management Committee five voting members present shall form
a quorum; such meetings must include the Chairman or nominated deputy, and one
of the other major officers of the Club. 3.9
The Management Committee shall have the power from time to time to form sub-committees
of any size.Such sub-committees shall have written terms of reference and rules
of procedure recorded in the Minutes of the Management Committee. Members of sub-committees
may be any Club member, a sub-committee must be chaired by a member of the Management
Committee. 3.10
The Management Committee may incur expenditure in accordance with the budget agreed
at the AGM (see 6.3) and in the case of necessary operational costs of the Club
as they arise from time to time. It shall have the power to commit expenditure
on unbudgeted capital items or works up to the sum of £10,000 (this sum
to be adjusted by the rate of inflation annually on the first of the month following
the AGM); for unbudgeted capital expenditure above this sum, the agreement by
simple majority of voting members at a General Meeting shall be required. 3.11
The Management Committee in addition to the powers contained in the preceding
clauses shall have power to lend such monies as are necessary to the Company for
the purpose of ensuring the smooth running and administration of the Club house
and car park such sums to be recorded as loans to the Company.
3.12
The Management Committee shall have the power to nominate four Directors of the
Company two of which should be major officers of the Club, one of which should
be a Management Committee member and one of which should be a Trustee. It is agreed
that the existing directors shall have power to co-opt two additional directors
in their discretion. The composition of the Board shall be reported to the AGM.
3.13
The routine organisation of Tennis, Squash and Social events within the club shall
be the responsibility of the Tennis, Squash and Social Committees.
The Chairman
of these Committees shall be elected at the AGM and serve for two years. The ordinary
members of these committees are to be elected annually at suitable points in the
club calendar. (Squash between April-July, Tennis between July-October, Social
July-October) where all voting members of the respective tennis and squash sections
shall be eligible to vote for their chairman. All tennis or squash members will
be able to vote for the post of social committee chairman.
The designations
and numbers of the additional posts on these committees shall be agreed between
the Chairman of the Tennis, Squash and Social Committees and the Management Committee. Membership 4.1
The Club shall consist of Honorary Members, Life Members, Playing Members, Junior
Members, Term Members, Social Members, Corporate Members, Aerobics, Gym, Athletic
Members and such other categories of member as the Management Committee shall
from time to time decide, subject to confirmation at the subsequent AGM. Honorary
Members may be created by simple majority vote at an AGM. 4.2.
All persons shall be eligible for membership; the Management Committee shall have
absolute discretion to accept or reject any application for membership, and to
regulate the numbers of members in different categories of membership. 4.3.
The Management Committee shall have the power to suspend from the benefits and
facilities of the Club any member for reason of breach of rules or other unacceptable
conduct. 4.4 In
the event of unacceptable conduct by a member, the Management Committee may invite
the resignation of the member within a specified time period. Failing this, the
Management Committee may consider expulsion of the member at a meeting to which
the member shall be invited at reasonable notice to explain the misconduct either
verbally or in writing. It shall be in the power of the Management Committee to
expel such a member by ballot of all Management Committee members entitled to
vote with four-fifths in favour of expulsion. The Management Committee may exclude
such a member from the Club between the date of giving notice of such a meeting
and the date of the meeting. Subscriptions. 5.1
Annual membership subscriptions shall be payable by all members except Life and
Honorary Members, due either on 1st April or other date as decided by the Management
Committee. 5.2
The rates of subscription shall be proposed by the Management Committee at the
AGM, rates to be adopted by simple majority. 5.3
If a member does not pay his/her subscription within thirty days following the
date upon which it was due the Committee in their sole discretion shall be entitled
to terminate the membership without notice with a proviso that the subscription
for the ensuing year shall be due and payable and shall be a debt to the Club
and shall be paid by the person whose membership has been so terminated. In the
event of the Committee failing for whatever reason to terminate the membership
the member nonetheless is forbidden to use the Club facilities and amenities while
the subscription remains outstanding. The Committee in their sole discretion may
post the name of a member who is more than 40 days in arrears with his/her subscription
on the Club notice board. Unless the member's resignation in writing has been
received prior to the date upon which the subscription is due, the member will
be held liable for the full season's subscription. The Committee reserve the right
to charge interest on any unpaid subscription at the rate of 8% above the base
rate of National Westminster Bank plc from the date when the subscription is due
until actual payment. 5.4
Resignations from the Club shall be notified in writing to the Secretary. Club
Meetings 6.1
Subject to fourteen days notice in writing being sent to all members entitled
to attend, the Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in each year on
a date in September or October, to be set by the Management Committee. The statement
of accounts for the previous financial year shall be made available at the AGM
and posted at the club at least 7 days in advance of the AGM. 6.2
All fully paid up senior tennis or squash members (including Honorary and Life
Members but excluding Social Members) over the age of eighteen years shall be
eligible to vote at General Meetings. Only tennis section members may vote at
the AGM for the post of Tennis Committee Chairman. Only squash section members
may vote at the AGM for the post of Squash Committee Chairman. 6.3
The AGM shall receive a report and statement of accounts for the previous financial
year and shall appoint auditors for the ensuing year. The Management Committee
shall present a budget for the following year, to be approved by simple majority
vote and recommend rates of subscription (see 5.2) 6.4
The AGM shall elect officers and Management Committee members in accordance with
the constitution and rules of the Club. 6.5
The AGM shall vote on any resolution submitted in accordance with the rules of
the Club. Proxy votes on such resolutions shall be allowed at the absolute discretion
of the Management Committee and by reasonable prior arrangement with the Club
Secretary. 6.6
A Special General Meeting may be called by the Management Committee giving fourteen
days written notice to each member stating the purpose of the meeting; by the
Trustees; by thirty or more members giving a written requisition to the Club Secretary
stating the nature of the business to be transacted, such meeting to be convened
within twenty eight days of receipt of such requisition. 6.7
Proposed alterations to the Club Constitution for consideration at a General Meeting
shall be lodged in writing in the form of a resolution with the Club Secretary
at least twenty one days before such meeting. The Secretary shall display a copy
on the Club notice board at least fourteen days prior to such meeting. Alterations
to be adopted shall require a two-thirds majority of those who vote. 6.8
Thirty members shall form a quorum at General Meetings. Visitors 7.1
Any person other than previously expelled members may be introduced to the Club
by an existing member, on payment of visitor's fee and under other conditions
as decided from time to time by the Management Committee. The visitor's name shall
be entered in a book kept for that purpose on the Club premises. Rules 8.1
The Management Committee shall have the power to make and alter rules governing
court bookings, court fees and allocation, sports attire, members' guests and
other matters regarding the safeguarding of members' interests in line with the
stated objectives of the Club. 8.2
The Constitution and rules shall be binding on all members. 8.3
Any question as to the interpretations of these rules or amendments to them, shall
be determined by the Management Committee whose decision is final. 8.4
A copy of the rules governing court bookings and other matters and notification
of changes to them, shall be prominently displayed on the Club notice board. Trustees 9.1
The property of the Club (other than cash which shall be under the control of
the Treasurer) shall be held in the names of not more than four Trustees, for
the use and benefit of the Club. Loans on behalf of the Clubs shall also be held
in the names of the Trustees.. Trustees shall hold office until death or resignation.
A Trustee may not resign from his position until s replacement is found. Replacement
Trustees shall be appointed by the Club Chairman with the agreement of the Management
Committee. 9.2
Trustees may sit on sub-committee apart from having one representative on the
Management Committee. 9.3
The Club indemnifies the Trustees against risk and expenses out of Club property.
If at any time the Trustees are called upon personally to make any payment in
respect of any debt or any other obligation incurred by the Club, the Trustees
shall be entitled to take over the running of the Club until such time as the
Club have reimbursed the Trustees including all costs and expenses incurred in
connection therewith except that:- Before taking such action the Trustees must
first offer their resignation to the Management Committee who if they can find
suitable replacements (acceptable to the creditors) may continue to manage the
Club with the proviso also that any liability upon the old Trustees is released
by the creditor and full responsibility is accepted by the new Trustees. Amended
September 1993
Adopted 29th September 1993
Amended August 1997
Amended
November 1997
Amended November 1999
Amended September 2000
Amended Sept
2003
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