DLTC Constitution (Oct 2011)
- NAME
The name of the Club shall be “The Drummond Lawn Tennis Club”. - CONSTITUTION
- 2a Non-Profit Making
The Club is constituted by these Rules as a registered Community Amateur Sports Club (“CASC”). In no circumstances during the continuance of the Club shall any assets or surplus funds be distributed to any Member or other person nor to any organisation which is not itself either a registered CASC or a registered Charity. - 2b Dissolution
In no circumstances, after the dissolution of the Club, shall any assets or surplus funds be distributed to any Member or other person nor to any organisation which is not itself either a registered CASC or a registered charity.
- 2a Non-Profit Making
- PURPOSE
The purpose of the Club is to provide facilities for the playing of lawn tennis, promote participation in this sport and to foster a spirit of fellowship among its members in the enjoyment of tennis, and through other forms of social activity. - AFFILIATION
The Club shall be affiliated to The Lawn Tennis Association through the Essex County Lawn Tennis Association and shall adopt and conform to the Rules of these organisations in so far as they can apply. - MEMBERS
The Club shall consist of four categories of member: Senior Members, Students not earning a salary, Members under 18 years of age, and Non-playing Members. There may be sub-categories as decided by the Committee. - MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in tennis on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. Applicants for membership shall apply in writing to the Hon. Secretary, who shall submit such applications to the Committee. Where there are sub-categories of membership, applicants shall be required to demonstrate aptitude for the game appropriate to their intended sub-category of membership. The Committee shall have absolute discretion to accept or reject any such application. - VISITORS
Playing Members shall be allowed to introduce visitors at the discretion of a Member of the Committee. The Member introducing a visitor must enter the name of the visitor in the Visitors’ Book, sign the entry and pay the visitor’s fee. A visitor may not play more than six times in any Subscription Year. - SUBSCRIPTIONS, ENTRY FEES, VISITORS’ FEES AND MATCH FEES
The annual subscriptions, any reductions allowed for prompt payment and visitors’ fees shall be fixed by the Annual General Meeting, on the advice of the Committee, for the following categories of members, including all sub-categories (see Rule 5): Senior Members, Students not earning a salary, Members under 18 years of age, Non-playing Members. The Subscription Year shall be from 1st April to 31st March. New members joining part way through a Subscription Year may have their subscriptions reduced at the discretion of the Committee.
Members who represent the Club in matches shall pay to the Match Secretary a contribution to be fixed annually by the Committee, towards the expenses of each match in which they play. - PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS
Annual subscriptions shall be settled in full by the due date. A Member whose subscription is not paid in full by the due date will not be entitled to the privileges of membership, until the amount due is paid in full. The Committee will determine the due date and the privileges of membership. - ACCOUNTANCY YEAR
The Club’s Financial Year shall run from 1st April to 31st March and the accounts submitted to the Annual General Meeting shall be prepared accordingly. A true statement of the accounts shall be kept by the Hon. Treasurer, such accounts to be closed on 31st March and audited by the Auditor appointed at the Annual General Meeting. The Auditor shall not be a member of the Committee. - MEMBERSHIP RESTRICTIONS
All categories, or sub-categories, of members may be restricted to playing times specified by the Committee. - RESIGNATIONS
Members wishing to withdraw from the Club or alter their type of membership shall give to the Hon. Secretary written notice of such intention. A partial refund may be paid at the discretion of the Committee. - COURT, PAVILION AND GROUND MAINTENANCE
All Playing Members of the Club are expected to assist with the maintenance work as deemed necessary by the Committee. - SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS
The Committee shall have power to suspend or exclude any Member or Visitor whom it considers guilty of a breach of any of these Rules or of misconduct, providing that the person concerned shall be given an opportunity of stating their case. - OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Officers of the Club shall be a Captain, two Vice-Captains, an Hon. Secretary (Senior Section), an Hon. Secretary (Junior Section), an Hon. Treasurer and a Match Secretary. The Officers shall be Members ex-officio of the Committee. The general management of the Club shall be in the entire control of a Committee comprising the Officers and five members.
Not more than two Non-playing Members may serve on the Committee at any one time. The elected Committee shall have power to co-opt additional Members and to fill casual vacancies. The Committee may delegate any part of its duties to a Sub-Committee appointed for the particular purpose in question. Such a Sub-Committee may be composed of any Members of the Club. - COMMITTEE’S DUTIES
The Committee shall make such Regulations as are thought desirable. Five members of the Committee, three of whom shall be Officers, are required to form a quorum. Should any question arise that is unprovided for by these Rules and by theexisting Regulations the Committee shall decide such question and the decision shall be final. - LOANS
The Committee has the authority to borrow monies up to the value of £25,000 to assist with the financing of capital
projects, provided that it is a unanimous decision of the Committee. Any loan in excess of this must be approved by
members at an AGM or SGM.- 17A. LEASES, ETC.
- 17A.1 Three Officers of the Club (‘the Lessees’) shall have power to enter into a lease (‘the Lease’) of premises which include the tennis courts at Nutter Field, Nutter Lane, Wanstead, E11 (‘the Premises’) PROVIDED THAT the Committee shall have previously and unanimously approved:
- (i) the form of the Lease; and
- (ii) the names of the three said Officers to be parties to the Lease
- 17A.2 The Lessees shall hold the Lease on Trust for the Club and its members pursuant to the terms of this Constitution.
- 17A.3.1 The Committee shall use its reasonable endeavours to procure, at all times, that the Lease is registered in the joint names of three of its serving Officers;
- 17A.3.2 Upon the death or retirement of an Officer who is also one of the Lessees (or any other circumstances where a Lessee shall cease to be an Officer of the Club), the remaining Lessee or Lessees and the Committee shall procure that the Lease is transferred into the joint names of three serving Officers (who may or may not include the remaining Lessee or Lessees), and as soon as is practicable thereafter, the said transfer shall be registered at the Land Registry.
- 17A.4 For the avoidance of doubt, where the context permits, in this Constitution, the term ‘the Lessees’ shall include their successors in title and assigns.
- 17A.5 The Lessees may, at the previous direction of the Committee, enter into deeds of variation of the Lease, deeds of surrender, a new lease of the Premises, licence or other similar document which deals with the Premises or any part thereof.
- 17A.1 Three Officers of the Club (‘the Lessees’) shall have power to enter into a lease (‘the Lease’) of premises which include the tennis courts at Nutter Field, Nutter Lane, Wanstead, E11 (‘the Premises’) PROVIDED THAT the Committee shall have previously and unanimously approved:
- 17A. LEASES, ETC.
- ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Officers, Committee and any other officials shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting for one year and shall be eligible for re-election. Nominations for election or re-election, each with a proposer and seconder, shall be sent to the Hon. Secretary at least seven days prior to the Annual General Meeting. Should the nominations exceed the number to be elected they shall be submitted to a secret ballot of the Members entitled to vote and present at the meeting. In the event of there being insufficient nominations to fill all positions, any vacancies shall be filled by nominations at the Annual General Meeting by secret ballot if necessary. All nominees must consent to their nomination. - GENERAL MEETINGS
The Annual General Meeting shall be held once in every calendar year between 16th September and 31st October to receive the Captain’s report, the Hon. Secretary’s report and the Hon. Treasurer’s statement of accounts for the year, and to elect Officers, Committee and Auditor for the ensuing year. Members will discuss and vote on any resolution and deal with any other business put to the meeting.
A Special General Meeting may be called by the Committee. On receipt of a written application signed by not less than one third of the total membership excluding Members under 18 years of age, the Hon. Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting within 14 days of such application which shall specify the business for which the meeting is requested.
No business shall be transacted by a Special or Extraordinary General Meeting other than that for which the meeting has been called.
The Hon. Secretary shall send to every Member at least 14 clear days notice of the Annual General Meeting, such notice to specify the Officers and Members of the Committee who are not seeking re-election, and at least seven clear days notice of a Special or Extraordinary General Meeting. The notice of a Special or Extraordinary General Meeting shall state the reason for the calling of the meeting. Non-receipt of the notice shall not invalidate the meeting nor the procedure thereat.
The quorum for all general meetings shall be fifteen members present or 10% of the total membership excluding Members under 18 years of age whichever is the greater.
The Club Captain or in their absence another member chosen by the Committee shall preside.
Every Member shall be entitled to be present and to speak at any General Meeting and on a show of hands or ballot every Senior, Student and Non-playing Member present shall have one vote. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules every resolution shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast.
Formalities in connection with General Meetings shall be decided by the Committee and publicised to Club members. - DISPLAY
A copy of these Rules shall be displayed in the Clubhouse and all Members shall be deemed to be conversant with them. - DISSOLUTION
The Club shall be dissolved on the passing of a resolution to that effect at a Special or Extraordinary General Meeting, by three-quarters of the votes cast in person and by proxy. Such a General Meeting shall appoint a Committee to wind up the affairs of the Club and shall give general directions as to the disposal of any assets. (See also Rule 2). - ALTERATION OF RULES
These Rules shall not be altered except at a General Meeting after due notice and then only by the assent of two-thirds of the votes cast either in person or by proxy. Notice of any proposal to alter the Rules shall be sent to every Member prior to the Meeting.
REGULATIONS
A. The Club shall endeavour to maintain its historic links with St. Mary’s and Christchurch, Wanstead, and shall promote itself to the congregations of these and other churches.
B. Players shall retire from the courts after a set (except when no other players are sitting out).
C. The last players leaving a court at the end of the day’s play shall slacken the net, return the balls to the pavilion, secure the pavilion and lock all gates.
D. No member may trespass on surrounding property. Members are personally responsible for any damage done.
E. Singles’ games may not be played if other members wish to play doubles, except when there are courts available or prior sanction has been given by an Officer.
F. No expenditure above the sum of ten pounds may be incurred without the prior sanction of at least three of the Club Officers (including the Treasurer).
G. If a ball is lost, those playing on the court shall endeavour to retrieve the ball.
H. Members and Visitors are entitled to be treated with respect and courtesy. All members should recognise this and behave appropriately at all times. The Committee may take action if required.
I. Tennis shoes and appropriate attire including shirts shall be worn on court at all times.