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The Club

1. NAME – The Club shall be called ‘The Ryde Mead Lawn Tennis Club’.

2. COLOURS – The official Club colours shall be sky blue, white pin stripe, royal blue, white pin stripe and navy blue.

3. AIMS – The aims of the Club are to meet the local community need by providing a quality facility for the playing of tennis by Club members and visitors.

4. OBJECTIVE – To promote and encourage an interest in the sport of tennis amongst new and existing members and to cater for a wide range of tennis players of all ages and abilities, particularly junior players, within a structured, organised and caring environment.

5.DISSOLUTION – Should the Club be dissolved by the decision of at least 75% of the members present at a General Meeting, any assets remaining after the discharging of all debts and liabilities shall be distributed to a club or voluntary organization having similar aims and objectives, and shall not be dispersed among the members.

Management Structure
6.PRESIDENT – A President of the Club shall be elected by the members in General Meeting and hold office for three years.

7.MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE – The management of the Club shall be vested in the Management Committee comprising the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Development Sub-Committee Chairman, Social Sub-Committee Chairman, Marketing Sub-Committee Chairman, Tennis & Tournament Sub-Committee Chairman, Men’s Club Captain, Ladies Club Captain and Ground & Premises Sub-Committee Chairman. The Management Committee shall hold office from the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected until the next Annual General Meeting. A quorum for meetings shall be five of its members. The Management Committee may co-opt if necessary.

8.SUB-COMMITTEES – Sub-Committees will be established for:

8.1 Development – to deal with court utilisation, coaching, and membership levels. The Club Coach will normally be a member of this Sub-Committee.

8.2 Social – to deal with fund raising, refreshment for matches and other events, and social events.

8.3 Marketing – to deal with promotion and advertising of events and of the Club.

8.4 Tennis & Tournament – to deal with the setting up and organisation of all competitions, matches etc.

8.5 Ground & Premises – to deal with the state of the grounds, pavilion and facilities.

In addition to the Sub-Committees detailed above, the Management Committee may, from time to time, appoint additional Sub-Committees as it may deem necessary and may depute or refer to them such of the powers of the Management Committee as the Management Committee may determine. The Chairman of the four specific Sub-Committees will report to the Management Committee as will also any other appointed Sub-Committee. Each of the specific Sub-Committees shall have its own Secretary who shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Sub-Committee. Any Sub-Committee has the power to co-opt any fully paid up member in order to make it an effective body (a representative of the Tournament Sub-Committee should serve on the Development Sub-Committee). All such Sub-Committees must conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Management Committee.

Finance

9.TRUSTEES – The property of the Club shall be vested in a minimum of three Trustees who shall be appointed by the Management Committee.

10.FINANCIAL YEAR – The Club’s financial year shall end on 31st January in each year.

11.AUDITOR – At each Annual General Meeting of the Club, one of its members, not being a Trustee or a Management Committee member, shall be elected to serve as auditor for the next year. In the event of a vacancy occurring during the year the Management Committee shall appoint an auditor for the remainder of the year.

12.FINANCE – If at such time it becomes necessary for the Management Committee to finance Club projects by borrowing money from the Lawn Tennis Association or other financial institution, it has express approval to enter into such arrangements, agreements or contracts but full details will be discussed at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for that purpose.

Membership

13.APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP – Persons wishing to join the Club shall complete a membership application form and send it to the Membership Secretary together with the appropriate subscription fixed for that year. Each new member shall be proposed and seconded by existing Club members and the Management Committee shall ratify acceptance of new members.

14. MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES – The following types of membership are permitted:

Adults – A person, not a ‘Senior’, whose 19th birthday falls in the calendar year or before

Couples – Two adult partners living at the same address

Seniors – A person whose 65th birthday falls in the calendar year or before

Family – Two adults and unlimited juniors living at the same address

Parents – A parent playing only with a Junior Member

Juniors – A person who is 18 or younger throughout the calendar year

Student– A person under the age of 25 who is in full time education

Social – For non-playing members.

The Management Committee shall have discretion to create other types of membership covering part of the membership year, such as winter memberships, from time to time.

15.SUBSCRIPTIONS – All annual subscriptions as approved at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, shall be payable on or before 1st April in each year. If a subscription has not been paid by 1st June in that year, the defaulter shall immediately cease to be a member of the Club. He/she may, at the discretion of the Management Committee, be readmitted to membership on payments of the arrears. This rule shall not be relaxed in the event of injury or inability to play. If special circumstances apply, the Management Committee shall have the right to agree special payment terms with an individual at its discretion.

16.HONORARY/LIFE MEMBERS – The Management Committee shall have the power to propose Honorary or Life Members, who shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership of the Club. Proposals shall be ratified by members at the next Annual General Meeting.

17.MEMBERSHIP CARDS – Members are required to carry proof of their current paid up membership by way of their membership card or shoe tag.

18.VISITORS – Visitors may use the Club only at times advertised, or with the express permission of a member of the Management Committee. Apart from their first visit, each time a visitor’s fee shall be payable at a rate set by the Management Committee. Visitors considering joining the Club may attend organised Club sessions a maximum of three times. Each time a visitor’s fee is payable but these may be deducted from the subscription fee when paid.

19.DRESS – All players shall wear accepted tennis clothing (or regulation school uniform) and flat rubber soled tennis shoes at all times whilst on court. Jeans are not allowed.

20.ANIMALS – Dogs and other animals are not permitted in the Club grounds unless accompanied and controlled by members or visitors who are not playing tennis. All animals must be kept on a lead and owners shall ensure that they do not foul any part of the grounds.

21.RESIGNATION OF MEMBERS – Members wishing to resign from the Club shall give notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary of their intention prior to 1st April of each year. If written notice is not given, and subscriptions remain unpaid on or after 1st June, they will no longer be considered members unless they have written to the Management Committee requesting special payment terms.

22.EXPULSION OF MEMBERS – If the Management Committee considers that the conduct of any member is against the interests of the Club, the Honorary Secretary shall write to that member asking him/her to explain their actions. The Management Committee shall then consider the member’s response. If the explanation is unacceptable the member may be asked to resign. Any member asked to resign has a right to appeal by requesting an audience with the Management Committee to further explain his/her actions. The Management Committee’s majority decision shall be final.

23.GROUND CLOSURE – The Club will normally be open for play on all days of the week. The Management Committee however has the power to close the grounds wholly or in part on any day or days for a special purpose. Notice of closure will be posted in the clubhouse whenever possible.

24.COURT USAGE –

24.1 The Club will normally be open for play on all days of the week unless the courts are required for any scheduled coaching session, for matches or special events. The Management Committee or an appropriate Sub-Committee has the power to close the grounds wholly or in part on any day or days for a special purpose. Notice of closure will be posted within the grounds whenever possible.

24.2 Weather. The courts may be closed for play if the weather conditions are unfavourable.

24.3 Floodlights. The floodlights may be used on payment of fees to be decided by the Management Committee. Automatic overrides will prevent usage after 10.00pm on weekdays and all day on Sundays.

24.4 Limitation of periods of play – a tie-break shall be played at five games all in any set when other members are waiting to play except during match play.

General Meetings
25.ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held between 1st and 21st March inclusive each year, upon a date and at a time and place to be fixed by the Management Committee, for the following purposes:

25.1 To receive and approve the Management Committee’s report and audited statement of accounts for the preceding financial year.

25.2 To elect the Management Committee, to appoint the auditor for the next year and elect a Membership Secretary and a Fixtures Secretary.

25.3 To approve annual subscription rates for the next year beginning 1st April.

25.4 To decide on any resolution submitted by the Management Committee or any member to the meeting. The Hon. Secretary shall send copies of the report, and the audited accounts to members at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting together with an agenda.

Any seven members wishing to propose a resolution at an Annual General Meeting shall give written notice to the Hon. Secretary at least 14 days before 1st March.

26. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING – Special General Meetings of the Club shall be called at the discretion of the Management Committee, or on receipt of a request signed by ten members stating the object for which the meeting is to be held; such meeting shall be held within 21 days of the receipt of a request by the Hon. Secretary.

27.CONDUCT OF GENERAL MEETINGS – At all General Meetings, the President, or the Chairman in the President’s absence, shall take the chair. Every member present and entitled to vote shall have one vote upon each motion. Junior and Non-Playing members shall not be eligible to vote at General Meetings.

28.NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS – The Hon. Secretary, while observing the requirements of Rule 25, shall display on the Club notice board details of the date, time, and place of a General Meeting as soon as they are known. The agenda for a Special General Meeting shall be included with this notice.

New Rules and Bylaws

29. NEW RULES AND BYLAWS – No new rule shall be made nor any existing rule altered except with the approval of the majority of the membership present at an Annual General Meeting or any Special General Meeting summoned for that purpose. The Management Committee shall have the power to make any bylaws it thinks fit that shall be in force until the next Annual General Meeting, when they shall be addressed to be passed or rejected.

17th March 2005

 

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