THE AVENUE LAWN TENNIS CLUB
Rules amended and approved by resolution of the General Meeting convened on 21 March 2021.
1. Name and Objectives
a. The Club, founded in 1925, shall be named “The Avenue Lawn Tennis Club” and shall have the objectives of providing lawn tennis, social and other facilities for the Members and Visitors.
b. Persons of either sex are eligible for full membership of the Club, provided they are at least 18 years old. No person shall be denied membership of the Club or prevented from visiting the Club on the grounds of race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, age, disability, sex, occupation, sexual orientation, religion, political or other beliefs.
2. Constitution
The Club is constituted by these Rules as a non-profit making Members’ Club. In no circumstances during the continuance of the Club, nor at its dissolution or after, shall any assets or surplus funds be distributed to any Member or other person, nor to any organisation which is not itself either constituted as non-profit making or a charity.
3. Affiliation
The Club shall seek affiliation to the Lawn Tennis Association through the appropriate County lawn tennis association and shall adopt and conform to the rules of these organisations in so far as they can apply.
4. Management
a. Management of the Club shall be in the entire control of the Management Committee, which shall consist of ten Officers (who shall be ex officio members of the Management Committee) and two other Members. The Officers of the Club shall be the President, Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Men’s and Ladies’ Captains, Men’s and Ladies’ Vice-Captains, Match Secretary and Membership Secretary. All members of the Management Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to serve for one calendar year, with the exception of the President who shall serve a term of three years. The elected Committee shall have the power to fill any casual vacancy. There shall be seven members in attendance at Committee meetings to form a quorum.
b. The Management Committee shall have the authority to enforce the Rules of the Club and also shall be empowered to revise, draft and introduce any byelaws or Regulations, which are deemed necessary for the proper working of the Club and well-being of the Members.
c. The Management Committee shall act for the Club In all financial matters. The Management Committee shall have the power to authorise Officers of the Club to enter into all financial undertakings, contracts for supply, loan agreements and any other legally binding commitments which are necessary for the operation and furtherance of the Club. The Management Committee shall have the power to determine any matter not provided for by the Rules and the current Regulations.
d. The Management Committee may delegate any part of its duties (except the election of senior Members) to one or more sub-committees, which shall be composed of Members of the Club.
e. The Bar Sub-Committee, which shall be appointed by the Management Committee, shall consist of ten members, of whom at least seven shall also be serving members of the Management Committee. The operation of the Bar shall be governed by Rule 8 hereunder.
f. Members shall be entitled to raise any matter for discussion at the next scheduled Management Committee meeting, provided that the question to be raised has been forwarded in writing to the Honorary Secretary seven days prior to the date of the Committee meeting.
g. Management Committee decisions shall be made by a simple majority vote with the Chairman exercising a second or casting vote in the event of equality. All transactions shall be subject to the requirement for a quorum.
h. The Management Committee has the power to authorise the Honorary Treasurer to set up a Business Internet Banking Service with the Club’s bankers and become the Primary User for that service. Once that authority is granted, the Honorary Treasurer can have full and sole access on behalf of the Club to all the functions of the relevant Business Internet Banking Service including making payments and entering into agreements on behalf of the Club relating to services, products and other matters with the bank concerned.
The Management Committee has the power to grant the Honorary Treasurer the authority to make payments up to a maximum of £5,000 per day from the Club’s business bank account without reference to any other committee member. Any payments above this amount will require the express written authorisation in advance of the Chairman of the Management Committee.
- Any individual payment above £1,000 will require the prior written authorisation including by e-mail from either the Chairman or Secretary of the Management Committee.
- The decision to grant, amend or withdraw the terms of this authority to the Honorary Treasurer will be subject to a simple majority vote at a Management Committee meeting in accordance with Rule 4g.
5. Classes of Member and Subscription Rates
a. The Management Committee shall put forward for approval at the Annual General Meeting any changes or revisions to the classes of Membership and/or the appropriate rates of subscription and joining fees.
b. The Club subscription shall be inclusive of the LTA Player’s Contribution which shall be payable by the Club to the Country LTA.
c. Payment of the appropriate Club subscription shall entitle the Member to enter the Club Annual Tournament subject to compliance with any other rules, regulations or conditions which may apply.
d. The subscription and playing year shall run from 1st April until 31st March. Subscriptions for all classes of Membership shall be due for payment on the 1st April. New members who join the Club after the 1st April shall be charged the following proportion of the annual subscription, in addition to the appropriate joining fee.
Up to and including 30th September 100%
1st October to 31st December 75%
1st January to 31st March 50%
e. The Management Committee at their discretion shall have the power to allow a discount on all or any classes of subscription paid prior to 1st April.
f. A Member whose subscription is not paid in full on the 1″ May will not be entitled to any of the privileges of Membership and will cease to be a Member of the Club. Subject to the discretion of the Management Committee and the implementation of the normal election procedures, a Member may be re-elected upon payment of all arrears.
g. The Club requires all members and visitors to wear appropriate tennis clothing (coloured tennis clothing allowed), and suitable tennis footwear when using the Club’s playing facilities.
6. Election of Members
a. Honorary Life Membership shall be awarded at the discretion of the Management Committee to long serving Members by way of a reward for special services to the Club.
b. For other classes of senior Membership, applications initially shall be made through the Membership Secretary using the appropriate form provided. The applicant’s playing ability shall be satisfactorily determined by the Membership Secretary and one other member of the Management Committee before the applicant is recommended for election at the next Management Committee meeting. Election shall be by the simple majority decision of the Management Committee and such decision shall be final.
c. Applications for junior Membership shall be determined by common agreement between the Membership Secretary and the person elected by the Management Committee to co-ordinate the junior section.
d. A new Member’s subscription and joining fee if applicable, shall be due for payment on notification of election. New Members shall not be entitled to exercise the privileges of Membership until all fees and subscriptions are paid in full.
e. At the discretion of the Management Committee, a refund may be made to a Member who becomes unable to use the facilities of the Club for a substantial part of the year due to injury, illness, or departure from the district.
f. Members wishing to withdraw from the Membership or to transfer to another class of Membership at a lower rate of subscription, shall notify the Honorary Treasurer in writing by 31st March and shall otherwise be liable for the full subscription.
g. The Management Committee shall have the power to limit the number of members in the respective classes.
h. The payment of any joining fee shall be once and for all. There shall be no liability to pay an additional joining fee after membership has lapsed and a past member seeks re-election.
7. Suspension and Expulsion
The Management Committee shall have power to suspend or terminate the Membership of any Member, or to exclude any Member or Visitor, whom it considers guilty of a breach of these Rules or of misconduct, or offensive behaviour to any other member, Visitor or Employee, whether on the Club’s premises or elsewhere.
8. Operation of Club Bar
a. The operation of the Bar at all times shall be subject to the Licensing Laws and the direction of the Licensing Authority.
b. The permitted hours for the sale of alcohol shall be:
Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, Christmas Day and Good Friday 12 noon to 10.30 p.m.
c. The Management Committee shall appoint a Bar Sub-Committee, which shall be responsible for the proper running of the Bar.
d. Each member of the Bar Sub-Committee shall be an authorised key holder. In addition the Management Committee may appoint a limited number of Members as key holders, who shall not serve as Bar Sub-Committee members.
e. Only members of the Bar Sub-Committee and the additional appointed key holders shall be permitted to enter the area behind the Bar.
f. No other persons shall be allowed to enter the area behind the Bar without express permission.
g. Intoxicating beverages shall not be sold to persons other than Members, official Guests and Visitors.
h. The Bar shall be opened from time to time for the use of Members during such hours as the Management Committee shall determine. Intoxicating beverages shall only be sold during regulated hours of opening in accordance with the Licensing Regulations. The Management Committee shall post a notice in the Clubhouse stating the permitted hours for the sale of intoxicating beverages. Bar opening hours may be varied from time to time without notice to Members.
9. Loss of Property and Injury
Members or Visitors leaving unattended vehicles, equipment, clothing or any other property at the Club do so at their own risk and the Club shall not be responsible for any loss, damage or deficiency resulting from this or any other cause. Members or any other persons using the Club’s premises, or otherwise participating or representing the Club in any way, do so of their own free will and at their own risk, and the Club shall not be responsible for any impairment, injury or loss suffered by such persons no matter how caused.
10. General Meeting
a. A General Meeting shall be held each calendar year and shall be convened before the end of March, prior to commencement of the next playing year on 1st April.
b. The Management Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in accordance with Rule 4. In addition Members shall elect two Auditors who shall be responsible for auditing the Club Books, Balance Sheet and Accounts.
c. The Honorary Treasurer shall present to the Members for their approval at the AGM, the audited Balance Sheet and Accounts for the past year. The Financial Year shall run from 1st January until 31st December.
d. Only Honorary Life and Members aged 18 or over (but with the exception of temporary Members), shall be allowed to vote at a General Meeting. The attendance of fifteen voting Members shall be required to form a quorum.
e. The Honorary Secretary shall send to every voting Member at least seven days’ notice of any General Meeting, together with a copy of the Agenda.
f. The Management Committee shall instruct the Honorary Secretary to call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) either at their discretion, or within twenty-one days of receipt by the Honorary Secretary of a requisition, signed by fifteen voting Members and stating the business proposed to be transacted. Notice of an EGM shall be required in accordance with Rule 10e above. The business of an EGM shall be in accordance with the requisition under which it was summoned and the issued Agenda.
g. The Management Committee shall determine the business and Agenda for the AGM.
h. Every Member shall be entitled to be present and to speak at any General Meeting. The right to vote shall be in accordance with Rule 10d. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall exercise a second or casting vote.
11. Alteration and Revision of the Rules
No Rule shall be altered, rescinded, revised or augmented without the express consent of the majority voting at the AGM and such meeting shall be subject to the requirement to give notice of the proposals all as detailed above. Any notified proposal of a change to the Rules may be amended at the AGM, without further notice, by way of a two-thirds majority of those voting Members in attendance.
12. Dissolution
The Club shall be dissolved on the passing of a resolution to that effect at a General Meeting after due notice, by at least two-thirds of those present and voting. Such a 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, within the scope of Rule 2.
13. Rules and Regulations
A copy of these Rules together with a copy of the current Regulations made by the Management Committee in accordance with these Rules, shall be prominently displayed at all times on the Club notice board and all Members shall be deemed conversant therewith. The Rules shall not be altered except as provided above and the Regulations shall be made and periodically revised by the Management Committee.
14. Trustees
a. The Management Committee shall appoint Trustees, to hold office until death or resignation unless removed from office by a resolution of the Management Committee or by a resolution duly passed at a General Meeting. The Chairman from time to time is nominated as the person to appoint new Trustees within the meaning of Section 36 of the Trustee Act 1925. A new Trustee or new Trustees shall be nominated by resolution of the Management Committee and the Chairman shall be deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated as the new Trustee or new Trustees of the Club. The provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such deed of appointment shall in favour of a person dealing with the Club or the Management Committee in good faith be conclusive evidence of the fact so stated.
b. The number of Trustees shall not be more than four or less than two.
c. All property of the Club including land and investments, shall be held by the Trustees for the time being, in their own names so far as necessary and practicable, for the use and benefit of the Club. On the death, resignation or removal from office of a Trustee the Management Committee shall take steps to appoint a new replacement Trustee; and shall as soon as practicable thereafter take lawful and practicable steps to procure the vesting of all Club property into names of the Trustees as constituted after said appointment. The Trustees shall in all respects act, in regard to any property of the Club held by them, in accordance with the directions of the Management Committee; and shall have the power to sell, lease, mortgage or pledge any Club property for the purpose of raising or borrowing money for the benefit of the Club in compliance with the Management Committee’s directions.
d. Acting always in compliance with directions from the Management Committee, the Trustees may borrow a maximum total amount of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds on behalf of the Club and for the purposes of the Club from time to time and with the sanction of a General Meeting the Trustees may borrow any further money above that sum.
e. When so borrowing the Trustees shall have the power to raise in any way any sum of money, and to raise and secure the repayment of any sum of money in such manner and on such terms and conditions they think beneficial to the Club, and in particular by mortgage of, or charge upon, or by the issue of debentures charged upon all or any part of the property of the Club.
15. Indemnity
a. The Club shall indemnify Officers of the Club, Trustees, Management Committee members and Appointed Persons against personal liability incurred whilst acting in good faith within the capacity of their appointment on behalf of all Members of the Club.
b. An Appointed Person is defined as a Member who has been appointed by either, a resolution of the Management Committee, or by a resolution of a General Meeting, or by written appointment signed by the Chairman to undertake a specified task on behalf of all Members of the Club.
c. Rule 15 shall apply only to persons identified in clause 15a when acting as volunteers on behalf of the Club.