Club Rules
Tennis club rules for our members.
Aim
The main aim of the Club is to promote, maintain and, where possible, extend access to the whole community of Southbourne and the surrounding area, to improve their health and well-being through physical and social activity specifically through participation in tennis.Objectives
- The provision of facilities for healthy recreation for all sections of the community, members and non-members regardless of age, ability, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, nationality, religious belief or social/economic status.
- To contribute to the overall improvement of people’s lifestyles and leisure time activities.
- The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation for the public benefit, in particular by the provision of facilities for playing sports through promoting tennis to all sections of the community, members and non-members regardless of their levels of ability/disability or their financial circumstances.
- To promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of Southbourne and the surrounding area the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who need such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants.
Rules and byelaws
- The rules of the game shall be those adopted by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), with whom the club is affiliated.
- Management of the club’s affairs is entrusted to the Board of Trustees (otherwise known as the Committee) as prescribed in the Articles of Association.
Officers
- The Officers of the Board of Trustees shall be Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Match Secretary, Social Secretary, Membership Secretary, and Safeguarding Officer.
- No person appointed as Chairperson may hold office for more than three years in the first instance. If no alternative person is available this term can be extended with the approval of the directors.
- At each annual general meeting one third of the directors or, if their number is not three or a multiple of three, the number nearest to one-third, must retire from office. If there is only one director, he or she must retire.
Board of Trustees
- The Board of Trustees shall consist of the nominated officers and the club coach (in an advisory capacity). A quorum shall consist of 50% of currently elected Trustees rounded up to the nearest number.
- The Board shall have the power to form sub-committees as necessary as per the Articles of Association.
- Any adult who has been a member of the club for twelve months or more shall be eligible for election as a Trustee.
Annual General Meeting
- An Annual General Meeting should where possible and convenient be held in every calendar year for the purpose of:
- Receiving reports from officers
- Confirming membership fees and costs for booking courts for the coming year
- Reviewing and approving where necessary Policies or Procedures, to include at minimum the Code of Conduct and the Club Rules.
- Commenting on proposed tournaments, other events, and any other general business
- Presenting the club’s accounts in the format required by the Charity Commission, which will include income and expenditure, a balance sheet and independent audit.
- No more than fifteen months may elapse between successive annual general meetings.
Extraordinary General Meeting
An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be requested by the Board of Trustees or, on application, by 10 members of the club for decisions of the members, including to alter, repeal or make additions to these rules. An EGM may take place to complete any business outstanding from an AGM.Fees
- Membership fees are due annually by 1st June each year and must be paid within two weeks.
- The nature of sanctions, if any, against late paying members shall be at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
- For new members, fees will be reduced on a pro-rata basis from 1st July.
- For existing members, fees will only be reduced on a pro-rata basis from 1st September, provided the member has not used any club facilities since the commencement of the membership year i.e., June 1st. Otherwise, a full annual fee will apply.
- Membership fees include affiliation to British Tennis.
- Membership fees include the cost of providing balls for use at all Club Play sessions.
- Membership fees shall not be re-funded in whole or part except in exceptional circumstances and then only at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
- Members unable to play for 3 months or more, due to ill health or injury, during any membership period may be eligible for a discount on subsequent membership fees, at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
- The Board of Trustees will consider requests for individual variance of fees if the circumstances of the applicant merit such consideration.
- Access to sessions available specifically for people in wheelchairs, transplant patients, people with learning difficulties, the visually impaired and those suffering from Alzheimer’s is subsidised (including helpers, parents, etc.) through grant income sought for this purpose.
Membership
- Membership fees shall be proposed by the Board of Trustees and agreed at the Annual General Meeting.
- Membership applications are made using the online system known as Clubspark. This process automatically advises the Membership Secretary who will confirm acceptance and complete the appropriate processes for the new member.
- The following memberships are available:
- Junior: young people aged 10 to 17 years at the date of joining.
- Adult: from 18 years to 64 years old at the date of joining and not in full-time education. They have full voting rights and can enter the ballot for Wimbledon tickets. The coach will assess each new member and advise on suitable playing sessions.
- Country: equivalent to Adult membership (above), but for anyone who lives more than 25 miles from the club.
- Student: for Adults (aged 18 years and over) who are in full-time education
- Over 65’s: equivalent to Adult membership (above) for persons over the age of 65 years at the date of joining.
- Girls Friday Club – for girls aged 10 to 17 years at the date of joining.
- Family: for up to 2 Adults and 2 children at a discounted price
- There is an additional category of mini tennis, for those under the age of 10 years, which is managed by the coaching team.
- All new members (both Adult and Junior) shall be provided with an appropriate Members Information Pack.
- Membership allows the member access to and use of all club facilities during normal operating hours (currently 08.00 to 20.00 hrs.)
- Membership is not transferable.
- Members should advise the membership secretary of all changes in relevant personal details so that they can continue to be contacted and receive club communications at all times.
Visitors
- The club welcomes visitors of all standards to play at the club. Members are responsible and accountable for any visitors they introduce, and for ensuring that the visitor conforms with both Club Rules and the Code of Conduct. Members are also responsible for ensuring that the prevailing visitor fee is paid.
- The names of the member and their visitor should be entered into the Visitor’s Book and the member must pay the current visitor’s fee. This can be left in the clubhouse mailbox.
- An individual is allowed to attend the club as a visitor on no more than 4 occasions in any 12-month period. Following a maximum of 4 visits they will be invited to join as a full member.
Court bookings
- Non-members (Pay and Play):
- Non-members are able to book courts via the Club’s website, using the ClubSpark system. They can also book a court using the LTA ‘Rally’ system. In both cases this is known as Pay and Play. The cost of Pay and Play will be set by the Board of Trustees in the same way as it agrees all other fees i.e., at an AGM or EGM.
- The hours available for Pay and Play sessions, and other factors such as how far in advance bookings can be made, will be agreed by the Board of Trustees. These arrangements will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at minimum annually to ensure they meet the best interests of members and visitors. They will be published in the Members Information Pack.
- Members:
- Members are able to book courts via the Club’s website, using the ClubSpark system. The number of bookings in any given period, and other factors such as how far in advance bookings can be made, will be agreed by the Board of Trustees. These arrangements will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at minimum annually to ensure they meet the best interests of members and visitors. They will be published in the Members Information Pack.
- Matches, tournaments and special events will be indicated on the court booking pages as far in advance as possible.
- If a member or visitor has booked a court but has not turned up to play within 15 minutes after the booked start time then the court becomes free and available to be used by any member.
- A court which has no booking is available to be used immediately by a member or visitor.
- To ensure members have the maximum opportunity to use the courts members are asked to cancel their entry on the court booking system if they know they cannot play.
Times of play
- The Board of Trustees shall decide times of play and any special regulations for all groups of members. These will be reviewed annually and published in the Members Information Pack at the commencement of the new membership year.
- During Club Play sessions, all members present shall ensure that members waiting for a game are picked using the players selection board.
Junior Section
- The Board of Trustees shall administer junior play in a considered manner without reference to a General Meeting.
- All new junior members shall be provided with a Junior Section Information Sheet.
General
- Recognised ‘tennis style’ clothing shall be worn at all times.
- The Board of Trustees shall reserve the right to veto any particular item of clothing.
- Non-marking tennis shoes are mandatory.
- Activities other than tennis are not allowed on the courts at any time.
- There is a documented Code of Conduct maintained by the Board of Trustees and reviewed annually. Members must behave within the guidelines and in the spirit of the guidance provided in the Code of Conduct. Members are responsible for ensuring that any visitor they invite to the club also adhere to these guidelines.
- The Board of Trustees have the right to refuse access to any member or non-member who is constantly breaking the guidelines as defined within the Code of Conduct. If a member is constantly in breach of these guidelines, they will be given a warning and will be invited to attend a disciplinary meeting. Any further breaches may result in their membership being withdrawn for a period of time or, in certain circumstances, withdrawn indefinitely. (See paragraph 12 (4) in the Articles of Association).
- The Club is not responsible for personal injury or loss or damage to the personal belongings of any person using the club facilities. Players use the club facilities at their own risk.
- The Match Selection Committee shall consist of the Match Secretary and head coach and may include a nominated female team member and a nominated male team member (who may not necessarily be Board of Trustee/Committee members).
- One member of the Board of Trustees shall be the nominated Safeguarding Officer.