All members and visitors must abide by the Club’s constitution, rules, policies and guidelines. The updated Club Rules containing all amendments and additions made at AGMs from 2000 to 2011 are below. You can download a copy of the rules here:
NAME
1. The club shall be called “THE BANGOR LAWN TENNIS CLUB”.
OBJECTIVE
1A. The objective of Bangor Lawn Tennis Club is to provide tennis facilities and tennis coaching for all members.”
RULES
2. The rules of tennis as adopted by the All England Tennis Association shall be the standard for the Bangor Lawn Tennis Club.
COLOURS
3. The Colours of the Club shall be Navy Blue and Pale Blue.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
4. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the 30th September each year. No business can be proceeded with at that or any General Meeting unless at least twenty members with powers to vote are present. The Captain of the General Committee, or in his absence the Vice-Captain, shall preside over all General Meetings when present. In their absence a Chairman shall be appointed by the meeting. Any member wishing to bring forward at the Annual General Meeting a motion dealing with the Rules or with business of a constitutional nature shall before the 15th August give to the Honorary Secretary written notice of his proposal and the notice of all such proposals shall be sent to each member of the Club at least seven days before the date of the meeting.
NOTICE OF MEETINGS
5. At least seven days notice in writing must be given to all members entitled thereto of any Annual, Adjourned or Extra-ordinary General Meeting, stating the time and place of the meeting. In the case of Annual or Extra-ordinary Meetings the business to be done must be stated on the notice calling the meeting (except in the case of Rule 21). The accidental omission to send any notice or notices shall not invalidate the proceedings of any meeting.
VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
6. Voting at all General Meetings shall be by show of hands where possible, unless a ballot is requested. In the case of an equality of votes, the Captain shall have a casting vote. Voting by those present only, will be permitted (subject to Rules 21 and 27).
ALL MEMBERS MAY VOTE
7. All members aged sixteen years and over, Senior and Intermediate, shall have power to vote at all General Meetings of the Club.
MEMBERSHIP FEES
8. Membership of the club will fall into the following classes.
- Family: parents /guardians and children under age 21 on 1st January,
- Couple,
- Senior: age 18 or over on 1st January,
- Student: age 18 or over 1st January and in full time education,
- Junior: under 7s (under age 7 on 1st January),
under 11s (age 7 to under age 11 on 1st January),
under 18s (age 11 to under age 18 on 1st January),
- Honorary: to be granted at the discretion of the Committee.
- Associate Non-Playing Member.
- Members aged 65 or over on 1st January with 20 years uninterrupted service (such members to pay a fee of two-thirds of the Senior Membership fee).
This change is to be phased in over a period of five years (therefore rule for 2012 will read “aged 61 or over”. 2013 “aged 62 or over” etc.”
The subscriptions for the above categories shall be established at the Annual General Meeting of the Club each year. All members shall be invoiced by the Hon. Treasurer, in respect of annual subscription, as soon as practicable after January 1st.
The General Committee shall have the power to amend Membership fees and joining fees, on a temporary basis, as part of promotional activity undertaken for Membership Development.
A discount, as decided by the A.G.M., shall be applied to subscriptions paid before March 1st. This discount shall also apply to new members provided that their subscriptions and entrance fee are tendered within two weeks of notification of acceptance of membership.
Any member whose subscription has not been paid before April 1st shall be served with written notice of suspension of membership and if not paid by May 1st they will no longer be members of the club.
No members shall be considered to represent the club unless the current subscription has been paid.
MEMBERS ADMITTED AFTER AUGUST 1ST
9. Members admitted on or after 1st August in any year shall be liable for 8/12 of the annual subscription for that year. This amount to be reduced according to the amount of admission viz Sept 7/12, Oct 6/12, Nov 5/12, Dec 4/12.
Members admitted on or after 1st January in any year shall be liable for their full subscription at once but shall not be liable for their second subscription until 1st March in the following year.
ELECTION OF MEMBERS
10. Membership of the Club shall be open to all persons over the age of 16 who have been accepted by the committee on simple majority vote as members of the club, who have paid the appropriate annual subscription and entrance fee and who have agreed to abide by the Rules and Constitution of the Club. Candidates to be proposed by one member of the club and seconded by another, both of whom must be 16 years or over and have been continuous members of the club for at least the previous two years. The proposal form shall be given to the Hon. Secretary who shall have the name of the candidate exhibited on the Club Notice Board for at least seven days before putting it forward for election. Candidates for election whose names have been rejected, cannot be proposed again within twelve months from the date of such rejection. On the election of a member the Hon. Secretary shall notify him in writing requesting payment of Entrance Fee and Annual Subscription. The entrance fee to be 50% of the annual subscription. Members transferring from the Junior to the Senior Club shall not be liable to payment of an entrance fee if they have been members for the two seasons preceeding their transfer. A 50% reduction will apply to all other Junior members transferring to the Senior Club. No entrance fee will be levied on children of Family members changing to Senior Members at 21.
COMMITTEE AND OFFICIALS
11. a) The government of the Club shall be entrusted to a General Committee of at least four members but not more than eight together with the Club Captain, Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. A majority of general committee must be Senior members. The General Committee may at their discretion appoint an Assistant Hon.Treasurer and Assistant Secretary and such Assistants shall become ex-officio members of the Committee if not already on it.
b) The Committee, including officers, shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election, except the out-going Captain who will remain for the incoming year as ex-officio member of the Committee. Officers, excluding Assistants, must be over 21 years of age. At the Annual General Meeting no nomination may be made in respect of a member in his or her absence unless the member has given his or her consent to such nomination. All nominations for Office bearers and General Committee should be given to the Hon. Secretary prior to the Annual General Meeting and these names shall be issued with the Notice of the Meeting to all members. The persons nominated shall be the only persons eligible for election.
Members nominated to serve as Officers of the club shall normally have at least one year of previous service on the General Committee.
Any member elected as Club Captain shall normally serve for no more than two consecutive years.
TRUSTEES
12. a) At least four Trustees shall be appointed by the Committee to hold office until death, or resignation or removal from office by a resolution of the Committee and in such circumstances the Committee shall appoint a successor whose appointment shall be ratified by the General Meeting.
b) The Trustees shall have the power to acquire, hold and dispose of and shall have vested in themselves all real and personal property, lands, buildings, hereditaments and premises purchased taken on lease or otherwise acquired by or for the benefit of the club.
c) The Trustees shall also have the power to make or realise such investments of the funds of the club as they shall deem advantageous to the interest of the Club, subject to the approval of the General Committee.
d) The Trustees shall have the power to Mortgage or Charge any of the property of the Club in favour of any person, persons, company or corporation in such capital amount and at such interest as the General Committee shall prescribe.
e) The liability of each and every Trustee shall be limited to the extent of such funds of the Club as may be actually received by him or her.”
SELECTION COMMITTEE
13. a) A selection committee of five members shall be elected at the AGM of which three shall form a quorum. Nominations shall be as per the General Committee.
b) The Selection Committee shall elect a Convenor.
c) Selectors may not be elected to serve for more than two consecutive years.
d) The convenor of the Selection Committee shall be responsible for seeking verification from the Membership Secretary that all persons being considered for selection have paid the current subscription.
CLUB PRESIDENT
14. The Club President shall serve for a maximum of five years.
DATES OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS
15. The General Committee shall meet at least once a month for the dispatch of current business, and at such other times as they may find necessary, but shall have power to adjourn or postpone any of their meetings at their discretion. They have power to co-opt members to fill any vacancies which may arise. At Committee Meetings at least five-ninths of the members are necessary to form a quorum, the Captain having a casting vote.
Voting by those present only will be permitted. The Captain shall preside at all meetings when present and, in his absence, the Vice-Captain. Should both be absent, the meeting shall elect a chairman.
BYE-LAWS AND REGULATIONS
16. The Committee shall have power to make, alter or annul such Bye-Laws and Regulations as they may consider necessary for the well being of the Club. They may appoint sub-committees which may include members outside the General Committee and delegate to such committees any of their powers other than the financial control of the Club, the election or removal of members and the election of a Selection Committee.
MINUTES
17. The Hon. Secretary shall keep a book in which he shall enter the minutes of the proceedings of all Annual and General Committee Meetings. He shall prepare an Annual Report for approval by the General Committee and submit it to the Annual General Meeting.
The Hon. Treasurer shall keep correct accounts and books showing the financial affairs of the club. The accounts of the Club shall be audited by two persons, not members of the Committee, to be elected at the Annual General meeting, and an audited statement of accounts shall be published annually. The financial year shall end on the first day of August each year, to which day the accounts of the Club shall be balanced. The Club is a non-profit making organisation and the income of the Club and any surplus of the income over expenditure in any year must be applied by the General Committee for the betterment of the facilities for the members.
CLUB ASSETS
18. a) The Club’s assets or finances shall be used solely to further the objects of the Club.
b) At no time or under no circumstances shall assets of the club be distributed among members either on an interim or on a winding-up basis.
EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
19. The General Committee may at any time, and shall upon receipt of a requisition in writing signed by at least twenty members of the Club stating the business to be brought forward, call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club within fourteen days of the receipt of such notice. The Hon. Secretary to give at least seven days’ notice in writing to each member. No other business than that mentioned in such notice shall be discussed at the meeting.
RESIGNATION OR TRANSFER
20. Any member wishing to resign from the Club or transfer to another Class of Membership must do so in writing prior to the 31st March, in default of which he may be held liable for payment in full of his subscription for the ensuing year.
EXPULSION OF MEMBERSHIP
21. If any circumstances connected with the conduct of a member likely to endanger the welfare of good order of the Club, be brought to the notice of the General Committee, that Committee shall have the power to expel such Member by ballot at a special meeting. The majority shall be at least in the proportion of 4-1 to expel the member. Any member thus expelled shall be entitled to call upon the General Committee to call an Extraordinary General Meeting to confirm or record the expulsion.
PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS SUSPENSION
22. No member shall exercise any right of membership until after payment of Entrance Fee and first subscription. The Committee may at their discretion suspend any member for non-payment of subscription. Any member rejoining the club shall be liable to payment of the appropriate entrance fee except in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the General Committee.
CLOSING OF COURTS
23. Two Senior Members of the General, Tennis or Grounds Committee shall have power to close any court.
CLUBHOUSE AND GROUNDS
24. The Clubhouse and grounds shall be available to members at all times subject to the provisions of the Rules and Bye-Laws.
CLOSING OF MEMBERSHIP
25. The General Committee shall have power to close the membership of any category at any time and may again re-open same.
DISSOLUTION OF CLUB
26. If at any General Committee a resolution for the dissolution of the Club shall be passed by a majority of the members present and such resolution shall at a special General Committee held not less than a month thereafter at which not less than half of the members of the club shall be present to confirm by resolution passed by majority of two-thirds of the members voting thereon, or at such future date as shall be specified in such resolution proceed to realise the property of the club. In the event of the club being dissolved, surplus assets remaining after the satisfaction of debts and liabilities shall be held in trust by the Trustees until transferred by them to an institution or organisation with objects similar to those of Bangor Lawn Tennis Club, provided that such an institution or organisation’s rules similarly preclude the distribution of such assets to its members.
ALTERATION DELETION OR ADDITION TO RULES
27. No alteration to, deletion from or addition to the foregoing Rules shall be made at a General Meeting of the Club except on the vote of two-thirds of those present at such a meeting. Notice of such meeting shall comply with rule 5.
CLUB COACH
28. The Committee shall have the power to appoint a Club Coach.
MATCH FEE
29. Selected players shall each pay a ball fee per team as determined by the Annual General Meeting.
CONSIDERATION FOR SELECTION
30. The General Committee shall have the right to refuse members consideration for selection. Any member so refused shall be informed of the reason for the refusal.
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
31. Members, other than Officials, normally serve for no more than two consecutive years.
EXPENDITURE
32. Expenditure on any item or project that exceeds £5,000 must be approved by the club at a general meeting.
APPENDICES TO CLUB RULES
1. Bangor Lawn Tennis Club shall conform to the rules of the Ulster Branch of TennisIrelandon Child Protection (ref: Rules of the Ulster Branch of TennisIrelandparagraph 2.3.1 and appendix 1 to these rules).
2. Bangor Lawn Tennis Club shall conform to the rules of the Ulster Branch of TennisIrelandon Equality of Opportunity (ref: Rules of the Ulster Branch of TennisIrelandparagraph 2.3.2 and appendix 2 to these rules).”
