CLUB RULES AND CONSTITUTION: NOVEMBER 2022
Name
1) The name of the Club shall be the WOODSTOCK BOWLS AND TENNIS CLUB.
Membership and Objectives
2) The Club shall be composed of Sections for Bowls and Tennis.
3) The Club shall be affiliated to Bowls England, Bowls Oxfordshire, the Lawn Tennis Association and Oxfordshire Lawn Tennis Association, as appropriate for each Section.
4) The Club shall adopt and conform to Bowls England and Lawn Tennis Association Rules and Regulations and the current Laws of each sport.
5) The objects of the Club are to provide a Bowling Green and Tennis Courts where members may play and be taught the games of Bowls and Tennis; to promote participation in the sports of outdoor bowls and tennis in Oxfordshire; to provide other sporting facilities as may from time to time be approved by the members in General Meeting; to promote good fellowship, entertainments and social intercourse for the benefit of its members; and to provide a Clubhouse where suitable refreshments and amenities shall be available.
6) The Club is a Members Club and the premises of the Club shall be at Cadogan Park, Woodstock.
7) Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in Bowls or Tennis on application regardless of sex, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. Membership may however be limited according to available facilities on a non-discriminatory basis. It is a condition of the Club’s lease with the Woodstock Town Council that priority for membership must be given to residents of Woodstock.
8) Membership of the club shall include the following categories:
Tennis
Adult playing members (25 years and over)
Young Adult members (19 – 24 years)
Junior playing members (under 19 years of age as at 1 April)
Other categories, eg. Family membership as may from time-to-time be decided by the Section Committee.
Bowls
Seniors
Juniors (under 18 as at 1st January)
Short Mat Bowls members
General
a) Non-playing Social Members
b) Honorary members.
At no time shall the total number of Non-playing Social members exceed fifteen percent of the total number of playing members at the Club. At no time shall the total number of Honorary members exceed five percent of the total number of playing members of the Club. Selected Junior members may be invited to play as Adults, subject to any conditions laid down by the appropriate Section Committee.
9) Every member of the Club shall, subject to these Rules, be entitled to use and enjoy in common with other members of the Club the bowling green, tennis courts, and other sporting facilities provided by the Club, the Club premises and the things therein, save that members shall only use the playing facilities of those Sections to which they have paid their subscription.
10) Every member shall furnish the membership Secretary of their Section with up-to-date contact details that shall be recorded in the Register of Members of each Section. Any notice sent to such address/es either by post or electronically shall be deemed to have been duly delivered.
11) Membership will run annually and will be renewed annually on a date to be decided by each Section Committee.
12) Section Committees may prescribe a minimum age for junior members.
13) New members shall apply to the appropriate Section Membership Secretary in the first instance, but no person shall be admitted to membership without an interval of at least two days between their application or nomination and admission. An application for membership may be refused where there appears sufficient reason to do so and where, with full knowledge of the matter, the Section Committee votes in favour of such refusal by a majority at a properly-convened Section meeting.
14) Honorary members may from time to time be elected at a General Meeting of the Club on the recommendation of a Section Committee.
15) Trustees
(a) There shall be not more than four Trustees nor less than two and the Trustees holding office as such at the adoption of these Rules shall continue to hold office until their appointment ceases in accordance with sub-rule (c) below.
(b) The General Committee has power to appoint new Trustees but a resolution for ratification of the appointment must be put to the Club Annual General Meeting next following any appointment and if a resolution is not passed by a majority of the members present the Trustee in question shall cease to hold office.
(c) Subject to Rule (b) above, a Trustee shall continue to hold office until the Trustee resigns or is removed by resolution of a Club Annual General Meeting.
(d) Any real property or investments purchased by the Club shall be vested in the Trustees as joint tenants.
(e) The Trustees shall deal with the properties so vested in them by way of sale mortgage charge lease or otherwise as directed by the Club. Such direction shall be given by resolution of the members of the Club passed by a majority present at a duly convened Club Annual General Meeting or Club Special General Meeting and when passed shall in favour of purchaser, mortgagee, chargee or lessee be binding on all members of the Club.
(f) All documents of title by the Trustees shall be placed in the safe custody of the Club Bankers or solicitors.
16) It is recognised that the Constitution is to support the operation and running of the Club and its Sections, and hence may be updated and amended from time to time in line with Clause 32. The constitution may be amended at a Special Club General Meeting or at the Club AGM, but only after consideration and report by both Sections’ Committees.
Safeguarding
17) The Club shall adhere to the Safeguarding Policies of Bowls England and the Lawn Tennis Association and will ensure that all the contents are communicated to Members and clearly displayed within the Club premises for Members and visitors.
Equalities
18) The Club shall adhere to the Equality Policies of Bowls England and the Lawn Tennis Association.
Management
19) The General Committee shall be formed to oversee the smooth running and financing of the clubhouse and grounds which both sections share, and should consist of the Bowls Chair, Bowls Treasurer, Bowls Secretary, Tennis Chair, Tennis Treasurer, Tennis Secretary and the Clubhouse Manager. The Clubhouse Manager is a non-voting member.
20) A meeting of the General Committee is only quorate when at least 5 postholders attend. The Chairs and Secretaries will alternate chairing and recording the General Committee meetings; when the Bowls Chair chairs, the Tennis Secretary shall take notes, and vice versa.
21) Income generated, and expenditure incurred, from the operation of the clubhouse and grounds (not membership fees, and not greens expenditure) shall be divided between the Sections in a 2:1 ratio, Tennis:Bowls. Each Section is expected to fulfil its financial obligations to the Club by meeting its own costs and its share of central costs (agreed between Treasurers).
22) Each section shall be responsible for managing its own income and expenditure – i.e. all finances pertaining to its own sport. There shall be a Tennis Treasurer and a separate Bowls Treasurer appointed to manage their relevant Section’s finances. The Treasurers shall, between them, agree who will retain overall responsibility for the management and reporting of the account relating to the shared facilities. Subscription levels must be approved at each Section’s Annual General Meeting.
23) The Section committees may appoint sub-committees for specific purposes. Such sub-committees shall be responsible to and regularly report back to the parent committee.
24) The Section Committees shall have the power to fill any casual vacancy (e.g. caused by resignation, illness, the creation of new posts etc.,) by co-opting members to any committee or sub-committee as required. Any vacancy so to be filled must be advertised to the relevant Section members using an appropriate communication method, which can include emails and other electronic communication methods, plus on the Club notice boards with an indication of who is to be co-opted 14 days prior to the meeting at which co-option is to be confirmed. Candidates may offer their services and, if there is more than one volunteer per post, an election must be called. The appointment of co-opted members will stand until the next Section AGM at which time they must either be elected or relinquish the post.
General Meetings
25) The Club shall hold in October/early November each year two Section Annual General Meetings; the Club Annual General Meeting shall be held usually not more than a month after the last Section AGM.
26) For Club AGMs or SGMs, the Chair will alternate each year between the Bowls and the Tennis Section Chair.
27) The business of the AGMs shall include:
a)To receive the Chair’s report of the activities of the Section during the previous year;
b) Election of that Section’s Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and any other officers deemed necessary for the running and management of that Section. Election to the Section Committee shall be for three years, although their term of office may be extended by approval of the Section members at the Section AGM;
c) Ratification of Club President: The President is to be nominated in alternative years by each Section at their AGM, and will serve one year. The President’s role is to represent the Club at Functions and to try to ensure the smooth and happy running of the Club;
d) Ratification of the Club House Manager: the General Committee will propose a suitable candidate for this role. The election of that candidate will be ratified at each Section’s AGM. The Club House Manager shall usually serve for not more than three years, though their term of office may be extended on the recommendation of the General Committee and by approval of the Section members at the Section AGMs;
e) To receive and adopt the Audited Accounts for each Section made up to the preceding 30th September. The Accounts are to include a report on the overall financial standing of the Club, and the contribution required and made to the central running costs of the Club;
f) The Section Treasurers will jointly recommend an appropriate Auditor for the subsequent year;
g) Fixing the annual subscriptions for the ensuing year;
h) Elect Section representatives on other bodies as appropriate;
i) Elect or ratify the Bar Committee;
j) Election of any sub-committees deemed necessary;
k) Any other competent business.
28) The secretary of the appropriate Section shall at least 14 days before the date of any Annual General meeting circulate to each member notice of the business to be brought forward at the AGM. This may be by post or electronically.
29) Senior, Adult and Young Adult Members and Honorary Members may request of a Section Committee the calling of a Special General Meeting (SGM) for a Section or the whole Club. The member(s) requesting an SGM must obtain supporting signatures from at least 15 % of the full membership. At least 15% of a Section’s membership is also required to call a Section SGM. A Section Committee then has up to 28 days to issue a notice of the meeting which must take place after 14 clear days of the issue of the Notice. The quorum for such meetings shall not be less than the number of signatories required to call them. The Notice convening the SGM must specify its purpose and only that business shall be discussed. Notice of meetings must be posted on notice boards at the Club and can be sent electronically or by mail to all members of Section or Club as appropriate.
30) Voting at all Section Annual General Meetings and Section Meetings, and at the Club AGM, shall be confined to Honorary, Senior, Adult and Young Adult playing members. Junior members and Non-playing Social members may attend and speak at such meetings but shall not vote. In the case of equality of votes, the Chair of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. For Club AGMs or SGMs, the Chair will alternate each year between the Bowls and the Tennis Section Chair.
31) Voting at Section Annual and Special General meetings shall be by show of hands unless either Section Committee decide the vote shall be taken by ballot, in which case two tellers shall be appointed by the Section Chair to count the votes. A simple majority is required for all propositions except changes to the Constitution. For changes to the Constitution a two thirds majority is required. See Rule 32 below.
32) The Club Constitution may be amended at a Special Club General Meeting or at the Club AGM but only after consideration and report by both Sections’ Committees. Changes may only be passed by a two thirds majority of those attending. Notice of the proposed changes must be given to all members at least 14 days prior to the meeting.
33) Section meetings and Section AGMs can be held either as face to face meetings, or via use of an appropriate electronic platform. The method shall be determined by that Sections Chair, and in the case of joint meetings, by agreement of the Section Chairs. Club AGMs and Special Club General Meetings should be held in person in the Clubhouse, other than in very exceptional circumstances, e.g. national lockdowns.
34) Any conflict of interest must be declared to the Chair (or other nominated person) prior to the start of any meeting, whether Section or Club. The Chair (or other nominated person) will determine if the person may remain in the meeting and/or vote when the item is discussed.
Rules
35) A member on paying the fees due by way of subscription is thereby held to have submitted himself or herself to the Rules of the Club, and on that condition alone is entitled to enjoy the advantages and privileges of the Club.
36) Each member of the Tennis Section of the Club shall be subject to (in addition to these Rules) the rules set out in the Appendix hereto. These rules must be posted on the Club website.
37) Each member of the Bowls Section of the Club shall be subject to (in addition to these Rules) the rules set out in the Appendix hereto. These rules must be posted on the Club website.
38) Senior, Adult and Young Adult members of the Club shall be entitled to a copy of these rules.
Finance
39) It shall be the duty of both Treasurers to maintain proper books of accounts and a subscription and membership register. The Treasurers shall prepare Annual Accounts of Income and Expenditure made up to the 30th September, which shall be audited by the appointed Auditor and published to the full membership of both Sections by email or post 14 days prior to the Section AGMs.
40) All monies collected by Club officers and members shall be paid over promptly to the relevant Section Treasurer. All disbursements shall be paid by, or with the approval of, the relevant Section Treasurer.
Subscriptions and Fees
41) Annual subscriptions shall be fixed at each Section Annual General Meeting for the following season commencing on 1st April each year. Different subscriptions may be fixed for different classifications of members.
42) A Section Committee shall have the power to fix green or court fees for members and/or visitors.
43) No member whose subscription is unpaid in any year may play in any competition or match nor participate in any of the privileges of the Club.
Bar
44) The supply to members of intoxicating liquors, non-intoxication drinks, and other items shall be under the sole control of and be managed by a sub-Committee (hereinafter called the “Bar Committee’) who shall arrange for the purchase thereof on behalf of the Club and authorise the supply thereof to members at prices to be fixed by The Bar Committee.
45) The Bar Committee shall consist of four members of the Club all of whom shall be elected at the Bowls Section Annual General Meeting. Tennis Section members are also welcome to stand for election to the Bar Committee.
46) Intoxicating liquor may be supplied to members of this and any other Clubs, being recognised Clubs within the meaning of Section 193 Licensing Act 2003. To be a member of the Woodstock Bowls and Tennis Club eligible to be supplied with intoxicating liquor that person must have been a member of the Club for at least two days, or whose application was made at least two days before his admission to the privilege of membership.
47) Subject to any restrictions which may from time to time be imposed by the Bar Committee, Club employees, Club members (see Rule 45) and up to three guests per member of the Club shall be entitled to admission to the Club premises and to purchase intoxicating liquor for consumption on the premises.
48) Guests may include visiting players, supporters and non-members accompanied by a Club member who shall be responsible for their guests’ strict observance of Club Rules and behaviour.
49) A list of members of visiting teams or the names of competitors shall be available and other guests’ names must be entered in the Visitors Book along with that of the member introducing them.
50) Intoxicating Liquor shall also be supplied on the premises to non-members on Special Occasions which may in number be not more than 12 in any one calendar year, provided that each Special Occasion receives the prior approval of the General Committee. No special occasion shall be permitted to which admission may be obtained by payment of money at the door whether for a ticket or otherwise. No-one under the age of 16 years shall be permitted in the Clubroom while the bar is open unless accompanied by a member over 18 years old.
51) No-one, whether a member or otherwise shall be permitted to purchase or consume intoxicating liquor upon the premises of the Club whilst under the age of eighteen years.
52) Intoxicating liquor shall be supplied on the Club premises to members (other than Junior members) and to persons entitled to be supplied as follows~ a) Sunday. Christmas Day and Good Friday 12 noon to 10.30pm b) Monday to Saturday (not being Christmas Day or Good Friday) 11am to 11pm. Off sales of liquor shall be limited to members only in person.
53) The Bar Committee reserve the right not to open the Bar on any day, or open at a later or close at an earlier hour, than stipulated in Rule 51.
General
54) Members may introduce and entertain guests at the Clubhouse. and both members and guests should sign the Visitors’ and Guests’ Book. The member introducing a guest must accompany him or her and shall be responsible for the Guest strictly observing the Club Rules. The number of guests that a member may introduce at any one time shall be limited to three. No person may be introduced as a Visitor or Guest more frequently than three times in any calendar year.
55) All complaints must be made in writing to the President or relevant Section Secretary for reference to the Section Committees.
56) Members taking young children to the Club must ensure that they are properly supervised.
57) No dogs shall on any account be allowed on the bowling green or tennis courts. Otherwise dogs may be allowed on the Club premises provided that they are under control.
58) If at any Section Annual General meeting of the club, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the club, the President/Section Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of both Sections of the club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution. If at the Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting, the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the club. After discharging all debts and liabilities of the club, the remaining assets shall not be paid or redistributed amongst the Full Members of the club, but shall be given or transferred to some other voluntary organisation having objects similar to those of the club.
59) The Trustees of the Club shall be indemnified by the Club and the General Committee shall pay all costs, losses and expenses which any of the Trustees may incur or for which he/she may become liable by reason of any contract entered into or act or thing done by him/her in good faith as such Trustee in accordance with the instructions of the General Committee or of a General Meeting of the Club or otherwise in the discharge of his/her duties. The General Committee may give to any Trustee, who has incurred or may be about to incur any liability, at the request of or for the benefit of the Club, such security by way of indemnity as may seem expedient.
60) In pursuance of the authority vested in the Committees by Members of the Club, members of the Committees are entitled to be indemnified by the members of the Club against any liabilities properly incurred by them or any one of them on behalf of the Club wherever the contract is of a duly authorized nature or could be assumed to be of a duly authorized nature and entered into on behalf of the Club.
Each member of the Club shall (to the extent that such person is not entitled to recover under any policy of insurance) be entitled to be indemnified out of all funds available to the Club which may lawfully be so applied against all costs, expenses and liabilities whatsoever (reasonably) incurred by such person in the proper execution and discharge of duties undertaken on behalf of the Club arising there from, or incurred in good faith in the purported discharge of such duties.
Save in any case where any such costs, expenses and liabilities arise in connection with any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust.
Provided that any such member so indemnified has been properly authorized in relation to the duties undertaken on behalf of the Club by the General and/or Section Committees.
61) The limit of any individual member’s indemnity in this respect shall be a sum equal to one year’s subscription at the then current rate of that category of membership unless the Committee has been authorized to exceed such limit by a Club AGM.
62) Subject to the remaining provisions of this rule, a Section Committee shall have power to refuse membership or expel a Member if it in its sole discretion determines that it would be in the interests of the Game or of the Club to do so.
a) A Member shall not be expelled unless they are given 14 days’ written notice of the meeting of the Section Committee at which the expulsion shall be considered and written details of the complaint made against them.
b) The Member shall be given an opportunity to appear before the Section Committee to answer complaints made against them. The member must not be expelled unless at least two-thirds of a Section Committee then present vote in favour of their
c) A Section Committee may exclude the Member from the Club’s premises until the meeting considering their expulsion has been held. For the avoidance of doubt, the member shall be entitled to attend that meeting for the purpose of making their representations.
d) The Member may appeal against the Section’s decision by notifying the Section Committee who shall put the matter to the Club’s members in a Special General meeting, to be decided by a majority vote of members present and voting at such meeting.
e) Should any member be expelled, the former member shall not be entitled to have any part of the annual subscription refunded and must return any property belonging to the Club.
Appendix
LTA Conditions
1) For the purposes of paragraphs 2 to 6 (inclusive) below, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them:
“Disciplinary Code” means the disciplinary code of the LTA in force from time to time;
“LTA” means the Lawn Tennis Association of 100 Priory Lane, Roehampton, London, SW15 5JQ or such successor entity or entities as become(s) the governing body of the game of lawn tennis from time to time;
“Tennis Member” means a member of the tennis section of the Club; and
“LTA Rules” means the rules of the LTA as in force from time to time.
2) Each Tennis Member agrees as a condition of membership:
(a) to be bound by and subject to these Rules (as in force from time to time);
(b) to be bound by and subject to the LTA Rules and the Disciplinary Code.
3) Paragraph 2 above confers a benefit on the LTA and, subject to the remaining provisions of this paragraph, is intended to be enforceable by the LTA by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999. For the avoidance of doubt, the members do not intend that any term of these Rules, apart from paragraph 2 above, should be enforceable, by virtue of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999, by any person who is not a party to this agreement.
4) The Tennis Section Committee may terminate the membership of any person, or impose any other sanction they determine to be appropriate, in connection with the breach of any condition of membership set out in paragraphs 2 to 6 (inclusive) of this Appendix.
5) The Club agrees that each member of the Tennis Section Committee will be required, as a condition of election or appointment, to agree to be bound by and subject to these Rules, the LTA Rules and the Disciplinary Code, such agreement to contain an express acknowledgement that the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 applies and that the LTA and the Club can enforce any breach at its option and in its sole discretion.
6) The Club agrees that all unlicensed and unregistered tennis coaches and, so far as reasonably practicable, tennis players and other persons using the tennis facilities of the Club will be required, as a condition of such use, to agree to be bound by and subject to these Rules, the LTA Rules and the Disciplinary Code, such agreement to contain an express acknowledgement that the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 applies and that the LTA and the Club can enforce any breach at its option and in its sole discretion.