Wargrave Tennis Club
Recreation Road, Wargrave, Berkshire RG10 8BG
Constitution & Rules
Agreed 20th August 2020 with three agreed amendments: 21st November 2023, 15th February 2024 and 28th November 2024 (see end of this document)
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1. From 29th November 2024, the Club shall be known as Wargrave Tennis Club or “WTC”. The Club was formerly known as Wargrave Lawn Tennis Club or WLTC (see amendments to constitution at the bottom of this document).
2. Wargrave Tennis Club is an Unincorporated Association and is a not for profit organisation.
3. The Club will be affiliated to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
4. Aims & Objectives
4.1. To make provision for and to advance the interest of lawn tennis in the Parish of
Wargrave and the surrounding area.
4.2. To employ the funds of the Club in the best interests of Club members.
5. Officers of the Club
The Officers of the Club will be:
• Chairman
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Membership Secretary
• Match Secretary
• Ladies Captain
• Men’s Captain
• Junior Co-ordinator
• Maintenance Officer
• Social Secretary
• Tournament Organiser
6. The Committee:
6.1 The club shall be managed through the Committee consisting of the Officers of the club.
6.2 The Committee will hold no fewer than five meetings per year.
6.3 A quorum of four elected Committee members is required at a Committee meeting.
6.4 The Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies if they arise and to co-opt members
for particular projects, but co-opted members will not have a committee vote.
6.5 The Committee will have powers to appoint sub-committees as necessary.
6.6 The Committee shall be empowered to borrow a maximum total amount of £40,000 on behalf of the Club for the purposes of the Club from time to time at its own discretion and with the sanction of a General Meeting any further sum above that amount.
6.7 The Committee shall be empowered to spend a maximum total amount of £20,000, on any one item, (other than the cost of resurfacing the courts in line with the planned refurbishment programme which will be approved by the Committee), on behalf of the Club for the purposes of the Club from time to time at its own discretion and with the sanction of a General Meeting any further sum above that amount.
6.8 The Committee has no power to pledge the personal liability of any member for repayment of any sums so borrowed.
6.9 The Committee has the power to raise, except by borrowing, any sum of money required in such manner and on such terms as it thinks fit.
6.10 The Committee will be responsible for:
• adopting new policy,
• codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the Club,
• making arrangements for matches and tournaments,
• carrying out resolutions passed at General Meetings,
• making decisions on matters not specifically provided for in the Constitution and Rules,
• appointing representatives to organisations to which the Club is affiliated,
• making arrangements for social activities,
• informing members of meetings and activities. Electronic means of communication will be used wherever possible.
7. General Meetings
7.1. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held annually within 3 months of the Club’s financial year end.
7.2. The business of the AGM shall be to receive the report of the Committee, the Treasurer’s report and financial statements for the year duly examined, to elect Office Holders and Committee members for the coming year and to transact any other notified business.
7.3. The Committee or any two members may bring forward any resolution or motion at the AGM provided that due notice is given to the Secretary at least fourteen days before the AGM.
7.4. Candidates for Office Holders for the ensuing year may be nominated by the Committee and/or by any two members of the Club. Nominations may be made prior to the meeting or may be made at the meeting, provided the nominee has intimated his or her agreement to stand.
7.5. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Club may be convened by the Committee whenever it thinks fit or by a requisition to the Secretary by at least ten members. Every requisition shall specify the business for which the meeting is to be convened and no other business shall be transacted at such a meeting.
7.6. For a vote at any General Meeting (EGM or AGM) to be valid, a quorum of at least 30% of the Club’s current adult membership must take part in the voting (for, against or abstain) either at the meeting itself (including virtual meetings), or in advance of the meeting by email, online or postal voting methods approved and validated by the Committee.
7.7. All ordinary business of a General Meeting shall be decided by a majority vote except resolutions, which seek to change the Constitution and Rules of the Club, which require a two-thirds majority of the voting members present.
7.8. A notice of every General Meeting shall be sent to all senior members of the Club at least twenty-one days prior to the date fixed for the meeting. Such notice shall specify the date, time and place of the meeting and the business to be transacted. The proceedings are not invalidated by non-receipt or omission by any member of this notice.
7.9. All Officers and members of the Committee shall retire annually at the conclusion of the AGM but will be eligible for re-election.
7.10. Entitlement to vote at an AGM or EGM: Any active adult member aged 18 years and over, plus the named adult guardian (who is not already an active adult member) of any current junior member. The named guardian would only have one vote irrespective of the number of children they have as members. Adults who have joined the Club as “Family Members”
would not get any additional votes for their children.
8. Membership
8.1. Adult Membership is open to any applicant not covered by other categories below.
8.2. Junior Membership is open to applicants up to and including the age of 18 on 1st April in the calendar year.
8.3. Young Adult is open to applicants between the ages of 19 and 24, inclusive, on 1st April in the calendar year.
8.4. Family Membership is open to adults and their children up to and including the age of 18 on 1st April in the calendar year or who are in full time education.
8.5. Honorary membership as a non-playing membership may be conferred by the Committee to any person who has performed an outstanding service to the Club.
8.6. Wargrave Tennis Club is an equal opportunities organisation and complies with the LTA Diversity and Inclusion policy.
8.7. The Committee has the right to determine the maximum number of Club members.
8.8. The Committee has the right to reject any application if this would be in the best interests of the Club and its members.
8.9. All members will be subject to the Constitution and Rules and by joining the Club will be deemed to accept the Constitution and Rules and codes of practice the Club has adopted.
8.10. Members are expected to behave at all times in accordance with generally accepted standards. Any member who is found to be acting in a way that is contrary to the Club’s rules, in defiance of the elected Committee or in a manner that brings the Club into disrepute, is liable, after due investigation, to appropriate disciplinary action or expulsion from the Club. Appeal against such disciplinary action or expulsion may be made to the Committee who must consider the appeal within ten days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.
8.11. Disciplinary & Appeals procedures will follow the relevant LTA guidelines.
9. Fees/Subscription
9.1. The Committee will recommend a level of fees and annual subscription to the members at the AGM.
9.2. The joining fee (if any) and the annual subscription will be determined by a vote of the members at the AGM, after taking into consideration any relevant conditions contained in any current LTA loan agreements. Fees and Subscriptions will be published annually. Subscriptions are due by 1st April. Membership is terminated if Fees/Subscriptions are not paid by 1st April.
9.3. In certain exceptional circumstances refunds on subscriptions will be considered by the Committee.
10. Finance
10.1. All Club monies will be banked in an account(s) held in the name of the Club.
10.2. The financial year of the Club will end on the last day of September.
10.3. The annual financial statements, examined by an independent suitably qualified person, will be presented by the Treasurer at the AGM.
10.4. Any cheques drawn against Club funds shall require two authorised signatures, one of which will be the Treasurer’s.
10.5. Payments by BACS, up to the value of £5,000, can be transacted by the Treasurer without the need for authorisation from a second committee member. A copy of the monthly bank statements will be forwarded to the Chairman for scrutiny / compliance purposes.
11. Visitors
11.1. Visitors may use the Wargrave Tennis Club courts. The Committee shall, from time to time, determine and publish rules relating to visitors to include fees, frequency of visits and court occupancy times.
12. Court Usage
12.1. The Committee shall determine and publish days and times of court usage and priority of use, including provision for Club nights, juniors, visitors, and coaching.
13. Clothing
13.1. Members and visitors, when using the courts, must wear regulation tennis shoes and acceptable tennis attire.
14. Lease
14.1. Members are required to comply with the terms of the lease granted to the Club by Wargrave Parish Council on 20th August 2002 or with the terms of any future lease agreed between the Club and Wargrave Parish Council.
15. Alterations to the Constitution and Rules
15.1. The Constitution and Rules may only be amended by a majority vote of two / thirds of eligible voting members (as outlined in para 7.10), with a voting quorum of 30% of adult members (as outlined in para 7.6 and 7.10).
15.2. Any proposed change in the Constitution or Rules should be notified in writing to the Secretary, at least fourteen days prior to the general meeting.
Details of Amendments
This Constitution was formally adopted at the General Meeting held on 20th August 2020 with changes based on the following amendments:
1. Para 7.1 and para 10.2 were amended on the 21st November 2023 following the approval of a proposal from members Jon Edgell and Roger Avent (with support of the committee) “to amend the Club constitution so that the financial year of the Club will end on the last day of September, and that the AGM is run within 3 months after this date.” The amendment was approved as part of an 2023 AGM online survey with 97% in favour (111 of 114 voting adult members / 52% of total adult membership).
2. Para 7.6 and 15.1 were amended on the 15th February 2024 following approval of a proposal from the committee to: “increase the minimum threshold of votes required for a vote to be valid at an AGM or EGM (the quorum of the meeting), from the current limit of just 10 adult members, to votes from at least 30% of the Club’s adult membership (approximately 60 based on current numbers). And to be more explicit that voting can take place either at the meeting itself, or in advance of the meeting by email, online or postal voting methods approved and validated by the Committee”. The amendment was approved at an EGM via online email voting (including 5 reminders), with 98% in favour (107 of 111 voting adult members / 50% of total adult membership).
3. Para 7.10 and 15.1 were amended on the 15th February 2024 following approval of a proposal from the committee to: “change eligibility of voting at EGMs and AGMs from adult members only, to include both adult members and the named adult guardian of any current junior member(s), and that the named guardian is not already an adult member of the Club. The named guardian would only have one vote irrespective of the number of children they have as members. Adults who have joined the Club as “Family Members” would not get any additional votes for their children.” The amendment was approved at an EGM via online email voting (including 5 reminders), with 84% in favour (90 of 111 voting adult members / 50% of total adult membership).
4. Para 8.3 to change the age range of the “young adults category” from 19-25 to 19-24 based on approval of fee rates / fee categories by 83% of 114 voting adult members (52% of adult membership) at an AGM on 21st November 2023. Together with a further 85% of 111 voting adult members (50% of adult membership) who approved fee rates / fee categories at an EGM on 15th February 2024.4. Para 8.3 to change the age range of the “young adults category” from 19-25 to 19-24 based on approval of fee rates / fee categories by 83% of 114 voting adult members (52% of adult membership) at an AGM on 21st November 2023. Together with a further 85% of 111 voting adult members (50% of adult membership) who approved fee rates / fee categories at an EGM on 15th February 2024.4.
5. The Club’s name in para 1 was changed from Wargrave Lawn Tennis Club to Wargrave Tennis Club. This change had approval from 138 members (99% of members voting) versus 1 vote against the change. Of the members voting, 123 were adults / 59% of adult members and above our threshold of 30% for the vote to be valid. The change in name was made to bring the name in line with the name on our bank account, to reflect more modern club website branding, to avoid confusion across different documents, and to reflect that we no longer offer grass court tennis.
Updated Constitution Dated 29th November 2024
