Rule 1
Name
The name of the Club will be Newry Tennis Club.
Rule 2
Definitions
2.1 "the Chairman" means the person elected from time to time to be the chairman of the Club in accordance with Rule 9.
2.2 "the Vice-Chairman" means the person elected from time to time to be the vice-chairman of the Club in accordance with Rule 9.
2.3 "the Honorary Secretary" means the person elected from time to time to be the honorary secretary of the Club in accordance with Rule 9.
2.4 "the Honorary Treasurer" means the person elected from time to time to be the honorary treasurer of the Club in accordance with Rule 9.
2.5 "the Officers" means in total, the four persons defined in 2.1 to 2.4 above.
2.6 "the Management Committee" means the committee appointed under Rule 9 to manage the club.
2.7 "the Members" means the members of the Club admitted from time to time to membership of the Club in accordance with Rule 5.
2.8 "Full Members" means the Members who are aged 18 or over.
2.9 "Junior Members" means Members who have not reached the age of 18.
2.10 "the President" means the person elected from time to time to be the president of the Club in accordance with Rule 9.
2.11 "the Trustees" means the persons appointed from time to time to be the trustees of the Club in accordance with Rule 10.
2.12 Words denoting the singular number include the plural number and vice versa; words denoting the masculine gender include the feminine gender.
Rule 3
Objects
The objects of the club are:
(a) to provide tennis, social and other activities and generally to encourage and facilitate the playing of tennis;
(b) to promote, improve, develop and support the interests of tennis in the Newry & Mourne area;
(c) to provide such other benefits to its members as it shall think fit;
(d) to acquire, establish, own or operate (for the members' benefit) the tennis court facilities of the Club together with buildings and easements, fixtures and fittings and accessories as shall be thought advisable;
(e) to make Rules, regulations and standing orders concerning the operation of the Club including without limitation regulations concerning disciplinary procedures that may be taken against the Members;
(f) to discipline the Members where permitted by its Rules/Regulations;
(g) to do all such other things as the Management Committee thinks fit to further the interests of the Club or to be incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the objects stated in this Rule 3.
Rule 4
Application of Surplus Funds
4.1 The Club is a non-profit making organisation. All surpluses will be used to maintain or improve the Club's facilities and in furtherance of the Club's objects. No surplus will be distributed other than in accordance with Rule 18 on winding up or dissolution of the Club.
4.2 Nothing in Clause 4.1 shall prevent the club from entering into arms length agreements with Members to supply goods or services.
Rule 5
Membership
5.1 Eligibility for membership
5.1.1 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 on the grounds of race, ethnic origin, creed, colour, age, disability, sex, occupation, sexual orientation, religion, political or other beliefs.
5.1.2 Persons below the age of 18 may be elected as Junior Members without the right to hold office or vote at general meetings.
5.1.3 Persons aged 18 or over but in full time education may join as Student Members. Student members will have the same rights as full Members but may pay a reduced membership fee.
5.1.4 Family membership: when a family rather than an individual apply for membership, members of the family will have rights as full Members if they are at least 18 years of age, or will have rights as Junior Members if they are below the age of 18.
5.2 Admission of members
5.2.1 Any person or family who wishes to become a Member must submit an application in such form as the Management Committee shall decide.
5.2.2 The Management Committee has the right in its absolute discretion to refuse an application for admission.
5.3 Subscriptions
5.3.1 The annual fee for the different categories of membership will be decided by the Management Committee from time to time.
5.3.2 The Members shall pay annual subscription fees set by the Management Committee from time to time.
5.3.3 The Members shall include such information as is agreed by the Management Committee from time to time when paying annual subscription fees.
5.3.4 The Member whose subscription is not paid by such date as the Management Committee shall decide each year shall be deemed to have resigned his membership of the Club.
5.4 Membership list
5.4.1 The Honorary Treasurer shall maintain a list of subscribing Members reconciled to the subscriptions received.
5.4.2 The Honorary Secretary shall maintain a list of members showing all Members, addresses, email addresses where provided and birth dates for Junior Members.
Rule 6
Resignation
A Member may withdraw from membership of the Club. Membership shall not be transferable in any event and shall cease immediately on death or dissolution or on the failure of the Member to comply or to continue to comply with any condition of membership set out in these Rules.
Rule 7
Expulsion
7.1 The Management Committee shall have power to expel or suspend a Member when, in its opinion, it would not be in the interests of the sport or of the Club for him to remain a Member.
7.2 A Member shall not be expelled unless he is given 14 days' written notice of the meeting of the Management Committee at which his expulsion shall be considered and written details of the complaint made against him.
7.3 A Member shall be given an opportunity to make written representations and/or to appear before the Management Committee and at any such meeting to be accompanied by a representative or friend, but not a member of the legal profession. The member must not be expelled unless a majority of the Management Committee then present vote in favour of his expulsion.
7.4 The Management Committee may exclude the Member from the Club's premises until the meeting considering his expulsion has been held.
Rule 8
Effect of Resignation or Expulsion
Any person ceasing to be a Member forfeits all right to and claim upon the Club, its property and its funds and has no right to the return of any part of his subscription.
Rule 9
The Management Committee
9.1 The club shall be managed by a Management Committee consisting of: the President; the Chairman; the Vice-Chairman; the Honorary Secretary; the Honorary Treasurer; and further members up to a maximum committee membership of ten members.
9.2 Only a Full Member of the Club may be a member of the Management Committee.
9.3 Nominations for election to the committee must be made in writing to the Secretary at least 48 hours prior to the AGM. No one shall be nominated for election as an officer unless he has been a member of the Management Committee within the previous three years and has been a full member of the club for the past year.
9.4 The Officers and other members of the Management Committee shall be elected at the annual general meeting and shall remain in office until re-elected or replaced at the following annual general meeting.
9.5 The President will not be subject to annual re-election.
9.6 The Management Committee may co-opt up to 2 further Members who shall serve until the next annual general meeting.
9.7–9.8 The Management Committee may appoint any Member to fill any casual vacancy or to replace any Officer who has resigned or otherwise ceased in their position.
9.9 The President is appointed by invitation of the Management Committee and is automatically a member of it.
9.10 Retiring members of the Management Committee may be re-elected.
9.11 All non-Officer members of the Management Committee will be allotted specific responsibilities including: senior & junior coaching; club tournaments; social tennis; tournaments with other clubs; fundraising; communications; and social events.
9.12 A member of the Management Committee will be deemed to have vacated office if they become bankrupt, suffer mental disorder, resign, are absent without permission from more than three consecutive meetings, or are requested to resign by not less than two thirds of the other Management Committee members.
Rule 10
Proceedings of the Management Committee
10.1 Management Committee meetings shall be held as often as necessary, with a minimum of 6 meetings each year. The quorum shall be 5 members with at least one officer. Not less than 3 days' notice of a meeting shall be given.
10.2 The Chairman shall preside at all meetings. In his absence the Vice-Chairman shall preside.
10.3 Decisions shall be made by a simple majority; in the event of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
10.4 The Management Committee shall be responsible for the management of the Club and shall have the sole right of appointing and determining the terms and conditions of service of employees.
10.5 The Chairman's ruling on all matters of procedure is final, subject to a motion of no confidence supported by two-thirds of the Committee.
10.6 The Management Committee shall appoint 2 Trustees to hold office until death or resignation unless removed by resolution.
10.7 Every member of the Management Committee, employee or agent of the Club shall be indemnified by the Club for costs and expenses properly incurred in the discharge of their duties.
10.8 The Management Committee may elect sub-committees as deemed necessary. All decisions of sub-committees shall be submitted to the Management Committee for sanction before being put into force.
10.9–10.10 The Management Committee may do whatever it thinks fit to further the interests of the Club and must investigate any written complaint from a Member. The decision of the Management Committee shall be final.
Rule 11
Annual General Meeting
11.1 The AGM shall be held to: receive the Chairman's report; adopt the minutes of the previous AGM; consider the accounts and Treasurer's report; elect Officers and Management Committee members; and decide on any resolutions duly submitted.
11.2 Notice of any resolution proposed for the AGM shall be given in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than 14 days before the meeting.
11.3 No period greater than fifteen months shall elapse between one annual general meeting and the next.
Rule 12
Extraordinary General Meetings
An extraordinary general meeting may be called at any time by the Management Committee and shall be called within 21 days of receipt by the Honorary Secretary of a written requisition signed by not less than 20 Members, stating the purposes and resolutions proposed.
Rule 13
Procedures at General Meetings
13.1–13.2 Written notice of general meetings shall be sent to all paid-up Full Members at least 21 days before the meeting. Notification via the Club's website is equivalent to direct notification.
13.3–13.4 No notice will be sent to Junior Members. In the case of family membership, notice shall be sent to one member of the family only.
13.5 The quorum for a general meeting shall be 20 Full Members.
13.6–13.8 Junior Members may attend but may not vote. Only paid-up, non-suspended members may attend the AGM.
13.9–13.10 The Chairman shall preside at all meetings. At an AGM the President shall preside over the election of the Management Committee.
13.11–13.12 Each Full Member present shall have one vote. Resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. Where there are multiple valid nominations for a position, voting shall be by secret ballot.
13.13–13.14 The Honorary Secretary shall take minutes at each General Meeting. The procedure for proxy voting, if permitted, will be communicated in the notice of the meeting.
Rule 14
Alteration of the Rules
These Rules may be altered by resolution at an annual or extraordinary general meeting, provided that the resolution is carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the Full Members present, the notice of which contains particulars of the proposed alteration or addition.
Rule 15
Regulations and Standing Orders
The Management Committee shall have power to make, repeal and amend such regulations and standing orders as it may from time to time consider necessary for the wellbeing of the Club.
Rule 16
Finance
16.1 All moneys payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer and deposited in a bank account in the name of the Club. No sum shall be drawn except by cheque signed by two signatories.
16.2–16.3 The bank account shall have at least 3 signatories, normally chosen from the Officers or President. Any signatory who is no longer a member of the Management Committee will be removed.
16.4 The income and property of the Club shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Club. No part shall be paid by way of bonus, dividend or profit to any Member.
16.5–16.8 The Management Committee may authorise payment of remuneration and expenses for services rendered to the Club. The Honorary Treasurer shall prepare annual accounts showing income, expenditure, assets and liabilities, which shall be made available at the AGM.
Rule 17
Property
17.1 The property of the Club, other than cash at the bank, shall be vested in the Trustees, who shall deal with the property as directed by resolution of the Management Committee.
17.2 The Trustees shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the property of the Club for all expenses and liabilities properly incurred in the discharge of their duties.
Rule 18
Dissolution
18.1 A resolution to dissolve the Club can only be dealt with at an extraordinary general meeting and shall be passed only if carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the Full Members present and voting.
18.2–18.3 The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution. The Management Committee shall be responsible for the winding-up of assets and liabilities.
18.4 Any property remaining after discharge of debts and liabilities shall be paid to another non-profit making tennis club with similar objects, or failing this, to a charity involved in Cancer Research.
ChairmanRussell Patterson
Vice-ChairmanShauna Matthews
Next AGM: January 2027. All paid-up Full Members will be notified in advance in accordance with Rule 13.
