ST. MICHAELS LAWN TENNIS CLUB RULES - EFFECTIVE November 2021
The following rules shall govern the use of the premises of St. Michaels Tennis Club unless altered by the General Committee from time to time.
RULE 1 - NAME
1.1 The name of the Club shall be ("St. Michaels Lawn Tennis Club)" hereinafter called "the club".
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RULE 2 – MEMBERSHIP
There shall be seven categories of membership. The Club is fully committed to safeguarding the well-being of its members. Every individual in the club should at all times show respect and understanding for the rights, safety and welfare of the members, and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the Club and the guidelines contained in the Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Children's Sport.
2.1 Single Membership
Single membership shall be open to any individual over the age of 18. A single member shall have one vote at a General Meeting
2.2 Family Membership
Family Membership shall be open to a family unit and shall include the other member of the unit and children under the age of 18. The children shall be subject to the same rules and byelaws as junior members.
The elected member of the unit shall have the right to attend and vote at a General Meeting. The other members of the unit shall have all membership rights other than the right to vote at a General Meeting. IN the event of a dissolution of the family unit, the elected nominated member shall hold membership save and until agreed with the Management Committee
2.3 Country Members
A single or family member residing outside an 80 km. radius of the Club shall be entitled to a reduced subscription as a country member. A country member shall not have a vote at a General Meeting.
2.4 Honorary Members
An existing member who has given exceptional service to the Club may be elected as an honorary member by the general committee for life or for a specified period. An honorary member shall be entitled to vote at a General Meeting in accordance with Clauses 9-12 (inclusive) of the Constitution.
2.5 Senior Members
Any existing single or family member who has attained the age of 65 years and has at least 30 years’ service as a member shall be entitled to a reduced subscription as a senior member. A senior member shall have a vote at a General Meeting.
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2.6 Junior Membership
An individual aged under 18 years (other than a family member) on the 1 January in the membership year shall be eligible to be a junior member. A junior member shall not have a vote or be entitled to attend general meetings and shall be subject to such other restrictions on membership rights, as the committee shall impose from time to time.
2.7 Pavilion Membership
The General Committee under the terms of the Club’s Constitution are empowered at their sole and absolute discretion to consider an application from any existing member, the provision of Pavilion Membership.
The Application for Pavilion Membership must be based on a written application setting out in detail the special circumstances, which would merit and justify the issuing to that applicant the category of Pavilion membership. A Pavilion Member shall hereinafter be defined as a member entitled to use the facilities of the Clubhouse only, and by their application, they will be accepting and confirming that they will not utilise any other of the sporting facilities associated with the Club, namely, the provision of tennis, squash, snooker, gymnasium or any other sporting facility, that at any time may be provided by the Club.
The General Committee shall further reserve the right to terminate, at the renewal, on an annual basis any Pavilion Member if the General Committee is satisfied that the special circumstances, on foot of which the written application was made, are no longer applicable. It shall be open, on determination of the said Pavilion Membership, to that member to re-apply for any other category of membership that exists in the Club or revert back to a previous category of membership that he or she occupied or held. A Pavilion Member shall not have a vote at a General Meeting.
2.8 Resignation of Member
Notice of resignation from membership shall be put in writing and delivered to the secretary before 30th December in the relevant year. The member shall comply with the method of resignation as set out in Clause 14 of the Clubs Constitution.
2.9 Election to Membership
The name, address and particulars of each applicant for single family and country membership shall be delivered to the Secretary in writing. There must be a Proposer and Seconder and the proposer and seconder must have been voting members for three years at least and be in good standing. Trustees or Committee members may not nominate applicants for membership. Members of the Club may not propose or second a new member more than twice in any one membership year. Candidates for membership shall be considered at a meeting of the General Committee and shall be elected if approved by a simple majority of the members of the General Committee present and voting at the meeting.
2.10 Consideration of New Members
The names and addresses of all applicants under consideration for membership shall be posted on the Club Notice Board for not less than two weeks before the date of ballot by the committee. In the election of members, the committee shall vote by secret ballot. Four objections to a candidate shall disqualify that candidate from membership. A minimum of six ballots must be cast for a valid poll.
The General Committee shall in every case have absolute discretion deciding whether any candidate for membership is suitable for election and whether such candidate shall or shall not be admitted to membership of the' Club
2.11 Disciplining of Members
The General Committee shall have power to discipline, expel or suspend from the privileges or offices of the Club in accordance with Clauses 15, 16 and 18 of the Constitution. Any member whose conduct they consider injurious to the character, reputation or welfare of the Club. The General Committee shall have power to establish a disciplinary committee to investigate any incident and to require any member involved in the incident to appear before it to explain his or her actions.
RULE 3 - RULES OF PLAY
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3.1 The rules of play shall be those use by the Tennis Ireland.
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RULE 4 SUBSCRIPTIONS
4.1 Determination
The rates of subscriptions for each category of member shall be determined by the General Committee at the Annual General Meeting.
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4.2 Entrance Fees
Entrance fees shall be determined for each category of membership by the Committee.
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4.3 Payment
The annual subscriptions shall be due on the 1st of January each year. The Committee may terminate the membership of any member who fails to pay the subscription within 60 days of the due date.
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4.4 Membership List
An alphabetical list of members shall be put on display in the Clubhouse.
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RULE 5 GENERAL COMMITTEE
5.1 Election
The Club shall be managed and controlled by the General Committee, which shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with Clauses 62-67 of the Constitution. The Committee shall include a maximum of 10 elected members.
5.2 Committee Meetings
The General Committee shall meet at least six times in its year of office and shall be run in accordance with Clause 26 of the Constitution.
5.3 Byelaws
The Committee shall have power to make or alter byelaws in accordance with Clauses 73 and 74 of the Constitution.
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RULE 6 – CHAIRMAN
6.1 The Chairman of the Club shall be elected by the Committee in accordance with the terms of the Constitution.
RULE 7 – MANAGEMENT
7.1 General Committee
The Club shall be managed and controlled by the General Committee.
7.2 Business
The business and affairs of the Club shall be under the management of the General Committee in accordance with the Constitution. The General Committee may from time to time make regulations governing the use of the Club and other matters not covered by the rules. No member of the Committee nor manager nor Director nor employee shall have any personal interest in the sale of excisable liquors therein, or in the profits arising there from.
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RULE 8 - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
8.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of February. Members with voting rights and whose subscriptions for the past year have been paid may attend the annual general meeting. Notice concerning the meeting must be sent to the members not less than 21 days before the meeting. Notice of any motion for consideration by the Annual General Meeting shall be lodged with the Secretary at least 10 days before the meeting. Nominations for Committee Members must be lodged with the Secretary at least 5 days before the meeting. Simple majority will decide all voting except where otherwise provided in these rules.
8.2 Extraordinary General Meeting
An extraordinary general meeting may be called by the Committee at any time or upon a requisition signed by 10 members. The meeting shall be held within 60 days from the receipt of a request signed by the said 10 members. The requisition for the Extraordinary General Meeting shall specify the purpose of convening the meeting. Notice concerning the meeting must be sent to the members not less than 21 days before the meeting.
In the event of any ambiguity or conflict between the Rules and the byelaws of the club, the terms of the Rules will prevail in the matter.
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RULE 9 – RULES
The General Committee has the power to amend the Rules. The Rules may be amended or new rules enacted by a general meeting convened for that purpose. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting is required to change an existing rule or to enact a new rule.
Written notice of proposed amendments or new rules must be delivered to the secretary at least 40 days prior to the meeting. The secretary shall not less than 21 days before the meeting circulate all proposed changes to the general membership.
9.1 Knowledge and Observance
Members are expected to know and to observe all Club rules and Bye-Laws.
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9.2 Effective Date
These rules shall be effective from 1st June 2019.
RULE 10 ATTIRE
10.1 Proper tennis attire should be worn on court. Acceptable attire shall include shorts, t-shirts, tennis skirts, track suits, non-marking tennis shoes.
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RULE 11 - POWERS OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
11.1 The powers of the General Committee are as set out in the Constitution.
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RULE 12- VISITORS
12.1 Other than junior members, all members and the spouses of family members may introduce Visitors to the Club. Such a Member introducing a visitor to the Club must enter the name and address of the visitor and his own name in the Visitors' Book, to be kept for this purpose and pay the appropriate fee. Such member introducing a visitor must remain on the Club premises as long as his/her guest remains. The same visitor may not be introduced to the Club more than three times in any calendar year, except with the permission of the Secretary/Manager.
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RULE 13 – SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
13.1 All members will adhere to and follow the child safeguarding and protection responsibilities as outlined by Tennis Ireland and Sports Ireland. Full details of their policies can be found on their websites.
RULE 14 – JUNIOR MEMBERS
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14.1 Juniors under the age of 16 attending the club must be supervised by an adult.
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14.2 Junior members are not permitted in the club after 7pm each evening.