Constitution

The purpose of the Club is to provide squash and racketball within the local community by providing coaching and competitive opportunities in a safe and friendly environment for the well being of all who participate.

1           Name of Club

The club will be called St Ivo Racquets Club (Hereinafter will be referred to as The Club). The Club is affiliated to the England Squash Racketball Assn.

2          Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the club will be:

• To promote squash and racketball within the local community
• To offer coaching and competitive opportunities in squash and racketball
• To introduce and develop junior members to the sport
• To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
• To adopt the England Squash child protection guidelines and procedures
• To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone
• To maintain and uphold the rules and objectives of the England Squash and Racketball Assn
• To manage individual members and teams for matches to participate in leagues and competitions, both within the club and with other clubs and organisations
• To ensure our coaches are qualified as necessary

3          Membership  

(a)   Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in squash and racketball, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

 

(b)   The membership shall consist of the following categories:

• Full member
• Junior member (Under 18)
• Student member (Under 25)
• Life member

 

(c)   All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.

 

(d)   Members in each category will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual General Meeting.

 

(e)   Individuals shall be eligible to take part in the business of the Club, vote at general meetings or be eligible for selection of any Club team if the applicable subscription has been paid by the due date and/or membership has been agreed by the Club committee.

(f)   The Committee can recommend any worthy long serving member for consideration of life membership of the Club. Such recommendation would be decided by the AGM and would consider the individual’s contribution and commitment to the Club over many years.

 

4. Sports Equity

1. This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

 

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

2. The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

3. The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

4. All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

5. The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.

5          Committee

1. The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee which shall consist of the Chair

Treasurer

Secretary

Club Captain

League/Membership secretary

 

 who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

 

2. All committee members must be members of the Club.

 

3. If required, the committee shall elect a Vice Chair shall from among its number.

 

4. The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.

 

5. If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.

 

6. The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club.

 

7. The Committee will have powers to appoint advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.

 

8. The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.

1. The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than four times per year.

10. Only the posts listed above will have the right to vote at committee meetings.

11. The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings will be three and must consist of two of the following, Chair, Secy, Treasurer

6. Finances

(a) The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.

(b) The financial year of the club will run from 01 April and end on 31 March

(c) All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.

(d) A statement of annual accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

(e) Any cheques drawn against club funds will hold the signatures of the treasurer and/or the Chairman.

6. All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club within the funds available.

7. Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings

1.  General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.

2. The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the month of May to:

• Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
• Receive reports from the Chairman and Secretary.
• Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve and adopt the Annual Accounts.
• Receive the Club Captain report on team activities
• Elect the officers on the committee.
• Agree the membership fees for the following year.
• Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
• Deal with other relevant business.

3. Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary with at least 28 days’ notice to be given to all members.

4. Nominations for officers of the committee will be notified to the secretary prior to the AGM.

5. Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate at least 7 days before an AGM.

6. All members have the right to vote at the AGM. Voting will be by a show of hands and or pre-distributed voting cards

7. The quorum for AGMs will be 80% committee members plus members as available.

8. The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings.

1. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the committee members.

10. All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.

8          Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.

9          Discipline and appeals

1. All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children and young people will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with the club’s child protection policy and procedures. The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns.

2. All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary.

3. The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 14 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.

4. The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 7 days of the hearing.

5. There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 7 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

10        Child Protection Policy Statement

The Club is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for children and young people to enjoy playing squash and racketball

We do this by:

1. Appointing a Child Officer who is responsible for children and young people, who will take a specific responsibility for child safety and who will act as the main point of contact for parents, children and outside agencies.

2. Recognising that all children and young people have the right to freedom from abuse.

3. Ensuring that all our coaches, officials and volunteers are carefully selected and by accepting responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of children and young people in their care. All coaches are vetted by the appropriate authorities.

4. Responding swiftly and appropriately to all suspicions or allegations of abuse by providing parents and children the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have.

5. Ensuring access to confidential information is restricted to the person responsible for children and young people or the appropriate external authorities.

6. Reviewing and effectiveness of the England Squash Child Protection Policy and its activities each year at the Annual General Meeting.

11        Bullying Statement

                The Club is committed to creating and maintaining the safest and most enjoyable environment for members to play squash and racketball. Bullying across all age groups is not to be allowed and is to be identified at the earliest opportunity.

We do this by:

1. Responding swiftly and appropriately to all suspicions or allegations of bullying.
2. Ensuring that all our coaches, officials and volunteers are carefully selected and by accepting responsibility for helping to prevent bullying of people in their care. All coaches are vetted by the appropriate authorities.

3. All members have a responsibility to bring any concerns on bullying to the attention of the Chairman, or Child protection officer, who will take appropriate action.

12        Use of photographic equipment

1. The use of photographic equipment and videos is to be agreed with event organisers prior to the event. Training videos are also to be agreed before the event. Any members under 18 must have parental agreement if photos/videos are to be taken.
2. There are also regulations imposed by One Leisure regarding recording of images which members must comply with. These regulations do not encourage any photographic/video participation.  

 

13        Safety on court and Risk Management

1. Squash and racketball are competitive sports and the physical nature presents a risk of injury. England Squash (ES), promotes safe play and publicise safety guidelines for their sport to help players minimise the risk involved in participation. Details are on their website.
2. New Club players to squash or racketball (Squash 57) are strongly recommended to have lessons from our qualified coach before playing competitively. The coach will be able to tailor the lessons to individual fitness capabilities and ensure players know the basic rules of the game and have adequate fitness to participate before competing.
3. The Club is firmly committed to creating and maintaining a safe and positive environment for all its members. Every player has a responsibility to understand the rules of safe play.
4.  The Club completes risk assessments and has set out Guidelines for Safety on Court.

14        Dissolution

(a)        A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.

(b)        In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any clubs funds.  Any assets of the club that remain following dissolution will be transferred to existing paid-up members with a closing balance sheet and report.

 

15        Declaration

The Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.