Squash Section - Constitution


 

WEB VERSION - 11 February 2008

This document was produced in response to an action item that arose from the AGM 2004 - 2005 (22 February 2006) and from the Special General Meeting held on 11 October 2005.

 

Background

The Ups Club Squash Section was formed in approximately 1976. It is a sports section of the Ups and Downs Club which was formed in the early sixties. The Ups Club being the sports related side and the Downs Club - the bar and social side of the recreational facility originally founded by the Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research on the Sutton site.

 

Aim of the Squash Section

   The aim of the section is:

 

· To provide the best possible facility to play squash in. Paying particular attention to the upkeep of the premises along with encouraging active participation in the sport in the safest possible way.

   With regard to players safety, the section is aware that not all eventualities can be foreseen, so the squash section has always recognised and publicised that players play the game at their own risk.

 

· To allow people to meet and compete in a sport that is supported by the employers for the wellbeing of its employees.

 

· To encourage more people to participate in the sport through publicising the facility and running coaching classes.

 

 

Management of the Squash Section

Historically the section has been run by a management committee with five key officers; Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and Membership Secretary. The post of Vice Chairman was only used by the club during four years of the middle 1980's. This post has therefore effectively become redundant. Since 1997 the committee has encouraged players to join as 'Ordinary Members'. Although not officers of the club, these members have full voting rights and the section believes that recruiting as many of these as possible will add weight to the decisions made by the section.

 

The posts of Club Captain, Downs Representative and Comm. (assumption that abbreviation is for ‘Committee’) Representative are now redundant, duties will be co-opted amongst the current officers of the section or re-introduced* should they be required. 

 

The section may also co-opt a member to act as a coaching organiser. The coaching organiser may be an officer or Ordinary Member of the club.

 

The section will ensure that no one officer can sign a club account cheque or individually withdraw funds from a section account - such as an online account. All withdrawal transactions and closing of account transactions will require the signatures of two club officers. The drawing of cheques for named parties and companies should also be signed by two authorised signatories. The section should endeavour to find accounts that allow this safeguard - particularly for online transactions. At the time of writing the Halifax High Interest Account has been set up for online use and conforms with the previous guidance. If it is not possible to obtain two signatories, then in an emergency written permission from an approved signatory, or failing this an officer, will allow a single signatory to authorise a transaction or change account details. An EGM will not be necessary to change account details. This can be done in an ordinary or virtual general meeting.   

 

All aspects of the clubs finances are non-profit making. However the club will always endeavour to generate sufficient funds to keep the club viable. 'Excess' funds will be invested in a building society or bank and all possible safeguards will be made to keep these accounts secure.

 

In the past, the section operated it's own (charged) membership scheme. This was in addition to the overall sports facility (Ups Club) membership. This scheme has been redundant for some time. However the squash section management committee reserves the right to re-instigate this scheme should additional funds be required or if the Ups Club management committee made this request.

 

Players who wish to join the Squash Section who are non-affiliated with the ICR or RMNHSFT, will need approval firstly from the Chairman of the Ups and Downs Club, then approval from the Squash Committee. A letter of application and justification will be required, as well as proof of identity and a work related referee to validate the applicants credentials.

 

Honorary membership will be granted to members by discretion of the Squash Committee. Honorary members will be entitled to book and play free of charge. The first Honorary memberships were conferred at the Squash AGM (15 March 2007).

 

Guest Players - see Approved Addendum 1.

 

 

Duties of Squash Section Committee Members (Officers)

 

1. Chairman:     · General supervision of the management of the squash section including

                            ensuring the maintenance and smooth running of the squash court.

· To co-ordinate and attend squash management meetings.

· To ensure adequate revenue is generated to keep the club viable.

· To ensure such funds are invested to the best benefit of the members.

· To attend meetings of the Ups and Downs Club (ICR and RMH Sports and Social Club) as a representative of the Squash Section.

· To consider organising tournaments, matches, beginners evenings, coaching or any other event for the benefit of all the members of the section.

· To ensure a booking form is pinned up every week.

· To oversee racquet and ancillary non-profit making sales.

· To ensure fair voting is conducted on all section proposals, and to have the casting vote should one be required.

· To co-ordinate the co-opting of committee members for duties as required.

· Health & Safety Officer - see Approved Addendum 1.

 

2. Secretary:     · To organise and ensure minutes of all meetings are recorded and circulated

                            to all committee members and playing members.

· To organise any lettings of the court deemed appropriate by the squash management committee.

· To deputise for the Chairman if required

 

3. Treasurer:     · To safeguard the finances of the squash section.

                          · To collect takings from the coin meter and sale of booking stickers.

· Collection of money should be as frequent as necessary to safeguard the clubs funds. Collection should be conducted with another committee member if there is a concern about personal safety.

· The Treasurer should ensure the funds are banked in the section account at least once a fortnight - again with another committee member if desired.

· The Treasurer will ensure the smooth distribution of booking stickers to volunteer vendors and collection of the revenue generated.

· To ensure all financial transactions with club's current and savings accounts are as secure as possible. Internet access to these accounts would be preferred through work terminals as these have the appropriate security software.

· The Treasurer will keep thorough records of all transactions made including retention of all original receipts of purchase.

· To produce an income and expenditure report at the end of every year (01 Jan - 31 Dec). This report will be checked by the Chairman and any other appointed officer prior to presentation by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting. The report should also be available for presentation to the Ups and Downs Club for auditing purposes.

· The signing of cheques and withdrawal of funds will comply with current squash club management rules.

· To deputise for the Chairman if required  

 

4. Membership  · The Membership Secretary will ensure that players will be registered

Secretary:       on the squash club membership list.

· To deputise for booking form provision.

· To check that bookings are made legally.

· To give out the entry code for the digital security lock.

· To deputise for the Chairman if required

                         

Approved by the Ups Club Squash Section Management Committee 11 February 2008.

* Correction (S.Edwards: Chairman Ups Club Squash Section: 25 July 2012)

 

This draft document was tabled at the Squash Section Annual General Meeting, 15 March 2007.

Document pasted here 01 July 2007, for consideration of approval.

Draft Updated 11 July 2007 & 17 September 2007 (following first committee review).

Draft Updated 09 December 2007 and 10 February 2008.

Hard copy version on file (Constitution Squash Club Draft 02 10 February 2008.doc).

Hard copy version on file (Constitution Squash Club 11 February 2008.doc).

Steve Edwards (Chairman Ups Club Squash Section)
Mark Sydenham (Secretary Ups Club Squash Section

Jon Gear (Treasurer Ups Club Squash Section)

Emily Webb (Membership Secretary Ups Club Squash Section)


For a copy of this in PDF please here: Constitution copy in PDF Format

 

 

Addendum 1 - Approval at AGM 2010 - 2011 (S.Edwards: Chairman Ups Club Squash Section: 02 August 2012)

 

 


For details on production and approval of constitution see:
VGM (‘Virtual’ General Meeting - Constitution)
(_sq_vgm_110707.htm)


For images of previous constitution see:
Committee Meeting (Special) 11 October 2005
(_sq_sgm_111005.htm)


For more information relevant to The Constitution please see the Appendix:
Constitution Appendix
(_sq_constitution_appendix.htm)


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Last edited 15 November, 2012: For details of web editor see home page - ‘Sports & Social’.