Constitution

Updated: Tuesday 13th February 2024

Electronically signed by Graham Rickard, Chairman, following the EGM on Wednesday ?? April 2024

Electronically signed by Andy Crocker, Secretary, following the EGM on Wednesday  ?? April 2024 

Devonport Badminton Club: Constitution

1 Club Name:

The club will be called ‘Devonport Badminton Club’ and will be affiliated to Badminton England.

2a Aim:

The aim of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' shall be to encourage and foster the sport of badminton in all its forms and provide playing opportunities for all levels of players.

2b Objectives:

The objectives of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' will be:

• To provide badminton sessions that allow for all members participation;

• To provide coaching to all abilities and ages

• To provide competitive opportunities in badminton at all level of play;

• To promote ‘Devonport Badminton Club' within the local and badminton community;

• To provide duty of care and protection to all ‘Devonport Badminton Club' members;

• To make sure all ‘Devonport Badminton Club' members are treated equitably;

• To plan for the development and well being of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' to ensure the ‘Devonport Badminton Club' aims are achieved;

• ‘Devonport Badminton Club' is a non-profit making organisation. All profit and surpluses will be used to maintain and improve ‘Devonport Badminton Club’’s’ activities. No profit or surplus will be distributed other than to another non–profit making body or to the members on the winding-up or dissolution of ‘Devonport Badminton Club’‘.

2c Strap Line:

‘Devonport Badminton Club’ actively promotes and encourages badminton development and participation at all levels throughout the Plymouth area.

3 Membership:

Membership of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' shall be open to anyone interested in badminton on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

Membership shall consist of individual members as follows:

• juniors (players aged under 18 on the 1st September in any year);

• students (those in full time education);

• adults.

Members will affiliated to Badminton England and Devon County Badminton Association;

All members will be subject to the constitution and codes of conduct adopted by ‘Devonport Badminton Club’.

The following are a summary of the ‘Devonport Badminton Club’s’ etiquette rules given to all members:

• Members are expected to arrive on court wearing suitable attire;

• No person shall walk onto or near the court on which a game is being played;

• Shuttles cost money and should be treated with respect on and off the court;

• Players should show respect towards partners and opponents a like and sporting conduct must be observed at all times;

• While waiting to go on court players must be tolerant and abide by any decision made by a committee member;

All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining ‘Devonport Badminton Club' will be deemed to accept the regulations and codes of practice that the ‘Devonport Badminton Club' has adopted.

4a Membership:

Membership fees will be set annually and agreed by the Executive / Management Committee at the Annual General Meeting.

Fees will be paid: annually, termly or by weekly subscription as agreed with the committee.

4b Visitors:

Visitors fees will be agreed on a yearly basis by ‘Devonport Badminton Club' at the Annual General Meeting;

A visitor can attend ‘Devonport Badminton Club' as a visitor a maximum of six occasions during which time they may be invited to join ‘Devonport Badminton Club’‘. At such time any visitors fees previously paid shall be deducted from the subscription to become a full member of Plymouth Life Centre Badminton Club;

4c Playing Sessions:

‘Devonport Badminton Club' Sessions will use a peg board selection criteria when required. The serving Committee will determine the rules of the peg board and publish them accordingly;

Play will be with suitable shuttles as agreed by ‘Devonport Badminton Club' at the AGM;

‘Devonport Badminton Club' members may bring guests in but members must obtain the permission of the Secretary. Any guest will pay the visitors fee as agreed at the AGM;

The ‘Devonport Badminton Club' website will be the main point for information;

4d Team(s):

‘Devonport Badminton Club' shall encourage players / teams to enter local leagues / tournaments as agreed at the start of the badminton season;

‘Devonport Badminton Club' membership shall actively participate in league and tournament activities;

Players nominated into a team will be expected to attend ‘Devonport Badminton Club' training nights on a regular basis or face being deselected from the team. The committee may override this rule in an emergency;

Once selected by the committee the Team Captain will take on the responsibility of running the team for that season. The Team Captain will make all decisions with regards to nominating playing order; making sure that the players are kept informed and turn up to matches on time and prepared to play. The Team Captain will liaise over fixtures with the Fixtures Secretary;

4e Data Protection:

Information about ‘Devonport Badminton Club' members, such as contact details, provided to the Committee of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' may be held electronically and distributed to other ‘Devonport Badminton Club' members as deemed necessary for the running of ‘Devonport Badminton Club’‘. Members who do not wish their contact details to be passed on should make this clear in writing to the secretary. Members who wish to view their record should contact the secretary;

The ‘Devonport Badminton Club' GPDR Policy can be viewed on the website.

5 The Officers of ‘Devonport Badminton Club’‘:

The officers of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' shall be:

• Chairperson

• Secretary

• Treasurer

• Welfare Officer

• Senior Lead Coach

The officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-election if they wish to stand.

6a Committee:

‘Devonport Badminton Club' will be managed through the Management Committee consisting of:

• The Officers of ‘Devonport Badminton Club’;

• Coaching Coordinator;

• Fixtures Secretary;

• 4 representatives from ‘Devonport Badminton Club’;

The Management Committee will be convened by the Secretary of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' and held no less than 3 times a year.

The quorum for any committee meeting shall be 6.

The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of ‘Devonport Badminton Club’‘.

The Management Committee will have powers to appoint sub-committees and working groups as necessary and appoint advisers to the Management Committee as required to fulfil its business.

The Management Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the ‘Devonport Badminton Club' rules, regulations or constitution. The Management Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings which will be conducted in accordance with the Badminton England Disciplinary Regulations.

6b ‘Devonport Badminton Club’ Representatives:

The Chairperson and Secretary shall be ‘Devonport Badminton Club’s’ official representatives at meetings and shall have the power to vote on all matters affecting ‘Devonport Badminton Club’s‘ interest. If unable to attend or act in these capacities the Management Committee shall have the power to appoint another member to officially represent ‘Devonport Badminton Club’ at such meetings.

7a ‘Devonport Badminton Club' Policies:

‘Devonport Badminton Club' adopts the following policies and Codes of Conduct:

• Badminton England Equality Policy;

• Badminton England Safeguarding & Protecting Young People policy;

• Badminton England Codes of conduct for players, coaches, volunteers, officials and parents;

• Code of conduct for young people;

7b Other Policies:

Other ‘Devonport Badminton Club’ polices can be found on the website:

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Policy;

• Transportation Policy;

8 Conflicts of Interest:

The Committee accept their responsibility in acknowledging potential conflicts of interest, and that all decisions made must be in the best interest of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' and its members. The committee through the Chair and Secretary agree to administering a register of interests for all committee members and executive committee members and recording potential conflicts as and when they arise.

9 Finance:

• All ‘Devonport Badminton Club’ monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the ‘Devonport Badminton Club’;

• Withdrawals from the bank account must have 2 signatories;

• The Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of ‘DevonportBadminton Club’;

• The financial year end is the 30th April annually;

• A statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting;

• Any cheques drawn against ‘Devonport Badminton Club’ funds will hold the signature of the Treasurer;

10 Annual General meeting / Other Meetings:

• Notice of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be given by the secretary. Not less than 14 clear days’ notice to be given to all members. Notice of AGM will be communicated via the ‘Devonport Badminton Club’‘ website and a by a direct communication in the form of an email to all voting members;

• The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Management Committee and a statement of the audited accounts.

• Election of officers is to take place at the AGM;

• All members have the right to vote at the AGM;

• The quorum for an AGM will be 40% of full membership;

• The Management Committee has the right to call an Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) outside the AGM. Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM;

• Members have the right to call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) if 25% of the membership request it. Procedures for EGMs will be the same as for the AGM;

11a Safeguarding Young People and Adults:

• All concerns, allegations or reports of poor practice/abuse relating to the welfare of children, young people and adults will be recorded and responded to swiftly and appropriately in accordance with Badminton England’s Safeguarding policy and procedures.

• The ‘Devonport Badminton Club' Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of any child protection concerns.

• The ‘Devonport Badminton Club' Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in the event of and adult welfare concerns.

11b Disclosure:

All members in charge of juniors or assisting juniors in activities under the banner of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' if required, must agree to the ‘disclosure process’ as detailed by Badminton England.

11c Photography:

No photographs or video footage taken using ‘Devonport Badminton Club' equipment will be seen or used by non-members (Senior or Junior) without the permission of parents / carers and / or the seniors concerned. Parents / carers will be deemed to have ‘Devonport Badminton Club' status for the purposes of photography only, in order that they can see and approve footage / stills taken of their children;

11d Equity:

‘Devonport Badminton 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;

Sport 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/;

‘Devonport Badminton Club' respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of the sport, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social / economic status;

‘Devonport Badminton Club' is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment or abuse. All the members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity;

‘Devonport Badminton Club' will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to the disciplinary procedures;

12 Disciplinary and Appeals:

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary or nominated Disciplinary Officer.

‘Devonport Badminton Club' will work to best practice in dealing with disciplinary issues as laid down in the Badminton England Disciplinary Regulations.

A copy of the ‘Complaints Procedure’ can be found on the website

13 Dissolution:

A resolution to dissolve ‘Devonport Badminton Club' can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership;

In the event of dissolution, any assets of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' that remain will be split between the remaining members of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' – each members share will be calculated as a percentage of the number of years that they have been members subject to a maximum of 10 years.

14 Amendments to the Constitution:

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

15 General:

Any dispute arising out of or not covered by the Constitution shall be referred to the committee where the decision or interpretation shall be final.

All complaints must be made in writing to ‘Devonport Badminton Club’ secretary for reference to the committee.

16 Declaration:

The members of ‘Devonport Badminton Club' hereby adopt and accept this constitution as the current operating guide regulating the actions of members.