Constitution

This Constitution is based on the BADMINTON England template (December 2022) with minimal changes and was last updated by St Giles BC in January 2023.

1. NAME

The club will be called ST GILES BADMINTON CLUB (“the club”) and will be affiliated to BADMINTON England.

2. AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of the club will be: 

• To offer competitive playing opportunities in badminton.

• To offer occasional coaching opportunities in badminton.

• To promote the club within the local community.

• To provide duty of care and protection to all club members.

• To make sure all club members are treated equally and fairly.

3. MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the club shall be open to anyone interested in badminton on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.

The club will have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis. The club will have an equitable pricing policy and will keep subscriptions at a price that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating.

Members will be enrolled in one of the following categories:

• Adult

• Concessionary

• Student

• Junior

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.

4. MEMBERSHIP FEES

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

Fees will be paid annually, optionally split into two payments.

5. OFFICERS OF THE CLUB

The officers of the club will be:

• Chairperson

• Secretary

• Treasurer

• Welfare Officer

Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

All officers will retire after 2 years but will be eligible for re-appointment.

6. COMMITTEE

The club will be managed through the Committee consisting of:

• Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Welfare Officer and Match Secretaries. Only these posts will have the right to vote at meetings of the Committee. 

• The Committee will be convened by the Secretary of the club at regular intervals throughout the year.

• The quorum required for business to be agreed at Committee meetings will be a majority of those present for a given meeting.

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

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

• 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 which will be conducted in accordance with the BADMINTON England Disciplinary Regulations.

7. CLUB POLICIES

The 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.

8. FINANCE

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

The Committee will be responsible for the finances of the club which will be managed by the Treasurer.

The financial year of the club will align with the UK Tax Year dates.

An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

The Treasurer will maintain and be able to present a record of all financial transactions made by the club.

9. ANNUAL GENERAL & OTHER MEETINGS

Notice of an Annual General Meetings (AGM) will be given in a timely manner by the club Secretary. The notice of the AGM will be communicated via direct communication (e.g. email) to all active members.

The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Committee and a statement from the Treasurer of the annual accounts.

Nominations for officers of the Committee will be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM.

Elections of officers are ideally to take place at the AGM.

All members have the right to vote at the AGM.

The quorum for AGMs will be 25% of the club membership number.

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

Members of the Club also have the right to call an Extraordinary General Meeting, which must be called for by at least 50% of the membership and communicated with 21 days notice.

10. SAFEGUARDING

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 by the club in accordance with the BADMINTON England polices and guidelines.

The Club Welfare Officer is the lead contact for all members in relation to safeguarding issues.

11. DISCIPLINARY & APPEALS

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

The Committee will meet to hear complaints within 7 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including the termination of membership.

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.

There will be the right of appeal to the Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The Committee should consider the appeal within 14 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

The club will work to best practice in dealing with disciplinary issues as laid down in the BADMINTON England Disciplinary Regulations.

12. DISSOLUTION

A resolution to dissolve the 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 the club that remain will become the property of BADMINTON England or some other badminton club with similar objectives to those of the club.

13. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

This constitution will be periodically reviewed and amended by the Committee to ensure it aligns with revisions made by BADMINTON England to their template and remains relevant to the club.

14. DECLARATION

ST GILES BADMINTON CLUB hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.