By joining Largs Pickleball Club, you are agreeing to the rules set out in our constitution, see below.

As a member you will:

• Have discounted rates for most of our events

• Ability to join member only events

• Participate in members only competitions

• We recommend that you also join Pickleball Scotland for personal indemnity insurance and other benefits, see below.

Our annual membership fee for 1st Oct 2024 through till 30th September 2025 is, £25

Our reduced membership fee for 1st March 2025 through till 30th September 2025 is, £12.50

• To join, you need to download the Spond app and use the following code:    https://group.spond.com/POJMW 

• Once you have joined our club on Spond - head to the 'Payments' tab to pay for your membership.

• or sign-up directly here - Click here

Our membership fee is payable through the Spond App (free app). This app will allow you to book into our sessions, see forthcoming sessions and access sub groups. The app will also allow you to pay for your sessions. There is a small fee for using the payment facility but by keeping our session charges low we feel it is still excellent value.  For example, a £5 session fee will cost you 34p in fees. 

https://group.spond.com/POJMW 

or join directly here :  Click here

Non members can still use our Spond App and join in our events that are open to non-members. 

Session costs for non-members are,  member price + £2.

Adult membership of Pickleball Scotland costs £15. Offers various benefits and a £5M public liability cover. The £15 also supports Pickleball Scotland in developing our sport.

To join:  www.pickleballscotland.org

Chairperson Jocelyn Stirrat

Vice-Chairperson 1 Marion McKee

Vice-Chairperson 2 Val Poyser

Treasurer Andrew Kane

Secretary Gordon McKinstry

Ordinary member Rhona Martin

Ordinary member Linda Nicol

Ordinary member Mary McDonald  (2nd signatory and Inverclyde hall hire bookings)

Ordinary member Gerry Bruce

Note: Due to insurance policies, our club only accepts over 18's. Our constitution will be updated at our next AGM.

Constitution of Largs Pickleball Club

1. Name

The Club shall be called “Largs Pickleball Club” (hereinafter referred to as the Club) and it shall seek affiliation to and be bound by the rules of Pickleball Scotland.

2. Objectives

2.1 The objective of the Club is to encourage and foster the game of Pickleball in the Largs and surrounding areas and provide organised playing opportunities for all standards of play and will include:

• Offering introductory sessions and improvement coaching opportunities

• offering regular organised social and competitive sessions

• ensuring a duty of care to all members of the Club

• providing all its services in a way that is fair to everyone

• ensuring that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment

2.2 The Club is committed to encouraging the highest ethical standards. All individuals involved in the Club should conduct themselves with integrity, transparency, accountability and in a fair and equitable manner.

3. Membership

3.1 The membership shall consist of the following categories:

• Senior Member (60 or above)

• Ordinary Member

• Junior Member (Under 16)

3.2 Members in each category shall pay Membership fees as fixed initially by the Executive Committee and then at each Annual General Meeting thereafter. The Club in General Meeting may also require Members to contribute to the funds of the Club by way of a special levy.

3.3 It will be a condition of membership that participating members agree that they may be subject to any external fees levied by the venues where the club holds their events.

3.4 All members joining the Club shall be deemed to accept the terms of this Constitution and any rules from time to time adopted by the Club, in particular without prejudice to the foregoing generality, the requirement to conduct themselves in accordance with the Club's rules as to discipline set out therein.

3.5 Any person seeking to join the Club shall submit an application to the Executive Committee. Members shall be admitted by the Executive Committee. Membership is open to all and no application for membership will be refused on other than reasonable grounds. There will be no discrimination on grounds of race, occupation, sex or religious, political or other opinion.

3.6 The total Club membership may be restricted to a total to be agreed upon by the Executive Committee from time to time. The limitation is based on a number which will ensure members have reasonable opportunities to attend the Club and while attending the Club do not have too long to wait between games.

If there are no vacancies, a waiting list shall be drawn up and names entered in the order of receipt of request. As vacancies arise they shall be offered in turn to the people on the waiting list. Anyone who does not accept a vacancy when offered, shall be removed from the waiting list.

3.7 All Members with the exception of the Junior Member category will be entitled to a vote during any General Meeting.

3.8 Any issues regarding the discipline of Members will be dealt with as follows:-

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

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

(c) 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.

(d) There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. This committee should consider the appeal within 21 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.

3.9 Honorary Life Membership will be awarded to any person deemed to have contributed special service to the Club. This award will provide free lifetime membership of the Club.

(a) A proposal to bestow Honorary Life Membership may be made by the committee or a member.

(b) Such proposals must be included in the notice of the AGM.

(c) All such proposals must be approved by the AGM/EGM.

4. Management

4.1 The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by an Executive Committee which shall consist of the Officers of the Club plus up to five ordinary members, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. All officers and ordinary members will retire each year but will be eligible for re-appointment. The minimum number of ordinary members shall be one.

4.2 The Officers of the Club who shall be honorary shall be the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary. If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.  The officers of the Club constitute the Management Committee for disciplinary matters.

4.3 All Executive Committee members must be members of the Club.

4.4 The Executive Committee shall have full power to deal with all matters relating to the Club not reserved to a General Meeting in terms of this Constitution, including power to make public and enforce such rules as the Committee feels necessary to govern the activities of the Club including rules relating to discipline.

5. General Meetings

5.1 Annual General Meeting

The Club shall hold an Annual General Meeting in the month of September to:

• Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.

• Receive reports from the Chairperson and Honorary Secretary.

• Receive a report from the Honorary Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts subject to verification by a suitably qualified independent third party.

• Elect the Executive Committee.

• Fix the subscription(s) for the ensuing year.

• Consider changes to the Constitution.

• Review and consider any Rules.

• Deal with other relevant business.

5.2 Extraordinary General Meeting

An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the voting members of the Club. The Executive Committee shall also have the power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting by decision of a simple majority of its members.

5.3 Notices

At least 14 days’ notice and the Agenda shall be given to all voting members of any General Meeting. No business shall be conducted unless fair notice thereof is contained in the Agenda.

5.4 Voting

• With the exception of changes to the Constitution, decisions put to a vote shall be resolved by a simple majority of voting members at General Meetings.

• The Chairperson of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings, in each case at the time the meeting commences its business.

5.5 Quorum

The quorum at General Meetings shall be 20% of the voting members and the quorum for Committee Meetings shall be 5/8th  of the Executive Committee.

5.6 All meetings will be minuted.

5.7 Changes to the Constitution

• Any change to the Constitution shall require a two thirds’ majority of those present, eligible to vote and voting at a General Meeting.

• A proposal to change the Constitution must be submitted in writing to the Secretary who shall circulate the proposal to all members and allow seven days for submission of any amendments before calling a meeting in accordance with rule 5.3 above.

• All proposals for changes to the Constitution shall be signed by two members eligible to vote at a General Meeting.

6. Finance and Accounts

6.1 The financial year shall run from 1st August to 31st July each year.

6.2 The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of Annual Accounts of the Club.

6.3 The Accounts shall be certified by an appropriate independent person elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.

6.4 All amounts drawn against the Club’s funds (whether by cheque or electronic transfer) shall be authorised by the Treasurer and one other nominated office-bearer.

6.5 The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the group and shall make a financial statement at each committee meeting.

6.6 All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club.

7. Dissolution

7.1 The Club is a non-profit making organisation. All profits and surpluses will be used to maintain or improve or develop the Club's facilities or to carry out the objectives of the Association to which it is affiliated. No profit or surplus will be distributed other than to another non-profit making body on a winding-up or dissolution of the Club.

7.2 If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the Club there remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall be transferred to some other organisation or organisations having objectives similar to the objectives of the Club, such organisation or organisations to be determined by the members of the Club by Resolution passed at a General Meeting or in the absence of such a resolution (or to the extent to which it cannot be given effect) to the Association to which the Club is affiliated.

8. Committee positions following voting

Position Name Proposer Seconder

1 Chairperson Jocelyn Stirrat Gordon McKinstry Liz McKinstry

2 Vice-Chairperson (1) shared role Marion McKee Rhona Martin Gordon McKinstry

3 Vice-Chairperson (2) shared role Val Poyser Jocelyn Stirrat Gordon McKinstry

4 Treasurer Andrew Kane Jocelyn Stirrat Mary McDonald

5 Secretary Gordon McKinstry Alison Powell Anne Ellor

6 Ordinary member Rhona Martin Maureen Scholes Marion McKee

7 Ordinary member Linda Nicol Mary McDonald Maureen Scholes

8 Ordinary member Liz McKinstry Andrew Kane Anne Ellor

9 Ordinary member Gerry Bruce Liz McKinstry Jocelyn Stirrat

Since the AGM:

• Mary McDonald has been co-opted onto the committee.

• Liz McKinstry has stood down to allow Mary to join the committee.

Declaration

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

Signed: Jocelyn Stirrat

Date:   11 September 2024

Name:    Jocelyn Stirrat

Position: Club Chairperson

Signed: Gordon McKinstry

Date: 11 September 2024

Name: Gordon McKinstry

Position: Club Secretary

Signed: Andrew Kane

Date: 11 September 2024

Name: Andrew Kane

Position: Club Treasurer

Signed: Marion McKee Val Poyser

Date: 11 September 2024

Name: Marion McKee Val Poyser

Position: Club Vice-Chairperson