Pall Mall Squash
the commitee
Chris Dennis
Angus Baillie
Tanith Foster
Charlotte Hillman
Mark Jackson
Richard Johnson
Gary Kershaw
Miranda Nicholson
Ben Thompson
Richard Winter
Chris Orriss
1. Club Governance
So far as governance of the Club is concerned, the Board of the Royal Automobile Club Limited and The Committee (of the Club) are the same body (Rules 7- 12). Thus, the Board, which is elected by the membership, exercises sole authority over all aspects of the Club’s affairs.
2. Delegation of Authority
The Board delegates authority for the implementation of Club Strategy and the day-to-day management of the Club to the Secretary and the Club Management Committee. The Club’s four Standing Committees (Pall Mall, Woodcote Park, Elections, Motoring), Sub Committees and Activity Committees are established by the Board.
The Board appoints members of Standing Committees and appoints Chairmen of Sub Committees, Activity Committees and Working Groups. The purpose of these Committees and Groups is to act as a sounding board, representing the interests of all members, and to provide advice to the Board and guidance to the Club Management Committee.
3. Officers of Committee
- Chairman: Appointed by the Board of the Club.
- Vice Chairman: Appointed annually by the Committee.
- Treasurer: Appointed annually by the Committee.
- Fixtures Secretary: Appointed annually by the Committee.
- Committee Members
- Standing Member (non-voting): Only if required, see paragraph 8.
4. Numbers on Committee
Minimum Six.
Maximum Twelve.
5. Appointment of Officers
Any new appointment shall be by recommendation by majority vote of the Committee. The name of any person so proposed will be submitted to the Pall Mall House Committee for approval. No Honorary positions such as President will be permitted.
6. Composition
All committees are to aim for no more than two thirds of their committee members to be of the same gender and are to report annually to the Pall Mall House Committee on gender composition.
7. Terms on Committee
a. Committee Members.
Two terms of three years, renewable thereafter by the Chairman of the Committee, who must seek approval from the Pall Mall House Committee to offer further terms of one year each year up to a maximum of nine years.
b. Chairman
The Chairman may serve a maximum of six years as a Committee Member and a further six years as Chairman, up to a maximum of 12 years in the aggregate.
8. Standing Member
Committees may be allowed to appoint one standing member on the committee, in addition to rotating committee members, once they have served on a committee for a maximum of nine years, but only by exception and only if they provide a function which is essential to the successful conduct of that activity. The standing member is not a full member of the committee, has no voting rights and cannot be the Chairman or Vice Chairman. Standing members are to be identified in formal documents, such as minutes of meetings.
9. Quorum
Not less than 50% of the members and the Chairman of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote if necessary.
10. Frequency of Meetings
Monthly between September and April and on an ad hoc basis between April and September.
11. Objectives
The committee has 11 core objectives which are listed below:
- To represent the interests of the squash playing members.
- With management, to promote squash at the Royal Automobile Club, and specifically at Pall Mall.
- To guide the management of squash, the squash professionals, the squash courts and associated areas.
- To oversee and develop the Royal Automobile Club’s fixtures against other clubs.
- To run the Bath Club Cup.
- To run the Londonderry Cup, the national schools’ old boys’ competition.
- To run the Alma Trophy, the summer squash doubles competition.
- To host the Oxford & Cambridge Varsity match.
- To oversee the annual presentation of the Drysdale Cup, to the winner of the Junior British Open (U19).
- To foster the game of squash doubles now that our prototype has been adopted as the international specification for doubles courts.
- To nurture the heritage of the sport and its intrinsic link to the Royal Automobile Club, building on the legacy of squash’s governing body, which was founded in the Pall Mall clubhouse in 1928.
12. Responsibilities
The Committee has two responsibilities:
a. Annual Reporting
Committees are required to submit an end-of-year report to the Club Secretary and the Pall Mall House Committee by 30 November on the activities conducted during the year, to seek authority for extensions of standing committee members and to report on gender composition and succession plans. This will be considered alongside the budget for the forthcoming year.
b. Representation
All committee members are representatives of the Club and have a responsibility to behave in accordance with the Club’s values, internally at Club events and activities, and externally when representing the Club.
13. Communications and Branding
Committees are to ensure that all communications are in accordance with the Club Communications Guide (including the Gender Inclusive Language Guide), and are compliant with General Data Protection Regulations 2018, seeking approval, support and guidance from the Club’s Communications Department. All branded products and merchandise, such as team sports clothes, are to be designed in accordance with the Club’s Brand Guidelines, requiring approval from the Head of Communications prior to production.
