Welcome

The Isle of Wight Dog Training Society has been providing training for dog lovers all over the Island since the 1950's. These days we have a growing membership whose interests include pet & puppy obedience (getting your dog to sit and walk to heel etc.) to agility for fun and competition.

We are affiliated to The Kennel Club and regularly run recognised assesments and progress tests for members interested in achieving those levels of competence. To meet the individual needs and interests of our membership we train weekly out of three island venues.  Whether it's agility or obedience you're interested in, go to the relevant page for details of venues and training.

 

 

I.O.W.D.T.S. CONSTITUTION

 

1. The Name of the Society will be: Isle of Wight Dog Training Society Its Primary Objective is: to provide a range of accredited, remedial and extension training programmes that support recreational activities and responsible ownership by owners of companion dogs.This will include: puppy socialisation and the Kennel Club Good Companion Scheme at various sites, Agility training and an expanding range of programmes that respond to Society Members' and local needs. The Society will work closely with the Local Authority to promote responsible ownership and recreational activities for companion dogs and their owners. Entry into competitions by members will also be supported alongside pro bono displays and educational work. New venues and activities will be investigated in order to provide sufficient training and annual events to meet demand where possible. The society will actively foster good relationships with other local canine organisations in order to support and promote responsible ownership and the profile of Island dogs.Officers and Committee - these elected post holders will be responsible for the management of the Society, the promotion of its activities and careful management of its funds. They should take every opportunity to keep members up to date with developments and ideally support a suitable website and occasional paper information sheet for members that can also be circulated to non-members through suitable outlets. Presidents and Vice-Presidents should be co-opted to help with publicity, pro bono events and supporting of new members.3. The Society shall consist of:

Patron - honorary and non voting

President and two Vice Presidents - honorary and non voting

Honorary Chairman

Honorary Secretary

Honorary Treasurer

8 Committee Members - drawn from the Society membership and ideally split between the various sites. Committee Members and Officers should be voted in at the AGM by the members unless a vacancy occurs during the year. In this case the remaining committee and three voting Officers (Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer) should co-opt a suitable person. Co-opted Committee Members or Officers will not have voting rights until voted in by the members at the AGM. Existing Committee Members and Officers, who have been voted in at an AGM, with evidence of nominations, may stand for re-election at the subsequent AGMs without nomination, but all non-elected members standing for the Committee or as an Officer must be nominated. Voting papers will be circulated at the AGM and will be counted to confirm the election of Committee and Officers unless the Chair feels a show of hands is sufficient e.g. in the event of the Officers and Committee all standing for re-election and no alternative nominations having been received.

All voting Officers and Committee must be over 18 and the Society's management team should not include more than 2 individuals from any one household. Committee meetings should be arranged bi-monthly or quarterly unless required more frequently. The date should be set at the previous meeting and the Agenda with the minutes from the previous meeting sent out 3 weeks in advance. Agenda items must reach the Secretary at least 4 weeks before the proposed date of the next committee meeting but additional items may be presented under AOB at the Chair's discretion. The Committee meeting is a quorum if 8 voting Officers and Committee members are present.

The President and Vice-presidents should be recommended to the members at the AGM by the Chair following discussion in committee and if the members consent they should hold their non-voting position for 3 years unless there is any evidence that their actions are counter-productive to the best interest of the Society. Their role is to support the Officers and Committee of the Society, promote the wellbeing of the membership and assist in the smooth running of any Society activities. The people taking on these roles will not have voting rites at Committee meetings although they may attend. They must be paid up members and should attend the AGM if possible.

Nominations for the Officers and Committee should be received at least a week before the date of the AGM. The Agenda for the AGM and Nomination Forms for the Committee and Officers should be sent out to Members at least 4 weeks before the AGM which is held annually at the end of March. The AGM will not be considered a quorum unless at least 8 voting Officers or Committee Members and at least 10 voting members are present.

 

4. Membership:

Membership is unlimited but the Committee and Voting Officers reserve the right to refuse membership to anyone they believe would bring the Society into disrepute. Those reasons should be put in writing to the person concerned, who would have the right to appeal. Membership will aim to be inclusive and all members will be encouraged to participate in all aspects of Society activities. All adult members (over 18) have voting rites at the AGM. Under 18s will be welcomed at the AGM but not able to vote. Every effort will be made to encourage young members and plan specific events and activities for them.

5. An up to date list of Members and their addresses, and those of branch Members where appropriate, must be maintained and, if so requested, made available for inspection by the Kennel Club and members of the Society. A declaration of the number of members of the Society must be made with Annual Returns.

Each Member shall be entitled to one vote or 2 for a joint membership on acceptance of membership and receipt of a full year's subscription.

Postal votes will be accepted for postal ballots only, but proxy votes at the AGM may be organised in special circumstances agreed by the Chair and Committee as long as a request is made in writing at least a month before the AGM. The Chair retains the right to refuse to allocate proxy votes.6. Voting for Officers and Committee Members at the AGM should be by secret ballot unless it is reasonable for the Chair to request a show of hands on a block vote of those standing. The Chair's recommendation would have to be formally proposed and seconded from the floor by Society Members. The Chair should always give consideration to when a secret ballot would be more appropriate than a show of hands but generally a show of hands at the AGM is sufficient provided there are proposers and secondary for all nominees and the process has been clearly explained to members.

7. Club Property

The property of the Society shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Society ceasing to exist, a final General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the Society's Assets and the outcome of this meeting should be notified to the Kennel Club. (If a Registered Society is wound up or ceases to be a Registered Society under these Regulations, a final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the Society shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club within 6 months and the persons named as Officers and Committee of the Society will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Society)

All trophies and cups should have written certification from the donor that they are an outright gift or that they will need to be returned in the event of the Society being wound up.

8. Club Accounts

The banking account shall be held in the name of the Society at the nominated Bank into which all revenue of the Society shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signatures of any 2 of the 3 Voting Officers: Chair, Secretary and treasurers. All payments over £100 should be authorised by the committee either at a meeting or verbally and later recorded at a committee meeting. Consideration will need to be given to how to manage when cheques are no longer available.

The Accounts will be drawn up by the Treasurer and presented at each Committee Meeting the year end figures will be produced for the AGM to be presented to the members. The year end figures should be certified by an auditor/s of the Society's choice. Certification should be done by a qualified Accountant or 2 unqualified individuals with relevant bookkeeping experience.

9. Subscriptions

The amount of subscription, and date upon which this is due in full each year will be agreed at the AGM and included in the Annual Return to the Kennel Club. Arrangements may be put in place for Members joining after a certain point in the year paying a reduced fee. This should be formally stated in the agreement at the AGM.

The Society may produce an abbreviated rule list for members that include things like subscriptions and voting rights.

No member whose subscription is unpaid is entitled to any of the privileges of membership and if the member shall fail to pay outstanding subscriptions by March 1^{st his/her name shall be automatically erased from the register. Acceptance back on the register will be dependent upon a new application and payment of arrears.}

Once members have been accepted for membership and providing they continue to pay their membership subscriptions at the correct time, they cannot be refused renewal of membership in normal circumstances. With the exception of default on subscriptions, the only way to remove a member from the Society's register is by following the procedure defined in Point10.

10. Expulsion of Members:

Any Member who shall be suspended under kennel Club Rule A42 (5) and/or any members whose dogs is/are disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42 (9) shall ipso facto cease to be a Member of the Society.

If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Society, be injurious or likely to be injurious, to the character or interests of the Society, the Committee of the Society may, at a meeting the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the Member, determine that a Special general meeting of the Society shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her.

Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused Member, giving particulars of the complaint and advising the place, date and hour of the Meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation. If at the Meeting, a resolution to expel is passed by a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting, his/her name shall forthwith be erased from the List of members, and he/she shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a member of the Society except that he/she may, within two calendar months from the date of the Meeting appeal to the kennel Club upon and subject to such condition as the Kennel Club may impose.

If the Society expels any Member fro discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, dog shows, trials or competitions, the Society must report the matter in writing to the kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.

11. Financial Year/Annual General Meeting

The financial year of the Society shall be from April 1st until March 31st.

The Annual General Meeting shall be held on the third or forth Friday evening in March.

12. Annual General Meeting

The purpose of the AGM will be to receive the report of the Chair and the Treasurer who will present the balance sheet to the members. Officers and Committee will be elected and any routine matters will be dealt with that are appropriate for an AGM. Any resolutions for discussion must have been placed on the Agenda through prior notice of at least 6 weeks to the Hon. Secretary. No business shall be transacted at the AGM unless notice thereof appears on the Agenda with the exception of routine matters or those which in the opinion of the Chair of the meeting are urgent. The meeting will be chaired by the Chairman of the Society or in their absence a suitable Officer nominated by the Committee.

The members will be informed of the AGM at least 8 weeks in advance by posters at training venues and verbally by Officers and Committee Members. Members must be reminded that all issues for the AGM must be put forward for inclusion on the AGM Agenda at least 6 weeks before the AGM. An official invite including nomination forms and the Agenda, in writing at least 4 weeks in advance and members will be asked to return nominations for the Officers/Committee by a given date that is at least a week before the AGM. The Officers and Committee are urged to remind members of the importance of attending the AGM and take forward issues on Members' behalf.

Special general Meetings:

A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Hon. Secretary if 30 Members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a Special General Meeting to do so. The Committee of the Society is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting. No business other than that detailed on the Agenda can be discussed at a SGM and the Agenda must be circulated to all Members at least 3 weeks in advance unless it is an emergency in which case the Chair can authorise one with less than a week's written notice given to Members.

13. Amendments to Rules:

The rules of the Society may not be altered except at a General Meeting, the notice for which contains specific proposals to amend rules. Any proposed alteration to the rules may not be brought into effect until the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alteration. New rules and amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately.

14. Annual returns to the Kennel Club:

The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, the Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by the Secretary for continuance of Registration and that by 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Societies and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities and shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club.

The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes of Secretary of the Society which may occur during the course of the year.

15. The Kennel Club Final Authority

The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the rules of the Society in all cases relative to canine or society matters.

16. The Society shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs

17. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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