New Forest Dog Owners Group

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NEW FOREST DOG OWNERS GROUP CONSTITUTION

1. NAME - The name of the Group shall be “New Forest Dog Owners Group” (The Group).

2. OBJECTIVES – The objects of The Group shall be to promote responsible dog ownership in the New Forest area, to work to ensure the freedom of dog owners to exercise their dogs off lead in the New Forest and to raise such funds as the Committee shall from time to time deem appropriate to support the aforementioned objects.

3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1. Membership shall be by subscription renewable annually and shall be open to users of the New Forest who support the Objectives and undertake to support The Group in a peaceful manner.
3.2 Those wishing to become members may apply to the Committee who will consider and, if thought fit, approve the application. The Committee may delegate the approval of applications to the Membership Secretary.
3.3 Members may be expelled from The Group by the Committee if they bring The Group into disrepute or fail to observe the objectives of the Constitution.

4. FINANCIAL YEAR
4.1 The Financial Year shall run from 1 June to 31 May.
4.2 Annual accounts shall be produced by the Treasurer and audited by a suitably qualified person not holding office on the Committee.
4.3 The annual accounts shall be made available at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with Clause 9 and may be obtained from the Treasurer by request accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.

5. SUBSCRIPTION
5.1 Prior to the start of each Financial Year, the Committee will determine the membership fees payable for that year and will advise members of the fee due.
5.2 For a member joining in the period from 1 June to 31 December inclusive, the full annual fee for the year commencing on said 1 June shall be payable. For a member joining in the period from 1 January to May 31 inclusive, the fee paid shall additionally cover membership for the Financial Year starting the following 1 June. For existing members, the membership fee for any subsequent year becomes payable on 1 June of that year.
5.3 Donations are welcome and funds will also be raised by collection and the sale of goods as and when the Committee deem appropriate.
5.4 Any excess of membership fee income, donations and other funds received by The Group in any one year over expenditure in that year shall be placed in a reserve fund.

6. MANAGEMENT OF THE GROUP
6.1 The management of the Group shall be in the hands of a Committee. The Officers of the Committee, all being honorary, shall comprise Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and such other paid-up members of The Group as shall be elected from time to time by existing Officers of the Committee.
6.2 The Chairman may appoint a Deputy Chairman to support the duties of the Chairman if and when he/she sees fit.
6.3 The Deputy Chairman shall hold the powers of the Chairman in his/her absence from any meeting of the Committee.
6.4 Subject to Clause 7 below, all decisions of the Committee which are put to the vote shall be by simple majority. Where there is a tied vote, the Chairman or his/her Deputy shall have the casting vote.
6.5 A quorum shall require 4 Officers at least one of whom must be the Chairman or, in the absence of the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman.
6.6 Any proposal requiring a decision by vote shall be put to the Committee in writing or email before the relevant meeting of the Committee. Any Officer who cannot attend the meeting may vote by proxy provided the identity of the Officer to whom the proxy is given is disclosed to the Chairman, or in the absence of the Chairman the Deputy Chairman, prior to the meeting in writing or by email.
6.7 At the discretion of the Chairman or, in the absence of the Chairman the Deputy Chairman, an emergency resolution may be put to the vote. Such a resolution, if challenged by an Officer of the Committee within 7 days, may be put to a postal vote.

7. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE - The offices of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary shall be re-confirmed at the Annual General Meeting but the Committee reserves the right to elect or expel any Officer of the Committee at any time. Any such election or expulsion by Committee shall be by vote at a meeting of the Committee and shall require a two-thirds majority of the whole of the Committee.

8. PRESIDENT
8.1 The Committee may, at its option, offer a retiring Chairman the post of Honorary President. The post may be offered for life or for a finite period of years.
8.2 The President shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Committee but shall not be entitled to vote.

9. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
9.1 The Group shall hold an Annual General Meeting for all members. The date and time for the meeting will be determined by the Committee. The Committee shall, as far as possible, give all members at least 14 days’ notice of the date and time of the AGM.
9.2 The purpose of the Meeting shall be for the Treasurer to report the audited annual accounts to the members and for the re- confirmation of the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary as provided in Clause 7. The Meeting may also be used for members to discuss any other business, as appropriate, relating to the Group.

10. EXTRAORDINARY AND PUBLIC MEETINGS
10.1 An Extraordinary Meeting or a Public Meeting may be called upon request by at least ten members of the Group (who must also provide a suitable venue), or for a special purpose by decision of the Committee.
10.2 A notice and statement of the business to be transacted at the Meeting shall be advertised by circulation to members and/or by an advertisement in at least one paper local to the New Forest not less than 14 days before the date of such meetings. Any such notice shall be at the expense of those requesting the Meeting.
10.3 No decision shall be taken at any such Meeting except on business clearly identified in the notice and statement referred to in Clause 10.2 and any decision taken at any such Meeting shall have no effect unless the conditions of Clause 10.2 have been met.

11. DISSOLUTION
11.1 The Group may be dissolved at any time by a resolution passed by not less than three-quarters of those Group members present and voting at an Extraordinary Meeting called for that purpose. A minimum of 28 days notice shall be given to members for such a resolution.
11.2 As soon as practical after a dissolution has been resolved, accounts for the Group shall be presented and any funds of the Group remaining after the discharge of all liabilities shall be donated to a registered charity for providing care for dogs and chosen by the Committee.
11.3 No member of the Group shall be entitled to any payment in respect of his or her membership of the Group at the time of dissolution.

12. RULES CHANGE
12.1 No rule shall be withdrawn, amended or altered and no new rule made, except by a two thirds majority of Group members present and voting at an Extraordinary or Annual General Meeting.
12.2 Notice of any such intention shall be advised in writing by the Group Secretary at least 28 days prior to the date of such Meeting.
12.3 Any matters not provided for in this Constitution shall be dealt with by the Committee whose decision shall be final and binding on all members of the Group.