Cani-Sports Edinburgh brings together people and dogs to experience the buzz of canicross adventures.

Our dogs are happy, healthy and have immense fun. We are a community for like-minded, dog-oriented people to participate in canicross in a safe, friendly and positive environment. Where appropriate we provide information on equipment and best practice to encourage and support new members into the fantastic world of canicross.

We constantly strive to promote dog-related courses and events to further the knowledge and experiences of our members. We make a concerted effort to involve ourselves in charities.

1. Name

  The Club shall be called Cani-Sports Edinburgh (herein after called the Club).

2. Aims and Objectives

The aims of the Club shall be:

  • To be active with our dogs around Edinburgh and the Lothians.
  • To provide a fun, friendly, supportive environment for owners and their dogs.
  • To make cani-sports available to all newcomers by offering practical assistance and guidance.
  • To have information available on high quality affordable kit and equipment.

 The objectives of the Club shall be:

  • To encourage cani-sports as a sport and recreation.
  • To encourage responsible canine care.
  • To encourage and support new members.
  • To encourage, arrange and continue regular meets over a variety of terrain.

3. Membership

  • Membership of the Club will be open to any person, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation religion or other beliefs.  However limitation of membership according to capacity is allowable on a non-discriminatory basis.
  • Each membership application must be made using the membership application provided on www.entrycentral.com or by post to the Vice Chairperson.  The Committee shall have the right to reject any application for membership it deems unsuitable.  The appropriate subscription must accompany the application for membership.
  • The Committee shall create a Sub Committee to consider membership. This Membership Sub Committee shall have the power to suspend or exclude any member.  In exercising these powers the Membership Sub Committee shall act reasonably. Appeal against refusal or removal of membership may be made to the Secretary, who will not be a Member of the Membership Sub Committee, whose decision shall be final.

4. Subscriptions

  • The Club year shall run from 1st May to 30th April each year.
  • Annual subscriptions shall become due for payment on 1st May each year, with the amounts being decided by the AGM.
  • There shall be single, joint, junior and family memberships.

5. Management

  • The management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson (combined with Membership Secretary), Secretary and Treasurer who shall be officers of the Club together with an additional and unlimited number of Committee members.  The Committee shall be appointed at the AGM and must be registered Club members.
  • The Club will invite registered Club members to volunteer for the committee when notice of the AGM is sent out.   All registered Club members may volunteer for a role within the committee.
  • All members of the Committee may volunteer for an office bearer role providing they have at least 1 years’ experience on the committee within the last 2 years.
  • All members volunteering for the Committee must be nominated and seconded by a registered Club member.
  • All Committee members volunteering for office bearer positions must be nominated and seconded by committee members, this can be committee members from the committee going out or members of the committee coming in.
  • If there are multiple volunteers for office bearer positions, a vote will be held, whereupon all members of the committee going out and the committee coming in will have a vote.
  • In extraordinary cases, the Committee reserve the right to turn down volunteers who are deemed unsuitable candidates for the Committee.  This may be during the nomination stage prior to the AGM or during the AGM itself. If during the AGM a right of veto will be granted to allow the outgoing and incoming committee to retire in order to discuss this.
  • The term length of committee members are:
    • The Chairperson can serve a term of 2 years prior to facing re-election.  (therefore re-elected every two years unless the office bearer wishes to stand down).
    • The Vice Chairperson, secretary and treasurer are selected annually.
    • Non office bearers must be approved every year.
  • No member may sit on the Committee continuously for more than six years, they must seek a break of at least one year.
    • In the case that there are no other candidates for an office bearer  role – a committee member will be permitted to stand and exceed the above maximum continuous time served.
  • Three elected Committee members are required for a quorum for a Committee meeting to take place providing the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson or Secretary is also present.
  • The Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies if they arise and to co-opt members for particular projects, but co-opted members shall not have a committee vote.
  • The Committee shall also have the power to establish any sub committee deemed appropriate to assist in meeting the objectives of the Club and to delegate these sub committees such duties as may be considered appropriate.
  • If the majority of the Committee decide to, they should be capable of convening a meeting to vote on the tenure of the chair person (this can be read as Vice Chairperson in the Chairperson’s absence).
  • The Committee shall have the power to appoint individuals to perform specific duties on behalf of the Committee and to delegate to those individuals such duties as they consider appropriate.
  • The decision of the Committee about operation of the Club shall be final unless over-ruled at a General Meeting.
  • The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the rules or for anything else relating to the Club not provided therein and their decision shall be final and binding on Club members.

6. Annual General Meeting

  • The AGM shall be held in the months of June or July as dictated by the practical circumstances of the time.
  • At the AGM the meeting will:
    • Receive the annual report of the Secretary.
    • Receive the financial statements and the Treasurer’s report.
    • Elect the Committee for the ensuing year.
    • Consider any amendment to the constitution of which due notice has been given to all members.  Any proposed change to the constitution must be received by the secretary at least 14 days preceding the meeting in order that all members shall have sufficient notice of the proposal.
    • Transact any other notified business.
  • At least 21 days’ notice shall be given to members of the date, venue and agenda items for the AGM.
  • All registered members of the Club at the meeting who are aged 18 years or more shall have one vote.  In the case of equality of votes the Chairperson will have a second, casting vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands except where the Chairperson decides voting shall be by ballot.

7. Extra Ordinary General Meeting

  • An EGM may be called by the Committee to discuss changes to the Constitution and Rules or any other club business too urgent to wait for the AGM.
  • An EGM must be called if 25% of voting members so petition the Secretary in writing.
  • Three weeks’ notice of an EGM must be given to all the members by email or in writing together with the motion/s to be discussed.  No other business shall be conducted.
  • Procedures for voting shall be as used for the AGM.

8. Finance

  • The financial year of the Club shall end on 30th April.
  • All funds belonging to the Club shall be deposited with a Bank or Building Society in accounts that shall carry the Club title.  All accounts shall operate on two signatories, one of whom will be the Treasurer and the other either the Chairperson or Secretary.
  • Expenditure above the agreed budget levels may only be authorised at a Committee Meeting.

9. Property and Funds

  • The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the Rules and all surplus income or profits are reinvested in the Club.
  • The Club may provide sporting related equipment, insurance cover and other ordinary benefits.

10. Discipline and Appeals

  • Any complaints regarding the behaviour of Club members should be submitted in writing to the Chairperson.
  • The Membership Sub Committee will meet to consider a complaint within 28 days of a complaint being lodged. The Membership Sub Committee has the power to take appropriate action including the termination of membership.
  • The outcome of any should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made.
  • There will be a right of appeal to the Secretary whose decision will be final.

11. Data Protection & Privacy

The Data Protection Act currently exempts private clubs from the need for registration of their databases, but the Club will follow best practice guidelines as follows:

  • The Membership Secretary holds a simple UK-based electronic database of the information provided by members on their membership application form including e-mail addresses where supplied.
  • Member contact details will be used for mailing newsletters, renewal reminders and other club information the Committee deems appropriate.  E-mail addresses will only be used if the member has given permission via the membership form and will only be used for club business. From time to time, the Club may allow third party material to be included with mailings to offset the costs but undertake not to pass contact details to any third party at any time.
  • Committee members undertake to treat any member contact details as confidential and for the use of club business only.  Membership records will be kept for five years or at the discretion of the Committee. Any member who has any concern regarding the use or holding of their contact details at any time should contact the Membership Secretary in writing giving details of the nature of their concern.

10. 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, the assets of the Club that remain will become the property of another like-minded group/club and/or a Canine Rescue Organisation agreed on by the  Club Committee.
  • The management of the Club shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson (combined with Membership Secretary), Secretary and Treasurer who shall be officers of the Club together with an additional and unlimited number of Committee members.  The Committee shall be appointed at the AGM and must be registered Club members.
  • The Club will invite registered Club members to volunteer for the committee when notice of the AGM is sent out.   All registered Club members may volunteer for a role within the committee.
  • All members of the Committee may volunteer for an office bearer role providing they have at least 1 years’ experience on the committee within the last 2 years.
  • All members volunteering for the Committee must be nominated and seconded by a registered Club member.
  • All Committee members volunteering for office bearer positions must be nominated and seconded by committee members, this can be committee members from the committee going out or members of the committee coming in.
  • If there are multiple volunteers for office bearer positions, a vote will be held, whereupon all members of the committee going out and the committee coming in will have a vote.
  • In extraordinary cases, the Committee reserve the right to turn down volunteers who are deemed unsuitable candidates for the Committee.  This may be during the nomination stage prior to the AGM or during the AGM itself. If during the AGM a right of veto will be granted to allow the outgoing and incoming committee to retire in order to discuss this.
  • The term length of committee members are:
    • The Chairperson can serve a term of 2 years prior to facing re-election.  (therefore re-elected every two years unless the office bearer wishes to stand down).
    • The Vice Chairperson, secretary and treasurer are selected annually.
    • Non office bearers must be approved every year.
  • No member may sit on the Committee continuously for more than six years, they must seek a break of at least one year.
    • In the case that there are no other candidates for an office bearer  role – a committee member will be permitted to stand and exceed the above maximum continuous time served.
  • Three elected Committee members are required for a quorum for a Committee meeting to take place providing the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson or Secretary is also present.
  • The Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies if they arise and to co-opt members for particular projects, but co-opted members shall not have a committee vote.
  • The Committee shall also have the power to establish any sub committee deemed appropriate to assist in meeting the objectives of the Club and to delegate these sub committees such duties as may be considered appropriate.
  • If the majority of the Committee decide to, they should be capable of convening a meeting to vote on the tenure of the chair person (this can be read as Vice Chairperson in the Chairperson’s absence).
  • The Committee shall have the power to appoint individuals to perform specific duties on behalf of the Committee and to delegate to those individuals such duties as they consider appropriate.
  • The decision of the Committee about operation of the Club shall be final unless over-ruled at a General Meeting.
  • The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of the rules or for anything else relating to the Club not provided therein and their decision shall be final and binding on Club members.