Governance

• Overall responsibility for Competitions, CPA Welfare and Disciplinary matters.
• Make policy recommendations to the Management Board in regard to all aspects of efficient and effective administration of the CB and Clubs.
• Review policy and monitor all Club actions with regard to discipline and to the safety and welfare of players and to monitor implementation by Clubs of RFU policies to promote ways of making the game as safe as possible for players at all levels and ages.
• Make recommendations on policies for Competitions and Leagues.
• Make recommendations for changes to Laws of the Game.
• Ensure Clubs are aware of the growing importance of Local Authorities and other Recreational Bodies.
• Liaise as necessary with the Disciplinary Panel

This policy is written in two parts.

Part 1 is intended to deal with child safeguarding issues; and here “child” is generally intended to mean someone of 18 years or under or, in the case of disability, someone under 24 years old.

Part 2 is intended to deal with the resolution of concerns and complaints about competitions and other County issues.

This is not intended to replace the RFU’s published Policy for the Safeguarding of Young People in Rugby Union or the RFU Policy Guidelines (which should both be consulted in any event) but it outlines the important courses of action. However, the County would ask you to reflect on whether the behaviour is poor coaching practice, or if it might be dealt with as a breach of the disciplinary codes.

 

It is good to have a procedure for resolving complaints or concerns; as such a system helps the County to identify any underlying weaknesses in practice or in its administration. The County recognises that some complaints may be well-founded but also that everyone can make a mistake. The County expects realism and honesty from all involved.

Most complaints about poor practice in coaching or administration can be resolved by a quiet word with the individual concerned. If anyone feels that the complaint should be dealt with more formally, however, this procedure must apply. The objects of this procedure are to ensure that: -

Proper concerns are taken seriously and investigated promptly;

The County is provided with fair representations by all involved;

The matter is dealt with by the appropriate person; and

The outcome is noted and appropriate redress is provided.

Unless they are paid-up Vice Presidents of the County, individuals have no standing to make a complaint themselves and so they must raise any concerns through the Club to which they belong.

If the complaint or concern is about a competition that is administered by the County then, where the competition administrator cannot resolve the dispute or objection immediately, a Club must put its concerns in writing and address them to the Secretary for the time-being of the Competitions Committee, whose contact details may be found both in the County Handbook and on the County Website: www.rfu.com/clubs/dw If the problem relates to a match then it must be received no later than 4 days after the match concerned. The Competitions Committee shall have absolute discretion to resolve any such disputes or objections as it shall think fit; and its decision shall be final and binding on all parties.

Every other complaint from a Club should come from its Secretary, must be set out in writing, must give the facts and events in a concise manner and identify any documents or other evidence. It must be addressed to the Hon General Secretary for the time-being of the County, who will:

Check that the author has the standing to complain,

Decide whether there is a cause for concern

If so, enter it in a central register; and

Appoint someone to investigate and report

The address for the General Secretary is: Gerald Burden 8 Blackmore Chase Wincanton Somerset BA9 9SD

The General Secretary may not necessarily deal with the complaint himself: he may well refer it to another senior officer of the County, whom he feels has the requisite knowledge or experience to investigate it.

Once you have been notified of the outcome of the complaint, if you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may ask the Hon General Secretary to refer the matter to the County President, who will decide what should happen next.

The County would expect this procedure to have been observed and followed through before anyone contacts the RFU at Twickenham about a concern or complaint.

This policy will be reviewed periodically by the Dorset and Wilts RFU Council.

Pursuant to the Resolution passed at the Special General Meeting held on 30 March, 2008 Dorset & Wilts Rugby Football Union Limited was incorporated as an Industrial and Provident Society (no: 30484R) with effect from 16 May, 2008. A copy of the Constitution is available (at a cost of £0.10 plus p&p) to Members upon application to the Hon. General Secretary through the registered office.

Under the Constitution our Objectives are as follows:

To administer the game of rugby union football (“the Game”) in the Counties of Dorset and of Wiltshire on behalf of the Rugby Football Union;

To promote, encourage and extend the Game throughout the Counties including (but not limited to) the coaching thereof, its development in Schools and at all youth levels and the recruitment, administration and training of referees;

To ensure the Game is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game and is administered in accordance with the IRB Regulations and the Rules of the Rugby Football Union;

To arrange and undertake representative and other matches as the Committee may decide.

Dorset & Wilts Rugby Football Union Ltd (D & W RFU) is a Constituent Body (CB) of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and is responsible for the management and administration of the game within the Twin Counties at all levels, including Mini/Midi, Youth and Adult Rugby and all forms of Leisure Rugby.

D & W RFU’s role is to promote and develop the community game within Dorset and Wilts by supporting its Clubs, and encouraging all those who wish to participate including players, coaches, referees and administrators. Its members and committees work in partnership with the RFU staff assigned to support it, the two RFU Rugby Development Officers (RDOs) and four Community Rugby Coaches (CRCs).

D & W RFU administers its County, Merit Tables, KO Cup competitions and Youth Rugby competitions. D & W representative teams take part in the County Championship, the National U20 Championship and participate in County age grade competitions.

D & W RFU Rugby Development Partnership works in partnership with the D & W Schools’ Union and the D & W Clubs’ Mini, Midi and Youth Forums to manage the rugby development of all players (male and female, club and school based) within the CB. It and actively supports coach and referee development and works with the RDOs, CRCs and RFU Training Managers. It seeks to develop and increase the number and quality of formal links between clubs and Schools, and/or Further and Higher Education establishments.

D & W RFU has established a Developing Players Programme (DPP) in partnership with the RFU, Clubs, Schools and the Bath Academy. It delivers a core curriculum of skills through an effective, well trained workforce of coaches and other personnel to the best young players in the Twin Counties.

D & W RFU works in partnership with the RFU staff assigned to support it to help establish Club accreditation, volunteer recruitment, coach education and player development programmes.

D & W RFU works in partnership with the Dorset & Wilts Referees’ Society which recruits, trains and develops Club referees.

D & W RFU appoints Safeguarding Managers to provide leadership in the Safeguarding of young people, support Club Safeguarding Officers and assist Clubs to develop effective Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) processes.

D & W RFU holds disciplinary powers, delegated by the RFU, to act in relation to the infringement of any law of the game by players below National League level, or for any conduct prejudicial to the game or for infringement of most RFU or IRB regulations.

D & W RFU represents the interests of its member Clubs regionally and nationally and provides the RFU with local knowledge of its Clubs. It acts as a two way link between the Clubs and the RFU and supports the use of the Internet to communicate and share information.

D & W RFU holds an annual conference for Club officials and manages and administrates specific RFU projects. These include RFU funded campaigns to help Clubs recruit and retain players and appoint volunteers.

D & W RFU is working closely with the RFU to:

Increase the number of players, particularly those aged 16 and above.

Increase the number of matches being played.

Improve the sustainability of its Clubs.

Increase the number of effective people supporting the playing of the game

REPORTS for the 69th Annual General Meeting of Dorset & Wilts RFU and the 8th Annual General Meeting of Dorset & Wilts RFU Ltd held on Wednesday 6th July 2016 at 7:30 pm at Salisbury RFC Clubhouse are published on our web pages at www.dwrugby.co.uk    

For copies of the Accounts Summary contact the Honorary Treasurer.

Clubs are reminded that annual subscription fees of £30.00 must be paid to the Hon Treasurer by 1st October 2016. Clubs must also submit their accounts to the Hon Treasurer by 31st December 2016 under RFU Rule 21.2.2

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual General Meeting of Dorset & Wilts. RFU Ltd will be held at the Salisbury RFC Clubhouse at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, 26th July, 2017,

1. To note attendance and any apologies

2. To consider and approve (with or without amendments) the minutes of the previous AGM

3. To receive and approve reports from the Hon. General Secretary and on behalf of the D&W Committee about the affairs of the Constituent Body since the previous AGM

4. To receive the Hon Treasurer’s Report and approve a financial statement for the preceding financial year

5. To elect the new President for the next 2 years.

6. To elect the other Officers for the coming year, including:

- any Deputy President; Hon. General Secretary; Hon. Treasurer

7. To elect Members of the Committee for the ensuing year, being:

- 4 representatives from each of the 2 Counties

- Chairman of Governance Sub-committee

- Independent Chairman of Disciplinary Panel/Sub-committee

- Chairman of Club Development Sub-committee

- Chairman of Rugby Development Partnership Sub-committee

8. To admit any new Members and/or elect any new Vice-Presidents

9. To consider a resolution dis-applying the provisions of Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act, 2014, relating to the obligation to appoint Auditors

10. To consider any other motion or business that has been submitted in writing to Hon. County Secretary by 30 April, duly proposed by one Member and seconded by another Member.

11. To hear any other relevant matter for the consideration of the Committee during the ensuing year (details of which must have been submitted in writing to Hon. County Secretary not less than 48 hours before the time for which the AGM has been convened) but on which no voting shall be allowed.

12. Announcement of annual awards; any Cup draws for 2017/18

Dated: 23 June 2016 [Please see the Notes herewith] Nick Dark, Hon. General Secretary

Following incorporation of Dorset & Wilts RFU Ltd as a registered society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, the AGM has to be conducted in accordance with Constitution, which means that

Nominations for the election of Officers and other Committee members (which must have the consent of the nominee) have to be sent in writing so as to reach Hon. County Secretary by 30 April;

Proposals for additions or alterations to the Constitution (which must be proposed by one Member (1) and seconded by another Member) have to be sent in writing to reach Hon. County Secretary by 30 April;

Under the Regulations duly passed since the 2007 AGM, details of any other relevant matter for the consideration of the committee during the ensuing year must be submitted in writing to Hon. County Secretary beforehand and not less than 48 hours before the time for which the AGM has been convened.

The provisions of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 would oblige us to appoint qualified auditors (which would represent an inordinate expense for us) each year; but the Act also allows for this requirement to be dispensed with in the following circumstances:-

Where the assets and turnover of the organisation are below certain levels (2)

Where the Constitution so allows (which ours does) and;

Where the appropriate Resolution is passed at the AGM provided that less than 20% of the votes at the AGM are cast against the resolution and less than 10% of the membership votes against the resolution.