AGM Voting

[Pennielea]

It has been a long evening but one final point.
If you are voting at the AGM or by Proxy and disagree with any of the individual proposed amendments under Special Resolution 5 "To amend the Articles" you must vote against the whole Resolution. The same applies to Ordinary Resolution 6 "To amend the Bye Laws and Rules".

We learned the lesson in an Extraordinary General Meeting in 2008 when we lost the entire Draft Constitution due to one single item.

In the way these Resolutions have been presented that remains the case as they cannot be sub-divided.

Ian

[solburydexters]

I would have to endorse Duncan's comments made at 11:38hrs last night in regard to the research carried out by Ian. Thank you Ian.

Have had little time to consider the points raised it would seem to me that the whole presentation of this year's AGM is called into question with the present Agenda including Special Resolution 5 and Ordinary Resolution 6. Ian makes the point that the notification time for the Special Resolution was insuffiecient.
Due to this it would seem to me that there only two options:-
1. The AGM either has to be postponed to rectify this and recalled for a later date. This will be at considerable extra expense to both the Society and more importantly to members who will have to travel twice for the AGM. Together with this has to be our thoughts for the Midland Group who have worked hard to set up the AGM this year.
2.The other option as far as I can see is that the two particular resolutions are withdrawn at the AGM in order to allow the meeting to continue. As far as I can see this this should not compromise any 'Proxy Votes' that have been submitted but would allow the the AGM to continue.

As I put in my topic recently 'Is This A Smoke Screen' hopefully the smoke is beginning to clear.
I also have to endorse the comments of Duncan we must not be silenced at the AGM in raising issues the Council must embrace the members. The horse which is the Council has got the 'bit between its teeth' and over the last two years no amount of pulling at the reins would check it. It may be stumbling.

[Louisa Gidney]

Interesting letter has arrived via email from DCS on this topic. Bars would appear to have been rattled. Not sure the DCS letter quite fits with a free democratic process of discussion and debate. It reads a bit top down to me.

[Rob R]

Interesting letter has arrived via email from DCS on this topic. Bars would appear to have been rattled. Not sure the DCS letter quite fits with a free democratic process of discussion and debate. It reads a bit top down to me.

I got the same impression. I also felt like we shouldn't be discussing these things in public & should instead be doing it in private over the phone. I understand that non-members of the society can access this board and facebook, but the lack of provision by the society means that we don't have much choice, unless we are to stay firmly in the 20th century.

[Jac]

We should be requesting that the Minutes are re-instated.

[Saffy]

I think it is probably far less important if someone who is not a member of The DCS happens to see what is being discussed than it is if someone who is a member of The DCS cannot see what is being discussed, and has no idea what the society that they belong to is actually doing or what choices they have .

After all what interest is it to a non member anyway?

[Rob R]

I think it is probably far less important if someone who is not a member of The DCS happens to see what is being discussed than it is if someone who is a member of The DCS cannot see what is being discussed, and has no idea what the society that they belong to is actually doing or what choices they have .

After all what interest is it to a non member anyway?

Good point.

It's probably not of interest to the majority of the membership, either, as long as the society keeps functioning. The important thing to remember is that members are also customers spending considerable amounts of money to be members and register/transfer animals.

[Pennielea]

Sorry folks posted reply on wrong thread. See 'Smoke Screen'' one.
Ian

[ann]

It's probably not of interest to the majority of the membership, either, as long as the society keeps functioning. The important thing to remember is that members are also customers spending considerable amounts of money to be members and register/transfer animals.

I doubt the average person has probable given up by now as its mainly the concerned who attend these AGM's and each one has their own particular agenda, the average member just wants a fair soc who registers our animals keeps an eye on what the EU is up to and helps us keep in touch and market our animals. They certainly are not interested in the internal politics of the society, in fact I think most newbies who attend the AGM's never come again!!! Things rarely change however the people who do try to run the Soc are the blood hounds who just hang in there regardless of what is thrown at them, the rest throw their dummies out and leave in disgust. (putting my flame jacket on as you can't change things if you don't get involved) For once i will not make the AGM but have used my proxy vote and await the results with interest.

[Rob R]

I'm not sure what you mean by things being thrown at members of council - it's a political position that should be used to represent the views of members (customers) of the society and encourage more people to be a part of it.

I've largely been one of those members who doesn't have the time nor other resources to dedicate to politics and as long as the wheels keep turning, everything is OK. I got the impression from early on that the Dexter wasn't to be viewed as a commercial animal and that the society didn't offer much to the pedigree commercial breeder beyond maintenance of the herdbook, so I've just kept myself to myself.

In the meantime the internet age has come into it's own and the society has improved in many respects, with costs going up to cover it, but with communication getting so much cheaper I can't fathom why the lines of communication have not improved. As this costs virtually nothing and it would be so beneficial to members who can't travel so freely to shows and meetings, the benefits could be huge. However, the reverse seems to be happening at the moment.

[SteveM]

off topic but recall when i first started work having to wait for the day the lady who could use the telex was working to comminicate with anyone abroad, and waiting till next day for the reply.

then the fax came along and filing the printouts that would fade over time.

had a conference video call with our china factory yesteday as if they where in the next room,

[Jac]

I'm not sure what you mean by things being thrown at members of council - it's a political position that should be used to represent the views of members (customers) of the society and encourage more people to be a part of it.

I've largely been one of those members who doesn't have the time nor other resources to dedicate to politics and as long as the wheels keep turning, everything is OK. I got the impression from early on that the Dexter wasn't to be viewed as a commercial animal and that the society didn't offer much to the pedigree commercial breeder beyond maintenance of the herdbook, so I've just kept myself to myself.

In the meantime the internet age has come into it's own and the society has improved in many respects, with costs going up to cover it, but with communication getting so much cheaper I can't fathom why the lines of communication have not improved. As this costs virtually nothing and it would be so beneficial to members who can't travel so freely to shows and meetings, the benefits could be huge. However, the reverse seems to be happening at the moment.

The membership is the not the 'customer'. One votes or does not, as the case may be to elect volunteers who will run the bureaucracy it has become.

I have just returned from the AGM and after a 4.30 am start I am quite exhausted both physically and emotionally. No doubt someone will be along with the results of the voting shortly. At one point, I was moved to tears by the heart-wrenching account of a life long member's experiences. Yes, I had heard the rumours but was quite unprepared to see the effects - I hardly recognised the person in question and I cannot believe that whatever they had done (or not as the case may be) warranted the alleged treatment. So desperate was this individual to tell the membership of their suffering it was just awful to witness.

as long as the wheels keep turning, everything is OK.

Is it?

I know that many view the Society as just a means to register their animals but I would urge all members of the Society (new and old) to attend the AGMs as a matter of course no matter how inconvenient or irrelevant they may feel it is.

[Rob R]

As far as the membership not being the customer - could you qualify that statement?

We buy the votes in the first place and fund the activities by virtue of purchasing a number of pieces of green cardboard.

[Jac]

As far as the membership not being the customer - could you qualify that statement?

We buy the votes in the first place and fund the activities by virtue of purchasing a number of pieces of green cardboard.

Yes Rob, I will. The purpose of the Charity is to fulfill its 'Objectives' it is not to serve the membership they are not 'customers' they are the ones who foot the bill and naturally are overjoyed/disgruntled when things are done or not as the case may be with the money the Society receives. One may toss a couple quid when some charity or other rattles the tin - you have no control over what they do with it - same with the Society. Your vote has no bearing on the matter when 75% of the membership didn't bother to vote. Those abstaining for whatever reason are viewed as supporting things to stay as they are. If you want a more commercial Dexter then you have to change the aims and objectives. To do this you need support and open lines of communication and you need to follow procedure.

[Rob R]

I don't think I have any control over what a commercial company does with my couple of quid either and folks are as free to choose not to register their stock or choose a different breed as they are to try a different supermarket. The Dexter has to compete with all the other breeds of cattle and other livestock.

I didn't say I wanted a more commercial animal to be provided by the society but many breeds have died out because they stopped being viable and not having a commercial value makes a breed a mere curiosity. The strapline still says about the big future of the small cow, which is surely more than a curiosity?