CONSTITUTION OF THE TRAINING GRADES GROUP OF THE BRITISH ORTHODONTIC SOCIETY
Updated at AGM September 2019
PRELIMINARY
1. The name of the group shall be “The Training Grades Group of the British Orthodontic Society”. The Group is a constituent group of the British Orthodontic Society and the Group Constitution will not over-rule that of the British Orthodontic Society.
OBJECT
2. The object of the Group is to advance the science and practice of orthodontics for public benefit by representing the views and furthering the education of Orthodontic Trainees (STs and Post-CCSTs or equivalent) in the United Kingdom. All correspondence will be conducted under the Group’s full title as a constituent group of the British Orthodontic Society. All correspondence with outside bodies will be copied to the Chairman and Secretary of the British Orthodontic Society. All matters concerning negotiations with national bodies will be referred to the Board of Trustees of the British Orthodontic Society.
MEMBERSHIP
3. Ordinary members shall have voting rights on issues relating to the TGG and BOS. Ordinary members shall be:
3.1 Trainees holding an appointment in an orthodontic training grade post with a National Training Number approved by the SAC for Orthodontics (or equivalent body)
3.2 Self-funded overseas trainees holding a training appointment leading to a research degree (M.Sc. ,
M. Phil. , M. Clin. Dent. or equivalent)
3.3 Those sitting the M.Orth. examination within schemes approved by the SAC for Orthodontics (or equivalent body)
4. Associate TGG members shall be:
4.1 Undergraduate students, Foundation Dentists and Dental Core Trainees who have not yet taken up an orthodontic training grade post as described in section 3. They shall reapply for continued associate membership annually up to a maximum of 5 years or until they are appointed into an orthodontic training post with a National Training Number approved by the SAC in Orthodontics when they will become ordinary members of the group.
4.2. Orthodontic trainees on accredited programs within the Republic of Ireland.
5. Associate TGG members shall not have voting rights in matters of the TGG.
COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS
6. The affairs of the Group, in all matters not in this constitution reserved for the Group in General Meetings, shall be managed by the Committee of the Group.
7. The Committee shall consist of not less than nine and not more than fifteen ordinary members of the group. These shall include the Officers of the Group (Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer) and the other elected members who represent the Group on BOS Committees and external committees such as Royal College Committees and the Specialist Advisory Committee in Orthodontics (SAC).
8. With the exception of the immediate past chairperson, committee members must be a trainee as outlined in section 3 for the greater part of the duration of their post. This must equate to >50% of the duration of the post. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS
9. Election of the Officers of the Group and the Committee Members shall be by means of an on-line or ballot, following the Annual General Meeting where they will be invited to address the members. Any Ordinary Member is eligible for nomination for an available post, but certain positions (due to the nature of the work involved) may be more suited for trainees in particular year groups. Nominations for these elections, proposed and seconded by Ordinary Members of the Group must be received in writing by the Secretary at least two calendar weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting. Voting will follow the Annual General Meeting with the circulation of ballot papers and shall have a deadline for the receipt of votes two calendar weeks following the Annual General Meeting.
10. The Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer shall be the Officers of the Group and their term of office shall be one year. They will take up their office on the first day of January following the Annual General Meeting.
11. Committee members will be invited to serve for a period of two years, taking up their posts on the first day of January following the Annual General Meeting. However, certain committee members (eg: TGG Clinical Governance Rep) may be invited to serve for 3 years.
12. Following being a committee or officer of the group, they are eligible for election in an alternative role in the group.
13. Serving Committee members who complete their training posts may remain on the Committee with full voting and Constitutional rights for their full term of office as ordinary members, but may wish to resign their position in time to allow a successor to be elected at the next Annual General Meeting.
DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
14. The Chairperson of the Group shall also be the Chairperson of the Committee and shall preside at the meetings of the Group and shall decide on questions of order according to the rules or in cases of doubt at his / her discretion. The Chairperson shall take Office on the first day of the January following the Annual General Meeting, having first spent the time between the Annual General Meeting and the first day of January as Chairman Elect, shadowing the outgoing Chairman. The Immediate Past Chairman will then continue on the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting in an advisory role and may be co-opted to represent the Group.
15. The Committee will appoint a member of the Group (usually the Chairman) to be a Trustee of the British Orthodontic Society.
16. The Committee will appoint two members of the Group (always the Trustee and usually the Secretary) to be members of the Representative Body of the British Orthodontic Society.
17. The Secretary shall perform the secretarial duties required by the Group and shall report to the Group at the Annual General Meeting on the work of the Committee.
18. The Treasurer shall receive, give receipt for and be accountable for all moneys belonging to the Group. They shall give a written report of the financial position of the Group at the Annual General Meeting.
19. All Committee members shall represent the Group at the meetings required of their posts and submit a report to the Group at the Annual General Meeting on the work of their designated Committee. If this is not possible they must arrange for another Committee member to deputise on their behalf and inform both the Secretary and Chairman of such changes.
20. The Committee shall meet at its own discretion to conduct the business of the Group according to the Constitution. Three members shall constitute a quorum. Any member of the Committee may stand in and officiate in place of the Chairperson at the Chairperson’s request, or in case of their absence, disability or resignation. In the absence of the Chairperson the Committee shall appoint a Chair for the meeting.
MEETINGS
21. There shall be at least one ordinary meeting of the Group annually, in addition to the Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall decide the date of the Group meetings. If a Committee member misses two meeting in a year without reasonable explanation, they could be asked to step down, at the discretion of the Chairperson.
22. The Annual General Meeting of the group shall be held every year, usually at the BOS conference. A period of no more than fifteen months shall pass between Annual General Meetings.
23. A special meeting of the Group may be called by the Committee, or at the written request to the Secretary of not less than ten members.
SUBSCRIPTION, FINANCES AND ACCOUNTS
24. The subscription for a Group member is included in the annual subscription fee paid to the British Orthodontic Society.
25. The Group accounts will be held by the BOS. The TGG Treasurer shall be responsible for the overseeing of the financial transactions of the group and be able to present at every Annual General Meeting of the Group, or at any other time required (given reasonable notice) by the Committee, an accurate report and statement concerning the finances of the Group for the current year. The Group will be able to generate income on an annual basis. Any sum accumulated at the end of the financial year in excess of the Group’s financial requirements in the forthcoming year will be transferred to the Society’s funds, except with the explicit agreement of the BOS Treasurer and the Finance Committee.
NOTICES
26. Each member shall keep the Secretary informed of that member’s e-mail address, private address or of some other address at which communications may be sent. Notices intended for members generally shall be sent by the Secretary to all members, and if convening any Meeting for the purposes of section 21, 22 or 28 not less than fourteen days before the date appointed for such a Meeting, but any accidental omission to send such notices or the non-receipt of the same shall not invalidate any proceedings or resolution. Notices shall be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) unless a member specifically requests otherwise.
ALTERATIONS OF RULES
27. No alterations to this constitution may be made except at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for the purpose. No amendments shall be made without the prior written permission of the Charity Commission to clauses 2 and 22, and this clause. No alterations shall be made which could cause the Group to cease to be a Charity in law. Alterations to the constitution shall receive the assent of two thirds of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting.
DISSOLUTION
28. The Group may be dissolved by a resolution presented in a Special General Meeting called for this purpose. The resolution must have the assent of two thirds of those present and voting. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets remaining after satisfying any outstanding debts and liabilities. These assets shall not be distributed amongst the members of the Group but will be given or transferred to other institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Group as the Committee may determine.
29. A copy of the notice convening any General Meeting under this rule shall be sent to all members.