Club Constitution
1 NAME
The name of ‘The Club’ is the Central Scotland Gundog Club.
2 AIMS
The Club’s primary aims are to encourage and promote new members to participate in the sport of working gundogs for field trials and working tests under the Rules and Regulations of The Kennel Club.
3 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
3.1 OFFICERS
Officers of the Club shall consist of a Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. The Officers and the Committee may elect to appoint a Vice–Chairman. The purpose of the Officers is to set the policy of the Club.
3.2 CHAIRMAN
The role of the Chairman is to lead the Committee in delivering the aims of the Club. The Chairman has the right to cast a deciding vote in the event of a tie when a vote is taken at any meeting of the Club.
3.3 COMMITTEE
The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers and a Committee of at least four members and no more than fifteen. This is known collectively as ‘the Committee’. The role of the Committee is to support the Chairman in delivering the aims
of the Club and to perform the governance tasks necessary for the good running of the Club. All members of the Committee have
full voting rights at Committee and General Meetings.
3.3.1 Committee Members
Committee Members including Officers shall each be elected for a three year period at an Annual General Meeting. One third of the Committee membership will retire each year. Retiring members will be eligible for immediate re-election which shall be by show of hands or secret ballot. Elections shall be carried by majority of those present and voting at the Meeting. The Committee has the
authority to co-opt interim Committee members during the year, for the remainder of that year.
Those co-opted will then will then be subject to the routine nomination procedure.
3.3.2 Elected Committee Member
Any member, other than an existing Committee member, wishing to be considered for election to the Committee at an Annual General Meeting must be proposed and seconded by another member and this proposal notified to the Honorary Secretary at least 21 Days before the Annual General Meeting. Committee members should not be serving Officers of other gundog clubs.
3.3.3 Committee Member Requirement
No individual who has been a member for less than one year may be elected on to the Committee. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.
3.3.4 Committee Meetings
Meetings of the Committee will be held at least 4 times each year, or more often as required. Minutes of the Committee meeting will be circulated to serving officers and committee members. A quorum is formed of 5 members, one of whom is an Officer. If a vote taken at a Committee meeting results in a tied position, then the Chairman (or elected Chair for the meeting) shall have the casting vote.
4 MEMBERSHIP
An up to date list of members’ names and their addresses must be maintained and if so requested, the list of names made available for inspection by the Kennel Club or members of the club. A declaration of the number of members must be made with Annual Returns.
4.1 Member Limit
‘The Club’ shall consist of an unlimited number of Members.
4.2 Member Types
There are two types of membership single and junior, up to the age of 17 inclusive.
4.3 Member Election
All applications for membership to ‘The Club’ shall be proposed by one fully paid-up Member and seconded by another (not husband and wife) and shall be elected or balloted for by the committee at its first meeting following receipt of the application–a majority vote deciding. The decision of theCommittee not to admit any candidate shall be final and it shall not be bound to give any reason for its decision.
4.4 Privileges
Upon payment of the Joining Fee and Annual Subscription, the new member shall be supplied with a copy of these Rules. Payment of the subscription will entitle the member to enjoy every benefit and privilege of ‘The Club’ and such payment shall be their distinct acknowledgment of and their acquiescence to the rules of ‘The Club’.
4.5 Voting Rights
Each member shall be entitled to one vote immediately on acceptance of membership. Voting shall be by secret ballot or show of hands as decided by majority at the meeting. Postal votes and proxy votes are not allowed. Junior members are not afforded voting rights.
4.6 Exclusion of Voting Rights
No Member shall be entitled to be present or take part in any proceedings or vote at any General Meeting whether on a show of hands or by ballot, or to nominate or be nominated as a candidate for election to the Committee, or if nominated to be elected, or if elected to take office as a Member of the Committee if and while they are:
i. due to ‘The Club’ any subscription
ii. due to ‘The Club’ any other debt which has remained due for a period of more than three months after the same became due and payable
4.7 Competing Under Partners/Spouses at Trials
As a reminder to Members Under Regulation J12a.(6), states a dog may be disqualified if it has ‘been handled at a trial, boarded or prepared for competition by one of the scheduled judges within the previous 12 months prior to the trial’, (this provision does not apply to judges appointed in an emergency).
It is not acceptable to run under a partner, spouse or cohabitant at a trial, as there may be perception that this person has played a role in preparing the dog for competition
4.8 Unpaid Subscriptions
If a Member’s subscription is not fully paid by 30th April after it becomes due on 1st April, they there upon cease to be a Member; however, upon payment of a joining fee and subscription for the following year, they may be re-admitted to membership at the discretion of the Committee.
4.9 Conflict of Interest
No Member shall vote with regard to any matter in which they have a financial interest and shall be under obligation to declare any such interest which they may have.
5 JOINING FEE AND SUBSCRIPTION
The Joining Fee and Annual Subscription shall be such amount as agreed by Members at the Annual General Meeting. All subscriptions shall be payable in advance on 1st April in each year.
6 FINANCE
6.1 Bank Account
A bank account will be opened in the name of the Club into which all revenues of the Club shall be paid. Withdrawal will be by cheque or online/direct banking drawn on this account on the signature of two nominated officers. The Committee will undertake regular reviews of Club Account management methods. The Treasurer is responsible for the financial governance of the Club and will maintain accurate and timely records of monies received and paid by the Club. These shall be reported by regular Income and Expenditure reports to the Committee and annually to the AGM.
6.2 Auditor
An appropriate experienced auditor, independent of the committee, will be appointed to certify the annual statement of account, before the Annual General Meeting or no later than the first committee meeting after the AGM, and review of this will form part of the AGM. The statement of Club Accounts will be available to view at the Annual General Meeting. Members may also apply to the Treasurer for a copy by post. The certified accounts will be made available on request to members fourteen days prior to the AGM.
6.3 Financial Year
The financial year of the Club is from April 1st to March 31st.
7 EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
7.1 Discreditable Conduct
If ‘The Club’ expels any Member for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, dog shows or trials, ‘The Club’ must report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.
7.2 Suspension
Any Member who shall be disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A11.j(5) and/or Kennel Club Rule A11.j(9) shall ipso facto cease to be a Member of ‘The Club’. If the conduct of any Member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of ‘The Club’ be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interest of ‘The Club’, the Committee of the Society may, at a meeting the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the Member, determine that a Special General Meeting of ‘The Club’ shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him. Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused Member, giving particular of the complaint and advising the place, date and hour of the Meeting that he may attend and offer an explanation. If at the Meeting a resolution to expel him is passed by a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting, their name shall forthwith be erased from the list of Members and he shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a Member of ‘The Club’ except that he may, within two calendar months from the date of such Meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such condition as the Kennel Club may impose.
8 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING (SGM)
8.1 Annual General Meeting
The AGM shall be held as close to the end of the financial year as practically possible, giving regard to the notice periods required.
At least 28 days’ notice of an AGM shall be given to members in writing or via email. The agenda for the AGM shall be available to all members at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for AGMs will be the lesser of one quarter of the membership, or 7 members.
8.2 AGM Order of Business
The AGM will be chaired by the Chairman and will be:
i. to receive the Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting
ii. to receive and consider ‘The Clubs’ audited Accounts for the preceding financial year
iii. to Consider the report of the Committee and approve the annual statement of accounts
iv. to elect the Officers and Committee for the following year.
v. to review the annual subscription and joining fee
vi. to consider arrangements for events during the ensuing year
vii. to consider amendments to the Constitution and Rules if appropriate
viii. to consider any resolutions or items placed on the agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Honorary Secretary at least 21 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
8.3 Special General Meeting
An SGM shall be called by the Secretary if a minimum of 30 members (or one quarter of the membership) send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed or if the Committee request it. No business other than the matter on the agenda can be discussed at the SGM. At least 28 days’ notice for a SGM shall be given to members in writing. The quorum for SGMs will be the
lesser of one quarter of the membership, or 10 members.
9 CONSTITUTION AND RULES
The rules of the Club may not be altered except at a General Meeting or SGM, the notice for which contains specific proposals to amend the rules. Any proposed alteration to the rules may not be brought into effect until the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alteration. New rules and amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately.
10 ANNUAL RETURNS TO THE KENNEL CLUB
The officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, the Maintenance of Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by the Secretary for continuance of Registration and that by 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Titles of Society and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club. The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes to Secretary of the Society which may occur during the course of the year.
11 CLUB PROPERTY
The property of ‘The Club’ shall be vested in the Committee. Trophies awarded to The Club’ shall be deemed the sole property of The Club’ and shall not be accepted under any other conditions.
12 WINDING UP OR DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
12.1 Resolution
The Club’ may be dissolved or wound up provided that a resolution to that effect has been passed by a majority of two-thirds of the Members present at an Annual General Meeting of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution has been duly given.
12.2 Disposal of Assets
If upon winding up or on dissolution of The Club’ there remains after the satisfaction of its debts and liabilities any assets other than trophies awarded to The Club’, a general meeting shall be called to dispose of such assets.
12.3 Donated
Assets With respect to the trophies, the donors shall, wherever possible, be consulted and such trophies disposed of in accordance with their wishes.
12.4 Final Statement of Accounts
If The Club’ is wound up or ceases to be a Registered Society under Kennel Club Regulations, a final statement of certified accounts with a record of disposal of the property of ‘The Club’ shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club within six months and the persons named as Officers and Committee of ‘The Club’ on the last Return furnished to the Kennel Club will be held responsible by the Kennel Club to the proper winding up of The Club’.
13 KENNEL CLUB
13.1 Final Authority
The Kennel Club shall be the final authority for interpreting the Constitution and Rules of ‘The Club’ in all cases relative to canine or Club matters.
14 FEDERATION
The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs
15 INDEMNITY
The members of the Committee, the Officers of ‘The Club’ and the auditors shall be indemnified out of the funds of ‘The Club’ against all losses, costs and charges which they may respectively incur or be put to on account of any contract, deed, act or thing done, entered into executed or permitted by them respectively on behalf of ‘The Club’ and each of them shall be chargeable only for so much money as he may actually receive and they shall not be answerable for the acts, receipts, neglects or faults of each other, but each of them for their own acts, receipts, neglects or faults only. Neither they nor their heirs, executors or administrators shall be liable for any loss or expenses happening to ‘The Club’ through their insufficiency or deficiency of title to any property acquired for or on behalf of ‘The Club’ or of the insufficiency or deficiency of any obligation or security in or upon which any of the funds of ‘The Club’ shall be invested or for any loss or damage arising from the bankruptcy, insolvency or wrongful act or any with whom any monies, securities or effects shall be deposited or for any loss, damage or misfortune whatsoever which shall happen in the execution of the duties of their office or in relation thereto unless the same shall happen through their own fraud, wilful neglect, default, breach of duty or breach of trust.
