CONSTITUTION OF THE CLUB

The Club shall consist of a President, Vice president, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer, a Committee of 12, Patrons, and an unlimited number of members.

The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers of the Club and a Committee of 12 members of whom 4 shall retire annually on a 3 year rotation. Members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election every 3 years. Office bearers shall retire annually and be eligible for re-election. Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as is deemed necessary but at least every 12 months and 8 shall form a quorum. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members on to the Committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between General meetings. These co-opted shall only hold office until the next General Meeting of the Club at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place. No individual who has been a Member of the Club for less than 12 months may be elected on to the Committee.

Nominations for Office bearers must be received in writing by the Hon Secretary at least 28 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting. In each case the name of the proposer and seconder must be included and the nominee's permission obtained.

The Patrons of the Club shall have no voting rights. The Chairman, in addition to his normal vote which he may exercise if he wishes, shall have a casting vote on any issue on which the Committee is equally divided.

Candidates for Membership of the Club shall apply for Membership on the Club's application form signed by a proposer and seconder who shall be fully paid-up members of the Club. The application will be accepted on receipt of the appropriate subscription and shall be notified at the first subsequent Committee Meeting.

If it is decided by the Committee that the applicant cannot be accepted as a Member, the Secretary shall return the subscription with a covering letter, stating that the application has been rejected.

The Society must make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection if so requested by the members of the Society or by the Kennel Club.

Each member shall be entitled to 1 vote after 6 months membership. Postal votes and proxy votes are not allowed. Voting is decided by the majority of at the meeting.

Joint membership will be accepted and each member of the partnership will have 1 vote.

Junior membership is limited to children under 16 years of age but shall not be entitled to any voting rights.

The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee and Officers. In the event of the Club being wound up or dissolved from any cause whatever, all Cups and Trophies and other property of the Club shall be disposed of to such Societies, Associations of Clubs having as their objects the exhibition, improvement and welfare of British Canine Stock, providing they are bodies recognised by the Kennel Club, as the Club in General Meetings duly convened to resolve, subject to such trophies and cups that have not been presented to the Club outright being returned to the donors.

A Banking Account shall be held on the name of the Club into which all revenues of the Club shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signatures of the Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer and Chairman. (any two sign).

A Qualified Auditor will be appointed at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.

The annual subscriptions shall be such amount as agreed by the Members at the Annual General meeting and notified to the Kennel Club. No member whose subscription remains unpaid shall be entitled to any of the privileges of membership and the Committee shall have the power to strike that member's name from the list of members. Any member who shall be suspended by the Kennel Club shall ipso facto cease to be a member of this 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 interests of the club, the Committee of the Club 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/her. Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused member giving particulars of the complaint and advising him/her of the place, date and hour of the meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation. If at that meeting a resolution to expel is passed by a two thirds majority of the members present and voting, his/her name shall forthwith be erased from the list of members and he/she shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a member of the Club except that he/she may within 2 calendar months from the date of such a meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon the subject to such conditions as the Kennel Club may impose.

The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st January to 31st December. The AGM shall be held before 31st March each year when the Hon Treasurer shall present an audited Balance Sheet for acceptance by the members. Nature of business also to include a report by the Chairman, and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the Agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Hon Secretary. No business shall be transacted at an Annual General Meeting, unless notice thereof appears on the Agenda, with the exception of routine matters, or those which, in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting, are urgent.

Notification of the annual General meeting will be given by a notice in "Our Dogs" and "Dog World" 6 weeks prior to the date of the AGM. Items for inclusion on the Agenda are required by the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the AGM. The Agenda will be circulated at the Meeting.

A Special General Meeting must be called at any time upon a written request of 25 of more members to the Hon Secretary, not earlier that 14 days and within 21 days of receipt of such request. Members will be notified of such meeting in both dog papers ("Our Dogs" and "Dog World"). 14 days notice will be given.

Amendments and additions to the rules shall be at the Annual General Meeting. Any proposed amendments or addition to these rules shall be submitted to the Committee at least 3 weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting. Any alteration of these rules shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and has given its approval of such alterations.

The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies of Clubs.

In the Case of any dispute arising out of the affairs of the Club, the decision of the Committee shall be final except that the Kennel club shall be the final court of appeal.