A Printable Version of The Club Constitution and Rules is Available Here
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
- Name and Objectives. The Club shall be called “The
Midlands and Northern Rhodesian Ridgeback Club” (and hereto referred to as
the “Society”) and its objectives shall be to help novice exhibitors and
those who show an interest in the breed. To appoint a panel of
Judges and guarantee classes at shows, as considered desirable by the
Committee. Further to these objectives the Society is for the benefit of
its members and will not be classed as a trading business, so that all
investment income and profits from any source, from functions and from
activities of the Society shall be maintained for the benefit of and further
education of its members in the management, training, showing and breeding
and in every aspect pertaining to Canines. The Society will abide by the
Kennel Club rules and specifically rule C3.a
- The Committee shall consist of the following
elected Officers: Chair, Secretary,
Treasurer, and up to twelve members. The Committee should not
consist of more than 15 members in total.
All Committee posts will be elected on a three yearly basis and the current
holder of the post will be eligible to stand for re-election. This will be
done at the Annual General Meeting of the Society (AGM), by balloting the
members present by a secret ballot.
Hon Life Presidents will be entitled to attend and vote at committee
meetings.
Nominations for election to the Committee must reach the Secretary at least
21 clear days before the AGM and they should be signed by the proposed person
to signify willingness to serve if elected, together with the signatures of
the Proposer and Seconder who should be members of at least three years
standing. Only in the event of there being insufficient nominees to fill the
vacancies may propositions be taken from the floor of the meeting. Postal
votes or proxy votes will not be accepted..
- Management. The Management of the Society shall be in
the hands of a Committee. The elected Committee members must be fully paid
up members of the Society by the date of the AGM, for at least three
consecutive years before becoming eligible for election. All Committee
vacancies will be filled at the Annual General Meeting excepting that the
Committee shall have power to fill any vacancies by co-opting up to 3 Members to
serve for the unexpired part of the year. In the event of an elected
member of the committee being absent from three consecutive meetings without
apology the committee shall have the power to declare the seat vacant. To
avoid any conflict of interest, serving committee members of this Society’s
Committee may not serve on any other Rhodesian Ridgeback Club Committee, nor
may they stand for election for another RR Club Committee within a period of
12 clear months. Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as is
deemed necessary, but at least every three months and five Members shall
form a quorum for the transaction of business.
- Presidents and Vice Presidents. The Presidency and
Vice-Presidencies shall be conferred as Honours on persons who in the
opinion of the Committee have rendered outstanding service to the Society.
Vice-Presidents will not normally attend Committee Meetings and will not
have voting powers unless they are elected Members thereof.
- Membership. Candidates for Membership of the Society
shall be proposed by one Member, seconded by another and elected by the
Committee at one of their meetings. Two negatives shall exclude.
Membership elections shall be by ballot if so requested by any Committee
Member. Each member shall be entitled to one vote after one full years
membership from 1 Jan to 31 December. Joint membership one vote each member
of the partnership. Upon application to the Society the applicant shall be
notified accordingly by the Membership Secretary in writing and will be supplied with a
copy of the Constitution and Rules and Code of Ethics. New members names to be published in
following Newsletter. The minimum age for membership shall be 18
years. “An up to date list of
members and their addresses, and those of branch members where appropriate,
must be maintained and, if so requested, made available for inspection by
the Kennel Club and members of the society. A declaration of the numbers of
members of the Society must be made with Annual returns.” (KC rule C3.a).
The records of member’s details will be kept in one safe location. These
records will only be available to those who have a justified Society reason
for their use. No one else will have access to the records (in accordance
with the Data Protection Act).
- Society Property. The Property of the Society shall be
vested in the Committee. In the event of the Society ceasing to exist, a
Special General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the
Society’s assets and the outcome of the meeting be notified to the Kennel
Club. Trophies presented become the property of the Society for maintenance
and safekeeping. Only fully paid up Members of a minimum of six months will
be presented a trophy to keep for the year. Any person who receives a
Society Trophy shall be responsible for its safety and will return it when
requested, clean and in the same condition as when presented. Some of the
trophies have significant value, if a trophy is lost or damaged the Society
has the right to claim a replacement charge from the Member who had the loss
or damage. Any Member of this Society who is proved to be in breach of the
Society’s Code of Ethics shall not be eligible to receive Society trophies,
including “ The Cecily Hick Memorial Trophy” aka, “The Owlsmoor Trophy”
jointly presented by the “Midlands and Northern Rhodesian Ridgeback Club “
and “The Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of Great Britain”
- Club Accounts. A Banking Account shall be held in the
name of the “Midlands and Northern Rhodesian Ridgeback Club” at such bank as
the Committee may by resolution from time to time direct and into which all
revenue of the Society shall be paid. Withdrawals shall only be made on the
signature of two officers. The
accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer, certified annually and presented to
the members at the AGM. Certification of accounts will be carried out by one
qualified accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy
experience
- Subscriptions. The Annual Subscription for Membership
shall be determined by the membership at the AGM and payable to the
Treasurer on 1 January each year. No Member will be entitled to vote
at the AGM if their subscription is not paid by 1 February (Postmark).
No Member whose subscription is unpaid shall be entitled to
any of the privileges of Membership and if any Member fails
to pay the Annual Subscription by 1 February the Committee shall have
the power to erase his\her name from the list of Members. If the
Committee shall subsequently receive a
satisfactory explanation, the Member may, at the discretion of the Committee
and on payment of arrears, be re-admitted to Membership.
- Expulsion of Members. Any Member who shall be suspended
under The Kennel Club Rule A42.j (5) and/or any member whose dog(s) is/are
disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42.j (9) shall ipso facto cease to be a
Member of the Society. If the conduct of any Member shall, in the opinion of
the Committee of the Society be injurious or likely to be injurious, to the
character or interests of the Society, 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 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 the place, date and hour of the
Meeting that he\she may attend and offer an explanation. If at the 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 Society except that he\she may within two calendar months from the date
of such meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such
conditions as the Kennel Club may impose. If the Society expels any member
for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, Dog Shows, Trials or
Competitions, the Society must report the matter in writing to the Kennel
Club within seven days and supply any particulars required. (KC Rule C3.a)
- Financial Year. The Financial Year of the Society shall
be from 1 January to 31 December.
- The Annual General Meeting. Shall be held on the last
Sunday in February to conduct the following business.
- To receive the report of the Committee and Balance Sheet, to elect
Committee members and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the Agenda of
which prior notice has been given to the Secretary. No business shall be
transacted at an AGM unless notice thereof appears on the Agenda, with
exception of routine matters or those, which in the opinion of the Chair of
the Meeting are urgent.
- Members will receive notice of such meetings in writing.
- Members shall receive 42 days notice in writing of the AGM. No member
save with the consent of the Chairman of the meeting may bring any matter
before the meeting unless he has given notice of motion in writing to the
Secretary in respect of such matter not less than 35 days prior to the
meeting. The agenda of business shall be dispatched to members 14 days
prior to the meeting, although points for discussion may be received up to
48 hours prior to the meeting.
Quorum at General Meetings, the meeting may proceed to business if 25
members are present within half an hour after the time fixed for the
meeting. If there be no quorum present within one hour of the appointed
time the meeting shall be cancelled and reconvened at a time and place to be
notified within the next 28 days. Voting at General Meetings. Each member
present shall be entitled to one vote on each motion, except the Chair of
the meeting who shall have a casting vote only. Only fully paid up members
of the Society can attend the AGM or Special General Meeting unless by
invitation of the Committee through the Chair.
- Special General Meeting. Shall be summoned by the
Secretary if ten members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be
discussed and requesting a Special Meeting to do so. No business other than
that detailed on the Agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting.
The Committee is empowered to call a Special General Meeting at its’
direction. Members shall receive twenty-one days notice of such a meeting
in writing including the reason for the meeting.
- Amendments to rules. The Rules of the Society shall not
be altered except at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting,
notice of which includes details of the proposal to alter the Rules. Such
alterations shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been
advised and has given its approval of the alterations. New Rules or
amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be
adopted immediately and be included in the Society’s Constitution with
effect from the Society’s annual meeting.
- Annual Returns to the Kennel Club. The Officers
acknowledge that during the month of January each year Maintenance of Title
fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by Direct Debit for the
continuance of registration and that by 31 July each year, other returns, as
stipulated in Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance
of Title of Societies and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural
Societies and Municipal Authorities, will be forwarded to the Kennel Club.
The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any
change of Secretary of the Society which may occur during the course of the
year. (KC rule C 3.a)
- Kennel Club. The Kennel Club is
the final authority for interpreting the Rules and Regulations of the
Society in all cases relative to Canine or Society matters
- The Midlands and Northern Rhodesian Ridgeback Club
shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs. (KC rule C 3.a)
- No person whilst an un-discharged bankrupt may serve on
the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel
Club Registered Society. (KC rule C 3.a)
- A list of Judges shall be produced each year and
submitted to the Kennel Club as part of the Annual Returns. the purpose of
which is to indicate to interested parties those persons the Society would
support at differing levels of judging. Membership of the Society is not a
prerequisite for inclusion in the lists. The Judges List is divided into
parts namely, A1, A2, A3, B & C and indicates the expiry date. The Criteria
will be in accordance with Kennel Club rules and directives. (KC rule 4.a)
The list shall be prepared by secret ballot of the Committee.
A Printable Version of The Club Constitution and Rules is Available Here
