(revised 2018)
1. NAME
The name of the Society shall be the Southern English Springer Spaniel Society
2. OBJECTS
The objects of the Society shall be to encourage the breeding of the English Springer Spaniel to conform to the Standard and Regulations laid down by The Kennel Club both in appearance and working ability and to advance and protect the interest of the Breed at all times. These objects are for the benefit of members and will not be classed as a trading business so that all profits from any source, functions and/or activities of the Society shall be maintained for the benefit of and for the further education of members in the management, training, exhibiting, breeding and every aspect pertaining to canines.
3. MEMBERSHIP
The Society shall consist of an unlimited number of members without area restrictions and any person favourable to the objects of the Society shall be eligible for membership on submission of an application form and payment of the appropriate subscription.
There shall be four types of membership thus:
a) Single for one Person permanently resident within the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
b) Joint for Husband and Wife, or two Persons being the registered owners of an English Springer Spaniel, or two Persons being the registered joint owners of a Kennel Club affix, both Persons being permanently resident within the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
c) Junior for a Person under the age of 16 years as at 1st January of membership year.
d) Overseas (Single or Joint) for Persons permanently resident outside the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
Application for membership shall be in writing on the form prescribed by the Committee and application shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another. Such applications shall be considered by the Committee which shall have absolute power in respect of admission of members. The Society will 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.
MEMBERS
Names, Addresses and KC affix may be processed in a computer for the purposes of compiling and maintaining the Club’s list of members and printing address labels – the list of members will not be issued or sold to commercial organisations. The Society will maintain an up to date list of members and make the list of names available for inspection if so requested by the members of the Society or by the Kennel Club. Signature of the application form implies agreement that the member has no objection to his/her name address and KC affix be included in the Membership List of the Society’s Year Book publication.
4. HONORARY MEMBERSHIP
The Committee shall have the power to nominate Honorary Membership in respect of any member who had rendered distinguished service to the Society or the interests represented by it. Such recommendations will require the approval of members in Annual General Meeting. Honorary Members will possess the same rights and privileges as ordinary members but will not be required to pay an annual subscription.
5. CONTROL
The affairs of the Society shall be under the management and absolute control of a Committee consisting of the Patron, a President, unlimited number of Vice-Presidents, a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary and twelve members, one of whom shall be designated Cup Steward. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt not more than three additional members.
6. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Patron shall be nominated by the Committee and elected by members in AGM for a term of three years. He/She shall be eligible for re-election. The Office shall be purely honorary carrying no voting rights, nor shall the Patron be a member of the Committee.
7. The President shall be nominated by the Committee and selected by members in AGM for a term of three years. He/She shall be eligible for re-election. He/She shall preside at all social gatherings as may be to his/her convenience, and he/she shall be an ex-officio member of the Committee with the right to vote thereat. His/Her membership status shall be that of an Honorary Member.
8. An unlimited number of Vice Presidents shall be nominated by the Committee and elected by members in AGM annually. Membership status shall be that of an Honorary Member. A Vice-President shall not vote at Committee Meetings unless he/she is an elected member of the Committee.
9. The Chairman’s duty shall be to preside at all general and Committee meetings and to deputise for the President when called upon to do so.
10. The Vice-Chairman shall be required to deputise for the Chairman in his/her absence or when called upon to do so.
11. The Secretary shall be required to summon and attend all general and Committee meetings. He/She shall keep a correct record of the proceedings in a Minute Book which shall be signed by the Chairman at the next meeting. He/She shall conduct correspondence on behalf of the Society and transact such business as required by the Committee.
12. The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary and undertake such other duties as may be required by the Committee.
13. The Treasurer shall receive all monies, keep a proper record of receipts and payments and submit a properly audited income and expenditure account and balance sheet to the members at the AGM.
14. Election of Officers and Committee
The Chairman, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary shall be elected for a term of two years; the Vice-Chairman and Secretary shall be elected on alternate years also for a term of two years. Each year six ordinary members of the Committee shall retire by rotation. Each Officer and Committee Member shall be eligible for re-election if desired for a further term of two years. Any member of the Committee absent from three consecutive meetings shall have his/her attention drawn to the fact and, unless reasonable explanation be forthcoming, such a member’s seat on the committee shall become vacant.
15. Not less than 28 days prior to the AGM the Secretary shall invite nominations for Officers and Committee. Such invitations shall be made either direct to members or by publication in the Society’s Year Book or in the Canine Press. Nominations are to be made on the form prescribed by the Committee, signed by the nominee and two members proposing and seconding the nomination. The completed nomination form shall be received by the Secretary no later that the published date which shall not be less that 14 days prior to the AGM. Officers and Committee members wishing to stand for re-election shall inform the Secretary in writing and shall not be required to be re-nominated. Should more nominations than vacancies be received, an election will take place by members present at the AGM. Voting will be in accordance with Rule 20. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.
16. MEETINGS
A general Meeting of Members shall be held annually, notice of which shall be signed by the Secretary and published in the Society’s Year Book sent to members. In accordance with Kennel Club Rules, this notice may be published in the Canine Press, ie ‘‘Our Dogs’. The notice shall give 14 days clear notice to members and the Secretary shall also inform the Kennel Club of the date of the meeting. It shall also invite members to submit items for the Agenda, such items are to be proposed and seconded in writing by fully paid-up members and sent to reach the Secretary by the date stated in the notice. The Agenda shall be made available to all members attending the meeting and to others by post on request to the Secretary. No business shall be transacted other than that stated on the Agenda, with the exception of any item which, in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting, is urgent.
17. A Special General Meeting may be summoned by the Secretary at the request of the Committee or on receipt of a written report signed by at least 20% of the membership specifying the business to be discussed. In either case the Secretary shall issue a notice in the same way as for an Annual General Meeting giving members at least 14 days clear notice. No business other than that specified on the notice shall be transacted.
18. The Committee shall meet as and when convenient but not less than three times per year.
19. The Quorum at General Meetings shall be twelve members present, and for Committee Meeting five Committee members present.
20. VOTING
At all General and Committee Meetings voting shall be by a show of hands, or by secret ballot of those present, at the discretion of the Chairman of the Meeting. One vote shall be allowed to each Single and each Joint Member with the Chairman having a casting vote as well as a deliberate vote if necessary. Junior and Overseas members do not have a vote.
21. RESIGNATION
Any members may resign his/her membership at any time by notifying the Secretary in writing but shall not be entitled to the return of any subscription paid. He/She shall nevertheless be liable for the payment of any subscription or charge due to the Society.
22. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
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 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 interest 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 of the Society 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 time 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 a meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such conditions as the Kennel Club may impose.
23. A member who has resigned or whose resignation has been requested, or who has been removed from membership or whose membership is suspended, shall forfeit all rights and privileges of the Society and shall forthwith return to the Secretary any Society property including Cups and Trophies which he/she may hold.
24. FINANCE
The financial year of the Society shall commence on 1st January and end on 31st December annually.
25. A Banking Account shall be opened in the name of the Society and cheques shall be signed by any two of the following officers: Treasurer, Secretary, Chairman.
26. The accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer and audited annually or as requested by the Committee by an Auditor nominated by the Committee and elected annually by the members in AGM. Those certifying the accounts must be independent of the committee. The certified accounts will be made available on request to members fourteen days prior to the AGM.
27. The Subscription to the Society shall be the sum recommended by the Committee for each type of membership and approved by the members in AGM. Each subscription shall be paid annually in advance and shall become renewable on 1st January. Any member whose annual subscription is unpaid shall not be entitled to any privileges of membership and voting rights and will, ipso facto, cease to be a member if the annual subscription remains unpaid after 30th June each year. The Committee shall have power to reduce the amount of the subscription for single and joint membership of Senior Citizens living in the United Kingdom. In the case of Joint membership both members should be Senior Citizens (eg State pensionable age as at 1st January each year). The Committee shall have the power to raise funds for the Society in any way it deems fit.
28. The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year 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 Title of Societies and Breed Councils and 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.
29. PROPERTY
The Property of the Society shall be vested in the Committee. Cups and Trophies shall be accepted only on the understanding that they are gifts to the Society. All Cups and Trophies and their movements shall be recorded in a book for that purpose by the Cup Steward.
30. WINDING UP OF THE SOCIETY
If the Society is wound up or ceases to be a registered society under Kennel Club Regulations, a final statement of audited accounts with a record of the disposal of the property shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club within six months and the persons named as Officer and Committee on the last return sent to the Kennel Club will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Society.
31. FEDERATION
The Society shall not join any federation of societies or clubs.
32. AGREEMENT
The payment of any membership subscription shall be deemed to be an implied agreement on the part of the members to abide by the rules of the Society.
33. ALTERATION OF RULES
Any alteration of these rules shall be made only by a majority of those present and voting at an Annual General Meetingor Special General Meeting, the notice for which contains specific proposals to amend the rules and such alterations shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and given its approval. Notice of intention to move any alteration shall be given in writing to the Secretary not later than 28 days before an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting which may be called for that purpose.
34. INTERPRETATION
The Kennel Club shall be the final authority for the interpretation of the Rules and Regulations of the Society and in all cases relative to Canine or Society Matters.