RULES OF THE EAST ANGLIAN BORDER COLLIE CLUB

1. NAME & OBJECTIVES The Club shall be called the East Anglian Border Collie Club. Its objective being to promote interest in the Border Collie Breed to ensure its adherence to 'True Type' as described in the approved Kennel Club Standard. The object of the Club is to be a Club for the benefit of its Members and will not be classed as a trading business - all profits from any source, function and/or activity of the Club shall be maintained for the benefit of and for the future education of its members in the management, training, showing, breeding and every aspect pertaining to canine activities.

 

2. FEDERATIONS OF SOCIETIES OR CLUBS The Society (Club) shall not join any federation of societies or clubs.

 

3. THE KENNEL CLUB The East Anglian Border Collie Club acknowledges the Kennel Club as the final authority for interpreting the Rules & Regulations of the Club in all cases relative to Canine or Club matters.

 

4. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE The Club shall consist of a Patron, President, Vice President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, a Committee of Ten (10) and an unlimited number of Members (whose names and addresses shall be kept by the Honorary Secretary). ). The Patron, President & Vice President roles shall carry Honorary Membership for the term of office. To be eligible for any of these roles, candidates must have been a fully paid up member of the EABCC for a minimum of 2 years immediately prior to AGM. Each will serve a term of three (3) years, after which they will become eligible for re-election. It is expected that the incumbents of these roles will actively support & promote the EABCC and attend the various EABCC events throughout the year. Honorary Members (temporary and permanent) will be entitled to Members rates when entering EABCC events, and will receive newsletters when published. Honorary Members may attend AGM’s but may not vote, and may not stand for election to the EABCC Committee or Officer role.

 

5. COMMITTEE The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, who shall be ex-officio members of the committee with full voting rights, and ten committee members. Each member of the Committee shall serve a term of three (3) years, after which they will become eligible for re-election.The Chairman shall also have the casting vote in the case of equality of voting. The Committee shall meet at intervals of approximately three months for ordinary business. Extra meetings may be called by the Chairman should it be deemed necessary. A quorum of the Committee shall be five, to include any 2 Officers.

 

The Committee shall have full power to co-opt to the Committee any person or persons it deems necessary to assist in the benefit of the Breed (Border Collie) or the Club, such co-opted persons shall not have any voting rights within the Committee unless they have been specifically co-opted to fill a vacancy onto the Committee. Any person co-opted to fill a vacancy shall be deemed additional to the retiring members at the First Annual General Meeting following their co-option. No individual who has been a member for less than one year may be elected onto the Committee. From 2004 onwards require one year’s tenure of committee membership immediately prior to AGM for eligibility to stand for election as an officer. Seven clear days notice shall be given to all Committee Members of Committee meetings. In the event of it being inconvenient to call a Committee meeting, it shall be competent for the Honorary Secretary to transact all such business as might be done at a meeting of the Committee by telephone, letter or e-mail, although the replies in writing of five members of the Committee must be obtained before such business shall be considered as having the sanction of the Committee. Any Committee members who fail to attend three (3) consecutive meetings shall cease to be a Member of the Committee unless he/she has a reasonable excuse acceptable to the Committee - they may continue to be a Club Member subject to the Rule of Membership. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society or Club.

 

6. ELECTION OF MEMBERS The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of Members - Each Member shall be accepted on payment of their Annual Subscription to the East Anglian Border Collie Club - and up to 10 Honorary Members who will be elected by the Officers & Committee by a two-thirds majority vote. Honorary Members will be entitled to Members rates when entering EABCC events, and will receive newsletters when published. Honorary Members may attend AGM’s but may not vote, and may not stand for election to the EABCC Committee or Officer role. If an Honorary Member wishes to stand for election to the Committee or Officer role, they must first relinquish their Honorary Membership status, whereupon normal membership rules will apply.

 

7. VOTING RIGHTS Each Member aged 16 years and over, shall be entitled to one vote after 12 months Membership (in the cases of Joint Membership, each party is entitled to one vote). Voting shall be by a Show of hands or as decided by majority at the meeting. Postal ballot and proxy votes will not be allowed.

 

8. CLUB PROPERTY The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist a General Meeting shall be called to decide upon the disposal of the Club's assets. The outcome of this Meeting will notify the Kennel Club. If a Registered Club is wound up or ceases to be a Registered Club under these regulations a final Statement of audited accounts with a record of the 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 will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Club. Cups and Trophies are only to be accepted on the understanding that they shall become the unconditional property of the Club.

 

9. CLUB ACCOUNTS An account shall be opened with a Bank or Building Society in the name of the Club and all Club monies lodged with the said account. Withdrawal shall only be made on the signature of two or more officers, namely Chairman and either Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer.

 

The Honorary Treasurer shall keep books of accounts which remain the property of the Club and prepare each year's statement of income and expenditure and a balance sheet at the end of the financial year. The auditing or certification of accounts must be carried out either by one qualified Accountant or by two individuals with accountancy experience. Those undertaking the certification must be independent from those who prepared the accounts. These Accounts should be ready for presentation to the Members at its Annual General Meeting. Such Auditor, person or persons, appointed and approved by the Committee, shall sign the Balance Sheet as correct before its publication - they must report at once to the full Committee if they are unable to do so. A copy of the annual statement of accounts to be made available, on request, to members 14 days prior to the AGM. The Accounts to be submitted annually to the Kennel Club. The Honorary Treasurer shall be empowered to transfer money from a deposit account to a working account in a Bank or Building Society with the permission of the Committee in the name of the Club. All expenses properly incurred by the Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer with the consent of the Committee, for and on behalf of the Club shall be paid from the funds of the Club alone and no individual shall be deemed to incur responsibility in respect of the same.

 

10. SUBSCRIPTIONS There shall be an Annual Subscription of £7.00 single, £10 joint, and £1.00 under 16 years of age - payable on 1st January each year, or such a sum, as the members shall decide from time to time by resolution at the Annual General Meeting. No Member whose Subscription is unpaid is entitled to any of the privileges of Membership and if any Member shall fail to pay outstanding Subscriptions as of the 1st March of the pertaining year - his/her name shall be automatically be erased from the Membership List. Acceptance back to Club Membership will be dependent upon a new application and payment of back arrears, plus 50p enrolment fee. A new member shall not be entitled to vote at an Annual General Meeting until they have been a Member for a year (1 year.) Once members have been accepted for Membership, providing they continue to pay their subscriptions at the correct time, they cannot be refused renewal of membership.

 

11. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS Any Member, including Honorary Members, 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 including Honorary Members 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 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 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 two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting, his/her name shall forthwith be erased from the List of Members and that he/she shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a member of the Club, 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 Club expels any Member for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, Dog Shows, Trials or Competitions the Club will report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and will supply any particulars required.

 

12. FINANCIAL YEAR The Financial Year of the Club shall be from the 1st January to 31st December. The Annual General Meeting shall be held as soon as possible after 31st December and open to all paid members.

 

13. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS The Annual General Meeting shall receive the report of the committee and balance sheet, elect officers, and discuss any resolutions duly placed on the agenda, of which prior notice has been given to the Honorary Secretary; 28 days notice shall be given to the Canine Press and published on Club website and social media of the Annual General Meeting. Agenda items shall be forwarded not less than 14 days before the date of the AGM in writing to the Honorary Secretary. No business shall be transacted at the AGM unless notice thereof appears the Agenda, with the exception of routine matters, or those which in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting are urgent. The election of Patron, President, Vice-President, Chairman, Secretary , Treasurer and committee members at the AGM shall be by vote of those present at the meeting. Nomination forms will have been included with Newsletters and must be submitted with candidates’ consent at least 14 days before the AGM. Candidates shall be proposed and seconded by members eligible to vote. All positions will be for a term of three years, eligible for re-election. The Patron, President and Vice-President are honorary and non-voting. A candidate for Patron, President or Vice-President must have been a fully paid up member for a minimum of 2 years immediately prior to AGM. The agenda will be circulated on the day of the meeting. All voting at the meeting must be by a show of hands unless otherwise decided by the meeting. Vice-Chairman will be voted onto the Committee by the Committee.

 

14. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS A Special General Meeting shall be called at the written and signed request of 25 members, stating the object of the meeting and shall be held at the earliest possible date convenient to the committee after the request for the meeting has been received. The Honorary Secretary to give members fourteen clear days notice stating the object of the meeting. No business other than that named in the notice shall be brought before a Special General Meeting. A quorum to be of twenty-five members. A two-thirds majority of the members present and voting shall be necessary to pass any item for which the Special General Meeting has been called.

 

15. NEW RULES No alterations or additions to these rules shall be made, except at the Annual General Meeting convened for the purpose - as per rule 14. Details of any proposed rule changes are to be circulated to members on the notice of the meeting at which they are to be discussed and voted upon. Any alteration to the rules shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and given its approval of the alterations. New rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately and included in the Club's constitution with effect from the Club's Annual Meeting.

 

16. 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 whether by the Secretary, or by Direct Debit, for continuance of registration and that by 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in the Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Registered Societies, Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities will be forwarded to the Kennel Club. The Officers acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any change of Secretary of the Club which may occur during the course of the year.

 

17. JUDGING LIST A list of Judges approved by the Committee shall be maintained with a fair balance of Specialist and Non - Breed Specialist Judges. This list will be compiled anew each year and may be updated throughout the year. The Committee will vote for judges for Open and Championship Shows, choosing names from the Club Judging List.

 

18. CLUB RULES Club Rules will be available to all Members.

 

19. SHOWS Committee Members and Officers may enter and handle their dogs at the Club Breed Shows but must not say, do, or wear anything to indicate that they are a committee member or Officer of the Club.

 

20. MEMBERSHIP LIST The club must maintain an up to date list of members and their addresses and, if so requested, make the list available for inspection by the Kennel Club and members of the Club. A declaration of the number of members of the Club must be made with Annual Returns