2. Objects.
a. The Club will not be classed as a trading business and all profits, from whatever source, function or activity of the Club, shall be retained for the benefit of the Club and its members.
b. To promote the welfare of the breed and encourage the breeding and maintenance of the Brittany as a dual purpose dog through the running of shows, Field Trials, Gundog Working Tests and Certificates in accordance with KC Regulations.
c. To support the breed standard by developing and approving new judges.
d. To provide an infrastructure of support, training, activities and knowledge to aid all Brittany owners in the care and enjoyment of their dogs.
3. Management Structure of the Club.
The Club shall be run by the following Officers and Committee, who shall be appointed, elected or co-opted in accordance with the stated procedure. All posts, from the Chairperson down, are for a three year term and are all eligible for re-election. Only fully paid up members may stand for election as an Officer or a Committee Member and it is recommended that such appointments should be made, where possible, from Members who have been active within the Club or the breed for a minimum of 3 years.
The Committee may appoint any number of Sub-committees, e.g. the Judging Sub-Committee.
No person who is an un-discharged bankrupt may serve on the Committee or hold any other office or appointment within the Club.
a. The Patron. To be nominated by the Committee and approved by a majority of the members at the next Annual General Meeting (hereinafter known as the AGM). The Patron will remain in office unless removed on the recommendation of the Committee, and with the consent of a majority of the membership at the next AGM or a specially convened Special General Meeting (SGM).
b. The President. To be nominated by the Committee and approved by a majority of the members at the next AGM. The President will remain in office unless removed on the recommendation of the Committee, and with the consent of a majority of the membership at the next AGM or at a specially convened SGM. The President has voting powers on the Committee.
c. Chairperson. The Chairperson is responsible for conducting the Club’s business at the AGM, SGMs and any of its Committee Meetings. He/she has full voting powers but will have one additional casting vote. The Chairperson is eligible for re-election on the year when other officers are scheduled to remain in office.
d. Vice Chair. Deputises for the Chairperson but holds office for a different three year term to provide continuity.
e. Hon. Secretary. Is responsible to the Kennel Club (KC) for the day-to-day running of the Club’s affairs and for ensuring the Club conforms to the KC regulations. He/she will maintain the Club’s correspondence and keep all appropriate records. He/she is also responsible, in conjunction with the Chairman, for arranging Committee Meetings, the AGM and SGMs, and for notifying the membership of agendas and minutes. The post does not carry any set financial reward but the Committee is able to recommend an honorarium to the AGM for approval. The Hon. Secretary retires on the same cycle as the Vice Chair.
f. Hon. Treasurer. Has a day-to-day responsibility for managing the Club’s financial affairs. This involves maintaining accurate accounts, disbursing and collecting monies where appropriate, liaising with the Club’s appointed auditor and presenting the audited accounts to the members at the AGM. The Hon. Treasurer has a responsibility, at each AGM, to propose any changes to the annual subscription fee. Like the Hon. Secretary, the Hon. Treasurer can receive an honorarium on the recommendation of the Committee to the AGM.
g. Hon. Field Trials Secretary. Is the Club’s interface with the world of working HPRs and is responsible for arranging training days, Spring Pointing Tests, Working Tests and Field Trials. He/she will also see that the Club complies with existing KC regulations relating to these activities. May also be recommended for an honorarium by the Committee and retires on the same cycle as the Hon. Treasurer.
h. Membership Secretary. The holder of this post maintains the register of members, collects membership subscriptions on behalf of the Hon. Treasurer and obtains Committee approval for the acceptance of new members. The Membership Secretary is not an Officer of the Club but a Committee Member.
i. Committee Members. All 15 Committee Members are each appointed for a three year term with 5 retiring annually. They are elected by paper ballot and simple majority, at the AGM. The Committee may co-opt a new Committee Member to fill any vacancy that arises and may also, if it deems necessary, co-opt up to 2 additional non-voting Committee Members.
j. Life Members. There may be any number of honorary Life Members. They are nominated by the Committee and approved at the next AGM, but do not sit on the Committee. They have no executive powers and may only vote as ordinary paid-up members, although relieved of payment of the annual subscription. Removal of Life Member status is by the same procedure as for the President and Patron.
4. Election of Members
Applicants for membership must be proposed and seconded by existing members. On payment of the subscription fee they will be entitled to all benefits of membership, but will only receive voting rights following the ratification of their membership at the next Committee Meeting. Election will be by majority vote of the Committee. All new members will receive an information pack, currently comprising a copy of the Constitution and Rules, a recent Newsletter and an “Introduction to the Breed”.
A previously elected member, whose membership has lapsed, will be automatically re-instated on application, providing the gap in continuous membership was not the result of disciplinary action by the Club or Kennel Club. In this latter case re-election will be by the procedure for new members.
Fully paid up members are entitled to one vote per person on each item on the AGM or SGM agendas.
5. Resignation of Members
Any paid-up Member may resign at any time on giving notice, in writing, to the Hon. Secretary. From the date of resignation the Member will have no further claim on any assets or funds of the Club.
A Member, who has previously resigned, may apply to re-join the Club but will need to be re-elected by the procedure for new members.
6. Annual Subscription.
The annual subscription is determined by majority vote at the AGM and is due from the date of the AGM, from which any approved increase in the subscription will be implemented. Any member failing to pay their subscription by 31st March shall be removed from the list of members.
Any member paying membership after 1st December will be entitled to membership for the rest of that year and all of the following year.
7. Annual General Meeting.
The purpose of the AGM is for the Officers of the Club to report to the membership on their stewardship of the club in the previous twelve months. The agenda is restricted to these reports, the election of new Officers and Committee Members, and any resolution properly submitted to the Hon. Secretary (see below). In exceptional circumstances the Chairman has the power to accept urgent items for discussion but not resolution.
a. Notification of the AGM. The Hon. Secretary is required to send every member a Notice of Meeting not less than 6 weeks prior to the meeting being held. This Notice should invite nominations for new Officers and Committee Members.
b. Submission of items for the AGM agenda. Any members wishing to submit properly proposed and seconded resolutions for the AGM agenda must do so in writing, and must ensure these are in the hands of the Hon. Secretary not less than 14 days before the date of the AGM.
c. Publication of the agenda. The full AGM agenda, together with details of all nominees for election, the accounts and Minutes of the last AGM will be circulated at the AGM. Members wishing to receive a copy in advance must send a stamped addressed envelope to the Hon. Secretary. The full agenda and the Minutes of the last AGM will be published on the Club website, as soon as possible before the AGM.
d. Election of Officers and Committee. Only fully paid up members may vote and voting is by ballot. Nominations must be submitted, in writing to the Hon. Secretary, not less than 14 days before the AGM. At the time of submission the nominee, proposer and seconder must all be fully paid up members and the nominee must state his or her willingness to serve if elected.
e. Voting. Only Club members attending the AGM may vote. Postal or proxy voting is not allowed.
8. Special General Meetings
A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Hon. Secretary when:
a. A minimum of 20% of the membership submit a signed requisition, stating the subject to be discussed.
b. The Committee of the Club calls an SGM.
At an SGM the designated subject will be the only business to be discussed.
9. Rules of the Club
The Rules of the Club may not be altered by the Club except at either an AGM or an SGM, and only when the notice of that meeting includes details of the proposed change/s to the Rules.
Amended rules shall not be applicable until the Kennel Club has approved the alterations. New Rules and amendments required by the Kennel Club will be applied immediately and the Club’s Constitution will be amended to include them at the next AGM.
10. Club Accounts
A Bank Account shall be opened in the name of the Club. All income will be paid into this and withdrawals may only be made on the signature of the Hon. Treasurer plus the signature of either the Chairman or the Hon. Secretary.
The Hon. Treasurer will keep the accounts, which will be independently certified each year, and which will be presented to the members at the AGM for their approval.
11. Expenses
All expenses incurred by the Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer on behalf of the Club will be reimbursed from the Club funds.
The Hon. Treasurer has the authority to pay (a) up to £150 without referral to the Chairman, and (b) up to £30 for unauthorised expenditure by any other Officer, Committee Member or Member on behalf of the Club. The Hon. Treasurer will be responsible for reporting such disbursements at the next Committee Meeting.
Receipts must be provided for all expenses claimed.
12. Club Property
In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, the Committee will call an SGM to decide on the disposal of any assets. Trophies/Cups/Specials which have been donated to the Club will be included in those assets.
13. Winding up
The Club can only cease to exist, and its assets disposed of (see Rule 12), at an AGM or SGM. The decision must be passed by a majority of 75% of all Members present. However no action may be taken without the approval of the Kennel Club (see below).
14. The Officers of the Club undertake to supply the following:
a. Maintenance of Title. The Maintenance of Title fee, for the continued registration of the Club, must be submitted to the Kennel Club by January 31st of each calendar year, by the Hon. Secretary or by direct debit.
b. Change of Secretary. The Officers must inform the Kennel Club of any change of Hon. Secretary during the course of the year.
c. List of Officers. The Club must submit a list of all current Officers and Committee Members, with addresses and telephone numbers, with the Annual Return.
d. Breed Society Judges Lists. The Club must submit a current list of approved Judges as part of the Annual Return. This List indicates to show promoters those persons that the Club would endorse at different levels of judging. Inclusion in the List is not restricted to Club Members.
e. Expulsion of Members. (1) “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 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 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.”
f. Expulsion of Members (2) “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”.
15. The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.
16. Disposal of Club Assets.
In the event of the Club ceasing to exist (see Rule 13 above) the assets may not be disposed of without Kennel Club approval. The Club must, within 6 months, provide the Kennel Club with an audited final statement of the accounts, together with the proposed disposal of the assets. The Officers named in the last return (see Rule 14c) will be responsible to the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Club.
17. General Code of Ethics.
All Members of the Club are required to abide by its general Code of Ethics (see Appendix 1).
18. Final Court of Appeal.
The Kennel Club is the final court of appeal in all matters of dispute and is the final authority for interpreting the Rules and Regulations of the Club.
THE BRITTANY CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN
GENERAL CODE OF ETHICS
1. Will properly house, feed, water and exercise all dogs under their care and arrange for appropriate veterinary attention if required.
2. Will agree without reservation that any veterinary surgeon performing an operation which alters the natural conformation of the animal, may report such an operation to the Kennel Club.
3. Will agree that no healthy puppy will be culled. Puppies which do not conform to the Breed Standard should be placed in suitable homes.
4. Will abide by all aspects of the Animal Welfare Act.
5. Will not create demand for, nor supply, puppies that have been illegally docked.
6. Will agree not to breed from a dog or bitch which could be in any way harmful to the dog or the breed.
7. Will not allow any of their dogs to roam at large or cause a nuisance to neighbours or those carrying out official duties.
8. Will ensure that their dogs wear properly tagged collars and will be kept leashed or under effective control when away from home.
9. Will clean up after their dogs in public places or anywhere dogs are being exhibited.
10. Will only sell dogs where there is a reasonable expectation of a happy and healthy life and will help with re-homing of a dog if the initial circumstances change.
11. Will supply written details of all dietary requirements and give guidance concerning responsible ownership when placing dogs in a new home.
12. Will ensure that all kennel Club relevant documents are provided to the new owner when selling or transferring a dog, and will agree, in writing, to forward any relevant documents at the earliest opportunity, if not immediately available.
13. Will not sell any dog to commercial dog wholesalers, retail pet dealers or directly or indirectly allow dogs to be given as a prize or donation in a competition of any kind. Will not sell by sale or auction Kennel Club registration certificates as stand alone items (not accompanying a dog).
14. Will not knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed nor falsely advertise dogs or mislead any person regarding the health or quality of a dog.
Breach of these provisions may result in expulsion from Club membership, and/or disciplinary action by the Kennel Club, and/or reporting to the relevant authorities for legal action, as appropriate.