Club Constitution & Rules and Code of Ethics
Please note that when applying for or renewing membership you are agreeing to abide by the Club’s Rules and also by the Code of Ethics. The EASBTC encourages all its members to act responsibly towards the breed and will investigate any instance of members not adhering to the Rules and Regulations or the Code of Ethics. This may result in withdrawal of membership.
1 CONSTITUTION
1.1 Name
The Club shall be called the East Anglian Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club.
1.2 Objects
The object of the Club shall be to promote the interests of and interest in Staffordshire Bull Terriers in East Anglia and the surrounding areas
1.3 Officers and Organisation
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a) The Members shall elect a President who shall preside for a period of 3 years and may attend committee meetings by right of office
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b) Members may offer to those persons who have given outstanding service to the Club the position of Honorary Life Vice-President
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c) The Officers of the Club shall be the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
The Committee shall be composed of 10 Members elected at the Annual General Meeting in the following way:
Those members having served their three year term shall offer themselves for re-election
The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any Member to fill a vacancy or to fulfill any special needs. Such co-opted Members shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting only.
A Member co-opted to the Committee shall have full voting rights.
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d) A nominee must have been a fully paid-up Member of the Club for at least one year in order to be elected to the Committee.
A nominee must have been a Committee Member for not less than two years in order to be elected an Officer of the Club.
The Committee may waive these time limits where it co-opts a person to fulfill a special need.
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e) The Nominees, proposers and seconders should normally be present at the Annual General Meeting. The names of the Officers and Committee Members seeking re-election must be submitted to the membership in writing, together with an indication of their willingness to stand for re-election.
Where a serving Officer or Committee Member is prevented from attending the Annual General Meeting for reasons which are acceptable to the Annual General Meeting s/he may be re-elected in his/her absence.
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
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Registration with the Kennel Club
The Club shall register with the Kennel Club as a Breed Society and shall not join any federation of societies or clubs.
The officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year the 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/breed councils and the affiliation of agricultural societies and municipal authorities, shall 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
2 MEMBERSHIP
2.1 Election of Members
The first Members of the Club shall be the Founder Members (as defined in the Kennel Club document H paragraph 1 (b)) and proposed for membership by one Member and seconded by another provided that there is a two thirds majority in favour. Each Member shall be entitled to one vote upon acceptance of his/her application by the Committee.
‘Junior Membership’ shall be open to all between the ages of ten and sixteen providing the young person is nominated by a parent or guardian. There shall be no fee. Where parents or guardians are not Members of the Club, individual membership of each child shall be at the discretion of the Committee.
A Junior Member may become a full Member on reaching the age of 16. However, to enjoy voting rights as a full Member, Junior Members must submit a completed application form accompanied by the current full membership fee.
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Subscription
The annual subscription shall be fixed by the Committee and shall be payable to the Honorary Treasurer by 1 January each year. No Member whose subscription is unpaid shall be entitled to any of the privileges of membership and if any Member shall fail to pay the annual subscription by 1 March the Committee shall have the power to erase his/her name from the List of Members.
Members List
An up to date list of members and their addresses, and those of branch members where appropriate, must be maintained and, if so requested, the list of names made available for inspection by the Kennel Club and members of the society. A declaration of the number of members of the society must be made with annual returns.
Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent by recorded delivery to the accused Member giving particulars of the complaint and advising the place, date and hour of the Meeting that s/he 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 s/he shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a Member of the Club except that s/he may, within two calendar months from the date of the Meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such conditions as the Kennel Club may impose.
2.3 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 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 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 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 condition 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.
3 MANAGEMENT
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Meetings
The affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Officers and the Committee which shall meet as often as they shall deem necessary, in person or via an online platform, provided that this is not less than twice in each year. A quorum shall consist of seven Members including one Officer. The Chairman shall have the casting vote.
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Annual General Meeting
The financial year of the Club shall end on 31 December and within three months thereafter the Honorary Secretary shall convene the Annual General Meeting of which notice shall be sent to Members twenty-eight days prior to the meeting and the Agenda shall be:
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a) to receive the Secretary’s report;
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b) to receive the Treasurer’s report and approve the accounts;
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c) to elect Officers, Committee Members and Auditors;
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d) to consider any proposal or resolution which the Honorary Secretary has been given for inclusion on the agenda by 24 January in writing;
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e) to consider any emergency resolution accepted at the discretion of the Chairman.
A quorum shall consist of ten Members including one Officer. The Chairman shall have the casting vote.
3.3 Special General Meeting
A Special General Meeting shall be convened by the Honorary Secretary within thirty days of the receipt of a written application which has been signed by not less that twelve Members and which sets out in full the resolution to be considered by the meeting.
Members shall be given fourteen days notice for a Special General Meeting. A minimum of 12 of the signatories shall be in attendance at the meeting.
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Rules
The rules of the Club shall not be altered except by a resolution which shall have been approved at the Annual General Meeting by not less that two-thirds of the Members present and voting and by the Kennel Club.
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Disputes
The Kennel Club shall arbitrate in the event of any dispute referred to it by the Committee.
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Accounts
The Honorary Treasurer with the approval of the Committee shall make appropriate arrangements for banking and for the maintenance of books and accounts. A Bank Account shall be opened in the name of the Club into which the revenue of the Club shall be paid. Any withdrawals from the Club’s account by cheque shall be signed by the Treasurer and one of three nominated Members of the Committee. Any withdrawals from the Club’s account via online bank transfer shall be set up by the Treasurer and authorized online by one of three nominated members of the Committee. Payments for goods and services from the Club Paypal account can be made by one signatory up to an amount of £50
The audited accounts of the Club shall be submitted to and approved by the Annual General Meeting each year.
At the Annual General Meeting person(s) to audit the Club’s accounts will be selected. Certification of the accounts must be carried out by one qualified accountant or by two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience
A copy of the annual statement of accounts for the last financial year which must be certified in accordance with the rules of the society will be made available on request to members 14 days prior to the AGM. Additionally, the annual statement of accounts will be available for inspection by members at the AGM
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Club Property
Club property shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Club being wound up the Committee shall dispose of such property in accordance with a scheme which shall have been approved by a general meeting. Cups and other donations are accepted on the understanding that they are outright gifts and become the property of the Club.
Only Members of the Club may compete for cups and trophies; where a dog is owned in partnership, all partners must be Members of the Club.
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Judging List
