Club Rules

Rules of the Picardy Spaniel Club (effective July 2014)

1. NAME: Picardy Spaniel Club (hereinafter called ‘the Club’)

2. OBJECTIVES: 

a. To encourage the breeding of Picardy Spaniels to meet the breed standard and fulfil their roles as Hunting, Pointing and Retrieving gundogs. 

b. To co-operate with other Clubs and bodies having similar aims throughout the world.

c. To promote the ownership of Picardy Spaniels as a healthy, sound, fit for purpose working hunt, point and retrieve gundog.

d. The Club shall draw up and publish a judges list for shows. This list shall be renewed annually and be compiled by the general committee.

e. The Club shall be run for the benefit of the members and not as a trading business. The surplus from any source, function and/or activity of the Club shall be maintained and used for the benefit and further education of its members in every aspect of the Picardy Spaniel in the UK.

3. MEMBERS:

a. The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members.  There shall be seven types of membership as follows:

   1.       Single: for one person.

   2.       Joint: for two people – all communications will be sent only to the address of the first person in joint membership.

   3.       Family: for three or more people – all communications will be sent only to the address of the first person in joint membership.

   4.       Junior: for persons under 16 years of age (members under the age of 16 years are not eligible to vote on club matters).

   5.       Overseas: for persons permanently resident outside of the British Isles.

   6.       Associate: for persons not owning a Picardy spaniel but wanting to be a part of the club.

   7.       Honorary members: those who have rendered services to the Picardy Spaniel Club, or to the Picardy Spaniel breed, may be invited to become Honorary Members by a majority vote at an Annual General Meeting, from nominees put forward by the Committee. Honorary Members will retain their voting rights.

b. The Club may have a Patron (with no voting rights) to be appointed if considered appropriate from time to time on such terms as the members may determine after notice at an Annual General Meeting.

4. OFFICERS: 

a. The Officers should comprise President, Secretary and Treasurer. All these Officers shall be members of the committee with voting powers.

b. An unlimited number of Vice Presidents who shall be members of the Committee with voting powers.

5. COMMITTEE:

a. The affairs of the Club shall be administered by a committee which shall consist of not more than 10 members of the Club, who shall be elected as stated in rule 6.

b. The management of the Club shall be entrusted to the committee. The committee shall have the power to arbitrate in cases of dispute between members when asked by both parties to do so.

c. The committee shall have the power to deal with any questions relating to the management of the Club not specifically mentioned in these rules.

d. All members of the Committee shall retire annually on the day of the AGM at the commencement of the meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election providing they continue to be suitable and acceptable.e. 

e. The committee shall meet at least once during the year. Officers and committee members shall receive written notice of meetings at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting. A copy of the minutes of each meeting shall be sent by the Secretary to each committee member within 28 days of the meeting.

f. The committee may appoint members of the Club to fill any honorary post they deem necessary. Any such post shall be confirmed by the members of the Club at the following AGM before being deemed to be a continuing office. The committee may co-opt any fully paid up member to fulfil a specific task. Co-opted members do not have voting rights apart from pertaining to the specific task for which they were co-opted.

g. No officer or committee member of the Club shall serve simultaneously as an Officer or Committee member of any other Picardy Spaniel Club/ Association or Society.

6. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND OFFICERS:

a.  Any member of the Club shall be eligible for election to the committee or as an Officer provided he or she has been a fully paid up member for at least one year in the year of the election.

b. The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected annually by a majority vote of those present and eligible to vote at the AGM.

c. All nominations for election shall be dealt with at the AGM. There shall be executed an election by secret ballot, the voters being those members so entitled and present at the AGM. Of the nominees for the committee those ten with the most votes shall form the committee for the ensuing year. The office of President shall be decided by the nomination receiving the highest number of votes. Vice Presidents shall be elected by a majority vote in favour. Two members present at the meeting shall be appointed to collect the voting papers and act as tellers in counting the votes.

d. Honorary members: The Club shall through its committee, when it deems appropriate, nominate Honorary members. Such nominations to be submitted for acceptance to a vote of members at the AGM.

7. ELECTION OF MEMBERS:

a. Any person wishing to become a member of the Club shall make application on the official form. This form shall include an undertaking to abide by the rules of the Club and shall carry the signatures of two fully paid up members as proposer and seconder of the application. The applicant shall not be considered as a member until the application has been considered and voted upon by the committee. The decision shall be carried by the majority of votes cast. A copy of the Club’s rules shall be made available to any bona fide applicant for membership upon request.

b. Any former member wishing to re-join the Club shall apply as if a new applicant for membership.

c. A member shall be only deemed to be a fully paid up member as and when their subscription has been paid for the current financial year

8. GENERAL MEETING: 

a. A General Meeting shall be convened by the President and Secretary on a suitable day Between 1st June and 30th July each year. This shall be known as the Annual General Meeting and shall be for the following purposes:

b. To elect the officers of the committee.

c. No business shall be discussed or transacted at an AGM unless notice thereof appears on the agenda. Items should be in the Secretary’s hand by the 20th April with the exception of routine matters or those which in the opinion of the chairperson are urgent.

d. At every General Meeting of the Club the President shall be invited to be chairperson, if he/she declines, or is absent, then a chairperson elected by and from the members present shall preside.

f. A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the President and Secretary if four paid up members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and the resolution to be proposed. The date of the meeting so convened shall be within ten weeks of the requisition being received, 21 days notice, to be given to members.

g. An SGM may be called at the discretion of the committee to put any matter to the membership deemed necessary by the committee.

h. In the case of there being an equal number of votes on any motion the Chairman shall have a casting vote.

i. All resolutions at a General Meeting shall be passed by a majority vote excepting for matters specifically referred to in these rules, introduction of new rules or reversal of any former decision relating to rules or any amendment of the constitution shall require a two thirds majority of those present and voting. Any such resolutions, if passed, shall be brought to the notice of the members as soon as practicable after the meeting.

j. Only fully paid up members shall be entitled to attend a General Meeting.

k. Members shall receive notice and an agenda of a General Meeting at least 21 days prior to the date of the meeting.

l. The rules may not be altered except at an Annual General or Special General Meeting – notice of which includes details of the proposal to alter the rules.

9. MINUTES:

a. Minutes of all meetings shall be kept by the Secretary which shall be recorded and kept in a minute file.

b. Minutes of the General Meetings shall be sent to all members of the Club by the Secretary as soon as practicable within two months from the day of the meeting.

10. NOTICES: 

a. A notice shall be sent to the last known address of the respective member and shall be considered delivered the day after such notices are posted.

b. The Club must make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection if so requested by the members of the Club.

11. FINANCE:

a. The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st January to the last day of the following December.

b. The annual subscription shall be deemed by the members in AGM.  The subscription shall be due on the 1st January for the 12 months ending 31st December of that year.

c. Any member elected on or after 1st October will be considered a Fully Paid Up Member for the following year.

d. There shall be a bank account operated in the name of the Club and cheques for withdrawal of monies shall only be signed by any two of the following: President, a Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer. All revenues of the Club shall be paid into this account. If considered expedient, the Club may open separate accounts for the purpose of dealing with other funds and activities. The signatures to be the same as for the Club bank account.

e. The accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer and an Auditor shall be appointed at each AGM.

f. A statement of the accounts shall be circulated to all members present at the AGM, then sent out to committee members with the AGM minutes.

12. CLUB PROPERTY: The property of the Club shall be vested in the committee.  In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, an SGM shall be called to decide on the disposal of all assets and settlement of any liabilities of the Club.

13. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP:

a.  any member failing to pay his/her annual subscription by 1st April (ie within 3 calendar months of it being due), shall thereupon cease to be a member of the club (see 8j).

b. Any person ceasing to be a member of the Club shall forthwith forfeit any and all subsequent rights or claims upon the Cub, nor shall there be any entitlement to a refund of any part of subscription paid.

c. Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club rules A42j(4) and/or disqualified under Kennel Club Rules A42j(8) shall  ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club for the duration of the suspension and/or disqualification.

d. If the conduct of any member shall in the opinion of the committee of the Club be injurious to the character or interests of the Club, the committee of the Club may, at a meeting the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the member, determine that a SGM of the Club shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her.

e. Notice of the SGM 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 Club except that he/she may, within two calendar months from the date of such meeting, appeal to the Club upon and subject to such condition as the C may impose

 13. DISPUTES AND FINAL AUTHORITY: the Picardy Spaniel Club acknowledges the FCI as the final court of appeal in all cases of dispute, and as the final authority for the interpretation of these rules.

 14. BANKRUPTCY: No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment with the club.