Rules and Regulations

Name and Objectives

a. To promote and improve the standard of Working gundogs
b. To hold Training Classes for the benifit of members
c. To promote Working Tests and Field Trials, and comply with K.C. regulations regarding Panel judges at these events.

Officers and Committee

The Association shall consist of as many patrons as shall be necessary, a President, a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Spaniel Secretary, an Honorary Retriever Secretary, an Honorary Working Test Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer and a committee of eleven, and an unlimited membership whose names and addresses will all be kept in a membership bookor electronic system opened by the Secretary and which shall be available for inspection if so requested by members of the Association or by the Kennel Club.

Committee

The management of the Association shall be conducted by a Committee of eleven members, all of whom shall retire annually, but shall be eligible for re-election. The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Spaniel Secretary, Honorary Retriever Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of the committee. Meetings of the committee shall be held as often as may be deemed necessary, but at least three times per year, when five members shall form a quorum for the transaction of business. In the event of committee positions becoming vacant between Annual General Meetings, the committee shall have the power to co-opt members onto the committee. Those co-opted members to hold office until the next Annual General Meeting. The committee may form sub-committees for the conduct of additional business and/ or events, but any sub-committee formed shall be responsible for and shall take it's instruction from the main committee appointing them. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the committee or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.

Election of Members

(The Membership shall be unlimited)

Candidates for membership to the association shall write a brief description of their interests and the reason they wish to join the association and be elected by, or balloted for by the Committee at one of their meetings. Five negatives shall exclude. The Committee reserve the right to refuse membership without having to give any reason for their decision.

Voting Rights

a. Each member shall be entitled to one vote immediately upon acceptance of membership
b. Postal and Email votes/proxy votes are not allowed
c. Voting shall be decided by the majority at meetings

Subscriptions

The annual subscriptions for single and full time gamekeepers shall be in sums as agreed from time to time by the majority of members present at the Annual General Meeting, and payable to the Hon.Secretary on the 1st January each year. Junior members will not pay subscriptions until the age of 18

No member whose subscriptions are unpaid shall be entitled to any privileges of membership, and if any member shall fail to pay the annual subscrition before the 31st March, the Committee shall have the power to erase their name from the list of members, but if the Committee shall subsequently receive satisfactory explanation the member may, at the discretion of the committee and on payment of arrears. be re-admitted to membership.

General Business

a. The financial year of the Association shall be from the first day of January to 31st December
b. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held as early in the year as possible at a date to be fixed at an Ordinary General Meeting.

At the Annual General Meeting all of the Committee shall retire as shall the President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasusrer and all other Honorary Officers, but shall be eligible for re-election. The purpose of the Annual General Meeting being to receive the report of the Committee and Balance Sheet, to elect Officers and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Honorary Secretary. No business shall be transacted at an Annual General Meeting unless thereof appears on 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 Officers and Committee at the Annual General Meeting shall be either by vote or ballot by those present at the meeting. A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Honorary Secretary if six members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and no business other than the matter on the agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting. Twenty eight days notice to be given to members of an Annual or General Meeting notice of which to be given to members in writing by Email or pre-paid post. Agena Items should be forwarded up to 14 days before the date of the Annual General meeting. The agenda for such meetings will be circulated to members seven days before the date of the meeting.

Association Property

The property of the Association shall be vested in the Committee and in the event of the Association ceasing to exist a General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of any assets and notified to the Kennel Club. The Association must obtain from donors of any cups or trophies presented to the Association an acknowledgement that the gift is made outright to the Association.

Expulsion of Members and Committee Members

Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A42j(4) and / or disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42j(8) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Association for the duration of the suspension and / or disqualification. If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Association be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interest of the Association, the Committee of the Association may, at a meeting, the notice of which includes as the object, the consideration of the conduct of the member, determine that a Special General Meeting of the Association 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 him/her of the place, date and hour of the meeting that he/she may attend and offer an expanation. If at that meeting a resolution to expel is passed by two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, their name shall forthwith be erased from the list of members and they shall thereupon cease for all purposes to be a member of the Association except that they may within two calender 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.

THAT THE COMMITTEE SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO EXPEL OR SUSPEND FROM THE COMMITTEE ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER WHO FAILS TO TAKE AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THE RUNNING OF THE ASSOCIATION AND WHO FAILS TO ATTEND MEETINGS OR TO ACCEPT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER AND IN THAT EVENT, TO FILL THEIR PLACE ON THE COMMITTEE.

Associations Accounts

A banking account shall be opened in the name of the Association into which all revenueof the Association shall be paid and from which withdrawals shall only be made on the signature of two or more Officers. Those Officers being a combination of two from the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. The accounts will be certified annually and presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting. (The certification of the accounts to be carried out by one Qualified Accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience).

Secretary

The Secretary shall take minutes of all meetings, issue appropriate notices and carry out all the secretarial work in connection with and for the benefit of the Association.

Treasurer

The Treasurer shall open a bank account referred to above and shall give receipts for all revenue and shall keep accurate and up to date accounts relating to Association expenditure and shall produce the bank pass book and any other relevant documents or memorandum relating to their position whenever required to do so by members of the Committee.

Kennel Club The Final Court of Appeal

The Kennel Club shall be the final Court of appeal in all matters of dispute. Federation of Societies of Clubs

The Association shall not join any Ferderation or Societies of Clubs.

Amendments of Rules

The rules of the Association shall not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting. Any alterations of the rules shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and given it's approval of the alterations.