Yorkshire Lancashire & Cheshire BT Club Rules

 

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YORKSHIRE LANCASHIRE & CHESHIRE

 

CONSTITUTION   &   RULES

(Approved by KC 2022)

1. NAME AND OBJECTS 

The Club shall be called the Yorkshire Lancashire and Cheshire Border Terrier Club and its objects shall be to encourage in every possible way the breeding of Border Terriers of correct type and working qualities and the judging of them at shows according to the standard of the breed.  It shall guarantee classes and otherwise support shows for the encouragement of the correct type of Border Terrier and in particular classes for Terriers holding a working certificate. Working certificates given by any Master of Fox or Otterhounds.

 2. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

The Club shall consist of the President, Chairman, Vice Chairman Hon.Secretary, Hon.Treasurer and a Committee of 10 and an unlimited number of Members.  No person whilst an un discharged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society. 

 3. COMMITTEE

The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers of the Club and A committee of 10 Members, comprising:

 (a)  Five offices, being President, Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, who shall be ex-officio members of the committee, shall hold office for four years and shall be eligible for re-election after that time on the following annual cycle: President; 2-Chairman; 3-Honorary Secretary;  Honorary Treasurer & Honorary Vice Chairman.

 (b) . Main Committee not exceeding ten persons, half of whom shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

 All Officers and Committee shall have full voting rights.  Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary but at least every 6 months.  A quorum of Committee meeting shall be 4.  The Committee shall have the power to co-op members on to the Committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between General Meetings.  Those co-opted shall only hold office until the next General Meeting of the Club at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.  No individual who has been a member for less than 1 year may be elected onto the Committee.

(c). If a Committee Memeber fails to attend three consecutive meetings without reasonable and satisfactory explanation,they may be removed from their committee position and the committee may co-op to fill the resulting vacancy,such co-optee to remain in office until the next Annual General Meeting. On illness it must be taken to the Officers and Committee it will then be at their discretion regarding the Committee member. 

 

 

 4. ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Candidates for membership shall be proposed by one existing fully paid up member and seconded by another existing fully paid up member.  The Hon. Secretary shall carry on the business of the Club in accordance with these rules and the direction of the Committee.

 An up to date list of Members and their addresses, and those of branch member where appropriate must be maintained and, if so requested, 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 the Annual Returns.

 The election of members shall be controlled by the Committee whose decision shall be final.  Election to membership is to be decided by ballot of the Committee, providing those proposed are accepted by the majority of Committee members attending the Committee meeting: Joint, Single andor Junior members may be accepted following either a show of hands or secret ballot at that Committee Meeting.

 

5. VOTING RIGHTS 

(a) Each fully paid up member and Honorary Life Member shall be entitled to one vote for the retiring Office and a maximum of the number of vacancies arising on Committee that year (that is, the five retiring Committee and any other vacancies).  Each member shall be entitled to these voting rights after 3 months membership.

 (b) Voting shall be by secret ballot and decided by the majority of the meeting, unless the number of proposed and seconded Committee equal the number of vacancies that year, in which case the Chairman may call for an election  en-bloc and only if this is agreed by majority vote, by show of hands, of those present.

 

 6. CLUB PROPERTY

The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a final General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the Clubs assets and the outcome of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club. A final statement of 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.    Written acknowledgement shall be obtained from donors of Cups and Trophies that they are given as outright gifts to the Club.

 7. CLUB ACCOUNTS 

A banking Account shall be held in the name of the Club at a Bank and a Building Society into which all revenue of the Club shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signature of two of the following: Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer, in the event the Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer being one of the same person, then the signature of the President shall be one of the signatures.  

 The accounts will be certified annually and presented to the Members at the Annual General Meeting.

NOTE:  Certification of accounts must be carried out by one qualified accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience.  Those undertaking the certification must be independent from those who prepared the accounts and the Committee.

 A copy of the annual statement of accounts is to 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 the members of the Annual General Meeting at times to be stipulated in the rules.

 8. SUBSCRIPTIONS 

The Annual Subscriptions shall be such amount as agreed by the members in General Meetings and notified to the Kennel Club.  No member whose subscription is unpaid is entitled to any of the privileges of Membership and if the member shall fail to pay outstanding subscription by one year from the due date (payment for each year to reach the Secretary by 31 December in the previous year) his/her name shall be automatically erased from the Register.    Acceptance back on the register will be dependent upon a new application, proposed and seconded and payment of back arrears.   Once members have been accepted for membership, providing they continue to pay their membership subscriptions at the correct time they cannot be refused renewal of membership.     With the exception of default on subscriptions the only way to remove a member from the Clubs register is by following the procedure of Rule 9

9. 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 interest 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 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 expect 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 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.

 10. FINANCIAL YEAR - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 

The financial year of the Club shall be from the  1st January to the 31st December. The Annual General Meeting shall be held before the 28th February each year.

 11. GENERAL MEETINGS

(a) Nature of Business to be conducted: to receive the report of the Committee and Balance Sheet, to elect Officers and Committee and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Hon. Secretary.  “No business shall be transacted at the Annual General Meeting unless notice 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”.

 (b)  Notice of such meetings will be by notice in Our Dogs.

 (c) . Not less than 28 days notice shall be given of Meetings.

 (d) . Items for inclusion of the Agenda must be received by the Secretary 14 days prior to such meeting.

 (e) . The Agenda will be circulated at the meeting.

 (f) .  The required quorum for an Annual General Meeting hall be a minimum of five members, all of whom shall have paid their subscriptions in a timely manner and at the latest that payment to have reached the Secretary by 31 December in the previous year

 

12. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Hon. Secretary if 10 members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a Special General Meeting to do so.     No business other than that detailed on the Agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting.     The Committee of the Club is empowered to call a Special General Meeting at its discretion.   Members will be notified of Special General Meetings in Dog World and Our Dogs.   14 days notice will be given.

The required quorum for a Special General Meeting of ten members, of all of whom shall have paid their subscription in a timely manner and at the latest that payment to have reached the Secretary by 31 December in the previous.

 

 13. AMENDMENTS TO RULES

The Rules of the Club may not be altered except at a General Meeting, the notice for which contains specific proposals to amend the rules.     Any proposed alterations to the Rules may not be brought into effect until the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alterations.     New Rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately and be included in the Society's Constitution with effect from the Society's Annual Meeting.  The committee shall have the power to deal with any questions not provided by the rules.

 

 14. ANNUAL RETURNS TO THE KENNEL CLUB

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 stipulated in the Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of the Title of Societies and 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 changes of Secretary of the Society which may occur during the course of the year.

 

15. KENNEL CLUB FINAL COURT OF AUTHORITY 

The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the rules of the Society in all cases relative Canine or Society  matters .  The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Club's (except Kennel Club permission granted on 21st February 1986 to join the National Federation of Working Terrier Clubs).

 

16. HONORARY MEMBERS 

The Committee may, at their discretion admit as Honorary Life Members any persons whose services to the Club and the Breed generally are well recognised  Honorary Life Members admitted to the Club will be exempt from paying payment of subscription, but will have full voting rights at all members meetings.

 

17. NOMINATIONS FOR THE CLUB'S CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW JUDGE 

Nominations for the Clubs Championship Show Judge must be taken from the Clubs  A1 list. Persons nominated for the Clubs Championship Show, must have awarded Challenge Certificates in the Breed a minimum of once prior to nomination. Persons nominated must be asked if they are available to judge before being nominated.

 

 18. THE CLUB'S JUDGES LISTS 

Members of the Judges Sub Committee (“JSC”) are chosen by the Yorkshire Lancashire Cheshire Border Terrier Club Committee and will consist of all the Judges on the Committee who award Challenge Certificates (“CCs”) to the Breed, along with any external judges not on the Committee but chosen by the Committee who do not award CCs in the breed, but the Committee will ensure the JSC consists of at least 75% of CC judges in the breed, as required by the Kennel Club.  This JSC will meet annually for the purpose of compiling  the Club’s Judges List A1, A2, A3, B and C, as required by the Kennel Club, which will expire annually on the 31 December each year.  New list will be compiled by the JSC each year.  Voting at the JSC will be by show of hands, or by secret ballot, whichever the majority of those present decide.

 

A1 LIST: Persons whom the Club would support who have previously been approved by the Kennel Club to award Challenge Certificates in the breed and have carried out the appointment.

 

A2 LIST:       Persons whom the Club would support, if invited to judge, would in principle be approved by the Kennel Club to award Challenge Certificates in the breed for that occasion.

 

A3 LIST:      Persons whom the Club would support as being suitable to award Challenge Certificates in the breed but are not yet approved by the Kennel Club for inclusion on an A2 List. 

 

B LIST:    Persons whom the Club would support to judge the breed at Championship Shows without Challenge Certificates or at Open Shows. 

 

C  LIST:    Persons whom the Club would support to judge the breed at Open Shows with 3 or less classes and Limited Shows.   

 An up to date criteria and Judges Questionnaire will be available on the Club Website or may be obtained from the Club Secretary.  Each year the society will publish on its website and/or in one or more of its schedule, he date by which completed and updated Club judging Questionnaires are required for review by the Judges Sub Committee so that the JSC may compile the Following Years List:  A1,  A2,  B  and C list as required by the Kennel Club.

 The Lists will be drawn up at a separate JSC meeting each year where the voting may be by a show of hands or by secret ballot, whichever the JSC decide.  No person will automatically be included in the judging list just because they fulfil the basic crieria. 

 

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(YORKSHIRE LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BORDER TERRIER CLUB)

GENERAL CODE OF ETHICS

All members of the (YORKSHIRE LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BORDER TERRIER CLUB)undertake to abide by its general Code of Ethics.

Club members:

           Will properly house, feed, water and exercise all dogs under their care and arrange for appropriate veterinary attention if and when required.

  •  Will agree without reservation that any veterinary surgeon who performs an operation on any of their dogs which alters the natural conformation of the animal, or who carries out a caesarean section on a bitch, may report such operation to the Kennel Club. 

  •  Will agree that no healthy puppy will be culled. Puppies which may not conform to the Breed Standard should be placed in suitable homes.

  •  Will abide by all aspects of the Animal Welfare Act.

  •  Will not create demand for, nor supply, puppies that have been docked illegally.

  •  Will agree not to breed from a dog or bitch which could be in any way harmful to the dog or to the breed.

  •  Will not allow any of their dogs to roam at large or to cause a nuisance to neighbours or those carrying out official duties.

  •  Will ensure that their dogs wear properly tagged collars and will be kept leashed or under effective control when away from home.

  •  Will clean up after their dogs in public places or anywhere their dogs are being exhibited.

  •  Will only sell dogs where there is a reasonable expectation of a happy and healthy life and will help with the re-homing of a dog if the initial circumstances change.

  •  Will supply written details of all dietary requirements and give guidance concerning responsible ownership when placing dogs in a new home.

  •  Will ensure that all relevant Kennel Club 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.

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  1. 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).

     

  2. Will not knowingly misrepresent the characteristics of the breed nor falsely advertise dogs nor 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.

KC/GJ December 2022