THE CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF

THE SMOOTH COLLIE CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN

AS AMENDED & APPROVED BY THE AGM ON 17th JUNE 2017


NAME AND OBJECT

The Club shall be called "The Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain" and its object shall be to foster the interests of the Smooth Collie by: -

  1. Guaranteeing classes and/or offering special prizes for the breed at shows approved by the Committee.
  2. Encouraging Members to breed and exhibit sound, balanced Collies, free from exaggeration and of good temperament, in accordance with the Kennel Club Standard for the breed.
  3. Endeavouring, by suitable publicity, to secure a wider appreciation of the Smooth Collie, both as a show dog and companion.

OFFICERS, COMMITTEE AND MEMBERS

The Club shall consist of a Patron, a President and up to six Vice Presidents, an elected Committee of sixteen members (who shall include the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer as elected Officers), and an unlimited number of Members.

MEMBERSHIP LIST

The Society must maintain an up to date list of members and their addresses and make it available for inspection if so requested by the Members or by the Kennel Club.

APPOINTMENT OF PATRON, PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT(S)

The Patron, the President and the Vice President(s) shall be appointed by the Club and elected by the Members in recognition of their services to the Club or the breed. Appointees shall be elected at a General Meeting the Agenda of which must include notice of a proposal to elect individual(s) to office. Removal from office shall only be by a two-thirds majority vote of Members present and voting at a General Meeting, the Agenda of which must include notice of a proposal to remove from office any individual.

CLUB MANAGEMENT

The management of the Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain shall be in the hands of the elected Committee of sixteen together with the Patron, President and Vice President(s) who shall be ex officio non-voting members of the Committee.

  1. 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.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND QUORUM

The sixteen elected members shall be entitled to vote at Committee meetings and in the case of a tied vote the Chairman shall have an additional casting vote. Members shall vote by show of hands or if at least two members so request, by secret ballot. The President shall be entitled to take the chair as required.

  1. Meetings shall be held as necessary; the date shall be arranged at the close of business of the preceding meeting. It shall be deemed competent for the Honorary Secretary to conduct business by letter to the Chairman and Committee at any time it is impracticable to call a meeting.
  2. Six shall form a quorum, the number to include at least two elected Officers.

ELECTION OF COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS

  • Nominations to Committee shall be in writing and with the consent of the nominee on the proposal of one Club Member, seconded by another. Both proposer and seconder must be entitled to vote at that election.
  • Committee Officers and members shall be elected annually by secret ballot at the Annual General Meeting to serve for a term of three years. In order to maintain continuity, one third of the Committee (including Officers) shall retire every year and may seek re-election, if they so desire, without nomination.
  • No individual shall be elected to Committee save they poll a minimum 51% of available votes from Members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting.
  • Should vacancies occur, the Committee shall be empowered to co-opt up to three members to serve on the Committee in any one year. Those co-opted shall have full voting rights but shall only hold office until the next General Meeting of the Club at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.No individual shall be elected to the Committee unless a current Member with full voting rights at the previous Annual General Meeting.

HONORARIA

Honoraria shall be such an amount as agreed by members at a General Meeting payable in arrears following the AGM.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP

The Committee will consider applications for membership on a regular basis throughout the year and reserves the right to refuse membership should it consider such action desirable. The Committee's decision will be final.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS

A person may be elected an Honorary Life Member of the Club by the Members at a General Meeting. Notice of a proposal to elect an Honorary Life Member must appear on the Agenda of a General Meeting. Honorary Life Members shall have all the rights and privileges of membership, but shall not be liable to pay subscriptions.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Annual subscriptions shall be payable to the Honorary Treasurer on January 1st each year and shall be such amounts as agreed by Members in General Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club.

Classes of subscription shall be UK
Single            - one person
Joint              - maximum two persons
Junior            - under 16 years Overseas - maximum two persons
All subscriptions shall include copies of the Club's Newsletters.

    • No member whose subscription is unpaid shall be entitled to any of the privileges of membership. It shall be the responsibility of Members to renew subscriptions at the correct time in order to retain all privileges.
    • If any Member shall fail to pay the annual subscription by the Annual General Meeting his/her name shall be removed from the list of members but may, at the discretion of the Committee, be re-admitted to membership on payment of the current year's subscription.
    • Club Trophies shall only be awarded to fully paid-up members. Such trophies shall not be taken outside the United Kingdom and must be returned in good condition upon request by the Trophy Secretary.

    VOTING RIGHTS

    The following voting rights shall be assumed by all fully paid up Members provided that subscriptions for the current year are paid before the date of the Annual General Meeting:-

    1. Single Member                 - one vote
    2. Joint Members                 - one vote for each member of the partnership
    3. Junior Members               - no voting rights
    4. Overseas Members        - as for UK Members
    5. Honorary Life Members                - one vote

    EXPULSION

    • Any member who shall be disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A11.j (5) and/or under 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 Club, be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character and 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 Special General Meeting of the Club 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 Club, except that he/she may within two calendar months form the date of such Meeting appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such conditions as the Kennel Club may impose.
    • If the Club expels any Member for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, dog shows or trials, the Club must report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply particulars required.

    PROPERTY

    The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee.

    • Donors of Challenge Cups and Trophies shall be asked to give written acknowledgement that their gift is made outright to the Club.
    • In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the Club's assets and the outcome notified to the Kennel Club.
    • If the Club is wound up or ceases to be a Registered Society under Kennel Club Regulations, a final statement of audited 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 on the last return furnished to the Kennel Club, will be held responsible for the proper winding up of the Club.

    CLUB ACCOUNTS

    • The Accounts shall be kept by the Honorary Treasurer and shall be certified annually (by person or persons approved by the Committee and independent of the Committee) and presented to the Members at the Annual General Meeting.
    • Certification of Accounts must be carried out by one qualified Accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience or as advised by the Kennel Club.
    • A Banking Account shall be held in the name of the Club into which all revenue shall be paid and from which withdrawals shall only be made on the signature of the Chairman, the Honorary Secretary or the Honorary Treasurer, two out of these three Officers to sign, one signature preferably to be the Honorary Treasurer. An investment Account may be held at the discretion of the Committee with signatories as for the Banking Account.

    ANNUAL RETURNS TO THE KENNEL CLUB

    The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year 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 and Breed Councils and the Affiliation of Agricultural Societies and Municipal Authorities will 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.

    GENERAL MEETINGS

    The financial year of the Club shall be from January 1st to December 31st.

      1. Annual General Meetings shall be held at such time and place as the Committee shall decide, to receive the Balance Sheet and the reports of the Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary and to discuss any matters duly placed on the Agenda. The certified accounts will be made available on request to members fourteen days prior to the AGM.

    First Notification

    The time and place of the Annual General Meeting and the latest date for submission of items for the Agenda shall be notified to the Members in writing and/or published in the Club's Christmas Newsletter.

    Items for the Agenda must be lodged with the Honorary Secretary not less than twenty-eight days before the Meeting.

    Second Notification

    Not less than fourteen clear days notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to Members either in writing or by publication in “The Smooth Look” or the Smooth Collie Facebook Group page.

    (Such notice must contain all relevant information concerning the Meeting and business to be conducted. No Member, save with the consent of the Chairman, shall bring any business before the Meeting unless duly notified to the Honorary Secretary.)

      1. Special General Meetings shall be called by the Committee at any time deemed necessary in the interests of the Club, or by the Secretary on receipt of a requisition, stating the subject to be discussed and signed by twelve Members of the Club.

    Notification

    Not less than fourteen clear days notice shall be given in writing to the Members of a Special General Meeting.

    (Such notice must contain all relevant information concerning the Meeting and business to be conducted. No business other than the matter on the Agenda shall be discussed at a Special General Meeting.)

    QUORUM AT GENERAL MEETINGS

    A General Meeting may proceed to business provided that fifteen Members entitled to vote are present within half an hour after the time fixed for the Meeting. Otherwise the Meeting, if convened on the requisition of Members, shall stand dissolved, but if convened by the Committee shall stand adjourned to be reconvened at a time and place not later than twenty-eight days hence. Such time and place to be notified to Members either in writing or by publication in "Dog World"/and/or "Our Dogs" at least seven days prior to the Meeting.

    RULES OF THE CLUB

    The Rules of the Club shall not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, notice of which includes details of the proposals to alter the rules. Any alteration to the rules passed at such meetings shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and has given its approval of the alterations. No business shall be transacted at an 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.

    COURT OF APPEAL

    The Kennel Club shall be the final Court of Appeal in all matters of dispute.

    FEDERATION

    The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.

    CODE OF ETHICS

    The purpose of the Code of Ethics is to provide guidance and information to all Smooth Collie breeders and owners.
    See Annex A to the Constitution “The Clubs Code of Ethics”

    BREED SOCIETY JUDGES LIST

    The Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain compiles a list of judges each year, which indicates to interested parties those persons, the Club would support at differing levels of judging.

    The list is divided into five parts, namely, A1, A2. A3 B and C. The list will expire upon receipt of Kennel Club approval of new lists submitted to them with Annual Returns on or before 31st July each year. New lists will be prepared annually by secret ballot of the Committee at its meeting during the first quarter. Candidates in the annual ballot comprise new nominees together with those persons previously approved by the Club. Candidates must receive at least 50% of the available vote in order to be elected onto the Club’s judging lists. Applications for inclusion or movement within the list must be lodged with the Honorary Secretary and will be discussed at the next committee meeting.

    A1 List Specialists and Non-Specialists.
    For persons who have previously been approved by the Kennel Club to award CC’s in the breed and have the
    support of this club.

    A2 List Specialists and Non-Specialists.
    For persons who fulfil all the requirements for the A3 list and who have been assessed in accordance with Kennel Club requirements and accepted by the Kennel Club for inclusion on the A2 list and have the support of this Club.

    A3 List – Specialists

      • To have a minimum of 7 years judging experience in Smooth Collies at Open Show level (including Championship Shows where Challenge Certificates were not on offer in the breed) with an adequate geographical spread.
      • To have judged a minimum number of 25 classes of Smooth Collies.
      • To have judged a minimum of 50 Smooth Collies.
      • To have judged the breed at least once at a breed show with a minimum number of eight classes.
      • To have bred and/or owned at least three Smooth Collies when they obtained their first entry in the Kennel Club Stud Book (save in exceptional circumstances).
      • To have stewarded at a minimum of twelve shows.
      • To have attended a seminar given by a KC accredited trainer and passed the relevant examination on KC regulations and judging procedures.
      1. To have attended a seminar given by a KC accredited trainer on conformation and movement.
      2. To have attended a conformation and movement “hands-on” assessment conducted by a KC accredited trainer and passed the assessment.
      3. To have attended at least one breed specific seminar run in accordance with the relevant KC code of best practice and passed an examination and/or assessment where applicable.

      A3 List – Non-Specialist

      1. To have a minimum of 7 years judging experience in any one breed.
      2. To have judged Smooth Collies over a five year period at Open Show level (including Championship where Challenge Certificates were not on offer in the breed) with an adequate geographical spread.
      3. To have judged a minimum number of 25 classes of Smooth Collies.
      4. To have judged a minimum of 50 Smooth Collies.
      5. To have judged a Breed Show or supported entry Open Show or a Championship Show where Challenge Certificates were not on offer for the breed.
      6. To have awarded Challenge Certificates in at least one other breed, preferably in the Pastoral or Working Groups.
      7. To have stewarded at a minimum of twelve shows.
      8. To have attended at least one breed specific judging seminar run in accordance with the relevant KC code of best practice and passed an examination and/or assessment where applicable.

      B List – Specialist

      1. To have 10 years experience owning and exhibiting Smooth Collies.
      2. To have judged a minimum of 3 classes and 12 Smooth Collies.
      3. Must have attended an approved Smooth Collie seminar including a Judging Assessment and breed Standard written examination and been awarded a Pass Certificate.
      4. To have stewarded at a minimum of twelve shows.
      5. To have attended a seminar given by a KC accredited trainer and passed the relevant examination KC regulations and judging procedure.
      6. To have attended a seminar given by a KC accredited trainer on conformation and movement.
      7. To have attended a points of the dog assessment conducted by a KC accredited Trainer and passed the assessment.

      B List – Non-Specialist

      1. To have 10 years experience owning and exhibiting any one breed.
      2. To have a minimum of 5 years judging experience in any one breed.
      3. To have judged a minimum of 3 classes and 12 Smooth Collies.
      4. Must have attended an approved Smooth Collie seminar including a Judging Assessment and Breed Standard written examination and been awarded a Pass Certificate.
      5. To have stewarded at a minimum of twelve shows.
      6. To have attended a seminar given by a KC accredited trainer and passed the relevant examination KC regulations and judging procedure.
      7. To have attended a seminar given by a KC accredited trainer on conformation and movement.
      8. To have attended a points of the dog assessment conducted by a KC accredited Trainer and passed the assessment.

      C List – Specialist and Non-Specialist
      For aspirant judges who have shown an active interest in Smooth Collies over a minimum 5 year period and who have attended an approved Smooth Collie seminar which includes group hands on session with a mentor and been awarded a Certificate of Attendance that has the approval of this club.

      Attainment of the relevant qualifications or previous approval does not entitle any candidate to automatic entry onto any of the Club's lists of judges.

      Membership of the Club is not a prerequisite for inclusion in the lists.

       

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