Proposed Constitution of Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club of Wales

1. Name and Objectives :

The Club shall be known as the Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club of Wales. Hereinafter referred to as The Club.

Whilst recognizing the importance of the exhibition of Polish Lowland Sheepdogs (PLS's), The Club will put emphasis upon the breeding of sound stock; the welfare of all PLS's and the education of owners and potential owners.

The Club will attempt to achieve these aims through the publication of newsletters, seminars and any functions the Officers and Committee think appropriate.

2. Officers and Committee:

The Club shall consist of: Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, a committee of six elected at the AGM, a President, and an unlimited number of members.

PRESIDENT. The President shall be elected by the Officers and Committee of the Club. The President shall have a full vote at Committee meetings if wishing to attend.

OFFICERS. The Officers of the Club shall consist of a Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer who shall be elected for a period of three years, one of whom shall retire each year but shall be eligible for re-election.

(To enable this rotation to work, it will be necessary to elect the Chairman for one year, the Hon. Treasurer for two years and the Hon. Secretary for three years, in the first instance.)

3. Committee:

The Management and finances of The Club shall be in the hand of the Officers of The Club and a Committee of six members, of whom one third shall retire on a three year rotation. Members of Committee shall be eligible for re-election at the end of their period of office.

To enable this rotation to occur, one third of the Committee should initially be elected to serve a three year term, one third a two year term and one third a one year term.)

All the Officers and Committee shall have full voting rights.

Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as is deemed necessary but at least three times in each year.

A quorum for Committee meetings shall be five Members including at least one Officer.

The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members onto Committee to fill vacancies occurring between General Meetings. Those co-opted shall hold office until the next General Meeting at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.

Any members wishing to stand for election as an officer of the Club must have been a fully paid up member for a minimum of three consecutive years. Any members wishing to stand for a committee place must have been a fully paid up member for a minimum of 18 consecutive months.

Any persons holding a committee member or officer post on another KC recognized or unrecognized Polish Lowland Sheepdog club are deemed ineligible for election.

4. Election of Members.

All applications for Membership must be made on a membership form and be accompanied by full remittance. Membership applications shall be directed to the Membership Secretary (to be appointed by the committee) and acceptance of membership will be decided by a simple majority vote of the committee, at the next appropriate full committee meeting, following the receipt of the application

Applications for membership must be proposed  by  fully paid up members.

Junior Members (under 16 years of age) may join but shall have no voting rights.

5.   An up to date list of members and their addresses, and those of branch members 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 the society must be made with Annual Returns.

6.   Voting Rights.

All fully paid up members shall have been in the Club for at least one calendar year before having voting rights at General Meetings of the Club.

Where there is a  Joint Membership there shall be one vote for each member of the partnership.

Postal or proxy votes are not allowed

7. 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 Club's assets. A final statement of accounts shall be forwarded  to the Kennel Club, within six months and persons named as Officers and Committee will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Club

8. Club Accounts.

A banking account shall be held in the name of the Club at a bank agreed by the Officers of the Club. Into this account all revenue of the Club will be paid. No withdrawal may be made without the signature of any two of the three Officers. No two members of the same family may sign cheques.

The accounts shall be certified annually by one qualified Accountant and presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting.

9. Subscriptions.

The Annual Subscription shall be such an amount as agreed by Members at a General Meeting.and notified to the Kennel Club

Subscriptions shall be payable on the 1^st of January in each year. Members not having paid their subscriptions by the start of the AGM will be denied voting rights and privileges of   membership

Any Member whose subscription is unpaid during a complete year shall have to submit his or her name to the Committee for re-election to Membership.

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 Society's register is  by  following  the  procedure  defined  in  paragraph 10.

10.  EXPULSION OF MEMBERS.

Any Member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A42j(5) and/or any member whose dog's) is/are disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42j(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 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 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.

 11. Financial Year

The Financial Year of The Club shall run from 1^st January to 31^st December.

12. Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting shall be held no later than the 31^st March each year to

Members will receive Notice of the Annual General Meeting at least 60 days prior to the date of the meeting, in writing or in the club magazine ‘Ponderings’

a) receive the report of the Committee and the balance sheet.

b) receive nominations for Officers and Committee, duly Proposed and seconded by full members. These must be sent to the Honorary Secretary at least 28 days before the AGM accompanied by the written agreement of the nominee in a clearly marked envelope. Nominations to be opened at a committee meeting prior to the AGM.

c)  elect Officers and Committee 

d)  discuss any resolutions placed upon the Agenda of which not less than 28 days prior notice has been given to the Honorary Secretary.

12a SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Hon. Secretary if 12 members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a Special General Meeting to do so. The Committee of the Society is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting.

No business other than that detailed on the agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting.

13. AMENDMENTS TO RULES

The rules of the Society may not be altered except at a General Meeting, the notice for which contains specific proposals to amend the rules.

Any proposed alteration to the rules may not be brought into effect until the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alteration. New rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately.

14. 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 31^st 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 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 AUTHORITY

The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the rules of the Society in all cases relative to canine or society matters.

16. The Society shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.

17.  No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club registered Society.