1     NAME

The club shall be called:  THE SLOVAKIAN ROUGH HAIRED POINTER CLUB

(Hereinafter called the Club)

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2.     OBJECTS

The objects of the club are to promote, protect and advance the interests of the SRHP to include:

a) Giving support, advice and education to existing and potential Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer (SRHP) owners

b) Encouraging and promote the use of the SRHP as a working dog

c) Safeguarding the health and welfare of the breed

d) Maintaining the breed standard as a measure of excellence by which the breed should be judged

3     MEMBERSHIP

The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members.

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4     OFFICERS

The officers shall comprise, President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. All these officers shall be ex-officio members of the committee, with full voting rights. Where a person holds more than one office, that person shall have one vote only, and shall count as one person for determining committee quorum.

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5     COMMITTEE

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

b) The entire 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) The President shall retire quinquennially, but shall be eligible for re-election

e) The Hon. Secretary shall retire annually, but shall be eligible for re-election.

f) The Hon. Treasurer shall retire annually, but shall be eligible for re-election.

g) Members of the committee shall each serve for a period of THREE years but shall be eligible for re-election.

h)  On the same day, as soon as practicable after the Annual General Meeting at which it is elected, the committee shall hold a meeting at which it shall elect from its members, a Chairman and Vice-Chairman to serve for the term of that committee.

i) The committee shall meet at least four times during the year.

Officers and Committee members participate in a committee meeting when:

1.  the meeting has been called and takes place in accordance with these rules, and,

2.  they can communicate to the other participants any information or opinions they have on any particular item of business of the meeting.

It is irrelevant where the officer or committee member is, or how they communicate with each other. Such participation shall be recorded as “virtual attendance” and satisfy attendance requirements, subject to rule 5(l). If all the persons participating in the meeting are not in the same place, they may decide that the meeting is to be treated as taking place wherever any of them is situated.

A copy of the minutes of each meeting shall be sent by the Honorary Secretary to each committee member within twenty-eight days of the meeting.

j) Where a matter is considered to be urgent by two officers of the Club, a decision on that matter may be arrived at by committee members voting via email on a definitive resolution put by the chairman or vice-chairman, or in their absence by an officer of the committee. The decision being decided by a majority of votes received by email from serving committee members within the prescribed time frame and being minuted at the next formal committee meeting.

k) The quorum for a Committee meeting will be 4. This will include any Officer of the Club and at least 3 elected members.

l) Committee members shall advise the Secretary prior to a committee meeting if they are unable to attend. A Committee member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings (excepting one virtual attendance) without a satisfactory explanation will be deemed to have resigned from the committee. Such a deemed resignation will debar that committee member from standing for re-election at the very next AGM.

m) The committee may appoint members of the Club to fill any honorary post they deem necessary; any such post shall be confirmed by the membership of the Club at the following Annual General Meeting before being deemed to be a continuing office.  The committee may co-opt up to three fully paid up member to fulfill a specific task. Those co-opted shall not have voting powers in the management of the Club.

n) The Committee may cause sub-committee to be formed to be responsible to it as it may require. Agendas and Minutes of all sub-committee meetings shall be kept and submitted to the Committee. Sub-Committees and secretaries thereof shall retire annually, but be eligible for re-appointment.

 

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 on the 1st March in the year of the election. No persons whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the committee or hold any office or appointment within a Kennel Club registered society.

b) The President shall be invited to hold office for a period of five years. All nominations of an eligible member for election to the committee or as a President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be proposed by one fully paid up member and seconded by another. All nominations shall be in the hands of the Honorary Secretary by 31st March each year. Nominations for the Presidency shall be in the hands of the Honorary Secretary by 31st March every fifth year as applicable.

c) The serving committee may propose a member for Honorary Life Membership which must be ratified by a majority vote at the next Annual General Meeting.

d) All nominations for election shall be dealt with at the Annual General Meeting. There shall be executed an election by a secret ballot, the voters being those members so entitled and present at the Annual General Meeting. Of the nominees for the committee, those with the most votes shall fill the vacancies on the committee for the ensuing year.

The office of President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be decided by the nomination receiving the highest number of votes. Two members present at the meeting shall be appointed to make the distribution and collection of voting papers and to act as tellers in counting the votes.

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7     ELECTION OF MEMBERS

a) Any person wishing to become a member of the Club shall make application to the Honorary Membership Secretary on the official form. This form shall include an undertaking to abide by the rules of the Club, accept the Data Protection related policies of the Club, and shall carry the signature of two fully paid up members as proposer and seconder of the application. Subscription monies shall be banked immediately. The applicant shall not be considered a member until the application has been considered and voted upon by the committee.

b) In the case of non-approval the committee is not required to disclose its reasons for not approving a candidate for membership. Subscription monies will be returned to the applicant forthwith and any further application will not be considered until two years have elapsed.

c) The names of newly elected members shall be minuted and the applicant informed accordingly by the Honorary Membership Secretary. A copy of the Club rules shall be made available to any bona-fide applicant for membership upon request.

d) Any former member wishing to rejoin the Club shall apply as if a new applicant for membership.

e) A member shall only be deemed to be a fully paid up member if and when his/her subscription has been paid in full at the prevailing rate for the current financial year. Subscriptions received at less than the prevailing rate shall be forfeit if not made up to the full amount and shall be treated as donations in the year with no membership rights accruing.

f) Members may seek full or associate membership, which are subject to differing rates of subscription. Associate Membership confers equivalent benefits to those of Full Membership but only Full Membership confer voting rights.

g) Members may propose by resolution for the decision of the Annual General Meeting that a member be made an Honorary Life Membership.

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8     GENERAL MEETING

a) A General Meeting shall be convened by the Honorary Secretary on a suitable date before 31st May each year, notice of which shall be forwarded to members in writing not less than 42 days before the date of the meeting, inviting nominations for officers and committee and proposals to be placed on the agenda. Such nominations and proposals shall be received by the Honorary Secretary at least 35 days before the meeting. This shall be known as the Annual General Meeting and shall be for the following purposes:

i. To receive the report of the committee and the Statement of Accounts.

ii. To elect the officers and the committee as appropriate.

iii. To discuss and vote upon any proposals duly placed on the agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Honorary Secretary.

iv. To appoint auditors.

No business shall be discussed or 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.

b) At every General Meeting of the Club the President shall be invited to take the Chair. Should he/she decline or in his/her absence a Chairman elected by and from the members present shall preside.

c) A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Honorary Secretary if twelve paid up members send signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and the resolution to be proposed. The date of the meeting so convened shall be within two calendar months of the requisition being received, and the Agenda dispatched at least 14 days before the meeting.

d) A Special General Meeting may be called at the discretion of the committee to put any matter to the membership deemed necessary by the committee.

e) In the case of there being an equal number of votes on any motion, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.

f) All resolutions at a General Meeting shall be passed by a majority vote, excepting matters specifically referred to in these 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. Resolutions for the alteration of the rules, introduction of new rules or reversal of any former act or decision, shall require a two thirds majority vote of those present and voting. Any such resolution, if passed, shall be brought to the notice of all members as soon as practical after the meeting. Such alterations to the rules shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and has given approval to the alterations.

g) Only fully paid up members shall be entitled to vote at a General Meeting. Each member shall be entitled to one vote immediately upon acceptance of membership. In the case of joint membership, each member of the partnership shall be entitled to one vote. Associate members shall not be entitled to vote. Proxy votes are not allowed.

h) Members shall receive notice and an agenda of any General Meeting at least twenty-one days prior to the date of the meeting.

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9     MINUTES

a) Minutes of all meetings shall be kept by the Honorary Secretary which shall be recorded in a minute book.

b) Minutes of all general meetings shall be sent to all members by the Honorary Secretary as soon as practicable.

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10   NOTICES

a) Members of the Club shall provide a valid email address to which all notices, bulletins and announcements shall be sent. Exceptionally, notices may, at the discretion of the committee, be sent to the last known postal address of the member. All notices shall be considered delivered on the date on which such notices are emailed or sent.

b) The Club must maintain an up to date list of members and their addresses. This number of members must be sent to the Kennel Club with their annual returns, and, if so requested, the club must make the list of names available for inspection by the Kennel Club and members of the society.

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11   FINANCE

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

b) The annual subscription shall be as deemed by the members in general meeting. The subscription shall be due on 1st March for the following year. Joint membership may be any two members of the same household or joint owners of a SRHP.

c) Any member elected on or after the 1st November shall pay the full subscription, which will entitle him/her to membership not only until 1st March, but also for the subsequent year.

d) There shall be a bank account operated in the name of the Club and cheques for withdrawal of monies shall be signed by any two of the following committee members: Chairman of the committee, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, a designated Committee member duly authorized by the Committee. All revenues of the Club shall be paid into this account.

e) The accounts shall be kept by the Honorary Treasurer. Two suitably qualified people, or one professional auditor, unconnected to the committee, shall be appointed at each general meeting who shall certify the Club accounts for the ensuing year before the Annual General Meeting.

f) A statement of the accounts shall be circulated to all members present at the Annual General Meeting, and then sent out to all members with the minutes of the Annual General Meeting. Also, any paid up member, on request, can have a copy of the certified accounts sent to them fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting.

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12   CLUB PROPERTY

The property of the Club shall be vested in the committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a special general meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of all assets and settlement of any liabilities of the Club. The Kennel Club shall be notified 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.

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13   TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

a) Any member failing to pay his/her annual subscription by 31st March shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Club.

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

c) Any members who shall be disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A11j (5) and/or Kennel Club Rule A11j (9) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club.

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 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 Special General Meeting of the Club be called for the purposes 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 from the date of such meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such conditions as the Kennel Club may impose.

d) If a member is expelled for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, Dog Shows, Trials or Competition, the Club must report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.

 

14   DISPUTES

The Club acknowledges the Kennel Club as the final court of appeal in all cases of dispute, and as the final authority for the interpretation of these rules.

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15    The Club shall not join any federation or societies or clubs.

 

16   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 the continuance of registration and that by 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in Kennel Club regulations for the registration and maintenance of societies and breed councils and the affiliation of agricultural societies and municipal authorities, be forwarded to the Kennel Club. The officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any change of Secretary of the society which may occur during the course of the year. The officers acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of the month in which the society’s Annual General Meeting is held and to notify the Kennel Club of any subsequent amendments to that date.

 

17   CONDUCT

a) No person shall carry out punitive correction or harsh handling of a dog at any time whilst at a licensed venue, including its environs, car park and caravan parks and approaches.

b) The owner, exhibitor, handler or other person in charge of a dog at Kennel Club licensed Events must, at all times, ensure that the dog is kept under proper control whilst at the licensed venue, including its environs, car and caravan parks and approaches.

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18   CODE OF ETHICS

The membership will be expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the Code of Ethics approved by the Club.

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19   DATA PROTECTION

The Club shall comply with all relevant data protection laws applicable in the United Kingdom and shall adopt and publish a Data Privacy Notice, and a Data Retention Policy. It is a condition of membership that members accept the Data Protection policies of the Club which may be revised from time to time.

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