1. NAME AND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY
The Club shall be called 'The North of England Dobermann Club' (hereinafter called the Club) and it shall be responsible to the Kennel Club and its members for all Dobermann affairs.
2. OBJECTS
To foster and promote the interests of the bred generally, always bearing in mind that the Dobermann is a working dog. To encourage and create opportunities for the training for, and holding of, breed and obedience shows and working trials.
3. MEMBERS
Abide by the Constitution and rules of the Club and rules of the Kennel Club.
The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members, Honorary Life Members who shall be persons interested in the promotion of the breeding, showing, and training of Dobermanns and not for personal gain. Members names and addresses shall be kept by the Secretary and Membership Secretary. The list of members names and addresses shall be available for inspection if requested by members of the Club or by the Kennel Club. Junior Members shall be considered to be full members upon reaching the date of their seventeenth birthday.
4. HONORARY MEMBERS & HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
The Committee shall be empowered to recommend as Honorary Life Members any person they feel merits such distinction and whose appointment they consider to be beneficial to the interest of the Club. They shall be exempt from paying the annual subscription and shall take no part in the management of the Club, but otherwise shall enjoy full benefits of membership. The appointment of honorary life members must be ratified at an AGM.
5. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
Application for membership must be on a membership application form and returned to the Membership Secretary. Each name will be considered by the Committee, who reserve the right to refuse membership. The membership fee paid by new members joining after the 15th October in any year shall carry their membership forward until the 31st December of the following year.
6. SUBSCRIPTIONS
The annual subscription becomes due on the 1st January in each year. The Committee is empowered to vary the subscription charge from time to time as it sees fit.
7. MEMBERS IN ARREARS
No member shall be allowed to vote, compete for Club prizes or trophies confined to members, or in any way whatsoever enjoy any privileges of membership, whilst their current subscription and other debt to the Club remains unpaid, and for which application has been made. The Committee shall have the power to erase the name from the list of members of any member whose subscription is still unpaid by 31st March of the current year, providing that application has previously been made. If the Committee shall subsequently receive a satisfactory explanation, the member may, at the discretion of the Committee and on payment of arrears for the then current year be readmitted to membership.
8. MANAGEMENT
(1) The post of President shall be optional, non-managerial and nonvoting and that an election shall take place at the AGM when the President retires. Nominations shall be taken from the floor and must be proposed and seconded. The affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Committee of not more than fifteen members, which shall include a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Public Relations Officer.
(2) All Officers shall be honorary, and no members shall be allowed to make the Club a means of private speculation or trade, or to derive financial profit through it. In the event of necessity, the post of Secretary may be filled by the appointment of an additional person as Secretary, who shall be ex-official and who shall not have a vote on the Committee.
9. QUORUM
At a Committee Meeting the quorum shall consist of 4 of the members on the Committee at the time the meeting is held. At the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting ten members present shall form a quorum.
10. ATTENDANCE AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Any Officer or member of the Committee failing to attend two consecutive meetings, may be suspended and replaced by another member at the absolute discretion of the Committee unless illness or some other acceptable explanation is given to the Committee. Any replacement Committee members so co-opted shall remain in office until the next Annual General Meeting.
11. VOTING
At all Committee meetings each Officer and member shall have one vote on each motion. In the event of a tie the Chairman shall have an extra casting vote. At an Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting, the same procedure shall apply. No member any participate in any Club vote, at any Club meeting, until they have completed a full six month unbroken paid-up membership. Junior members are not entitled to vote.
12. ELECTION OF THE COMMITTEE
Serving Officers and Committee members shall be eligible for re-election to the Committee annually and additional nominations may also be made each year but only fully paid up members may be elected to serve on the Committee. All new nominations must be proposed and seconded, both in writing and signed and sent to the Secretary. The nominee must signify willingness to serve on the Committee if elected. At the time of application, the nominees, proposer, and seconder must all be fully paid up members of the Club. All such applications must be received by the Secretary at least four (4) weeks prior to the date of the AGM. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve the committee or hold any other post.
In the case of more than fifteen candidates received for election to the committee an election shall take place by postal ballot in accordance with the instruction on ballot paper. Any ballot paper not completed in accordance with these instructions shall be declared void. Members may vote for any number of candidates up to a maximum of fifteen (15) and must not give more than one (1) vote to each candidate. An independent scrutineer shall be appointed by the Committee and all ballot papers shall be returned to this person in the addressed envelopes provided not later than ten (10) days prior to the date of the AGM. Returns from the ballot shall remain in a sealed envelope along with the completed ballot papers and shall be opened by the Chairman of the Committee at the AGM when the Election of Committee is being dealt with.
In the event of there being fifteen or less nominations a postal ballot will not be required, the nominees being elected en-block at the Annual General Meeting. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within Kennel Club Registered Society.
13. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The Secretary, Treasurer and PRO shall be elected following the results of the postal ballot declared at the AGM. The Chairman and Vice-chairman shall be elected by the new Committee at the first meeting following the Annual General Meeting, by secret ballot.
14. POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
The management of the Club shall be wholly vested in the Committee which shall have the power to call meetings, to make any necessary byelaws and to rescind the same and to arbitrate in disputed matters. The Committee shall have the sole power to deal with the funds and property of the Club, in its absolute discretion and to deal with any questions or matter not provided for in these rules. It may elect persons to fill any vacancy occurring on the Committee and such persons shall continue in office until the next Annual General Meeting.
15. MEETINGS
Committee meetings will be called by the Secretary as often as deemed necessary At least 10 days advance notice must be given in writing to all Committee members and the time and venue stated the exception is in a case of emergency. There shall be General and Special General Meetings as often as the Committee deem necessary.
16. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
A Special General Meeting must be summoned by the Secretary if ten members send in a written and signed application for such a meeting stating the subject to be discussed. At least 7 of the 10 members should attend otherwise the meeting is cancelled. The Committee of the Club is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting.
Members shall be notified by the Secretary, in writing, of the date, place and time fourteen days in advance of the meeting. In the case of a Special General Meeting to consider expulsion the Secretary shall take additional action as under Rule 25. No other business other than named in the notice shall be brought before a Special General Meeting. Any notice under these rules shall be sufficiently served if posted and addressed to any member at his last known address.
17. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
An Annual General Meeting shall be held annually not later than the 31st May.
It will resolve the following items: -
(a) To receive the reports of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
(b) To receive the Club's balance sheet
(c) To hear the result of the postal ballot and to elect: Secretary, Treasurer & Public Relations Officer
(d) To discuss any items on the agenda
(e) To appoint two Honorary Auditors, one to suffice if professionally qualified.
No business shall be transacted at an AGM unless notice thereof appears on the agenda, except for routine matters, or those which in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting are urgent.
At least six (6) weeks’ notice shall be given of the date, time and venue of the AGM. All items for the agenda and nominations for the Committee must be received by the Secretary at least four (4) weeks before the meeting.
18. 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 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 be forwarded to the Kennel Club. The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes of Secretary of the Club which may occur during the year.
19. MINUTES OF MEETINGS
The minutes of the proceedings of all meetings shall be kept by the Secretary, and the minutes of the last proceeding shall be read out at the commencement of the next subsequent meeting to be confirmed by a vote The records of the Club can be made available for inspection by any member of the Club from the date that they become a member.
20. CLUB ACCOUNTS
The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st January to 31st December in each year.
A banking account shall be opened, into which the revenue of the Club shall be paid.
Withdrawals shall only be made on the signature of two or more Officers, one of whom must be the Treasurer. All expenses incurred by the Secretary, or other members of the Committee or any member on behalf of the Club with authority from the Committee, shall be defrayed out of the funds of the Club.
21. BALANCE SHEET AND AUDIT
An annual balance sheet showing the financial position of the Club shall be drafted by the retiring Committee for presentation to the Annual General Meeting having first been certified by the auditor, (who shall be a qualified accountant) or two auditors who have accounting experience and appointed at the previous years’ Annual General Meeting. Those certifying the accounts must be independent of the Committee. The balance sheet shall include a total breakdown of all income and expenditure from each Club event during the past year. A copy of the annual statement of accounts 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 members at the AGM and at times stipulated by the rules.
22. PRIZES, CUPS AND TROPHIES
A Cup Steward shall be appointed by the Committee from amongst its members, who shall be responsible for calling in cups prior to shows and keeping records and signatures of the recipients to whom they were awarded. The Committee shall decide upon the value and nature of the prizes to be offered at the various shows.
All cups and trophies donated to the Club shall be deemed to be the sole property of the Club and it is only under these conditions that they are awarded. Such cups and trophies shall be awarded in accordance with the wishes of the donor and may not be reallocated without their express permission. In the event of the donor not being traceable, the Committee may, after a six-month period, make any such changes it deems to be in the best interest of the Club.
23. JUDGING LIST
The 'B' and 'C' lists as under the management of The North of England Dobermann Club, and the judge’s subcommittee.
Application for election to the 'B' and 'C' lists should be submitted to the Secretary as a pro forma questionnaire obtained from the Secretary. Forms must be fully completed. Entry to the 'B' and 'C' lists will be obtained after the forms have been voted on by the Committee, and the judges subcommittee.
Judges for all NEDC shows shall be chosen by the Committee. Serving Committee member(s) shall be invited to Judge only in the capacity of Referee. Promotion to the NEDC's Championship Show Judging Lists Al, A2 and A3 shall be made in accordance with the then existing rules and regulations of the NEDC. In the case of Championship Shows the Judges nominated shall be selected from the NEDC Championship Judging List. The exception shall be in respect of Overseas Judges, it is expected that they should meet the requirements laid down in the above criteria, as shall all nominees.
24. WITHDRAWAL FROM MEMBERSHIP
It shall be competent for any Honorary Life Member, or member to withdraw from the Club on giving notice, in writing to the Secretary, but any member leaving the Club shall remain liable for all subscriptions due and not already paid, including that due for the current year, and shall not be entitled to receive back any money paid to or on account of the Club during membership, or have any claim against the Club except under Rule 20.
25. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
Any member who shall be disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A11.i.(5) and/or Kennel Club Rule A11.i.(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, or interest 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 a member, determine that a Special General Meeting of the Club shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her.
A 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 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 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.
26. WINDING UP
In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, for any reason, the donors of the cups and trophies shall be consulted where possible for each cup and trophy shall be disposed of in accordance with the wishes of the donor. A meeting of the Committee shall be called to decide upon the disposal of any remaining assets after all outstanding liabilities have been discharged.
The Kennel Club shall be notified as soon as a decision is made to wind up the Club and, within six months of such date they shall be supplied with a final statement of the account and a record showing disposal of all the Club property.
27. ALTERATION OF 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.
28. KENNEL CLUB AUTHORITY
The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the rules and regulations of the Club and in all cases relative to canine and Club matters.
29. FEDERATION OF CLUBS
The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.