South Yorkshire Whippet Club Rules for 2020/21

1. The object of the South Yorkshire Whippet Club is for the benefit of its members and it will not be classed as a trading business, so that all profits from any sources, functions and/or activities shall be maintained for breeding and every aspect appertaining to canines.

2. The club shall consist of an unlimited number of members.

3. The Officers of the club shall consist of President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer who together with a Committee of twelve members shall conduct the affairs of the club. Any five to form a quorum. No member of the committee shall be a member of another Whippet Club committee. One of the Officers / Committee will be the designated ‘Health Officer’ for the Club

4. Should any officer or committee member fail to attend three consecutive meetings without adequate reason, they shall be deemed to be no longer officers or members of the committee.

5. The Committee have the power to deal with any matter not dealt with in the rules.

6. The officers shall retire in rotation but shall be eligible for re-election for a three year period. One third of the committee shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election. If a retiring officer is not re-elected, he/she, if desired, can be automatically nominated for election as a committee member.

7. Nominees for officers and committee must be proposed and seconded by paid up members, and these together with the retiring officers and committee shall be voted by ballot at the annual general meeting. Only paid-up members for the previous year are eligible to vote. Permission of the nominee to be obtained before submitting.

8. An account shall be opened with a recognised Bank in the name of the South Yorkshire Whippet Club and all club money lodged in that account. All payments made by cheque and signed by two of the four officers.
An investment account shall be opened with a Building Society and money transferred there as and when directed by the committee (To be deleted @ AGM 2021)

9. An annual subscription shall be payable to the Treasurer in January each year. No other form of payment shall entitle to membership of the club. Any member whose subscription is one year in arrears shall cease to be a member. Compliance with the Code of Ethics is essential for membership of the South Yorkshire Whippet Club.

10. The committee shall have the power to refuse membership.

11. No expense shall be incurred by officers or committee beyond the funds of the club.

12. No person shall be allowed to take part in any official meetings of the club or compete for club specials until his or her subscription or any other sum he or she may owe to the club has been paid.

13. The financial year for the Society will be 1st January to 31st December. The accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer and two independent auditors who shall be appointed at each Annual General Meeting. The certified accounts shall be made available to members on request fourteen days prior to the Annual General Meeting and presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting which shall take place in the first quarter of the year. A special general meeting can be called at any time by the Secretary of the club or on the written request of ten members. Each member shall receive at least fourteen days notice of a General Meeting by publication of particulars in the dog press and www.sywc.co.uk previous to the annual or special general meeting.

14. The rules of the club shall not be altered except at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting the notice of which contains specific proposals to change the rules. Any alteration to the rules at the aforesaid meeting shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and given approval for the alteration. New rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately and be included in the Club’s constitution with effect from the club’s General Meeting.

15. The property of the Club shall be vested in the committee. If the Club is wound up or ceases to be a registered Society under these regulations, a General Meeting shall be called to decide upon the disposal of any assets. 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 for the proper winding up of the Club.

16. The club shall not join any federation of Clubs and Societies

17. The Secretary shall keep lists of judges qualified to officiate. The judging lists will be rescinded at the last meeting of the committee during the year and new lists created for the following year

18. The club must send the total number of members to the Kennel Club with the annual returns. The club must maintain an up to date list of members names and addresses and make the list of names available for inspection by the Kennel Club and members of the Society.

19. 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 to 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 to 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 a meeting, appeal to the Kennel Club upon and subject to such condition as the Kennel Club may impose.

20. The Kennel Club shall be the final authority for interpreting the rules and regulations of the Club in all cases relative to Canine or Club matters.

21. 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 or by Direct Debit for continuance of registration and that by 31st July each year, other returns as stipulated in the 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 change of Secretary of the Society which may occur during the course of the year.

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

23. If the Club expels any member for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, Dog Shows, trials or competitions, the Club must report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.

24. Voting procedures at meetings of the Club shall be –
A) Eligibility to vote at any General Meeting – fully paid up members of the club shall be entitled to vote
B) Eligibility to vote at Committee Meetings – all officers and committee shall be entitled to one vote, with the Chairman having a further casting vote
C) Counting of votes - only the votes of persons present at the meeting shall be counted. A majority vote will be calculated based only on the total of positive and negative votes cast.

25. No SYWC committee member can represent another Whippet Club at any Whippet Breed Council meeting.

26. Vice-President(s) elected by the SYWC committee as required. This is an honorary position.
A Vice-President must be a current member of SYWC and can attend SYWC committee meetings but will have no voting rights.