Club Rules and Regulations (Amended 2005)

1. Name and Objectives:

The club shall be called THE WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER CLUB of WALES,

1.1 The Club will do all in its power to advance and protect interest in the breed. It will encourage newcomers to the breed and promote the exhibiting and breeding of the pure West Highland White Terrier, as set out in the Kennel Club Breed Standard.

2. Officers and Committee:

The Officers and Committee shall consist of;
2.1
a) A Patron,
b) A President, Vice Presidents, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, all of whom must reside in Wales.
c) The Committee members are eight in number, six of whom must reside in Wales and the remaining two can reside outside Wales.

3. Committee:

3.1 The Management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers of the Club and a Committee consisting of eight members, of whom four shall retire on a two year rotation, commencing with Group A for a period of one year and Group B serving for a period of two years. Each group will consist of three members residing in Wales and one who may residing outside Wales.

3.1a The Patron will be by invitation of the Committee

3.1b The President will be by invitation of the Committee and serve for a term of 2 years

3.2 The Chairperson will be eligible for re-election after a period of one year and may then stand for re-election for a further three years.

The Hon. Treasurer will be eligible for election for a period of two years and may stand for re-election for a further three years.
The Hon. Secretary will be eligible for re-election after a period of three years and may stand for re-election for a further three years.

3.3 The Officers and committee shall have full voting rights, with the exception of the Chairperson who has the casting vote only.

3.4 Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as necessary but at least three times per year. A Committee member who does not attend at least 50% of the available meetings will be asked to stand down from the committee.

3.5 The quorum for the committee meetings shall consist of at least two officers and four members.

3.6 The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members on to the Committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between General Meetings; the co-opted member has full voting rights.

3.7 The co-opted member shall only hold office until the next General Meeting of the Club at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.

3.8 The co-opted member vacancy must fulfil Rule 2.1 regarding place of residence.

3.9 Candidates for election to the Committee must have been members for two full years before giving notice to stand for election to the Committee.

3.10 No Officer or committee member shall hold office or sit on the Committee if he or she has an un-discharged bankruptcy order against them.

3.11 No one person will hold more than one position at anyone time. Anyone holding a position must resign it before standing for another.

3.12 A serving Officer or Committee member, having completed a term of office may offer themselves for re-election without nomination.


4. Election of Committee Members:

4.1 Candidates for Committee membership must be proposed and seconded by members who are fully paid up members of the Club for two years.

4.2 When Committee members are nominated and there are more candidates than vacancies the election will be by postal ballot of qualifying members i.e. fully paid up members as shown in rule 6.1

5. List of Members:

5.1 The Club will make available a list of members and their addresses for inspection if so requested by the members of the Club or the Kennel Club.

6. Voting Rights:

6.1 Each member shall be entitled to one vote upon attaining one full year’s membership.

6.2 All ballots for Committee will be by postal votes. Proxy votes will not be allowed

6.3 DELETED (AGM 2001)

6.4 Joint membership entitles both members to one vote each.

6.5 Junior members whether single or part of a membership will not be allowed a vote until the age of sixteen years of age.

6.6 Junior membership age will be seven to sixteen year of age

6.7 A nominee for judging Club Shows should not have judged a Breed Club show or terrier Club show with 12 months of the nominated show or nor within 150 miles of the show venue. ( distance to be taken from AA/RAC shortest route plan).

6.8 Nominations for Show Judges should ideally be on the Club’s B list, but in any case should meet the criteria of the West Highland White Terrier Club of Wales. All ballots for judges will be by members attending the 1st show of the year following the nomination and preceding the year of the relevant show.

6.9 In the event of there being no qualifying nomination to judge the show the Committee is empowered to nominate a judge of their choice.

7. Club Property:

7.1 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 and the outcome of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club.

7.2 Written acknowledgements are required from donors of cups and Trophies to the Club, that they are given as an outright gift to the Club.

8. Club Accounts:

8.1 An account in the name of the Club will be held with a Bank or Building Society. All revenue of the Club shall be paid into this account and withdrawals shall be made on two signatures, those being the \Treasurer and one other of the nominated signatories, the stipulation being that no two signatories should reside at the same address.

8.2 The accounts will be audited by one fully qualified accountant or two persons with accountancy experience (KC rule C3.37(15) and presented to members at the Annual General Meeting for approval.

9. Subscriptions:

9.1 The annual subscription can be renewed up to the next Annual General Meeting, but no member with outstanding subscriptions will be eligible to vote.

9.2 The Kennel Club ruling states, that "no member whose subscription is unpaid is entitled to any of the privileges of membership and if a member shall fail to pay outstanding subscription by the 31st January, his or her name will automatically be erased from the register. Acceptance back on the register will be dependant upon a new application and payment of arrears.

9.3 Once members have been accepted for membership, providing they continue to pay their membership subscription at the correct time, they cannot be refused renewal of membership. With the exception of default on subscription; the only way to remove a member from the Club's register is by following the procedures in paragraph 10.
9.4 Subscriptions will be amended as voted by members attending the AGM.

10. Expulsion of Members:

10.1 Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club rule A42j(4) and/or any member whose dog(s) is/are disqualified under Kennel Club rule A42j(8) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club for the duration of the suspension or/and disqualification.
If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Club 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 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 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.

10.2 Any Club/Society which expels any member for discreditable conduct in connection with Dogs, Dog Shows, Trials or Competition, the Society must report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.

10.3 Any member who brings the Club into disrepute by word or deed, and having a complaint brought against him/her, shall be called for a Disciplinary Hearing before the Committee

11. Financial:

The financial year of the Club shall be from the lstJanuary to 3lst December. The Annual General Meeting will be before the 31st March.

12. Annual General Meeting:

12.1 The Annual General Meeting will be held to receive the report of the Committee and Balance Sheet, to elect Officers and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Hon. Secretary. 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.

12.2 Notice of meetings will be given to the members in writing.

12.3 One month's notice will be given for Meetings.

12.4 Items for inclusion on the Agenda must be in the hands of the Secretary by 31st January preceding the AGM

13. Special General Meetings:

13.1 A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Hon. Secretary if twenty five members send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a Special General Meeting. The Special General Meeting must then be held before fifty six days have elapsed from the date of receipt of the request. The Committee of the Club is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting

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

13.3 Members will be informed of a Special General Meeting by post, at least two weeks before the meeting.

13.4 The Hon Secretary will require written notice to request a Special General Meeting, signed by a minimum of twenty five fully paid up members.

14. Amendment to the Rules:

The rules of the Club may not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting, the Agenda for which contains specific proposals to amend the Rules; a voting majority of two thirds attending the meeting is required.

14.1 Rules and Regulations will be strictly adhered to and 'custom and practice' will not be admitted as this gives rise to bending and breaking the rules.

15. Annual Returns to the Kennel Club

The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, Maintenance of the Title fee will be forwarded to the Kennel Club by the Secretary for continuance of the Registration and that by the 31st January each year, other returns, as stipulated in the Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Societies and Breed Councils be forwarded to the Kennel Club.

15.1 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.

16. The Kennel Club is the final Court of Appeal

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

18. The Registered Breed Club will produce a list of judges, a list of Members names and addresses and names and addresses of Officers and Committee Members, or such information as the kennel Club requires, to be submitted to the Kennel Club as part of the annual returns.