The club is run under the following rules. 

 

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1 Names and Objects

The Club shall be called the Australian Shepherd Club of the United Kingdom (ASCUK) and the aim of the Club shall be to improve and advance the breed; the objects of the club shall be:

a) To promote the breeding of Australian Shepherds to the breed standard.

b) To encourage the training and working of the breed.

c) The Club will aim to hold educational events and rallies, as well as limited obedience, agility tests and working trials events each year.

d)    Advancing interest in the breed

e) The Club is solely for the benefit of the members and is not a trading business. Profits from the Club’s activities shall be invested for the education of its' members in the training, breeding, showing and management of Australian Shepherd matters.

 

2 Officers and Committee

The Club shall consist of an Honorary President, Honorary Vice-President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer plus a further eight committee members and an unlimited number of ordinary members. The Club may, if desired invite patronage outside its membership if deemed appropriate.

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3 Committee

3.1  Administration and management of the club will be by committee. The committee will consist of a maximum of twelve members made up as follows: Officers – Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer plus eight members.

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At the close of the AGM the officers of the Club will be elected from the Committee members by the Committee for the ensuing year. Results of which will be given to Club members, after the presentation of the awards.

A Committee member serves a maximum of 2 years, but is eligible for re-election. 

 

3.2  Duties of Officers and Committee

Officers and Committee members are the leaders and representatives of the Club and because they have been elected to a position of responsibility and trust must serve and abide by the wishes of the Members of the Club to the best of their ability. They have a position of leadership and are responsible to the Members for seeing that the affairs of the Club and efficiently organised, that the responsibilities of Kennel Club registration is appreciated, relevant Regulations and administrative requirements are observed and that work is carried out for the benefit of the Club as a whole. The duty of the officers and Committee is to manage the affairs of the Club within the framework of the Rules in accordance with Kennel Club Rules and Regulations.

 

The individual Officer or Member of Committee must at all times endeavour to act in the interests of the Club. Personal views should not be allowed to conflict with agreed policy of the Club.

Committee do not have the power to alter the Rules of the Club but they may make recommendations to the Members at a General Meeting.

 

The Chairman

The Chairman normally occupies the Chair at all meetings except when the honorary President is in attendance, in which case the Chair should formally be offered. The Chairman should conduct the meeting as impartially as possible, the Chairman is in charge of the meeting and is responsible for supervising and controlling debate ensuring that all who wish to have the opportunity to raise points during the debate whilst at the same time, ensuring that no individual “holds the floor”.

 

The Chairman has a casting vote to be used in addition to his own in the event of equal voting and in such cases it is “correct form” for the Chairman to use the casting vote to retain the status quo.

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The Chairman should be responsible for compiling the Agenda in conjunction with the Honorary Secretary and should declare the results of votes on motions and elections. In the event of any Committee or General Member not accepting the Chairman’s ruling the Chairman has the power to close the meeting.

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The Honorary Secretary

The main duties of the Honorary Secretary are to act as adviser and servant to the Committee and to undertake all the correspondence of the Club. The Honorary Secretary is the individual with whom the Kennel Club will deal in the most matters concerning the affairs of the Club.

The following are the basic duties of an Honorary Secretary prior to meeting:

i) To issue an agenda for the meeting which must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Club’s Rules. (Liason should take place with the Club Chairman regarding the compilation of Agenda for Meetings).

ii) At the Meeting the Honorary Secretary is required to have all the relevant papers including minute book, a current copy of the Rules of the Club and in the case of General Meetings, an up to date list of fully paid up members.

iii) At meetings the Honorary Secretary reads the minutes of the previous meeting, unless these have already been circulated and taken as read. When approved after any corrections have been incorporated within the Club’s Minute Book.

iv) Business then proceeds under the direction of the Chairman with the support of the Honorary Secretary in accordance with the Agenda for the Meeting. It is normal procedure for matters arising from the previous Meeting to be taken at an early stage in the Agenda and the Honorary Secretary would report on the actions, which have been taken as a result of decisions made at the last meeting.

v) After the meeting the Honorary Secretary is responsible for the production of accurate and comprehensive minutes of the Meeting, which should subsequently be approved by the Chairman before production at the next meeting.

 

Honorary Treasurer

The Honorary Treasurer is responsible for ensuring that an acceptable system of accounts in maintained which show a complete record of all income and expenditure of the Club; a balance sheet must also be kept. The Honorary Treasurer will be one of the signatories to cheques. The Honorary Treasurer should have the Bank Pass Book or Bank Statement available for inspection at every meeting. The Honorary
Treasurer should work closely with the Chairman and the Honorary Secretary to ensure continuity.

NB: No undischarged bankrupt may hold office in a Canine Society.

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3.3 The Committee may, at its discretion, invite a suitable person to become Honorary President.

3.4 Committee meetings to be held every three months or as necessary. A quorum for the meeting will be six.

3.5 A Committee member who is absent from three consecutive meetings without offering satisfactory reason shall have his/her seat declared vacant.

3.6 The Committee are empowered to co-opt casual vacancies on the committee as its deemed necessary to run the club. Those co-opted will have full voting rights. Co-opted Members will hold office until the next AGM when they may offer themselves as a nominee at the next election. 

3.7 Any individual can be elected onto the Committee as long as they have shown an interest in the Breed. He/She should have demonstrated that they have the interests of the breed at heart.

3.8 It is the intention of the Club that the Committee is composed to members representing all disciplines of work and show.

 

4 Election of Members

4.1 Candidates for membership shall apply to the Honorary Secretary for a membership from. Upon receipt of the completed form, their application will be confirmed by a two-thirds majority vote at the next committee meeting.

4.2 No reason need be furnished by the Committee for refusal of admission.

4.3 The Club Code of ethics with particular emphasis on the selection and breeding of stock it is a condition of membership that this code is adhered to.

4.4 A register of Members will be maintained and will be available for inspection of so requested by the members of the Club or by the Kennel Club.

 

5 Subscriptions

5.1 Membership of the Club will be by annual subscription, renewable by the 1st January of each year lapsing 14th February.

5.2  The annual subscription shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club.

5.3 Subscription will be made payable to the Honorary Treasurer on the 1st January each year. No member whose subscription is unpaid shall be entitled to any privileges of membership and if any member shall fail to pay the annual subscription by the 14th February the Committee shall have the power to erase his/her name from the list of members, but if the Committee shall subsequently receive a satisfactory explanation the Member may, at the discretion of the Committee and in the payment of arrears be re-admitted to membership.

5.4  Subscriptions received from the new Members after 1st October shall be valid until the 31st December the following year.

 

6 Voting Rights

Each member shall be entitled to one vote one year after acceptance of membership. Voting shall either be by either postal vote, secret ballot, or a show of hands.

 

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 notifies to the Kennel Club.

7.2  Written acknowledgments will be sought from owners of cups or trophies, that they are given as outright gifts to the Club.

 

8 Finances

8.1 A general fund will be maintained and used for the benefit of the Club, together with a fund specifically to support the rescue of Australian Shepherd’s, the administration of these funds will be the responsibility of the Committee.

8.2 The Club’s funds will be deposited in a bank / or building society approved by the committee.

8.3 Cheques will carry the signature of the Honorary Treasurer plus one of two other signatories approved by the committee.

8.4 A certified balance sheet of the Club’s finances will be produced with a copy for each Member at  the Annual General Meeting. Note Certification of accounts will be carried out by aqualified accountant or two unqualified individuals with accounting experience.

8.5 The Financial year runs from 1st January to 31st December.

 

9 Election of Officers and Committee

9.1 During January prior to the AGM the Honorary Secretary will send out a request to all members to submit nominations for candidates for the ensuing year, together with the names of those retiring. Committee members who are willing to stand for re-election.

9.2  Any member can be nominated by another member as long as they have shown an interest in the Breed, subject to the consent of the nominee, but note 3.7 above.

9.3 All nominations must be in the hands of the secretary at least thirty five days prior to the AGM.

9.4 Twenty-eight days before the date of the meeting voting papers, which will contain the names of retiring Members and Officers eligible and willing to stand for re-election together with new nominations, will be sent to all members. These voting papers should contain biographical details of the nominees. Each voting paper, will   have printed upon it the membership number for each member eligible to vote. Voting papers must be signed and returned to the Honorary President, at least fourteen days before the date of the Annual General Meeting

9.5 Those recording the largest number of votes for the appropriate number of places vacant shall be declared by the Chairman to be the Committee for the ensuing year.

9.6  In the event of an even number of votes being recorded for any two or more candidates, a final decision between these candidates shall be made at the AGM by the Chairman who shall have the casting vote.

9.7  The Officers and Members of the Committee will hold office for the conclusion of the AGM at which they are elected until the conclusion of the AGM coinciding with the end of term of Office under Rule 3, whichever applies.

9.8 In all matters of decision, the Chairman shall have the casting vote only.

 

10 Expulsion of Members

            Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A472j (4) and/or disqualified under Kennel Club for the duration of the suspension and/or disqualification

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 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 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 condition as the Kennel Club may impose.

 

11 General Meetings

11.1 The Annual General Meeting will be held during April each year. The actual date being subject to thirty eight days notice given by the Honorary Secretary.

11.2  The business to be conducted shall be

a)    To receive reports from the Committee

b)    To receive and adopt the balance sheet

c) To announce the results of the ballot for the election of Committee Members

d) To discuss any resolution duly placed on the Agenda of which prior notice has been given   to the Honorary Secretary at least twenty eight days before the date  of the AGM

e) No business shall be transacted at the Annual General Meeting unless notice thereof  appears on the Agenda with the exception of routine matter or those, which in the opinion  of the Chairman of the meeting, are urgent.

f)  The Agenda will be circulated at the meeting

 

Special Meetings

11.3 A Special General Meeting may be called by the Honorary Secretary on the direction of the Committee, or upon receipt of a signed request by a minimum of fifteen Members. Meetings so requested will be held within twenty-eight days and fourteen days notice being given to the Membership.

11.4 The signed request must include the subject to be discussed and no business other than that detailed can be discussed and no business other than that detailed can be discussed at a Special General Meeting

11.5 he quorum for all Special General Meetings shall be fifteen

 

12 Amendments to the Rules

12.1 No alteration or amendment will be made to these rules other than at a General Meeting, the Agenda for which contains specific proposals to amend the rules.

12.2 Proposed alterations or amendments must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary. The Committee will examine all proposals with the objective of making a recommendation to the General Meeting.

12.3  Acceptance of an alteration or amendment to the rules must be subject to two-thirds majority to the General Meeting

12.4 Any proposed alterations to the rules may not be brought in to effect until the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alterations.

 

13 Club Meetings

Discussions of any of the Club’s meetings are to be treated as private and confidential by Members and are not to be discussed

with non-members. No member shall take it upon himself/herself to publish or cause to be published, wither in part or in whole, an account of the proceedings of either a General or a Committee meeting.
Reports of the proceedings shall be furnished to the press by the Chairman and Honorary Secretary.

 

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 Honorary Secretary 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 the Title of Societies and Breed Councils Authorities be forwarded to the Kennel Club.

The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes of Honorary Secretary of the Society which may occur during the course of the year.

 

15 Kennel Club Final Court of Appeal

The Kennel Club shall be the final court of appeal in all matters of dispute

 

16 The Club shall not join any Federation, Societies or Clubs

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17 Club Judging Lists

The Committee shall ensure that an appropriate list of acceptable persons to judge the breed
will be submitted to the Kennel Club.