Constitution

The MLTC Constitution (May 2017)

1. NAME AND OBJECTS

The Club shall be called "The Midland Lakeland Club''. Its objects being to promote the breeding of the Lakeland Terrier according to the standard and to further the interest in the breed throughout the British Isles and Overseas.

2. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

The Club shall consist of a Patron, President, Hon. Secretary. Hon. Treasurer. Chairman, Vice Chairman and Assistant Secretary a Committee of no more than 14 including the seven executive members elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and an unlimited number of members. No persons whilst an un-discharged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.

3. COMMITTEE

The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers and Committee of the Club. No person is eligible for election to the Committee unless he/she has been a member for the preceding full year. A quorum for Committee meetings shall be six (6). The Chairman may have the casting vote. Members of the Committee, who do not attend three (3) consecutive meetings without valid reason, shall not be eligible to continue in office. Any casual vacancy occurring amongst Officers or Committee shall be filled by the Committee but the member so elected shall hold office for such a period only as the person in whose place they are appointed would hold office if no such vacancy had occurred. The committee shall have the power to make by-rules and to decide upon matters in dispute, where there is no provision for in the rules.

4. ELECTION OF MEMBERS

A person shall be deemed a member of the MLTC on full payment of the annual subscription.

5. MEMBERS NAMES AND ADDRESSES

The society must send the number of members to the Kennel Club with their Annual Returns and, if so requested, make an up to date list of members available for inspection by the Kennel Club and members of the Club.

6. VOTING RIGHTS

Each Member including joint Members or partnerships shall be entitled to a vote per person. Junior members are accepted up to and including sixteen years of age but do not have any voting rights. The voting at all meetings shall be by show of hands, except for choosing of Judges. The Committee will submit a full judges list for Championship shows and Open show selection.

7. CLUB PROPERTY

The property of the Club shall be vested by the Committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a 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. The Club cannot be dissolved except by the consent of at least three quarters of the Members and any funds or other assets shall, after all outstanding liabilities have been discharged, be equally divided between the Members whose subscriptions are fully paid up at the time of dissolution. All Cups and Trophies which have not been won outright at the time of dissolution shall be returned to the donors, their heirs or assigns. A final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the Club shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club within six (6) months and the persons named as Officers and Committee of the Club will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Club.

8. CLUB ACCOUNTS

A Banking Account shall be held in the name of the Club into which all revenue of the Club shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall be made on the signatures of any two (2) of the following. President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon. Secretary or Hon. Treasurer or Committee Member The Accounts will be certified annually and presented to the Members at the Annual General Meeting. Honorary Auditors shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting either one qualified or two unqualified person who shall be nominated by the elected committee.

9. SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions of £1.00 Junior £8.00 single, £10.00 joint, £12.00 overseas shall be due on the first day of January each year and must be paid in full before the last day of March. Failure to do so will result in cancellation of membership unless a reasonable explanation is produced to the satisfaction of the Committee. Only fully paid up members, as at 31st December the year preceding the AGM, may attend the Annual General Meeting and vote in any ballot of the Club. Subscriptions to be agreed annually at the Annual General Meeting for the following year and notified to the Kennel Club.

10. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

Any Member who shall be suspended by the Kennel Club Rule A42j (4) and/or any Member whose dog(s) is/are disqualified under the Kennel Club Rule A42j (8) shall ipso fact cease to be a Member of the Club for the duration of suspension and/or disqualification. If the conduct of' any Member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Club injurious or likely to be injurious to the character of interests of the Club, the Committee of the Club may at a meeting give 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 a 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 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 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. If the Club expels any Member for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, Dog Shows, Trials or Competition the Club must report the matter to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.

11. FINANCIAL YEAR/ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The financial year of the Club shall be from the first day of November to the 31st of October each year. The Annual General Meeting shall be held as soon as practicable after the first day of January each year.

12. GENERAL MEETINGS

The Annual General Meeting of the Club must be held for the purpose of receiving the Annual Statement of Accounting duly audited and to elect the Officers and Committee of the Club. Not less than fourteen (14) days notice, shall be in writing to all Members of the date and time of the meeting. No business shall be transacted at this Meeting other than which appears on the Agenda with the exception of routine matters of those which in the opinion of the Chairman are urgent. The election of the Officers and Committee shall be by show of hands of those present at the Meeting.

12a. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

The Committee of the Club is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting. No business other than that detail the Agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting, The date and objects of such meetings to be notified in writing to each fully paid up Member at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the Meeting. The decision of such meeting to be as binding in all respects as if moved at an Annual General Meeting.

13. AMENDMENT TO RULES

The Rules of the Club may not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting, the Agenda for which contains special proposals to amend the rules. Any proposed alteration to the Rules may not be brought into effect until after the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alteration. The Rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately and be included in the Clubs Constitution with effect from the Clubs annual meeting. No business shall be transacted at The 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.

14. 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 Registration and that by the thirty-first (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 be forwarded to the Kennel Club. The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes of Secretary which may occur during the course of the year.

15. JUDGING CONTRACTS

That all persons invited by the Club to judge at a Club Show run by the Midland Lakeland Terrier Club should be required to provide a proper written critique to the Canine Press and the Club Secretary for inclusion in the Yearbook

15a. Judges for the Midland Lakeland Terrier Club Championship shows and Open Shows will be selected by the Committee. Selection will be from the current Judges list

16.CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION ON THE CLUB JUDGING LIST

The Club shall produce a list of Judges each year. Which shall be submitted to The Kennel Club as part of the Annual Returns. Judges lists will be divided into five parts, namely Al. A2. A3. B and C and will be compiled annually stating the date on which they expire.

Al list. Judges who have previously been approved and awarded CC's in the breed and have the support of the Club.

A2 list. Judges whom. if invited to judge by a Society, would in principle be approved by The Kennel Club to award CC's in the breed for that occasion and are supported by the Club.

A3 List, Judges not vet approved by the Kennel Club to award CC’s in the breed and are recommended to do so by the Club.

B List, Judges approved by the Club to judge the breed at shows without CC’s or Open Shows.

C List, Other Judges approved by the Club who do not fall into any of the other categories.

The method of selection for inclusion on the breed Club’s Judging list shall be that, names of persons who are to be considered to have the relative experience and knowledge of the breed can be proposed by members.

17. KENNEL CLUB FINAL COURT OF APPEAL

The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the Rules and Regulations of the Club in all cases relative to canine of Club matters.

18. The Club shall not join any Federation or Club.

19. CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

The Club will ensure that all club officials directly involved with children , or an appropriate Club, are made aware of and help prevent the abuse, whether neglect, physical, sexual or emotional in nature for which children can suffer. A formal child protection policy will be included as an addendum to the constitution of this Club.

20. CODE OF CONDUCT

The Club is committed to all individuals associated with the Club maintaining ahigh standard of behaviour so that the Club has a positive image in the locality and by the associations to which it is affiliated.

21. ANTI DISCRIMINATION POLICY

The Midland Lakeland Terrier Club is responsible for setting the standards required and the values to be applied through out the club at every level.

Equality of opportunities at the club means that in all of our activities we will not discriminate or in any way treat anyone less favourable, on grounds of sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or disability.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

In the event of any member of the club feeling he or she has suffered discrimination in any way, or that the club policies, rules or code of conduct has been broken they should follow the procedure below.

             Submit a report on the matter to the club secretary or another member of the committee, this should include:-

     a.             Details of what, where and when the occurrence took place.

     b.             Any witness statements and names.

     c.             Names of any other persons who have been treated similarly.

     d.             Details of any other former complaints made about the incident, including dates.

     e.             A preference for an amicable agreed solution to the incident.

The club management committee will sit for any hearing that are requested and shall have the power to:-

     a.             Issue an informal warning as to future conduct.

   b. Issue a formal warning as to future conduct.

   c.             Suspend from the club.

d.             Remove from the club any person who has been found to have broken the club policies and or code of conduct.