1. The Club shall be called the Norfolk German Shepherd Dog Club .The object of the club shall be to promote the Breeding ,Exhibiting and the Standard of the G.S.D. and to further the interests of the breed.
2. The club shall be governed by a Committee which shall consist of nine members ( including Officers ) who shall be elected by ballot.
3. The Chairperson, Secretary & Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of the Committee with power to partake in the proceedings and to register votes.
4. Any Officer may be removed at any time by a majority vote of two thirds of the members present at a Special General Meeting.
5. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt to fill casual vacancies up to a maximum of six. Those Co-opted shall only hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.
6. The quorum for a Meeting of the Committee shall be five.
7. The Officers & Committee shall resign annually and be eligible for re-election.
8. A new Committee and Officers will be elected by ballot. or a show of hands. Two Scrutineers will be appointed at the A.G.M.
9. All candidates for membership of the Committee must be proposed & seconded by fully paid up members. No individual who has been a member for less than one year may be elected to the Committee.
10. There shall be no power to vote by proxy or post at any Meeting of the Club.
11. Any member of the Committee who fails to attend three consecutive Committee Meetings without satisfactory excuse shall forfeit their seat and shall be ineligible for re-election for twelve months.
12. Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary, but at least every three months.
13. A banking account shall be held in the name of the Club at Midland Bank into which all revenue of the Club shall be paid, and from which withdrawals shall only be made on the signatures of two of the designated signatories.
14. The Committee shall cause account to be kept of the finances of the Club. The books will be kept by the Treasurer.
15. Honorary President :- Will have voting rights if in attendance at Committee.
16. Chairperson :- The Chairperson shall, when present, take the chair at all Meetings of the Club, and shall in addition to his/her vote as a member of the Club, have a casting vote. In the event of any Committee or General Meeting not accepting the Chairperson's ruling, the Chairperson has the power to close the Meeting.
17. Secretary :- The Secretary shall act as an advisor and servant to the Committee and conduct all the correspondence of the Club. He/she shall on all occasions, in the execution of his/her office, act under control/direction of the Committee. He/she shall summon and attend Meetings and take minutes of the proceedings, and shall keep the documents and paper of the Club in such a manner as the Committee may from time to time decide.
18. Treasurer :- The Treasurer shall receive all monies due to the Club and shall pay the debts of the Club as the Committee may from time to time direct. He/she shall, whenever required to do so, render to the Committee or a General or Special Meeting of the Club an account of the monies received and expended by him/her on behalf of the Club. The Treasurer shall maintain a system of accounts which show a complete record of all income and expenditure of the Club.
19. The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, 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 which may occur during the course of the year.
20. The membership of the Club shall be open to G.S.D. enthusiasts. But no person shall be elected or become a member who is disqualified by the Kennel Club under K.C. Rules and Regulations.
21. 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.
22. Acceptance of membership of the Club shall constitute acceptance of the rules and regulations now or hereafter in force, and may also be subject to approval by the Committee.
23. The membership subscription for a fully paid up member of the Club ( Partners or Joint Owners ) shall be as stated on the membership forms per calendar year ,expiring on the 31st of December. The Committee will review this fee annually. A reduced fee for prospective members wishing to join the Club after August 31st will be considered.
24. The annual subscription is due on the 1st of January and notification will be given, Membership renewal shall be completed as soon as possible after 1st of January and prior to the A.G.M. each year.
25. No member whose subscription is unpaid is entitled to any of the privileges of membership and if the member shall fail to pay outstanding subscriptions by 31st of March their name(s) shall be automatically erased from the register. Acceptance back on the register will be dependant upon a new application and payment of any arrears.
26. Each member shall be entitled to one vote upon acceptance of membership to the Club.
Joint membership one vote per person. Joint defined as the first two named persons on the record.
27. The names & addresses of all members shall be entered in a register held by the Secretary and Treasurer which shall be open to inspection at reasonable times by members of the Club and the Kennel Club.
28. Any member who shall be suspended and/or disqualified under the KC Rule A42.j.(4) and/or any member whose dog(s) is/are disqualified under the KC Rule A42.j.(8) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the 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 may, at a Meeting the notice convening which includes as an object the consideration of the conduct of the members, 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 two thirds majority of the Members present and voting, his/her name shall forthwith be erased from the list of Members of the Club, 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 KC upon and subject to such conditions as the KC may impose.
29. If the club expels any member(s) for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, dog shows or trials, the club must report the matter in writing to the K.C. within seven days and supply the required particulars.
30. The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held at a place date and time decided by the committee, usually during the first three months of the year, ( Jan - Mar), to receive accounts, a report from the chairperson and a report of the Committee.
To elect Officers & committee, and to discuss any resolution placed on the Agenda of which prior notice has been given to the secretary, No business shall be transacted at an AGM 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.
31. Twenty eight days notice shall be given of any General Meeting. Members shall be notified in writing via the Club Newsletter, notice board, and insertion in the dog press. Agenda items & notifications should be lodged with the secretary not less that 14 days before the AGM The Agenda & relevant papers will be circulated in the meeting.
32. Twenty members shall be a quorum at an AGM.
33. A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the secretary if sixty percent of the membership at the time send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a SGM to do so. Sixty percent shall form a quorum.
No other business than detailed on the Agenda can be discussed at the SGM.
34. The Committee of the Club is empowered to call a SGM at it's discretion. Notification of any such meeting as per Rule 31.
35. The Kennel Club shall be the final Court of Appeal in matters in dispute between the Club and its Members concerning the Club's affairs and/or management no matter in what manner arising, and reference to all courts of law concerning such disputes is hereby excluded.
36. The financial year shall commence on the first of January and close on the 31st December. Members of the Committee shall be entitled to inspect the books & accounts of the club at any reasonable time.
37. The Accounts shall be audited by an auditor or two people with accountancy experience appointed at the AGM.
38. The rules of the Club may not be altered except at an AGM or SGM and such alterations shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and given its approval of the alterations.
39. The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee and in the advent of the Club ceasing to exist a SGM shall be called to decide the disposal of any assets and the outcome of the meeting notified to the KC
All donors of Challenge Cups etc., to acknowledge the gift is made outright to the Club.
40. No Member of the Club other than the persons duly authorised by the committee shall communicate in anyway with the press as representing the Club.
41. All dogs must be fully inoculated and the certificate shown to an Official as and when required.
42. The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.