Northern English Setter Society

Constitution and Rules agreed at AGM on 12^th February 2023

1. Name

The name of the Society shall be “Northern English Setter Society” (hereinafter called the Society).

2. Objects

To promote interest in the breeding and exhibition of pure English Setters in the Northern Counties of England, to urge the adoption of the published Kennel Club Standard for the breed on breeders and judges etc., to hold and support shows and Field Trials and encourage the closest understanding between their promoters and breeders, to adopt such other means as may be deemed advisable for the improvement of the breed, by organised and concentrated effort to consolidate and increase interest in English Setters.

3. Officers and Committee Members.

The Society shall consist of President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and a committee of up to 20 members with power to co-opt additional members if necessary.

4. Election of Members.

Candidates for membership of the Society shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another and election by or balloted for by the committee, Three negatives shall exclude

5. Election of Officers and Committee.

The election of Officers and Committee shall be by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. Officers shall retire annually but will be eligible for re-election. Any member being nominated for any Office shall have served previously at least 2 years on the committee. Seven members of the committee shall retire annually by rotation, but will be eligible for re-election.

New nominations for Officers and Committee shall be made in writing, by paid up members of the society and in the hands of the Secretary at least 14 days before the AGM.

Any Committee member missing three consecutive shows, meetings or functions without prior notice of absence to the Secretary shall forfeit his or her place as a Committee member.

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

The management of the Society shall be in the hands of the Committee. The Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of the committee. Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as may be deemed necessary and 5 shall form a quorum for the transaction of business.

Committee members and their spouses will not exhibit dogs at the Limited, Open or Championship Shows and the Schedule will be marked accordingly.

7. Members Subscription.

The Annual subscription (single or joint) shall be £6.00 payable to the Honorary Treasurer on the 1^st January in each year. No member whose subscriptions unpaid shall be entitled to any of the privileges of membership and if any member fails to pay the Annual Subscription by the 1^st of March the Committee shall have powers to erase his 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 payment of arrears, be re-admitted to membership.

The Society will make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection by the members of the Society or by the Kennel Club.

All members of the Society undertake to abide by its general Code of Ethics.

8. Society Accounts.

A banking account shall be opened in the name of the “Northern English Setter Society” to be operated by two of the following: President, Chairman, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer and two auditors shall be appointed who shall audit the Society Accounts for the Annual General Meeting.

9. Society Property.

The property of the Society shall be vested in the Committee and in the event of the Society ceasing to exist; a General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the assets. The Society shall obtain from donors of Challenge Cups and other Trophies a written acknowledgement that the gift is made outright to the Society

10. General Meeting.

The financial year of the Society shall be from the 1^st January to the 31^st December.

The Annual General Meeting shall be held before the 31^st December each year at a time and place to be arranged by the Chairman and secretary to receive the report of the committee and Balance Sheet and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the Agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Honorary Secretary. A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Secretary on the instructions of the Chairman or on the receipt of a written request signed by any 12 members of the Society stating the subjects to be discussed, no business other than the matter named in the notice can be discussed at a Special Meeting. If the Secretary shall for 21 days fail to summon a Special General Meeting when so requested then either the Chairman or the 12 members making the request may themselves summon the meeting. Members will receive not less than 14 days notice of a General Meeting.

11. Alterations of Rules.

The rules of the Society may not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, notice of which includes details of the proposal to alter the Rules. Such alterations shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and has given its approval to the alterations. 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 in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting are urgent.

12. Expulsion of Members.

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 Society for the duration of the suspension and/or disqualification.

If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Society be injurious 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 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 Society 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.

The Northern English Setter Society shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.

14. Court of Appeal.

The Kennel Club shall be the Final Court of Appeal in all matters of dispute in the interpreting of the Rules and Regulations of the Society and in all cases relevant to Canine or Society matters,

15. Annual Returns.

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 the continuance of registration and that by 31^st 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.