Bedford and District
Club Rules
The Club Committee recently discussed the need to revise Club Rules. The main reason for this was to adjust detail to take into account a reduced number of Members – some ancillary Committee positions were removed and numbers of Members needed to render Meetings quorate was reduced. In addition the opportunity was taken to make small changes in the wording of Rules in order to bring them up-to-date. The New Rules were accepted at the Annual General Meeting held on 1st July 2018.
The Bedford & District Cat Club will be referred to as “the Club” in these Rules
Objectives of the Club-
To encourage and promote the Welfare of all cats and a greater interest in the breeding and exhibition of all cats.
To hold and support Shows for the exhibition of all cat breeds.
To hold meetings when appropriate to promote interest in cats and their welfare.
Rule 1 Membership
Membership of the Club shall imply acceptance of the Rules of the Club. The Club shall consist of paid-up Members and addition Honorary Members when appropriate.
1.1. Paid-up Members will consist of –
1.1.1. Joint Membership – for two persons living at the same address
1.1.2. Single Member – adult older than 16 years
1.1.3. Junior Member – younger than 16 years
1.1.4. Senior Member – adult older than 60 years
1.1.5. Life Member – the creation of a Life Member shall be in the gift of the Committee by a unanimous decision, the objective being to recognise long term worthy service to the Club or other relevant organisation. The Life Member shall not pay further Annual Subscriptions and shall retain full voting rights. There should be, at any one time, a maximum number of 20 Life Members.
1.2. Any Member who resigns from the Club or whose name has been removed from the List of Members shall have no further claim on the Club.
1.3. The Club will consider the sponsorship of a Prefix application to the GCCF if the applicant has been a Member of the Club for 12 months.
Rule 2 Subscriptions
2.1 The Club’s Financial Year End shall be the 31st December, thus making all subscriptions due on the 1st January for the following Year.
2.2 Subscriptions –
2.2.1. Entry Fee to the Club to be per person. No Entry Fee will be payable by Juniors and over 60s (both defined in section 1.1.).
2.2.2 Annual Subscriptions shall be at rates fixed by the Committee. Revisions shall be advised to all Members and shall be effective from the 1st January of the following Year.
2.2.3 If any Member fails to pay his/her full subscription within one month from the 1st January then the Committee may, at their discretion, remove his/her name from the List of Members.
2.2.4 Any person who has not paid his/her full subscription by the 1st June shall be deemed to be a non-member and must re-apply to join the Club in the usual way.
Rule 3 Members Conduct
3.1. No Member shall pledge the Name of the Club to request patronage for any matter without the Consent of the Committee.
3.2. Any complaint or request by any Member of the Club must be in writing to the Secretary who must bring the matter before the Committee as soon as possible. No such complaint shall be publicised by a Member to anybody who is not a Member.
3.3. Any Member violating the Rules, or who shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Committee to have conducted him/herself to the detriment of the Rules and Objectives of the Club, or in an undesirable manner, shall render him/herself unfit to be a Member of the Club and shall be requested to resign from the Club, provided that –
i) he/she shall first have had the opportunity to state his/her case to the Committee
ii) a resolution requiring the resignation of such a Member has been passed by a Majority in the Committee
3.4. Any Member receiving money on behalf of the Club shall immediately hand it to the Hon.Treasurer unless authorised by these Rules or by the Committee to retain it.
3.5. Any Member suspended under Article 12 of the Constitution of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, and wishing to re-join after expiration of the suspension, must apply in writing to the Club Secretary for consideration by the Club Committee.
Rule 4 Officers and Committee
4.1 The Officers of the Club shall be –
President(s) Vice-President(s) Chairperson Vice Chairperson Hon.Secretary Hon Treasurer
4.2. The Committee shall comprise the Officers and not more than nine other Members.
4.3. Election of Officers and Committee
4.3.1. The President(s) and Vice President(s) shall be selected by the Committee and remain in Office in perpetuity or until their resignation.
4.3.2. The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Hon.Secretary and Hon.Treasurer, who shall be Members of the Committee of one year’s standing, shall each hold office for 3 years and shall be eligible for re-election.
4.3.3 No two Officers holding similar positions should be appointed to begin their term of Office in the same year and, at the discretion of the Committee, any Officer may be appointed to serve for less than the standard term of office to ensure continuity of the Club’s management.
4.3.4. Members of the Committee must have been a Member of the Club for at least one year before election.
4.3.5 Nominations for the Committee shall be with the written consent of the Nominee to the Hon.Secretary and shall be subject to election at the following Annual General Meeting.
4.3.6. Committee Members shall be elected for a 3 year term and will be eligible for re-election at a following Annual General Meeting.
4.3.7. Vacancies created by the resignation of Committee Member(s) before completion of their 3-year term will be filled for the remainder of that term only.
4.3.8. When more than one applicant is put forward then the person with the higher vote will fill the vacancy.
Rule 5 The Committee
5.1. Members elected to the Committee of the Club shall not serve on more than two other Cat Club/Society (or similar) committees.
5.2. The Property and Finances of the Club shall be under the jurisdiction of the Committee.
5.3. The Committee is empowered to decline a membership application to the Club.
5.4. The Committee can deal with any matter not provided for in these Rules.
5.5. No Member of the Committee shall be personally liable for any loss or damage to the Club except that arising out of his/her gross negligence.
5.6. Committee Members who do not attend 50% of Committee Meetings annually shall, at the discretion of the Committee, be required to resign from the Committee and shall not be eligible for immediate re-election.
5.7. The Committee shall hold Meetings on a regular basis to discuss the running of the Club and its affairs.
5.8. A Quorum shall comprise the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson, Secretary or Treasurer and 4 other Committee Members, any unanimous decisions reached shall be circulated to non-attending Committee Members in writing.
5.9. In the event of a vacancy arising on the Committee, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt a Member of the Club (who shall not have the power to vote) for the remainder of the Year.
5.10. All Officers and Members of the Club who under these Rules or in pursuance of the Rules have custody of books, documents, records, computers, hardware/software, trophies, show equipment, any other property or money belonging to the Club, shall when asked, surrender them to the Committee.
5.11 In accordance with the GCCF Constitution Members of the Committee shall be elected each year as Delegate(s) to the GCCF. A Delegate(s) shall hold office for the next official GCCF year and would be eligible for re-election in successive years. The Delegate(s) name(s) should be submitted to the Members for election by postal ballot should there be more than the required number of Committee Members standing for Delegate.
Rule 6 The Officers
6.1 The Secretary will –
(a) keep Minutes of all Club Meetings, which shall be read at the next relevant Meeting and submitted for confirmation by vote.
(b) Submit Minutes and Agenda at least 7 days prior to Committee Meetings.
(c) conduct the correspondence of the Club.
(d) perform other duties entrusted to him/her by the Committee.
6.2 The Treasurer will –
(a) hold all Money received on behalf of the Club.
(b) deposit all Money in the Bedford & District Cat Club account at the Bank/Building Society.
(c) pay out from the Funds of the Club all authorised expenses as laid down in the Club’s financial procedures.
(d) give a Report of the Club’s financial position at each Committee Meeting. (e) render to the Committee an audited Statement of Accounts showing the financial position of the Club at its first Meeting after year end.
6.3. A nominated Membership Secretary will maintain an up-to-date list of Members, their subscription status and appropriate contact details.
Rule 7 Voting
7.1. At all Committee Meetings all matters shall be decided by a simple majority vote. The Chairperson shall have the casting vote if necessary.
7.2. A Postal Ballot will be held if more nominations than vacancies are received for Committee Membership.
7.3. On Points of Order the Chairperson’s decision is final.
Rule 8 Amendments to Rules
The Rules may be altered or added to by the Membership as follows –
8.1. Voting as laid down in Rule 7.
8.2. Amendments or Additions to these Rules must be received in writing by the Hon.Secretary, proposed and seconded by fully paid-up Members and voted on (after 21 days notice) by a General Meeting.
8.3. Any Amendments to proposals may be accepted by the Chairperson at the Meeting if they do not alter the main object of the Proposal of which Notice has already been given.
Rule 9 Affiliation to the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy
The Club, by its affiliation to the GCCF, agrees to abide by its Rules.
Rule 10 Meetings
10.1 Meetings open to the Members shall be held at the discretion of the Committee or at the request of at least 20 Members.
10.2. Any Meeting held in accordance with Rule 10.1 should consist of not less than 20 Members to be quorate.
10.3. In the absence of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Club then a Chairperson of the Meeting shall be elected by the Meeting.
Rule 11 Responsibility
The Club cannot hold itself responsible in any way for any damage, loss or injury incurred by Members, Cats or Cat Owners, or any other Person at a function of the Club.
Rule 12 Dissolution of the Club
12.1. Fourteen (14) days’ notice of any Proposal to wind-up the Club shall be given in writing to all Members. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called to consider the Proposal.
12.2. The proposed Dissolution must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast.
12.3. If the Proposal is accepted the Meeting will then arrange for the disposal of the Club Funds and Properties. This will be dealt with in the normal manner by taking Proposals from the floor and deciding on them on a majority vote.