Constitution

1. Name & Objects

The club shall be called the SEALYHAM TERRIER CLUB, referred to as the STC.

i) To promote the breeding of pure Sealyham Terriers. Will ensure that all their breeding stock to be DNA tested for Primary Lens Luxation before being bred from.

ii) To adopt and publish the description of type and standard points as herein stated, and urge the adoption of this type on Breeders, Judges, Dog Show Committees etc. As only recognised standard by which may in future, be uniformly accepted as the sole standard of excellence on the breeding, and in awarding prizes of merit to the Sealyham Terriers.

iii) To do all in it's power protect and advance the interests of the breed by offering prizes, supporting certain shows, and taking any other steps that may be deemed available.

2. Constitution

The Club shall consist of a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Chairperson, an Honorary Secretary and a Treasurer and a committee consisting of ten members.

The Club may have a Patron.

3. Management of the Club

Management of the Club shall be in the hands of a Management Committee consisting of a Patron, President, Vice Presidents, a Chairperson, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer and up to ten committee members.

i) Officers shall serve for a three years term and retire in rotation. One officer must stand down each year in accordance with the rotation order and shall be eligible for re-election.

ii) Committee members will be elected at the AGM to serve for a three-year term. One third of the committee will stand down annually. Committee members standing down will be eligible for re-election without nomination.

iii) Any member of the STC shall be eligible for election to the Management Committee as a committee member must send the nomination form to the Hon. Secretary at least 21 days and be proposed and seconded by fully paid-up Members.

iv) Should an officer position become vacant between AGMs, the Committee may, by a majority vote, co-opt member to serve as Acting Officer until the following AGM. The acting officer would have the same rights as an elected officer but must stand down at the next AGM. The co-opted officer would be eligible for election to the post at that AGM.

v) The Committee has the power to co-opt members onto the committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between general meetings. Those co-opted shall only hold office until the next AGM at which an election of officers and committee takes place.

vi) Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as necessary, either virtually or in person.

vii) The President will preside over meetings. If the President is absent, the Chairperson will present.

viii) A quorum for meetings of the Committee will be four.

ix) Any Member of the Committee failing to attend three consecutive meetings of the Committee without a reasonable explanation shall be deemed to have resigned.

x) The Officers and Committee members shall each act in an honorary capacity, but this shall not prevent any Officers or Committee member being reimbursed for expenses incurred during Club business.

xi) The Committee shall have the power to deal with any question not provided by the Rules.

4. Membership

The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of Members, whose names and contact details shall be stored securely electronically used appropriately by the Secretary in cognisance of data protection requirements and made available for inspection by the Royal Kennel Club and Members of the Society if so requested.

i) Candidates for membership must be proposed and seconded by members.

ii) The committee shall approve membership applications unless objected by one negative vote in three will exclude.

There shall be 4 categories of membership:

1. Honorary Membership - awarded by the Committee for outstanding service to the Breed or the Club; Such Member shall be exempt from payment of annual subscription, with voting rights.
2. Single - enjoying all the privileges of the Club, including to hold office.
3. Joint - two individuals, living at the same address or who shall have joint ownership. Enjoying the privileges of the Club, including to hold office.
4. Overseas - enjoying all the privileges of the Club, but not hold office. There shall be one annual subscription fee whether for single or joint membership.

iii) New members will be asked for their GDPR preferences to consent to communication.

iv) The Club expects all members to follow the STC Rules and Code of Ethics.

5. Voting rights

The following members of the Committee shall have full voting rights at committee and general meetings:

The Chairperson
Hon. Secretary
Hon. Treasurer
Committee Members
Co-opted Members

In addition, the President shall be elected annually by the Committee, shall be exempt from payment of annual subscription and may attend meetings of the Committee in an advisory capacity with voting powers.
1. The Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer shall be elected by the Membership for a period of three years and shall be eligible for re-election on completion of their term of office.
2. The Vice-President shall be elected annually by the Committee.
3. The President or Vice president, Chairperson, Hon. Secretary or Hon. Treasurer, shall be ex-officio members of the Committee with voting powers.
4. Each member of the STC shall be entitled to one vote immediately on acceptance of membership.
5. The voting rights for joint members are one vote for each member of the partnership.
6. Overseas members of STC shall not have vote.

6. Expulsion of members

Any member who shall be disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A11.j.(5) and/or Kennel Club Rule A11.j.(9) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the club.

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 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 club except that he/she may, within two calendar months from the date of such meeting, appeal to the Royal Kennel Club upon and subject to such condition as the Royal Kennel Club may impose.

7. Subscription

I) The Annual membership subscription shall be such sum agreed by members in general meeting and notified to the Royal Kennel Club. Subscription for membership is payable on joining thereafter are due each 1st January of each year.

ii) All subscriptions to be paid to the Treasurer, are due on 1st January to 31st December.

iii) No member whose subscription is unpaid is entitled to any of the privileges of membership.

iv) Any member failing to pay the annual subscriptions by the 31st December of the same calendar year when the subscription first became due may have his/her name erased from the register.

v) Members may, at the discretion of the Committee, be re-admitted to membership on payment of the current year’s fees.

8. Club Property

The property of the club shall be vested in the Committee.

i) In the event of the STC 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 notified to the Royal Kennel Club.

ii) If a registered STC is wound up or ceases to be a registered society under RKC Regulations, a final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the club shall be forwarded to the Royal Kennel Club within six months.

iii) The persons named as officers and committee of the STC will be held responsible for the proper winding up of the STC.

iv) Cups and trophies shall be property of the STC and only awarded to current members.

v) The STC will keep a register of all club property.

9. Club Accounts

i) The financial year of the STC shall be from the 1st January to 31st December.

ii) A banking account shall be held in the name of the club at Barclays into which all revenue of the club shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signatures of Treasurer and the Chairperson.

iii) The treasurer shall prepare each year a balance sheet and income and expenditure account, which shall be audited by the club's auditor and will be presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting.

10. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The purpose of the AGM is to: to receive the report of the Officers and Committee, the certified accounts and balance sheet; to elect officers and committee members and to discuss any resolution duly placed on the agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Secretary.

i) The AGM shall be held in the month of April.

ii) Nominations for officers and committee members, as well resolution for the agenda of the AGM, must be proposed and seconded by members be received at least 21 days before the AGM.

iii) Notice of the AGM shall be sent to members via email to the address held on record as provided to it on the member’s application to the Club or as updated by the member and advised to the Club, with no less than 21 days’ notice.

iv) Notice of the AGM will also be posted on the Club’s website. The agenda, copy of the certified accounts for the last financial year, and minutes of the last AGM will be available for inspection by members at the meeting

v) No business, other than matters on the agenda, shall be transacted at an AGM the exception being routine matters or those which in the opinion of chairman of the meeting are urgent.

vi) Such alterations to the rules shall not be brought into force until the Royal Kennel Club has been advised and has given approval to the alterations.

vii) A Quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be 4 fully paid-up members.

11. Special General Meeting (SGM)

i) A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the secretary if ten members and endorsed by the Chairman send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and voted upon and requesting a Special General Meeting to do so.

ii) The committee of the society is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting.

iii) No business other than that detailed on the agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting.

12. Notices To Members

Notices sent to member(s) will be considered delivered following publication, by any of the following methods, as deemed appropriate by the Committee:

By email to the last known email address
By posting a notice on the home page of the STC website and relevant social media sites operated by the STC

13. Amendments To Rules

i) New rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Royal Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately.

ii) The rules of the STC shall not be altered except at a General Meeting, the notice for which contains specific proposals to amend the rules.

iii) Any proposed alterations to the rules shall not be brought into effect until the Royal Kennel Club has been advised and given its approval.

14. Maintenance Of Title And Annual Returns

i) The officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, the maintenance of title fee will be forwarded to the Royal Kennel Club by the secretary for continuance of registration.

ii) By 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in Royal Kennel Club Regulations for the registration and maintenance of title of societies / breed councils and the affiliation of agricultural societies and municipal authorities shall be forwarded to the Royal Kennel Club.

iii) The officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Royal Kennel Club of any change of secretary of the STC, which may occur during the course of the year.

15. Rules From The Royal Kennel Club

i) 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.

ii) The club shall not join any federation of societies or clubs.

The Royal Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the rules of the society in all cases relative to Canine or Society matters.

16. Judges Lists

The consolidated judging list compiled by the United Sealyham Terrier Judges Panel, will be submitted to the Royal Kennel Club as part of the club's annual returns.