1. Name   Devon & Cornwall Cocker Spaniel Club, hereinafter called The Club.

2.  Objects   The objects of The Club shall be to promote the breeding, welfare and well-being of Cocker Spaniels for the purposes of exhibition, working ability and as a companion, according to the Breed Standard as defined by the Kennel Club.

3.   Membership   The membership shall not be limited by number. Candidates for membership shall be accepted on payment of subscription subject to the approval of the Committee.  Members are expected to abide by such Regulations as may be issued from time to time by the Kennel Club, including the KC Code of Ethics and the Breed Specific Guidelines issued by the Breed Council and supported by this Club.

4.   Membership List   The Club will maintain an up to date list of members and their addresses which will be available for inspection if so requested by the members of The Club or by the Kennel Club

5.   Subscription    The Annual Subscription shall be:-
a)  £4.00 for single Membership   b) £5.00 for Joint Membership
c)  £5.00 for Family Membership (parents and their children under 18 years)
d) £2.00 for Junior Membership (Under 18 years on 1st January in the year subscriptions are due);  and shall be payable on 1st January each year.
Any member’s subscription which is due but not paid fourteen clear days before the date of the Annual General Meeting in any year shall cease to be a member of The Club.   However, should the Committee subsequently receive a satisfactory explanation, the member may, at the Committee’s discretion and upon repayment of arrears, be readmitted to The Club.

6.   Life Membership   Life membership shall be an honorary status, to be bestowed by the membership.

7.   Officers   The Officers of The Club shall consist of the following:-
a) Patron The Patron/s shall be entitled to Honorary Membership of the Club,  nominated by the Committee and be elected by the membership in Annual General Meeting for the term of one year.  He/she/they shall be eligible for re-election.   The office shall be purely honorary, carrying no voting rights, nor shall the Patron/s be a member of the Committee.
b) President  The President shall be entitled to Honorary Membership of the Club, nominated by the Committee and be elected by the members in Annual General Meeting for a term of one year, and shall be eligible for re-election.  He/she may preside at all social gatherings, he/she may attend and be an ex-officio member of the Committee with the right to vote thereat.
c) Vice President Vice President shall be nominated by the Committee for a period of one year.  The office does not carry the right to attend Committee meetings.
d) Chairman The Chairman’s duty shall be to preside at all general and Committee meetings and to deputise for the President when called upon to do so.  He/she shall be entitled to a casting vote only.
e) Vice-Chairman The Vice-Chairman shall deputise for the Chairman in the latter’s absence or when called upon to do so.   Except when deputising, he/she shall be entitled to vote.
f) Secretary  The Secretary’s duties shall be to summon meetings of The Club, to keep a record of the proceedings in a minute book which shall be signed by the Chairman at the next meeting and to conduct correspondence or other business as required by the Committee.  He/she shall be ex-officio member of the Committee and not entitled to vote.
g) Treasurer The Treasurer shall be ex-officio member of the Committee entitled to vote.   He/she shall receive all moneys to keep a record of all receipts and payments and act in accord with the Rules of Finance (8).  He/she shall also be required to present an up to date bank statement and/or investment account statement at every Committee meeting, to be witnessed by at least two other principal officers.   An honorarium (over and above general expenses) may be provided for the Secretary and the Treasurer - the amount to be fixed by the Annual General Meeting.

8.   Honorary Life Vice President  Honorary Life Vice President may be bestowed by the membership to long standing members for services to The Club.   The office does not carry the right to vote, nor attend Committee meetings.

9.   Committee  
a)  In addition to ex-officio members, the Committee shall consist of not more than 10 members of The Club, in whom the entire management of the affairs of The Club shall be vested.   The Committee shall also have the powers of making bye-laws and deciding upon any matter not provided for in these rules, notwithstanding that the Kennel Club shall be the final authority for interpreting the rules of The Club.
b)  The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any other member of The Club to a maximum of three to fill any vacancy or for any special purposes
c) Committee meetings shall be held as shall be deemed necessary by a quorum of the Committee to include the Chairman and the Secretary
d)  A quorum shall be 50% of current Committee members, excluding Officers.
e)  Should any member of the Committee fail to attend at least fifty percent of Committee meetings during their period of office, for reasons other than illness, they should not be considered eligible for re-election to that Committee the following year.

10.  Finance  Financial Year:  The financial year shall end on 31st December.
Banking Account:  A banking and/or investment account shall be opened in the name of The Club, into which all moneys should be paid.   Withdrawals shall only be made with the signature of two of the Officers, one of whom shall be the Treasurer.  The Chairman or the Secretary shall be one of the other signatories.
Accounts: 
(a) The Accounts will be certified annually and presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting.    Certification of accounts must be carried out by one qualified accountant or two individuals with accountancy experience.   Those undertaking the certification must be independent from those who prepared the accounts.
(b) A copy of the annual statement of accounts for the last financial year, certified in accordance with paragraph 10(a), must be made in available on request to members 14 days prior to the AGM.    The annual statement of accounts will be made available for inspection by members at the AGM.

11.  Meetings
a)  The Annual General Meeting of The Club shall be held before the end of May each year.  Twenty eight clear days notice shall be given to members.  Items for the agenda must be made available to the Secretary fourteen clear days before the meeting.   Copies of the agenda are to be made available on request from the Secretary seven clear days before the meeting.  No business shall be transacted at the AGM other than business published in the notice which shall also include the date, time and place of meeting, except matters deemed urgent by the Chairman.  Nominations for new Officers and Committee members should be lodged with the Secretary in writing, no later than 14 days prior to the AGM and nominations from the floor will not be accepted.   Ten Members shall form a quorum.
b)  A Special General Meeting of The Club may be summoned by the Secretary at the request of the Committee, or on the written requisition of twelve members, stating the object of such a meeting.  No business other than that specified in the notice shall be brought before such a SGM.  Not less than fourteen clear days notice must be given of such a meeting.   Twenty members shall form a quorum.
c)  Voting:  Only fully paid up members over the age of 18 years shall be entitled to vote.

12.  Elections   The Officers and Committee shall retire annually and shall be eligible for re-election.   The election of Officers and Committee at the AGM shall be by vote or ballot of those present at the meeting.

13.  Events   The organisation of shows, events and matches with other clubs or societies in the region shall be at the discretion of the Committee and the venue shall be remain within the county boundaries of Devon, or Cornwall and Somerset. Any Educational event or seminar, required by Kennel Club Regulation and presented jointly with another Breed Club, may take place at a venue and location to be chosen by the ‘organizing’ Breed Club.

14.  Expulsion  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.  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.  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 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 Club shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her.  Notice of the SGM 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 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 Kennel Club upon and subject to such considerations as the Kennel Club may impose.

15.  Alteration to rules  No alteration or addition to these rules shall be made except at an AGM or SGM convened for that purpose, the notice of which must contain the detail of proposed changes.    Such proposed alterations or additions shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and given its approval.

16.  Federation  The Club shall not join any federation or society.

17.  The Kennel Club  The Kennel Club shall be the final authority for the interpretation of the rules and regulations of The Club and in all cases relating to canine and Club matters.

18.  Trophies and Challenge Cups  Written acknowledgement should be obtained by the Secretary or Cup Steward from donors of such trophies and challenge cups, that the gift is made outright to The Club.

19.  Annual Returns to the Kennel Club   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 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Societies and Breed Councils 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 Club which may occur during the course of the year and their duty to inform the Kennel Club of the month in which The Club’s AGM is to be held and to notify the Kennel Club of any subsequent amendments to that date.

20. Dissolution  In the case of The Club becoming defunct or ceasing to exist as a registered Club, all properties, trophies or cups shall be returned to the donors.  In the event of the donor being deceased, the members in General Meeting shall have the power to deal with properties, cups and trophies as well as Club property and funds existent in such ways as they deem fit.

Amended AGM 2021-2022 – effective 2023