Giant Schnauzer Club

Rules & Constitution

1. The Club shall be called The Giant Schnauzer Club.
The postal address of the Club shall be the address of the Secretary, at which address all monies are due.

2. Objects of the Club
The objects of the Club are to promote and safeguard the interests of the Giant Schnauzer and for the benefit of its members. Any or all profit shall be maintained solely for the benefit of and for the further education of its members in the management, training, showing, breeding and all other aspects pertaining to the Giant Schnauzer.

Officers & Committee
3. Officers
The Club shall consist of a President and Vice-Presidents, (each of whom are elected for a term of 5 years), a Hon Secretary and a Hon Treasurer, (who are elected annually) and Committee of 12, each of whom must be a member and residing in Great Britain, and an unlimited number of members. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by one person

4. Committee
4.1 The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Committee of a maximum of 12 members (who are elected for a term of three years), three of whom shall retire annually, in rotation. The Committee will elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman at their first meeting following each AGM. The President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer are ex-officio members of the Committee. All officers and committee members are eligible for re-election.
4.2 The election of Officers and Committee shall be by postal ballot. Members shall be invited to submit nominations (via post or email), duly proposed and seconded by paid-up members of the Club, authorised by the nominee, to be with the Hon Secretary not less than twenty eight days prior to the date of an Annual General Meeting at which elections take place. Thereafter, voting papers shall be sent to each Member resident in the United Kingdom, returnable not less than seven days before the meeting. The voting papers shall be opened by a scrutineer appointed by the Committee, or a nominee, and the results announced by the Chairman of the General Meeting
4.3 A Committee Member who has attended less than 50% of Committee Meetings during the preceding year, shall be ineligible for re-election, unless special circumstances exist.
4.4 All Committee members, except President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer and Secretary, are eligible to vote. The Chairman of the meeting has a casting (or second, if the Chairman is a Committee member) vote in the event of a tied decision.
4.5 Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary but at least every three months. Four members of the Committee shall form a quorum.
4.6 The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members on to the Committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between General Meetings.
4.7 Those co-opted shall only hold office until the next General Meeting of the Club at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.
4.8 No individual who has been a member of the Club for less than three years may be elected on to the Committee.
4.9 No person whilst an un discharged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.
4.10 The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees to deal with any matter that may arise, in all cases subject to the Committee to whom all reports must be submitted for ratification. The President and Secretary shall be ex- officio members of all sub-committees.
4.11 Any person who is the subject of criminal proceedings cannot remain a serving member of the committee and his/her appointment will be automatically suspended until such legal proceedings are resolved, unless otherwise unanimously agreed by the other Officers and Committee.

5 Election of Members
5.1 Each candidate for membership shall be proposed and seconded in writing (via post or email), by fully paid-up members (each of whom is responsible for the candidate’s suitability) and elected by a Committee vote. Two negative votes shall exclude.
5.2 Candidates, by making their application, agree to follow any current ‘required’ health screening guidelines of the Club and the KC’ and to comply with the letter and spirit of the Club’s Code of Ethics.
5.3 The Club will maintain an up-to-date list of members and their addresses and, if so requested, make the list available for inspection by the Kennel Club or by members at an Annual General Meeting. A declaration of the number of Club members must be made with the annual returns to The Kennel Club.’
5.4 If any member fails to pay their subscription within three calendar months after it has become due, the Committee shall have the power to erase the member’s name from the membership list, but if the member gives a reasonable explanation the Committee may re-admit the defaulter to membership upon payment of the due subscription. No member whose subscription is unpaid shall be entitled to any of the privileges of membership. Acceptance back on the register will be dependent upon a new application duly proposed and seconded.
5.5 Honorary Membership
Candidates for Honorary membership may be proposed by the Committee, via a motion on an AGM agenda. Nominees must have shown a significant contribution to the Club or any one of, or all, the Schnauzer Breeds in general. Nominations must be accompanied by a written rationale to the membership, outlining the candidate’s contribution to the Club/breeds and be supported by at least two- thirds of the Committee. If the proposal receives the support of at least two-thirds of Members present at the General Meeting to which the nomination has been submitted, the nominee shall be immediately eligible for all membership privileges, without liability for annual subscriptions.

6 Voting Rights of Members
6.1 Each member shall be entitled to one vote immediately upon acceptance of membership and payment of subscriptions. Joint Membership entitles each member of the partnership to one vote. Junior Members (under 18 years of age) are not entitled to a vote
6.2 Voting at Meetings shall be by secret ballot or show of hands, as decided by a simple majority of the meeting.

7 Club Property
7.1 The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the Club’s assets and the outcome advised to the Kennel Club.
7.2 If the Club is wound up or ceases to be a Registered Society under these regulations, a final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of property of the Society shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club within six months and the persons named as officers and Committee of the Club, will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Club.

8 Club Accounts
8.1 A Banking Account shall be held in the name of the Club at a Bank nominated by the Committee, into which all revenue of the Club shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signature of any two of either, President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer or Secretary.
8.2 The Accounts of the Club will be certified annually and presented to members at the Annual General Meeting.

9 Subscriptions
The Annual Subscription shall be such amount as agreed in General Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club. Subscriptions are due on 1st January each year.

10 Expulsion of Members
10.1 Any Member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A42j (5) and/or any member whose dog(s) is/are disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42j(9) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club.
10.2 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 Club shall be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her.
10.3 Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be sent to the accused Member (via post or email), 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 Kennel Club upon and subject to such condition as the Kennel Club may impose.
10.4 If it comes to the attention of the Club, any member found guilty of a criminal offence leading to a custodial sentence, will have their membership automatically rescinded. Acceptance back onto the Register of Members would be subject to Committee approval under Rule 5.1 (Election of Members).

11 Financial Year/Annual General Meeting
The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st January to 31 December. The Annual General Meeting shall be held within 5 months of the end of the Club’s financial year.

12 General Meetings
12.1 The Annual General Meeting will receive and conduct the following business:
a) Apologies; Minutes of the last AGM; Matters Arising; Report of the Committee; Secretary’s Report; Treasurer’s Report; To approve Annual Accounts & Balance Sheet; To announce the results of the election of Officers and Committee; Receive reports of each Section; To set and approve the annual subscription for Single and Joint membership; To elect Auditors for the year, and
b) To transact any other resolution duly placed on the agenda.
12.2 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, which in the opinion of the Chairman of the Meeting are urgent.
12.3 At least six weeks notice of the Annual or other General Meeting shall be given to each member in writing, email or via a ‘Notice’ in the Club’s ‘Jottings’ magazine.
12.4 All notices/resolutions for the agenda of the Annual General Meeting, duly proposed and seconded by paid-up members of the Club, must be in the hands of the Secretary, (via post or email), at least twenty eight days before the date of such Meeting
12.5 The Agenda for the Meeting will be available to members at the Meeting unless there a special resolution (see 12 b), above) for discussion, under which circumstances, the Agenda will be issued to members not less than 14 days prior to the AGM.
12.6 The President (or, in his/her absence, one of the Vice-Presidents or in their absence, the Chair of the Committee) shall be
Chairman of all General Meetings and in the case of an equality of votes, shall have a second or casting vote.
Special General Meetings
12.7 A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Hon. Secretary if twenty five (25) of the current eligible members of the Club send a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed and requesting a Special General Meeting to do so. The Committee of the Club is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting.
12.8 No business other than that detailed on the Agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting.
12.9 Twenty-one (21) days notice of Special General Meetings will be given to members of the Club in writing, via ordinary post, or if provided, by email.

13 Amendments to Rules
13.1 The Rules of the Club may not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting, the Agenda of which contains specific proposal to amend the Rules.
13.2 Any proposed alteration to the Rules may not be brought into effect until the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alteration.

14 Annual Returns to the Kennel Club
14.1 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.
14.2 The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes of Secretary of the Club that may occur during the course of the year.

15 Final Court of Appeal
15.1 The Kennel Club shall be the final court of appeal in all matters of dispute.
16 The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.
17 Judges List
17.1 The Club, via its Judges Sub-Committee, will produce a list of Judges each year, which must be submitted to the Kennel Club as part of the Club’s Annual Returns.
17.2 Membership of the Club is not a prerequisite for inclusion in the lists.
17.3 The list should be divided into five parts, namely: A1, A2, A3, B and C and must be compiled annually stating the date on which they expire. On expiry, a new list must be completed.
17.4 A1 List
Indicates Judges who have previously been approved to award CCs in Giant Schnauzers and have carried out the appointment.
A2 List
Indicates Judges who, if invited to judge by a Society, would in principle be approved by the Kennel Club to award CCs in Giant Schnauzers for that occasion.
A 3 List
Indicates Judges, who are recommended by the Club’s Judges Sub-Committee as being suitable to award CCs in the Breed, but not yet approved by The Kennel Club for inclusion on an A2 List.
B List
Indicates Judges who are recommended by the Club’s Judges Sub-Committee as being suitable to Judge at Shows without CCs
or Open Shows.
C List
Drawn up by the Club’s Judges Sub-Committee and will comprise aspirant judges who do not fall into any of the above categories.
17.5 Applications for consideration for inclusion on the Judges Lists may be submitted to the Committee at any time throughout the year. Applicants will be invited to submit their curriculum vitae of relevant experience for consideration by the Judges Sub- Committee (JSC). Each name in each list will be voted upon with a simple majority to decide. Once completed by the JSC, the list will be put forward to the Annual General Meeting.

Amended 2017