Constitution

UK CAIRN TERRIER BREED COUNCIL

CONSTITUTION

  1. Name and Objects

Membership shall be open to all registered Breed Clubs for the breed.

The name of the Council shall be “Cairn Terrier Breed Council”

Its objects shall be:

  1. To provide a mechanism for the member clubs to work co-operatively for the benefit of the breed. 
  2. To be a strong and united voice in making proposals to the Royal Kennel Club and to be a respected forum whose opinion on breed matters is sought by the Royal Kennel Club. 
  3. To make recommendations to the RKC Board as regards the Royal Kennel Club Standard of the Breed and regarding applications to register new Breed Clubs. 
  4. To promote the effective education and training of judges, at all levels, for the breed. 
  5. To compile annually, or as required, common Breed Club/Council Judges Lists.
  6. To promote the health and welfare of the breed.
  7. To consider matters referred to it by RKC Board and the Breed Clubs.
  1. Breed Council Officers/Representatives at meetings
  2. The Council shall have the following officers/representatives;

Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary.  The office of Secretary and Treasurer will be held by two individuals.  In the absence of the Chairman, a Vice Chairman will be elected to preside over the meeting.  He/she will be elected for that meeting only by the delegates present.  For that meeting he/she will assume all the obligations of the Chairman and have a casting vote only.

Each member club shall be entitled to have two representatives at each Council meeting.  Each breed club committee is responsible for the election of its own representatives.  Every representative must have awarded CC’s, or been passed by the Royal Kennel Club, to award CC’s in the breed.

  1. The Officers shall be elected from nominations proposed, seconded & submitted to the AGM by member clubs.  Voting will be by secret ballot at the AGM.  The Officers will serve for a period of one year from the date of the AGM.
  2. The Officers will have no voting rights.  The Chair will have a casting vote. Each Club will have one vote at Council meetings.
  3. Meetings of the Council shall be held at least twice a year to include an AGM.  The Honorary Secretary shall have the power to transact any business by post, email or telephone with Officers and representatives.
  4. A quorum for meetings shall be representatives of 4 Clubs.
  5. Meetings shall be convened by the Secretary and 60 days notice shall be given to all member Clubs/Officers.  Items for the Agenda should be submitted 30 days in advance of the meeting. All member Clubs of the Council shall be entitled to be represented at Council meetings.
  6. The Breed Council shall have the power to appoint sub-committees. These sub-committees are to be set precise terms of reference and time limits for reporting back to the Council. The Council will appoint members to the sub-committee, who shall appoint a chairman from amongst their number.  Sub-committee members may attend Breed Council meetings but only speak on matters relating to that sub- committee unless they are a club representative.
  1. Council property

In the event of the Council ceasing to exist, a final meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the assets and the outcome of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club.

  1. Council Accounts

a) A Banking Account shall be held in the name of the Council at Lloyds Bank. into which all revenue of the Council shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signatures of two or more Officers (Chair, Secretary, Treasurer). b) The accounts will be certified annually and presented to the  Members at the  Annual General Meeting. Certification of the accounts must be carried out by one  qualified Accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience, independent of the committee.

  1. Subscriptions

The annual subscription shall be such amount agreed in General Meeting and shall be payable on January 1st each year.  The subscription amount will be reviewed annually at the AGM.

  1. Financial Year/AGM

The financial year of the Council shall be from January 1st to December 31st.  The Annual General Meeting shall be held no later than the end of June. 

  1. Annual General Meeting

All constituent Clubs shall be given 60 days notice.

Items for the agenda to be submitted by giving 30 days notice.

A quorum for General Meetings will be representatives from 4 Clubs.

All constituent Clubs are entitled to be represented at Council meetings.

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 are urgent. 

  1. Amendments to Rules

The rules of the Breed Council may not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting, the notice of which contains specific proposals to amend the rules.  Any proposed alteration to the rules may not be brought into effect until the Royal Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alteration.  New rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Royal Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately.

  1. Annual Returns to the Royal Kennel Club:

The Officers acknowledge that by 31st July each year returns, as stipulated in Royal Kennel Club Regulations for the Registration and Maintenance of Title of Breed Councils, shall be forwarded to the Royal Kennel Club.

The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Royal Kennel Club of any change of Secretary of the Council which may occur during the course of the year.

  1. Royal Kennel Club Final Authority:

The Royal Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the Rules and Regulations of the Council in all cases relative to canine or society matters.

  1. Federations:

The Council shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.

  1. Undischarged Bankrupts:

No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of, or hold any other office or appointment, within a Breed Council.

  1. Breed Council Judges Lists:

The purpose of the Breed Council Judges List is to indicate to interested parties those people the Breed Council would support at differing levels of judging.

Judges Lists must indicate the date on which the list will expire. On expiry, a new list must be completed.

Lists will be compiled from names submitted to the Secretary, by the member Clubs.

Lists compiled are not subject to ratification by the representatives.

The Breed Council shall prepare and review from time to time, or as required by the Royal Kennel Club, the criteria for inclusion on A1, A2, A3 and B Lists. Such criteria will be in accordance with Kennel Club requirements.

A1, A2 and A3 Lists shall be adopted and published by all the member clubs, without amendment. They will be referred to as the Cairn Terrier Breed Council’s National Judging Lists.

B Lists may be compiled and published by each member club as they choose.

It is a Royal Kennel Club requirement that Judges Lists shall be compiled by a Judges Subcommittee consisting of at least 75% CC judges for the breed. Member clubs should ensure that they have complied with this requirement when submitting names to the Secretary for inclusion on the National List.

Names for inclusion on the Lists, or amendments, should be submitted to the Secretary by whatever date is agreed each year, together with the necessary supporting CVs.

These CVs should clearly indicate how the applicant complies with the required criteria. The Breed Council shall make available to all member clubs a proforma CV/Application form. 

Revision 5
This revision includes changes as agreed at the 2024 BC AGM, submitted to the RKC with the BC Annual Return and Approved by the KC in an email received by BC Secretary 3.10.24.