1. NAMES AND OBJECTS
The Club shall be called ‘Maltese Club’ and its objects shall be to promote the breeding of the true type of Maltese.
2. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Club shall consist of a President, Life Vice-President, and up to four Vice Presidents, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, a Committee of ten Members and an unlimited number of Members.
3. COMMITTEE
The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers of the Club and Committee of ten Members, all of whom (with the exception of President and Vice-Presidents) shall retire annually. Officers and members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election every year.
All Officers and Committee shall have full voting rights and the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote in the event of a tie.
Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary at a venue chosen by the Secretary and the Chairman.
All Officers shall be Honorary. A Vice-Chairman shall be elected by the Committee at its first meeting.
Any vacancy during the year among the Officers may be filled by the Committee at the following meeting.
A quorum for Committee meetings shall be six. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt Members onto the Committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between General Meetings.
No member of the Committee shall circularise, or be party to a circularising other members of the Club about Club or Breed affairs without previously referring the matter to the Committee and receiving their agreement to such action.
Any member wishing to put a matter before the Committee for consideration should put the matter in writing, signed by that member and this should be sent direct to the Secretary not less that 14 days prior to the meeting.
No Member shall be eligible to serve on the Committee unless he/she has been a Member of the Club for at least one year.
No Officer, Committee Member or Ex-officio Member of the Maltese Club may serve as an Officer, Committee Member or Ex-Officio Member on another Maltese Club.
Any member of the Committee absent from two consecutive Committee meetings shall have his or her attention drawn to the fact, and unless a reasonable excuse is forthcoming, such member’s seat on the Committee shall be declared vacant.
No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee or hold any other office or appointment.
4. ELECTION OF MEMBERS
Candidates for Membership shall be proposed by an existing fully paid up Member and seconded by another.
5. MEMBERSHIP LIST
The Society must 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 and Members of the Society. A declaration of the number of Members of the Society must be made with the Annual Returns.
6. VOTING RIGHTS
Each Member, whether joint or single, shall be entitled to one vote after one year’s Membership, Postal votes, proxy votes or any other absentee votes are not allowed.
Junior Members up to the age of 16 years have no voting rights.
7. CLUB PROPERTY
The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee .
Members having won Club cups and trophies shall return them to the Cup Steward within a fortnight preceding the Show at which they are next offered.
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 of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club.
Cups or trophies which have not been won outright at the time of dissolution shall be returned to the donors or their heirs or assigns.
A final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the Club shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club within six months and the persons names 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
A Banking Account shall be held in the name of the Club into which all revenue of the Club shall be paid and from which withdrawal shall only be made on the signature of two or more Officers, one of whom shall be the Treasurer. The Accounts shall be certified annually and presented to the Members at the Annual General Meeting.
NOTE: Certification of the Accounts must be carried out by one qualified Accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience.
9. SUBSCRIPTIONS
UK and overseas membership: Annual subscriptions shall be proposed by the Committee and approved at the Annual General Meeting and shall be payable on both a UK and overseas member’s election and thereafter on the first day of January each year.
Joining fees: Joining fees shall be proposed by the Committee and approved at the Annual General Meeting and shall be payable on both UK and overseas member’s election.
Joint Membership: Any two persons residing at the same address. Partnerships in an affix registered with the Kennel Club and not residing at the same address. The person to whom correspondence should be addressed should be nominated at the time of application/renewal.
Junior Membership: Members’ children up to the age of 16 years may be Junior Members if their names, dates of birth and addresses are registered with the Club for an annual fee proposed by the Committee and approved at the Annual General Meeting. They will be afforded the same privileges as full members when entering Club Shows but will have no voting rights. The parents will be held responsible for any cups or trophies won by junior members.
Honorary Life Member: The Committee shall have the power to recommend to a General Meeting the election of Honorary Life Members as an acknowledgement of services rendered to the Club. All Membership to be subject to the approval of the Committee.
Any Member who has not paid his/her subscription by 1st March each year shall be reminded by the Hon. Treasurer and shall not enjoy the privilege of Membership until the subscription has been paid. Should such subscription be still unpaid by the date of the AGM or 31st March following, whichever is later, the Member’s name shall be erased from the list of Members, but shall be entitled to rejoin on repayment of the joining fee and subscription.
10. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
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 Society. If the conduct of any Member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Society be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interests of the Society, the Committee of the Society 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 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 society 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.
If any Member shall be expelled for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, Dog Shows, Trials or Competitions, the Club must report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.
11. FINANCIAL YEAR/ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (Amended AGM 2014)
The Financial Year of the Club shall be from 1st January to the 31st December.
The Annual General Meeting shall be held no later than four months from the end of the financial year.
12. GENERAL MEETING
At the Annual General Meeting, Officers and Committee shall be elected for the ensuing year. The balance sheet and the Officers’ reports shall be presented.
Nominations for Officers or Committee shall be sent to the Hon. Secretary not less than 21 days prior to the General Meeting. Each nomination with proposer and seconder shall be accompanied by written evidence of the nominee’s willingness to serve.
36 days Notice of an Annual General Meeting shall be given to all Members by electronic mail (email) wherever a Member has notified the Club of their email address or by post.
Any person desiring to bring notice of alteration or addition to the existing Rules, or any other business, must give notice to the Hon. Secretary in writing not less than 21 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
No business shall be transacted at an Annual General Meeting unless notice there of appears on the Agenda, with the exception of routine matters or those which in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting are urgent. No proposal detailed on the agenda should be discussed at an Annual General Meeting unless the proposed or his/her representative is present to clarify any questions raised. An Agenda should be sent to all Members 14 days before the Meeting.
12a. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
A Special General Meeting shall be summoned by the Hon. Secretary if 12 Members send a 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.
No business other than that detailed on the Agenda may be discussed at a Special General Meeting.
36 days Notice of an Annual General Meeting shall be given to all Members by electronic mail (email) wherever a Member has notified the Club of their email address or by post.
13. AMENDMENT TO RULES
The rules of the Club may not be altered except at a General Meeting, the Agenda for which contains specific proposals to amend the Rules. Any proposed alteration to the Rules may not be brought into effect until the Kennel Club has been advised and approved the alteration.
New Rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately and be included in the Club’s Constitution with effect from the Club’s Annual General Meeting.
14. 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 or by Direct Debit 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.
The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any changes of Secretary of the Society which may occur during the course of the year.
15. KENNEL CLUB FINAL COURT OF APPEAL
The Kennel Club is the final authority for interpreting the Rules and Regulations of the Society in all cases relative to Canine or Society matters.
16. The Club shall not join any Federation or Societies or Clubs.
17. BREED SOCIETY JUDGES LISTS
The Committee shall review and update the List of Judges each year which must be submitted to the Kennel Club as part of the Society’s Annual Returns. The purpose of Breed Society Judges Lists is to indicate to interested parties those persons a Breed Society would support at differing levels of judging. Membership of the Club is not a prerequisite for inclusion in the lists. Judges lists shall be divided into five parts, namely A1, A2, A3, B and C and shall expire on the 31st December each year. On expiry a new list must be compiled.
A1 List – Judges who the Maltese Club supports and who have previously been approved by the Kennel Club to award Challenge Certificates in the Breed and have carried out an appointment.
A2 List – Judges who, if invited by the Maltese Club, would be approved by the Kennel Club to award Challenge Certificates, but not yet having awarded Challenge Certificates.
A3 List – Judges who are recommended by the Maltese Club, as being suitable to award Challenge Certificates in the Maltese, but not yet approved by The Kennel Club for inclusion on the A2 list.
B List – Judges who have been approved by the Maltese Club to judge at Championship Shows without CCs or Open Shows.
C List – A list of aspirant judges, supported by the Maltese Club who do not fall into any of the above categories.
Inclusion of an interested party in any of the above lists will be at the discretion of the Club’s Committee and in line with the “Criteria for the Compilation of the Maltese Club’s Judges List” document, as attached.
18. CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Members shall be required to notify the Hon. Secretary of change of address and where appropriate electronic mail (email) address, and the Committee shall not be responsible for the non-delivery of any notice or communication due to the failure of any Member to comply with this rule.
19. CODE OF ETHICS
Members are expected to conform to the Club’s approved Code of Ethics. Serious disregard of the Code may be disciplined under Rule 10.
20. CLUB WELFARE AND RE-HOMING ACTIVITIES
The Club shall appoint two (2) co-ordinators, one for the North and one for the South of the Club’s geographical area . Those appointed shall be fully paid up members of the Maltese Club. The co-ordinators shall use the Club approved procedures and support documentation to record all activities associated with Welfare and Re-homing. In particular the re-imbursement of associated expenditure will only be considered when supported by the appropriate documentation and receipts. Volunteer points of contact will be situated around the UK for local first response assistance, liaising with the nearest co-ordinator. (2013 AGM)
21. In any case not covered by these rules the decision of the Committee shall be accepted.