Club Constitution

1. Name

The Club shall be called the "Dove Valley Working Gundog Club". (hereinafter referred to as The Club).

2. Objects

The reasons for the existence of the Club are:-

  1. To promote and encourage the well being and interests of the various Gundog breeds (Specifically, Spaniels and Retrievers)
  2. To encourage the training and working of the various Gundog breeds and to encourage the holding of Working Tests and Field Trials, and to do all such things as may be deemed necessary to improve the standard of such events.
  3. To promote education, discussion, study and research conducive to the objects expressed.

3. Membership

The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members whose names, addresses and email shall be kept on a register to be retained by the Membership Secretary. The Club must make a list of members and their addresses available for inspection if so requested by a member of the Club or by the Kennel Club. Junior membership without voting rights will be available free of charge up to seventeen years of age. Candidates for membership shall complete the online application form available on the website which will be acknowledged/approved in a timely manner.. Any person who ceases to be a member of the Club shall forfeit any right and claim upon the Club and it's property and funds, nor shall that person be entitled to have any or all of their annual subscription refunded to them.

The club is striving to become a paperless club and paper applications are not accepted. All applications must be completed online. Payment for membership/events is to be online (unless pay on the day is agreed).

4. Expulsion of Members

Any member who shall be disqualified under Kennel Club rule A11.j.(5) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club for the duration of the suspension and/or disqualification.

If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Club be harmful

or likely to be harmful to the character or interests of the Club or any of its members, the

Committee of the Club may, after agreement at a meeting, give the written notice to notify

the member in question of their unwarranted behaviour and that their conduct is

unacceptable If the aforementioned is proved to be insufficient then a Special General Meeting of the Club 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 Committee 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. 

5. Officers and Committee

The Committee of the Club shall consist of Honorary General Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Chairman and a Committee of up to ten to include Retriever Field Trial Secretary, Spaniel Field Trial Secretary, Retriever Working Test Secretary, Spaniel Working Test Secretary.   The Officers and Committee may elect, without notice to members, a President, Vice President and Patron. 

 An up-to-date list of Committee members names and their addresses shall be maintained, and the list of names made available for inspection if requested by Members of the Society or the Kennel Club.

The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Officers and Committee. All Officers and members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election every year, and all, except Chairman, shall have full voting rights. It is recommended Officers hold position for three years before retirement, however, he or she may be endorsed for re-election after a suitable break.   Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary. A quorum for Committee meetings shall be two Officers and three Members. 

The Committee shall have 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 General Meeting of the Club at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place. No individual who has been a Member of the Club for less than three months may be elected to the Committee.

The Committee reserves the right to revoke/refuse any lifetime membership offers at anytime should there be a requirement 

Any Committee member who fails to attend three Committee meetings, including the Annual General Meeting, on separate dates in any one year will be asked to resign unless his/her reason for such non-attendance is agreed by majority vote in the Committee as unavoidable.

Meetings of the Committee shall be in person, however, there shall be the option for Members to attend remotely should needs arise.

Each Member shall be entitled to one vote upon acceptance of membership. Postal and Proxy votes will not be allowed. Voting shall be as decided by majority at meeting.

6. Voting Rights

Each Member shall be entitled to one vote upon acceptance of membership. Postal andProxy votes will not be allowed. Voting shall be as decided by majority at meeting. In theevent of a tie, the chairman is to make the deciding vote

7. Club Property

The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee. Trophies donated to the Club shall be deemed to be the sole property of the Club and shall not be accepted under any other condition.   Any club donations, including Trophies cannot be reclaimed once donated unless agreed by the club committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a final General Meeting shall be called to decide disposal of the Club’s assets and the outcome of the Meeting notified to the Kennel Club.

8. Club Accounts

A Banking Account shall be opened in the name of the Club into which all revenues of the Club shall be paid and from which withdrawals shall only be made with the signatures of two Officials.  Officers authorised to sign are Treasurer, Chairman, Membership Secretary and General Secretary.

9. Auditor(s)

Certified accounts shall be available to Members at AGM. Certification of accounts shall be carried out by one qualified accountant or two individuals with accountancy experience.

10. Subscriptions

The Annual Subscription shall be such amount as agreed by Members in General Meeting and notified to the Kennel Club, currently £12.00 single - £20.00 joint.
Click on "Membership" on Home Page for application form.

Subscriptions shall fall due on 1st February Annually. Any Member whose subscription is unpaid shall not be entitled to the privileges of Membership and if the Member fails to pay any outstanding subscriptions after one month has elapsed since the payment became due (1st March), that Members name may be removed from the register.

Payments received shall be accurately referenced and if paid prior to the 1st February annually, their payment may (if the member is not up to date with memberships) get allocated to the previous year. The membership secretary shall be responsible for ensuring accurate accounts of membership status.

11. Financial Year

The Financial year of the Club shall be from February 1st to January 31st. 

12. General Meetings

The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held following the end of the financial year.  The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Dove Valley Working Gundog Club will be held in a hybrid format.  Members will receive an electronic invitation to  join the conventional Physical AGM, or Virtually via Teams.

The purpose of the Annual General Meeting shall be:-

  1. to receive the minutes of the previous AGM.
  2. To receive the report of the Committee and the relevant officers
  3. To receive the accounts and balance sheet and the Auditor(s) report thereon.
  4. To elect/re-elect Officers and Committee.
  5. To consider any motions of which prior notice has been given and which appear on the agenda including making changes to the constitution
  6. To discuss any other items of general business. 

(Please note) A Member shall give the Secretary at least 24 hours’ notice of any matter to be raised under Any Other Competent Business.

At least one months’ notice will be given to Members of AGM by electronic mail.   

Members wishing to place items on the agenda should send by email such items to the Secretary as soon as possible, but in any event, not less than 14 (fourteen) days prior to the date of the meeting. 

No business shall be conducted at AGM unless notice thereof appears on the agenda, with the exception of routine matters or those, which, in the opinion of the Chairman are urgent.

13. Special General Meetings

A Special General Meeting may be called by the Secretary when at least 10 (TEN) Members send a signed requisition to the Secretary stating the business to be discussed and requesting a Special General Meeting to do so.

The Committee of the Club is also empowered to call an SGM.

No business other than that detailed on the agenda is to be discussed at a Special General Meeting. 

Notification of a Special General Meeting shall be by electronic mail.

14. Annual Returns to the Kennel Club

The Officers of the Club 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 July 31st each year, other returns, as stipulated in Kennel Club regulations for registered societies, will be forwarded to the Kennel Club. The Officers of the Club also acknowledge their duty to inform the Kennel Club of any change of Secretary which may occur during the course of the year.

15. Constitution and Rules

The Constitution and Rules of the Club, which shall form the basis of Membership of the Club, may not be altered or amended except at a General Meeting, the agenda for which contains specific proposals to alter or amend the rules. 

Any such alterations or amendments shall not be brought into force until the Kennel Club has been advised and given approval thereto.

16. The Committee shall be empowered to deal with any matter not provided for within these rules.

17. No person, whilst an undischarged bankrupt, may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a KC Registered Society.

18. The Kennel Club shall be the Final Court of Appeal in all matters of dispute.