1.  Title.
The Name of the Club will be “ The Berkshire Downs and Chilterns Golden Retriever Club”.

2.   Objects.
The Club is for the benefit of its members and will not be classed as a trading business, so that all profits from any source, functions and/or activities of the Club shall be maintained for the benefit of and further education of its members in the management,  training,  showing,  breeding and every aspect pertaining to Golden Retrievers.
a)   To encourage the breeding and type of Golden Retriever as laid down in the Breed Standard
b)   To run Shows annually
c)   To cater for novices and junior Members
d)   To encourage the training and working of the Breed
e)   To run Working Tests
f )   To run Field Trials

3.   Officers, Committee and Members.
The Club shall consist of the following: President, Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary  Treasurer, Honorary Show Secretary, Honorary Field Trial Secretary, Honorary Working Test Secretary, and Honorary Re-homing Co-Ordinator, four of whom must be resident in one of the following Counties: Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Hampshire, Middlesex, Wiltshire;  a Committee of sixteen, six of whom need not reside in the seven counties listed above,  and an unlimited number of Members.   Membership shall not be confined to any radius.

4.   Election of Members.
Candidates for membership of the Club shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another and be ratified by the Executive Committee.

5.   Officers and Committee.
a)   The management of the Club shall be in the hands of the Executive Committee of sixteen and the Officers,  all of whom shall have full voting powers,  the Presiding Chairman also having a casting vote in the event of a tie.
b)   The Officers will retire biennially but be eligible for re-election or election to the Executive Committee by secret postal ballot of all bona fide Members.   Five or six of the longest serving members of the Executive Committee shall retire each year but be eligible for re-election.   The President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Field Trial Secretary and Re-Homing Co-Ordinator shall stand down for re-election or retirement  alternate years with the Chairman, Honorary Show Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Working Test Secretary.
c)   The Executive Committee shall have power to deal with any matter not provided for in the Rules.   Any matter of dispute must be referred to the Committee for arbitration provided that the Kennel Club shall be the final Court of Appeal.   Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as may be deemed necessary,  but not less than four times per annum.
d)   Ten voting Members shall form a quorum for the transaction of business.
e)   At least fourteen days notice of every meeting shall be given by the Secretary,  together with an agenda of the business to be discussed.   At every meeting,   whether general or otherwise,  the Minutes of the Previous Meeting shall be read and confirmed.
f)   The Executive Committee shall have the power to elect Vice-President(s) and also have the power to grant Life Membership(s) for exceptional service to the Club.
g)   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.
h)   Members of this Club’s Committee will only be able to serve on another Breed Club committee at the discretion of The Berkshire Downs and Chilterns G.R.C. Executive Committee

6. Appointment of a Sub-Committee.
The Committee shall have powers to appoint such subcommittees as it deems necessary and to delegate such powers of the Committee to the subcommittee so formed as the Committee decides. Each subcommittee shall include two Officers, and the whole subcommittee shall be responsible to the Committee on all matters.   Minutes of all meetings of subcommittees to be taken and passed to the Secretary for inclusion in the club minute book.

7. Election of Officers and Committee.
Nominations for Officers and Committee must be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 21 days before the Annual General Meeting giving the name of the nominee,  together with the signatures of the proposer and seconder,  and the consent of the nominee to act if elected.   Numbered ballot papers must be sent out to members at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting,  completed ballot papers will be accepted up to the time of the opening of The Annual General Meeting.   Officers and Members of the Committee seeking re-election shall be deemed to have been nominated by the Members,  except Members who have been co-opted by the Committee to fill casual vacancies.
The number of committee meetings attended should be listed after the name of the Officer or Committee member seeking re-election after agreement with the candidate.
Any Officer or Committee member failing to attend three consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse shall on the decision of the Committee cease to be a Committee member.
The Executive Committee at its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting shall elect a Vice-Chairman from within its number,  the election being by secret ballot if there is more than one nomination.

8 Casual Vacancies among the Officers and Committee.
In the event of a casual vacancy occurring among the Officers and Committee, such vacancy may be filled by the Committee who shall have power to appoint any member,  without residential restriction,  to fill such vacancy,  such appointment to be to the next Annual General Meeting when the position will come up for election for the same period as that causing the casual vacancy.

9. Subscriptions.
The annual subscriptions shall be £6.50; bona-fide partners or husband and wife £7.50;  juniors under the age of 17 years when subscriptions are due £3.50. Subscriptions are due on the 1st January and payable by the 31st March each year, or at the A.G.M, whichever is the earlier.   Members not paying their subscriptions by the above dates shall automatically cease to be members of the Club without further notice.

10. Club Property.
The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee, and should for any reason the Club cease to exist, any assets shall be disposed of at a Special General Meeting, and the outcome of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club.   A final statement of audited accounts with a record of disposal of the 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 on the last return furnished to the Kennel Club, will be held responsible by the Kennel Club for the proper winding up of the Club.

11. Expulsion of Members.
Any member who shall be suspended under the Kennel Club Rule A42.j.(5) and/or any member whose dog(s) is/are disqualified under Kennel Club Rule A42.j.(9) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Club.   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. 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 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 conditions as the Kennel Club may impose.  If the Club expels any Member 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.

12. General Meetings.
The Annual General Meeting shall be held as soon after the end of the financial year as possible for the following purposes:
- to receive the report of the Committee and approve the Accounts
- to receive the results of the annual elections and discuss any resolution duly placed on the agenda
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.
Notice convening such a meeting must be forwarded to each Member not less than fifty-six days prior to the date of the holding of the meeting.   Resolutions to be placed on the Agenda of such Meetings must be received by the Honorary Secretary in writing not less than fourteen days prior to the meeting.   Agenda to be circulated to all Members not less than seven days prior to the Meeting.   The Accounts will be available at the meeting or subsequently by application to the Secretary.

13. Special General Meetings.
A Special General Meeting may be convened at any time for any special purpose either by the Committee or by ten ordinary members handing the Secretary a signed requisition stating the subject to be discussed.   Such a Meeting to be convened within fourteen days and held within twenty-eight days and not less than fourteen days from the date of the requisition.   The objects of the Meeting to be notified to every Member,  and the decision of such Meeting to be as binding in every respect as if moved at the Annual General Meeting.   No matter other than that specified on the Agenda can be discussed at a Special General Meeting.

14. Club Accounts.
A Banking Account be opened in the name of the Club (with the Midland Bank - now HSBC), cheques to be signed by the Honorary Treasurer and one other Officer - more than two can be on the Bank Mandate. No two signatories to be members of the same family or partnership. The Accounts will be certified annually and be 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 accounting experience. The audited accounts should also be signed by the Chairman and Secretary. The Financial Year shall be from 1st January to 31st December. Quarterly Bank Statements shall be produced to the Committee at each meeting.

15. Alteration of Rules and Regulations.
None of the Rules and Regulations shall be altered, except at a General Meeting notice 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.

16. Kennel Club Court of Appeal.
The Kennel Club shall be the final authority for interpreting the Rules & Regulations of the Club in all cases relative to Canine or Club matters.


17. Federation of Societies.
The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.

18. Kennel Club Returns.
The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, the 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.
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.

19. Judges Lists.
The Judges Lists will be compiled and submitted to the Kennel Club with the Annual Returns.   The criteria for nomination is given by the Club’s Judges Criteria document which is in accordance with the current Kennel Club Judges Working Party guidelines and has been approved by the Kennel Club.
The procedure for compiling the lists is given in the Club’s Statement of the Procedure for Compiling Judges List as sent to the Kennel Club with the Annual Returns.

20. Membership Lists.
The Club must send a list of Members and their addresses to the Kennel Club with their Annual Returns and, if so requested, make an up to date list of members available for inspection by the Members of the Club or by the Kennel Club.

21. Voting Rights.
Each Member shall be entitled to one vote immediately upon acceptance of membership.   In the case of joint membership, one vote for each member of the partnership.
Junior members have no voting rights.
Postal votes are allowed .
Voting shall be by secret ballot or show of hands as decided by the majority at the meeting.