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RULES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM RAGDOLL BREEDERS SOCIETY
Revised September 2009 (Founded 2009)
1. Name
a) The Society shall be known as The UK Ragdoll Breeders Society
2. Aims and Objectives
a) To promote interest in the breeding and exhibiting of all Ragdolls recognised by the GCCF, of which conform to the official UK registration policy.
b) On affiliation to the GCCF the Society will elect delegates to sit on the Ragdoll Breed Advisory Committee (BAC) to assist in maintaining the Standard of Points, Judges Lists and Registration Policy by referring proposals suggested by our members as amendments to these documents as deemed necessary.
c) To maintain a Breeding Policy for Ragdolls in respect of which guidelines breeder members shall be expected to comply.
d) To maintain a Code of Ethics for Ragdoll breeders registered with the Society in respect of which guidelines they shall be expected to comply.
e) To encourage the care, protection and the maintenance of the healthy breed lines of Ragdoll cats and cats in general.
f) To offer guidance and assistance to members in all matters pertaining to the Ragdoll.
3. Officers and Committee
a) President(s) and Vice President(s) may be appointed by the Committee at their discretion. They will be ex-officio members of the Committee. The appointment is to be confirmed by members at the AGM. The period of office is to be five years, and shall be eligible for re-appointment. The President(s) and Vice President(s) have no specific duties, but are required to be in sympathy with the Society and its aims. They may vote at Committee meetings.
b) The management of the Society shall be vested in the Committee, consisting of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer and 4 Ordinary members who shall be elected by majority vote of members present at the AGM by paper ballot or by postal ballot .
c) The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson to be elected by majority vote of members present at the AGM by paper ballot or by postal ballot , and to hold office for three years, and shall be eligible for re-election. They will be ex-officio members of the Committee.
d) The Hon Secretary to be elected by majority vote of members present at the AGM by paper ballot or by postal ballot and to hold office for two years, and shall be eligible for re-election. The Hon Secretary will be an ex-officio member of the Committee.
e) The Hon Treasurer to be elected by majority vote of members present at the AGM by paper ballot or by postal ballot and to hold office for two years, and shall be eligible for re-election. The Hon Treasurer will be an ex-officio member of the Committee.
f) All Ordinary Committee members to be elected by majority vote of members present at the AGM by paper ballot or by postal ballot and to hold office for two years and shall be eligible for re-election.
g) On affiliation to the GCCF, the Society shall be represented on the Ragdoll Breed Advisory Committee (BAC) by representatives chosen and elected by the Officers and Ordinary Committee members. The representatives shall serve for two years, report to the Officers and the committee and shall be eligible for re-election.
h) On affiliation to the GCCF, the society will be represented at GCCF Council Meetings by at least one delegate selected by the Committee members and elected by members at the AGM. The delegates shall serve for one year report to the committee and may be eligible for re-election.
i) A breed recorder shall be appointed by the Committee and may serve either as a co-opted member of the Committee or as a full member of the Committee.
j) The Membership Secretary and Show Support Secretary to be appointed at the discretion of the Committee from within its members.
k) The Committee shall have the power to co-opt not more than two persons (excluding the breed recorder if this position is occupied by a co-opted member) in a non-voting capacity to assist in discussions. These persons are to have specialized knowledge which would be useful to the Society and shall have been fully paid up members for a minimum of 2 years. Co-opted persons shall serve for one year until the next AGM when they may stand for election. The Committee may also appoint sub-committees as necessary.
l) All nominations for Committee from members who have been fully paid up for a minimum of two years are to be made to the Hon Secretary in writing no later than 1st February each year, supported in writing by a proposer and seconder and with the written approval of the nominee, together with a brief resume.
m) Any member unable to attend the AGM and requiring to register a postal vote must inform the Hon Secretary at least 28 days prior to the published date of the AGM, and completed voting papers must be returned to the Hon Secretary before the AGM.
n) Vacancies arising on the Committee during the course of the year will be filled by a majority decision of the Committee. Candidates will be chosen from the membership list. Members selected for the Committee in this way must stand for election at the next AGM.
o) All members of the Committee must be fully paid up members of The UK Ragdoll Breeders Society.
p) The Committee shall have the power to rule on issues for which no rule exists. These issues and rules to be raised at the next AGM and handled in accordance with rule 8 a).
4. Finance
a) The Society funds are to be deposited in a bank or building society in the name of the Society, or otherwise invested with the approval of the Committee.
b) There shall be at least three Committee members authorised to sign cheques on behalf of the Society, these being the Chairman, Hon Treasurer and or Hon Secretary. All cheques over £200 to be signed by at least two of the three signatories.
c) The financial year shall run from 1st January.
d) All bona fide expenses incurred on behalf of the Society shall be defrayed out of Society funds, subject to the approval of the Committee.
e) The Hon Treasurer to prepare the Annual Accounts of the Society, which will be examined by an independent person prior to their presentation to members at the Annual General Meeting.
f) The appointment of an independent person to examine the Society Accounts shall be confirmed annually by a two-thirds majority of members attending the Annual General Meeting.
5. Membership
a) The Society shall consist of an unlimited number of members. Any breeder or owner of Ragdoll cats shall be eligible for membership of the Society.
b) Application for membership is to be in writing on the ‘Application for Membership’ form and submitted with the appropriate fee. Every applicant must obtain the signature of an existing member or the application to be supported by a veterinary surgeon’s reference, prior to submitting the application. Each new member’s application will be reviewed by the Committee. The Committee, on a majority vote, have the right to refuse any membership application.
c) The Committee shall have power to refuse to renew, to suspend or to expel any member whose words or actions may be considered detrimental to the Society or their cats, or contrary to the aims and objectives of the Society. Provided that :-
(1) The Hon. Secretary has given to each Member of the Committee and to the Member of the Club concerned notice in writing of the allegation, not less than seven days before the date of a meeting at which the Member concerned shall have the opportunity of being heard and of calling witnesses.
(2) If not happy with the outcome of the above meeting, the Member concerned shall have the right of appeal to a Special General Meeting of the Club, at which he/she shall attend and state his/her case. Intention of appeal shall be notified in writing to the Hon. Secretary within seven days from the date of the meeting at which the member was expelled. Until the appeal (if lodged), organized by the Chairman and Committee of the Society is heard, all penalties imposed by the Committee shall be suspended.
(3) The Member concerned shall be re-instated if such an appeal is successful.
d) The Society shall be pre-affiliated to the GCCF and Members shall abide by the disciplinary rules of the GCCF in accordance with the Constitution of the Council.
e) Any member (including Long Term and Honorary Members) suspended under article 12 of the Constitution of the GCCF and wishing to rejoin after expiration of the period of suspension must apply for re-election to the Society Committee.
f) The subscription rates for the following year are reviewed and fixed annually at the AGM on the Treasurer’s recommendation.
g) Subscriptions are due on 1st January each year.
h) New members joining between 1st January and 31st August pay annual subscription plus joining fee and membership will be valid until 31st December of that year. New members joining on or after 1st September pay annual subscription plus joining fee and membership will be valid till 31st December of the following year.
i) Memberships not renewed by 31st March each year will be deemed to have lapsed. Any such lapsed member desiring to rejoin the Society after 1st April will require to pay the current rejoining fee in addition to the Annual Subscription.
j) After a membership period of not less than two years members may convert their membership to long-term membership by advising the Hon Secretary of their wish to do so. Long-term membership is for a fixed period of ten years and the fee payable is eight times that of the annual subscriptions at the annual rate current at the time of conversion.
k) The Committee shall have the power at their discretion to grant Honorary Membership to any person or persons assisting the Ragdolls’ progress. Honorary Members do not have voting rights.
l) Any member may resign their membership in writing to the Hon Secretary at any time.
m) In addition to the above, each person joining the Society undertakes during the currency of their membership of the Society, not to create any other Ragdoll Club, Society or Association of any form without the prior agreement of the Committee.
6. Meetings.
a) An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held not later than 31st May each year. Notice of the AGM is to be sent to all members by 1st February each year. All matters for the Agenda are to be sent to Hon Secretary by the 1st April. The agenda of the AGM is to be sent to all members at least 28 days in advance. All members of the Society as at 31st December will be eligible to vote for the Committee for the following year and the new Committee will take over at the end of the AGM.
b) A quorum shall consist of sixteen members of the Society, including Officers and Committee.
c) A Special General Meeting (SGM) shall be called on written demand to the Chairperson, of at least sixteen members specifying the business to be discussed, the
conditions of 7b) and 8a) apply to an SGM. Administrative costs of an SGM are to be borne by the members requesting the meeting.
d) At least four Committee meetings shall be held annually. A quorum shall consist of six members of the Committee including at least one Officer. Notice of meetings to be posted at least 21 days prior to the meetings. Minutes of the meeting are to be recorded by the Hon Secretary or Minute Secretary and approved in the usual way at the next meeting.
e) The Hon Secretary, in conjunction with the Chairperson, shall conduct all the business of the Society.
f) The Hon Secretary, after consultation with the Chairperson, shall call general meetings and Committee meetings as required.
g) The Hon Secretary assisted by the Membership Secretary, shall maintain a list of members.
h) The Hon Secretary shall present an annual report to the AGM.
i) Prior approval of the Hon Secretary shall be sought for all absences from properly notified Committee meetings. Absence from three quarters or more of the Committee meetings in the year shall be deemed to be resignation from the Committee.
7. Voting
a) The Chairperson shall have the right to vote at Committee Meetings and Annual General Meetings and in addition shall have a casting vote in all matters.
b) Resolutions shall be passed by simple majority of members present and voting, either by a show of hands or paper ballot, with the exception of matters relating to the Rules, which shall always be by paper ballot and require approval by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting or by postal ballot.
c) All fully paid up members are entitled to vote at any Society meeting or by postal ballot. No proxy votes are allowed.
d) All fully paid up members are entitled to vote for the election of committee members by majority vote of members present at the AGM by paper ballot and by postal ballot. A ballot for committee places will only
become necessary when there is an excess of nominations for the positions available.
e) All postal ballot slips will require to be signed and have the name and address of the member.
8. Alteration of Rules
a) No alteration to these Rules shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose and notice of such a motion must appear on the agenda of the meeting and be sent to all members at least 28 days in advance. Any such alteration shall require a two-thirds majority of members present and voting or by postal ballot.
9. Trophies
a) The ownership of all Trophies or Awards donated by members shall pass to the Society. In the event of the category for which they were assigned becoming obsolete, the committee shall have the power to re-assign such Trophies and Awards as appropriate.
10. Winding Up
a) A decision to wind up the affairs of the Society or to agree to the amalgamation with another Society or organisation shall require to be decided by a ballot of all members at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose of which at least twenty-eight days notice shall have been given. The decision shall require a vote of two-thirds majority of members present and voting or by postal ballot.
b) In the event of the Society being wound up, divided or amalgamated, the disposal of any existing funds shall be decided by a vote of two-thirds majority of members present and voting or by postal ballot.
c) In the event of the Society being wound up or divided with uncovered debts, each member over 18 years of age shall be equally liable for the debt up to a maximum of the then current membership fee.
11. Shows.
The Committee shall have the authority to sponsor or organize shows as it deems necessary from time to time.
12. Governing Council of the Cat Fancy
The Society agrees to abide by the Constitution and Rules of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.
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