BENGAL CAT CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN

A TICA Chartered Club BY LAWS

The Bengal Cat Club of Great Britain By-Laws as amended at the AGM of 19th April 2009 

1. The Name. 1.1. The club shall be called "The Bengal Cat Club of Great Britain".

2. Aims and Objectives. 2.1. To promote interest in the welfare, breeding, exhibiting and recognition of the BENGAL cat.

 

3. The Board and The Directors. 3.1.The management of the business and affairs of this club shall be under the direction of a Board of Directors as in 3.2.

3.2.The Board shall consist of ten directors, these being: President, and Vice-President. The Named Officers, (Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Counsellor), and four General Directors. If any of the named positions are amalgamated, another General Director shall be elected. The Board should never fall below ten Directors.

3.3.All Board positions are for a term of three years, and shall be eligible for re-election.

3.4.The President, Vice-President and General Directors may be proposed by either the Board or from the general club membership when positions come due for re-election.

3.5In the event of more than one nomination being received for any vacancy, voting shall be by post. Voting papers shall be sent to all fully paid up club members who shall have one vote each. Ballot papers to be returned not less than 14 days prior to the AGM to an independent scrutineer named thereon. The scrutineer shall be appointed by the Board and shall not be a member of the club

3.6The Named Officers shall be designated from within the serving Board at the Meeting prior to the Annual General Meeting. These positions are then ratified at the AGM.

3.7If, at any time in the term, the President becomes unable to perform the duties, the Vice-President shall take over for the remainder of the club year.

3.8If, the Vice-President position is vacated, an existing Board Director shall take over the position for the remainder of the club year.

3.9If, an Officer position is vacated, either an existing Board Director may assume the vacated position, or the Board may co-opt a volunteer general club member to fulfil the Directors position if particular skills are required for the remainder of the club year. If at the end of said club year the co-opted member and the Board agree, the co-opted person will be recommended to the membership to take the specific Board position: note, all Board positions are ratified at the AGM as 3.6 [See Note 5.].

3.10 Any General Director elected (or co-opted) shall agree not to serve on more than two other TICA affiliated club boards or committees, and none of other Affiliations.

3.11 Co-opted Directors; the Board may co-opt a Director as 3.9; this Director would have full voting rights. They may also co-opt an additional two Directors as required. These positions may be of a variable duration to a maximum of one year; these positions may or may not have full voting rights.

3.12 The Board may appoint such sub-committees as may be found necessary to further the work of the club. Such committees shall be Chaired by the President or the Vice-President in his/her absence. Such committees are responsible to the Main Board.

3.13 The Board may invite an expert to advise the Club to any Meeting.

3.14 The Board shall meet no fewer than four times a year. And the quorum shall be seven of the ten elected positions. The President or in absence the Vice-President must be present as the Chairperson.

3.15 The Chairperson, does not participate in voting, except to resolve a tie.

3.16 Following absence from two consecutive Board meetings without an adequate apology of absence, the Secretary or President shall write to the said Director requiring mitigation. This action will also constitute an automatic entry to the next Meeting Agenda. Failure to respond to the letter in writing within one month, or failure to attend the next meeting will be deemed as instant resignation. Said person will not be eligible for re-election for a period to be decided by the Board, but not less than one Club Year (AGM to AGM). Any records, possessions or other articles of the Clubs which appertain to Board business in said persons possession or control must be returned as soon as is practically possible, but not longer than one month. As co-opted Directors are not Full Board Directors, absence from two consecutive Meetings shall be deemed as resigning the co-option.

3.17 Apologies deemed adequate relate to illness or similar and work related requirement or duty. If said person has actions from a previous meeting, or reports to provide wherever possible this should be communicated to the Secretary for inclusion in the meeting.

4. Affiliation 4.1.The Club shall be affiliated to The International Cat Association (TICA).

5. Membership. 5.1. Membership of the Club shall be open to any person interested in the objectives of the Club, who agree to adhere to the code of conduct of the Club. Membership will be at the discretion of the Board.

5.2.Honorary Membership may be granted at the discretion of the Board. Such members shall not have voting rights.

5.3.The Board shall have the right to refuse membership and expel any member whose words or actions might be considered detrimental to the club or cat fancy in general; subject to the right to appear at the next Board Meeting, and if necessary a further appeal at the next Annual General Meeting.

5.4. The subscription is a single membership covering up to two adults, and children under eighteen years old residing at the same address. Voting rights are only applicable to adults registered on the membership application form. The Board will consider the level of subscription on an annual basis and recommend any changes to the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions shall be due on 1st January each year. There shall be joining/rejoining fees to cover the cost of initial paperwork and processing. New applications received after 1st October shall be deemed to cover the following year. Members, whose subscriptions remain in arrears three months after they are due, i.e. the 1st April, shall be deemed to have resigned from the club.

5.5. Life membership shall be ten times the appropriate annual subscription. It shall not be granted until the member has been an ordinary member for five years. The five years may, at the Boards discretion be waived in the case of overseas members provided they are members of a Registering Body or Affiliated Club.

6. General Meetings. 6.1.The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than 30th June in each year. All nominations and matters for the agenda must be received in writing, by the Honorary Secretary, no later than six weeks before the announced date.

6.2.A Special General Meeting shall be called on the written demand of ten or more paid up members specifying the business to be discussed, on a surety of £50, this sum to be returned or disbursed at the discretion of the Board, such meeting to be held within six weeks of notice being received by the Honorary Secretary.

6.3.Notice of a General Meeting and the Agenda for it, shall be sent to all fully paid up members who shall be eligible to participate in or vote at any general Meeting.

6.4. Five Members in addition to a Board quorum shall constitute a quorum for a general Meeting.

6.5.Only fully paid up members shall be eligible to vote at any General Meeting.

7. Finance. 7.1. The funds of the Club shall be deposited in a Bank or Building Society approved by the Board and all cheques shall be signed by two of the following: President, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer.

7.2. The financial year of the Club shall be from 1st January i.e. the calendar year.

7.3.The Honorary Treasurer shall present an annual income and expenditure account and balance sheet to the Annual General Meeting. These accounts and balance sheet having been examined in accordance with the Club rules by an ‘independent person’ who has been appointed at a previous Annual General Meeting.

7.4.All expenses incurred on behalf of the Club shall be repaid out of the Club funds, subject to approval by the Board.

8. Honorary Secretary and Membership Secretary. 8.1.The Honorary Secretary shall conduct all the correspondence of the Club.

8.2.The Membership Secretary shall maintain a list of members.

8.3.The Honorary Secretary shall call the General Meeting and the Board Meetings as required and shall keep a minute book in which the meetings of the Club and its Board shall be recorded.

8.4.The Honorary Secretary shall present an annual report at the Annual General Meeting.

9. Trophies. 9.1. Trophies will be presented at the Clubs AGM each year and will only be awarded to fully paid up members at the time of presentation. Recipients must attend in person in order to receive a trophy.

9.2. Trophies will be awarded annually on the basis of points awarded at shows held by the Club over the preceding twelve months.

9.3.Any member who fails to return a trophy on time and in an acceptable condition may, at the Boards discretion, be barred from holding trophies.

9.4.Donated trophies shall become the property of the Club.

10.Alteration of By-Laws, Amalgamation and Winding Up. 10.1. No alteration shall be made to these by-laws except at a General Meeting and notice of such a motion must appear on the Agenda for that Meeting. Any such alteration shall require a two thirds majority.

10.2. The Club may be wound up or amalgamate with another Cat Club at a General Meeting and notice of such a motion and a proposal for the disposal of Club assets, must appear on the agenda for that meeting. Any such alteration shall require a two thirds majority.

End of By-Laws. Notes: 1. The Club Year is AGM to AGM with allowance for date variations. 2. The Financial and Membership Year is the calendar year i.e. 1Jan to 31Dec. 3. Trophy awards will be accompanied by an agreement. 4. Membership Subscriptions will be advertised on the relevant page of the club Website, and be applicable from the 1st October. 5. A co-option under clause 3.9 will only happen only in an emergency, the membership will be canvassed for an appropriate volunteer.