SHORT-HAIRED CAT SOCIETY

(Founded 1901)

Affiliated to the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy

RULES
(1/6/06)

(1)	This Society shall be called “The Short-Haired Cat Society” and is afterwards referred to in these Rules as “The Society”.

(2)	OBJECTS
	*	Protection and welfare of all cats and of short-haired pedigree cats and kittens in particular.
	*	Promotion of correct breeding of short-haired pedigree cats.
	*	Recommendation of revision, when necessary, of the Standard of Points for those breeds of cats which are the responsibility of this Society (*).
	*	Dissemination of specialist information on the Society’s breeds.
	*	Selection and recommendation of Judges and Probationer Judges for the Society’s breeds.
	*	Implementation of a training scheme for Stewards and Probationer Judges for the Society’s breeds.
	*	Encouragement and support of the exhibiting of short-haired cats.
	*	Maintenance of affiliation to the GCCF and representation at Council meetings.
	(*)	The breeds for which the Society is currently responsible are: British Shorthairs (all colours), Manx, Russian Blue, Havana, Foreign Lilac, Foreign Blue, Foreign Black, Oriental Spotted Tabby and Korats.

(3)	MEMBERSHIP
	The Society shall consist of an unlimited number of members who should be breeders or owners of the varieties which are the responsibility of the Society, or persons interested in the short-haired breeds.
 A candidate seeking admission to membership shall apply in writing on an approved form (accompanied by the relevant fee) and shall agree to abide by the Society Rules and the GCCF General Code of Ethics for Breeders and Owners.
	Election to membership is at the discretion of the Committee.
	Honorary membership may be granted from time to time at the discretion of the Committee.

(4)	DUTIES OF MEMBERS
	Membership of the Society shall be taken to imply acceptance of the objects of the Society and its Rules.  Every member shall strive to further the purposes and aims for which the Society exists.
	The members of the Society shall be bound by the Rules and Disciplinary Powers of the GCCF in accordance with the Constitution thereof prevailing at any time.
	Any member (including honorary, life and long-term members) suspended from membership of affiliated clubs under the Constitution of the GCCF wishing to rejoin the Society must apply to the Society’s Committee for re-election together with the appropriate fees.

(5)	ENTRANCE FEES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
	Entrance fees and subscriptions shall be as laid down from time to time by the members at the AGM.
	The following memberships are available: single membership, joint membership (any two persons from the same household or with a joint prefix), life membership (for ten times the current annual subscription available after the completion of five years continuous membership), senior citizens’ membership (persons of pensionable age), junior membership (not exceeding 16yrs). Subscription and entrance fees shall be paid on election and thereafter an annual subscription shall be paid on 1st January of each year.
	Any member failing to renew his or her membership before 31st March shall be deemed to be a lapsed member and shall be required to pay a further entrance fee.  A member whose subscription is overdue shall not be entitled to compete for any award offered by the Society nor receive any of the benefits of the Society as outlined in Section 2.
	No member whose subscription is overdue shall be entitled to vote at an AGM or Special Meeting.
	Any member may resign his or her membership by giving notice in writing to that effect to the Honorary Secretary.

(6)	PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT, OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
	The management and control of the Society and its finances shall be vested in the Officers and twelve other elected members who shall together form the Committee.  The Officers shall be the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the Honorary Treasurer and the Honorary Secretary.  The Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary shall be appointed annually by the Committee and approved by the AGM.
	Election to the Committee shall be for three years.  Four Committee members shall retire each year in rotation but will be eligible for re-election to the Committee.
	The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and four Committee members shall be elected by paper ballot at the Annual General Meeting.  Any candidate standing for office but not elected to that office shall automatically be eligible to stand for election to the Committee.
	Nominations for Officers and Committee shall be invited from members; all such nominations shall be in writing and must be signed by the nominee declaring that they are eligible, and must be proposed and seconded by fully paid-up members of the Society.
	All nominations must be received by the Honorary Secretary not later than 28 days before the Annual General Meeting.
	The Committee shall appoint a President and up to four Vice-Presidents who shall be people meriting these honours in recognition of their services to the Society.  Such persons shall be appointed annually and may attend Committee meetings and shall have a vote.
	Vacancies on the Committee occurring between AGMs may be filled at the discretion of the Committee until the following AGM.
	The Committee shall have the power to co-opt temporarily, in a non-voting capacity, a person or persons with specialised knowledge who need not be members of the Society.
	Any Committee member failing to attend three consecutive Committee meetings shall automatically cease to be a member of the Committee but may be co-opted until the next AGM at the discretion of the Committee.

(6)	PRESIDENT, VICE-PRESIDENT, OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE continued
	No Committee member may serve on the Committee of more than two other Cat Clubs.
	The Committee shall have the power to elect annually up to seven other members of the Society for specific duties who shall be voting members of the Committee and who shall attend Committee meetings when the business of the day so requires.

(7)	DELEGATES TO THE GOVERNING COUNCIL
	A delegate or delegates shall be elected by the members at the AGM to represent the Society at meetings of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.
	The delegate or delegates, who must be members of the Society, shall serve for one year.  An elected delegate who is not already a member of the Committee shall be co-opted to the Committee but have no voting powers.
	In the event of a vacancy for a delegate occurring between AGMs, a delegate may be appointed by the Committee.
	Representatives to the relevant BACs for the breeds for which the Society caters shall be appointed, as and when required, by the Committee. Any person so appointed, if not already a Committee Member, shall be co-opted to the Committee for that purpose.

(8)	POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
	The management and control of the Society and its finances shall be vested in the Committee.
	The Committee shall have the right to accept or refuse admission to membership of the Society.  The Committee may also request the resignation of any member if they are satisfied that he/she has committed serious misconduct in connection with cats or cat shows, or have acted in opposition to the fundamental principles on which the Society is based.  The request for a resignation on such grounds cannot be made without the member concerned being given the opportunity to state his or her case to the Committee.
	The Committee shall have the right to appoint sub-committees, where necessary, to consider particular matters and lay down terms of reference for them.  Persons serving on such sub-committees need not necessarily be members of the Committee or the Society.
	The Committee shall have the right to appoint Show Manager(s) to organise cat shows.
	The Committee is empowered to arbitrate in all disputes within the Society and to deal with any questions not specifically provided for in the Rules.

(9)	DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
The Officers shall act generally under the authority of the Committee and their duties shall include the following: 
* To hold all monies received on behalf of the Society in an account opened on authorisation of the Committee. 
* To defray on behalf of the Society all expenses properly and necessarily incurred by the Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary or any other members of the Committee so authorised by the Committee. 
* To render annually a Statement of Income and Expenditure and a Balance Sheet covering the financial year to 31st December which have been examined by a suitable independent person ratified by the AGM.  A copy shall be available to all paid-up members. 
* To conduct correspondence on behalf of the Society. 
* To maintain a register of members. 
* To send a reminder to members whose subscription is outstanding. 
* To inform new members of their acceptance to the membership and to supply them with a copy of the Rules. 
* To call meetings. 
* To keep minutes of the proceedings of all meetings. 
* To keep a record of trophies. 
* To arrange show support authorised by the Committee.

It is the Committee’s responsibility to apportion these duties between its Officers and, should it be deemed necessary, to delegate some of these duties to other members of the Committee.

(10)	MEETINGS
A General Meeting of the Society (the Annual General Meeting) shall be held on a specified date each year. Other General Meetings may be held as required at such time and place as the Committee shall decide. Fourteen days notice of such meetings shall be given to all paid-up members of the Society and the quorum for such meetings shall be fourteen members.
A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Committee or by the Officers on receiving a resolution(s) in writing signed by twenty members of the Society stating fully the objects of the meeting.  The purpose for which the meeting has been called shall be stated on the notice convening it and this business only shall be transacted at that meeting.  All voting at a Special General Meeting shall be by paper ballot and any resolution shall require a two-third majority of those present and voting to be passed. Such meetings shall only be attended by fully paid-up members of the Society.  The expenses of the meeting shall be met by the twenty members calling for the meeting. Fourteen days notice of a Special General Meeting shall be given to every member.  Twenty paid-up members of the Society shall be a quorum at such meetings.

(11)	ALTERATION OF THE RULES
	These Rules may only be altered at an Annual General Meeting, a General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society.  Alterations or additions shall appear in full on the agenda and may be made only if two-thirds of the members present and voting shall vote in favour.

(12)	DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
	A proposal for the dissolution of the Society shall be submitted to postal vote of all members entitled to vote, and a copy of the proposal - together with a statement of the manner in which the Society’s assets are to be distributed - shall be sent to every member.  The dissolution shall become effective only if two-thirds of the members voting are in favour.