Club Policy
To obtain the Honorary Secretary’s signature on Prefix Application Forms you must have been a Rex Cat Club member for at least two years.
Club Rules
(Revised 2009)
- NAME The club shall be called “The Rex Cat Club” and after this is referred to in these rules as ‘The Club’.
- OBJECTS
- To promote, develop and safeguard the identity, interests and well-being of all varieties of Rex cats and kittens including those known as Cornish Rex Breed 33) and Devon Rex (Breed 33a), Selkirk Rex (Breed 79L- longhaired & 79S - shorthaired) and LaPerm (Breed 80L - longhaired & 80S - shorthaired)
- To formulate and recommend revision when necessary, the standards of points and breeding policies with the appropriate joint Breed Advisory Committees.
- To nominate to the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (hereafter referred to as the “G.C.C.F.”) judges of Rex cats for election or promotion with the appropriate Joint Breed Advisory Committees.
- To hold and support cat shows subject to G.C.C.F. approval.
- To provide technical and social focal points for all those interested in Rex cats.
- MEMBERSHIP
- The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members in the following categories:
- Annual Members who pay the appropriate subscription each year. This shall include junior members who shall be under the age of 16 years.
- Long Term members who are elected at the discretion of the Committee and who pay the appropriate subscription. Only those who have been annual members for at least three continuous years may apply for long term membership.
- Life members who had paid the appropriate subscription before 31.12.90
- Honorary members shall be persons who, in the opinion of the Committee, have rendered exceptional service to the Rex breeds.
- Honorary and junior members shall enjoy all the rights and benefits of membership except that they have no voting rights.
- Application for annual membership shall be in writing, supported by the signature of two members of the Club as proposer and seconder and be accompanied by the correct fee. In the absence of a proposer and seconder a letter of reference from a Veterinary Surgeon will suffice.
- The Club shall consist of an unlimited number of members in the following categories:
- DUTIES OF MEMBERS
- Membership of the Club shall imply acceptance by the member of the objects and rules of the Club. Every member shall strive to further the objects of the Club and shall bring to the notice of the Committee any matters contrary to those objects of which he or she becomes aware. Notice of any such matters shall be sent in writing to the Honorary Secretary who shall include it in the agenda for the next Committee meeting or, if warranted, call a special meeting of the Committee.
- The members of the Club shall be bound by the rules and disciplinary powers of the G.C.C.F. in accordance with its constitution at any time prevailing. Any member suspended under Article 12 of the G.C.C.F. constitution (disciplinary powers) and wishing to rejoin after expiry of the suspension must apply to the Committee for re-election.
- Any person who for any reason ceases to be a member of the Club shall have no further claim upon it and no fees or other monies paid by him or her to the Club shall be returnable.
- No member shall pledge the name of the Club or request patronage for any matter whatsoever without the consent of the Committee.
- ENTRY FEES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
- Annual Subscriptions and entry fees shall be such amounts as are agreed from time to time by the Annual General Meeting. Joint subscriptions are for two members of the same household.
- Subscriptions shall be paid on application and thereafter become due on 1st January each year except that new members applying after 31st October in any year shall not be liable to pay a further subscription for the year immediately following. Any member whose subscription is in arrears after 31st March shall be suspended from membership until payment has been made of the current subscription. Any member who has not paid by the 31st December shall be deemed a lapsed member and be required to pay a re-entry fee. No member whose subscription is in arrears shall be entitled to any of the club privileges. Any member who wishes to stand for election to the Committee or propose or second another member or vote in a postal ballot must pay their subscription by 31st January of the current year.
- Any member may resign from membership by giving notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary.
- COMMITTEE AND OFFICERS
- The business affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee comprised of ten elected members which shall include the Officers, all of whom shall have been fully paid up adult members of the Club for at least two years and owned or bred Rex cats for at least two years before being eligible for election to the Committee. A Committee comprised of less than ten adult members is only permissible in the following circumstances.
- Insufficient nominations to fill all the vacant committee positions have been received, or
- A casual vacancy occurs due to resignation from the Committee.
- The ten elected members of the Committee shall be elected by written ballot for a period of three years being then eligible for immediate re-election. Nominations must be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 28 days before the date set for the Annual General Meeting, be proposed and seconded by members of the Club and signed by the nominee. The results of the ballot shall be notified to the Honorary Secretary by the Independent Scrutineer appointed by the Committee, who shall not be a member of the Club. The results of the ballot shall be made known to the Committee at their meeting immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting and to the members at the Annual General Meeting.
- The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and the Honorary Show Support Secretary shall be appointed annually from the elected committee members at the committee meeting immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting. These officers shall be eligible for immediate re-appointment. The Honorary Welfare Co-ordinator and any assistants shall be appointed annually by the Committee. Members appointed to these positions need not be members of the Committee, but in the event of non committee members being appointed to these positions, the Honorary Secretary shall liaise with these members who may attend the Committee meetings in a non voting capacity.
- The President and Vice-President(s) shall be elected for a period of three years and shall be nominated and elected in the same way as Committee members. If no written nominations are received nominations duly proposed and seconded from the floor at the Annual General Meeting shall be accepted. They shall be entitled to attend Committee meetings but shall have no vote. These offices are honorary and no duties are imposed save sympathy with the objectives of the Club.
- Members of the Committee, except the President and Vice President(s), who do not attend at least two of the Committee meetings annually may be asked to resign at the discretion of the Committee and shall not then be eligible for immediate re-election. Any member of the Committee who is unable to attend a Committee meeting must notify the Honorary Secretary of their impending absence.
- No one may be an Officer, President, Vice President, co-opted or other member of the Committee if they are an Officer, President, Vice President, co-opted or other committee member of any other club or association specifically representing or fostering the interests of Rex cats.
- The business affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee comprised of ten elected members which shall include the Officers, all of whom shall have been fully paid up adult members of the Club for at least two years and owned or bred Rex cats for at least two years before being eligible for election to the Committee. A Committee comprised of less than ten adult members is only permissible in the following circumstances.
- DELEGATES TO THE G.C.C.F.
- The Club shall be affiliated to the G.C.C.F. and be represented by delegates in accordance with the G.C.C.F. constitution.
- The delegates who must be members of the Committee, shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to serve for one year, being then eligible for immediate re-election. Nominations shall be made in the same way as for committee members, or by nominations duly proposed and seconded from the floor at the Annual General Meeting.
- REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BAC BAC Representatives shall be elected at the committee meeting subsequent to the AGM and can be any member not purely committee. No one may be a BAC representative if they are an Officer, President, Vice President, co-opted or other committee member of any other club or association specifically representing or fostering the interests of Rex cats.
- POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
- The property and finances of the Club shall be invested in the Committee which may exercise all the powers of the Club except those that are expressly directed by these rules to be exercised in general meeting.
- The Committee shall have absolute power in the election of members and shall have the right to refuse to admit any person without being required to give reasons. The Committee may suspend or expel a member if it is satisfied that the member has seriously misconducted himself or herself in connection with cat shows or the treatment of any animal, or has acted in opposition to or in contravention of the objects of the Club, provided that the member has previously been given the opportunity to state his or her case to the Committee. Provided that written notice of appeal is submitted to the Honorary Secretary within 14 days of the suspension or expulsion the member may appeal at the next AGM or at an SGM called for the purpose, the meeting to take place within three months.
- The Committee is empowered to arbitrate in any disputes within the Club and to deal with any questions not specifically provided for in these rules. It may formulate rules to be confirmed at the next Special or Annual General Meeting.
- The Committee has the power to appoint sub-committees and lay down terms of reference for them.
- Any casual vacancy in the membership of the Committee may be filled for the remainder of the current year at the discretion of the Committee by the member who received the next highest number of votes to those elected at the last election and who is willing to stand.
- The Committee shall have the power to co-opt temporarily in a non-voting capacity a person or persons with specialised knowledge.
- CAT SHOWS
- The Committee may arrange cat shows in accordance with the rules of the G.C.C.F. and appoint, from the Club members where possible, a Show Committee consisting of show manager(s) and other such officials as may be required. The Committee shall have absolute discretion in the making of show rules to be applied by the Show Committee provided that rules so made conflict neither with these rules nor the rules of the G.C.C.F.
- The Club may offer prizes or trophies to be awarded at shows licensed by the G.C.C.F.
- DUTIES OF 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 Club in accounts opened on authorization of the Committee. To present to the Committee at each meeting bank, building societies and other investment statements. To render annually to the Committee an independently examined statement of income and expenditure and a balance sheet covering the financial year which shall be the calendar year.
- To defray on behalf of the Club all expenses properly and necessarily incurred by the Officers and other members of the Committee and such expenses incurred by members of the Club as are considered appropriate. All cheques for more than an amount agreed by the Committee shall be signed by two of: Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary and Chairman. Cheques up to that amount shall require one of these signatures only, normally that of the Honorary Treasurer.
- To conduct correspondence on behalf of the Club.
- To maintain an up to date register of members.
- To inform new members of their election and supply them with a copy of these rules.
- To call meetings.
- To keep minutes of the proceedings of all meetings and to present the minutes of annual and special general meetings to the Annual General Meeting each year.
- To dispatch the agenda for Committee meetings to all Committee members, and for annual and special general meetings to all Club members.
- To keep a record of all trophies held by the Club.
- To arrange show support authorized by the Committee.
- To maintain contact with the G.C.C.F. and its official journal.
- To produce the Club’s newsletter.
- MEETINGS
- The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the 30th April each year, or as required by the G.C.C.F.
The business of the Annual General Meeting shall include:- Presentation of the annual report and accounts.
- Election of President, Vice-President(s) Committee members and delegates.
- Appointment of account signatory.
- Consideration of resolutions sponsored by the Committee or at least two members.
- Any other business admitted by the Chairman.
- A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by request signed by not less than twelve members of the Club. The purpose for which the meeting has been called shall be stated in the notice convening it and this business only may be transacted at the meeting.
- At least twenty one days notice of general meetings shall be given to all members. The quorum for general meetings shall be thirteen fully paid up adult members.
- Each member present at a general meeting shall have the right to speak once to each motion and may be allowed to speak again at the discretion of the Chairman.
- Committee meetings shall be held as necessary, but at least three times a year. The quorum for Committee meetings shall be five of which at least two shall be Officers.
- The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the 30th April each year, or as required by the G.C.C.F.
- VOTING
- Each fully paid up member shall have a right to record one vote on any question at any meeting which he or she is entitled to attend and is present.
- Each member shall be entitled to one vote in any postal ballot or referendum which may be held.
- There shall be no voting by proxy.
- All questions shall be decided by a simple majority vote except where otherwise specified in these rules.
- In the event of a tie in voting, the Chairman of the meeting may exercise a casting vote, except in the case of personal gain, when the casting vote shall pass to the Vice-Chairman. Apart from a casting vote, the Chairman shall have no vote.
- Each fully paid up member shall have a right to record one vote on any question at any meeting which he or she is entitled to attend and is present.
- ALTERATION OF THE RULES These rules may only be altered at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Club. The Notice calling the meeting shall give particulars of the proposed alterations or additions and such alterations shall be made only if two-thirds of the members present and voting shall vote in favour.
- DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB Twenty eight days notice of any proposal to wind up the Club shall be given in writing to the members and a Special General Meeting called to consider the matter. If the proposal to dissolve the Club is confirmed by two-thirds of the members present and voting, the Club’s liabilities shall be discharged and any balance of funds shall be divided equally among the fully paid up members.
Trophies shall be returned to their donors wherever possible. Any not so returned shall be distributed to other clubs at the discretion of the Committee.
- SURRENDER OF BOOKS, RECORDS ETC. All officers and members of the Club who, under these rules, have custody of any books, documents, records, property or monies belonging to the Club shall, on request, surrender them to the Committee.