Club Rules

1. The name of the Club shall be EAST ANGLIAN LABRADOR RETRIEVER CLUB.
The objects of the Club being:
a) To promote the breeding of sound pure bred Labradors.
b) To foster the natural working abilities of the breed.
c) To encourage the novice breeder, exhibitor, handler, and judge.
d) The Club shall be non-profit making and not be a trading business. After deducting expenses, all income shall be used for the benefit of its members, further education, support of veterinary research, and game conservation.
2. The Club shall consist of a President, Vice President, (at the discretion of the Committee) Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Field Trial Secretary, Treasurer and up to ten committee members all of whom must reside in the counties of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire or Cambridgeshire, and an unlimited number of members. An up to date list of members and their addresses, and those of branch members where appropriate, must be maintained and, if so requested, the list of names made available for inspection by the Kennel Club or members of the club. A declaration of the number of members of the society must be made with annual returns.
3. The election of members shall be invested solely in the Committee and be made by ballot. Each candidate to be proposed by a fully paid up member and seconded by another.
Each member shall be entitled to one vote immediately upon acceptance of membership.
4. The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee, (all of whom must reside in the counties of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire or Cambridgeshire). The Committee shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Field Trial Secretary and up to ten members, two of whom shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.
Meetings of the committee shall be held as often as deemed necessary but at least twice a year. Any member of the Committee failing to attend three consecutive Committee meetings shall automatically cease to be a member of the Committee unless such a member shall give the Secretary a written explanation which is satisfactory and accepted by the Committee.
A quorum shall be seven members.
Any member of the Club can propose a member of the Club as a candidate for the General Committee, provided that the name of any new candidate is notified, in writing, to the Secretary, together with the name of their proposer and seconder at least 28 days prior to the AGM and circulated on the agenda paper before the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election by the Committee. No person whilst an undischarged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of, or hold any other office or appointment with a Kennel Club Registered Society.
The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members onto the Committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between general meetings. Those co-opted shall only hold office until the next general meeting of the society at which an election of officers and committee takes place. Co-opted Committee members shall not have voting rights at committee meetings.
5. The Committee shall, at the Annual General Meeting, recommend the subscriptions, single and joint, for the following year, the financial year being from October 1st to September 30th. The liability of a member ends with the yearly subscription. No member shall be entitled to privileges of membership unless the subscription has been paid for the current year. Should a member fail to pay the annual subscription by January 1st, then the Committee shall have the power to erase his or her name from the list of members. If the Committee be given a satisfactory explanation as to the failure to pay subscription by a member, then the said member may, at the discretion of the Committee, be readmitted to membership on payment of such subscription as the Committee may deem appropriate.
6. A banking account in the name of the Club shall be opened into which all revenue of the Club shall be paid. Withdrawals shall only be made on the signature of two of the officers. The accounts to be certified by one qualified accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience, who are independent of the committee, before presentation to the Annual General Meeting, at which meeting the accountant for the following year shall be appointed. The certified accounts must be made available to members 14 days prior to the AGM.
7. The control and management of the Club to be vested in the Committee who are empowered to make bye-laws and deal with disputes subject to final appeal to The Kennel Club. The Committee shall have power to set up sub-committees and have power to co-opt thereto.
8. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held early in the Club's year at a date fixed by the General Committee. The purpose of the AGM shall be:
To receive the Chairman’s report, Secretary’s report and the Treasurer’s report and approve the accounts. To discuss any resolution duly placed on the agenda of which prior notice has been given to the Secretary.
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 of the AGM shall be given to the membership in writing either electronically or by post and shall also be on the Club’s Website and Facebook page. Notice shall be given at least 28 days prior to the meeting. All items for the Agenda including nominations for the Committee shall be with the Secretary 21 clear days prior to the AGM and the Agenda shall be circulated to the membership 14 days prior to the meeting.
A quorum for the AGM shall be 10.
A Special General Meeting must be called by the Committee whenever the written request to hold such a meeting is made to the Secretary signed by 20 members. Such written request must state the purpose for which such a meeting is to be called. The committee of the Club is also empowered to call a Special General Meeting. No other business than that which is stated on the agenda shall be permitted at any Special General Meeting. Only paid up members may nominate or vote. At least 28 days’ notice shall be given by the Secretary of the time, place and business of such a meeting.
9. In all matters of dispute, The Kennel Club shall be recognised as the final authority for interpreting the rules of the society in all cases relative to canine or club matters. Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A11.j.(5) and/or Kennel Club Rule A11.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 the 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 him/her of the place, date and hour of the meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation. If at that 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 condition as The Kennel Club may impose.  Should the Club expel 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.
10. The property of the Club shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Club ceasing to exist, a final general meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of the Club’s cups and assets and the outcome of the meeting notified to the Kennel Club. A final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the Club shall be forwarded to the Kennel Club within six months of the date that the Club ceases business.
11. Any member may withdraw from the Club by giving written notice to the Secretary provided that such a member shall be liable for the subscription for the current year in which such notice is given, and shall have no further claim following resignation on any of the property or funds belonging to the Club.
12. The rules of the Club may not be altered except at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, the notice for which contains specific proposals to amend the rules. and such alterations shall not be brought into force until The Kennel Club has been advised and given its approval of the alterations. New rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet Kennel Club requirements shall be adopted immediately.
13. The Club shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.
14. 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 change of secretary of the club which may occur during the course of the year. If returns cannot be forwarded by 31st July the officers acknowledge their duty to inform The Kennel Club accordingly.
15. The Club agrees to adopt the judging lists compiled by the Labrador Breed Council. Judges for working and Field Trials will be chosen by the committee within Kennel Club guidelines.