The name of the Society shall be the UTILITY GUNDOG SOCIETY. This is of historical significance only and
bears no relationship to the Utility Group as defined by The Kennel Club.

1 OBJECTS
The objects of the Society being:
1.1 To organise Field Trials and Gundog Working Tests.
1.2 To promote and encourage the training of gundogs for work in the field by holding gundog training
sessions.
1.3 To encourage high standards in breeding sound, purebred gundogs, free from hereditary faults.

2 SOCIETY OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
2.1 The affairs of the PARENT BODY, hereinafter referred to as the SOCIETY, shall be conducted by a
Committee, which shall consist of a President, Vice-President(s), Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary
Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and a Committee, made up of four nominated members from each Branch.
2.2 Two representatives per Branch to attend SOCIETY Meetings to ensure a quorum and to represent the
views of that Branch.
2.3 The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined.
2.4 The management of the SOCIETY shall be in the hands of the Officers and the Committee.
2.5 All Officers [other than the President and Vice-President(s)] to retire annually, but may offer
themselves for re-election.
2.6 The Officers and the Committee shall have full voting rights. Each Branch shall have 4 votes regardless
of members present. In the event of a split decision, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
2.7 Meetings of the Committee shall be held as often as is deemed necessary, but at least twice a year.
2.8 A quorum of Committee Members shall be ten members including the Chairman, the Honorary
Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer.
2.9 No person, whilst an undischarged bankrupt, may serve on the Committee of, or hold any other office
or appointment within, a Kennel Club Registered Society.

3 BRANCH OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
3.1 The affairs of each Branch will be conducted by a Chairman and Committee with an Honorary
Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.
3.2 The offices of Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer may be combined.
3.3 The Officers and the Committee shall have full voting rights and in the event of a split decision, the
Chairman shall have the casting vote.
3.4 Each Branch may also elect a Branch President and such Vice Presidents as the members may decide
upon at the AGM.
3.5 The Branch President and Vice-President(s) will be ex-officio members of the Committee, but shall not
have voting rights.
3.6 All Officers [other than the President and Vice President(s)] to retire annually together with three
members of the Committee.
3.7 No member may serve on the Committee for more than three years without standing for re-election.
3.8 All retiring Officers and Committee Members may offer themselves for re-election.
3.9 The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members onto the Committee in the event of a position
becoming vacant between General Meetings, but those co-opted shall only hold office until the next
General Meeting of the Branch at which an election of Officers and Committee takes place.
3.10 A quorum of Branch Committee Members shall be one third of the Committee plus one officer.
3.11 The Secretary of a Branch shall be de facto member of all other Branches.
3.12 No person, whilst an undischarged bankrupt, may serve on the Committee of, or hold any other office
or appointment within, a Kennel Club Registered Society.

4 ELECTION OF MEMBERS
4.1 Candidates for membership of the Society must be proposed and seconded by fully paid up members
of the Society or a Kennel Club Panel Judge. The applications will be presented to a subsequent
Committee Meeting for approval. The vote to accept or reject the application shall be as decided by the
majority of the Committee.
4.2 Members shall be accepted on payment of a Joining Fee and a subscription following approval by the
Committee.
4.3 The Branches may consist of
(a) Ordinary Members
(b) Joint Members
4.4 The Branches must provide the SOCIETY with a list of their members so that the SOCIETY can in turn
provide The Kennel Club with a List of Members and their address as part of the Society’s Annual Returns
and also make the list available for inspection if so requested by the Members of the Society.
4.5 A member may join as many Branches as he/she wishes.
4.6 It is a condition of membership that members agree to their personal details being held on computer.
Such details will be confined to members’ names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses,
interests, and breed(s) of dog(s). No personal information will be divulged to an outside body other than
The Kennel Club.

5 VOTING RIGHTS
5.1 Each member (including those with Joint Membership) shall be entitled to one vote. Postal/proxy votes
are not allowed.
5.2 Voting shall be as decided by the majority of the Meeting.
5.3 Only paid-up members may vote at the Annual General Meeting and Special General Meetings.

6 SOCIETY PROPERTY
6.1 The property of the Society shall be vested in the Committee. In the event of the Society ceasing to
exist, a General Meeting shall be called to decide on the disposal of the Society’s assets and the outcome
of the Meeting notified to The Kennel Club.
6.2 A final statement of accounts with a record of the disposal of the property of the Society shall be
forwarded to The Kennel Club within six months, and the persons names as Officers and Committee of the
Society on the last Return furnished to The Kennel Club will be held responsible by The Kennel Club for
the proper winding up of the Society.
6.3 Any Branch ceasing to exist must return assets, cups, etc to the SOCIETY.
6.4 Cups and trophies which are given as outright gifts to the SOCIETY will become the property of the
SOCIETY and must remain within the UK.
6.5 Each Branch shall notify the SOCIETY of all trophies donated to the Branch, and the SOCIETY shall be
responsible for the insurance and insurance claims of such trophies, however the Branches shall be
responsible for minor repairs and maintenance, including new plinths etc.

7 ACCOUNTS
7.1 The financial year of the SOCIETY shall be from 1st February until the 31st January the following year.
7.2 Bank or Building Society Accounts shall be held in the name of the Society and each Branch, into
which all revenues of the Society/Branch shall be paid, and from which withdrawal shall only be made on
the signatures of two of the following: Chairman, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary or as may be
decided by each Branch.
7.3 Each Branch will pay to the Society an annual capitation fee to be agreed at the Society AGM.
7.4 A qualified Accountant, or two lay-people with accounting experience, will be appointed to examine the
accounts annually.
7.5 The balance sheet will be presented to the Branch Members at the Branch AGM for their approval and
then forwarded to the Society’s Honorary Treasurer for inclusion in the Society’s accounts.
7.6 The Branch Accounts duly examined will be presented to the Committee Members at the Annual
General Meeting for their approval.
7.7 The Society Accounts will be forwarded to the Branch Secretaries in order that they may be scrutinised
by the Branch members at their AGM.

8 SUBSCRIPTIONS
8.1 The annual subscription, payable on election and thereafter on 1st February, shall be £8.00 for Single
Membership and £12.00 for Joint Membership, together with a joining fee set by each Branch to be paid to
the Branch Treasurer.
8.2 These figures may necessarily be subject to review following agreement by the Committee of The
Society at the Annual General Meeting, the outcome of which shall be notified to The Kennel Club.
8.3 No Member whose subscription is unpaid is entitled to any of the privileges of membership and if the
Member shall fail to pay outstanding subscriptions by 28th February, then his/her/their name(s) shall be
automatically erased from the register. Acceptance back on to the register will be dependent upon a new
application and payment of the joining fee.

9 HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIPS
9.1 These will be awarded at the discretion of the Society or Branch Committees.

10 EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
10.1 Any member who shall be suspended under Kennel Club Rule A42j(iv) and/or any member whose
dog(s) is/are disqualified under Kennel Club rule A42j(viii) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the
Society for the duration of the suspension and/or disqualification.
10.2 If the conduct of any member shall in the opinion of the Committee of the Society/Branch be
injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interest of the Society/Branch, the Committee of the
Society/Branch 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 (SGM) of the Society/Branch shall
be called for the purpose of passing a resolution to expel him/her.
10.3 Notice of the SGM shall be sent to the accused member, giving particulars of the complaint and
advising the place, date and hour of the Meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation. If at
the 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 Society 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 conditions as the Kennel Club
may impose.
10.4 If the Society expels any member for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, Field Trials or
competitions, the Society must report the matter in writing within seven days and supply any particulars
required to The Kennel Club.
10.5 The Kennel Club shall be recognised as the final court of Appeal in all matters of dispute concerning
the Society and its members.

11 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
11.1 The Society Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held before the end of April.
11.2 No business shall be transacted at an AGM unless notice thereof appears on the Agenda, with the
exception of routine matters or those, which in the opinion of the Chairman are urgent.
11.3 Fourteen days notice shall be given to all Members of the agreed date of the AGM.

12 GENERAL MEETINGS
12.1 A Special General Meeting (SGM) shall be summoned by The Honorary Secretary of The Society if
requested to do so in writing by not less than ten members stating the subject to be discussed and
requesting an SGM to do so. The Committee of The Society is also empowered to call an SGM if it deems
it necessary.
12.2 Any resolution passed either at the AGM or at a SGM can only be altered or rescinded at a
subsequent General Meeting, due notice having been given to Members.
12.3 Ten shall form a quorum for each of the last mentioned meetings to include two branch
representatives and SOCIETY Officers.
12.4 In the event of the Branch Secretary failing to carry out his/her duties, the Honorary Secretary of the
Society shall, on receipt of a written request from ten members of the Branch, call a SGM of the Branch
members to discuss the performance of their Branch Secretary and to appoint a new Secretary to ensure
the smooth running of the Branch.
12.5 Notice of the SGM shall be sent to the Secretary concerned, giving particulars of the complaint and
advising the place, date and hour of the Meeting that he/she may attend and offer an explanation.
12.6 Only paid-up members may vote at the General and Special General Meetings.

13 AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES
13.1 The Rules of the Society may not be altered by the Society except at the AGM or a SGM, notice of
which includes details of the proposal to alter the Rules.
13.2 Any proposed alteration to the Rules may not be brought into effect until The Kennel Club has been
advised and approved the alteration.
13.3 New Rules or amendments introduced specifically to meet The Kennel Club requirements shall be
adopted immediately and included in The Society’s constitution with effect from The Society’s Annual
Meeting.
13.4 Each Branch may adapt the rules of the Society, however, the only differences in wording being
those appropriate to the particular way the respective entities operate.
13.5 Proposals for Kennel Club Liaison Committee and Amendments to the Rules of Society should be
discussed and agreed at local level, circulated to the other branches and then presented at the Society
AGM for approval.

14 ANNUAL RETURNS TO THE KENNEL CLUB
14.1 The Society Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year, Maintenance of Title
Fee will be forwarded to The Kennel Club by the Honorary Secretary of the Society for continuance of
Registration.
14.2 The Society Officers acknowledge that by 31st July each year, other returns, as stipulated in The
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.
14.3 The Officers also acknowledge their duty to inform The Kennel Club of any changes of Secretary of
the Society which may occur during the course of the year.

15 KENNEL CLUB - FINAL COURT OF APPEAL
15.1 The Kennel Club shall be the final Court of Appeal in all matters of dispute concerning the Society
and its members.

16 FEDERATION OF SOCIETY OR CLUBS
16.1 The Society shall not join any Federation of Society or Clubs.