Rules of the Siamese Cat Society of the British Empire

1. NAME AND OBJECTS
   The Society shall, by tradition, be called 'The Siamese Cat Society of the British Empire'. The objects of the Society shall be:-
   1. To promote the breeding of Siamese Cats and safeguard and encourage fair dealing with kind treatment of all cats.
   2. To hold and support shows for the exhibition of Siamese Cats.
   3. To improve all conditions relating to showing Siamese Cats.
   4. As a specialist Breed Club catering for Siamese Cats to join the Siamese Joint Advisory Committee being the Breed Advisory Committee for Siamese Cats.
2. MEMBERSHIP
   1. The Society shall consist of paid-up members, life members and honorary members.
   2. Honorary members shall be persons who in the opinion of the Committee may be or have been of service to the society. They shall have no power to vote or incur liability regarding Club matters.
   3. Candidates for election must be proposed by a member of the Society and seconded by another. All proposals for membership shall be placed before the next committee meeting held after the receipt of the nomination in writing.
   4. No member shall pledge the name of the Society to request patronage for any matter without the prior consent of the Committee.
3. OFFICERS
   1. The Society shall have a President and up to two Vice-Presidents. These positions shall be conferred upon persons who have served the Society in an outstanding way and shall be proposed by the Committee, when and if necessary, and confirmed by the Annual General Meeting. The President and any Vice-Presidents shall be entitled to receive notice of and attend any meeting of members and the Committee and they shall be entitled to speak but not vote at meetings unless they are fully paid up Ordinary or Life Members. Their positions shall be honorary and may continue indefinitely. No duties shall be imposed upon them apart from sympathy with the objects of the Society.
   2. The Honorary Officers of the Society who shall be members of the Committee shall be Chairman; Vice Chairman; Hon. Secretary; Membership Secretary and Hon. Treasurer. Their powers and duties shall be as provided in Rule 5.
4. COMMITTEE
   1. The affairs of the Society shall be directed on behalf of the members by a Committee consisting of all officers and up to six elected members. The elected members shall be elected by ballot at the A.G.M. and serve for three years.
   2. Members of the Committee who do not attend 50 per cent of committee meetings annually shall, at the discretion of the Committee, be asked to resign.
   3. Quorum. At committee meetings the quorum shall be five.
   4. Any vacancies caused by resignation or otherwise of an Officer or Committee member during the year may be filled by the co-option of a person elected by the Committee.
   5. The power to decide upon matters not provided for in the Rules should rest with the Officers and Committee.
5. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
   1. The Chairman shall:
      1. Preside at all General and Committee meetings.
      2. Preside at any sub-committee meetings if a member of that sub-committee.
      3. Ensure that all meetings are conducted in a proper manner.
      4. Have a casting vote in the eventuality of an equality of votes on a motion in addition to his/her own vote.
      5. Be empowered to delegate the duties of the Chair at his/her discretion to the Vice Chairman.
   2. The Secretary shall:-
      1. Conduct the correspondence of the Society.
      2. Enter the names and addresses of each member and honorary member on the Society's record cards and make corrections as they arise.
      3. Give to each newly-elected member notice of his election, together with a copy of the rules.
      4. Give in writing to every member and honorary members fourteen day's notice of every Special or Annual General Meeting, together with a copy of the agenda. Seven clear days' notice to be given for Committee Meetings.
      5. Keep minutes of the proceedings of all general and committee meetings, which shall be read at the next following general or committee meeting, as the case may be, and submitted for confirmation.
      6. Render an annual report to the Annual General Meeting.
      7. Perform any other duties required of him/her by these rules, or entrusted to him/her from time to time by the Committee.
      8. With the agreement of the Committee, be empowered to delegate any of these responsibilities.
   3. The Treasurer shall:-
      1. Hold all monies received on behalf of the Society.
      2. Defray from the funds of the Society all authorised expenses incurred by the Committee, Sub-Committees or any officers in the discharge of their duties under these rules or the regulations made thereunder.
      3. Render to the Committee and the Annual General Meeting a statement of accounts which has been inspected by a suitable independent person showing the financial position of the Society at the end of each financial year, which shall be the last day of December.
      4. Ensure that all Society cheques issued are signed by two of the following:- The Treasurer, the Chairman or the Secretary. Preference being given to the Treasurer wherever possible.
      5. With the agreement of the Committee be empowered to delegate minor clerical duties if necessary.
      Any member or honorary member receiving money on behalf of the Society (unless authorised by these rules or by the committee to retain it) shall immediately hand it to the Treasurer.
6. DELEGATES TO G.C.C.F.
   1. Nominations for delegates to the G.C.C.F. must be received by the Hon. Secretary not later than 31st December each year, proposed and seconded by fully paid-up members, also with the written consent of the nominee.
   2. Election of delegates shall take place at the Annual General Meeting.
   3. Any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the delegates on G.C.C.F. business will be met from Society funds.
7. VOTING
   1. A General Meeting of Members shall be held at least once in every calendar year to be known as the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Quorum at Annual General Meetings shall consist of no less than the number of Committee members plus two voting members.
   2. If no quorum is present at any Annual General Meeting the Meeting shall be reconvened not more than 90 days later. At such a reconvened Meeting the members present shall constitute a quorum.
   3. A special General Meeting may be called by the Committee or by not less than 15 paid up members of the Society who shall submit to the Secretary the Notice requiring the meeting which shall state the matter to be discussed at the Meeting and shall be signed by the Members requiring it. No business other than that stated on the Agenda may be discussed at a Special General Meeting. Rule 7(e) applies. The Hon. Secretary shall give paid up members 14 (fourteen) days notice of a Special General Meeting which will be convened within 30 (thirty) days of receipt of the written request. Members calling a Special General Meeting shall, by signing the formal request, agree to reimburse the Society for all expenses incurred if so required by the Meeting.
   4. At all committee meetings all matters shall be decided by a simple majority vote. The Chairman shall have a casting vote. On points of order the Chairman's decision shall be final.
   5. All matters at the A.G.M. shall be decided by a two-thirds majority vote.
8. SUB-COMMITTEES
   1. The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees to exercise any part of their powers which shall be agreed at the formation of the sub-committee.
   2. The Treasurer shall be entitled to be a member of every sub-committee to whom power to expend or receive Society monies may be delegated.
   3. A Sub-Committee shall appoint its own Chairman and Secretary and shall present to the committee a report in writing of all matters transacted. Any sub-committee shall also present a Statement of Accounts and before its dissolution shall hand over to the Treasurer any Society monies that remain in its possession.
   4. Sub-committees handling Society monies that necessitate banking shall only use the Society's bankers who will, upon instructions from the committee, open a specific account for their use. This account to be closed upon the dissolution of the sub-committee and all monies transferred to main account.
9. ENTRANCE FEE AND SUBSCRIPTION
   1. Every member shall pay an Entrance Fee and an Annual Subscription of an amount determined from time to time by an Annual General Meeting.
   2. The Annual Subscription shall become due on election and thereafter on the 1st day of January in each year.
   3. Life membership shall be available after three years membership for a fee equal to ten times the appropriate annual subscription.
10. ALTERATION TO RULES
    These rules may be altered or added to by members in a General Meeting in the manner following:-
    1. Voting as laid down in Rule 7.
    2. Amendments or additions to these rules must be received in writing by the Secretary, proposed and seconded by fully paid-up members, not later than 31st December of each year.
    3. Any amendments to proposals may be accepted by the Chairman at the meeting provided they do not alter the main object of the proposal of which notice has already been given.
11. CESSATION OF ACTIVITIES
    In the event of the Society ceasing its activities or amalgamating with any similar society, a Special General Meeting will be called for a decision by the committee and the members as to the manner in which the Society should be dissolved or amalgamated and disposal of the funds and trophies and meeting of liabilities.
12. CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF THE G.C.C.F.
    The Society agrees to abide by the relevant clauses in the Constitution and Rules of the G.C.C.F.
    The G.C.C.F. Constitution states:
    Every affiliated Club shall fulfil the following conditions:-
    1. It must have not less than fifty subscribing members.
    2. Its rules must provide that the Council shall have disciplinary powers in regard to its members in accordance with Constitution.
    3. No delegate may serve on the Committee or act in any official capacity for an un-affiliated Club, except with the permission of the Council.
    4. A Club failing or ceasing to fulfil these conditions or any of them shall cease to be affiliated.
    5. If a member is suspended for any reason by the G.C.C.F., he or she shall cease to be a member of the Club. On expiry of suspension re-application for membership shall be required (if so desired) with payment of another entry fee.