1. The name of the Society to be THE LONDON COCKER SPANIEL SOCIETY
The object of the society is for the benefit of its members and will not be classed as a trading business, so that all profits from any source, functions and/or activities of the society shall be maintained for the benefit of and further education of its members in the training, showing, breeding pertaining to Cocker Spaniels.

2. The Society shall consist of
a) A Patron, President and Vice-President, appointed by the Committee on the bases of long association or service to the breed or the society, but who will not be members of the Committee nor have voting rights when attending Committee meetings. These positions to be reviewed annually.b) A Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. Gen. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, shall be ex officio members of the committee and who shall have voting rights. The Chairman, Hon. Gen. Secretary, and Hon Treasurer shall stand for three year term but retire individually in rotation over 3 years and be eligible for re-election. The Vice Chairman shall be appointed by the Committee at the first meeting following the AGM..
c) The Committee of not more than twelve members four of whom shall retire annually but be eligible for re-election. Five shall form a quorum at Committee meetings, this number to exclude officers. The Committee shall appoint from its number a Memberships Administrator and a Show Secretary.d) An unlimited number of members whose names and addresses shall be recorded by the Society, and a list of members and their addresses will be available for inspection if so requested by members or by The Kennel Club Limited.

3. Applications for membership shall be subject to approval by the committee. Members shall pay an annual subscription which shall be of such amount as shall be recommended from time to time by the Committee, agreed in General Meeting, and notified to the Kennel Club. All subscriptions are renewable on 1st January each year. No member whose subscription is not fully paid up is entitled to any privileges of membership.
Members agree to abide by the Rules of the London Cocker Spaniel Society, The Kennel Club Code of Ethics and the Cocker Spaniel Breed Council Guidelines.

4. The management of the society and its property shall be vested in the Committee
The Committee shall also have powers;

a. To co-opt members onto the Committee in the event of positions becoming vacant between Annual General Meetings.
b. The Committee may confer life membership on members who have given long, loyal and distinguished service to the Society.
c. To make by-laws.
d. To decide upon any matters not provided for by these rules.
But The Kennel Club shall be the final authority for interpreting the Rules of the society in all matters relating to canine or Society matters.

5. Annual General Meeting and Election of Officers and Committee.

a. The election of Officers and Committee shall be by postal ballot in accordance with Rule 7 hereunder. One Officer shall retire annually after serving a three year term together with four members of the Committee longest in office, all of whom shall automatically stand for re-election and shall have their names entered on the Society's voting papers for re-election unless they have given notice in writing to the Society that they do not wish to stand for re-election.
b. Nominations for the election of Officers and Committee, duly proposed and seconded and with the signed consent of the nominee, shall be made in writing and shall be sent by post to the Honorary General Secretary to arrive on or before a date to be specified in the invitation to submit nominations which will be circulated to all home members and publicised in the dog press. The result of the postal ballot for Officers and Committee shall be announced at the Society Annual General Meeting.
c. Those eligible to vote must have been fully paid up members of the Society for the proceeding and the current financial year in which the AGM is held. Those eligible to nominate or to be nominated as Officers or Committee members must be fully paid up members for two years proceeding and the current financial year in which the AGM is held.
d. Any items for inclusion on the Agenda at the AGM shall be made in writing and sent by post to the Honorary General Secretary to arrive by a date to be specified in order that such items shall be included in the Notice of Meeting as set out in 5(e)
e. The committee will decide the time and place of the AGM and give at least twenty-one day's notice of the meeting by publishing the information in Our Dogs paper and on the LCSS website. Members may request an emailed or postal copy of Agenda and Certified Accounts (when they are available).The certified accounts will be available on request to members fourteen days prior to the AGM. Ten members, excluding Officers shall form a quorum.
f. No business shall be transacted at an Annual General Meeting unless notice thereof appears on the Agenda with the exception of that which in the opinion of the \chairman of the meeting is urgent.

6. A Special General Meeting may be called by the committee at any time upon twenty one (21) day's notice being given in writing; or a requisition duly signed by at least twenty-five members may be submitted to the Hon. Gen. Secretary. Subsequent upon the requisition and names of requisitioners being made available to the Committee, the Committee will call and conduct a Special General Meeting.
The Committee will invite an independent person to chair the meeting subject to majority approval by those members present at the meeting and entitled to vote. No less than 25 members to form a quorum at any Special General Meeting. The Requisition and the names of the signatories must be available at the meeting.
The notice must contain all the relevant information concerning the said Special General Meeting and business to be conducted, and no business other than that named in the notice shall be brought before a Special General Meeting.

7. Voting.
a. Those eligible to vote at any General Meeting of the Society must have been fully paid-up members of the Society for the proceeding year and the current financial year in which the meeting is held. Voting at all the Society's meetings shall be by show of hands or at the discretion of the Chairman and shall be carried by simple majority. The voting for officers and or committee members shall be by postal ballot to all home members. Voting papers shall be forwarded to either The Kennel Club or to a nominated firm of accountants or a professional person approved by the Committee and who is not a member of The London Cocker Spaniel Society. In the event that nominations do not exceed the vacancies no ballot papers will be circulated.
b. In all matters, the Chairman shall have a casting vote (which may be cast notwithstanding that the time for voting may have ended under clause 5(b) above) and his or her ruling upon any point shall be binding at all times.
c. Each member shall be entitled to one vote but for the avoidance of doubt in the case of a partnership of not more than two persons, each of those persons shall have one vote.

8. Any member of the Committee being absent at three consecutive Committee meetings shall have his or her attention drawn to the fact and unless a reasonable excuse is forthcoming such member's seat on the Committee shall become vacant.

9. A Banking account shall be opened in the name of the Society into which all revenue of the Society shall be paid and from which withdrawals shall only be made on the signature of two of the following: the Honorary Treasurer, the Honorary General Secretary and the Chairman.

10. Any member who shall be disqualified under The Kennel Club Rule A11j (5) and/or under Kennel Club Rule A11j (9) shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the society.
If the conduct of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee of the Society, be injurious or likely to be injurious to the character or interests of the Society, the Committee of the Society 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 Society shall be called for 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 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.
If the Society expels any member for discreditable conduct in connection with dogs, at our show the Society must report the matter in writing to the Kennel Club within seven days and supply any particulars required.

11. The financial year of the Society shall be from 1st January to 31st December. The accounts will be certified annually by a person approved by the committee and presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting. Certification of the accounts must be carried out by one qualified accountant or two unqualified individuals with accountancy experience. Any one certifying accounts should be unconnected with the Committee. At the discretion of the AGM, Honoraria may be paid in respect of services to the Society during the previous financial year.

12. The property of the Society shall be vested in the Committee, and in the event of the Society ceasing to exist a Special General Meeting shall be called to decide the disposal of any assets. A final statement of audited 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 named 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. All cups, trophies and awards that have been donated to the Society shall be deemed to be the sole property of the Society and it is only under this condition that they will be accepted. The officers and Committee shall make every effort to ensure that the wishes of the donors are respected.

13. The rules of the Society shall not be altered except at the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting notice of which includes details of the proposal to alter the Rules. Such alterations shall not be brought into force until The Kennel Club has been advised and has given its approval to the alterations.

14. The Society shall not join any Federation of Societies or Clubs.

15. The Officers acknowledge that during the month of January each year maintenance of title fee will be forwarded to The Kennel Club by the Honorary General Secretary for continuance of registration and that by the 31st July in 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 and Municipal Authorities, will be forwarded to the Kennel Club.
The Officers acknowledge their duty to inform The Kennel Club of any change of Secretary to the Society which may occur during the course of the year
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16. No person whilst an un-discharged bankrupt may serve on the Committee of or hold any other office or appointment within a Kennel Club Registered Society.

17 The London Cocker Spaniel Society is committed to carrying out its membership and activities in line with the ‘Equality Act 2010’ and will promote a culture of equality of opportunity with no one receiving less favourable treatment on the grounds of: • Race • Colour • Nationality • Ethnic or national origin • Religion or belief • Disability •Sex • Sexual orientation • Marital status • Age • Gender reassignment • Pregnancy/maternity • Career or professional status

The London Cocker Spaniel Society has a zero-tolerance approach to any kind of misrepresentation or discrimination towards the society, committee, members, or individuals involved in society activities based on any of the above criteria. All participants in London Cocker Spaniel Society activities are subject to these general principles and the society reserves the right to remove society membership, subject to the expulsion process detailed within these rules, and/or participation in society events where misrepresentation or discrimination occurs.