THE CODE OF ETHICS
The code of ethics of the Old-style Siamese Club is identical to the GCCF Code of Ethics.
https://www.gccfcats.org/Health-Welfare
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE OLD-STYLE SIAMESE CLUB
1. NAME
The Club shall be called “The Old-style Siamese Club” and is affiliated to the GCCF.
(a) Old-style Siamese are recognised as 100% Siamese and shall not be considered a separate breed.
(b) The term old-style is a description of type but genetically is identical to all other Siamese in the GCCF for purposes of showing and breeding.
2. THE OBJECTS OF THE CLUB SHALL BE
a) To provide a forum and meeting place for breeders and owners of the Siamese.
b) To aid breeders in understanding the type of the Siamese cat and how to recognise it.
c) To offer support and advice to members regarding the breeding, history, pedigrees, care and general welfare of the Siamese cat.
d) To offer both financial and material support for the welfare of Siamese and companion cats where appropriate.
e) To foster the best care and treatment of both pet and breeding cats, putting the welfare, health and contentment of the cat and the health of the breed above all other considerations.
f) To promote good relations between, and respect for, breeders of all types of Siamese cats.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) Application for membership shall be made in writing to the Hon Membership Secretary and may be accepted or rejected at the discretion of the Committee.
b) Members shall pay an annual subscription. Subscription rates will be set by the Committee.
c) The granting of membership and the payment of the annual subscription shall be considered as implying agreement with all the rules of the Club and with the rules and constitution of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (UK).
d) It is a member’s responsibility to inform the Honorary Membership Secretary of any change in address or any other change of details in the application form.
e) The annual subscriptions shall be renewable on first January each year. Membership shall be deemed to have lapsed if not renewed within two calendar months of the renewal date. Lapsed members may be required to reapply for membership as new members. This is at the discretion of the committee.
f) The amounts of annual subscriptions shall be reviewed by the Committee each year before the AGM, and any proposals for change shall be voted on by the members of the AGM. Changes approved at the AGM shall come into force on the first of January the following year.
g) If, in the opinion of the Committee, the conduct of any member may have been prejudicial or is likely to prove injurious to the character, reputation, or interest of the OSSC, the Committee must give the member details of the allegation in writing and give the member at least 28 days to respond either in writing or in person as the member chooses. After giving the member the opportunity of being heard the Committee may determine to:
h) If the Committee determines that the Member should be suspended or expelled from the OSSC, the OSSC Hon Secretary will send to the member full details in writing (including any evidence they hold) of the reason(s) for their suspension or expulsion. Within 28 days of the issue of this notice the member may choose one of the following two options.
i) If a Member has been suspended by the GCCF, his or her membership of the OSSC will automatically be suspended for the same period. Any such Member wishing to re-join the OSSC after their suspension ends must apply to the Committee for readmission. In the case of a refusal the Committee is under no obligation to provide a reason.
j) If a member resigns from the OSSC or has membership withdrawn any rights to or claim upon the OSSC’s property or funds shall be forfeit.
k) Members resigning for any reason whatsoever shall renounce all claims to the property and facilities of the OSSC and return to the Committee any items belonging to the OSSC.
l) Every member joining the OSSC shall be given the following items. A welcome letter and at least one newsletter, more if available. For international members the welcome letter and initial copies of newsletters may be emailed.
4. COMMITTEE
a) The OSSC shall be managed by the officers (comprising Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer and Hon Membership Secretary) and the Committee.
b) The Chairman and delegates shall be elected by the membership at the AGM, other officers shall be proposed, seconded and elected by the committee at the first meeting following the AGM. Officers shall stand for two years and may stand for re-election
c) A maximum Committee of up to eleven members (including officers) shall be elected at the AGM by the members. Any members elected to the Committee shall serve on not more than two other GCCF cat Club Committees. Committee members shall serve for three years and may stand for re-election.
d) Committee members, delegates and reserve delegates must be proposed and seconded by members of the OSSC and elected only by voting members present at the AGM. New office holders take office immediately following the AGM.
e) The Hon Sec shall keep a record of the proceedings of all Committee, circulate minutes to committee members following meetings, read over the minutes of the previous meetings, ensure minutes are agreed by the committee, and signed by the chairman, preserve all documents and copies of official correspondence, and write and reply to all communications on behalf of the OSSC.
f) The OSSC Archivist shall take charge of the OSSC’s pedigree, photograph and book collection and ensure that it is available to members for consultation by appointment. Donated items become the property of the OSSC.
g) At the expiration of any term of office, the retiring office holder shall deliver up to the Committee all books, documents, computerised records and property in their possession regarding or belonging to the OSSC. All computer files referring to the OSSC must be deleted from the retiring officer’s computer and backup discs.
h) The Committee may co-opt members of the club to fill casual vacancies on the committee until the following AGM. Co-opted members may not vote.
i) No member serving on any type of Siamese (or Siamese related breed) club committee of any unaffiliated organisation will be considered for the OSSC committee due to conflict of interest. Any person who has been elected to the committee and is subsequently found to be on such a committee will be subject to instant dismissal without the right of appeal. They will also be subject to a lifelong ban from being re-elected to the committee. See 4(o). They may also have their membership suspended or be expelled from the club at the discretion of the committee.
j) If a member is currently serving on the committee of a cat club of an unaffiliated organisation, a prior declaration must be made by said member before a co-option or voluntary application to join the OSSC committee is made. If the committee decides that it is probable that a conflict of interest is likely to occur, that member will not be considered for the committee. The committee’s decision will be final. The committee will ask any prospective committee member in a timely manner if they need to make such a declaration. As in 4(i) above, any person who has been elected to the committee and is subsequently found to be on such a committee will be subject to instant dismissal without the right of appeal. They will also be subject to a lifelong ban from being re-elected to the committee. They may also have their membership suspended or be expelled from the club at the discretion of the committee.
k) No officer, delegate or committee member may be an officer or committee member of any unaffiliated organisation whose activities include the registration and/or licensing or holding of cat shows for pedigree cats without the prior consent of the GCCF Executive Committee.
l) If a person is serving on the committee of any unaffiliated organization but for a breed unrelated to Siamese, the committee may co-opt that person onto the committee after the Hon Secretary applies for and gains the necessary dispensation from the GCCF.
m) For the avoidance of all doubt, within the OSSC, only the Hon Secretary may apply for such dispensation on behalf of the committee and member, at the direction of the committee, otherwise said dispensation will not be recognised.
n) If on leaving the committee it is found that any person has not acted in the best interests of the club, has by their actions brought the club into disrepute, or has given false representation regarding the club or committee they will be the subject of a lifelong ban from being re-elected to the committee. See 4(o).
o) Information regarding any lifelong ban will be kept by the Hon Secretary in confidence to be used purely for reference for future elections to the committee. This information may not be divulged outside of the committee.
5. POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
a) The property and finance of the OSSC shall be vested in the Committee.
The Honorary Treasurer shall take charge of the funds and pay from the funds of the OSSC such expenses as are necessary, accordingly to the rules granted by the Committee. The Honorary Treasurer shall render a complete account at each independent examination and whenever required to do so by the resolution of the Committee (see item 6e).
b) The Honorary Cup and Show Support Secretary shall take charge of the OSSC’s trophies (see item 10b).
c) The committee shall have powers to co-opt new members, but these members do not have voting rights until their position is ratified at an AGM.
d) The committee shall have the power to delegate any of its functions to any sub-committee of its members. It shall have the power to suspend or expel any Member or Officer in the interests of the OSSC, but subject to appeal to the general body of the members (see Item 3g) through calling an SGM (see item 7.3a).
e) The committee reserves the right to increase or change fees as the occasion may require, subject to ratification at the following AGM.
f) The committee shall have the power to deal with any matters concerning the OSSC and its activities which are not covered by the Rules.
g) The committee shall have the right to discuss in camera the activities of members where these may be related to the interest of the OSSC.
h) Inclusion on the kitten, breeder or stud registers shall assume that the breeder is strictly abiding by the rules and guidelines for breeding as set down by the GCCF. False declarations will result in suspension that may lead to expulsion.
6. FINANCE
a) The funds of the OSSC shall be administered by the Honorary Treasurer. The funds shall be deposited in a bank or investment account in the name of the club by the Honorary Treasurer or other persons authorised by the committee. Every receipt given on behalf of the club shall be on an official form signed by the Honorary Treasurer.
b) Signatories to the OSSC’s bank account should be any two of the following: Chairman, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer.
c) The financial year should end on 31 December each year.
d) A suitable independent person to examine the OSSC accounts shall be appointed and approved at the AGM.
e) Fund raising events should be agreed by the committee.
f) An examined set of accounts must be submitted to the GCCF Office by 30 April
7. MEETINGS
a. All general meetings and Meetings of the Committee shall be presided over by the Chairman. In the Chairman’s absence the Vice- Chairman shall take the chair. In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, the committee shall elect an acting Chairman for the ensuing meeting. The person chairing the meeting has no ordinary vote and may only use a casting vote in the case of voting being equal.
b. Members attending meetings should conduct themselves suitably at all times, and allow open discussion of any matter, even when that is in opposition to their personal views. Any members preventing discussion or voting in any manner may be excluded from the meeting at the discretion of the presiding officer, to allow those present to vote on whether said person should be permitted to return to the meeting or be excluded for the duration of the remaining business.
7.1 Committee Meetings
A period of four weeks’ notice must be given of each committee meeting:
a) The quorum for a committee meeting shall be four committee members including one officer.
b) Members may attend not more than 75% of meetings by video link or other remote link up.
c) Members may not stand for office unless they are able and prepared to travel to committee meetings.
d) Committee members must divulge vested interests in any matter under discussion in Committee and may be asked to leave the meeting during any such discussion.
e) All matters shall be decided by a majority of members present at any committee meeting; in the event of voting being equal the Chairman or acting Chairman shall have the casting vote.
f) All matters discussed in committee meetings should be considered strictly confidential and should not be reported, discussed, emailed, or published by any medium with non-committee members until the matters under discussion have been resolved to the satisfaction of the committee and via a democratic vote. Disregarding this rule will be considered a serious breach of committee confidentiality and subject to possible dismissal from the committee as such actions are considered divisive and disruptive and detrimental to the club’s reputation.
g) The minutes of the Committee Meetings shall be recorded by the Hon Secretary and a report relating to the business of the OSSC shall be drawn up annually by the Hon Secretary, ratified by the Committee and presented to the AGM.
7.2 Annual General meetings
a) The AGM shall be held at a time and a place fixed by the committee but in sufficient time to allow the Hon Secretary to make such returns to the GCCF as are required, the date being notified to members by a notice on the GCCF website and by circulation to the members at least eight weeks prior to the date of the AGM.
b) A quorum at any General Meeting (AGM) shall consist of nine fully paid up voting Members, including at least one officer of the OSSC. If a quorum is not present, relevant parts of the Minutes will be posted on the GCCF website. The OSSC will email those Members that have registered their email address with the OSSC to inform them that the information is on the GCCF website. Members will be given 28 days to raise any objections. In the absence of any objections, then the decisions made at the meeting shall be considered ratified.
c) All agenda items for the AGM must be received by the Honorary Secretary 6 weeks before the date of the meeting. The agenda will then be displayed on the OSSC’s web site on the “Bulletin Board” and will be forwarded to a member(s) before the date of the meeting on request by the Hon Secretary.
d) A Report and independently examined Balance Sheet for the preceding year, which has been approved by the committee, shall be presented at every AGM.
e) The Minutes of the General Meeting shall be recorded by the Honorary Secretary and circulated to members at the time of giving notice of the next General Meeting but only on request by a member(s).
f) Nominations to fill Officer and committee vacancies and for delegate to the GCCF must be received by the Honorary Secretary not later than the 1st of February preceding the AGM. Delegates if not members of the committee shall automatically be co-opted to membership of the committee for their period of office but do not have any voting rights.
7.3 Special General Meetings
a) A Special General Meeting shall be held at any time at the discretion of the committee or on receipt by the Honorary Secretary of a request stating the exact business for which the meeting shall be required, signed by at least 15 fully paid- up members and to be followed up by a sum covering all the costs of such a meeting (postage of notification and hire of venue), set by the committee. This sum shall be refundable at the absolute discretion of the Special General Meeting.
b) The Honorary Secretary shall give at least 14 days notice in writing (by post or by notice in the Club Newsletter) of a SGM to all members specifying the business to be discussed. No business other than that specified in the notice shall be brought before the SGM.
c) The quorum for an SGM shall be 12 members.
8. VOTING
a) Decisions require a simple majority of those members present and voting at any meeting, except for the changes to the rules, which require a 2/3 majority
b) In the event of voting being equal the Presiding Officer shall only have a casting vote
c) Motions will normally only be carried or denied following a vote by members present at a meeting
9. ALTERATION TO RULES OR CONSTITUTION
a) Proposed alteration to the rules or constitution may only be made at an AGM and must be clearly stated on the AGM agenda
b) Changes to the rules or constitution require a 2/3 majority of those present and voting
10. TROPHIES
a) Donated trophies become the property of the OSSC (see item 11g).
b) The committee shall approve the style of donated trophies.
c) The manner of qualification for awards shall be notified annually at the AGM and by individual letters to all new members, in good time for all members to make application for those awards.
d) Show support shall be offered as finances and donations allow, and will be defined by the committee and announced at the AGM and in the welcoming pack for new members.
e) Members, winning trophies are responsible for them whilst in their keeping. Trophies lost or damaged must be replaced by the member responsible.
11. WINDING UP
a) Any proposal to dissolve the club shall be considered only at a Special General Meeting for which a month’s notice is required, and shall be accepted only upon a vote of assent from two thirds of the members present and voting.
b) Notice of winding up must be placed in the cat press and a period of six weeks allowed for claims.
c) Upon dissolution, the liabilities of the club shall be discharged and any balance of funds donated to the Siamese Rescue. Discharging of liabilities may require the sale of trophies or other assets.
d) All remaining goods and property shall be sold and proceeds paid into the accounts of the club.
e) Trophies that have not been sold may be retained by the current holder; unallocated trophies should be donated to another GCCF Siamese Club.
f) Any archive material must be held in trust by the Archivist and made available to the members of the public for a period of one year following dissolution. If the Archivist does not wish to retain them, they should be handed on to the committee of another Siamese Club who will retain them. Proper disposition of the archives is the responsibility of the Archivist even after winding up.
g) If the club is being wound up because of financial difficulties, the clubs assets may be sold to prevent this occurring.
GENERAL RULES
Members may not use the name or logo of the club in any advertising or publication without the express permission and sanction of the committee.