25 Feb AGM 2025

Posted at 14:20h in Meetings by

All paid up Club members are eligible to attend  the club’s 2025 AGM which will be held on the morning of Saturday 29th March at the Kennel Club Building in the central location of Stoneleigh Park. To assist with advance planning, (e.g. catering, seating, voting slips), please advise the Hon Secretary if you are planning to attend the meeting.

All paid up members were entitled to place proposals on the agenda.  In addition anyone with at least 3 years unbroken membership was entitled to stand for General Committee.

The required process defined in the Club’s Constitution has been followed and the subsequent agenda is now available both here or in hard copy posted to all members in the next mailing, which commences with collections at Crufts.

To assist with practicalities and costs the version sent in hard copy to all members is an abbreviated version of the agenda. This has every agenda item listed, of course, but the longer items have reduced details shown to keep the overall length within two pages. The Full Agenda can be viewed below or downloaded here and is also available from the Hon Secretary.

 

Hon Secretary:  Karen Bird, The Cow Byre, Broad Town, Wiltshire SN4 7RB

Tel:  07778384507   Email:  secretary@bernese.co.uk

 

 

The Annual General Meeting of the Club

will be held on

at 10.00 a.m. on Saturday 29 March 2025

at

The Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2LZ

(Coffee from 9.30am)

 

 

AGENDA

(Full Detail Version)

 

  1. Apologies for absence.
  1. Minutes of the previous AGM held on 21 April 2024.
  2. Matters arising.
  3. Hon. Secretary’s Report.
  4. Hon. Treasurer’s Report.
  5. Election of Auditors.
  6. Membership Report.
  7. Rescue Report.
  8. Health report.
  9. Officers and Committee for 2025:

10.1 The President and Officers stand down once every three years in rotation.

This year the position of Hon Treasurer is due for re-election. The current Treasurer is willing to re-stand. No further nominations have been received therefore Mark Avery is duly re-elected.

210.2 Each year, one third of the Committee stand down, but are eligible for re-election without nomination. This year they are Lianne Marsden, Fiona Hallam & Michelle Copeland. They stand unopposed and are therefore duly re-elected as Committee members.

 

11. Proposals:

11.1 Honoraria

In accordance with paragraphs 14.3.5 and 17 of the Club’s Constitution & Rules, the Committee of the Club propose that no increase in Honoraria be considered for the year 2024.

Although the Club had a successful year financially those roles attracting an Honorarium saw an increase for 2023 and the Committee feel that no further increase is necessary in respect of the year 2024.

The amounts agreed for 2023 were:

 

Role:

  
Hon Secretary £715
Hon Treasurer £660
Membership Secretary £660
Magazine Editor £385
Handbook Editor £385
Rescue Coordinator £660
Stores Manager £660
Health Coordinator £275
Website Coordinator £275

.

11.2 Life Membership

In accordance with paragraph 14.3.5 of the Club’s Constitution & Rules, the Committee of the Club propose in accordance with paragraph 2.2, that Life Membership, being the highest honour the Club can extend, be bestowed upon former Committee members Heather Head and Mary Thorman.

 Supporting text

Heather joined Committee in 1997. She organised many Garden Parties and Working Days and served as Hon Secretary of the Club for 10 years until she stood down from the role and Committee at the 2010 AGM.

She rejoined Committee at the 2017 AGM, served as Chair of Committee following the 2018 AGM (succeeding Dave Hardy) until finally standing down from Committee at the 2024 AGM. Heather undertook many of the organisational roles of Committee and she  worked tirelessly as Show Secretary & Manager, edited a couple of annual Handbooks and was Good Citizen scheme and Character Assessment coordinator for our Garden Parties, a duty she continued beyond her time on Committee.

 

Mary joined Committee in 1990.

For many, many years Mary was Lena Robbins’ right hand lady managing the Bernershop. Along with Jane Wardrop she travelled with Lena to Club events, helped set up and take down the Bernershop and worked tirelessly as “shop assistant”.

When Lena retired from committee in 2013 Mary continued until 2017. She continued to assist with Club events by managing the rosette orders for all our events until 2023. Mary continues to produce Swiss style collars and leads for the Bernershop. 27 years of Committee duty plus some warrants a huge thank you from the Club.

.

11.3 Judges Lists

In accordance with paragraph 14.3.5 of the Club’s Constitution & Rules, the Committee of the Club propose to replace the current paragraph 20:

20.1. The established judges lists shall be drawn up by the judges sub-committee and a majority vote in favour of each judge shall be needed for approval. Nomination for judges to be included on judging lists or to be transferred from one list to another, should be sent to the club on the judges application form, available on the Club’s website www.bernese.co.uk/club/forms-documents/  for approval. Membership of the club is not a prerequisite for inclusion in the lists. Nomination for judges to be included may be sent to the committee by any member of the club for approval at a meeting. Each list shall begin and end on a specific date and on expiry a new list shall be drawn up.

20.2. In line with KC guidance, a second set of Judges lists shall be compiled in line with the JEP process, this set will originally run alongside but replace the established lists when the RKC deem it appropriate.

With:

        1. In accordance with Royal Kennel Club (RKC) guidance, Judges lists shall be compiled in line with the Judges Education Programme (JEP) process.

Supporting text: This is simply to reflect the ending of the RKC’s A1/2/3 process for approving judges and the compulsory, full adoption of the JEP.

.

11.4 Sub Committees

In accordance with paragraph 14.3.5 of the Club’s Constitution & Rules, the Committee of the Club propose that:

Paragraph 9. The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees.

All sub-committees must contain at least one main club committee member who must be present at all meetings and involved in every decision taken. Such sub-committees can be awarded executive power to complete and perform tasks and decisions within their remit but must report back to committee on all matters. The committee shall have the power to dissolve such sub-committees without the agreement of the subcommittee if necessary.

and

Paragraph 27. The Club’s Rescue Coordinator and assistant Rescue Coordinator must have been members of the Club for at least three years and will be approved and appointed by the committee but need not be elected committee members. They will be accountable to the committee and provide regular reports to the committee for every committee meeting and at other times if requested to do so and will refer any major issues to the committee for consideration. The bank account for rescue funds will be managed by the club’s elected treasurer.

……. are both completely removed and replaced with a new paragraph 9 as below. (As a consequence, this will also require the renumbering of the current paragraph 28 to become paragraph 27).

Proposed New Paragraph…

9. The General Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees.

9.1 Specific activities or events within the Club may be managed by sub committees consisting of 2 or more people. Such sub-committees can be awarded executive power to complete and perform tasks and decisions within their remit.

9.2 Any sub committees must each contain at least one General Committee member, who must report to each General Committee meeting or if otherwise requested by Committee.

9.3 Non General Committee individuals on these committees must be members of the Club at the time of appointment and are individually appointed solely at the approval of General Committee and do not require a full membership voting process for appointment. Sub committee members may be members of other BMD breed club committees.

9.4 When advantageous to the function of the sub committee, Non Club members with relevant specific expertise, facility or other beneficial asset may sit as guest members of a sub committee with General Committee approval and subject to accepting any appropriate conditions of 9.5

9.5 As a condition of their membership of the sub committee, Non-General Committee, sub committee members will be required to sign and observe the Club’s confidentiality agreement and to be made aware of the GDPR or any other legal requirements relevant to their activity for the Club.

9.6 With individual approval from the General Committee, any person on these sub committees may:

9.6.1 be given a title to assist or recognise their position and work for the Club and/or breed.

9.6.2 be allocated specific contact details e.g. a Club email address or access to other appropriate Club facilities to enhance their role, subject to the conditions of 9.5

9.7 Any expenditure authorised by a sub committee will normally be administered, and thereby approved, by the club’s Honorary Treasurer, with any disputes taken to the General Committee for adjudication. If appropriate, and only with prior authority of the General Committee who must be satisfied that secure arrangements are in place, then appropriate independent financial authority and capability may be given to the sub committee where this would be conducive to its specific business.

9.8 The members and ongoing activity of any sub committee are subject to annual approval by the General Committee as part of the review of roles and structure, normally carried out after the AGM.

9.9 The General Committee shall have the authority to dissolve or amend the composition of any sub committee or its powers, without the consent of that sub committee if deemed necessary.

 

Supporting text: This proposal basically tidies up 2 separate but actually related paragraphs; para 9 dealing vaguely with sub committees and para 27 dealing with the Rescue and Rehoming team, which has been for as long as most can remember, effectively a sub committee of 2. However, in the sense that it covers official Club activities being managed and carried out away from the General Committee, this activity is, organisationally speaking, no different to other activities within the Club such as Health with a small sub committee known as the BHI, or the Garden Party week-end which has a larger sub committee with some non-General Committee members as part of it, so there is no need for a separate clause for any individual activities.

Mostly, this proposal only formalises processes that actually happen now, or have been necessary/helpful in recent times, but recognises and authorises the way things are done and specifies a structure and a few safeguards.

This proposal does require a General Committee member to be a part of any sub committee, as these may be making and enacting decisions on behalf of the Club or even spending Club funds. As such it supports the principle that sub committees are a part of the management of the Club so it is important they have direct connection to the General Committee who have to have ultimate responsibility for all actions carried out on behalf of the Club.

As the Club goes forward with a permanently understrength committee, but with ambitious plans and ideas, sub committees to organise activities are more and more likely to play an important role, as not everyone on the General Committee can do everything all the time, so it makes sense to give some clarity of structure, status and safeguards and how the main management of the Club should interact with sub committees.

This proposal gives stated structure to sub committees to involve Non General Committee help and allows the Committees and helpers to be given official status and inclusion in wider Club structures when this would be appropriate.

 

        1. Presentation of Annual Club Trophies and Awards to members for the year 2024:

12.1 The Patron’s Trophy, for all disciplines, is awarded perpetually to the Dog or Bitch who gains the most points at GB Club events during the previous year, from all disciplines (showing, obedience, carting & agility). The winner for the year 2024 is Belle Owen’s My Mia.

12.2 The Meadowpark Trophy is awarded perpetually to the top winning Dog or Bitch. The Club calculates the points based on CC & Reserve CC wins during 2024. The points system is detailed in the 2025 Club Handbook. The winner for the year 2024 is Julie Baldwin’s Ch Fortonpark Valentallina.

12.3 The Puppy Trophy is awarded perpetually to the top winning Puppy in the breed. Calculated using the points system detailed in the 2025 Club Handbook. The winner for the year 2024 is Donna Reid’s Fortonpark Senator

12.4 The Veteran Trophy is awarded perpetually to the top winning Veteran in the breed. Calculated using the points system detailed in the 2025 Club Handbook. The winner for the year 2024 is Steve & Jeanette Green & Emily English’s Ch Matthias Vom Durrbachler Wald at Waldershelf (Imp NLD) JW

12.5 The Glanzberg Rosette is awarded annually to the Top Sire, based on progeny with the highest number of CCs achieved in a year, in memory of Sonja Gorbould-Todd. The dog who achieved the highest score for the year 2024 belongs to a non-member so no award will be made this year.

 

Meeting close.

Please note: ONLY FULLY PAID-UP MEMBERS (for 2025) MAY ATTEND AND VOTE AT THE AGM

 To assist with planning, it would be extremely helpful if you could please advise the Secretary if you are intending to attend.

 Hon Secretary:  Karen Bird, The Cow Byre, Broad Town, Wiltshire SN4 7RB

Tel:  07778384507   Email:  secretary@bernese.co.uk

 The Club’s Constitution containing the process followed can be found on this web site 

Any queries please contact the Club Hon. Secretary Karen Bird