Standard Rules for Affiliated Clubs, Nationals, Federations, Combines & Amalgamations

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 Society should mean Club / Specialist / National / Federation / Combine.

 

 All Member Clubs, Nationals, Federations and Combines are governed by the Disciplinary Rules of the Union, Rules 39 to 51 on pages    

 10-14 of the Welsh Homing Pigeon Union Rule Book, and should be applied simultaneously with the Standard Rules where applicable.

 

  1. That Clubs / Nationals / Federations / Combines be called..............................

      With the Headquarters at the..........................

     

 

  2. The Officers of the Society may consist of a President and Vice President, but must consist of Chairman, Vice Chairman,

      Treasurer, Emergency Committee and Secretary, to be elected annually.  All Officers must be flying Members of their

      Federations/Nationals/Combines, with the exception of Secretaries who must be Members of the Union.  Clubs formed must  

      consist of five (5) flying Member lofts (from 2012 season).  Any Club falling below four (4) flying Member lofts, must be disbanded  

      in accordance with Rule 12. All decisions of Emergency Committee on any point must be ratified at the next Club Meeting.  No

      Member shall hold more than one (1) Official position on any one (1) Society.

      (b) That Club, appoint auditors internally or externally, that are ex officio, Federations, etc, must also appoint auditors who

      should be independent of the decision making process or Management process of the Organisation.

      (c)  Should the Membership of Nationals fall below one hundred and fifty (150) flying lofts, the word 'National' cannot be used in    

      this context.

 

  3. A General Meeting for the election of Officers and for fixing local or domestic Rules must be held annually. The Secretary of the

      Organisation must notify each Member in writing/email at least six (6) weeks before the Annual General Meeting of the date, time

      and place at which the Meeting will be held. In the case of Federations and Combines, such notice shall be sent to the Secretary of

      each Organisation Affiliated to such Federation or Combine. No local or domestic Rules shall be made which override any of the

      Rules set out in this Book.  Any Member of the Organisation wishing for alteration or additions to local or domestic Rules must

      give notice of the proposed alterations or additions in writing, such resolutions shall first of all include wording which will delete  

      that part, or the whole of the existing Rules requiring the proposed alteration to the Secretary, at least twenty-eight (28) days

      previous to the holding of the Annual General Meeting. The Proposer must be present at the Annual General Meeting and the  

      Secretary of the Organisation MUST notify each Member of the Organisation of such proposed alterations or additions at least ten

      (10) days previous to the Meeting. Any Rule made at an Annual General Meeting is binding until such time as it shall have been

      deleted or amended in accordance with the provisions of this Rule at a subsequent Annual General Meeting.

      3(a). Voting at General Meetings for Clubs to be a show of hands or a postal ballot if the Club Rules allow, one (1) loft one (1) 

      vote.  Voting at Federations to be one (1) loft one (1) vote as follows:

     Any change of Rules for Federations to be sent to the Clubs twenty-eight (28) days before the Annual General Meeting. 

     Clubs  to convene Meetings and vote.  Secretary to record For and Against.  This vote to be entered on a voting form (new 

     form required) signed by the Secretary and Chairman,

    One (1) loft one (1) vote. This to be forwarded to the Federation ten (10) days before the Meeting takes place.  The Federation 

    to count the votes of each Club, one (1) loft one (1) vote. Secretary to record For and Against at the Annual General Meeting/ 

    Special Meetings and Delegate Meetings.  Clubs must attend the Meeting with a copy of the Club voting for the votes to count, 

     if a postal ballot has been agreed, a copy of the voting to be sent to the Federation. (At Federation AGM and Delegate 

     Meetings, the Federation to appoint tellers from the floor to validate the count.  Management Members of the Federation

     cannot involve themselves in the count)

     Voting for the WHPU Annual General Meeting, one (1) loft one (1) vote, this to be from Clubs on the voting form fourteen (14) 

     days before the Annual General Meeting.  Clubs wishing to have votes counted must attend the Annual General Meeting with 

     a copy of the Club voting.  Members in more than one club will only have a vote in their Parent Club.  Any Member or Club 

     found interfering, or trying to manipulate the voting system will be immediately suspended.

 

  4. Anyone wishing to become a Member shall be proposed and seconded by Members of the Society and shall be elected by a simple  

      majority vote of the Members present, in the case of National / Specialist / Federation / Combine, Management Committee to

      have the power to accept Membership. In Nationals / Specialist only, Membership may be allowed on night of marking, subject to

      confirmation at the next Committee Meeting. All Clubs must notify the Union within seven (7) days of information of acceptance

      or refusal of application and number of vote included and voting. Such elections shall be confirmed at the next Club Meeting.

      Applicants not to be present during voting. Applicants when elected must immediately pay Entrance Fee and Union Fee.

      Non-Flying Members may pay a Club subscription if imposed by the Club, but will not be allowed to vote or make any

      propositions. Non-Flying Members must pay Union fees. Any Non-Flying Members wishing to acquire full flying Membership status  

      must be proposed and seconded and elected in accordance with the provisions of the Union Rules. (Rule 14,Page 4)Persons are  

      not precluded from applying to join any Club Affiliated to the Welsh Homing Pigeon Union.

 

  5. No birds shall be accepted for competition unless all fees and dues are fully paid up by the Member.  Members falling into arrears

      which are not paid by the AGM of the Clubs/Nationals/Federations/Combines will be classed as defaulters, and on payment of

      the arrears must re-apply for Membership of all Societies.  All birds must be the absolute and exclusive property of the said  

      Member, Clubs may stipulate date of payment of Membership fees.

 

  6. Members wishing to resign must do so in writing before the Annual General Meeting or they will be held liable for their

      subscriptions and domestic fees for the following year, also any Club equipment must be returned.  The subscriptions and

      domestic fees to a Society must be decided at the Annual General Meeting of the Society and must be entered in the Minutes of

      the Meeting.  It must not be made a condition of Membership of the Society that a Member must take part in fund raising

      schemes.

 

  7. Should any dispute arise on any matter connected with the Society, the same shall be referred to the Officers and Committee,

      who shall then decide on a Meeting of which both parties shall be notified in writing and the nature of the dispute shall be set

      out and a Meeting called with seven (7) days notice to all Members in writing who shall then have power to deal with the dispute

      in question. (With the exception of National / Specialist / Federation / Combine, where the Management Committee shall have  

      full power to deal with the dispute.)

 

  8. A Special Meeting of which all Members must be notified in writing/email may be convened at any time on a requisition being signed

      by at least five (5) Members in a Club consisting of ten (10) or more Members, at least three (3) Members in a Club of less than ten            (10) Members, with the exception of Federations with four (4) Clubs to convene Special Meeting, (any Federation falling below four            (4) Member Clubs cannot use the word Federation in its context) and Combines with three (3) Federations, who shall state business          for which Meeting is to be called. No business other than that set out on the Agenda shall be dealt with. Only one (1) Special Meeting        will be allowed for the particular agenda item within the season, i.e. AGM to AGM. Any Rule made under Rule 3 cannot be changed by        the provisions of Rule 8.

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  9. Any Member not having cleared his dues to the Club within fourteen (14) days of receipt of demand of such dues from the Club

      Secretary will be reported to the Union as a Defaulter.

 

10. The Secretary shall keep a record of resolutions, proposers, and seconders and votes cast, at Club / Specialist / National /

      Federation / Combine Meetings, same to be confirmed at next Meeting and signed by the Chairman of the Meeting.

 

11. Chairman to chair all Meetings, or in his absence Vice Chairman, or in the absence a Chairman elected from the floor. Chairman is

      accorded full power as to order and procedure at Club Meetings. All Members on these two points to be governed by him. Should

      any ruling of the Chairman be challenged the Members present shall decide procedure. Chair to be addressed respectfully, and

      Chairman to have the casting vote should the vote be equal on all resolutions by Clubs.

      In Nationals / Federations / Combines, etc, the Chairman to have the casting vote only. Voting will be either by show of hands or

      by postal ballot. National / Federation / Combine Meetings may be Chaired by the President.

 

12. a). The Society shall not be dissolved or Headquarters changed without the explicit consent of the WHPU and on the assent of at               least two-thirds of the Members present and voting at a Special Meeting called for the purpose of which every Member must be               notified in writing/email. Notice of such a Meeting must be given to the Union Secretary in writing/email who reserves the right to be       present at such Meeting.  In the event of a Society being disbanded under this Rule, assets of the Society shall be realised and                   proceeds divided equally amongst the then active fully paid up Members - one loft one share - Sale of all assets of Clubs / Nationals         /Federations / Combines must be advertised at least ten (10) days prior to the sale in the Fancy Press, giving time, date and place of         said sale. No Society will be allowed to dissolve or change the radius and re-apply for Membership under any other name specifically       to disenfranchise an existing Member of a Society. Clubs / Nationals/ Federations /Combines leaving the Welsh Homing Pigeon                 Union to distribute assets in accordance with this Rule.

    (b) The Society shall not change the flying route or Federation during the racing season except on the assent of at least two-         thirds of the Members present and voting at a Special Meeting called for the purpose, or on the assent of a majority of                   Members present and voting at a Special Meeting called for the purpose outside of the racing season. A Special Meeting can         only be convened Following notification to every Member in writing/email. Notice of such Meeting must be given to the Union       Secretary in writing/email who reserves the right to be present at such Meeting.

 

13. The Executive Body of the Union may appoint an Executive Member to be present at any gathering where official business is taking

      place.

 

14. The Organisation shall have a Banking, Building Society or Post Office Savings Account and where possible all payments shall be

      made by cheque, signed by the Secretary, Treasurer and/or  one other Club Official. The Bank, Building Society or Post Office

      Passbook shall be laid on the table at each Meeting for inspection by Members.

 

15. Any Member excluded or expelled for dishonourable conduct or suspended as a defaulter, which has been confirmed by the

      Union, will forfeit all rights and claims to the assets of the Club / National / Federation / Combine, and shall be incapable of

      becoming a Member or hold Office in any Affiliated Society to the Union. The Society has the right to withhold all prizes won by

      such a Member.

 

16. Every Member and Official of a Society shall be a Member of the Welsh Homing Pigeon Union, and shall be bound by the Rules for  

      time being in force of that body.

 

17. Acceptance of Rules is a condition of Membership. All Rules will be strictly adhered to. Ignorance of same will not be accepted as

      an excuse.

 

18. No Member of a Club shall represent his Club unless mandated to do so at Federation and Union Meetings.

 

19. That in all Organisations existing Officers will be eligible for re-election.

 

20. Where likely conflict of interest may arise, where an individual is a management representative or delegate to two regulatory

      Organisations, it would seem politic to declare interest in the event of agenda items likely to bring the individual or his

      Organisation into conflict. By declaration of interest, there would be no requirement for Vacation of Meeting when a conflicting

      agenda item is being discussed.

 

21. That all Federations/Combines Affiliated to the Welsh Homing Pigeon Union, shall circulate the Minutes of all their Federation /

      Combine Meetings to Clubs/Federations following the confirmation of the Minutes at their next Meeting.