SIAMESE CAT JOINT ADVISORY COMMITTEE CONSTITUTION

  1. GENERAL
    1. The Constitution of each BAC must adhere to the core Constitution, without additional clauses. Allowance for some variation is written into the core Constitution to take account of the varying numbers of constituent Clubs and the varying workloads of different BACs.
    2. The BAC will charge the standard Club levy as set by the GCCF.
    3. Allowance is made for some variation on the following points:
      1. A BAC or Joint BAC with ten or more participating constituent clubs may elect to have one or two representatives per club. (8.f.i)
      2. A BAC or Joint BAC with two or three participating constituent clubs may elect to have three, four or five representatives per club. (8.f.iv)
      3. A BAC or Joint BAC with five or more constituent clubs may elect to have two votes per club even if only one representative is present. Whether or not this is permitted shall be stated in the Constitution of the relevant BACs. (8.h)
  2. MEMBERSHIP
    1. The Committee will be composed of representatives of all specialist Breed Clubs, affiliated to the GCCF, catering for breeds within the Breed List of that BAC.
    2. All Clubs eligible for membership will automatically have the right to participate upon payment of the required levy. See Section 10 (Finance)
    3. Any eligible Club whose Affiliation is approved during the calendar year shall, upon payment of the full required levy (see Section 10), be entitled to send representatives to the next meeting of the BAC and shall be entitled to receive paperwork circulated since the start of the calendar year, to enable them to participate fully in discussion at the next meeting. Alternatively the Club may wish to delay membership of the BAC until the following 1st January.
    4. Any Club which does not wish to participate fully in the BAC may elect to be an Associate Member and pay a reduced levy. See Section 10 (Finance). Any such Club will receive only Agendas and Minutes and may make written representation upon any matter under discussion but will have no vote. Any such Club will forfeit its right to make proposals to Council on matters which are the sole prerogatives of BACs but will not, however, lose its right to speak on any such proposal in Council.
    5. Each participating constituent Club shall have equal representation. It is the responsibility of representatives to make themselves aware of matters pertaining to the breeds catered for by their BAC and the candidates within their scheme, to represent the views of their Club Committee to the BAC and to represent the views of the BAC to their Club Committee.
      1. In the case of BACs or Joint BACs with ten or more participating constituent Clubs each Club shall have one or two representatives. Each participating constituent Club of the SCJAC shall have one resentative.
      2. In the case of BACs or Joint BACs with five or more participating constituent Clubs each Club shall have two representatives.
      3. In the case of BACs or Joint BACs with four participating constituent Clubs each Club shall have three representatives.
      4. In the case of BACs or Joint BACs with two or three participating constituent Clubs the BAC may choose to have three, four or five representatives per Club such that the total number of representatives shall be not less than 8 and not more than 15.
      5. In the case of BACs with only a single constituent Club the Club Committee shall constitute the BAC.
    7. Where BACs meet together as a Joint BAC the Clubs shall still send only the permitted number of Club representatives, who shall represent their Club on each relevant Breed List within the Joint BAC.
    8. Where each Club has two representatives the BAC may choose to allow each Club to have two votes notwithstanding that only one representative may be present at any meeting. Where permitted representation is by three or more per Club then there will be only one vote per representative present.
    9. In the case of BACs with more than one constituent Club, all representatives must have had a minimum of two years membership of a Club catering for the BAC breed(s). At least 50% of the representatives of each constituent Club must have had a minimum of three years current active involvement (i.e. breeding, showing, stewarding, judging) with the BAC breed(s).
    10. Any constituent Club which fails to be represented at a meeting of the BAC, without sufficient warning or justifiable reason, and thereby renders the meeting inquorate (see clause 11.i of this Constitution), shall automatically forfeit membership of the relevant BAC for a period of one year. (NB any levy paid will not be refunded)
      NOTE: In the case of a two Club BAC this means that BAC meetings held during this period would be conducted by the Committee of the remaining Club.
    11. No representative shall attend a BAC meeting at which his/her own application or that of a member of his/her household is to be considered. No Probationer Judge, Steward within the SCJAC Scheme, or Trainee Steward completing their training with the SCJAC shall be present at a BAC meeting during the discussion of Stewards or Probationer Judges within this Scheme or of Full Judges of the Breed List.
      Trainee Stewards may, if they so wish, apply to a different BAC to complete their final stewarding requirements. If it is their intention to progress to the Judge Appointment Scheme they may then submit their application to the BAC of their own breed and should not be penalised or asked to do additional assessments as a result. Copies of documents should be passed to the nominated BAC for information.
  3. OBJECTIVES
    1. To work, in conjunction with the Full Judges of the Breed, to maintain and improve the health, well-being and beauty of their breed(s) by educating candidates and reviewing Standards of Points, Breeding and Registration Policies.
    2. To operate, within the Philosophy and Principles of the GCCF Judge Appointment Scheme, Rules of Procedure for the Selection of Judges for the breeds catered for by the member Clubs.
    3. To nominate persons who have satisfied the BAC as to their suitability, to the Council of the GCCF for appointment as Probationer or Full Judge.
    4. To maintain contact with Judges on their Breed Judge List and to keep them aware of any objectives in the development of the breed(s) and any amendments to the Standards of Points.
    5. To monitor the ability and progress of Stewards and Probationer Judges in their BAC Scheme and to provide advice, training and tuition as required.
    6. To organise seminars to communicate and debate current affairs with all Judges on their Breed Judge List and to facilitate practical demonstrations and training for stewards and Judges.
    7. In relation to breeds for which the BAC caters, to discuss and make proposals to the GCCF Executive Committee on matters relating to Standards of Points, Registration Policies, advancement of status and applications for new breeds. Such proposals are the sole prerogative of the BAC.
    8. To discuss and make proposals to the GCCF on any other matters relating either to breeds for which the BAC caters or to Judges on the BAC Breed Judge List.
  4. OFFICERS
    1. The officers of each BAC or Joint BAC shall be a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. An Assistant Secretary may be appointed if required. The officers shall be responsible for calling the required meetings.
    2. The Chairman, who shall not be a Club representative, shall be elected annually. He/She shall not have a right to vote. In the event of an equality of votes the status quo shall prevail and the proposal shall be referred back to the sponsoring Club for amendment/reconsideration.
    3. The Secretary, who shall not be a Club representative, shall be elected annually. He/She shall not have a right to vote. The Secretary shall be responsible for the administration of the BAC and shall, in consultation with the Chairman, be responsible for convening meetings. The Secretary shall provide the GCCF Office with a list of the names and addresses of the BAC officers immediately after each electoral meeting and shall inform the GCCF Office of any changes to this list.
    4. The Chairman and/or Secretary must have "presence", sound knowledge of the Cat Fancy, the GCCF and its Rules and Procedures, and should be familiar with the show world and have a reputation for principle and impartiality. They need not be members of any constituent Clubs nor need they have any direct connection with the BAC breeds.
    5. The Vice Chairman shall be elected annually from the Club representatives. In the absence of the Chairman the Vice-Chairman shall conduct the meeting and shall have a vote. In the event of the prior knowledge of the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall conduct the meeting and the Club concerned may provide a replacement representative, in which case the Vice-Chairman shall have no vote.
    6. The Treasurer shall be elected annually and may be a Club representative, in which case he/she shall have a vote. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of fees from constituent Clubs and for the payment of expenses incurred and shall submit the required accounts annually to the GCCF before 1st May each year.
    7. In the event of equality of votes for any office, the result shall be determined by lot.
    8. The BAC shall appoint one of its Officers or members who is also a GCCF delegate to speak for the BAC in Council. If there is no GCCF delegate on the BAC, the delegate of a Constituent Club shall be asked to speak for the BAC.
  5. FINANCE
    1. Each BAC or Joint BAC shall maintain a bank or building society account in the name of the BAC. The financial year shall be the calendar year. The BAC shall submit to the GCCF Office, before 1st May each year, a copy of the Accounts of the BAC or Joint BAC for the previous year in the form of an Income and Expenditure Account with a supporting Balance Sheet, which have been examined and signed by a suitable independent person. Failure to do so may be subject to a fixed penalty that is not reclaimable.
    2. Each constituent Club of the BAC or Joint BAC shall pay an annual levy of £50, irrespective of membership numbers. Where Clubs are represented on more than one BAC within a Joint BAC they shall still only pay one levy. This levy will be due on January 1st of each year. Any constituent Club that fails to pay the levy by 31st January or the beginning of the first meeting after 1st January, whichever is the sooner, shall automatically be suspended from membership until the levy is paid.
    3. Any Club which chooses only to have Associate Membership shall pay an annual levy of £10.
    4. The BACs will charge standard fees which shall be reviewed by Council from time to time as required. Current fees are as follows : £20 for application to join the Stewarding Section of the GCCF Judge Appointment Scheme, £30 for application for appointment as a Probationer Judge, £30 for application for promotion to Full Judge.
    5. Seminars shall be self-supporting.
    6. The BAC shall additionally be responsible for the following expenses: the hire of rooms for meetings; the copying and circulation of all paperwork to the Constituent Clubs; the expenses, including travelling expenses, incurred by its Officers on behalf of the BAC; the travelling expenses of Judges or other persons who are invited to attend BAC meetings and who are not Club representatives; the examiner's fee or gift. NB Photocopying must be achieved as economically as possible and Council will not be responsible for collating costs.
    7. The BAC shall not be responsible for the following expenses: the travelling expenses of Club representatives, this being the responsibility of the constituent Clubs, any other honoraria or gifts.
    8. If the accounts submitted show that the expenses of the BAC, as defined in 10.f, exceeded the income, derived as in 10.b, 10.c, 10.d and 10.e, the GCCF will reimburse the BAC for the full amount of the deficit. Any deficit incurred by the BAC in payment of any other expenses, such as those defined in 10.g, will not be reimbursed.
    9. If the accounts submitted show that the income of the BAC exceeded the expenditure, the BAC may decide to reduce the Club levy for the following year or to make partial repayment of the levy to the Constituent Clubs. If any such reduction or repayment results in, or contributes to, a deficit for the year, this portion of the deficit will not be reimbursed by the GCCF.
  6. MEETINGS
    1. A meeting of the BAC for electoral and other purposes shall be held not later than the end of June each year. At least one other full meeting shall be held each year and further meetings may be held as required.
    2. The dates, venues and agendas for all meetings, together with all paperwork relating to agenda items (unless already circulated) will be circulated to the Officers and sufficient copies for the BAC representatives to the Secretary of each constituent Club at least 28 days but not more than 35 days prior to the meeting. The Club Secretaries must circulate these to their representatives and may also, if required by the Club Committee, circulate them to other members of the Committee.
    3. Paperwork received after the circulation date which is relevant to a candidate's application being considered at that meeting, may be circulated after that date or tabled at the meeting for the consideration.
    4. Sufficient copies for the BAC representatives of the Minutes of each meeting shall be sent to the Secretary or to a recipient nominated of each constituent Club, by the Club Secretary, within six weeks following the meeting. Where agreed, these copies may be sent electronically.
    5. The progress of Probationer Judges and Stewards, together with any matters relating to the performance of Full Judges, will be reviewed at each full meeting of the BAC. Applications for nomination as Probationer or Full Judges may be considered at any full meeting of the BAC.
    6. When a candidate has applied for appointment as a Probationer Judge or for promotion to Full Judge, those Judges who have assessed the candidate may be invited to attend the meeting at which the application is to be considered but, unless they are present as Club representatives, they shall have no vote.
    7. The BAC may invite other persons to attend BAC meetings at which their particular expertise is required but, unless they are present as Club representatives, they shall have no vote. No other person has any right to attend.
    8. A constituent Club may submit, in writing, to the BAC Secretary, matters relating to breeds catered for by the Club or to Judges on the BAC Breed List, to be included on meeting agendas. If a constituent Club is not present at a meeting, any item submitted solely by that Club may be deferred.
    9. All matters relating to nomination of Judges, Standards of Points, Registration Policies or applications for recognition or advancement of any breed shall require a ballot. Matters relating to the advancement of candidates shall require a paper ballot. Other matters may be decided by show of hands.
    10. The quorum for a meeting of a BAC or Joint BAC shall be as follows:
      1. In the case of a BAC with a single constituent Club, the quorum shall be the number that is required in the Club Rules for a Committee meeting of the Club.
      2. In the case of a BAC with two or more participating constituent Clubs, a minimum of six representatives must be present at the meeting AND these must represent at least two-thirds of the participating constituent Clubs
      3. In the case of a Joint BAC the minimum number of representatives for the joint meeting shall be six but each BAC within the Joint BAC requires two-thirds of its own participating Clubs to be represented in order to be quorate.
    11. If a BAC meeting is cancelled or abandoned for lack of a quorum or lack of an essential officer, a new date, which shall be within two months, shall be set for that meeting.
  7. CIRCULATION OF BAC DOCUMENTS
    1. Sufficient copies for the BAC representatives of all Application Forms, Stewarding Certificates, Show reports, Veterinary Assessment Forms, Probationer Judge Assessment Forms, a list of Tutorial notifications received and any relevant correspondence from candidates will be copied by the BAC Secretary to the Secretary of each constituent Club, or to a recipient nominated by the Club Secretary. Where agreed, these copies may be sent electronically.
    2. In order to reduce postage costs, these documents need not be sent as soon as they are received by the BAC Secretary. They should, however, be sent at intervals between meetings, depending on the number of documents received, and should not accumulate to be sent with the agenda for the next meeting.
    3. It is the responsibility of the Club Secretary or nominated recipient to ensure the Club Committee discuss these documents and to convey the views of the Committee to the BAC representatives.
    4. If no recent documents have been received and a Club Committee meeting is imminent, the Club Secretary should contact the BAC Secretary to request that any outstanding documents be sent in time for the meeting.
    5. Copies of their Stewarding Certificates, Veterinary Assessment Forms and Probationer Judge Assessment Forms will be sent to candidates who provide the BAC Secretary with stamped addressed envelopes or have agreed with the BAC Secretary to receive them electronically.
  8. TRAINING AND MONITORING SYSTEMS
    1. The BAC and its constituent Clubs will monitor the show reports, performance and development of Probationer Judges, including adherence to GCCF Rules and Code of Conduct for Judges, and provide advice and tuition throughout the probationary period.
    2. The BAC and its constituent Clubs will monitor the performance and development of Stewards within the GCCF and BAC Stewarding Schemes, including adherence to GCCF Rules, and provide Stewards with advice and training.
    3. The BAC should be aware of the performance of all Judges on its Breed List, or who may judge cats of the Breed List in side classes, and should notify them of any misunderstanding of Standards of Points or errors that may occur whilst judging any of the BAC's breeds.
    4. The BAC, with the support of constituent Clubs and, if desired, other BACs, will organise a minimum of one seminar every two years to offer training and practical demonstrations, to monitor the Stewards and Probationer Judges within the BAC scheme and to maintain contact and debate relevant matters with their Judges.
    5. NB. Seminars must conform to the same veterinary rules as GCCF shows with respect to health checks, rejections etc. Permission must be sought of the GCCF Office to hold a Seminar on a specific date. Permission for up to 25 cats may be granted automatically by the GCCF Office; greater numbers require the permission of the Executive Committee and therefore time should be allowed for such an application.
  9. CONSTITUENT CLUBS
    The constituent Clubs of the BAC (or of each BAC within the Joint BAC), together with the breeds for which they cater, are:

    Participating Clubs:
    Blue-Pointed Siamese Cat ClubBlue Point Siamese
    The Caramel and Apricot FederationCaramel and Apricot colours in breeds 24 & 32
    The Chocolate Pointed Siamese Cat ClubChocolate Point Siamese
    Lilac Point Siamese Cat SocietyLilac Point Siamese
    Midshires Siamese Cat Associationall colours of Siamese
    Northern Siamese Cat Societyall colours of Siamese
    The Red Point and Tortie Point Siamese Cat ClubRed, Cream, Apricot & all colours of Tortie Point Siamese
    Seal-Point Siamese Cat ClubSeal Point Siamese
    The Siamese Cat Associationall colours of Siamese
    The Siamese Cat Cluball colours of Siamese
    The Siamese Cat Society of the British Empireall colours of Siamese
    The Siamese Cat Society of Scotlandall colours of Siamese
    Tabby Point Siamese and Progressive Breeders Cat Cluball colours of Tabby Point Siamese and new colours
    Tabby Pointed Siamese Cat Societyall colours of Tabby Point Siamese
    The Trans-Pennine Oriental & Siamese Cat Cluball colours of Siamese