1. Name

The Association shall be called "The Council of Hunting Associations".

2. Objects

The objects of the Association shall be:-

1. To promote and protect the interests of those who hunt with dogs within the law.
   
2. To co-ordinate the hunting policies of the Hunting Associations.
   
3. To act as a central point of contact with the Countryside Alliance Hunting Committee.
   
4. To provide a central point of contact with the Independent Supervisory Authority for Hunting (ISAH).
   
5. To liaise on matters of hunting with appropriate other organisations involved in country sports and the countryside.
   
6. To maintain a watching brief over all issues involving hunting by dogs.
   
7. To encourage and oversee an active programme of "Hunting and the Community".

1. Powers

In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Members may exercise the following powers and discretions:-

1. To raise funds and invite and receive contributions.
   
2. To raise funds and invite and receive contributions for specific purposes within the objects of the Association and if the donor or donors so direct then to identify those specific funds for the purposes as declared by the said donors and to make such arrangements as are necessary for such specified funds to be separately identified, banked or invested for those purposes.
   
3. May use capital and income of the Fund for the provisions of loans, the provision of collateral security to other providers of loans and for the making of investments either in pursuance of the main object or to generate investment income.
   

 

4. To permit any such investments to be held in the name of any clearing bank, trust corporation or stockbroking company which is a member of a Stock

Exchange (or any subsidiary of such a stockbroking company) as nominee for the Members and to pay to such nominee all reasonable and proper remuneration for so acting.


5. May co-operate with any charity, voluntary body, statutory authority or other association in furtherance of the objects of the Association and to exchange information and advice with them.
   
6. To establish or support any association, limited company (whether limited by shares or guarantee) or institution formed within and for the objects or any of them.
   
7. To employ such staff including a Secretary/Treasurer as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects and to make all reasonable and necessary provision for the payment of salaries, pensions to such staff and their dependants.
   

1. Membership

(a) The Membership shall consist of full and affiliated members. The full

members are the Chairmen, or their appointed nominees, of the Hunting Associations as set out in the appendix. The affiliated members are those representatives of other organisations who are approved by the full members and who accept the Objects as set out in paragraph 2, and if so approved they shall have full voting rights in all Association matters.

(b) All members shall be considered as properly and legally constituted within their own rules, articles or memorandum of association.

(c) Any organisation which wishes to become a full or affiliated member of the Association must be proposed and seconded by individual full members.

(d) The Chairman shall be the Chairman of the Masters of Fox Hounds Association.

(e) Membership meetings shall be held at least quarterly and the quorum of that meeting shall be five at least three of whom must be full members. For these purposes meetings and quorums shall be satisfied by the use of telephone conference calls or other electronic means that allow for mutual debate.

(f) The Chairman shall have discretion to co-opt further members of the Membership if he considers it to be in the interests of the Association but such co-opted members shall not be voting members.

 

(g) The Secretary/Treasurer shall give not less than five days notice either in writing or orally of a meeting. Decisions shall be made by a simple majority and in the event of equality of votes the Chairman (or the acting Chairman of that meeting) shall have a casting or additional vote. The Secretary/Treasurer, or in his absence a member of the Membership shall take minutes.

(h) The Chairman may from time to time appoint sub-committees as he may consider necessary and may delegate to them such of the powers and duties of the Membership as they may determine. All sub-committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Membership and shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the Membership and/or the Chairman.

(i) The Membership shall be responsible for the management of the Association and shall have the sole right of appointing and determining the terms and conditions of service of employees of the Association. The Membership shall have power to enter into contracts for the purposes of the Association on behalf of all the members of the Association.


(j) The members shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the assets of the

Association for all expenses and other liabilities properly incurred by them in the management of the affairs of the Association.

2. Subscription

Subject as under the annual subscription for full and affiliated members shall be £10 and shall be due on joining the Association and thereafter on the 1^st day of January each year.

1. The annual subscription shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.
   
2. The annual subscription shall be due on joining the Association and thereafter on the 1^st day of January each year.

1. Registration

1. A member shall cease to be a member if they give written notice to the Secretary of their resignation.
   
2. A member whose subscription is more than three months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.

7. Expulsion

The Membership shall have power to expel any member when, in their opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Association for them to remain a member. A member shall not be expelled unless they are given 14 days written notice to attend a meeting of the Membership and written details of the complaint made against them. The member shall be given an opportunity to appear before the Membership to answer complaints made against them and not be expelled unless at least two thirds of the members then present vote in favour of their expulsion.

8. Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held each year not later than June 30^th to transact the following business:

1. to receive the Chairman’s report of the activities of the Association during the previous year;
   
2. to receive and consider the accounts of the Association for the previous year and the Auditor’s report on the accounts and the Treasurer’s report as to the financial position of the Association;
   
3. to remove and elect the Auditor or confirm that he remain in office;
   
4. to decide on any resolution which may be duly submitted to the Membership.

9. Special General Meeting

A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by the Membership and shall be called within 28 days of receipt by the Secretary/Treasurer of a requisition in writing signed by not less than three quarters of the members stating the purposes for which the meeting is required and the resolutions proposed.

10. Procedure at the Annual and Special General Meetings

1. The Secretary/Treasurer shall send to each member at their last known address written notice of the date of the General Meeting together with the resolutions to be proposed thereat at least 21 days before the meeting.
   
2. The quorum for the Annual and Special General Meetings shall be five at least three of whom shall be full members.
   
3. The Chairman, or in his absence a member selected by the Membership, shall take the chair. Each voting member present shall have one vote and resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a casting or additional vote.
   
4. The Secretary/Treasurer, or in his absence a member of the Membership, shall take minutes at Annual and Special Meetings.

11. Alteration of the Rules

The rules may be altered by resolution at an Annual or Special Meeting provided that the resolution is carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of voting members present at the General Meeting.

12. Finance

1. All moneys payable to the Association shall be received by the Secretary/ Treasurer and deposited in a bank account in the name of the Association. Withdrawals and signatories for that account shall be in accordance with Resolutions as passed from time to time by the Membership. Any moneys not required for immediate use may be invested as the Membership in their discretion think fit.
   
2. The income and property of the Association shall be applied only in furtherance of the objects of the Association and no part thereof shall be paid by way of bonus, dividend or profit to any members of the Association.
   
3. The Membership shall have power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any officer or member of the Association and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Association.
   
4. The financial transactions of the Association shall be recorded in such manner as the Membership think fit by the Secretary/Treasurer.

13. Borrowing

1. The Membership may borrow money on behalf of the Association for the purpose of the Association from time to time at their own discretion for the general upkeep of the Association or with the sanction of a General Meeting for any other expenditure, additions or improvements.
   
2. When so borrowing the Membership shall have power to raise in any way any sum or sums of money in such manner or on such terms and conditions as they think fit, and in particular by mortgage of or charge upon or by the issues of debentures charged upon all or any part of the property of the Association.
   
3. The Membership shall have no power to pledge the personal liability of any member of the Association for the repayment of any sums so borrowed.
   
4. The Membership may make such dispositions of the Association’s property or any part thereof, and enter into an execute such agreements and instruments in relation thereto as the Membership may deem proper for giving security for such monies and the interest payable thereon.

14. Dissolution

1. A resolution to dissolve the Association shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the voting members present.
   
2. The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the Membership shall be responsible for the winding up of assets and liabilities of the Association.
   
3. Any property remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Association shall be given to a charity or charities or any other organisation or organisations whose objects are for all practical purposes identical to or similar to the objects of the Association and as nominated by the Membership.

ADOPTED by way of Resolution at the first meeting of the Association held the

day of 2001

___________________________________

Secretary

Masters of Fox Hounds Association

Central Committee of Fell Packs

Federation of Welsh Packs

National Working Terrier Federation

Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles

Masters of Basset Hounds Association

National Coursing Club

Association of Lurcher Clubs

Whippet, Saluki and Deerhound Coursing Association.

Masters of Deer Hounds Association

Masters of Mink Hounds Association

Masters of Drag and Blood Hounds Association

Union of Country Sports Workers

Others as invited and approved