The SKC’s Executive Council, which meets next Wednesday December 17th. to formally approve officers for the ensuing year, will also learn that the member of staff who was to remain at its Musselburgh office will leave on Christmas Eve.

The council remains deeply divided over the resignation of its Secretary General Mr Allan sim and his wife Anna Fox after 26 and 23 years working for the club.

Their resignations came about and were accepted with regret after the receipt of an e-mail, from several council members, at the SKC office which criticised staff members’ attitude and accused them of being unhelpful This has now prompted four other staff to leave the SKC office and seek other jobs.

At the meeting of the council in Musselburgh on Novmeber 26th. the question of ‘staff matters’ exercised the members present for some time with heated discussion at the way the whole matter had been handled or mishandled.

‘Only after a close vote on the principle of whether to move on to the rest of the agenda was any progress made’, said one council member.

A last attempt was made to ask Allan Sim and Anna Fox to stay on to ensure a smooth transition into the new year but this failed after a meeting between convener Robert Crawford and one of the SKC Vice Presidents Mr Iain Butchart.

After the meeting OUR DOGS learned that a ‘formal apology’ to the staff at the SKC office was being considered and though this was unconfirmed it now seems too late to prevent the departure of the last remaining staff member..

Involvement

The SKC is now advertising for an ‘Office Manager/Secretary’ at a salary of £16,000 to £20,000. The advertisement makes no mention of involvement in the running of the SKC’s two championship shows. The same advert also seeks ‘Customer Advisors’ at salaries of £12,000 to £16,000.

OUR DOGS understands that this, too, has caused concern among the council and the wording, job descriptions and titles had not been formally agreed.

The Kennel Club confirmed last week that a meeting between the SKC convener and senior Kennel Club staff was planned on Wednesday of this week.

We hope to have a statement from the SKC in time for next week’s issue of OUR DOGS.