The Scottish Kennel Club Executive 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’.

At the meeting of the council in Musselburgh in late November 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.

Since then the last reamaining staff member has resigned and will leave the club’s offices on Christmas Eve.

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.

Last Tuesday morning a Kennel Club spokesman commented:

‘A meeting was held last Wednesday, 10 December, between the Chairman, and the Chief Executive of the Kennel Club and the Convener of the Scottish Kennel Club. This was the third such meeting held within the last 18 months.

‘The content of the most recent meeting has not yet been communicated to th clubs' respective committees but a spokesman for the Kennel Club said, "We think that the outcome of the meeting was very positive and Robert Crawford, Convener of the SKC, will be reporting details to his Council on Wednesday, 17th. December.’

Meanwhile as some members talk of a Special General Meeting this week SKC members received notification of their renewal and membership status with no mention of the difficulties the club is facing in 2004.

The SKC’s Executive Council met on Wednesday December 17th. to formally approve officers for the ensuing year and to further discuss staff matters or their absence.