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KC’s
future is in members’ hands
IN AN attempt to increase the majority of the vote to the necessary
two-thirds for a rule change, at their AGM next Thursday, Kennel
Club members will be asked vote again on the principle of allowing
Associate Members of five year’s standing to apply for
membership of the Club without first having to be proposed and
seconded by existing Members.
Writing in this month’s Kennel Gazette Chairman Mr Ronnie
Irving made the following comments in a leading article:- ‘Members
of the Kennel Club at their AGM this month, will have an opportunity
to support the General Committee’s proposal to widen the
Club’s membership base.
‘What is that proposal? Simply put, it would allow Kennel
Club Associates of five year’s standing to apply for membership
of the Club without first having to be proposed and seconded
by existing Members. Such a move would end the Club’s ‘by
invitation only’ status, and it is that action which is
of such importance to the future role of the Club as a meaningful
institution in today’s world.
‘A similar proposal last year gained over 60% support but
did not achieve the two thirds majority required. Since then
I have written to
solicit the views of all Members, but particularly those who
voted against last time. Account has now been taken of the comments
made and these are reflected in this year’s proposition.
‘Members are also being sent a very full ‘Questions
& Answers’ document explaining the detail of the proposal
and the rationale behind it. In that document they have been
advised:-
“The General Committee is concerned that, to allow the
Kennel Club to become an important mouthpiece for canine affairs,
not only in Westminster and Whitehall, but increasingly in Europe
and further afield, the Club needs greater credibility. Currently
the Kennel Club simply cannot adequately demonstrate that it
has a sufficiently open membership to achieve that end. There
is also a concern that a number of worthy people may be being
overlooked.
It is regarded by the outside world as unfair that membership
is reserved to those few who are fortunate enough to be proposed
and seconded by exiting Members. One need only look at the problems
that have recently been faced by the Jockey Club to see the
eventual plight which faces a club which wants to retain its
position as a ‘ruling body’ but refused to open up
its membership to a wider base”.
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