BACKGROUND
A Probus Club is governed by a constitution which includes the Articles of Accreditation (Articles) which are consistent across all Probus Clubs. The Articles are adopted by each Club on formation. Clubs that become incorporated on or after formation must include the Articles, which are shown in bold and italic typeface, in their Club’s constitution, which is registered in Queensland with the Office of Fair Trading.
In addition to a constitution, Clubs are required to adopt Standing Resolutions which regulate their internal affairs in accordance with the wishes of their membership. Standing Resolutions are designed to complement the Club’s constitution and should not be inconsistent with a Club’s constitution. A Club’s constitution will prevail in the event of any such inconsistency.
Once members have agreed to the Standing Resolutions to be adopted by the Club, these should be maintained in one document that includes the date of adoption of each resolution.
STANDING RESOLUTIONS
- (a) The Club will be managed by a Management Committee (“Committee”) comprising a President, one or more Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and sufficient other members of the Committee to be responsible for Guest Speakers, Membership, Club Newsletter and Publicity, Welfare, Activities (Visits and Entertainment, Tour Leader, Outings Officer) and such other activities as may be decided from time to time by the Club. (Constitution clause 7.(a)).
(b) The Committee is authorized to appoint a Probus Liaison Officer (with email access to allow communication with PSPL and PAQ) at the Annual General Meeting or the April Committee Meeting. The Probus Liaison Officer is not a sitting member of the Committee and is not entitled to vote in this position.
(c) The offices of President and Vice President should be held by female and male members alternately, all other positions being non gender specific.
- Nominations for election to the Committee will require a proposer and seconder from two Voting Members of the Club. (Constitution clause 8.(b)).
- Officers and Committee Members will be elected annually in accordance with the Standing Resolutions. The term of office of the President shall be one year, which may be extended to not more than two consecutive years if required due to special circumstances.
Other Officers and Committee Members may serve for not more than three successive years in any one office except as otherwise determined and recommended by the Committee to members for decision. (Constitution clause 8.(l)).
- (a) The Club will meet monthly at 10:00am on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, except for December, at St Colomb’s Centre, Clayfield. (Constitution clause 12.(a)).
(b) The Club may meet at another time, on another day, or at another venue by decision of the members.
- In relation to Committee meetings, at least 7 days’ notice must be given to Committee members. (Constitution clause 7.(j)).
- The annual subscription is $130.00, which will be confirmed at the Annual General Meeting; it is due and payable by members on 31 March each year.
The joining fee payable by new members, which will be reviewed at the Annual General Meeting, is $30.00. (Constitution clause 14.(a)).
- (a) The maximum number of Ordinary Members of the Club will be 80, which will be reviewed at the Annual General Meeting. (Constitution clause 5.(f)).
(b) The Committee will endeavour to maintain a gender balance of Club Members of not more than 65% of any one gender.
(c) Non-Active membership may be conferred upon a member who because of carer responsibilities, illness or physical disability has been granted leave of absence by the club. Such Non-Active Members will be granted leave of absence and non-financial membership will apply in these cases. There shall not be more than 5 Non-Active Members at any one time.
Details of current Non-Active Members will be recorded in the following format in Appendix IV, which will be updated as required:
.
Non-Active Membership has been granted to:Name……………………………………..Period of time ……………………………….
(May state time limit or unlimited)
- There will be no more than 3 Honorary Members at any one time. (Constitution clause 5.(f)). Details of current Honorary Members will be recorded in the following format in Appendix IV, which will be updated as required:
Honorary Membership has been granted to:
Name………………………………… Date: ……………………………………
9. There will be no more than 2 Life Members at any one time. (Constitution clause 5.(f)).
Details of current Life Members will be recorded in the following format in Appendix IV, which will be updated as required:
Life Membership has been granted to:
Name…………………………………… Date: ……………………………………
10. The Treasurer will submit financial reports to general meetings on a monthly basis to conform to the requirements of the Office of Fair Trading. (Constitution clause 10.(b)).
11. The current Secretary will act as the Public Officer. (Constitution clause 11).
12. These Standing Resolutions, excluding those articles related to the Annual General Meeting, may be amended at any General Meeting of this Club, a quorum being present, by the affirmative vote of not less than 75% of the members present and voting, or voting by proxy, notice of such proposed amendment(s) having been published to all members at least twenty-one (21) days before such meeting. (Constitution clause 25.(a)).
13. The Immediate Past President is an ex officio member of the Committee by virtue of his or her past service as President, without voting rights.
14. The Committee is authorised to appoint assistants to any of the positions on the Committee. Assistants are not sitting members of the Committee and are not entitled to vote. However, if an assistant is acting for a member of the Committee in his or her absence, then the assistant will have one vote.
15. The President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary are the authorised signatories on the Club’s bank account(s), including Electronic Funds Transfers, provided always that any two of these signatories authorise such transactions. No two signatories to any financial document or matter may be related.
16. The Committee will ensure that the Club’s annual financial statements will be certified, reviewed or audited if there is a legislative requirement to do so. In the absence of any legal requirement, financial statements will be reviewed by a person not involved in their preparation.
17. (a) Visitors may attend a maximum of 3 meetings of the Club. The Committee may extend this number on an individual basis in specific circumstances e.g. where there is a particular link to a club member such as spouse, partner, carer, widow or widower of deceased members.
(b) The Committee will at least annually account for the number of non-members regularly attending club meetings and/or activities outside the Club’s protocol for visitor attendance.
No count or fee applies for carers and financial members of other Probus Clubs.
The Committee will annually include a budget allocation for payment of non-member fees.
(c) The Treasurer is authorised to remit the annual membership fee payment, including nonmembers, to Probus South Pacific Ltd on behalf of the Club.
18. (a) Members are expected to attend 50% of the Club’s monthly meetings in any calendar year, subject to any leave of absence being granted by the Committee.
(b) The Club will establish a protocol for receiving and recording genuine apologies. Such apologies must be received by a member of the Committee prior to the commencement of the general or annual general meeting by a method accepted and approved by the membership. Members leaving club meetings or activities early must advise a member of the Committee of their departure.
19. The Committee may grant a member leave of absence for a specified period on such conditions as it considers appropriate.
20. The Club will adopt an Expression of Interest protocol as follows:
(a) an expression of interest to join the Club will be recorded by the Membership Officer on a waiting list, by date and gender.
(b) the maximum number of persons on the waiting list will be 5.
(c) when appropriate a membership application form will be offered to a person on the waiting list, only after approval for the issue is given by a majority of the Management Committee. Such application must be sponsored by two current members of the club.
(d) a membership application form will only be offered to a person on the waiting list when a vacancy becomes available.
(e) monies will only be received or accepted from a person on the waiting list when an application for membership has been approved by the Committee.
(f) persons on the waiting list may attend Club meetings and/or activities in accordance with the Club’s protocol for visitors. (see Standing Resolution 17.).
21. (a) The Club will adopt a Privacy Policy that outlines how it will collect, hold, use and disclose members’ personal information. (See Appendix I) (Refer to the Probus Club Handbook for further information).
(b) The Committee will provide Probus South Pacific Ltd at least annually the list of Club members’ names.
22. The Club will operate under a Tours and Refund Policy. (See Appendix II)
23. The Club will operate under a Risk Management Policy. (See Appendix III)
24. The Committee must notify PSPL of changes to the Club’s membership as soon as practicable. In the case of new members, any pro rata capitation fees will be paid to PSPL at the earliest opportunity.
Standing Resolutions numbered 1 to 24 above adopted at General Meeting held on .../.../…
…………………………………. ………………………………………..
President ..../…../…… Secretary …./…./..….
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