Governance
Bylaws
Forms
Deployment Patrol Hour Exemption Application
Reports
AGM Minutes - 2017/18 (Unratified)
Policies and Procedures
Procedure for Membership Exemptions
Photography
Sorrento SLSC has an arrangement for a photographer to be present at many of the Junior and other club activities. Some photographs are used to promote club activities and are posted on the club website and social media accounts maintained by the club and for some age groups. Many parents love to share photos of their nippers with family. The photographs are also available for purchase from the photographer’s website www.andrews.photo and any enquiries about this can be directed to the photographer.
Memberships
Cancellation Policy
- Cancellation requests may be made by phone, online, email or in person. Please note that all refunds will be processed in original form of payment.
- If you have any questions or concerns regarding our cancellation policy please contact the administrator at Sorrento SLSC
Refund Policy
- Refund requests made within 2 weeks of joining will be required to pay a $20 administrative fee.
- A 50% refund of membership fees will be refunded prior to the last day of December.
- There will be no refund from January onwards.
2023 Constitution Amendments
BACKGROUND
Our Club is an INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION. This offers the Club and members legal protections in several ways.
As an Incorporated Association the Club is required to comply with the ASSOCIATIONS INCORPORATION ACT 2015, administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs. The Act requires the Club to meet certain requirements and responsibilities which are mandated to be within our
Constitution.
A recent review of our Constitution by the Department of Consumer Affairs has highlighted some areas of our current Constitution that require amendment to comply with the Act.
Eight areas of review were identified by the Department of Consumer Affairs
• Name Inconsistency
• Committee Quorums and Procedures
• Payments to Committee Members and Members
• Annual and General Meeting Quorums and Procedures
• Control of Funds
• Intervals Between Annual General Meetings
• Access to Records
• Access to funds if Club Dissolved
Most of the above areas are included in our Bylaws, however the Act requires they be in our Constitution. Some items needed minor wording changes and others required new Paragraphs within the Constitution.
The Department of Consumer Affairs provide guidance on all matters relating to the Act. They give guidance on wording for various rules that comply with the Act. These are known as the MODEL RULES. Clubs can use them or modify them to suit their own requirements. When there is any
inconsistency between our Constitution and the Act, the Act states the appropriate Model Rule will prevail until the Constitution is amended to comply with the Act.
The Club’s Constitution Committee has been working with the Board to develop the necessary amendments for the Club to comply with the Act.
GUIDE TO AMENDMENTS
Name Inconsistency
The “Club name” was not consistently used in the existing Constitution. The Constitution has been amended to use the Club’s correct name “SORRENTO SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB (Inc)” throughout the Constitution.
Committee Quorums and Procedures.
The Act requires the Club to outline Quorums for Committees and Committee Meeting Procedures.
This required amendments to Para 5, removal of existing heading Para 6 “Standing Committees” and the incorporation of those listed committees under Para 5. The Committees have been amended to
identify Chairpersons, and their Deputy. Reference to Quorums has been removed and dealt with under Procedures. Minimum meetings have been included for all Committees.
New Para 6 “Committee Meeting Procedures” now included. These procedures are drawn from our
Bylaws and the Model Rules.
Payments to Committee Members and Members
The Act requires our Constitution to define any payments or Reimbursement to members or Committee Members. This has been addresses in Paras 8.4 and 8.5.
Annual and General Meeting Procedures
The Act requires the Club to outline Quorums and Procedures for Annual and General Meetings.
Para 7 of our Constitution has been amended to comply with the Act. Existing Para 7 has been updated and new Procedures included. Most of the procedures have been adopted from our Bylaws and the Model Rules.
Areas of note include.
• Updated notices and time frames
• Updated lodgement time frames
• Agenda items
• Special Resolutions – Voting and amendment restrictions on these Resolutions.
Control of Funds
The Act required the Club to make it clearer on how the Club’s funds are controlled.
Para 8 has been amended to comply with the Act. All reference to control of Funds within the existing Constitution has been grouped into this Paragraph.
Intervals Between Annual General Meetings.
The Act required the Club conducts its AGM within 6 months of its Financial year, which we do by stating it must be conducted in June. However, we did not specify what happens if we fail to hold it
within the six month time frame.
New Para 7.1(b) now states what is required, “application for extension to the Commissioner”.
Access to Records
The Act allows members access to Club Records, Documents and Registers and allows clubs to set some rules around their access. The Act also lists that there must be at least two Registers.
• Register of Members
• Register of Office Bearers
Based on existing Constitution Access and the Model Rules,
• Existing Para 2.2 “Register of Members” modified with last two Paragraphs relocated to Para 14• New Para 3.5 “Register of Office Bearers” included.
• New Para 14 “Access to Records” included. Defines rules on access to Records, Registers and Documents.
Access to Funds if Dissolved.
The Act requires the Club state what will happen to surplus funds if the Club is Dissolved.
Current Constitution states that the funds be given to SLSWA to be kept in Trust and to be used to promote Surf Life Saving at Sorrento. The issue is that SLSWA is not a trust and therefore cannot keep the funds in Trust. Para 15 removes the word TRUST and replaces with “to be used at its
discretion”.
Renumbering of Paragraphs
As a result of moved and new paragraphs, the Amended Constitution required extensive renumbering.
PROPOSED AMENDED CONSTITUTION
Please use the attached link to view and download the proposed AMENDED CONSTITUTION. You can view or download the EXISTING CONSTITUTION here for comparison.
To help follow the amendments please refer to the above Guide to Amendments and the following
Colour Coding
Yellow Highlight - Amendment to existing Wording or Numbering
Green Highlight - Relocated existing Paragraph
Light Blue Highlight - New Wording and or Paragraph
Grey Box - Simple Explanation or Guide
The Constitution Committee intends to hold Member Information Sessions to further explain or clarify the proposed amendments, to discuss member concerns and if necessary modify any of the
amendments. Dates and times for these updates will be notified to the members via Club Newsletters.
The Constitution Committee would welcome any comments, amendments and feedback from members before these Amendments are put at the next AGM.
Please direct all feedback to Club Administration Manager at jesshampton@sorrentoslsc.org.au
Ken Jenner
Karolien Belmont
Adam Duffy
Club Constitution Committee