Our Constitution

Constitution of the
West Pittwater Community Association

(Adopted 13 March 2016)

WPCA Constitution-2016 (74 KB)


THE ASSOCIATION

1. The name of the Association shall be West Pittwater Community Association.

2. The address of the Association shall be care of the Secretary P.O. Box 289 Church Point NSW 2105

3. The objects of the Association shall be:

a) To secure for the community of West Pittwater the establishment and maintenance of all essential facilities relevant to public health and safety including public wharves and reserves, and the protection of private and public property.
b) To encourage and promote civic pride and interest in community affairs and to encourage and promote social intercourse and goodwill amongst the residents and between them and those of adjacent districts and visitors to the area.
c) To protect local fauna and flora and local piscatorial life and generally to preserve West Pittwater and its environs.
d) To co-operate with any body whose aims and objects are similar to those of this Association.
e) To enhance the Western Shores of Pittwater and related regions as shall from time to time be agreed upon by a majority of members, as determined by properly constituted meetings of the Association by those present and voting.
f) To do such lawful things as may be incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects.

4. The West Pittwater Community Association district shall cover and include the whole of the public and private lands and settled area of the western shores of Pittwater, from McCarr’s Creek to Towler’s Bay inclusive, but excluding the eastern shores of McCarr’s Creek; also the immediate hinterland of these areas, with the exception noted.

MEMBERSHIP
5. Membership of the Association shall be open to all residents over the age of eighteen years, and residents shall be defined as:

a) Permanent residents and landowners;
b) Regular week-enders;
c) Owners of residences and week-end cottages.

6. Each member pledges to resign from the Association and/or leave a meeting if directed so to do by a majority vote of financial members present and voting at such meeting. A member who has been directed to resign may apply formally in writing for re-admittance after a period of two days, and the re-admittance of such member shall be considered by members at the next General Meeting.

7. Members shall pay an annual Individual or Co-resident subscription, which shall be such amounts as shall be determined from time to time by majority vote at the Annual General Meeting, and such subscription shall be paid within that year for the current year.

OFFICERS
8. Officers of the Association shall act in an honorary capacity and shall comprise the following:

President, 2 Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Minutes Clerk, Committee Members and such others as may be determined in General Meeting by those present and voting.

THE COMMITTEE
9. The business of the Association shall be managed by a Committee to which shall be delegated all such powers as may be held by the Association except those relating to the alteration or modification of the Constitution and to the election of officers.

10. The Committee, of which the President, Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer shall be ex-officio members, shall consist of not more than twelve (12) and not less than seven (7) members, unless and until determined by the Association in General Meeting.

11. All the members of the Committee shall be members of the Association elected annually by the Association, except that the Committee may co- opt not more than two (2) persons. Any member co-opted to serve on the Committee shall do so only until the next General Meeting.

12. a) Committee Meetings shall be held at least quarterly.

b) A quorum for Committee Meetings shall consist of at least half of the Members of the Committee.

13. A Committee vacancy will be deemed to exist if an elected member fails to attend four (4) consecutive Committee Meetings except that leave of absence may be granted by the Committee, or resigns, or is unable to continue.

14. a) Notification of Committee Meetings shall be given by the Secretary at the earliest possible time to all members of the committee.

b) The business of the Committee Meeting shall be:

i) To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting;
ii) To receive the Treasurer’s financial statement and to review correspondence;
iii) To transact matters arising from the minutes, and consider committee member reports;
iv) To transact such other business as is related to the objects of the Association, of which notice in writing has been given to the Secretary at least five days before the holding of such meeting, or of which the chairman gives leave to add to the agenda

GENERAL MEETINGS
15. a) An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held at a date between the period of February 1st and March 31st. Formal notification of this meeting shall be provided by the Secretary at the earliest possible time to all members and, in any case, not less than fourteen (14) days before the meeting is due to be held. The failure of any member to receive any notice shall not invalidate any meeting or business transacted thereat. b)The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

i) To receive the President’s report and Treasurer’s financial statement;
ii) To elect the officers of the Association for the ensuing year;
iii) To transact such other business as is related to the aims of the Association, and of which notice in writing shall be given to the Secretary within five days of the holding of such meeting.

16. A General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary on the application in writing of not less than ten (10) financial members.

17. Subject to clause 16 hereof, General Meetings of the Association shall be held at such times and places as the Committee may from time to time determine, and the notice in writing of such General Meeting shall be given to each financial member at least seven days before the date fixed for such General Meeting. A quorum for a General Meeting shall be fifteen (15) members.

18. Each subscription shall have one vote entitlement. Members must be financial and present to vote at a meeting. Voting by proxy or post shall not be allowed. The chairman at all meetings shall have a deliberative vote, and, in the event of the voting being equal, shall also have a casting vote.

19. Voting at General Meetings shall be taken on the voices or by a show of hands; or, on the motion, shall be conducted by secret ballot.

TREASURER AND FINANCE
20. a) The Honorary Treasurer shall keep true accounts of the income and expenditure of the association and shall submit to each Annual General Meeting a statement of the income and expenditure for the year ended 31st December immediately preceding together with a list of accounts to be paid and a statement of the finances of the Association.

b) The funds of the Association shall be banked in the name of the Association with any two of the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary authorised to operate thereon.

DISSOLUTION
21. If at any meeting of the Association a resolution for the dissolution of the Association shall be passed by a majority of two-thirds of the members present, and such a resolution, at a special meeting held not less than one month thereafter, (and of which seven days previous notice in writing shall be given to all financial members) be confirmed by a resolution passed by a majority of two-thirds of the financial members present and voting thereon, the Association shall be dissolved. In the event of the winding-up or dissolution of the Association, any funds or property remaining after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Association but shall be given to or transferred to some other organisation or association having objects similar to the objects of this Association and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property to an extent at least as great as is imposed by this Association.

AMMENDMENT
22.This Constitution may be altered (or added to) at any General Meeting of the Association provided that notice of the proposed alteration or addition shall have been given at the immediately preceding General Meeting and such notice of alteration or addition has been recorded in the minutes. Such alterations shall require the approval of a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.

WPCA Constitution-2016 (74 KB)