The Standing Orders can downloaded from here.
Preamble and Currency
The latest amendments and ratification of these Standing Orders of the Western Patrol Club Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “the Club”) appears in the Minutes of the General Meeting dated:- 25th June 2014.
1. Meetings and Speakers
1.1. Guests to Meetings shall be introduced to the meeting through the Chair.
1.2. Speakers when identified by the Chair will rise to address the meeting if physically able.
1.3. A speaker may speak only once to any motion or amendment, except that the mover of a motion shall have a final right of reply.
1.4. Speakers will be heard alternately for and against the motion.
1.5. Unless extended by a majority, maximum times for speakers may be limited to:
1.5.1. 5 minutes for the mover of a motion or special resolution
1.5.2. 3 minutes for subsequent speakers to a motion or special resolution
1.5.3. 20 minutes total time for a motion or special resolution.
1.6. All Correspondence In to be tabled at the general or committee meetings shall be received by the Secretary by 3.00 pm on the day of the meeting – not at the meeting.
1.7. The Minutes of the monthly Committee Meeting is to be available for perusal at the subsequent General Meeting. These minutes will not include any disciplinary actions/confidential discussions.
2. Attendance and Voting
2.1. All members and guests attending a meeting shall sign the Attendance Register.
2.2. Latecomers shall, in addition to signing, annotate on the register their time of arrival.
2.3. Only full financial members in good standing shall be permitted to vote.
2.4. Proxy votes shall only be recognised and accepted by the Secretary at the meeting if they are;
2.4.1. On the approved Form completed in the original by the hand of the member and delivered on his behalf by another.
2.4.2. On the approved Form submitted via Email from the members registered Email address.
2.4.3. On the approved Form submitted by Facsimile.
2.4.4. On the approved Form forwarded to the registered mailing address of the Club.
2.5. Proxy forms that are incomplete or illegible will not be recognised.
2.6. Full Members who have signed a proxy form but who subsequently attend a meeting will vote in person after signing the attendance register and any proxy form in their name shall be void at that time.
2.7. Constitutionally, voting shall normally take place by “show of hands” however on request of the Mover and/or if deemed appropriate by the Chair, contentious or sensitive issues may, from time to time, be decided by “secret ballot”. In the event of a secret ballot being necessary;
2.7.1. Three members of the Committee present at the time of the debate shall be named to form a panel of scrutineers to oversee the voting process.
2.7.2. The Chair must be vacated if that person is required to act as a scrutineer.
2.7.3. Any vote deemed illegible, ambiguous or in some way unacceptable by at least two members of the Panel shall not be counted.
2.7.4. The ballots shall be tallied by the three members of the Panel and the total numbers For and Against communicated to the Chair/Acting Chair who shall announce the result.
3. Fees and Membership
3.1. Persons seeking to join the Club shall pay a Membership Fee.
3.1.1. The Membership fee to be set by the Committee from time to time will cover Insurances, administrative costs and an appropriate joining pack presented on acceptance as a Full member. The Membership fee shall not be effective until receipted by the Treasurer or his representative into the Club Funds.
3.1.2. The Membership fee shall be refunded less any insurance component expended if the application to join is declined.
3.1.3. The Membership fee from any application to join the Club received between 01 January and 01 May in any calendar year shall, if the applicant is subsequently successful, be reduced by one third of the fee applicable at that time, rounded to the nearest ten (10) dollars.
3.1.4. The Membership fee from any application to join the Club received after 01 May in any calendar year shall, if the applicant is subsequently successful, be deemed to include the Membership Renewal Fee for the next Club financial year.
3.1.5. Any person seeking to join the Club shall either;
3.1.5.1. submit to the Committee for consideration a Membership Application proposed and seconded by two (2) full financial members of the Club; or
3.1.5.2. in the absence of a Proposer and Seconder shall submit to the Committee for consideration a Membership Application and attempt to attend two (2) General Meetings and participate in two (2) Club events or combination thereof within a reasonable timeframe.
3.1.6. The Committee recognises that Western Australia has geographically diverse population centres and significant employment in very remote sites that may impact on some individuals enjoying the full benefits of membership. Notwithstanding Order 3.1.4. the Committee may, on written application and solely at its discretion, from time to time take into account individual extenuating circumstances in regard to place of residence or employment in deciding if an apportioned Membership Fee or participation requirement is appropriate.
3.2. Full members shall pay an annual Membership Renewal Fee. It is the intent to keep the Club membership fee as affordable as possible. To this end the Membership Renewal fees set from time to time will primarily consist of the necessary administrative levies, insurances and fixed costs for venues etc required by the Club to function as a Body Corporate. The majority of these costs are of a fixed annual nature regardless of length of tenure of membership and non-refundable, therefore;
3.2.1. The amount of the membership renewal fees including that for any member/s recognised in clause 3.1.5 for the upcoming Club financial year shall be set by the Committee from time to time and tabled at the May General Meeting for dissemination to Members.
3.2.2. The membership renewal fee once set shall be due and payable in full prior to the 30th of
June each year by anyone wishing to renew his or her membership for a subsequent Club financial year.
3.2.3. Any full member who resigns from the Club by their own hand shall not be entitled to a refund of any membership fees paid.
3.2.4. Any full member who is removed from the Club Membership register in order for the Club to comply with any State or Federal legislation that may be in effect from time to time shall not be entitled to a refund of any membership fees paid.
3.2.5. Any Full Member having their membership cancelled via general meeting being either a committee meeting or general meeting of all members due to inappropriate behaviour or an activity not in the best interest to furthering the Objectives of the Club shall not be entitled to a refund of any membership fees paid.
3.3. Any member who has not paid the appropriate membership renewal fees in full as of 01 July of each year shall be deemed un-financial and shall not be entitled to vote at Club meetings.
3.4. Due to insurance liabilities, un-financial members shall not participate in any Club functions or trips without Committee approval.
3.5. Any member who remains un-financial as of 1st October and who has not provided a reason in writing to the Committee shall be removed from the Club membership records.
4. Service of Notices
4.1. Notices of special import and/or of a confidential nature sent to members by the Club shall be deemed to have been delivered if, in order of preference, the Notice is;
4.1.1. Delivered via Australia Post to the last known postal address of the member as recorded in the Club Membership Register and a copy entered into the Correspondence Out file.
4.1.2. Where no postal address is known, sent to the last known Email address of the member as recorded in the Club Membership Register and a copy entered into the Correspondence Out file.
4.1.3. Where neither of the above is known, the Member will be sent via any or all of the following methods a request to contact the Club Secretary within 7 days;
4.1.3.1. Personal Message to their Club Forum user name.
4.1.3.2. Any known Facsimile for the member.
4.1.3.3. Any known Telephone or Voice Mailbox of the member.
4.2. After a minimum of 7 days from the date of any correspondence sent in accordance with clause 4.1.1.and 4.1.2. or 7 days of any message sent in accordance with clause 4.1.3. should there still be no reply from the Member then the Club and it’s Officers shall be released from any further obligation to establish contact with the Member and may then resolve to act on any outstanding matters in the best interest of the Club.
4.3. Members are to note that the Club operates a website and does not intend to publish or distribute a Newsletter. For all intents and purposes other than a Meeting or Resolution requiring written notification under the Constitution in accordance with Order 4.1, Members will be deemed to have been given adequate notice of day to day Club activity when details of the activity are both noted into the minutes of a duly convened General Meeting and posted on the Club website.
4.4. Notices required to be exhibited in the public domain in order to comply with any State or Federal legislation that may be in effect from time to time shall be entered into the Public Notices of the West Australian newspaper.
5. Patron, Life Membership and Exemplary Conduct
5.1. The Club may choose to appoint a Patron from time to time if desired by the majority of members at a Special Resolution.
5.2. Life Membership shall be bestowed only after a careful and deliberative nomination process and nominations must address the following criteria;
5.2.1. The nominee must have been a member of the Club for a minimum of 10 years and rendered significant service in whatever manner to the Club over that time.
5.2.2. The nomination must be in writing, briefly outlining the reasons for nomination and signed by 7 Full Members.
5.2.3. Any and all nominations are to be kept confidential during the nomination assessment period.
5.2.4. Nominations for consideration are to be delivered to the President or, if the President is a nominee, the Secretary by 1st May of each year.
5.2.5. A maximum of 3 members shall be selected by the Committee to be accorded the honour of Life Membership at the Club Annual General Meeting of any given year.
5.2.6. The President (unless they themselves are nominated) shall form a quorum of Committee members to confidentially consider and approve any nominations received or where more than 3 are received, choose the individuals deemed most worthy for that year.
5.3. The Committee may from time to time choose to recognise a Club Member who provides a meaningful ongoing contribution to the Club or is involved in a notable event or circumstance promoting the image of the Club in the public arena. This recognition will be in the form of a small Memento and/or appropriate Letter or Certificate.
6. Trips, Training and Official Functions
6.1. All proposed Club Trips must be sanctioned by the Club Trip Sub-Committee and presented to the Club Committee by the Trip Co-Ordinator for approval prior to commencement.
6.2. The official Club Logo, Letterhead, Colours and Name may only be used with the prior approval of the Committee or as part of memorabilia provided thru the Club.
6.3. The Club Trip Committee shall comprise of 3 standing members, namely;
6.3.1. The duly elected Club Trip Co-ordinator who shall act as Chairman and report to the Committee and General Meetings.
6.3.2. Two additional Full Members of the Club appointed from nominees sought from amongst the Club members.
6.3.3. A maximum of two more Full Members of the Club may be seconded as required without need for nomination for logistically complex Trips or specific Events hosted by the Club. These appointments to cease upon administrative finalisation of the Trip or Event.
6.4. All Trips or Events are to have a suitably qualified or experienced person or persons nominated to act either individually or in a combination of the following roles;
6.4.1. Trip Leader or Event Co-ordinator
6.4.2. Recovery Officer
6.4.3. First Aid Officer
6.4.4. When the numbers involved or logistics of a Trip or Event are of such magnitude to require further assistance, the person appointed to any these roles has the discretion to choose an assistant Officer subject to Committee approval.
6.4.5. Members, Participants and Guests of the Club are expected to provide full support to a person or persons acting in these roles by complying with any safe and reasonable requests or directions given in good faith by an Officer appointed under clause 6.4.
6.5. All Trip Fees, Deposits, Bookings or other monies collected to facilitate a Trip or Event shall be receipted in a book for that purpose, deposited into the Club bank account as soon as practicable for safe-keeping and reconciled with the Treasurer as and when deemed necessary by him.