Beltana Progress Association Roles and Responsibilities

The Responsibilities of the committee fall into two categories:

• those of the committee acting as a group

• those held by its members as individuals.

Duty of care diligence and risk management

While discharging duty of care and diligence a committee member or officer should:

• be prepared for meetings, reading any papers and the financial statements;

• broadly understand the financial position of the association;

• follow up on action items;

• keep informed about the association’s operations and activities;

• ask questions; and

• take steps to ensure that the association meets its obligations under other laws. For example occupational health and safety, taxation and employment.

• that accounts are kept of the transactions, financial position and performance of the association; and

• the association’s solvency status is monitored on an ongoing basis.

These duties set the basic standards of acceptable conduct. A breach of a duty is a rare event and is usually accompanied by a significant degree of deliberate wrong doing or gross negligence.

Duty offences under the Act require deliberate misconduct and are only applicable in the case of serious and wilful abuse of the officer’s position.

If a committee member or officer makes a business judgement in good faith for a proper purpose they will not be liable for an offence even if the outcome for the association is not ideal.

In the event of a problem, dispute or legal challenge committee members cannot claim they 'did not know' about the rules and activities of the association.

Incorporated associations have a duty of care to ensure the activities of the association do not cause harm, damage or injury to any participant or recipient of its services, or any other person who is reasonably likely to be affected. If an injury is a foreseeable result of the association failing to exercise reasonable care in providing these services, then the association will be liable for any loss or damage suffered. Management committees need to ensure the standard of care provided by their association is reasonable in order to minimise the risk of liability. The committee should identify and evaluate the risks for all activities. In situations where there is a likelihood of harm or a greater risk of harm, a higher degree of care is required

Responsibilities of the committee acting as a group

The role of the committee is to manage the association in accordance with the constitution. In undertaking this role, the committee must ensure the association complies with:

• obligations under the Act

• rules and any legislation and funding agreements or other contracts;

• legal responsibilities to provide a safe working environment and to members, volunteers and people who may use the association’s services;

• the need for adequate insurance cover;

• specific financial responsibilities include making sure that:

  • there is compliance with requirements under the Act in relation to financial accounting and reporting to members;

  • the association can pay all its expenses;

  • the conditions of any funding agreement are followed;

  • the accounts are audited or reviewed if required by the association’s law, the members, rules or funding agreements; and

  • good risk management procedures are in place.

• The committee must give a project manager support and authority to successfully manage association projects

Responsibilities of Individual Committee Members

Association committee members owe the same duties to association members as company directors owe to members of a company.

When committee members exercise their powers and responsibilities to act on behalf of the association, they must:

• exercise their powers with due care and diligence;

• ensure that any business decisions are made in good faith and in the best interests of the association;

• act in good faith and in the best interests of the association;

• not make improper use of information or their position for personal profit;

• avoid any conflicts of interest;

• exercise powers in accordance with the constitution; and

• not allow the association to incur a debt when the association is insolvent or there are reasonable grounds to believe that by incurring the debt the association will become insolvent.

Complying with the rules

The management committee is responsible for implementing the association’s rules and ensuring that it meets its obligations under the Act. Committee members must comply with and act within the rules at all times. All committee members should read the constitution on the website.

Conflicts of interest

Committee members must not put themselves in a position where there is a conflict between their duties and responsibilities to the association and their pecuniary interests.

Pecuniary conflicts of interest will be recorded on a conflict of interest register and there will be a standing agenda item on Conflicts of Pecuniary interest.

The Act requires members of the committee to disclose any material pecuniary interest they may have in any contract, or proposed contract, entered into or being considered by the committee. The interest may be financial or non-financial.

In a small, volunteer run association, it can seem difficult to manage these obligations while providing effective management, but members are entitled to expect that committee decisions will reflect the interests of the association rather than the pecuniary interests of its committee members.

It must be remembered that not all pecuniary interests are ‘material’ in the context of the decision being made and common sense should apply. .Failure to declare apecuniary interest as soon as possible is a criminal offence and could result in a fine if convicted.

If a committee member declares a pecuniary interest in a contract or proposed contract, the Act requires that:

1. the disclosure must be recorded in the minutes of the meeting;

2. the committee member with the conflict of pecuniary interest must not discuss or vote on the contract; and

3. the committee member with the conflict of pecuniary interest must leave the meeting while the matter is being considered. If there are not enough members remaining to form a quorum, a special general meeting must be called and a resolution on the matter passed by the members.

In addition to the above, the member with the conflict of pecuniary interest must also disclose the nature and extent of their interest in the matter at the next general meeting of the association.

Roles of particular office bearers

President

The President is usually the public 'voice' of the association and is responsible for the overall coordination of the activities of the association.

The President is responsible for:

• chairing meetings;

• signing documents on behalf of the association;

• ensuring all relevant information is made available to committee members;

• ensuring the association is run according to its constitution and any other strategic plan that has been agreed to;

• initiating projects in the strategic plan as agreed in the annual review;

• assisting in developing project budgets

• overseeing activities and projects; and

• representing the association at external meetings and events

• Dealing with complaints from the membership in collaboration with the committee

• Make payments on behalf of the association as required.

In the chairperson’s absence the any other committee member can represent the association and preside over meetings.

Treasurer

The treasurer is responsible for managing the finances of the association. This involves:

• maintaining all financial records;

• monitoring the income and expenditure of the association;

• keeping committee members informed of the financial position of the association;

• preparing and presenting financial statements to the Annual General Meeting

• allocating funds;

• signing documents on behalf of the association;

• assisting with and developing budgets for new projects;

• making payments and bank deposits;

• preparing and managing the budget;

• representing the association on funding applications; and

• maintaining custody of all securities, books and documents of a financial nature.

Secretary

The secretary is responsible for day-to-day administrative tasks which include:

• maintaining the register of members;

• arranging meetings;

• assisting the chairperson to prepare the agenda;

• sending out notices for meetings;

• keeping minutes and records, circulating minutes to members ;

• attending to correspondence;

• making sure all letters and other documents are properly filed;

• in collaboration with the committee organising activities and events;

• assisting with and developing budgets for new projects;

• representing the association on funding applications; and signing documents on behalf of the association

• maintaining custody of all books, documents, records and registers of the association.

• Liaise with like organisations on association business

• Initiating and managing contracts in collaboration with the project manager in the interests of the association

• Make payments and deposits on behalf of the association as required

• Liaise with the OCA

Code of conduct

Beltana Progress Association Members

The code of conduct defines the expectations about the behaviour of people involved in the association’s activities.

Members of the association should:

• Act honestly, with integrity, in good faith and in the best interests of association

• Be open and transparent in their role on Committees.

• Fulfil their responsibilities with integrity and within the Constitution.

• Conduct themselves in a manner which promotes confidence from the membership and enhances the associations reputation with the public in its deliberations.

• Behave in a manner that does not obstruct the association's pursuit and fulfilment of its objectives

• Attend meetings regularly and actively participate

• Conduct the business of association in an ethical manner.

• Treat individuals with dignity and respect and listen to their points of view.

• Not speak on behalf of the association unless they have authority to do so.

• Support in public decisions where a majority decision stands.

• Address any grievance by contacting the President in an appropriate manner.

• Recognise in principle meeting room confidentiality.

• Exercise reasonable care in all matters under consideration.

• Serve loyally, without self-interest and free from conflicts of interest.

• Give recognition to others who contribute to the success of the organisation and its activities.

• Keep informed about developments and issues relevant to the operation of the association.

• Understand financial reports and other financial material and actively make enquiries

• Contribute to the development and promote the strategic direction of the Association

• Be responsible for both tangible and intangible assets of association and ensure appropriate risk controls are in place.

Beltana Progress Association – Grant and Project initiation procedures

Association members

• Generate ,discuss and modify ideas for projects and events biennially at the time of the biennial Strategic Plan review and at Association meetings

• Annually review projects at the time of the CARM review and prioritise projects for that financial year and the related budgets

• Provide support, expertise and skills where appropriate

The Committee

• Nominates a project manager and discusses project scope with the project managerIdentifies relevant grant opportunities

• Identifies local/member expertise and skills and communicates with the project manager

• Confirms grant submissions via email

• Monitors progress on projects in collaboration with the project manager

• Reports progress to all members via the notes on meetings

• Develops a preferred supplier list

The Secretary

• Identifies grant opportunities to match projects in strategic plan

• Proposes the submissions including getting written quotes for items as required

• Notifies Committee by phone and email and committee confirms approach via return email

• Acquits grants in partnership with the Treasurer and nominated Project Manager and reports same at Progress meetings

The Treasurer

• Confers with the Project Manager re financial aspects of the submission

• Confirms any co contribution from the association

• Manages the deposits and withdrawals

• Collaborates with the Project Manager and Secretary to acquit the grant

• Maximises the investment when project budgets are paid in advance

Project Manager

A project manager is a person who has the overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of a project.

The project manager must have a combination of skills including an ability to ask penetrating questions, detect unstated assumptions and resolve conflicts, as well as more general management skills.

Key among a project manager's duties is the recognition that risk directly impacts the likelihood of success and that this risk must be both formally and informally measured throughout the lifetime of a project.

Risks arise from uncertainty, and the successful project manager is the one who focuses on this as their primary concern. Most of the issues that impact a project result in one way or another from risk.

A project manager is a person who is responsible for making decisions, both large and small. The project manager should make sure they control risk and minimise uncertainty. Every decision the project manager makes must directly benefit their project.

Roles and Responsibilities

The role of the project manager encompasses many activities including:

• Planning and Defining Scope in collaboration with the committee

• Activity Planning and Sequencing

• Resource Planning

• Developing Schedules

• Time Estimating

• Cost Estimating including considering available local/member expertise

• Developing and managing a Budget in collaboration with the Secretary and Treasurer

• Documentation including permissions and clearances

• Managing Risks and Issues and reporting to the committee on issues that affect the projects objectives

• Monitoring and Reporting Progress to the committee

• Team Leadership

• Working with Vendors

• Controlling Quality

• Benefits Realisation Collaborates with the Treasurer and Secretary to acquit the grant