This page is redundant as we are now a Trust, and are therefore subject to the Trust deed. It is retained here FYI, in case you want to know a bit of history.
Stray Cats New Zealand Incorporated
Constitution
The Organisation shall be called Stray Cats New Zealand Incorporated.
The registered office shall be the address of the Chairman, or the official office of the Organisation.
The objects of the organisation shall be:
To benefit communities experiencing problems with stray and abandoned cats and kittens
To educate the public and heighten public awareness of:
the suffering endured by stray and abandoned cats and kittens through starvation, sickness, and stress
the impact of stray cat colonies on community health and the natural environment
the benefits of reducing the stray cat population with the ultimate object of “no more strays”
the humane treatment of cats and best practice for their care
the advantages of spaying female cats and neutering male cats at eight weeks of age
To purchase land for the construction of Cat Rescue Centres
To design and build one or more Cat Rescue Centres
To operate purpose-built Cat Rescue Centres for the benefit of stray and abandoned cats and kittens
To locate and remove stray and abandoned cats and kittens from locations where they are suffering, unwanted, or causing problems
To care for, rehabilitate, and re-home stray and abandoned cats and kittens that are in the Organisation’s care
To co-operate with other clubs, societies, and informal groups that have compatible objects
To do all such other lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the foregoing objects or any of them.
4. Aim and Policy
The aim of the Organisation is to achieve the goal of No More Strays.
The policy of the Organisation for all stray and abandoned cats and kittens is Trap Assess Resolve (TAR).
This Aim and Policy cannot be changed in any way.
5. Membership
Any person may apply to the secretary for membership and shall be eligible for membership of the Organisation. The application of each person will be formally approved by the Committee, provided that the Committee may reject an application for membership by anyone whose aims or objectives are inconsistent with the objects of the Organisation. Membership will be by payment of the annual subscription or by payment of a regular sum in excess of the annual subscription.
Life Membership will be available on a single payment of $1,000 or such higher sum as agreed by the Committee.
The liability of a member shall be limited to that member’s annual subscription.
6. Cessation of Membership
A member may leave the Organisation at any time by giving notice to the secretary in writing.
The Committee may at any time expel a member who contravenes the constitution of the Organisation.
7. Subscriptions
The financial year of the Association shall be from 1 July to 30 June.
The annual subscription is to be determined each year at the Annual General Meeting.
8. Officers of the Organisation
The Officers of the Organisation shall be the Committee.
Each Officer of the Organisation shall be a fully paid member of the Organisation. The Officers of the Organisation in whom shall be vested the management of the Organisation shall consist of:
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
Cat Rescue Centre Manager
IT Manager
Customer Services Manager
Foster Home Manager
Fundraising Manager
Marketing Manager
Administration Manager
Cat Rescue Manager
And any other Officer as agreed by the committee. At each Annual General Meeting of the Organisation the committee will be elected by the members and shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.
9. Committee Function
The Committee shall be charged with the full administration of the affairs and business of the Organisation.
The Committee shall meet at such times and places as may be determined by the Chairman in consultation with the Organisation's officers.
The secretary shall be required to keep all records, and these shall be available for inspection by the Committee at all times.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the control and investment of the funds of the Organisation. Full accounts will be maintained, all monies received deposited in the designated bank account, and all payments made promptly. Two signatures or authorisations shall be required on each payment or cheque, and these are to be two of the Organisation's Officers. Any surplus monies shall be invested in a bank deposit account or Term Deposit account with the Organisation’s bank.
The IT Manager shall have sole power and authority to change, add, or delete anything on the Organisation’s website with the prior approval of the Committee formally made at a Committee Meeting.
10. Committee Regulation
The Committee shall have power to appoint a member to fill any vacancy on the Committee until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.
The Committee shall have the power to co-opt further members as and when required.
Any fully paid up member has the right to attend a Committee meeting but does not have speaking or voting rights.
Any issues should be directed through the relevant Officer of the Organisation, who will then advise the Secretary to include the matter on the agenda.
Any Officer of the Organisation shall have the power to form a sub-committee to discuss and progress their portfolio. A formal report shall be sent to the Secretary to be presented to the Committee at the next meeting.
No Officer shall have the power to change any wording or pictures on the website without the prior approval of the Committee duly recorded at a Committee Meeting.
No Officer shall have the power to communicate any policies or procedures to any member of the Public by any electronic means, computer, or phone device without such policies and procedures being expressly approved by the Committee at a Committee Meeting.
No Officer or Committee Member will receive any financial payment whatsoever, other than reimbursement for authorised expenditure.
Any member of the Committee may tender their resignation in writing to the Secretary at any time.
If a Committee Member misses three consecutive Committee meetings their position will be reviewed by the Committee with a view to their dismissal from the Committee.
The quorum for any Committee meeting shall be five Committee members.
Minutes of each Committee meeting shall be kept by the Secretary and signed as a true and correct record by the Chairman at the next meeting.
11. Private Pecuniary Profit
No Officer, Committee Member, member, volunteer, or employee of the organisation shall make any private pecuniary profit from the organisation during its operation.
12. Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Organisation shall be held in the fourth quarter of the calendar year at such time and place as shall be determined by the Committee. Fourteen days notice of such meeting shall be given in writing by the Secretary to all members. A quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be a quarter of the fully paid membership.
The order of business for each Annual General Meeting shall be prepared by the Secretary.
The Annual General Meeting shall be held for the following purposes:
To receive a report from the Chairman on the activities of the Organisation for the year.
To receive an audited balance sheet and statement of accounts for the financial year.
To elect the Officers of the Organisation for the ensuing year.
To appoint an Honorary Auditor for the ensuing year.
To conduct any other business that concerns the Organisation.
The Chairman shall take the chair, or in the absence of the Chairman another Officer shall take the chair.
The mode of voting on all questions shall be by a show of hands of all fully paid members present. In the event of any dispute a secret ballot will be held the result of which will be binding.
13. Special General Meeting
A Special General Meeting may be called by 50% of the members so requesting the Secretary to do so to discuss a topic of concern. The procedures for such a meeting will be the same as those for an Annual General Meeting.
14. Alterations to the Rules
These rules may be added to, rescinded, varied or amended by resolution passed by a two-thirds majority at any Annual General Meeting of which fourteen days clear notice has been given with the exception of Rule 4 Aim and Policy.
15. Common Seal
The Committee shall provide and be responsible for the safe custody and control of the Common Seal of the Organisation.
Whenever the Common Seal of the Organisation is required to be affixed to any deed, document, or other instrument the said seal shall be affixed pursuant to a resolution of the Committee and in the presence of two committee members, one of whom shall be the Chairman. Both shall sign the instrument to which the seal is so affixed.
16. Borrowing Powers
The Organisation shall in addition to the other powers vested in it, have the power to borrow or raise money from time to time by the issue of debentures, bonds, mortgages or security founded or based on all or any of the rights of the Organisation or without any such security and upon such terms as to priority and otherwise as the Organisation shall think fit, but the powers of borrowing and raising money shall not be exercised except pursuant to a resolution of the Organisation passed at an Annual General Meeting.
17. Indemnity
The members of the committee and the officers of the Organisation and each and every one of them respectively shall be fully protected and indemnified to the extent of its funds by the Organisation against any loss or damage caused or liability incurred by any person or body by reason of or in connection with any act properly done or omitted in the performance of any of the official duties of the said members of the committee or officers of the Organisation to the intent that no personal liability of any kind shall attach to the said member of the committee or said officers of the Organisation either jointly or severally.
18. Liquidation
In the event of the winding up of the Organisation all the real and personal property of the Organisation shall, after the payment of all costs and liabilities, be paid to the any other official organisation for the care of stray and abandoned cats and kittens that come into its possession.
March 2019
