Dear Member,
Re: PROPOSED NEW CONSTITUTION FOR LONG REEF GOLF CLUB
You would be aware that work has been undertaken over the past year on rewriting and modernising our Club’s constitution, sections of which were first written nearly 80 years ago.
The purpose of this letter is to advise members that drafting work has been completed, and to attach the proposed new Constitution which has been approved by your Board of Directors for circulation to Members to invite their comments and suggestions before we move to a vote on its introduction at a General Meeting of Members planned for 25 September 2017. Should the Members approve the proposed new Constitution it’s planned date of effect would be 1 January 2018, to allow time for consequent work to be completed on the Club’s By Laws.
Click here to see the Explanatory Notes for the proposed new Constitution which set out the general need for change along with explanations of the more specific changes as required.
Your Club’s Strategic Plan includes the undertaking of a comprehensive review of the current Constitution to seek ways of modernising it and making it more reflective of the nature and operations of our Club in the coming decade and beyond.
Following the completion of a discussion paper on this subject last year the Board formed the view that the current Constitution needed to be rewritten completely.
While the original intention was to review and amend where necessary the amount of duplication, redundant references to legislation and past practices, the disjointed use of a combination of numeric and upper and lower-case alpha numeric references as well as excessive detail and excessively long passages in some sections, meant hundreds of changes would be necessary if we stayed with our current Constitution.
The Board therefore formed the view that it would be a much better outcome for the club if we replaced the current Constitution with a new document much more in keeping with the modern-day objectives and operational environment of our Club, while ensuring that our Club culture and traditions were maintained.
While the Explanatory Notes referred to above contain the necessary detail, I will summarise the main changes between the current Constitution and the proposed new Constitution as follows:
- A reduction in the number of specific rules from 80 to 31.
- A 13% reduction in the number of words.
- Definitions, Interpretations and Objects have been simplified and updated.
- All sections and sub sections and cross references have been completely and consistently re numbered.
- Lengthy paragraphs have been broken down and plain English has been used to replace archaic language.
- Powers of the Board have been up dated and broken down into more readable sections.
- Proceedings for General Meetings and Annual General Meetings have been up dated and made more distinct.
- Indemnity to officers of the Club has been strengthened and simplified.
- Disciplinary procedures have been up dated to include a “right of review” which is fundamental to ensuring procedural fairness in disciplinary decision making.
- Nomination for Life Membership has been adjusted to incorporate the words “distinguished and exceptional service”.
- The introduction of Electronic Voting for elections to the Board both at the Clubhouse and via the Internet in a manner that ensures the integrity and the efficiency of our voting system.
- Enable 5 and 6-day members to stand for Offices and Director, with the exception of the President and Captain positions.
We invite all members to review the proposed new Constitution and offer any comments, suggestions or ideas which would help us ensure we have the best possible document to take forward to the planned General Meeting on 25 September.
You may do so by emailing your feedback to the Club at admin@lrgc.com.au
All responses will be acknowledged and replied to and if required, we will directly discuss with you any matter relating to the proposed new Constitution.
Paper copies of the proposed new Constitution and Explanatory Notes will be available from the office for those who want same.
In order to keep within our planned timetable for effectively taking account of Members’ input and making any adjustment to the final document to be put to the General Meeting, we have set a deadline for responses and comments of 11 August 2017.
In conclusion and on behalf of your Board of Directors I commend the proposed new Constitution to all Member sand it is the Board’s anticipation that following the General Meeting on 25 September, we will have a modern, well-structured and properly referenced Constitution which will serve the club long into the future.
Yours sincerely,
Steve Twigg
President
Click here to download the Explanatory Notes Click here to download the new Constitution