Association Rules and Protocols

Q: At the end of the year do all the people who hold positions in my P&C have to stand down?

A: The returning officer (which is usually the Principal) has to declare all positions vacant. But, the same person or people that filled the positions can, fact run again for the same position or another position.

Q: How much notice needs to be given for an Annual General Meeting (AGM)?

A: Only seven (7) days notice needs to be given, but it must be given in writing.

Q: When can by -laws be changed?

A: They can be changed at any meeting of the P&C Association, not just at the AGM.

Q: What about notice for the changing of by-laws?

A: However, if there is going to be a notice of a change of the By Laws, then one month notice needs to be given. This includes if it is going to be at the AGM, which it most often is.

Q Who can call a Special Meeting?

A: A Special meeting is called by request, that's why it is special. It is not the ordinary meeting of the P&C and is usually to discuss an important item that can not wait for the next meeting. If you are a financial member of your P&C and you contact the Secretary by letter (in writing), you must have nine (9) other financial members sign your letter to make it formal.

Then when the Secretary gets your letter, he or she must advertise the Special meeting date and time which must be held within one (1) month or receiving your letter. If the Executive gives him or her authority to call the meeting sooner, then that can also happen too.

If you are on the Executive of your P&C you have the authority to call a Special meeting by simply contact the Secretary.

In both cases, Members must be given at least seven (7) days notice of the meeting. On the letter or poster which is giving the notice, the Secretary also has to write down what the meeting is going to be about (this is a plain English version of Point 9. Special Meetings in both the Prescribed Constitution For Incorporated Associations and Standard P&C Association Constitution in your P&C Handbook).

Q: Can the President go to a sub-committee meeting?

A: Yes the President can attend any meeting of any sub-committee because any sub-committee is a committee of the P&C.

Q: Does the Federation hold copies of individual P&Cs constitutions?

A: No, we do not keep copies of individual constitutions, mainly because there are only two - the Prescribed and the Standard - both appear in the current handbook for P&C Associations. If you can't locate the constitution for your P&C (which may have been written and adopted around the time your P&C was formed), you can still download the either of the constitutions from our website and insert the name of your P&C Association and other particulars, this is legal under the Act of 1976.