CONSTITUTION OF THE NEW ZEALAND HOME-BASED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED

1.NAME

The society shall be called the New Zealand Home-based Early Childhood Education Association Incorporated – hereinafter referred to as “the Association”. (Formerly known as the New Zealand Family Day Care Association.)

2.OBJECTS

The objects of the Association shall be:

• 2.1 To enhance the professional growth and development of Home-based Early Childhood Education in New Zealand.
• 2.2 To Facilitate collaboration and understanding among those involved in Home-based Early Childhood Education
• 2.3 To provide a united voice from the Home-based Early Childhood Education sector on educational, social and political issues, and to liaise with Government and other relevant organisations.
• 2.4 To foster education and support programmes in all facets of Home-based Early Childhood Education.
• 2.5 To receive and disseminate relevant information nationally and/or internationally.
• 2.6 To raise, receive, hold and administer funds in the form of subscriptions, grants, donations, legacies and bequests, and funds arising from other sources, for the benefit of the Association.
• 2.7 To purchase, lease or hire property that may be deemed necessary.
• 2.8 To do each and every act necessary and proper for the accomplishment of the objects of the Association.

3.MEMBERSHIP

• 3.1 The Association shall consist of financial members who are:
• 3.1.1 Individual voting members – any person having an active involvement in Home-based Early Childhood Education may be accepted as an individual voting member, on the recommendation of their local ward.
• 3.1.2 Affiliate non-voting members- any organisation operating a chartered Home-based Early Childhood Education service, or a related tertiary institution, or any person interested in Home-based Early Childhood Education, may be accepted as an affiliate non-voting members, on the recommendation of their local ward. Affiliate non-voting members shall have speaking rights.
• 3.1.3 Honorary life Membership may be conferred on persons at the Annual General Meeting, in recognition of their having rendered long and particular service to the Association. A proposed nomination, seconded by another Ward, and a profile of the nominee, shall be received by the Association Secretary eight weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting and distributed to members not less than four weeks before such meeting. Honorary Members shall have speaking rights only.
• 3.2 Registration/Termination of membership.
• 3.2.1 Any member may terminate membership of the Associations by voluntary resignation in writing.
• 3.2.2 The Executive may terminate membership of any person for non-payment of subscriptions.
• 3.2.3 The Executive may terminate membership of any person for actions which brought the Association into disrepute, provided that the person concerned is given an opportunity to present a case for consideration before such a decision is made.

4.WARDS

• 4.1 A Ward shall be defined geographically and confirmed at each Association Annual general Meeting.
• 4.2 A Ward shall consist of those members within the boundaries of the ward.
• 4.3 Each Ward shall hold a minimum of four meetings within the financial year, of the Association.
• 4.4 Each Ward shall an Annual General meeting no latter the 31st July in each year at which a Ward Representative, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer are elected.
• 4.5 The financial accounts shall be audited and forwarded to the Association Treasurer by 31st July in each year.
• 4.6 In the event of the Ward going into recess, the assets and monies shall be held in trust by the Association Treasurer.

5.EXECUTIVE

• 5.1 The Executive shall consist of no more than eleven members. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected, and each Ward Representive endorsed, by membership, at the Annual General Meeting. Each member shall hold office from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting, until the next Annual General Meeting, when they all shall retire, but shall be eligible for re-election.
• 5.2 The Immediate Past President of the Association shall be an additional member of the Executive, for the year immediately following the completion of his/her tenure of office.
• 5.3 The responsibilities of the Executive shall be:
• 5.3.1 To contact the business of and uphold the objectives of the Association.
• 5.3.2 To keep a register of members
• 5.3.3 To maintain the effect management of the Association.
• 5.3.4 To distribute minutes of its meetings
• 5.3.5 To ensure that a report and audited annual accounts are prepared for the Annual general Meeting.
• 5.3.6 To fill any Vacancy by appointing an individual voting member of the Association.
• 5.4 Each Executive member shall have one vote. Observers may attend by invitation only and may not vote.
• 5.5 The Executive has the power to co-opt a member, for nay purpose, which enables the furtherance of the objects of the Association.
• 5.6 The quorum for meetings of the Executive shall be eight members.
• 5.7 Executive meetings shall be held immediately before and immediately after the Annual General Meeting and on (at least) three other occasions during the Associations Financial Year.
• 5.8 Notice of an Executive meeting and the Agenda shall be distributed to each member of the Executive and to the Ward Secretaries at Least four weeks before such a meeting.

6.ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

• 6.1 The Annual General meeting shall be held not latter than 30th September in each year.
• 6.2 Notice of the date, time and place of the Annual General Meeting together with the business to be dealt with, shall be distributed to each member of the Association not less than four weeks before such meeting.
• 6.3 The Annual General Meeting shall:
• 6.3.1 Receive a report from the Executive and an audited balance sheet.
• 6.3.2 Confirm Ward boundaries and endorse incoming Ward Representatives to the Executive.
• 6.3.3 Elect remaining Executive members – President, Vice President, Association Secretary and Association Treasurer.
• 6.3.4 Appoint an Honorary Solicitor and Auditor.
• 6.3.5 Confer any Honorary Life Members.
• 6.3.6 Approve an annual budget and determine subscription rates.
• 6.3.7 Determine the place of the next Annual General Meeting.
• 6.3.8 Consider and Vote on Remits.
• 6.3.9 Consider any other business relevant to the Association.
• 6.4 The quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be not less than one third of the Voting membership of the Association.
• 6.5 Voting shall be conducted as follows:
• 6.5.1 At the Annual general meeting, individual voting members present shall be entitled to one vote each.
• 6.5.2 Voting shall be by show of hands. A secret ballet may be requested by any two individual voting members present.
• 6.5.3 A two-thirds majority vote, of those individual voting members present, shall be acceptable.
• 6.5.4 The Chairman shall have only a deliberative vote.
• 6.6 Nominations for the positions of President, Vice President, Association Secretary and Association treasurer, seconded by another Ward, and profiles of the nominees, shall be received by the Association Secretary eight prior to the Annual General Meeting and distributed to members not less than four weeks before such a meeting.
• 6.7 General remits for consideration by the Annual General meeting shall be in the form of a resolution, accompanied by supporting information. Remits shall be received by the Association Sectary eight weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting and distributed members not less than four weeks before such meeting.
• 6.8 The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be presided over by the President, or a Chairman appointed for the meeting by those present.

7.SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

• 7.1 A Special General Meeting of the Association may be called at any time, at the request of not less than5 of the membership.
• 7.2 Notice of the time, date, place and the specific business to be transacted, shall be distributed to members not less than eight weeks before such a meeting.
• 7.3 The quorum for a Special General meeting shall be not less than one third of the voting membership of the Association.
• 7.4 Voting shall be as for an Annual General Meeting.
• 7.5 The Special general Meeting of the Association shall be presided over by the President, or Chairman appointed for the meeting by those present.

8.FINANCE

• 8.1 The Financial year of the Association shall end on 30th June annually.
• 8.2 Following the close of the financial year the Association Treasurer shall arrange for the financial accounts to be audited. All financial accounts shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting.
• 8.3 The funds of the Association shall consist of grants, donations, legacies and other gifts made to the Association, member subscriptions and any monies raised in the name of the Association. The Association Treasurer shall receipt all monies received.
• 8.4 All monies received on half of the Association shall be deposited to the credit of the Association at the bank selected by the Executive.
• 8.5 All expenditure shall be in accordance with the objects of the Association, and shall be approved by the Executive, by majority vote.
• 8.6 The bank account(s) shall be operated by the Association Treasurer and one or two other signatories appointed by the Executive.
• 8.7 Any surplus funds not required for the immediate use of the Association may be invested in such a manner as is considered advisable by the Executive.
• 8.8 Any Loan or borrowing requires the approval of a General Meeting.

9.COMMON SEAL

• 9.1 The common seal of the association shall be kept in the custody of the Association Treasurer and shall only be fixed to any deed document or paper with the authority of the Executive, as recorded in the minutes. The affixing of the seal shall be witnessed by two members of the Executive, one of whom shall be the president, Association secretary or Association Treasurer.

10.CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

• 10.1 The Constitution of the Association may be altered, added to or rescinded by a two-thirds majority vote of this individual voting members present at the Annual General Meeting.
• 10.2 Proposed alterations to the Constitution shall be forwarded in writing to the Association Sectary not less than twelve weeks before the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, and shall be distributed to members eight weeks before such a meeting.
• 10.3 No alterations to the Constitution shall be made that have effect of altering the charitable status or purpose of the Association.

11.LIQUIDATION

• 11.1 The Association may be liquidated if, at a Special general Meeting of which due notice has been given, a resolution to this effect is passed.
• 11.1.1 A resolution to liquidate the Association must be carried by a simple majority vote of those individuals voting members present.
• 11.1.2 Such a resolution must be confirmed by a simple majority vote at the subsequent Special general meeting called for the purpose and held a least 30 days later.
• 11.1.3 On confirmation of the decision to liquidate the Association, the members shall appoint one or more liquidators to finalize the affairs of the Association.
• 11.2 The Association may be put into liquidation by order of the High Court.
• 11.3 If there remains, after payment of all costs, debts and liabilities, any assets whatsoever, the same shall be held by the Public Trust Office for five years then transferred to a charity or charities within New Zealand.
• 11.4 Such disposal of assets shall be determined by members of the Association at or before the time of liquidation or in default thereof by the High Court of New Zealand.