WSAFC Constitution Review and Incorporated Societies Act 2022

A  review of the Club’s constitution is underway to ensure it’s fit for purpose to take the club forward and to comply with the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. The club’s constitution is a basic set of rules for how the club is run and sets out the club’s purpose, what it does and how it operates.  

The review has been delayed with the introduction of the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 which came into force in October 2023, and information and guidance being provided to the sector by Sport New Zealand.  

We’re pleased to now be able to provide the details of the new constitution, the process for members to provide feedback and the process for adopting the changes below. 

A draft version of the new constitution can be found HERE

A feedback period is open to members until Sunday, 5 May.

Background

A review of the constitution is underway to: 

• Update the current constitution which was filed in 1989 

• Consider feedback provided through the Premier Women’s Team mediation process mid-2023

• Ensure compliance with the new Incorporated Societies Act 2022 which came into force in October 2023. 

What process has the club followed to refresh the constitution?

A working group with representatives from the Junior, Senior and Executive Committees has been meeting regularly from mid-2023 to review and update the WSAFC constitution. 

Given the current constitution is very outdated, the approach has been to start afresh using the template made available by Sport New Zealand early 2024, which complies with the new Incorporated Societies Act 2022. 

The Junior, Senior, and Executive Committees have all provided feedback on the new Constitution, and we’re now sharing this with club members for feedback.  The new constitution has also had legal review to ensure it’s legally compliant. 

Once any feedback has been considered, a Special General Meeting will be called to formally adopt the new Constitution.  

When will the Special General Meeting be held and who will be able to vote to adopt the new 2024 Constitution at the Special General Meeting?

A minimum of 14 days’ notice will be provided with the date and details of the Special General Meeting, and the quorum will be 15 members with voting rights. 

Under the current 1989 constitution, Playing and Ordinary Members 17 years or over are entitled to one (1) vote: 

• Playing Member: Any player over the age of 17 who has paid their annual subscription.
• Ordinary Member: A non-playing member who is elected or appointed as a committee member, or Team Manager or Coach registered with the club.

Under the current constitution parents or guardians of a Junior/Youth Member under the age of 17 are not entitled to vote, unless they are also a committee member, Team Manager or Coach.  

This is one of the key proposed changes to the new constitution (see below for more details).

For the new constitution to be adopted, a resolution must be passed by two-thirds of the members present and entitled to vote. 

What are the key changes?

Key changes under the Act include:

• Consent of each member needs to be collected, for example, by ticking a box when renewing their annual membership.
• At least one contact person must be appointed to be contactable by the Registrar.
• Officers have new duties, which include acting in good faith and in the best interests of the society, complying with the 2022 Act and the constitution, and exercising the care and diligence that a reasonable person would exercise in the circumstances.
• The majority of officers on the society’s board or committee must be members of the society.
• Dispute resolution processes must be included in the society’s constitution and the processes must be consistent with the rules of natural justice.
• New rules define when an officer has a conflict of interest and a duty to disclose conflicts.
• Societies can provide insurance and indemnify officers and employees.
• Simplified financial reporting for small societies. Regulations (not yet been released) will provide further details on the requirements for different sized societies.

Key club-specific changes include:

• The Club’s purpose has been updated to 1) align with the Sport New Zealand template, 2) consider feedback received through the Premier Women’s Team mediation process and 3) include specific reference to performance pathways.
• Members updated to include a category of membership for guardians, to allow all fee-paying members voting rights at General Meetings.
• General Meetings - the interval between the balance date of the club and the Annual General Meeting being held has increased from 4 to 6 months, and the notice period to hold an Annual General Meeting updated from 14 days to 1 month.
• Committees - a Deputy Chairperson position has been introduced, along with committee composition principles, which outline a framework to achieve a fair and equitable governance and leadership structure that reflects the diverse community and talents at WSAFC.  Terms of office have also been introduced (a mandatory requirement under the 2022 Act).

How can I provide feedback?

There are several ways to provide feedback on the 2024 Constitution: 

1. Complete the feedback form HERE by Sunday, 5 May 2024 
2. Join a drop in session at the clubrooms to ask any questions and provide feedback to the Working Group: 
• Wednesday, 1 May 2024 from 7-8:30pm; and 
• Sunday, 5 May 2024 from 4-5:30pm.   

Please register your interest in attending a drop in session HERE.