A Guide for Committees

This guide covers the myriad of office functions and statutory obligations required of community organisations.

Areas covered include specific roles of the chairperson, president, secretary and treasurer. A guide for meetings is included outlining agendas, legal responsibilities, ethics and conflict of interest. Section 7 of the guide gives examples and proformas for you to print off and use.

Click on the headings below to view and print individual sections.

Guide for Committees Sections

SECTION 1 - Where do we start?
How can this guide help? - How to use this guide? - What is the role of the committee - Funding - Consider Safety -Where else can we get information?

SECTION 2 - Specific Roles

SECTION 2.1 - The Chairperson/President
The President's overall responsibilities -  Tied Voting - Hints for the Chairperson - Organising the AGM - Deputy Chairperson/President

SECTION 2.2 - The Secretary
Preparing the Agenda - Taking the Minutes

SECTION 2.3 - The Treasurer
Finance Flowchart - Rules for Financial Operations - Cheque Book - Petty Cash - Cash Receipts - Cash Payments - Bank Reconciliation - Receipts and Payments - Annual Report Summary and Reporting Treasurer's Report - Understanding a Balance Sheet - Budgeting - Auditing Accounts

SECTION 3 - How to Make Meetings Work
Getting the work done in Meetings - The Agenda - Quorums - Voting at Meetings - Motions and Amendments - Guest Speakers - Making an AGM Work

SECTION 4 - Legal Responsibilities
Incorporation - Want to know more? - Constitutions - Insurance - Taxation

SECTION 5 - Ethics and Conflict of Interest
Confidentiality - Committees of Management - Strategic Planning - How to Kill a Group - Communication Tree

SECTION 6 - Feedback
Need more information? - Further reading - Glossary of Terms - Acknowledgments

SECTION 7 - Examples & Proformas

SECTION 8 - Appendices
Health and Food Requirements - The GST and Community Groups - Associations Incorporation Act 1981 - Tax Reform & Community Services

Hard copies of the manual are available and to receive a copy please contact the Latrobe City Community Development team on 1300 367 700.

PLEASE NOTE: While hard copies of the manual are free to community groups within Latrobe City, a $20 fee applies to groups outside the municipality or profit organisations.