ACCPA Constitution

1.         Name

The name of the Association shall be Auckland Catholic Primary Principals’ Association.

2.         Interpretation

In this Constitution the Auckland Catholic Primary Principals’ Association is inclusive to Principals’ of Catholic Primary Schools in the Auckland Catholic Diocese.

3.         Aims

The aims of the Association are…

3.1     To provide a liaison between the Principals of Auckland Catholic Primary Schools, the Bishop and his representatives, and to create a national liaison with representation on the NZCPPA.

3.2     To develop and protect the Catholic Special Character of our schools.

3.3     To promote the professional development of Principals in Catholic Primary Schools.

3.4     To formulate and implement professional policy and other matters which are the common concern of all Catholic Primary Schools.

4.         Treaty of Waitangi

The association will fulfil the intent of the Treaty of Waitangi by valuing and reflecting on the bi-cultural heritage of Aotearoa/New Zealand and assimilating this into the current practices of the Association, inclusive of tika, pono, and aroha as reflected nationally in the Religious Education Booklets.

5.         Membership

5.1     The membership shall be open to all Principals of Catholic Primary Schools in the Auckland Diocese.

5.2     Principals of Catholic Primary Schools will become financial members of the Association upon their paying of the annual subscription fee.

5.3     Should members allow their annual subscription to lapse, they will be deemed non financial members, and as such shall not be entitled to vote at an Annual General Meeting.

6.         Finance

6.1     The financial year of the Association shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of December of each year.

6.2     The books of the Association shall be audited prior to the Annual General Meeting

6.3     The Trustees of the Association shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

6.4     The executive shall nominate a Bank which the treasurer will open, or transfer, an account into which all moneys of the Association shall be deposited.

6.5     The annual subscription to the Association each year will be fixed at the Annual General Meeting.

7.         Association Structure and Administration

7.1     The Association Executive Committee shall consist of…

7.1.1   A Central Executive Committee whose officers (President, Secretary, Vice President and Treasurer) shall be elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting.

7.1.2   At least four central executive members to be elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting.

7.1.3   One member of the elected Association’s Executive Committee shall be from the Tai Tokerau region.

7.1.4    The immediate Past President of the Association shall be a member of the Executive Committee “ex Officio” and have voting rights.

7.2      Elections

7.2.1   Nominations for executive officers shall be in the hands of the Secretary fourteen (14) days before the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for these positions will be accepted from the floor of the Annual General Meeting if there are no previous nominations.

7.2.2   Nominations for office shall be voted on at the Annual General Meeting, each financial member having one vote, the voting shall be held by secret ballot.

7.3      It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee to meet regularly and…

7.3.1   To promote the aims and objectives of the Association.

7.3.2   To control and manage the funds of the Association, a report of which shall be tabled at the Annual General Meeting.

7.3.3   To prepare and convene the Annual General Meeting.

7.3.4   To act on behalf of the members on all matters of common concern consulting with them when possible and keeping them informed of its activities.

7.3.5   The quorum of any executive meeting shall be fifty percent (50%) of those elected at the previous Annual General Meeting, plus one.

7.4      The executive will have the power:

7.4.1   To appoint a substitute in the case of any vacancy, during the term of the Executive, and co-opt members, where necessary.

7.4.2   To form sub-committees. This may include resource personnel, outside the Association’s own membership, and to invite such persons to general, regional and executive meetings.

7.4.3   To call general and regional meetings of the Association if and when special circumstances require this, and to arrange meetings to be held at least once a term.

7.5      The Constitution

7.5.1   Any alteration or amendment to the constitution must be accepted by seventy five percent (75%) of those who are present and entitled to vote. Constitutional changes may only take place at an Annual Meeting, or a Special Meeting called for that purpose.

7.5.2   Suggested amendments and additions to the Constitution must be in the hands of the Secretary thirty (30) days prior to the Annual or Special General Meeting.

7.6      The Annual General Meeting

7.6.1   The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held by the month of May each year.

7.6.2   Remits for the Annual General Meeting shall be in the hands of the Secretary thirty (30) days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

7.6.3   Members shall be notified in writing of remits and agenda fourteen (14) days prior to the Annual General Meeting.

7.6.4   A quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be thirty percent (30%) of the previous year’s financial members, plus one.

8.         Special Meeting

A special meeting can be called by written requisition, signed by not less than seven financial members of the Association and delivered to the Chairperson or Secretary. A meeting thus requested shall be publicly notified by the Secretary and called within 14 days of the requisition.

9.         Standing Orders

All meetings of the Association shall be conducted in accordance with the “Model Standing Orders for Meeting of Public Bodies” (MP 9204:1993 or its latest equivalent).

10.      Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution of the Association, any assets (including bank accounts) of the Association shall be disposed of in accordance with the directions of any Annual or Extraordinary Meeting of the Association called for the purposes of considering the dissolution. However, under no circumstances shall any assets of the Association be distributed among individual members of the Association in any way whatsoever.