Victorian Consolidated Regulations Victorian Consolidated RegulationsPart 1—General
1 Definitions
"brigade delegate" means a person who is appointed by a brigade under the Rules of the brigade as a delegate to represent the brigade at meetings of the group and is eligible to vote at meetings of the group;
"group" or group of brigades means a group of brigades formed under section 23A of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 ;
"resolution" or resolution of the group means a resolution by a majority of brigade delegates of member brigades present and eligible to vote at a meeting held in accordance with these Rules;
the Regulations means the Country Fire Authority Regulations 2014 .
(2) A reference in these Rules to a meeting of a group of brigades is a reference to a meeting of the delegates of the brigades that are members of the group.
2 Object of the group
The object of the group of brigades is to serve the community by protecting life and property from the threat of fire or other emergency and coordinating activities of brigades that are members of the group.
3 Rules
(1) The group of brigades may, by resolution and with the approval of the Authority, make rules not inconsistent with the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 or the Regulations.
(2) These Rules may be amended by the group of brigades if—
(a) at least one month before the proposal to amend is put to a group meeting, each member brigade is given notice of the proposal; and
(b) at the meeting at which the proposed amendment is put to the group, at least two-thirds of the brigade delegates present and eligible to vote support the proposal; and
(c) the proposed amendment is not inconsistent with the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 or the Regulations; and
(d) the Authority approves of the amendment under regulation 34.
Part 2—Meetings
4 Number of meetings
Meetings of the group of brigades must be held—
(a) at least twice in each year; or
(b) the number of times directed by the Authority or determined by the group—
whichever is the greater.
5 Determination by group
All matters to be determined by the group of brigades must be determined at a meeting of the group held in accordance with these Rules, unless the matter is delegated to a group committee in accordance with these Rules.
6 Chairing of meeting
Meetings of a group must be chaired by—
(a) the group officer; or
(b) if the group, by resolution, nominates another brigade delegate or person to chair meetings or chair that meeting—that delegate or person.
7 Procedure
(a) put to the vote of the meeting all matters for determination by the group; and
(b) declare carried a motion that receives a majority of votes of persons present and eligible to vote.
(2) If a motion, other than a motion for the election of officers of the group, receives an equal number of votes, the chairperson has a casting as well as a deliberative vote.
8 Eligibility to vote
Not more than 2 delegates of each brigade in the group may vote on any matter arising for determination at the meeting.
9 Annual general meeting
(1) The group must hold an annual general meeting each year.
(2) The secretary must, in writing, notify each brigade that is a member of the group—
(a) of the date, place and time of the annual general meeting; and
(b) if the election of officers of the group is to take place at the meeting, that nominations for officer positions are invited.
(3) Notification must be given by posting or delivering the notice to the brigade's last known address.
10 Matters at an annual general meeting
(1) The secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, the treasurer must, at each annual general meeting—
(a) table the financial statements of the group in respect of the last financial year; and
(b) make a full report of the activities and financial operations and position of the group; and
(c) ensure that full reports of the activities and financial operations and position of clubs and auxiliary bodies associated with the group are made.
(2) If the group has a management team, the president must make a full report of the team's activities at the annual general meeting.
11 Election of officers
The secretary must ensure that—
(a) an election of officers of the group is held at each second annual general meeting in accordance with the Regulations; and
(b) officers are elected in order of seniority of rank; and
(c) if the group has more than one deputy group officer, that the group, by resolution, determines the relative ranking of its deputy group officers.
12 Nomination of officers
Unless the group determines otherwise at a previous annual general meeting, a nomination for election as an officer may be made at the meeting at which the election is to be held.
13 Casual vacancies
If a casual vacancy arises in the office of any officer, the brigade delegates must—
(a) at the next meeting of the group after the group secretary received notice of the vacancy; or
(b) at a special meeting called to fill the vacancy—
elect an officer in accordance with the provisions of these Rules and the Regulations.
14 Procedural matters
Except where otherwise specified in these Rules, procedural matters are to be determined by the person chairing the meeting.
15 Special meetings
(1) A special meeting of the group—
(a) may be called by the highest ranking elected officer; and
(b) must be called by the secretary if so requested in writing by not less than 7 brigade delegates.
(2) A notice calling a special meeting must—
(a) be in writing; and
(b) specify—
(i) the date, time and place of the meeting; and
(ii) the business to be conducted at the meeting; and
(c) be served on each brigade that is a member of the group not less than 4 days before the meeting.
(3) Notification of a special meeting must be given in the same manner as notification for the annual general meeting under rule 9(3).
(4) Business that is not specified in the notice calling a special meeting must not be dealt with at the special meeting.
Part 3—Management
16 Management team
(1) The group may, by resolution at a group meeting, appoint a management team to manage and administer the affairs of the group.
(2) The management team consists of the elected officers of the group.
17 Meetings of the management team
(1) The management team must meet as often as is necessary.
(2) The management team must be chaired by—
(a) the group officer; or
(b) if the group officer is absent, the team member elected by the team to chair meetings or chair that meeting.
(3) All team members are eligible to vote at a meeting of the management team.
(4) A motion is carried at a meeting of the management team if it receives a majority of votes of persons present and eligible to vote.
(5) If a motion receives an equal number of votes, the chairperson has a casting as well as a deliberative vote.
18 Delegation to management team
(1) Subject to subrule (2), a decision of the management team has effect only when approved by a resolution of the group.
(2) Subrule (1) does not apply to a matter or a class of matters responsibility for which has been delegated to the management team by a resolution of the group.
19 Sub-committees
(a) form sub-committees to advise on any matter or class of matters; and
(b) appoint to a sub-committee members of the management team or other members of brigades that are members of the group.
(2) The provisions of these Rules that apply to the management team apply, with any modifications that are necessary, to each sub-committee of the management team.
Part 4—Finance
20 Records
(1) The secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, the treasurer must ensure that the following books or records are established and maintained—
(a) cash receipt book;
(b) cash payment book;
(c) bank pay-in book;
(d) minute book with numbered pages;
(e) records of approvals for fund raising activities and grants;
(f) financial records of fund raising activities and grants;
(g) petty cash book.
(2) The secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, the treasurer must ensure that—
(a) a document that is required to be kept as part of a book or record referred to in subrule (1) is kept for 7 years from the date of the document's creation; and
(b) each of the group's financial statements are kept for 7 years from the date of submission of the financial statements to the Authority under the Regulations.
(3) The secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, the treasurer must ensure that a register of the assets of, and assets held on behalf of, the group is established and maintained.
21 Investment
Subject to the resolution of the group, any 2 of the secretary and group officer, or other officers of the group approved by the group, may invest money of the group in accordance with Part I of the Trustee Act 1958 as if the brigade were within the meaning of that Part.
22 Bank account
(1) A group must have one general purpose bank account—
(a) into which all money received by or on behalf of the group must be paid; and
(b) out of which all payments by or on behalf of the group must be made.
(2) The opening of a bank account or the withdrawal of money from a bank account must be in accordance with a resolution of the group.
23 Petty cash
(1) The group, by resolution, may advance the secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, the treasurer not more than $500 as petty cash.
(2) Each withdrawal must—
(a) be recorded in the petty cash book by the secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, by the treasurer; and
(b) be approved by the group officer.
24 Purchasing
(1) Subject to subrule (2), each purchase, other than a purchase out of the petty cash fund, must be approved by resolution of the group.
(2) Subject to the approval of the Authority, the group may, by resolution, delegate to a brigade delegate the power to authorise specified purchases.
25 Payment
(1) The secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, the treasurer may authorise payment for goods or services after checking that the goods or services—
(a) have been received; and
(b) comply with the purchase order.
(2) The secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, the treasurer must ensure that all payments, other than payments out of petty cash, are made by cheque or electronic funds transfer.
26 Signatories
Cheques of a group must be signed by any 2 of the group officer, the secretary, the treasurer or an officer of the group authorised for this purpose by resolution of the group.
27 Reporting
The secretary or, if the group has a treasurer, the treasurer must, at each
meeting of the group, report to the group on all transactions since the last
meeting.