Northland Search and Rescue Rules - Northland Search and Rescue

NEW ZEALAND LAND SEARCH AND RESCUE INC

GROUP RULES

1. NAME

The name of this Group shall be the _NORTHLAND SEARCH AND RESCUE_ Group.

2. DEFINITIONS

In these rules words and phrases have the following meanings:

Group means the Group named in clause 1 above.

Chairperson means the Chairperson of the Committee, appointed by the Group from time to time.

Committee means the Committee of the Group named in clause 1 above.

NLSAR means Northland Land Search and Rescue also known as Northland Search and Rescue.

LandSAR(NZ) means New Zealand Land Search and Rescue Incorporated.

Region means the Region covered by the Regional Committee to which the Group belongs.

Regional Committee means the _REGION ONE_ Regional Committee. SAR means search and rescue.

3. OBJECTS

The objects of the Group are exclusively charitable purposes as defined under the Charities Act 2005, in particular:

(a) To provide an effective and efficient land search and rescue capability in the Group.

(b) Without in any way limiting the generality of the above first object, the Group shall have the following objects, shall assist the Regional Committee with the following objects within the Region, and shall assist LandSAR(NZ) with the following objects within New Zealand:

(i) To advise the police on search and rescue policy.

(ii) To examine and review the SAR organisation from time to time.

(iii) To develop, promote, and maintain LandSAR(NZ) standards, appropriate assessment systems and guidelines for operations and training so that an adequate capacity is maintained and training is provided for all SAR personnel appropriate to their role.

(iv) To promote effective SAR organisations so that properly qualified and experienced advisers are appointed, a pool of properly qualified and experienced Management staff is available and assistance is provided to the police to ensure sufficient SAR personnel and resources are available where and when required.

(v) To establish or recommend codes of safe practice.

(vi) To promote the use of performance measures and provide accountability throughout the LandSAR(NZ) organisation.

(vii) To promote and arrange research and development of equipment and techniques.

(viii) To help resolve at a Group level conflicts involving volunteers.

(ix) To act as an advocate at all levels for the needs and interests of LandSAR personnel.

(x) To promote the profile of SAR.

(xi) To devise strategies to see that the organisation has the required funding to operate effectively.

(xii) To recommend the distribution and allocation of SAR funds.

(xiii) To establish appropriate systems for representation and liaisons with other SAR related bodies.

(xiv) To manage and oversee the employment of any employees of the Group.

(xv) To carry out such other objects as are needed to implement object 3 (a).

(c) In these rules the objects shall be interpreted as widely as possible to give them full effect and so that each object or part of an object shall be construed as a principal object unlimited in its application by reference to any other object or part of an object.

4. MEMBERSHIP

The members of the Group shall be as follows:

(a) The members of the Group as at the date these Rules were adopted, and any person who from time to time is accepted by the Committee OR SELECTION PANEL after completion of Full membership form as a member of the Group.

(b) At least one member of the Police appointed by each District or Area Commander to represent the police or his/her representative.

(c) Any individual who, in the opinion of the Committee, can contribute to the furtherance of the objects of LandSAR(NZ), who is nominated for membership by the Committee and whose nomination is approved by a majority of the full members for the time being of the Committee.

(d) Members have a responsibility to act with impartiality in all dealings on Search and Rescue matters, and to be seen to do so, avoiding any potential or perceived conflicts of interest. If there is an interest, whether personal or commercial, it must be declared to the management team re your further involvement in that operation. You are automatically stood down as a Operational member until your involvement is assessed by the Search Management Team.

5. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

(a) Any member may resign on giving one month’s notice in writing of that intention to the Secretary.

(b) The Committee may terminate the membership of any organisation or person by a majority vote of the members of the Committee for the time being present at a meeting called in accordance with these rules.

6. COMMITTEE and OFFICERS

(a) The Group must appoint from its members a Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer to be the Officers of the Committee and such ordinary Committee members as determined by the Group at the annual general meeting.

(b) A person’s term of office as an Officer of the Committee shall continue until:

(i) the person is no longer, or resigns from being, a member of the Group;
or
(ii) the person is removed from office by the Group.

(c) Officers shall be appointed for a term of ONE year. Officers may not hold office for more than six years concurrently without a break of at least ONE year (except in the case of the Treasurer).

(d)) Advisors have automatic membership on the committee.

7. REPRESENTATION ON REGIONAL COMMITTEE

(a) The members of the Group will appoint two persons, or such a number as the Regional Committee may determine, to represent the Group as members of the
Regional Committee.

(b) No individual shall be eligible for election or appointment to membership of the Regional Committee unless that person:

(i) has had significant experience in SAR;

(ii) is a member of the Group Committee; and

(iii) is qualified to be an officer of a charitable entity under the Charities Act 2005.

8. ALTERATION OF RULES

(a) These rules may be altered, added to, rescinded or otherwise amended by resolution passed by a majority of the members of the Group at any general
meeting called for the purpose.

(b) One calendar month’s notice of the meeting shall be given setting out the purpose of the proposed alteration, addition, rescission or other amendment and an explanation of its effect.

(c) The proposed alteration, addition, rescission or other amendment shall be void and of no effect if it affects the charitable status of the Group or if more than half of the Group members shall object to the change and shall give notice in writing of that objection to the Secretary prior to the general meeting. Specifically, rules 3, 11, 12 and this rule 8(c) may not be altered.

9. COMMITTEE MEETINGS

(a) The Committee shall meet at times agreed but not less than once a year.

(b) Committee meetings shall be called by the Secretary at the direction of the Chairperson or at the written request of any two Committee members.

(d) Each person entitled to vote shall be entitled to one vote for himself and one for each proxy held by him. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote which shall be used only to break a tie and to maintain the status quo.

(e) One calendar month’s notice shall be given to all Committee members of every Committee meeting.

10. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and OTHER GROUP MEETINGS

(a) The annual general meeting shall be a meeting of the Group held in the first three months of the financial year at a time, date and place decided by the Committee. The meeting will consider the following business:

(i) to receive the annual report (including the financial statements);

(ii) to appoint an auditor (if any);

(iii) to appoint two persons, or such numbers as the Regional Committee may determine, to represent the Group as members of the Regional Committee;

(iv) to appoint the Officers of the Committee;

(v) to make and confirm appointments of members of the Committee; and

(vi) to discuss any matter which may be submitted to the meeting and of which written notice has been given to the Secretary not less than one calendar month prior to the annual general meeting.

(b) Additional Group meetings shall be called by the Secretary at the direction of the Chairperson or at the written request of any two members.

(c) There shall be no quorum for meetings, and decisions shall be made by a majority of the members present at the meeting.

(e) One calendar month’s notice shall be given to all members of every Group meeting. If this is impractical, one calendar month’s public notice shall be given of every Group meeting.

11. FINANCE

(a) Nothing in these rules will permit the activities of the Group, or any business carried on by, for, or for the benefit of the Group, to be carried on for the private benefit of any person so as to affect:

(i) the operation of the Group for exclusively charitable purposes as defined under the Charities Act 2005 and not for private profit;

(ii) the Group’s eligibility for funds from LandSAR(NZ) or the Regional Committee.

(b) Any income, benefit or advantage shall be applied to the charitable purposes of the Group.

(c) No member of the Group or any person associated with a member shall participate in or materially influence any decision made by the Group in respect of the payment to or on behalf of that member or associated person of any income, benefit or advantage whatsoever.

(d) Any such income paid shall be reasonable and relative to that which would be paid in an arm’s length transaction (being the open market value).

(e) The provisions and effect of this clause shall not be removed from this documents and shall be included and implied into any document replacing this document.

12. WINDING UP

Upon a winding up and after payment of the liabilities of the Group any surplus funds or assets of the Group shall be handed over to the Regional Committee, or LandSAR(NZ), to be used by the Regional Committee, or LandSAR(NZ) for exclusively charitable purposes.

13. INTERPRETATION

If there is ever any question as to the interpretation of these rules, the Group will look to the LandSAR(NZ) constitution for clarity, and these rules will be construed in accordance with the LandSAR(NZ) constitution and in light of the purpose of LandSAR(NZ).