The importance of roles within a club
By Lesley Bates
Bowls Queensland has released the District/Club Administration Guide that highlights the responsibilities and duties of positions and ensures that the correct procedures are in place to comply with the legal responsibilities and assist with the efficient running of a club.
I have been on some excellent club committees but it can be hard work to secure replacements when these positions become vacant. Sometimes, the reason for a club closing is because the following compulsory executive positions to maintain incorporation could not be filled:
President (or chairperson)
runs meetings and usually represents the organisation at public events
Treasurer (or financial officer)
deals with the financial affairs of the organisation, however the financial affairs of the organisation is the responsibility of all committee members
Secretary
reports to Office of Fair Trading, organises meetings, deals with documents and maintains records of the association. The secretary does not need to be a member of the association or management committee (although they can be).
Of course there are lots of other positions on a board, however a club can still function legally with only these three executive positions filled.
This Bowls Queensland manual should be circulated to club members as many are afraid to put their hands up for positions because they are uncertain of the duties, time involved and responsibilities.
Another important position is the club delegate that attends district meetings. They must be financial members and can only represent one club at a meeting. In the event of a delegate from any club not being able to attend a meeting, the Secretary of that club may appoint in writing, any financial member of the club or another club to act as a proxy.
The club delegate’s duties are to consult with the club prior to attending the meeting, prepare and present any concerns the club wants to raise, submit club proposals, vote on any proposals, take notes and submit a written report to share with the club soon after the meeting.
Many people do not realise the importance of a district committee. Anyone wishing to sit in at their meetings are welcome as an observer to see what important work they do for their clubs. They organise coaching and umpire courses, the running of district level games, yearly events calendars, consult with Bowls Queensland, organise interstate travel, managers, coaches, teams, accommodation and gain grants for items such as umpire kits, course costs, Rookie Roller Kits that save money and are of benefit to every club.
I recently had the pleasure of being invited by the North Queensland District Men’s Bowls Association to attend their forums in three different regional areas within the district.
The main topics of the forums were:
The restructure of games (pennants, single champion of champions that lead to higher levels such as state, national or world events plus the Dunn Cup and other games that are played out at district level).
The encouragement of clubs to run their special club days with the full support of the district. This is an excellent way to recoup some money that has been lost in recent times
An informative session on Stage 3 of the COVID-19 situation, governance requirements and an audit of what is being done correctly and what measures were needed for upgrading. These meeting have given the clubs the confidence and the tools to ensure that the club complied with State Sport and Recreation, Health Department, Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing requirements.
Please enjoy being back at bowls but also think of all the work that is getting done behind the scenes that makes our sport fantastic. Offer your support, volunteer or become a committee member and a simple “thank you” goes along way too!
Don’t forget Bowls Australia’s Regional Bowls Managers Micheal Sorrensen, Wade Mutzelburg and myself are here to help so feel free to get in touch.
