Question

Does our community organisation need to have an annual audit of it’s accounts?

Answer

Your Club’s Constitution is the first document to check.  If your organisation is registered under the Associations Incorporated Act, there no requirement to have an annual audit, however your Constitution may require your club to do an audit.  If you receive external grant funding, it is quite likely that relevant the funding body will require an audit to be done.  If the organisation is acting as a steward for money provided by bodies or persons other than the custodians, it is generally good practice to have an audit.

Question

I have heard that even Community Clubs should have a “future plan”; does it have to be in writing?

Answer

A written “future plan” ensures that the club management team is more likely to be agreeing on the future directions, however it does not necessarily need to be in writing.  A written plan, however, can used in the event of a subsequent disagreement – and there is nothing like committing a plan to paper to iron out the wrinkles!  Remember, it doesn’t have to be a long, wordy document.  Sometimes just a series of dot point statements will do the job!

Question

How does our Association incorporate?

Answer

Call DOCEP on 97222888 or call into their office in the Bunbury Tower, and ask for the forms. Model Rules can be down loaded and probably used with only minor amendment by visiting www.docep.wa.gov.au – go to Consumer Protection, then Association, then Model Rules. The forms can be downloaded from this website too. The model rues are very good but need to be carefully tailored to your particular situation. Club Doctors are available to review your Constitution once you have prepared your draft. Incorporation is achieved by lodging the application form together with the Constitution and a fee, with DOCEP.