WA COUNCIL OF STATE SCHOOL ORGANISATIONS INC.

PO Box 6295, East Perth 6892

Telephone: (08) 9264 4000 Fax: (08) 9264 4948

Committees of the P&C

What is a Committee?

The P&C may form committees to perform specific tasks. In forming a committee the P&C delegates the responsibility of management/operation of an amenity, eg canteen, uniform and fundraising to a committee. The P&C instructs the committee on how it is to operate by adopting instructions called Terms of Reference.

The Committee is formed by resolution at a P&C general meeting (or AGM) and the members of the committee elected at the same time. Should a position becomes vacant on the committee an election may be held at a general meeting of the P&C to fill the vacancy.

Members of P&C committees must be financial or ex officio members of the P&C.

After a committee is formed it must elect from within its membership a P&C Executive Committee member.  Where finances are involved and the P&C has approved a separate bank account a Treasurer and a Secretary or one person as Secretary/Treasurer may be elected.

The P&C Treasurer has overall responsibility for the books of account of all committees.

The expenditure of a committee’s profits must be decided upon by a general meeting of the P&C.  Power of fundraising and expenditure, in keeping with the committee’s purpose, may be given to the committee by the P&C.  The committee’s profits should be transferred to the general P&C account on a regular basis, eg end of the year, each semester etc.

Timely and responsible fund management at committee level is important to ensure that funds raised are used or committed during the year in which they are raised. WACSSO does not recommend that committees, other than the canteen or uniform committees, have separate accounts or fundraise independently. However, as the P&C is an autonomous body it may choose to give these responsibilities/powers to one of its committees.  If this is the case then an appropriate clause, identifying the responsibilities of the Treasurer, should be included in the terms of reference.  All moneys in an account in the name of a committee belongs to the P&C. This means that if the main P&C runs short of funds it is able to claim any excess funds from committees’ accounts.

The President of the P&C is ex officio a member of all committees. (ex officio – by virtue of office or official position -The Macquarie Dictionary)

Responsibilities/powers of the committee are decided by the P&C when adopting the Terms of Reference for that committee.  These responsibilities/powers should be definitely described in order to enable the committee to function.  In addition to any reports presented at meetings of the committee, it is recommended that committees present reports at all P&C meetings and at other meetings of the P&C when requested. It is preferable that reports be written and contain a financial statement (where finances are involved) and recommendations. The P&C Treasurer must have access to the books of account of the committee/s.

How to form a Committee

1.    At a general P&C meeting or AGM a motion is passed That a committee be formed consisting of ….. members to be known as the Harmony Primary School Parents & Citizens’ Association Inc …………………… Committee.

       Terms of Reference are adopted and the members elected.

       The number of members on the committee can be changed at any time by resolution of the P&C. Membership of the committee is open to all financial and ex officio members of the P&C.

2.    Terms of Reference

       All committees require Terms of Reference to enable them to function. Terms of Reference are instructions from the P&C outlining how the committee is to operate. WACSSO has developed Terms of Reference for a number of committees. These are attached.

3.    After the Terms of Reference have been adopted and the required number of committee members have been elected, these committee members decide the date and place of the first meeting. At the first meeting of the committee a P&C Executive Committee Member is elected. As this is only a "committee" of the main P&C Association the committee does not elect a President, there is only one President of a P&C Association.

4.    The committee meets at a time and place determined by the committee members. The committee must report to each meeting of the P&C. All members of the committee are able to attend P&C meetings, as they are all financial or ex officio members of the P&C.

       Issues to be observed:

·      Where the P&C has given approval for a committee to operate a bank account

             the name of the account of the committee must be:         Harmony Primary School Parents and .......................................Primary School Parents and Citizens' Association Inc.  (…………………… Account)

·      signatories on all bank accounts operated by a committee must be those signatories identified in the P&C Association September 2001 Constitution at rule 12.5. All cheques must be signed by two persons, eg any two of the P&C President, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice-President of the Association and one member of the Executive Committee who is appointed for such purpose at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. Cheques should be made out to the payee, amounts filled in and the account signed before signatures are added to the cheque. Blank cheques should not be signed.

·      associated documentation such as invoices etc should be attached to the cheque

·      only use the word "Inc." if the  P&C is incorporated

5.    Committees of P&C Associations do not have Annual General Meetings. All positions on all committees are declared vacant at the Annual General Meeting of the P&C, at which time these positions are again filled by election. 

6.    The Public Risk Insurance cover included in the affiliation fee paid by the P&C to WACSSO extends to cover all committees of the P&C other than the Safety House Committee. If the P&C is incorporated, then that corporate status is extended to include all committees of the P&C. To enable this to occur the establishment of the committee and adoption of Terms of Reference must appear in the P&C’s minutes.