PALMIET NATURE RESERVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

CONSTITUTION

As adopted by the PNRMANCOM on 03/03/1986 and by Resolution 7383 of the former Westville Town Council on 26/07/1988. PNRMANCOM modified Clause 6.1 on 15/02/1988 and amended this Clause and Clauses 2 and 3 on 16/02/1998, and Clauses 6.1, 7.1.4, 7.4, 8.10, 8.14, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3.2, 9.4, 9.6, 11.2 and 11.3 on ? /11/2003.

1. NAME: PALMIET NATURE RESERVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
(Hereinafter referred to as the Management Committee).

2. AIM:
2.1 To promote the management and expansion of the Palmiet Nature Reserve (hereinafter referred to as the Reserve).
2.2 To establish, update and promote a management plan for the Reserve.
2.3 To preserve a witness area of the former natural heritage through effective ecological conservation and management of biodiversity and habitats of indigenous flora and fauna, including avifauna, reptiles, insects and aquatic species.
2.4 To encourage optimal use by all people for passive recreation and education, provided these do not conflict with the management aims referred to in clauses 2.2 and 2.3.

3 FUNCTIONS
3.1 To manage on behalf of the City Council (hereinafter referred to as the Council) in which the Reserve is located, all aspects of the Reserve and to maintain liaison with the Council on all matters of common interest, including the furnishing of a comprehensive annual report on all aspects of the management of the Reserve and activities during the year.
3.2 To compile and keep adequate documentation relating to management, development, expansion and problems of the Reserve.
3.3 To design and update research programmes for management and development, aided, where necessary, by interested persons, universities and other organisations.
3.4 To promote environmental and conservation awareness with the view to establishing pubic initiatives, interaction and involvement.
3.5 To disseminate information to encourage public interest in the Reserve and participation in organised activities and especially to promote an education programme, including environmental and recreational trails.
3.6 To involve the local community, especially in the vicinity of the Reserve, interested persons and organisations to:
-gain insights and ideas
-widen perspectives
-exchange information
-contribute opinions on important issues
-encourage research possibilities and obtain cooperation and support for management aims and objectives.

4 AREA OF MANAGEMENT
The area in which the committee will function includes all areas within the Reserve and any linked or integrated public open space and environmental protection reserve.

5 MEMBERSHIP
Members elected to the Management Committee shall have a knowledge of and interest in nature conservation, and/or ecology, and/or environmental education, and/or Nature Reserve administration.

6 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

6.1 The Management Committee members shall include:

a City Councillor, preferably from the Ward in which the Reserve is located

the Reserve Manager, employed by the City Council

the Honorary Warden or co-ordinator of management, if appointed

FOUR members elected annually from nominations motivated by the Friends of the Palmiet

ONE representative from:
- the Highway Branch of the Wildlife and Environment Society
- each of the Urban Conservancies adjoining the Reserve
- the University of Kwa Zulu Natal -Westville Campus
- Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

6.2 The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the Management Committee from amongst its members; provided that no office bearer shall hold office for a continuous period exceeding five years.
6.3 The Management Committee may delegate any if its powers to subcommittees as it sees fit. Such subcommittees shall be subject to the same limitations as the Management Committee.
6.4 The Management Committee may co-opt persons with special knowledge or abilities onto a subcommittee. Co-opted members shall have full voting rights in their relevant subcommittees, but no voting rights at any Management Committee meetings, if invited to attend.

7 OFFICE BEARERS
7.1 The Chairman
7.1.1 The Chairman of the Management Committee shall preside at every meeting of the committee at which he/she is present;
7.1.2 The Chairman shall be entitled to vote in the first instance and, in the case of an equality of votes, may give a second or casting vote. Where the Chairman has not voted in the first instance, he/ she may, in the case of an equality of votes, give a casting vote;
7.1.3 The Chairman shall sign the minutes when the same have been confirmed by the Management Committee;
7.1.4 The Chairman shall prepare an annual report to be presented to a meeting prescribed in Clause 8.14 [the Management Committee] and the Council by the end of the month of November
7.1.5 7.2 Vice-Chairman
The Vice-chairman shall, when presiding, have the same powers and rights of voting as those possessed by the Chairman.
7.3 Secretary
The Secretary shall be responsible for:
7.3.1 all correspondence,
7.3.2 the minutes of all meetings
7.4 Treasurer
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the financial administration of the income and expenditure of the Management Committee and the Palmiet Nature Reserve Development Fund.

8 MEETINGS
8.1 Management Committee meetings shall be held at least three times a year;
8.2 The quorum of the Management Committee shall be 50% of the number of its members;
8.3 At least fourteen days before any meeting of the Management Committee a notice to attend the meeting specifying the business to be transacted thereat and signed by the Secretary shall be left or delivered at the usual residence of each committee member;
8.4 Accidental omission of service of notice on any Management Committee member shall not affect the validity of the meeting.
8.5 No business shall be transacted at a meeting other than that specified in the notice relating thereto except any matters which the Chairman considers urgent or which the Management committee resolves to deal with as urgent;
8.6 The Management Committee shall from time to time fix the date and times of meetings;
8.7 If deemed necessary by the chairman, the Secretary shall call a special meeting of the Management Committee at a time and on a date specified on a notice of such meeting;
8.8 Every matter brought before the Management Committee shall be decided by a majority of those present and voting, if necessary, shall be by a show of hands;
8.9 Minutes shall be kept of the proceedings of all meetings containing:-
8.9.1 date of meeting;
8.9.2 names of members present and those with leave of absence;
8.9.3 confirmation or if necessary, the alteration of the minutes of the previous meeting /s;

8.9.4 record of all decisions taken;
8.9.5 if required, a record of those members voting for or against any decision;
8.10 The minutes of all meetings shall be taken as read at the next meeting and after confirmation, signed by the Chairman, thereby accepting the minutes as a true record of the proceedings of that meeting;
8.11 When so requested by the Chairman, each proposal or amendment shall be set out in writing;
8.12 No proposal or amendment may be withdrawn by the mover without the consent of the seconder and the approval of the meeting;
8.13 When speaking, a member shall address the Chairman and if two or more members offer to address the Chairman at the same time, he/she shall call on one to speak and shall indicate the order in which the other or others not so called on to speak thereafter.
8.14 An Annual General Meeting may take place, together with the Friends of the Palmiet if desired, to receive the Chairman's annual report, the audited financial statements and to present the Friend of the Palmiet Award to deserving candidates and whatever items may be decided. The format contained in Clauses 8.1 to 8.13 may be followed during this meeting. Should this meeting not be held, the reports and awards may be presented at a normal Management Committee meeting.

9 FINANCIAL
9.1 Funds of the Management Committee shall be used for (the ends of) use in the Palmiet Nature Reserve alone;
9.2 A banking account will be opened at an approved, registered bank [or building society] in the name of the Management Committee and all funds belonging to the Management Committee shall be deposited there;
9.3.1 A further account, to be known as the Palmiet Nature Reserve Development Fund, will be opened at a registered bank [or building society], for purposes of receiving donations;
9.3.2 This account is to be audited and presented annually to an Annual General Meeting of the Management Committee/Friends of the Palmiet
9.4 The Treasurer alone issues all payments by cheque, which must be signed by two signatories from three, which shall include the Treasurer, [and] the Chairman [or Vice-Chairman] and one other member appointed by the Management Committee;
9.5 The Treasurer will open and keep a set of books of account which shall be audited by a competent auditor appointed by the Committee
9.6 The financial year of the Management Committee closes on the last day of June [January] each year and financial statements will be presented to members at an ensuing meeting prescribed in Clause 8.14.

10 AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
10.1 Any stipulation of this constitution may be altered at a meeting by not less than two thirds of the members of the Committee;
10.2 Any proposed amendment must reach the Secretary in writing at least one month before a scheduled meeting of the Committee. When notifying members of the meeting, the Secretary must also mention the proposed amendment to the constitution.

11 DISSOLUTION
11.1 The Management Committee shall be dissolved if a resolution to that end is passed by the Council or a majority of more that two thirds of those members personally present at a duly constituted meeting.
11.2 On the dissolution of the Management Committee the assets (after winding up and the deduction of liabilities) shall be transferred in accordance / as directed by the Management Committee.
11.3 Financial assets of the PNR Development Fund shall be transferred in accordance with the constitution of this Fund.

APPENDIX 4

PALMIET NATURE RESERVE DEVELOPMENT FUND

CONSTITUTION

Approved by the Palmiet Nature Reserve Management Committee on 06/11/1979 and modified and approved by this Committee on ../../2003

1. PURPOSE
To provide the opportunity of encouraging donations for the purpose of development projects within the Palmiet Nature Reserve.

1. ADMINISTRATION
Contributions / donations are to be placed in a suitable Building Society Savings Account or Banking Account. A treasurer, elected at the Annual Meeting of the Palmiet Nature Reserve Management Committee, shall keep account of the donations and expenditure. Two further signatories, the Chairman of the Palmiet Nature Reserve Management Committee and one other member, shall be appointed to enable transactions to be concluded in the absence of one of the two signatories required to withdraw from the fund.

1. AUDIT
The account shall be audited annually and a statement presented at the Annual Meeting of the Palmiet Nature Reserve Management Committee.

1. CLOSURE OF THE PALMIET NATURE RESERVE DEVELOPMENT FUND
Should it be necessary, for any reason, to close this fund, the balance of monies remaining in the fund shall be transferred to a conservation organisation such as the Highway Branch of the KwaZulu-Natal Region of the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Southern Africa or its successors in title.

Palmiet Nature Reserve
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