About the Alliance
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Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance
The Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance (the Alliance) supports local Sustainable Neighbourhood groups across the City of Lake Macquarie. The Alliance is a not for profit incorporated body that is independent from Council. |
Download a pdf of this information: About the Alliance
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Alliance Objectives
The primary aim of the Alliance is to assist the Sustainable Neighbourhood network to function as an independent community network over time. This includes:
• supporting the Sustainable Neighbourhood network and mentoring new groups;
• communicating between Sustainable Neighbourhood groups and sharing information, tools, case studies, connections, project plans etc; and
• providing advice and advocacy on Sustainable Neighbourhood issues to all three levels of government.
Support for local Sustainable Neighbourhood groups
The Alliance:
• develops and manages common policies, systems, procedures, and relevant training. For example volunteer management, risk management, and work health and safety;
• maintains insurance coverage to enable eligible local groups to implement agreed activities in their Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plans (SNAPs);
• seeks funding and submits applications for grants to support common activities of local groups. Auspices and manages applications and grant funds for local groups, where appropriate;
• invites and receives contributions and raises funds where appropriate, to finance the work of the Alliance;
• partners with a range of community groups and other stakeholders to encourage cooperative programs and initiatives and share resources;
• addresses issues common to all member groups;
• represents the interests of the Sustainable Neighbourhood network to all levels of government, and other bodies involved in sustainability issues; and
• employs staff and volunteers as necessary to undertake activities of the Alliance.
Benefits for members of the Alliance
Membership of the Alliance can provide many benefits, including the potential to assist with and auspice funding, and to provide insurance cover for approved activities. The Alliance plays an important role in sharing resources and communicating amongst its member groups, and acting as an advocate on behalf of the Sustainable Neighbourhood network across Lake Macquarie.
Financial members of the Alliance can:
• be nominated as candidates for the Alliance Board;
• elect representatives to the Alliance Board and vote on matters at the Alliance annual general meeting;
• submit agenda items for ordinary Board meetings of the Alliance; and
• attend ordinary Board meetings by invitation as observers.
Governance structure
The Alliance is governed by a Board of twelve elected representatives from the membership of local Sustainable Neighbourhood groups. The Board members represent the collective interests of the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood network, rather than the interest of their local group.
The twelve members of the Alliance Board are elected by the financial members of local Sustainable Neighbourhood groups at the annual general meeting of the Alliance.
Joining the Alliance
To join the Alliance a Sustainable Neighbourhood group needs to formalise their membership. The group will need to complete the following steps.
1. Develop and launch a Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP) with broad involvement from local residents.
2. Adopt an agreed set of rules for the group (eg. a Terms of Reference) to formalise a governance structure and operating guidelines.
3. Elect a management committee for the group, according to the rules of the group.
4. Require members to complete a membership form and pay an annual nominal fee. Membership is generally renewed and confirmed on an annual basis. The annual fee is determined by each local Sustainable Neighbourhood group and generally used by the local group to continue their operations.
5. The group needs to maintain a membership register of their financial members, to be made available to the Alliance on request.
6. The initial membership register and the group’s Terms of Reference must be emailed to the Alliance, admin@sustainbleneighbourhoods.org.au for ratification.
7. Once a group has formalised their membership, all paid up members of the local Sustainable Neighbourhood group also become formal members of the Alliance.
To ensure the group is covered by the Alliance, the group needs to undertake any planning and activities of the group consistent with the procedures and training as set out by the Alliance.
Insurance
The Alliance can provide insurance coverage for eligible activities of its member Sustainable Neighbourhood groups. For an activity to be endorsed by the Alliance, the following conditions must be met.
1. The person responsible for organising the event or activity must be a financial member of their local group, and therefore of the Alliance.
2. The activity must be endorsed by the local Sustainable Neighbourhood group and noted in the group’s meeting minutes.
3. The activity must contribute to the vision and objectives set out in the group’s Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan.
4. The activity must be planned and implemented according to the procedures and training set out by the Alliance.
5. The activity must be subject to adequate risk management procedures.
6. The group must notify the Alliance of their activities, events and projects using the Activities Notification and Risk Management Form.
7. Any insurance coverage is always subject to the discretion of the Insurer.
Council support for the Alliance
Lake Macquarie City Council has a strong commitment to fostering sustainability through working in partnership with its community, and in particular, through the Sustainable Neighbourhood network. Council provides support and assistance to the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance to enable it to carry out its role and function effectively over time.
Contact
For support or further information contact the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance.
Email: admin@sustainableneighbourhoods.org.au
Telephone: 02 4921 0117
Website: www.sustainableneighbourhoods.org.au
The primary aim of the Alliance is to assist the Sustainable Neighbourhood network to function as an independent community network over time. This includes:
• supporting the Sustainable Neighbourhood network and mentoring new groups;
• communicating between Sustainable Neighbourhood groups and sharing information, tools, case studies, connections, project plans etc; and
• providing advice and advocacy on Sustainable Neighbourhood issues to all three levels of government.
Support for local Sustainable Neighbourhood groups
The Alliance:
• develops and manages common policies, systems, procedures, and relevant training. For example volunteer management, risk management, and work health and safety;
• maintains insurance coverage to enable eligible local groups to implement agreed activities in their Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plans (SNAPs);
• seeks funding and submits applications for grants to support common activities of local groups. Auspices and manages applications and grant funds for local groups, where appropriate;
• invites and receives contributions and raises funds where appropriate, to finance the work of the Alliance;
• partners with a range of community groups and other stakeholders to encourage cooperative programs and initiatives and share resources;
• addresses issues common to all member groups;
• represents the interests of the Sustainable Neighbourhood network to all levels of government, and other bodies involved in sustainability issues; and
• employs staff and volunteers as necessary to undertake activities of the Alliance.
Benefits for members of the Alliance
Membership of the Alliance can provide many benefits, including the potential to assist with and auspice funding, and to provide insurance cover for approved activities. The Alliance plays an important role in sharing resources and communicating amongst its member groups, and acting as an advocate on behalf of the Sustainable Neighbourhood network across Lake Macquarie.
Financial members of the Alliance can:
• be nominated as candidates for the Alliance Board;
• elect representatives to the Alliance Board and vote on matters at the Alliance annual general meeting;
• submit agenda items for ordinary Board meetings of the Alliance; and
• attend ordinary Board meetings by invitation as observers.
Governance structure
The Alliance is governed by a Board of twelve elected representatives from the membership of local Sustainable Neighbourhood groups. The Board members represent the collective interests of the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood network, rather than the interest of their local group.
The twelve members of the Alliance Board are elected by the financial members of local Sustainable Neighbourhood groups at the annual general meeting of the Alliance.
Joining the Alliance
To join the Alliance a Sustainable Neighbourhood group needs to formalise their membership. The group will need to complete the following steps.
1. Develop and launch a Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP) with broad involvement from local residents.
2. Adopt an agreed set of rules for the group (eg. a Terms of Reference) to formalise a governance structure and operating guidelines.
3. Elect a management committee for the group, according to the rules of the group.
4. Require members to complete a membership form and pay an annual nominal fee. Membership is generally renewed and confirmed on an annual basis. The annual fee is determined by each local Sustainable Neighbourhood group and generally used by the local group to continue their operations.
5. The group needs to maintain a membership register of their financial members, to be made available to the Alliance on request.
6. The initial membership register and the group’s Terms of Reference must be emailed to the Alliance, admin@sustainbleneighbourhoods.org.au for ratification.
7. Once a group has formalised their membership, all paid up members of the local Sustainable Neighbourhood group also become formal members of the Alliance.
To ensure the group is covered by the Alliance, the group needs to undertake any planning and activities of the group consistent with the procedures and training as set out by the Alliance.
Insurance
The Alliance can provide insurance coverage for eligible activities of its member Sustainable Neighbourhood groups. For an activity to be endorsed by the Alliance, the following conditions must be met.
1. The person responsible for organising the event or activity must be a financial member of their local group, and therefore of the Alliance.
2. The activity must be endorsed by the local Sustainable Neighbourhood group and noted in the group’s meeting minutes.
3. The activity must contribute to the vision and objectives set out in the group’s Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan.
4. The activity must be planned and implemented according to the procedures and training set out by the Alliance.
5. The activity must be subject to adequate risk management procedures.
6. The group must notify the Alliance of their activities, events and projects using the Activities Notification and Risk Management Form.
7. Any insurance coverage is always subject to the discretion of the Insurer.
Council support for the Alliance
Lake Macquarie City Council has a strong commitment to fostering sustainability through working in partnership with its community, and in particular, through the Sustainable Neighbourhood network. Council provides support and assistance to the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance to enable it to carry out its role and function effectively over time.
Contact
For support or further information contact the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance.
Email: admin@sustainableneighbourhoods.org.au
Telephone: 02 4921 0117
Website: www.sustainableneighbourhoods.org.au
