The Scheme was originally introduced in 1995 as a means of encouraging members to focus on activities in their local area, and to broaden and intensify the influence

Bicycle New South Wales on bicycle facilities provision and cycling promotion across the state.

Groups are formed either to conduct tours/rides or undertake locally based campaigns/advocacy or both. Groups are free to collect donations and fees to cover the costs of organising their events and activities. Groups may also charge members an additional local group membership fee to cover the costs of administration, additional local group member benefits etc.

Each group will need to appoint a president, a treasurer/secretary and a tours leader. Where money is raised by the group or is received in grants from either Bicycle New South Wales or a government agency the secretary/treasurer should also maintain a simple set of financial accounts. A twice-annual financial statement of the group’s accounts will need to be submitted to the Bicycle New South Wales office. Changes in the names or contact details of the office bearers will also need to be promptly notified.

If your group chooses not to raise or spend money then you are not required to keep accounts. However, it is recommended that groups do maintain a set of accounts and Bicycle New South Wales office staff can help your group’s treasurer/secretary to set up an accounting system and recommend the best procedures for maintaining good records.

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In order to be affiliated as a Bicycle User Group with Bicycle New South Wales a group must call a meeting of its members and adopt a set of rules. Bicycle New South Wales provides a simple set of rules that meet our requirements. The principle stipulation in this document is that in the event of a wind-up of the group any funds remaining within the group, which are unspent from a Bicycle New South Wales grant, must be returned to us.

The tours leader will be the contact person for the group in matters relating to rides.

This person will ensure that members organise their rides to an agreed standard and that notification is made of rides for inclusion in the Bicycle New South Wales Touring Calendar. Enclosed with this document you will find a set of guidelines for ride leaders. The tours leader should ensure that all ride leaders adopt these guidelines and are given encouragement to organise interesting and enjoyable tours for your group’s members.

Once you have registered your group with Bicycle New South Wales you are eligible to participate in the group benefits offered to our local user groups. Group benefits are not to be confused with individual benefits. Individual benefits are those offered to each Bicycle New South Wales members. If your group allows for members who are not Bicycle New South Wales’ members they are not covered in any way as individuals.

The group benefits of affiliation under the Local Bicycle User Group Development Scheme are:

• Public liability coverage for your group. This coverage provides protection for office holders, tours and rides leaders and group members acting in an official capacity within all public activities of the group. This cover also protects against legal actions brought against the group or its officials as a result of the actions of guests, visitors and registered participants on rides who are not members.

If your group has associate members (non Bicycle New South Wales members) these people are not personally covered under our members’ public liability policy (see individual members benefits section below).

• Listing of your rides and events on the Bicycle New South Wales bi=monthly touring calendar.

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Under these circumstances your group is covered under the Bicycle New South Wales Public Liability policy. As part of this information package we include a set of guidelines for tour group leaders.

Please issue a copy of this sheet to all your leaders and intending leaders and ask them to follow this advice. The aim of these guidelines is to ensure that your group has a good standard of operation and has taken seriously your normal duty of care to the participants and the public.

Some of our local groups such as Newcastle Cycleways Movement are incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act and are required to show to the Department of Fair Trading a proof of a public liability policy. All our affiliated groups are covered by Bicycle New South Wales’ policy even if they are separately incorporated. By arrangement the Bicycle New South Wales can supply these groups with a certificate of currency listing the group.

Special arrangements can also be made to list other interested parties such as councils (for use of parks and facilities during large public events) but this takes time and you must notify our Membership Manager each May and November if you require this additional listing of an interested party on our twice a year public liability insurance certificate.

Simply put, if individual group members, visitors, participants on large public rides are not members of Bicycle New South Wales they are not covered by our members personal and property policy and should have their own third party public liability cover.

For example, where a participant on a local group organised ride collides with a pedestrian. If the participant was cycling along on unmarked route (not riding under direct immediate instructions of the ride leader) and they swerved to miss a dog only to collide with a pedestrian then the injured pedestrian could well bring an action against the rider as an individual.

If the rider was not a member of Bicycle New South Wales then they need to have separate cover or risk a substantial legal action.

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1. The group should agree to adopt the Local Bicycle User Group Rules as provided by Bicycle New South Wales. Groups should advise the President of Bicycle New South Wales of any proposed amendments to these rules at least two weeks before the meeting when these amendments are to be put and within two weeks of the amendments being adopted.
2. The group must elect a Committee of Management and office bearers in accordance with the Rules. This committee will be responsible for the running of the group. This involves decision making on the activities of the group such as the raising and expenditure of funds and setting the group’s activities. As an unincorporated group the committee and office bearers must bear collective responsibility for decisions made by them on behalf of the group.
3. The office bearers and committee shall ensure that books of account are kept to record all income and expenditure to the satisfaction of the Bicycle New South Wales accounts officer.
4. An annual statement of the group’s accounts is to be submitted to Bicycle New South Wales on August 31 each year for the period ending June 30.
5. The group will ensure that at all times that the Bicycle New South Wales office is informed of the names and contact details of all office bearers for the group.
6. If the group chooses to run rides, the committee shall appoint a Tours Leader who will coordinate the tours program.
7. The group should adopt the Local Bicycle User Group Guidelines for Rides Leaders and ensure that all ride leaders comply.
8. The Tour Leader will ensure that details for the group’s monthly rides (and any other public event the group organises) are sent to Bicycle New South Wales for inclusion in the bi-monthly Touring Calendar. In the event of late or accidentally omitted rides the Bicycle New South Wales office will be separately notified of any events not listed in the Touring Calendar two weeks prior to these rides taking place. (NB this requirement is to satisfy insurance requirements).
9. The Tours Leader will ensure that all group rides leaders are fully acquainted with the Ride Leaders’ Guidelines and make sound preparations for the rides they lead.

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10. Groups must maintain a list of current members. This information can be update bi-monthly with new member information supplied by the Bicycle New South Wales office staff.

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1. Plan your tour beforehand. Make sure you have ridden it to check out facilities, distances and places for rest stops. If possible list these things on a simple handout to give to participants before they come on the ride. See the reverse of this sheet for suggestions.
2. Meet your group at a predetermined location. Aim to arrive at least fifteen minutes before the agreed time. Experience has shown that when you are ready and waiting at the start your ride runs much better.
3. Brief your group on the ride giving them a brief run down on the route and the way you plan to lead them along it. You should point out to them that by travelling as a group no one will be left behind and all members of t he group should be mindful of others – that is, it is not a good idea to put head down and bottom up to get there in record time if others are left hopelessly behind. You should also advise them where the lunch and rest stops will be, if water is hard to obtain (and where to get it) and where food can be bought (if they did not bring it).
4. Explain the method you plan to use to ensure that the group stays together. Typically this will mean regrouping every few kilometres and waiting for others to catch up. With traffic lights and different rider speeds it is very easy for the group to be broken up so it is essential that you know your route and have at least surveyed a number of possible regrouping locations.
5. It is always good to appoint a head rider and a tail rider so that everybody knows where they are in the group. This should be neither a super fast rider or a really slow cyclist. It’s hard to judge unless you know your group beforehand so you will have to rely on the willingness of the individuals to volunteer their help.

In the USA the New York American Youth Hostels cycling group uses a technique called the Point Drop Method.

Simply put, the faster riders drop off at each major turning and point the way to the others following. When the tail end rider comes by, the pointer then rides on to catch up with the others thereby ensuring that everyone generally rides at their own pace.

 

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6. Before you set out ask your group to tell you if they have any difficulties with their bikes as minor adjustment problems should be best dealt with before you set out and not when you are moving.
7. Warn your group of any difficult traffic locations you may encounter (squeeze points etc.) and outline your strategy for dealing with these points. Remember, that many of the participants are there because they want to try cycling as an enjoyable and positive mode of transport and or recreation. If they enjoy themselves on your ride they will be encouraged to cycle more often. You are bound to have at least one person who is traffic shy. Make sure that this person rides within the group not at the back so that there is always a positive presence of another cyclist nearby.
8. At the end of the journey gather your group for a quick debrief. This may be done over a cup of tea or coffee. There may be questions to be answered and if your group were involved in close or difficult situations, it is vital that the people involved are permitted to talk it out and see the situation from another angle.
9. Finally, thank your group for participating. If they are not already a member of Bicycle New South Wales, give them a membership brochure and tell them that their support will help us make the roads a better place for them and other people to ride their bicycles.

• Start and finish points
• Degree of difficulty (big hills if any…)
• Distances: total, to lunch etc
• Facilities (food stops water etc.)
• Road surfaces (how much dirt?)

• Where
• Meeting time
• What to do if you can’t come
• What to do if you are late to start
• What happens with bad weather (does the ride proceed rain, hail or shine?)

• Bike in good mechanical condition
• Water bottles on bike (at least two 850 ml)
• Bag(s) to carry food, clothing
• Food for lunch etc. if food can not be bought along the route
• Wet weather gear
• Adequate clothing to account for a change in the weather
• Helmet
• Road map of area
• Basic tool kit
• Lights if the ride is set to finish late
• Money for food etc. and return transport

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1. Name

The name of the group is ………………………………………………… (referred to in these rules as "the group").

2. Objects

The objects of the group are the same as those of Bicycle New South Wales Inc. when the rules were adopted by the group, ie:

1. To promote the use of the bicycle for transport and recreation as a means to improve quality of life and protect the environment.
2. To promote education of bicyclists and other road users in the interest of road safety.
3. To advocate enforcement of the rights and obligations of bicyclists.
4. To advocate engineering and equipment appropriate for the use of bicyclists.
3. Membership
1. Eligibility - Membership is open to all people and organizations (including members of Bicycle New South Wales Inc.) who accept the objects and rules of the group.
2. Application - A person or organisations wishing to become a member of the group must apply to the committee for membership.
3. Determination - The committee must determine whether or not to accept an application for membership. The committee need not supply reasons for accepting or rejecting an application for membership.
4. Fees - Members must pay on joining and annually thereafter the fees determined by the group at a general meeting.
5. Register – A register of members must be kept by the group. showing the name, address and current status of membership for each member.
6. Cessation – Membership ends on resignation, expulsion, or failure to pay outstanding membership fees.

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1. Members’ Liability
1. Incorporated Group – If the group is incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 1984 (NSW), the members of the group are not liable to contribute towards the payment of debts and liabilities of the group or the costs, charges and expenses of the winding up of the group except to the amount of any unpaid membership fees.
2. Unincorporated groups - If the group is unincorporated. then members acknowledge that they and/or the committee comprise the group, which is not a separate legal entity.
2. Disciplining of members:
1. Expulsion – A member may be expelled from membership of the group (or otherwise disciplined) by the committee, if in the opinion of the committee, (after affording the member an opportunity of offering an explanation of his/her conduct), the conduct is regarded as being detrimental to the interests of the group.
2. Appeal – A member who wishes to appeal against a decision expelling or otherwise disciplining them may do so by notifying the secretary in writing that they wish the decision to be reviewed at the next general meeting of the group.
3. Disputes between members
1. In the event of a dispute arising between members (in their capacity as members), or between a member and the group, or a member and the committee, the following procedure applies:

9. Each side of the dispute must nominate a representative who is not directly involved in the dispute. Those representatives must then attempt to settle the dispute by negotiation.
2. If the nominated representatives are unable to resolve the dispute within 14 days (or such other period as they may agree) the dispute must be referred to a person mutually agreed on for mediation, or if not agreed, under paragraph (d) below.
3. If the dispute is not resolved by the above procedures, it must be referred to a Community Justice Centre for mediation in accordance with the Community Justice Centres Act 1983.

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1. Management By Committee
1. The group must have its affairs controlled and managed by the office bearers and other members know as the committee. The committee must act in accordance with any resolution passed by a general meeting of the group.
2. The Office Bearers are a president, secretary/treasurer. There may be up to five other members of the committee.
3. The office bearers and other members of the committee are elected at each annual general meeting. Any casual vacancy occurring in the committee may be filled by a member appointed by the committee.
4. Each member of the committee holds office from the date of their election or appointment until the next annual general meeting.
5. Retiring committee members are eligible for re-election.
6. The committee must meet as often as necessary to conduct the business of the group and not less than once in each month.
7. Notice of committee meetings must be given at the previous committee meeting or by such other means as the committee may decide upon.
8. A member of the committee ceases to hold office upon resignation in writing; removal as a member of the group; or absence from three successive committee meetings without approval by the committee.
9. The quorum for meetings of the committee is half the number of committee members elected at the previous annual general meeting.
10. The committee may function validly if its number is not reduced below the quorum. If committee numbers fall below the quorum the remaining committee members may act only to appoint new committee members.
11. Questions arising at any meeting of the committee must be decided by the majority of votes of those present. In case of an equality of votes, the person appointed to chair the meeting has a second or casting vote.
12. If within half an hour of the time appointed for a committee meting a quorum is not present the meeting is dissolved.
13. Additional meetings of the committee may be convened by the President or any two members of the committee.
2. General Meetings
1. An annual general meeting of the group must be held each year within 6 months from the end of the financial year of the group.

 

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2. The committee may, whenever it thinks fit, convene a general meeting of the group. A general meeting must be convened by the committee within 3 months of receiving a written request to do so from at least 5% of the membership of the group.
3. At least 14 days" notice of all general meeting, the following business must be transacted

9. confirmation of the minutes of the last annual general meeting and any recent special general meeting.
2. receipt of the committee’s report upon the activities of the group in the last financial year;
3. election of office bearers and other members of the committee: and
4. receipt and consideration of a statement from the committee which is not misleading and gives a true and fair view for the last financial year of the group’s:

1. income and expenditure
2. assets and liabilities
3. mortgages, charge and other securities
4. trust properties
5. The quorum for a general meeting is five members present in person. If within half an hour of the time appointed for a general meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting must be dissolved.
6. Voting is by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded. Decisions are made by a simple majority vote, except for those matters which must be decided by special resolution where a three quarter majority is required.
7. All voting must be done personally, or by proxy.
8. In the case of an equality of votes the person appointed to chair the general meeting has a second or casting vote.
9. Nominations of candidates for election as office bearers or other committee members may be made at the annual general meeting or in such other ways as is determined by the group at a general meeting.
10. Members who have items of business they wish considered at a general meeting must give written notice to the secretary. The secretary must include that business in the next notice calling a general meeting.

1. The president (or, in the president’s absence, the secretary/treasurer or tours leader) acts as chairperson at each general meeting and committee meeting of the group.
2. If the president or other office bearers are absent from a meeting or unwilling to act, the members present at the meeting elect one of their number to act as chairperson.
3. The secretary/treasurer shall ensure that records of the business of the group including the rules, registers of members, and office bearers, minutes of all general and committee meetings and a file of correspondence are kept. These records must be available for inspection by any member and are held in the custody of the secretary/treasurer.
4. The secretary/treasurer must ensure that all money received by the group is paid into an account in the group’s name. Payments must be made through a petty cash system or by cheque signed by two signatories authorised by the committee. Major or unusual expenditures must be authorised in advance by the committee or a general meeting.
5. The secretary/treasurer must ensure that books and accounts are kept showing correctly the financial affairs of the group. These records must be available for inspection by any member and must be held in the custody of the secretary/treasurer.

1. Special Resolutions
1. A special resolution needs to be passed by a general meeting of the group to effect the following changes:

9. a change of the group’s name;
2. a change of the group’s rules;
3. a change of the group’s objects;
4. an amalgamation with another group;
5. to voluntarily wind up the group; or
6. to apply for registration as a company or a co-operative

1. A special resolution is passed in the following manner:

9. a notice is sent to all members and the President of Bicycle New South Wales Incorporated advising that a general meeting is to be held to consider a special resolution;
2. the notice must give details of the proposed special resolution and give at least 21 days’ notice of the meeting;

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3. a quorum must be present at the meeting; and
4. at least three-quarters of those present must vote in favour of the resolution.

1. In situations where it is not possible or practicable for a resolution to be passed as described above, a request may be made to the Department of Fair Trading for permission to pass the resolution in some other way.

1. Miscellaneous
1. The funds of the group may be derived from the fees of members, donations, grants and such other sources approved by the group.
2. If the group is wound up or otherwise ceases to exist or if it has its incorporation cancelled, any surplus funds from a Bicycle New South Wales Inc grant must be returned to Bicycle New South Wales Inc.
3. The group must comply with the Bicycle New South Wales Local User Group guidelines.
4. Service of documents on the group is effected by serving them on the secretary/treasurer or by serving them personally on two members of the committee.
5. Notices sent by post are taken to have been received two days after the date of posting to the last recorded address.
6. The income and property of the group must be used only for promotion of the objects of the group and cannot be paid or transferred to members by way of dividend, bonus or profit.