Re-Finance | Repair |Re-engage | Re-energise| Refurbish|
Background
The 2019 elected Board of the Cyprus Community of NSW Ltd in 2019 inherited a Community premises last refurbished in the late 1980s, a property portfolio with near zero net revenue, six houses close to disrepair, a decreasing membership, unexpected debts and a mortgage over the six houses.
After consultation with Community stakeholders and members, and in view of the current state of the Community finances, operations, property and facilities the Board has formulated a strategy to reposition the Community aligned with its constitutional objectives and mission to make it viable and relevant .
It is not a wish list, it is the basis the Board develops Business and Operational Plans make decisions, on the way the Board manages the Community.
The Board acknowledge the efforts, the sacrifices of past directors, and members of all the committees, as selfless volunteers, dedicated members of the community.
The Board recognise their work, and appreciate what they achieved and have given to us to preserve and grow.
The Board recognise that the way the Community has been governed in the past needs to be reviewed and changed. The Board will commission an external review of how the Community was governed in the past, and how it should do so in the future.
The Board prime strategy is to stabilise the Community finances, to improve the financial viability of the Community, at the same time not be a burden on our members. Ordinarily the Board is empowered to set the strategy according to the objectives in the Constitution and implement the business plan and budgets to deliver the strategy.
In accordance with this Strategy the Board considers a pillar of good governance is to inform the members in a transparent and proactive way as to why the Board has formulated this vision for the Community, and seek suggestions and ideas from the members leading up to the Extraordinary Meeting to be held 17 November 2019.
The Strategy is the basis of the Community business plan, how we manage the Community assets, services, facilities, how we help our members, represent members interest and how we help serve the needs of Cyprus and their challenges .
The operational strategy, the business plan, how we employ and train staff, how we provide a safe working environment, how we develop and implement budgets, financial discipline, how we ensure assets are repaired, maintain and managed are all based on this Strategy.
This is an inclusive Strategy with the support of the
members it will take the Community into its next century and unleash the
capital stored in the valuable assets and services it has nurtured over the
decades.
Mission
To promote and preserve the culture, language and traditions and identity of all Cypriots, to maintain links with Cyprus, to serve and support the needs of all Cypriots to represent the interests, views and opinions of the Cyprus community, to foster a productive, respectful and inclusive interaction with the wider community as a good community – corporate citizen, to assist all those who require help, support and to serve the needs of all descendants of Cypriot background.
Mission Delivered
To deliver this mission, Cyprus Community will secure its immediate financial viability, invite its members to support the Cyprus Community financially and in turn share in the capital growth of their Community asset.
As the members have a financial stake in the Cyprus Community, this will help re energise and refurbish, and re position Cyprus Community for its next 100 years as we pursue a membership drive, introduce new services and facilities and continue the planning proposal to redevelop or otherwise the 9,250 square metre sites.
The Cyprus Community Board understands the importance of good governance as the cornerstone to a healthy democratic and accountable organisation well-adjusted to the needs of its members and to be relevant to its members and the community at large.
During these four years the Cyprus Community Board will introduce new subcommittees consisting of members with the skills and dedication to deliver new events, functions, social services and much more.
Besides the Board restructure, and introduction of new policies and procedures the Cyprus Community will repair and refurbish its existing Club facilities to make it more presentable, accessible to both younger and more mature members of the community, with a new foyer and café, upgraded Bistro, a Cultural Centre- Live Music Venue, youth meet & play centre, a refurbished Function Centre, new meeting rooms and library, new permanent facility for our sports-soccer club, Wi Fi and Cinema quality installation, sport bar and gaming room and exhibition area.
A re energised and re-engage membership will bring back many and introduce the Community to many more new members from our neighbourhood, our community and beyond. As we grow and re position the Community for our next 100 years the future of the site is also a major goal as we pursue the planning proposal.
Vision
To be a relevant proactive organisation, leading proponent of the interest of all Cypriots and the home of the Cypriot culture, language and traditions, a place the youth to meet, learn, experience the Cypriot culture, the preferred place for all Greeks to meet, hold their functions and gatherings, to be the welcoming house for the neighbourhood offering the best in food, beverages, entertainment, cultural and education activities and to help those who need our support. To be a clean, modern, functional premises, accessible to all.
The Strategy
Corporate Governance Gorals 2019- 2020
We acknowledge the importance of transparent accountable and equitable behaviour of the Community as an essential part of our democratic and inclusive nature. We will strive to ensure all decisions are well measured, and for the benefit of all the members of the Community. We will endorse a Board Charter and Code of Members Rights to guided our interaction with members and the general community.
The Board members will convene sub committees to help manage the community assets, events, operations, and member services and establish a succession planning to invite younger members the opportunity to consider future roles on the Board. To ensure the Board fulfils its obligation and responsibilities it has adopted a framework of rules, and processes within and by which it governs the Community to achieve its goals in a proper and ethical manner. The Board has adopted :
1. Board Charter
2. Audit Committee Charter
3. Code of Conduct for Directors and Staff
4. Register of Interests
5. Risk Management Policy
6. Members Rights
7. Environmental Policy
8. Health & Safety Policy
9. Whistle-blower Policy
These charters, policies and rules are to be reviewed annually to identify any changes required. The Company Secretary is to maintain (and submit to the Board for adoption) compliance checklists to assist to instil the culture contemplated by and compliance with this manual.
All committees of the Comminute including the Soccer Club and future clubs within the Community will be asked to consider following the same standards of operation and governance.
The Board will commission a review of the governance of the entire organisation and report to the Board with a summary to made available to the members as to their finding and recommendations.
Re Finance : Financial Future 2019
We will secure the long-term financial status of the Community by inviting our members to support and also share in the capital growth of the Community assets. The financial stake in the Community by its members will provide a unique opportunity to unleash the value of the Community assets and provide the members with what private external finance would have earned.
By the end of 2019 the aim is to refinance the existing mortgage over the six houses on Tupper Street Enmore, and pay out the legacy/ inherited unsecured loans and inject funds to meet the cost of the planning proposal and to repair the houses and refurbish the Community assets.
The terms of the refinance will be same if not more favourable than offered by the banks and enable members to share in any capital growth of the asset, with the possible future option to partake in any possible development of the site subject to Community members approval.
Repair and Refurbish the Club 2020
Subject to securing the financial viability of the Community, we will initiate a 12-month repair and refurbishment of the Community in THREE stages over 12 months .
Stage one we will undertake necessary repairs and upgrades to the Community (Club) premises, install boom gates in the car park and LED lighting throughout and repair the six houses. 2019-2020
Stage two will be a refurbishment of the function centre targeting the lucrative event market with the view of appointing an event – function manager and a caterer, fit out of new meeting-teaching rooms, library and refurbishment of the basement as a Cultural – Sports Centre first half of 2020
Stage three is the refurbishment of the foyer, demolition of the existing offices and toilets, to install a bakery – café, new foyer with exhibition area an enlarge and refurbished bistro area , new sports bar with Gaming with the possibility of installing a lift from the foyer to the function Centre to be undertaken second half of 2020.
RE-engage and RE – Energise 2019 – 2020
A critical component of the four-year plan is to bring back those members who have lapsed membership and to attract new members of Cypriot, Greek descent and our immediate neighbours.
To do this an Events – Membership Committee will organise all year-round events and introduce
All year-round events calendar, energising our members as volunteers and promoters of the events, reintroducing The Cyprus Ball, and other events such as
Other new services :
Towards our Next 100 years 2019 -2021
The Planning proposal is the destiny of the Community whether we sell or stay its up to the members. With a planning approval the members will be best armed to decide at that time. In the meantime, our strategy is to ensure the Community is finally stable, its relevant and practice, its members event programme is growing, to help those in need, enhance our education and cultural and health & welfare offering, and continue to be a vibrant leading institution representing Cypriots and their interests at all times.