National Council of Social Service (Amendment) Act 2000

REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

GOVERNMENT GAZETTE

ACTS SUPPLEMENT

Published by Authority

NO. 21]

Friday, July 28

[2000

The following Act was passed by Parliament on 3rd July 2000 and assented to by the President on 20th July 2000:—

National Council of Social Service (Amendment) Act 2000

(No. 23 of 2000)

I assent.

S R NATHAN,

President.

20th July 2000.

Date of Commencement: 29th September 2000

An Act to amend the National Council of Social Service Act (Chapter 195A of the 1993 Revised Edition).

Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:

Short title and commencement

1. This Act may be cited as the National Council of Social Service (Amendment) Act 2000 and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.

Amendment of section 2

2. Section 2 of the National Council of Social Service Act (referred to in this Act as the principal Act) is amended —

(a)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “Board”, the following definition:

“ “Board member” means any person appointed or elected to the Board under section 5(1);”;

(b)

by deleting the definition of “chief executive officer” and substituting the following definition:

“ “Chief Executive Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Council appointed under section 22(1);”;

(c)

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “Council”, the following definition:

“ “Council member” means any organisation or person granted membership of the Council under section 15;”; and

(d)

by deleting the definition of “member”.

Repeal and re-enactment of section 5

3. Section 5 of the principal Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:

“Board of Council

5.—(1) The management of the affairs of the Council and of its properties shall be vested in a Board which shall consist of the following members:

(a)

a President to be appointed by the Minister;

(b)

2 Vice-Presidents —

(i)	one of whom is to be a person elected at the annual general meeting of the Council from among the Council members; and
(ii)	the other of whom is to be a person appointed by the Minister in consultation with the President;

(c)

an Honorary General Secretary to be appointed by the President;

(d)

an Honorary Treasurer to be appointed by the President;

(e)

the Chairman of the Community Chest;

(f)

5 persons to be appointed by the President;

(g)

8 persons, each from a different full Council member referred to in section 15(1)(a), to be elected at the annual general meeting of the Council;

(h)

2 persons, each from a different associate Council member referred to in section 15(1)(b), to be elected at the annual general meeting of the Council;

(i)

the Director of Social Welfare or his representative; and

(j)

the Director of Medical Services or his representative.

(2) The President and the Vice-President appointed under subsection (1)(b)(ii) shall each hold office for such term not exceeding 2 years as the Minister thinks fit and shall be eligible for reappointment.

(3) The Vice-President elected under subsection (1)(b)(i) shall hold office for a term of 2 years and shall be eligible for re-election, except that no person shall be elected under subsection (1)(b)(i) to hold office as Vice-President for more than 3 consecutive terms.

(4) The Honorary General Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer shall each hold office for such term not exceeding 2 years as the President thinks fit and shall be eligible for reappointment, except that no person shall be appointed to hold office as Honorary Treasurer for more than 2 consecutive terms.

(5) A Board member appointed under subsection (1)(f) shall hold office for a term not exceeding 2 years as the President thinks fit and shall be eligible for reappointment.

(6) A Board member elected under subsection (1)(g) or (h) shall hold office for a term of 2 years and shall be eligible for re-election, except that no person shall be elected under subsection (1)(g) or (h) to hold office as a Board member for more than 3 consecutive terms.

(7) The Minister may at any time revoke the appointment of the President or the Vice-President appointed under subsection (1)(b)(ii) without assigning any reason.

(8) If for reason of illness, leave of absence or other cause, the President is unable to exercise his powers and perform his functions under this Act or any regulations made thereunder —

(a)	one of the Vice-Presidents as determined by the Board; or
(b)	if both the Vice-Presidents are unable to do so, any other Board member as determined by the Board with the approval of the Minister,

shall act as the President and shall exercise the powers and perform the functions of the President.

(9) The office of any Board member shall be vacated if he —

(a)	is adjudicated a bankrupt; or
(b)	has been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty, fraud or moral turpitude.

(10) No person who is an employee of the Council or of a full or associate Council member shall —

(a)	be elected or appointed as a Board member; or
(b)	nominate or second the nomination of any person for election to the Board.”.

Amendment of section 6

4. Section 6 of the principal Act is amended by deleting subsections (1) and (2) and substituting the following subsection:

“(1) All Board members shall have the right to vote on any issue at the meetings of the Council and of the Board, except in relation to the election of Board members under section 5(1)(b) (i), (g) and (h).”.

Amendment of section 7

5. Section 7 of the principal Act is amended —

(a)	by deleting the words “member of the Board or a member of the Council” in the 1st and 2nd lines of subsection (1) and substituting the words “Board member, Council member or official representative of a Council member”;
(b)	by deleting the words “the member” in the 5th line of subsection (1) and substituting the words “such member or official representative, as the case may be,”; and
(c)	by deleting the words “of its members” in subsection (2) and substituting the words “Board member, Council member or official representative of a Council member”.

Amendment of section 10

6. Section 10 (1) of the principal Act is amended —

(a)

by deleting paragraph (a) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(a)	to provide leadership and direction to the volunteer movement and co-ordinate social service activities between Council members and with other organisations;”; and

(b)

by deleting paragraph (d) and substituting the following paragraph:

“(d)	to establish and maintain the standards and guidelines for the management and administration of, and the provision of social service by, Council members;”.

Amendment of section 11

7. Section 11 of the principal Act is amended —

(a)

by deleting the word “and” at the end of paragraph (g) of subsection (1), and by inserting immediately thereafter the following paragraph:

“(ga)

with the approval of the Minister, form or participate in the formation of any incorporated or unincorporated body or organisation or enter into any joint venture with any person or organisation for the purpose of carrying out any function of the Council; and”; and

(b)

by deleting subsection (2) and substituting the following subsection:

“(2) Nothing in this section shall authorise the Council to engage in any matter of religious or party political controversy.”.

Amendment of section 13

8. Section 13 (6) of the principal Act is amended by deleting the words “The office of the Chairman shall be vacated if the Chairman” in the 1st and 2nd lines and substituting the words “The office of the Chairman, any Vice-Chairman or any other member appointed under subsection (2) shall be vacated if he”.

Amendment of section 14

9. Section 14 of the principal Act is amended by deleting subsections (2) and (3).

Amendment of section 15

10. Section 15 of the principal Act is amended by deleting subsections (4) and (5) and substituting the following subsection:

“(4) Where the Council is of the opinion that any organisation or person has rendered outstanding social service, the Council may invite such organisation or person to be an honorary Council member for such period as the Council thinks fit.”.

Amendment of section 17

11. Section 17 of the principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after subsection (2), the following subsection:

“(3) An official representative appointed under subsection (1) in respect of any Council member shall not be appointed to act as an official representative of any other Council member.”.

Repeal and re-enactment of section 19

12. Section 19 of the principal Act is repealed and the following section substituted therefor:

“Rights of associate Council member

19. An associate Council member may attend any meeting of the Council but shall not vote in any of its proceedings except in electing 2 Board members as provided in section 5(1)(h).”.

Amendment of section 40

13. Section 40 of the principal Act is amended by deleting subsection (2) and substituting the following subsection:

“(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the Council may, with the approval of the Minister, make such regulations for or with respect to all or any of the following matters:

(a)	the procedure for applying for, and the termination of, membership in the Council;
(b)	the conditions for membership in the Council;
(c)	the standards and guidelines for the management and administration of, and the provision of social services by, Council members;
(d)	the procedure for inquiry into complaints and information received relating to the conduct of Council members, their committee members or employees, and the sanctions to be imposed in respect of any misconduct, including the issuance of letters of censure and the suspension or termination of membership in the Council;
(e)	the rates, charges and fees payable for purposes of this Act;
(f)	the procedure and quorum for the meetings of the Board;
(g)	the procedure and quorum for the meetings of the Community Chest;
(h)	the procedure and quorum for general meetings of the Council and for the election of Board members;
(i)	the establishment, constitution and procedures of any committee referred to in section 14 and any unincorporated body or organisation referred to in section 11(1)(ga); and
(j)	the information to be provided and the documents to be submitted to the Council by Council members, including annual reports, audited accounts and such information as the Council may require for carrying out its objects.”.

Miscellaneous amendments

14. The principal Act is amended —

(a)

by deleting the words “chief executive officer” wherever they appear in the following provisions and substituting in each case the words “Chief Executive Officer”:

Sections 4(2) and 22(1), (2) and (3) (1st and 5th lines);

(b)

by deleting the word “member” in section 8 and substituting the words “Board member”;

(c)

by deleting the word “members” in the marginal note of section 8 and in the 2nd line of section 14(1) and substituting in each case the words “Board members”;

(d)

by deleting the words “members of the Council” in section 10(1)(b) and (g) and substituting in each case the words “Council members”;

(e)

by deleting the words “its members” in section 10(1)(j) and substituting the words “Council members”;

(f)

by deleting the words “its members” in the lst and 2nd lines of section 14(1) and substituting the words “the Board members”;

(g)

by deleting the word “objective” in the 3rd line of section 15(2) and substituting the word “function”;

(h)

by deleting the words “members of Council” in the marginal note of section 15 and substituting the words “Council members”;

(i)

by deleting the word “members” wherever it appears in the following provisions and substituting in each case the words “Council members”:

Sections 15(1) (3rd, 4th and 5th lines), 16(1) and (2), 18 (2nd line and marginal note) and 20 (1st line and marginal note);

(j)

by deleting the word “member” wherever it appears in the following provisions and substituting in each case the words “Council member”:

Sections 15(2) (last line) and (3) (last line) and 17(1);

(k)

by deleting the words “executive officer” in the marginal note of section 22 and substituting the words “Executive Officer”; and

(l)

by deleting the words “member of the Board” in the 2nd line of section 39 and substituting the words “Board member”.

Savings and transitional provisions

15.—(1) Notwithstanding anything in this Act —

(a)

any person who, immediately before the appointed day, was holding office as a member of the Board by virtue of the repealed section 5(1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (j) or (k) of the principal Act shall continue to hold office as a Board member as if he had been appointed or elected under section 5(1)(a), (b)(i), (c), (d), (e), (g), (h), (i) or (j) (as the case may be) of the principal Act in force on that day; and

(b)

any person who, immediately before the appointed day, was holding office as a member of the Board by virtue of the repealed section 5(1)(f) or (i) of the principal Act shall cease to hold office as a member of the Board on that day.

(2) In this section, “appointed day” means the date of commencement of this Act.

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