Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV)

Issues of Interest

Unified Body Update: VFBV Position Paper And Constitution

Both Volunteer Associations have agreed to the VFBV Position Paper and proposed Constitution being forwarded to all brigades and Regional Councils. The aim of the Position Paper is to give brigades and Regional Councils an understanding of the proposed structure which will operate upon the merging of the VUFBA and the VRFBA into the one Association (VFBV).

As brigades would be well aware, the bringing together of the two Associations has been proceeding for some time and has now reached the stage where it can be formalised and the new organisation created.

You will note in the Position Paper there is provision for an Urban Sub Committee and a Rural Sub Committee within the Executive Committee. These Sub Committees provide the opportunity for both the urban and rural sectors to nominate their respective appointees to the CFA Board and the VFBV Board, manage separate Championship Committees and, if necessary, deal with any issue specific to urban or rural brigades. The senior urban and rural volunteers (formerly Association Presidents) will be known as Vice President (Urban or Rural) and will automatically be appointed to the VFBV Board.

The proposed timeframe and actions for the creation of VFBV are:

Associations 2008 Annual General Meetings, - VRFBA 14th August, VUFBA 14th September - the Associations to agree to the proposed creation of VFBV as the Association representing all volunteers and the virtual dissolution of the VRFBA and the VUFBA. It should be noted that the VRFBA and the VUFBA will continue to exist in name only to meet the requirements of the CFA Act.
VFBV Meeting 4th October 2008 - this meeting would see the formation of VFBV as the Association representing all CFA volunteers.
VUFBA Welfare Fund - the Victorian Government has provided funding which will allow a new Welfare Fund to be created for all CFA volunteers. It is proposed to transfer the funds held in the VUFBA's Welfare Fund into this new Fund upon it coming into operation. Brigades affiliating with the VUFBA's Welfare Fund will automatically transfer to the new Fund.

The Associations support the direction being taken to amalgamate the two Associations into the one Association and, unless the majority of rural or urban brigades do not support the amalgamation, the Associations will move appropriate motions at their Annual General Meetings to operate under the new Association (VFBV).

Unless brigades advise the Associations to the contrary, the Associations will assume that your brigade supports these arrangements and the direction being taken. Any comments should be with the Associations by 31st July 2008.

Affiliations: urban affiliated brigades will transfer to VFBV in October; VFBV will facilitate rural brigade affiliations.

3 Documents are available and are attached below.