The Terms of Reference of the Western Pacific Regional Committee describe the structure of the committee and its operating procedures, as well as outlining its aims and objectives.

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WESTERN PACIFIC REGIONAL COMMITTEE – TERMS OF REFERENCE

1 Introduction

1.1 These terms of reference should be read and understood in conjunction with the following documents:
1..1 Constitution and Bye-Laws of the International Bureau for Epilepsy IBE, dated 1st July 2009, which take precedence in all matters.
1..2 Legal obligations of members of the International Executive Committee (February 2005).
1..3 IBE Financial Procedures (October 2006).
1..4 Annexe 1 to these Terms of Reference (December 2009)

1.2 The IBE is governed by its members through a General Assembly and an International Executive Committee. These terms of reference for the Western Pacific Regional Committee are set and approved by the International Executive Committee.

1.3 The Western Pacific Regional Committee is a Committee of the IBE established under Article XVII of the Constitution and under Bye-Law IV.

1.4 The Western Pacific Regional Committee will work within the general policy and strategic framework set by the IBE and within these terms of reference and will report to and be accountable to the International Executive Committee.

1.5 Meetings of the Western Pacific Regional Committee will be convened as specified within these terms of reference. The Western Pacific Regional Committee and its Regional Executive Committee can otherwise conduct its business by email, telephone, etc… including balloting voting members by email and/or post.

1.6 The Western Pacific Regional Committee cannot commit the Bureau to any new programme expenditure or impose significant additional administrative costs without the prior approval of the International Executive Committee.

1.7 The Western Pacific Regional Committee shall submit an annual budget and plan of activities each year for the approval of the International Executive Committee.

1.8 The Western Pacific Regional Committee may establish sub-groups where this is set within an agreed plan of activities.

1.9 The Western Pacific Regional Committee may raise funds from within its region for its activities, where this is specified within an agreed budget, in addition to those funds allocated to it by the IBE within its annual revenue budget. Any funds raised locally must be credited to IBE’s central bank account, as indicated by the Treasurer of IBE. Funds may not be raised at international level.

2 Membership

2.1 The membership of the Western Pacific Regional Committee shall be all those IBE Full, Associate and Regional members located within the IBE geographical definition of the region.

2.2 Where regional affinity might be considered to be ambiguous, an IBE member can opt in or out of the region as long as each IBE member might only be allowed to be a member of one Regional Committee at any one time.

2.3 The President of IBE, the Secretary-General of IBE and the Treasurer of IBE shall each be an ex-officio non-voting member of the Western Pacific Regional Committee and its Regional Executive Committee and should be included in all relevant communications of the Regional Executive Committee.

2.4 As ex-officio non-voting members of the Regional Committee and the Regional Executive Committee, the President, Secretary-General and Treasurer of IBE shall be invited to attend all meetings of the Regional Committee and the Regional Executive Committee. Expenses incurred in attending such meetings will not be charged to the budget of the Regional Committee.

2.5 Representatives of the members of the Western Pacific Regional Committee shall meet in person at least once every two years at a Regional General Assembly.

2.6 The quorum of meetings of the Western Pacific Regional Committee shall be half of the voting (Full Members) present in person.

2.7 The quorum of meetings, which are properly convened by the Secretary-General, of the Regional Executive Committee and any other sub-groups shall be half the members (excluding non-voting ex-officio members) present in person.

2.8 The voting rights of members of the Western Pacific Regional Committee are as specified for IBE Regional Committees within the Constitution and Bye-Laws of IBE.

2.9 The voting members of the Western Pacific Regional Committee shall elect a Vice-President (Western Pacific) to serve on the International Executive Committee in accordance with the Constitution and Bye-Laws of IBE.

3 Regional Executive Committee

3.1 The voting members of the Western Pacific Regional Committee shall elect a Regional Executive Committee in accordance with the Constitution and Bye-Laws of IBE.

3.2 The Regional Executive Committee shall facilitate and co-ordinate the activities and business of the Western Pacific Regional Committee as detailed in Annexe 1 to these Terms of Reference – ‘Responsibilities of the Regional Executive Committee’

3.3 The Regional Executive Committee shall consist of an elected Chair, an elected Vice-Chair and an elected Secretary.

3.4 Additional elected positions on the Regional Executive Committee are possible with the prior approval of the International Executive Committee.

3.5 The President may co-opt up to 2 additional voting members to a Regional Executive Committee, with the approval of the International Executive Committee and the Regional Executive Committee.

3.6 The term of office for any elected position on the Regional Executive Committee shall run in tandem with the term of the International Executive Committee and shall end at the time when a newly elected International Executive Committee comes into office. No holder of an elected position may serve more than two full or partial consecutive terms.

3.7 The Vice-President (Western Pacific), elected to serve on the International Executive Committee, shall be an ex-officio member with full voting and other rights of the Regional Executive Committee. It is important to note that the Vice President is a Board Director of IBE and as such has a fiduciary duty to the members of the organisation and to those who contribute to it as described in the ‘Legal obligations of members of the International Executive Committee’.

3.8 The Regional Executive Committee shall meet in person at least once every year.

3.9 The Regional Executive Committee will act as a unit and any decisions taken on activities, whether or not these have budgetary implications, must be taken in consultation with all voting members of the committee.

3.10 The Regional Executive Committee shall prepare an annual budget and plan of action to be presented for approval by the International Executive Committee. The budget and plan of action to be submitted before the end of January each year.

3.11 The Regional Executive Committee shall use its funds in accordance with its terms of reference and budgets approved by the IBE IEC and all expenditure shall be undertaken in line with the Financial Procedures of IBE.

3.12 The Regional Executive Committee shall prepare a report for presentation to the General Assembly every two years.

3.13 The Regional Executive Committee shall report to and be accountable to the Full Members of the Western Pacific Regional Committee and to the IBE International Executive Committee and shall keep the International Executive Committee informed, on all activities being carried out at regional level, through the IBE Office

3.14 Where a member of the Regional Executive Committee fails to meet his/her responsibilities, as laid down in these Terms of Reference, or where he/she acts in such a way as to bring IBE into disrepute, he/she may be asked to retire from the Regional Executive Committee. The decision to ask a member of the Regional Executive Committee to retire will be made by the International Executive Committee and the ensuing vacancy will be filled in accordance with the procedures as laid down in the IBE Constitution and Byelaws.

4 Aims of the Western Pacific Regional Committee

4.1 To provide a forum for IBE members within a defined geographical region.

4.2 To pursue and co-ordinate at a regional level the implementation of the policies and plans of IBE.

4.3 To identify regional issues of relevance and significance to members and to develop plans and policies to address these.

4.4 To consider issues which fall within the scope of 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 above which are either referred to the Western Pacific Regional Committee by the International Executive Committee or which the Western Pacific Regional Committee itself concludes are appropriate topics for its consideration and to report its deliberations and recommendations to the International Executive Committee.

5 Objectives of the Western Pacific Regional Committee

The Western Pacific Regional Committee will:-
5.1 Liaise with the Global Campaign Against Epilepsy, EUCARE, IBE’s other Regional Committees and other IBE and ILAE Commissions, Task Forces, Working Groups, and special initiatives on issues of common interest.

5.2 Seek to encourage the development of new Full, Associate and Regional members in the region in countries where no Full, Associate or Regional members currently exist.

5.3 Support existing members within the region by providing a forum for the exchange of information, expertise and experience.

5.4 Organise meetings, seminars and workshops on a regional basis in line with 5.2 and 5.3 above.

5.5 Provide a regional representative voice for IBE members within IBE and externally to other regional bodies like regional governments.

December 2009