Important legal documents being used in the governance transition
Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua.
Those who lead give sight to those who follow,
those who follow give life to those who lead.
Kia ora koutou
As we move closer to completing the transition to our new governance model, we want to update our community on:
the next key steps in this process and
tell you about important legal documents being used.
Between 26 May and 9 June 2025, each CCS Disability Action Branch will hold their second Special General Meeting (SGM). You can read more about the SGMs here.
These meetings are critical moments where members will formally vote to approve the transfer of local assets to the new entities:
CCS Disability Action Services Ltd - which will provide all disability services and employ our staff and
CCS Disability Action Foundation - which will hold and manage assets such as property and donated funds.
Why This Matters
The decisions made at these SGMs will enable us to finalise the move away from the old structure of 18 separate incorporated societies, toward a simpler and more unified model made up of:
A Head Trust to provide strategic oversight
A Service Entity to deliver services
A Foundation to protect and grow our assets
This change supports our goal of being more efficient and effective, so that more of every dollar we receive goes directly to supporting disabled people.
How does the transfer happen?
To complete the governance transition, we are using two key legal documents:
Agreement for Sale and Purchase
This document outlines how assets will be transferred from the current Branch societies to the Foundation and the Service Entity.
While it is called a “sale” no money is being exchanged - it's a structured way of recording what goes where.
Deed of Forgiveness of Debt
Because a sale has to have a value for accounting and legal purposes, this second document formally forgives the value of that “sale”, ensuring that no actual cost is incurred by the new entities.
This protects our charitable assets and avoids unnecessary tax or legal expense.
These documents ensure we meet all legal requirements, protect our assets during the transfer and minimise costs during the transition.
What You Can Do
We encourage all members to:
Attend your local SGM via Zoom
Ask questions and understand how these decisions support our mission
Submit a proxy vote if you cannot attend in person
All documents and information, including the SGM agenda, proxy forms, and supporting explanations, have been emailed or posted to members for the branch that they are a member of.
If you have questions or need help accessing your SGM, please contact your local Branch SGM Returning Officer listed in your notification letter.
Keeping in touch
If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
We’re always more than happy to talk to anybody about what’s happening with the governance structure review.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Dairne Kirton
National President, CCS Disability Action
Mel Smith
Chief Executive, CCS Disability Action