- Common meeting terms and definitions
- What is a committee meeting and why do we need them?
- The key areas of focus for committee meetings
- What is an Annual General Meeting and why do they need to be held?
- Preparing for your Annual General Meeting
- Preparing your club’s financial accounts
- Preparing the Annual Report to Members
- Who should be invited to attend the AGM and what are the notification requirements?
- Annual General Meeting voting procedures
- How to run an effective Annual General Meeting
- Committee meeting focus throughout the year
- Strategies to run an effective and productive committee meeting
- Decision making and voting at committee meetings
- Characteristics of ineffective or “bad” committee meetings
- The power of a strong meeting agenda
- Preparing for your committee meetings
Common meeting terms and definitions
To those new to club administration it may seem that there is a whole new language relating to running an Annual General Meeting. To help you here is an explanation of commonly used terms.
Motion
All items of business requiring a decision that come before a meeting are initially raised or proposed as a motion and if passed, become a resolution. The Rules of your club will often define how motions are to be presented to meetings. Subject to your Club Rules motions may be verbal or written depending on the meeting and the circumstance.
Mover of a motion
The Mover of a motion is the person who formally raises the issue formally requesting the meeting to consider the issue and then make a decision (i.e. vote on the motion). Typically a person raise the motion in the meeting would say “I move the motion …”
Proxy Vote
A proxy vote is where a person who is entitled to vote at a meeting of the club gives permission for another person to attend, speak and vote on their behalf. The Rules of your club will define if proxy voting is allowed at your club and the notification procedures to be followed if it is.
Quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present before the meeting can proceed or become valid. The Rules of your club will define the quorum required for the different types of club meetings.
Resolution
A motion, if passed by the meeting becomes a resolution. Effectively the meeting has resolved the matter being considered and the final decision outcome is called the resolution.
Seconder of a motion
Subject to the rules of your club most motions require somebody to “second” the motion. This means the person is effectively committing their support for the motion and indicating they believe it warrants the consideration of the meeting.
If nobody “seconds” the motion it would lapse and not be discussed further.
Special Resolution
A special resolution is a resolution to a motion that requires a 75% majority of members present to vote in favour of the motion. Each state/territories incorporated association act and club rules nominate a number of items that can only be changed by a special resolution, i.e. where 75% of members present at the meeting vote in its favour of the change.