These guidelines are general tips for organising an Annual
General Meeting. The purpose of an AGM is to make sure that the committee reports to the membership and to elect a new
committee for the following year. Check your constitution to make sure you comply with its instructions.
Pre-Planning
- Make sure date is within 14 months of previous AGM or, if the organisation is new, then within 14 months of inaugural meeting (your constitution may stipulate which month to hold your AGM).
- Make sure that the venue is suitable for those you think will attend (size, location, ease of access, facilities for those with special needs etc.).
- Book the venue as soon as possible to make sure that you get the date and time most convenient to your group.
- Have the group’s accounts audited – TP staff can help with this.
- Invite interesting guest speakers – encourages people to attend.
- Make sure that the constitution is up-to-date as changes can be made at an AGM.
Preparation
- Publicise meeting widely – you want to get as many people as possible at the AGM.
- Make sure that notice of meeting is sent to members well in advance (check constitution for minimum time period).
- Draw up an agenda for the meeting, and if possible distribute it to all members before the meeting. This gives people the chance to think about issues before they get to the meeting.
- Prepare a short report on the activities and successes of the Association during the year, which the Chairperson can present at the AGM.
- Provide a copy of the audited financial statement for those attending.
- Make sure a full set of audited accounts is available at the top table should any of the membership wish to see them.
At the meeting
- Ask the membership to sign in on arrival at the meeting.
- Make sure that the quorum is reached, if not the meeting cannot go ahead (check constitution for this number).
- Make sure everyone has a copy of the agenda, previous minute and financial statement.
Running order of an AGM
- The chairperson welcomes everyone and introduces any
guests. They then give a short report of activities of the
Association during the last year.
- The Treasurer presents a statement of accounts and makes sure that they are understood and accepted.
- The current committee steps down.
- An independent chairperson takes over the meeting. This will usually be either a member of the tenant participation staff or your local councillor.
- The independent chairperson will then go through the procedure for election of a new committee and office bearers (see below).
- Once the new committee has been elected, the new chairperson will take over chairing the meeting.
- New chairperson will invite guests to speak.
- The meeting is then open for questions to the guest speakers.
- Ask the new committee to remain after the meeting to give their contact details.
Election of Committee
Your constitution will outline who is eligible for election and re-election. It will also specify the size of your committee.
A nominee must be proposed and then seconded by a different person, in order to be considered for each position. If only one person is nominated and seconded for each post, and they are willing to accept the post, they are elected for the post. If more than one person is nominated a vote will have to be held. This is usually a show of hands. The person with the majority vote wins. This process is repeated for each vacant position.
Below is a sample agenda for an AGM.
Sample agenda for an AGM
Name of Group
Annual General Meeting
Date of meeting
- Apologies
- Welcome and introductions from the Chairperson
- Minute of previous AGM
- Matters arising from minute
- Chairperson’s report
- Treasurer’s report
- Election of committee
- Guest speaker(s)
- Date of next meeting