need to know how to hold a annual general meeting?

Question

we are a newly formed action group and need to know all aspects and rules

Answer 1

Robert's Rules is the standard used to this day. See the link

Answer 2

It's not all that difficult.

You don't need to read special rulebooks or anything, use common sense. You will need an agenda for the meeting; a list of topics to be discussed, all of which need to arrive at some sort of conclusion. If you don't have a clear agenda, the meeting will just ramble on inconsequentially.

Somebody needs to be in the chair; it's best if this person understands the topics to be discussed, but doesn't have an especially strong desire to see any particular outcome of the discussions. The job of the chairperson is essentially to decide when an agreement has been arrived at, and to move the meeting on to the next topic. The reason you don't want your chairperson to have a big stake in the discussions is that otherwise he or she is liable to steer the discussion in the direction he/she wants, and to cut off discussion at a point when it happens to suit him/her.

You also want someone to take notes of the meeting; again, best if this is someone who doesn't feel a strong need to contribute to the discussions. It's almost impossible to make a point and take notes on yourself at the same time. Shorthand, or good typing skills and a laptop, are also handy.

That's it, really. Before you go in, have a good idea about what you want the meeting to achieve, let everyone have their say, and don't close it down until you've come to some definite conclusions.

Good luck.

Answer 3

You do not say what sort of action group you are actioning on (!). However, it may be worthwhile contacting other groups to see what they do. You will need a chair, a Treasurer and a secretary to be 'legal'

You will need a constitution that must be abided by. You will also need things like complaints procedures. If you want what our after-school club uses, please let me know - I am sure you can adapt them to suit your action group.

AGMs have to be held annually (duh!!)

You need to agree things like the accounts, which should have been audited by someone not attached to the group, but with relevant accounts experience.

I am secretary of an after-school club and have enclosed what we have in our AGM, as it will be similar for you:

1Welcome and Apologies
2Minutes of Last Meeting
3Matters Arising
4Chairman's Report
5Treasurer’s Report
6Election/Confirmation of Club Officials
7Any Other Business
8Date of Next Annual General Meeting

Obviously, if this is your first AGM, you will not have last minutes!!!!

Agendas should go out a month before the AGM, unless everyone agrees that the meeting can be held sooner.

I suggest you get in touch with a friendly lawyer for more proper information!

Answer 4

Broadcast the fact that the meeting is set for a particular date and venue.
Suggest a timetable of discussion and events.
Whilst at the meeting, propose a chairperson for the meeting, and someone to take down the minutes.
A treasurer to discuss and present budgets and spending, and in addition, the remainder, who may have their own particular skills and responsibilities.
The main success for action groups is to have several targets of achievement in mind which can be realistically reached by a set date.
Essentially, everyone at the meeting and afterwards should have a sense of purpose and belonging to the cause.
Personally, I have found that communication and an awareness of what is happening within the 'action groups' working environment is critical.
One last point, the actions and decisions made at the meeting should be firmly laid down and adhered to as much as possible to avoid individual side actions, which can dilute the 'force' of your cause. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Use Robert's Rules of Order. You can buy the official version, but I'd suggest the condensed version which basically outlines the most common parts of a meeting you'll need to know. You can find out more and find how to buy the books here: http://www.robertsrules.com/

Answer 6

Usually first on the Agenda is the nomination and election of officers and members of the committee. These officers, at a minimum, should include a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer
Rules of Procedure for Annual General Meetings
Officers
1. The Chairman shall preside at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
2. The Chairman may, if he or she wishes, designate the Vice Chairman or other officer to preside over individual meetings or over parts of meetings.
3. When an officer is acting as Chairman, he or she shall have the same powers and duties as the Chairman. In the rest of these rules of procedure, the word,
“Chairman” includes an officer serving in this way as Chairman.
4. The Chairman shall not vote. If representing a voting member, the Chairman will appoint another representative of the member company to vote.
Secretary
1. The Secretary shall be responsible for making all the necessary arrangements for the AGM including the advance distribution of registration material and working papers.
2. It shall also be responsible for the operation of the meeting and for the production of a record of what took place.
Attendance
1. Attendance at an AGM is limited to members in good standing.
2. One member, one vote.3.
Conduct of the Annual General Meeting
1. The Chairman shall declare the opening and closing of each plenary session of the meeting and have overall control of the proceedings. As the first order of business, the Chairman shall review the rules of procedure for the AGM and seek approval of them. Any voting member may, at this time, move that a rule should be changed and the matter shall then be put immediately to the vote.
2. The Chairman shall direct the discussion, accord the right to speak, put questions to the vote and announce decisions. The Chairman shall rule on points of order and call a speaker to order if the remarks are not relevant or if they are exceeding the allotted time.
3. When a matter is not covered in these rules of procedure, Roberts Rules of Order shall apply.
4. The Chairman shall rule on any point of order raised during the meeting by a voting member. If the member appeals against the Chairman’s decision, the matter shall be put to the vote. The member raising the point of order may not speak on the matter under discussion. The Chairman’s ruling shall stand unless over-ruled by a majority of those present and voting.
5. Under normal circumstances, proposals and amendments shall be written in a prescribed format and distributed to all voting members in advance of the meeting. In some circumstances, the Chairman may, at his or her discretion, permit the discussion of proposals and amendments when they are not in writing.
6. When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be reconsidered unless this is proposed by a member who voted in favour of the original proposal, and was agreed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.
Voting
1. Each member of the Initiative in good standing shall have one
vote. For the purposes of these rules and procedures, “member in good standing” is a member that has paid their current membership fee and any other monies owing to the group.
4. In this connection, “members present and voting” means the designated representatives of members casting a positive or negative vote. Members that abstain from voting shall be considered as not voting.
5. A measure shall be considered as adopted by a majority of one vote except that questions involving a change in the constitution and matters of finance including budgets and membership fee levels must be approved by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.
6. Voting shall be by a show of hands.
7. If there are two proposals on the same matter, the meeting, unless it decides otherwise, shall vote on the proposals in the order in which they were submitted. The meeting may decide, after each vote, whether or not to vote on the next proposal.
8. When an amendment to a proposal is moved, the amendment shall be voted on first. When more than one amendment is moved to a proposal, the amendments shall
be taken in order. When one amendment necessarily implies the rejection of an earlier one it shall not be put to the vote.
9. The meeting may decide, if it so wishes, that the voting for an election or on some other matter should be held by secret ballot.
Other matters
1. The sessions of the AGM shall be open to all registered delegates unless the meeting decides that exceptional circumstances require that certain matters be discussed in private by those designated to cast votes or, in their absence, by their proxies.
2. The meetings of any Initiative committees, sub-committees and working groups shall be held in private.
3. The official record of the AGM shall be the addresses, reports of committees and other bodies and the resolutions presented to the meeting.