What should a secretary do at an Annual General Meeting ?

Question

I agreed to be Secretary to a charitable group of ladies and have my first AGM in two months. What am I supposed to do, organise, prepare ?

Answer 1

In my experience as a Company Secretary, I used to do the following: First, prepare drafts of the agenda, which consists of the issues likely to be discussed at the meeting. Second, send the drafts to the members of the group, so that they can make any amendments, or suggest new topics for discussion. With all changes in mind, send out final version of your agenda, to which the speakers and the organisers will need to stick.
At the meeting itself, tape the speeches and discussions, following which you can later write minutes (or protocol) of the meeting, i.e. a brief summary of each issue discussed, with results and actions to be taken. Then you should send minutes to all member of them board.

Answer 2

Typical Responsibilities

Although the responsibilities of the company secretary will vary from firm to firm, there are a number of tasks such a person would typically carry out. It is worth bearing in mind that the Co. Sec. does not have any special rights under the Companies Act.

Maintaining the Registered Office

When you set up a limited company, you will designate a registered address for your business. This cannot be a PO box, it must be a real address (for many startups, this will be your home address). The Company Secretary is responsible for ensuring that the Company registered address and number appears on all company stationary.

Company Meetings

The Company Secretary is usually responsible for arranging company meetings. The Co. Sec. will typically take notes and keep the minutes as the official record. Normally, limited companies will also hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) where the company's accounts are approved and the auditiors reappointed.

Companies House Responsibilities

The company must submit an Annual Return to Companies House each year (returned within 28 days of receipt).
You must keep Company House updated of any changes to the Company's registered address (Form 284) or any changes to the personal details of the directors' or the company secretary (Form 288c).
You must file the Company's annual accounts with Companies House within 10 months of your Year End. This is usually done by your accountant, but the company secretary is ultimately responsible for ensuring this task is done.
You must also inform Companies House of other changes, e.g. to the Company's year end date, or any changes to the Company's share structure.
Further Information
You can read the Directors and Secretaries Guide at Companies House and can also download Forms 288(a-c) and many other forms

An important part of the Secretary’s duties is the preparation of documents in advance of meetings and then the formal recording of actions of the meeting. Minutes are relied upon as a reference to what occurred in a meeting and it is therefore vital that the Secretary understands best practice in preparing minutes

OR

You may just be the"Minutes Secretary" another set of Rules...

Answer 3

You need to look at your governing document and find out how far in advance you have to send out the notice of the AGM and then make sure the notice is issued in time (if you don't the meeting will be void). Make sure all members are invited. Circulate the minutes of last years meeting with the invitation. Keep a list of everyone who is intending to attend for catering purposes, but have a sign in sheet handy for the day for people to sign as they come in.
Are you having a speaker? If so, make sure you have a form to hand to enable them to claim their travel expenses. Ask the chair whether the speaker will get a bouquet or something.
You will also need to make sure that there is a proceedure in place to nominate and vote on new committee members and that present committee members who have to stand down actually do so. Also check on how officers are elected - this will all be in the governing document.
On the day, have spare nomination forms and copies of last years minutes handy as people lose them.
Then do all the stuff about agendas and minutes as advised previously.
Edit: some people are talking about Company AGM's - I assume you are not a Company as well as a charity as you have said you are a small group.

Answer 4

You simply prepare the 'agenda' - a list of people who are going to speak, timings and breaks to start with example:

10.00am - S Smith - Charity work effectiveness and results

10.45 - Break fotr Tea coffee

11.15 - G Brown - Financial results of Charity 2006

12.30 Lunch

13.30 Plans for next year

etc etc etc

Take down broad notes of the meeting and the results of any voting. Example: Motion to approve charities accounts 2006 proposed by Mr G Brown seconded by Mr E Balls - Carried.

The people organising the event should tell you exactly what they do and don't want you to record, so confirm with the chairman of the AGM exactly what he wants you to record.

Afterwards, type them up and send out the Draft copies to each member of the AGM Comittee for approval, prior to issuing to whoever they tell you are to receive them.

PS From my experience there isn't really much you have to do!!

Answer 5

Could vary...you will have to check with your boss to be sure, but I have done the following for annual meetings:
arrange travel arrangements for participants
arrange for hotel accommodations for participants (arrange for special rates from hotels)
arrange for or inform participants of shuttle service
arrange for meeting rooms/food service during the meeting
arrange for equipment needed for presentations, etc
coordinate break times/beverages, etc.
take meeting minutes (possibly)

and more. :-)

good luck!

Answer 6

Keep notes.

Answer 7

dress up as sexy as you can , try to suss out which FAT CAT wants some and go from there!

GUARANTEED a GOOD investment!!

Answer 8

Do the chairperson