How to make an AGM successful

 

 

 

For many sports clubs and organisations the autumn is the time for their Annual General Meeting.

runningsports – Sport England’s portfolio of resources and support for sports volunteers – has put together a check list to help clubs to achieve everything they need for their AGM.

 

The AGM – essential for constituted organisations – serves the following purpose:

• To highlight the progress and achievements
  of the organisation over the past 12 months
• To elect the Committee for the following year
• To make any changes to the constitution

The AGM is a great opportunity to make sure all members feel part of a successful club. Ideally the meeting should be enjoyable – perhaps with the business part quite brief followed by a social. Maybe a guest speaker or a raffle would encourage people to attend. The AGM should not be used to ‘surprise’ people with important issues about which they have no prior information.

 

The constitution will include regulations about the organisation’s AGMs, for example:

• How much notice is required to give people and how far in advance should the Agenda be sent out?
• How many people have to be at the meeting to make it official (known as the quorum)?
• Do nominations for new committee members have to be taken in advance or can you take them at the meeting? (It is usual to have a proposer and a seconder for each nomination.)
• How much notice is required if someone wants to propose an amendment to the constitution?

The following table will provide a useful checklist to make sure nothing is missed in the planning. The task of organising the AGM usually falls to the Secretary, but the Treasurer, Chairperson and Volunteer Co-ordinator will also have a role to play.

 

ITEM	WHEN	WHO	COMPLETED
Set date and time	As early as possible	Secretary
Book venue (accessible) if necessary	A month before	Secretary
Prepare a set of accounts		Treasurer
Meet with the auditor		Treasurer
Check which of the current officers are willing to stand again		Volunteer Co- ordinator
Seek nominations for any vacant positions		Volunteer Co-ordinator
Check the constitution to see if amendments are required		Chairperson
Prepare the Annual (Chairperson’s) Report: Statement of the club’s vision Summary of the year’s activities Record of the year’s achievements Preview of the coming year		Chairperson
Send the Agenda*, minutes of the previous AGM, notification of any proposed changes to the constitution and other documentation to all members	Two weeks before	Secretary
Organise the catering		Secretary
Organise any technical equipment needed		Secretary
Ensure all the formalities are carried out by asking for a proposer and a seconder and then a vote by all present (a show of hands is fine) Accepting the minutes of the previous AGM Approving the Chairperson’s Report Approving the Treasurer’s Report Accepting (or not) any proposed changes to the constitution	At the AGM	Chairperson (Secretary to note all the details)
Present the Chairperson’s Secretary’s and Treasurer’s Reports		Chairperson Secretary Treasurer
Ask for nominations for vacant positions (these will either have been given in advance or can be made at the meeting, with the nominee’s permission)		Chairperson
Organise an election for positions where there is more than one nomination – either a show of hands or a secret ballot		Chairperson
Produce minutes	One week after the AGM	Secretary
Write welcome letters to people who are joining the committee		Volunteer Co-ordinator
Post important news from the AGM on the club noticeboard/website etc	Two weeks after the AGM	Secretary

 

* Sample Agenda

• Apologies for absence
• Minutes of the previous AGM
• Matters Arising
• Chairperson’s Report
• Secretary’s Report
• Treasurer’s Report
• Election of Officers
• Date of next meeting (if known)
• Guest Speaker (optional)

 

For more information contact:

Workshop Administration:
Tel: 0800 363 373
Email: info@runningsports.org