Annual General Meetings Planning for Success

What is the AGM for ? The required Annual General Meeting of your club. Open to all members. Public statement about your club’s activities and achievements. Report to your members about the club’s financial status. Election of new Management Committee. Adoption of Special Resolutions.

Rules to validate the AGM Must be held within six months of the end of your financial year (unless your Constitution states otherwise). Must be called according to your Constitution. Must have a quorum (current Incorporated Associations Act states elected Committee x 2 + 1, but need to check your Constitution). Must state level of insurance held by club. Must have appropriate financial reports submitted. Election of new Committee. Appoint or endorse Auditor.

Checklist ActionWhenWho Set date and timeEarly as possibleSecretary Book venue if requiredMonth beforeSecretary Prepare a set of accounts and meet with auditor Month beforeTreasurer Check which of current officers are willing to stand again Month beforePresident, VP or Volunteer Co- Ordinator Seek nominations for vacant positions Month beforePresident, VP or Volunteer Co-Ord Check Constitution to assess whether amendments are required Two months beforePresident

Checklist (cont) ActionWhenWho Prepare Annual ReportMonth beforePresident Send meeting notice, Agenda, previous AGM minutes, motions/resolutions and nomination forms out to all members Check Constitution Act states 2 weeks Secretary Organise catering and any technical equipment needed Week beforeSecretary AGM Checklist

At the AGM Ensure proxies or voting rights are established when people enter the room. Make sure everyone signs the “Attendance Register”. Address the Agenda and notified resolutions only. Ensure the “handover” takes place properly. Appoint a responsible person to chair the meeting through the election. Make everyone feel welcome and ensure they all have a seat.

Suggested Meeting Format Chair calls the meeting to order several minutes early. Chair welcomes everybody and declares meeting open at arranged time. Ensure all present have signed the Attendance Register. Call for apologies, record and ask for motion that apologies be accepted. Review minutes of previous AGM. Amend if necessary. Motion to accept as correct. Matters arising from minutes. Usually an action. Correspondence and matters arising. Motion that incoming be accepted and outgoing be approved.

Suggested Meeting Format (cont) REPORTS…. President - Statement of Club’s Vision. - Summary of year’s activities. - Record of year’s achievements. - Preview of coming year. Treasurer - Annual Financial Report. - Summary of financial position. - Submit required audit/report. - Formal motion needed to adopt report. Others - As required, on a club-by-club basis.

Suggested Meeting Format (cont) ELECTION of OFFICERS Chair states that all positions are vacated. Chair asks another person to take over the chair for the duration of the election. (This person should understand the process of the election, as determined by your Constitution). Secretary continues to take the minutes. Positions are announced and written nominations if received. Nominations are only accepted from the floor, if no written nomination received. Unopposed nomination… no need to vote.

Suggested Meeting Format (cont) Temporary chair congratulates the new Committee and vacates the chair for the new President. General Business and Special Resolutions are discussed and voted on. Auditor may be named for next year. Date of next AGM may also be set. Meeting closed.

Nominations Prior written nominations for Committee positions are always best. No nomination from the floor can be accepted, if written nomination has been received. Chair must ensure all nominees meet the legal criteria. Great idea to have new Committee members read a position description and agree to fulfil if possible. Signed volunteer agreements.

Committee Requirements Committee members must…. BE a member BE Living BE 18 years or older RESIDE in QLD (Secretary can reside within 65kms of QLD border) NOT BE insolvent or bankrupt NOT HAVE been convicted of an indictable offense in the last 10 years NOT BE a mental patient within the meaning of the “Mental Health Act” HAVE a current Working With Children “Blue Card”.

Committee Size ? Check the Constitution to see what the minimum number required is. Incorporated Associations Act states at least 3 positions. President cannot be Treasurer. Committee doesn’t need to be big to work. Smaller committees can be more efficient. Larger committees can create problems achieving quorums. Check Constitution for definition of a “member”.

Special Resolutions Decision to Incorporate Change of Name Change of Rules Decision to Wind Up Need a 75% majority of eligible voters for a Special Resolution to be passed (postal votes are ineligible).

After the AGM… Prepare the Meeting Minutes as soon as possible, and store with Attendance Register for next year. Notify Office of Fair Trading (OFT) of Committee/Constitution changes and submit Annual Return. Complete Form N and send to Baseball Qld and Region secretary. Notify insurance company and local council of new Committee details. Notify Bank of new Committee signatories. Arrange an “Induction Meeting” for new Committee members with appropriate training handover of documentation, books, records etc.