MEETING PROCEDURE 1.

OPENING FROM THIS OUTLINE YOU WILL GAIN AN OVERALL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAPPENS DURING A BUSINESS SESSION OR MEETING THE GENERAL RULES FOR ALL MEETINGS ARE THE SAME SO WHEN YOU GO TO A P&C MEETING OR BUSINESS OR UNION MEETING YOU WILL HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT STAGE YOU ARE AT DURING THAT MEETING

2. THE MEETING THE BASIS OF MEETING PROCEDURE IS TO ALLOW US TO CONDUCT A MEETING WITH SOME CONTROL AND SOME ORDER SO EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION IMPORTANT THAT MAJORITY RULES AND THAT THE MINORITY ARE HEARD THE PURPOSE IS TO FACILITATE ACTION NOT TO OBSTRUCT IT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING WITH THIS MEETING - DECISIONS ARE TO BE MADE WE NEED TO ENSURE IN MEETINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE CALLED TO ACTION AND THEIR NAMES ARE TAKEN IN THE MINUTES SO THEY DO ACT

3. THE AGENDA THE AGENDA IS REQUIRED TO KEEP MEETING ON TRACK AND TO INDICATE TO MEMBERS (BEFOREHAND) ISSUES THAT WILL BE RAISED (eg TOPICS, MOTIONS, VOTING)

4. THE CHAIRMAN ALL MEETINGS REQUIRE A CHAIRMAN (OR FACILITATOR) AND A SECRETARY FIRSTLY THE CHAIRMAN THERE ARE MANY ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED OF A CHAIRMAN: SEE HANDOUT NOTES ON BUSINESS CHAIRMAN HOWEVER NEED TO MENTION A FEW OF THE IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS OF A CHAIRMAN: SHOULD DISPLAY IMPARTIALITY, FIRMNESS, TACT, COMMON SENSE, COURTESY, PATIENCE AND TOLERANCE CHAIRMAN IS CUSTODIAN OF THE RULES OF THE MEETING AND THE RULES OF THE ORGANISATION CHAIRMAN SHOULD NOT BECOME EMBROILED IN THE MATTERS BEING DEBATED SHOULD ONLY BE SEEN TO OBSERVE AND CONTROL SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A COPY OF THE RULES OF THE ORGANISATION AT THE MEETING SHOULD KNOW THE RULES OF DEBATE - MORE ON THIS LATER CONVERSELY THE MEMBERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOU AS CHAIRMAN DONOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE RUSHED DONOT PERMIT MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER AT A TIME DON'T LOSE CONTROL AND ABOVE ALL DON'T SHOUT FROM THE CHAIR
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IT IS IMPORTANT FOR CHAIRMAN TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED UPON PRINCIPLE RATHER THAN PERSONALITY - IMPARTIAL, UNBIASED SPEAK CLEARLY (eg VOTE RESULTS) FOR SECRETARY'S SAKE ENSURE A QUORUM IS PRESENT

QUORUM - NORMALLY 50% OF ACTIVE MEMBERS PLUS 1 (CHECK ASSOCIATION'S REQMS) IF NO QUORUM - BUSINESS VOTING CANNOT BE DONE AND IS LEFT TO NEXT MEETING ___________________________________________________________________________ 5. THE SECRETARY AS WITH THE CHAIRMAN THERE ARE MANY ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED OF A SECRETARY: SEE HANDOUT NOTES ON BUSINESS SECRETARY THE SECRETARY IS THE RIGHT-HAND PERSON OF THE CHAIRMAN HIS OR HER JOB IS TO RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING AND OTHER IMPORTANT PRELIMINARY TASKS AS LISTED IN THE HANDOUT MOTIONS IN WRITING SHOULD BE HANDED TO THE SECRETARY BEFORE THE MEETING

6. THE MINUTES IMPORTANT THAT ACCURATE MINUTES BE KEPT - LEGAL SIGNED DOCUMENT FOLLOWS SAME OUTLINE AS AGENDA PROOF OF DECISIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS LISTS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AND BY WHOM CAN ASK THAT YOUR VOTE BE RECORDED IN THE MINUTES

7. THE MEETING IT IS NOW TIME TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS MEETING AS PER THE AGENDA THE BUSINESS CHAIRMAN WILL BE IN CHARGE AND WILL BE LOOKING TO YOU TO MOVE AND SECOND MOTIONS THROUGHOUT THE MEETING QUICKLY THEREFORE WHEN CHAIRMAN REQUESTS A MOVER OR A SECONDER DON'T BE AFRAID TO QUICKLY SAY "I SO MOVE" FOLLOWED BY YOUR NAME SO THE SECRETARY CAN HEAR AND TAKE NOTE WITHOUT RAISING HIS HEAD IF YOU DISAGREE WITH CHAIRMAN'S RULING - CHALLENGE BY SAYING "POINT OF ORDER MR CHAIRMAN" ALWAYS ADDRESS THE CHAIRMAN WHEN SPEAKING TO THE MEETING OR TO THE MOTION

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8. MEETING COMMENTS / ASIDES / TO DO CHAIRMAN INDICATES THAT VOTING WILL BE BY WAY OF A RAISED HAND WHEN CHAIRMAN ASKS FOR LEAVE HE/SHE IS ASKING FOR UNANIMOUS APPROVAL IF ONE PERSON OBJECTS THEN CHAIRMAN MUST STAND ___________________________________________________________________________ 9. MOTIONS (GENERAL BUSINESS) START THE MOTION WITH "THAT ......." MOTIONS SHOULD BE WORDED SO AS NOT TO IMPLY PREJUDICE Eg "THAT WE DRINK CHAMPAGNE BECAUSE OF POPULAR DEMAND" LOADS THE MOTION WITH A PRECONCEIVED IDEA THAT SHOULD COME OUT DURING THE DEBATE A MOTION NEEDS TO BE WORDED TO REQUIRE A YES OR NO ANSWER (ie FOR OR AGAINST) ONLY MOVER OF ORIGINAL MOTION HAS 2 CHANCES TO SPEAK - SPEAK TO THE MOTION AND RIGHT OF REPLY DURING RIGHT OF REPLY NO NEW MATERIAL CAN BE INTRODUCED SECONDER CAN RESERVE RIGHT TO SPEAK LATER DURING THE DEBATE eg IF VOTE MAY BE CLOSE SECONDER MAY SPEAK LATER TO REINFORCE THE MOVER'S ARGUMENTS AFTER MOVER AND SECONDER HAVE SPOKEN CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR SPEAKER AGAINST THEN FOR SPEAKERS FOR AND AGAINST ALTERNATIVELY CHAIRMAN NEEDS TO BE ALERT AND KEEP TRACK OF ORDER OF SPEAKERS, WHETHER SAME GROUND IS BEING SPOKEN AND SHOULD A TIME LIMIT BE ENFORCED IF NO SPEAKERS AGAINST THEN MOTION CAN BE VOTED ON PRIOR TO VOTING SECRETARY ASKED TO READ THE MOTION SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE VOTING ON LOTS OF GAMESMANSHIP AND STRATEGY IN MEETINGS IF YOU WANT TO GET A MOTION PASSED LOBBY FELLOW MEMBERS BEFORE THE MEETING DON'T GIVE UP. WORK ON IT AND FELLOW MEMBERS THEN TRY AGAIN IMPORTANCE OF A SECONDER FOR CHAIRMAN'S BENEFIT IF MOTION NOT SECONDED THE CHAIRMAN DOES NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT THE MOTION IF IT IS SECONDED IT WILL APPEAR THAT THE MEETING WANTS TO DISCUSS THE MOTION YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH A MOTION TO SECOND IT TO GET MOTION ON TABLE GETS TOPIC AIRED AND DEALT WITH AND DISCUSSED "I SECOND THE MOTION PRO FORMA"

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CHAIRMAN HAS NO VOTING RIGHTS UNLESS A TIED OR EQUAL VOTE BY MEMBERS IF VOTE TIED THEN CHAIRMAN SHOULD VOTE FOR THE STATUS QUO (ie FOR NO CHANGE, SINCE THERE WAS NOT A MAJORITY IN FAVOUR) JOHN GORTON IF CHAIRMAN WISHES TO SPEAK HE SHOULD HAND THE CHAIR TO SOMEONE ELSE ___________________________________________________________________________ 10. AMENDMENTS AMENDMENTS CAN BE MOVED TO ADD MORE INFORMATION, CLARIFY INTENT OR DELETE WORDS OR PHRASES IN THE ORIGINAL MOTION AN AMENDMENT CANNOT CHANGE THE INTENT OF THE ORIGINAL MOTION MOVER AND SECONDER CAN ONLY SPEAK ONCE WHEN AMENDMENT IS MOVED DISCUSSION TAKES SAME FORMAT AS FOR THE MOTION - ALTERNATE BETWEEN SPEAKERS FOR AND AGAINST DURING DEBATE ON AN AMENDMENT THE ORIGINAL MOTION IS PLACED IN ABEYANCE ONLY DISCUSSION ON THE AMENDMENT CAN BE RAISED UNTIL THE AMENDMENT IS EITHER WON OR LOST ONLY DEAL WITH ONE MOTION OR AMENDMENT AT A TIME IF AMENDMENT IS CARRIED THEN ORIGINAL MOTION IS AMENDED AND DISCUSSION TAKES PLACE ON THE AMENDED MOTION (FOR AND AGAINST) WHEN DISCUSSION HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED THE AMENDED MOTION IS PUT TO THE VOTE MOVER OF ORIGINAL MOTION STILL HAS RIGHT OF REPLY IF AMENDMENT IS LOST DISCUSSION RETURNS TO ORIGINAL MOTION AS IT WAS STATED BY THE MOVER

11. REFERENCE BOOKS AND FINAL COMMENTS GOOD FOR CHAIRMAN TO HAVE REFERENCE BOOKS ON HAND AT MEETING eg: AUTHORITY ON MEETING PROCEDURE - TOASTMASTERS USE RENTON'S GORRIES GUIDE - SUMMARY OTHER SMALL BOOKS ORGANISATION'S CONSTITUTION STANDING ORDERS FOR ORGANISATION'S MEETINGS NEEDED SO THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE IN A FORMAL AND DEMOCRATIC WAY SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE THEIR SAY MOST WORK MEETINGS ARE NOT THIS FORMAL BUT COMPANY BOARD MEETINGS ETC MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AS MEETING MINUTES ARE LEGAL DOCUMENTS THAT MUST BE SIGNED BY THE CHAIRMAN

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Stafford Heights Speechcraft Club Meeting Agenda

Meeting No 456 - Monday 25th May 2002

CALL TO ORDER
1.1 1.2 Welcome Guests Open Meeting

2 3

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE MINUTES

3.1 3.2 Minutes of previous meeting as circulated Business arising from the Minutes

CORRESPONDENCE
4.1 4.2 4.3 Inwards Outwards Business arising

REPORTS
5.1 5.2 5.3 Treasurer's Report President's Report Vice President - Membership Report

GENERAL BUSINESS
6.1 6.2 6.3 Motions on Notice Submitted motions Business from the floor

NOTICES
7.1 7.2 7.3 Notices of Motions Notice of Upcoming Events Notice of next meeting

CLOSE OF BUSINESS

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHAIRMAN

TO SUPERVISE THE PREPARATION OF THE AGENDA TO CHECK THAT ALL THOSE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A NOTICE OF THE MEETING DO, AND THAT THE NOTICE CONFORMS TO THE RULES (ie CONSTITUTION) TO SATISFY THEMSELVES AS TO THE ACCURACY OF ANY MINUTES TO BE PRESENTED TO THE MEETING FOR CONFIRMATION TO FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH ANY CORRESPONDENCE OR OTHER MATERIAL TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO ARRIVE EARLY - CHECK WITH THE SECRETARY AND TREASURER THAT RELEVANT MATERIAL IS AVAILABLE (eg MINUTES, CORRESPONDENCE, FILES, ACCOUNTS, ETC) TO OPEN THE MEETING, AFTER ASCERTAINING THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT. KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REQUIRED FOR THAT MEETING'S QUORUM (NORMALLY 50% + 1 OF NORMAL MEETING ATTENDEES) TO WELCOME GUEST SPEAKERS, OTHER VISITORS AND NEW MEMBERS TO ANNOUNCE IF NECESSARY, WHO HAS VOTING RIGHTS TO PRESIDE OVER THE MEETING, TO KNOW THE CLUB'S RULES/CONSTITUTION, STANDING ORDERS, AND TO CONDUCT THE MEETING ACCORDINGLY TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH PASSAGE OF THE BUSINESS BEFORE THE MEETING, AND TO CALL ON THE SUCCESSIVE ITEMS OF BUSINESS TO RATION DEBATING TIME - KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT/URGENT TO HELP THE MEETING TO FIND SUITABLE WORDS FOR MOTIONS TO SUPPRESS IRRELEVANT REMARKS, TEDIOUS REPETITION AND LONG WINDED CONTRIBUTIONS TO CALL FOR SPECIFIC IDEAS INVITE EXPERIENCED MEMBERS TO COMMENT WHENEVER THE DISCUSSION APPEARS TO BE DRIFTING ALONG AIMLESSLY TO BRING DISCUSSION TO A CLOSE ESPECIALLY WHEN THE MAIN ARGUMENTS HAVE BEEN PUT, A BROAD CONSENSUS HAS BEEN REACHED OR IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE MEETING IS READY TO MAKE A DECISION TO PRESENT ANY REPORTS FOR WHICH HE/SHE IS RESPONSIBLE A CHAIRMAN SHOULD DISPLAY: IMPARTIALITY COURTESY FIRMNESS PATIENCE TACT TOLERANCE COMMON SENSE

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SECRETARY

TO PREPARE AND ISSUE THE NOTICE CONVENING THE MEETING. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE NOTICE SHOULD CLEARLY SET OUT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE 0F THE MEETING TO PREPARE THE AGENDA AND ASSOCIATED REPORTS TO BOOK THE MEETING ROOM AND MAKE ANY NECESSARY CATERING ARRANGEMENTS TO ADVERTISE OR OTHERWISE PUBLICISE THE MEETING WHERE NECESSARY TO INVITE ANY GUEST SPEAKERS AND CONFIRM BY PHONE PRIOR TO MEETING TO PREPARE AN ATTENDANCE REGISTER TO CHECK THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE MEETING ROOM TO BRING TO THE MEETING THE MINUTE BOOK, CONSTITUTION, ALL NECESSARY CORRESPONDENCE AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT RECORDS AND FILES TO RECORD THE MAIN ISSUES AND DECISIONS ARISING FROM THE MEETING AND TO DISTRIBUTE THEM TO MEMBERS IN THE FORM OF MINUTES TO PREPARE AND PRINT A LIST OF THE CORRESPONDENCE WITH A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CONTENTS WHEN THERE ARE EXCESSIVE NUMBERS OF LETTERS ROLE DOES NOT END AT THE END OF THE MEETING

WRITE AND CIRCULATE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING. MINUTES SHOULD RECORD THE CLUB'S NAME, THE TIME AND DATE OF THE MEETING AND THE VENUE, AND THE TYPE OF MEETING (eg AGM) ATTEND TO ANY CORRESPONDENCE WRITE LETTERS THANKING GUEST SPEAKERS SEND REPORTS OF MEETING AS APPROPRIATE PROVIDE WRITTEN REMINDERS TO MEMBERS WHO ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE ACTION AS A RESULT OF THE MEETING WHEN WRITING THE MINUTES

RECORD THE CLUB'S NAME. THE TIME AND DATE OF THE MEETING THE TYPE OF MEETING AND THE VENUE STRUCTURE THE MINUTES ALONG THE SAME LINES AS THE AGENDA USE SUB-HEADINGS TO FACILITATE FUTURE REFERENCE MAKE SURE THAT MOTIONS & AMENDMENTS ARE FAITHFULLY RECORDED MAKE SURE THAT THE MINUTES ARE CLEAR AND UNAMBIGUOUS