Committees (Champion Club Guide)

Committee meetings

5 ways to make your Committee meetings effective

• Plan! Have a clear agenda that is pre-set and sent out with reports to committee members before the set meeting date
• Meetings should begin on time and end on time. Put any unfinished business on to next meeting’s agenda
• Stay on track, follow the agenda set. Move motions and set action items
• Minutes must be recorded. Keep it simple: who, what, when, where, how
• The Chairperson is there to facilitate the meeting, not to dominate or make decisions on behalf of the committee.

Annual general meeting (AGM)

Your club’s AGM must be set and advertised publicly to all members and volunteers of your club. This is stated in your constitution, along with your quorum numbers. A quorum must be reached for an AGM to go ahead. Advertising for new committee members must be done prior to the AGM and if no nominations are received open the floor for members to nominate themselves on the night. An AGM is a great forum to highlight the achievements of the club and volunteers throughout the year and share set goals for the next upcoming season.

All reports (e.g. Financials, Presidents, Marketing, and Canteen) should be circulated before the evening and presented on the night for discussion. Financial reports are a statutory requirement and depending on your annual revenue, may need to be independently reviewed or audited.

Roles and responsibilities

Secretary

• Prepare the agenda for club meetings in consultation with the Chairperson
• Make arrangements including venue, date, times and hospitality for club meetings
• Send adequate notice of the meetings
• Collect and collate reports from office bearers
• Call for and receive nominations for committees and other positions for the club AGM
• Take the minutes of meetings
• Write up the minutes as soon as possible after the meeting.

Chair Person

• Works with the Secretary on preparing the agenda
• Starts the meeting
• Strictly follows the agenda and progresses the meeting agenda
• Ensures that there is a fair discussion on each issue and all points are expressed before the meeting is called to a vote
• The Chairperson is there to facilitate the meeting, not to dominate or make decisions on behalf of the committee; they should also look to summarise long debates
• Closes the meeting
• Reviews and signs off on the final version of the minutes taken.

Treasurer

• Prepare financial reports for meetings and when requested
• Ensure reports are received by the secretary prior to meetings, so they are circulated before the scheduled date
• Make sure financial reports are available and understood at all committee meetings.

Committee Members

• Prepare individual reports for distribution prior to scheduled meeting date
• Discuss motions
• Move motions and second motions
• Vote
• Discuss “general business”.