Gibson Sheat: Preparing for your AGM
11 April 2023
An Annual General Meeting, also known as an AGM, is a meeting of the general membership held once a year by many sport and recreation organisations. If you’re an incorporated society, you will need to hold at least one general meeting a year, at which your members will approve the society’s annual financial statements. At an AGM you may also elect members for your committee and approve any changes to your rules or constitution.
Where do I begin?
Requirements for an AGM vary from organisation to organisation. The starting point is looking at your rules or constitution which will likely set out specific requirements about how an AGM is held.
You will need to give notice of the meeting to your members a certain period of time before the meeting actually takes place. Often constitutions will set out if an AGM must be held in a specific month or within a particular timeframe.
Prepare ahead – create and circulate an agenda
Your AGM should follow a clear agenda that is circulated to members ahead of the AGM. Your rules or constitution may also set out what items you need to cover at the AGM. For example, receiving the financial statements and the general manager’s report, electing new committee members, approving the minutes from last year’s AGM, voting on changes to your rules.
Ensure that you are providing members with enough time to review and consider the documentation they are being asked to vote on at the meeting. Be prepared to answer questions on matters and it is always useful to have a copy of your constitution on hand.
Your AGM is a good opportunity to let your members that know that constitutional changes will be coming in the next couple of years due to the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. Remember that you have until April 2026 to re-register and support will be coming from the sector to help with the transition.
Forming a quorum – wait, what’s a quorum?
To hold your AGM, you will need to form a quorum – meaning you must have a minimum number of eligible members (present or perhaps virtually) at your AGM for the meeting to proceed. Your constitution will likely contain rules about what happens if you don’t reach a quorum – often it is that the meeting is postponed for certain period of time.
Can I hold an AGM virtually?
Yes – if your constitution allows you to.
Temporary Covid measures that allowed incorporated societies to use electronic means to hold and run AGM's, even if this is not permitted in their constitution, are no longer in place.
It’s important to record meeting minutes
An attendee should be selected to record minutes of all matters and decisions made at the AGM and to record the members who attend and formed part of the quorum.
If you need any help preparing for your AGM, dealing with items for discussion you have received, the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 or have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact Gibson Sheat.
