AGM (Annual General Meeting)

What is an AGM?

AGM stands for Annual General Meeting; this is a meeting that is required for clubs and societies on a yearly basis. It provides clubs with an opportunity to update members on a range of matters, make important decisions, elect committee members, and decide on the future direction of the club.

 

Why are AGMs important?

AGMs promote transparency and accountability throughout the club. They also support democracy by encouraging open debate amongst members and providing a space for elections. An AGM can showcase the successes of the club in the past year and look at areas to work on. They are also an official setting where members can ask questions about the club. Ultimately, AGMs are a requirement for many organisational structures after graduation, so this is something that can be applied to the real world!

 

How is an AGM held?

AGMs are usually conducted as face-to-face meetings but can also be done virtually or with a hybrid approach in order to be the most accessible for members. Previous AGM minutes must be circulated prior to the meeting, along with an agenda outlining the structure of the meeting. The AGM must be chaired by the president and the minutes should be taken by another current committee member.

 

What might the agenda cover?

1. Welcome and apologies
2. Previous AGM minutes
3. Reports from committee members
4. Presentation of accounts
5. Planning for upcoming year
6. Any amendments to documents and policies
7. Election of committee members
8. Any other business

Election of committee members

The election of committee members can take place however the club deems best. However, it is important that everyone who wants to be a committee member has a chance to run. The club needs to have a president to lead, a secretary to manage the admin and paperwork, and a treasurer to handle the finances. Other positions can also be created such as social secretary, fixtures administrator, etc.  and you can call those positions whatever you want.

 

After your AGM

The minutes need to be edited and circulated to all members with actions outlined and the person to take the action clearly stated. For the new committee, a handover needs to be arranged where new committee members will be trained- this should involve transferring any passwords, sharing contact lists and emails as well as giving the new committee member a thorough briefing about what the role involves. Lastly,  try to set a date for the next AGM as soon as possible: it’s best to stick to around the same date for consistency.

 

What do you need to send to HISA?

 Please email HISA Activities with

1. 1. A new contact list with committee roles
   2. End of year financial report/bank statement
   3. List of any equipment and property

Handover

A handover is crucial to ensure the continued existence and success of your group. It gives you the chance to reflect on the year and pass on useful tips for the upcoming year. For the incoming committee it is incredibly useful to have this essential information.

The few simple steps will help make sure that your club/society survives the summer break and re starts on the first day of the new academic year. Even if it is you that comes back to run the club for the next year, it is still worth doing it as a reminder to yourself.

Handover time is the period of time between your new committee being elected and taking over the running of the society. This can be a period of weeks or months and varies from group to group. Handover starts as soon as your AGM is over!

Handover Checklist