Running a good AGM

1. Check your constitution first

Your constitution should already say how much notice is required, what quorum (the minimum number of members who must attend for decisions to be valid) is needed, and how officers are elected. Follow it exactly — decisions taken at a meeting that didn’t meet quorum, or without proper notice, can technically be challenged later. If the rules as written are genuinely unworkable, that’s itself a reason to propose amending the constitution at this AGM, using whatever amendment process it sets out.

2. Give proper notice

Notify all members in writing — email is generally fine, but check whether your constitution requires a specific method — with the date, time, venue and full agenda, within whatever window your constitution sets. This is commonly 14 to 21 days, but check your own document rather than assuming.

If nominations for committee positions need to be submitted in advance, say so clearly in the notice, along with the deadline.

3. Circulate accounts in advance

Send the previous year’s income and expenditure summary (or full accounts, if you’re a registered charity with an audit or independent examination requirement) before the meeting, not just handed out on the night. Members should have real time to read and question them — a Treasurer’s report that first appears at the meeting itself invites (reasonable) suspicion, even from a completely well-run group.

4. Cover the standing items

A typical AGM agenda runs in roughly this order:

• Apologies and confirmation of quorum
• Minutes of the previous AGM (proposed and seconded as an accurate record)
• Matters arising from those minutes
• Chairperson’s report — a summary of the year’s activities
• Treasurer’s report and presentation of accounts, with a formal motion to adopt them
• Election of officers and committee members (see step 5)
• Any proposed constitutional amendments
• Governance Code review, if the group is a registered charity (see the Governance Code guide)
• Any other business (AOB), and confirmation of the date for next year’s AGM

5. Run elections fairly

Follow whatever nomination and voting process your constitution sets out. For small groups, a simple show of hands is usually fine unless a member specifically requests a secret ballot, or the constitution requires one for certain roles.

If a role is contested, allow each candidate a brief moment to say why they’re standing — this is normal practice and helps members make an informed choice, particularly in a larger group where not every member knows every candidate personally.

6. Record and share the outcome

Keep minutes, including exactly who was elected to which role and the result of any votes taken. Share a short summary with members who couldn’t attend — this matters for transparency, and is expected practice under the Governance Code for registered charities. Update your Community Hub listing afterwards if your contact details or committee have changed, so the public-facing information stays accurate.