The
chairman has the responsibility of running
the Business Session. This means using
meeting procedure to ensure that the club's business is attended to
in an efficient manner. The rule of meeting procedure is that the
majority rules but the minority must be heard.
The
chairman conducts the meeting from the head table and may be seated
while speaking if he or she requests the leave of the meeting.
- The business meeting should be treated as a training and practice situation for all present. For the benefit of the Secretary, movers of motions should stand, state their name, and:-
- if rising in response for your request for a mover - say "I so move"
- if rising on other business - state the motion.
- Read through the following “Guide to Running a Meeting” (taken from Renton’s) several times before the meeting in order to avoid a stilted, unnatural dependence on the printed word.
- Check with the executive members prior to the meeting to determine that they have a copy of their report for the secretary. This will save precious time and give your session extra polish.
- You have the right to rule any member "out of order" if they are not speaking at an appropriate time or their comments are irrelevant. Time is limited at a business meeting and must be spent on comments that will contribute the most to the club.
- At the end of the Business Session, provide a warm introduction for the Toastmaster, and lead the applause of welcome before presenting the gavel to him or her.
Chairman: “Thank
you Mr/Madam Toastmaster”.
(State the time of commencement for the secretary to note in the
minutes)
“I declare this business session for meeting
Number ...... open and welcome guests and visitors”.
“By the leave of the meeting I shall conduct
the business session from the seated position”.
Establish a quorum (a quorum is 50% + 1 of active members)
“Mr/Madam Secretary, do we have a quorum? - I
therefore declare that a quorum for voting purposes is/is not
established and we can/can not conduct business at this meeting”.
APOLOGIES
Chairman: “Mr/Madam
Secretary, do you have any apologies for absence”?
“Are there any further apologies from the
floor”?
“I ask for a motion that the apologies as stated
be accepted”.
Mover: (States
name loudly and clearly) I
so move”.
Seconder: (States
name) “I second the motion”.
Chairman: “Those
in favour raise one hand”. Those
against raise one hand”.
“The motion is carried (or lost)”.
MINUTES
Chairman: “Mr/Madam
Secretary would you please read the minutes of last meeting”.
Secretary: (Reads
the minutes of the last meeting)
Chairman: “Are
there any correction or additions”?
Chairman: I
ask for a motion that the Minutes (as amended) be signed as true and
correct”.
Mover: (States
name) “I so move”.
Seconder: (States
name) I
second the motion”.
Chairman: Those
in favour raise one hand.” Those
against raise one hand”.
The motion is carried (or lost)
BUSINESS ARISING from the MinutesThe motion is carried (or lost)
Chairman: Is
there any business arising from the Minutes”?
Those wanting to discuss business arising from the Minutes should
raise a hand and speak when recognised by the Chairman.
Chairman: The
chair recognises ......... (person with raised hand)
The meeting may move motions on business arising from the Minutes.
These motions should be moved, seconded, amended as necessary and
carried or defeated by a vote.
Possible
business:
1. Unfinished business from previous meeting.
2. Motions on notice should be proposed by original mover or, if
absent, by some other person.
The meeting may give leave to alter wording of a motion on notice.
The meeting may give leave to defer motions on notice.
CORRESPONDENCE
Chairman: Mr/Madam
Secretary, would you please read Inwards and/or Outwards
Correspondence”.
Secretary: (Reads
the Inwards and the Outwards correspondence)
Chairman: I
ask for a motion that the Inwards correspondence be received and the
Outwards correspondence be endorsed”.
Mover: (States
name) I
so move”.
Seconder: (States
name) I
second the motion”.
Chairman: Those
in favour raise one hand”. Those
against raise one hand”.
The motion is carried (or lost)”.
BUSINESS ARISING from the correspondence
As
per “Business arising from the Minutes”.
REPORTS
- All reports should be in writing and a copy is to be provided for the Secretary.
Chairman: Mr/Madam
President, would you please present your report”.
President: (Presents
report) “I move that the President’s report be received”
Seconder: (states
name) I
second the motion”.
Chairman: Mr/Madam
Vice President Education, would you please present your report”.
VPEd: (Presents
report) “I move that the Vice President Education’s report be
received”
Seconder: (states
name) I
second the motion”.
Chairman: Mr/Madam
Vice President Membership, would you please present your report”.
VPM: (Presents
report) “I move that the Vice President Membership’s report be
received”
Seconder: (states
name) I
second the motion”.
Chairman: Mr/Madam
Vice President Public Relations, would you please present your
report”.
VPPR: (Presents
report) “I move that the Vice President Public Relation’s report
be received”
Seconder: (states
name) I
second the motion”.
Chairman: Mr/Madam
Treasurer, would you please present your report”.
Treasurer: (Presents
report) I
move that the report be adopted and that the accounts as presented be
passed for payment”.
Seconder: (States
name) I
second the motion”.
Chairman: Those
in favour of the motion that these reports be adopted raise one
hand”. Those
against raise one hand”.
The motion is carried (or lost)”.
BUSINESS ARISING from the reports
- As per “Business arising from the Minutes”.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Chairman: “The
meeting is now open for General Business”.
Note: All
substantive motions should:-
Commence with I
move that ........
Be specific - be explained - be seconded (or will lapse)
The seconder: may
speak now or reserve the right to speak later on the motion
The motions: must
be discussed
The Mover: has
a right of reply
Amendments: can
be made to the original motion
A vote: is then
taken on the final motion.
The Chairman: must
declare whether the motion is - lapsed - lost - or carried.
Chairman: “Is
there any further business”?
“There being no further business, I declare this business session
closed at (state the time of finish for the secretary to note in the
minutes)
I now hand control back to you Mr/Madam
Toastmaster”.
The Motion and Amendment to a Motion
The
Motion:
The
following basic procedure MUST be followed in accepting a motion.
1. Mover: Mr
Chairman/Madam Chair, I move that . . . . (something be done)
(All motions should be put in an affirmative manner or language).
2. Chairman: Have
we a seconder for the motion”?
(If not, the motion lapses and the Chairman proceeds to the next
business. If there is a seconder to the motion, continue as follows)
3. Seconder: Mr
Chairman/Madam Chair, I second the motion”.
(The seconder then speaks in favour of the motion
immediately, or reserves his/her right to speak later by stating I
reserve my right to speak later”.
4. Chairman: [a] Have
we a speaker against
the motion”?
(Those against the motion should raise a hand and one should be
recognised by the Chair to speak against the motion)
[b] Have
we a speaker for
the motion”?
(Those for the motion should raise a hand and one should be
recognised by the Chair to speak for the motion)
[c] Call for and alternate speakers for and against the motion.
[d] (Address the mover of the motion) Mr/Madam
do you wish to exercise your right of reply”?
If the mover of the motion exercises this right of reply, he/she may
summarise his/her own side’s case and deal with any opposition
raised. He/she may NOT introduce any NEW matter into the debate, as
he/she is the ONLY speaker with the right of reply. After his/her
reply the discussion is CLOSED.
5. Chairman: Both
sides having been allowed EQUAL opportunities to speak, the chairman
continues.
[a] The
motion is that ..... (repeat the Motion as a reminder to the voters).
[b] Those
in favour of the motion raise one hand”. “Those against raise
one hand”.
[c] I
declare the motion is carried (or lost).”
NB The chairman
should be prepared to read the motion being discussed at ANY TIME
during the debate to avoid confusion.
Amendment
to A Motion:
Definition: An
amendment is an alteration or proposed alteration to the terms of a
motion designed to improve the motion WITHOUT CONTRADICTING it. It
is brought forward by a person who is not settled as to whether to
vote affirmative or negative to the motion in its original form.
An amendment can be to leave some words out, or to leave some words
out and insert others in their place, or to add new words.
Like a motion, an amendment must start with Mr
Chairman/Madam Chair, I move that....
NOTE: If a
“Motion to Amend” has been put and seconded, the following
procedure must be followed BEFORE DEALING WITH THE ORIGINAL MOTION,
if at all.
Procedure: The
following basic procedure MUST be followed to amend a Motion.
1. Mover
of Amendment:
Mr Chairman/Madam Chair (state name), I move an
amendment that,
[a] the words . . . . be omitted OR
[b] the words . . . . be substituted for the words . . . . OR
[c] the motion be altered to read . . . . (If the alteration is a
major one)
NOTE: The mover
of an amendment may put his/her proposal at any time in the debate
after the original motion has been seconded.
2. Chairman: Have
we a seconder for the amendment”?
If there is no seconder, the amendment lapses and the discussion
reverts to the original motion. If there is a seconder, continue as
follows.
3.
Seconder to the Amendment:
Mr Chairman/Madam Chair (state name), I second
the amendment”.
4. Chairman: [a]
Have
we a speaker AGAINST the amendment”?
[b] Have
we a speaker FOR the amendment”?
(Speakers for and against the amendment must be called upon,
preferably alternately.
NOTE: The mover
of an amendment has NO right of reply.
5.
Chairman: After the debate on the
amendment has concluded, the Chairman must put it to the vote making
sure that the meeting realises that it is voting on the AMENDMENT and
NOT the main motion.
[a] The
amendment is that . . . . .”
[b] Those
in FAVOUR of the amendment . . . . . raise one hand”.
[c] Those
AGAINST the amendment . . . . raise one hand”.
6. Finally: (1) If
the amendment is LOST, the debate is resumed on the ORIGINAL MOTION.
(2) If the amendment is CARRIED, the amended original motion is now
open for further discussion.
The
mover of the ORIGINAL motion still has a right of reply.
The
MOVER and SECONDER may vote FOR or AGAINST or ABSTAIN.
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