On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 7:12 AM, Rich Mellor <[email protected]>wrote:
> On 23/03/2011 11:59, gdgqler wrote: > >> On 22 Mar 2011, at 18:43, Geoff Wicks wrote: >> >> One of the arguments used by those in favour of counting proxies as part >>> of the quorum is that some companies use this in their members and >>> shareholders meetings. Others counter this by saying "but not in their board >>> meetings", >>> >> I think this is nonsense. No company with which I have been involved has >> confused proxies with presence. >> >> One disturbing thing about proxies is that it is usual in Constitutions to >> detail the ways in which proxies can be called. That implies that a motion >> can be passed by a show of hands even though there are enough proxy votes >> against to throw out the motion. If it were possible to proceed without a >> proxy count being made then how can these votes be counted as part of a >> quorum? >> >> I certainly recall company AGMs where a vote by show of hands is taken, >> perhaps 12 for and none against, and then the Chairman announces that there >> are 2,534,001 proxy votes for the motion. >> >> George >> _______________________________________________ >> QL-Users Mailing List >> http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm >> >> >> Hi George, > > Glad you hear we are on the same wave length - every company has articles > of association, that normally do allow resolutions on a show of hands, > unless the Chair calls for proxy votes to be taken into account. > > I think the outcome of this is that the Quanta constitution needs to make > it clear when talking about quorum that it is "members present in person". > Perhaps one enhancement would be to expand this to say "members present > either in person or by telephone / video link". > > That would at least enable members across the globe to take part and vote > in proceedings without having to send in proxy forms. > > The other issue I have come across in the past is when members have had to > leave a meeting early, and then you are running a brief check to ensure that > the meeting is still quorate! In one modern organization with which I recently volunteered, members could be present via telephone/internet, with the rule being that the person must be able to interact and ask questions and be heard as if they are present to be counted towards a quorum. This was put in place as too many of the members lived in different cities/countries. Dave _______________________________________________ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
