In message <9E3BF3037E5A497ABE9ADE3BAF6E19B0@geoffbqm5ccx41>, Geoff
Wicks <[email protected]> writes
--------------------------------------------------
From: "paul" <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2011 5:44 PM
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: [Ql-Users] QUORUM
What does Robert's Rules of Order have to say on this matter??
http://www.robertsrules.org/
Thanks for the email.
For the record:
"64. A Quorum of an assembly is such a number as must be present in
order that business can be legally transacted. The quorum refers to the
number present, not to the number voting. The quorum of a mass meeting
is the number present at the time, as they constitute the membership at
that time. The quorum of a body of delegates, unless the by-laws
provide for a smaller quorum, is a majority of the number enrolled as
attending the convention, not those appointed. The quorum of any other
deliberative assembly with an enrolled membership (unless the by-laws
provide for a smaller quorum) is a majority of all the members. In the
case, however, of a society, like many religious ones, where there are
no annual dues, and where membership is for life (unless it is
transferred or the names are struck from the roll by a vote of the
society) the register of members is not reliable as a list of the bona
fide members of the society, and in many such societies it would be
impossible to have present at a business meeting a majority of those
enrolled as members. Where such societies have no by-law establishing a
quorum, the quorum consists of those who attend the meeting, provided
it is either a stated meeting or one that has been properly called."
There is nothing about proxy voting, so probably not too helpful in
Quanta's case,
Best Wishes,
Geoff
A quorum for 'ordinary' (regular) Meetings for organisation in the UK,
is usually set as an 'odd' minimum number, for example 3 members or 5
members, to be present, etc.
An odd number usually ensures that a decision can be reached at a Vote
when it is taken, e.g, 2:1 or 3:2
Although, some Constitutions allow the Chair of the Meeting to have an
'extra' Vote (casting), if a Voting Motion is 'tied', after normal
Voting.
For Annual General Meetings (AGM), a quorum is a minimum that is usually
set as 10 Voting members present (i.e, does not count anyone present who
is not a member entitled to cast a Vote).
Some Constitutions have a percentage, like 10% of members present, for a
quorum.
The latter can be harder to achieve. Particularly when organisations
start to struggle for their existence, for example.
The overall purpose of a quorum is achieve a legitimate decision by
those representative members present.
If Quanta is achieving 10 to 15 members representative present, at an
AGM, from an overall membership of between 130 to 150. Then it is doing
well.
--
Malcolm Cadman
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