What is a recommended method of chairing a committee meeting?
Posted 08 November 2024
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The functions of the chairperson of an owners corporation include the following:
- To preside at meetings of the owners corporation and the strata committee.
To make determinations as to quorums, validity of proxies, and procedural matters at meetings of the owners corporation and the strata committee.
- To control the conduct of meeting, including how much time to allocate for discussion and where to put the vote. Also, to manage unruly behaviour and, if required, exclude disruptive or unauthorised attendees from the meeting.
In order to comply with the statutory requirement to ensure that all decisions made at the meeting are valid, the recommended steps for chairing a strata committee meeting are as follow:
1. Declarations of quorum – A quorum is the minimum number of owners that must be at the meeting for it to go ahead. For strata committee meetings, a quorum is present at a meeting only in the following circumstances:
- when there is only one member, if the member is present,
- in any other case, if not less than one-half of the persons entitled to vote on the motion are present.
The number of committee members is based on the number determined at general meeting, so even if a member resigns and no new member is appointed the figure remains what the owners corporation determined.
2. Check the eligibility of those entitled to vote – Each committee member has one vote, unless they (or the person that nominated them) owe money to the scheme.
3. Check if there is any conflict of interest – If a strata committee member has a direct or indirect interest in a matter considered by the committee, the member must as soon as possible disclose the nature of the financial interest they have at a meeting of the strata committee. After a member has disclosed the conflict of interest, the member must not be present during any deliberation of the strata committee about the matter the member has a conflict with or take part in any decision of the strata committee about that matter.
4. Going through each motion on the agenda – The secretary will also need to take minutes that include the details of the motions and resolutions of voting (please refer to FAQ 9 for documenting the decisions of the strata committee).
5. Ways of voting – Strata committees can meet and vote in person or in writing (pursuant to clause 9(2) of Sch 2 under SSMA), or by using electronic means specified in the meeting notice. However, strata committees will need to pass a resolution approving the use of electronic voting.
6. Declaration of votes – The chairperson at a meeting may rule a motion out of order if the chairperson considers that the motion, if carried, would conflict with the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (SSMA) or the by-laws of the strata scheme or would otherwise be unlawful or unenforceable.
7. After the meeting – Within 7 days after the strata committee meeting, provide a copy of the minutes to:
- Each member of the strata committee.
- Each owner, in the case of a small scheme (less than 100 lots).
- Each owner who requests copy within 7 days of the meeting, in the case of a large scheme (more than 100 lots).
A simple way of chairing a meeting would be as follows:
| Attendance
Chairperson:
Welcome everyone and thanks for taking the time to attend this strata committee meeting. I am your chairperson for today. I will confirm attendance. We have //insert attendees at the meeting//, and // insert names// send their apologies.
Quorum
Chairperson:
A quorum is present if we have not less than one half of persons that are entitled to vote on the motion attending at this meeting.
Options:
(a) We have // insert number of attendees// present and they are entitled to vote on the motions, as such, I declare that a quorum is present at this meeting. The meeting commences at //insert time//.
or
(b) A quorum is not present at this meeting, therefore, we cannot proceed.
(Note: Unfortunately, waiting for 30 minutes like the owners corporation is able to do at a general meeting and then declare that the people present constitutes a quorum does not work for committee meeting)
Motions:
Chairperson: Motion 1 is to approve the meeting minutes of //insert date of last strata committee meeting // Chairperson: Can I please have a show of hands in favour?
(Note: There is no need to call for someone from the floor to bring a motion.) Chairperson: Can I please have a show of hands against this motion?
(If a clear majority is not shown)
Chairperson: The motion is passed or defeated.
(Note: It carries just by simple majority. The chairperson does not get an extra vote.)
And so the rest of the meeting progresses.
Closing a meeting
Chairperson: Thank you all for joining us today. There is no further business and this meeting is now closed at // insert time//. |
This is an extract from our Strata Committee Manual.
To access more information, please fill in the below form to download our Strata Committee Manual for free.
