Standing Orders

West Pennine Villages u3a Committee

Standing orders for the conduct of meetings

1. The meeting shall be presided over by the Chair
2. or in his/her absence the Vice Chair. If neither is available, the members of the Executive Committee will elect one of their number to preside. When another member of the committee is acting as Chair
3. he/she has the same powers and duties as the Chair
4. If the committee cannot reach a consensus on any issue under discussion, matters shall be decided by a majority vote of those members present. In the event of a tie, the chair shall have a second (casting) vote.
5. The quorum for committee meetings is defined in our constitution as two-thirds or the number nearest to two-thirds of the total number of trustees, whichever is greater or such larger number as may be decided from time to time by the trustees. Attendance at meetings may be in person or, by prior arrangement, via video or audio link.
6. Any conflicts of interest must be declared at the start of any meeting or as soon as the member realises there is a conflict during the meeting.
7. The Chair must conduct the meeting in an impartial manner, allowing all points of view to get a fair hearing and ensuring that proper procedures are always followed.
8. The Chair and Secretary need to ensure that all issues under discussion are thoroughly explored, and that all decisions taken are properly agreed, documented, and followed up.
9. Where a committee decision is required on any issue, the member responsible for bringing that issue to the committee should submit a written report in advance of the meeting, preferably through the Secretary. This is to ensure that all members are adequately briefed.
10. Committee members must maintain confidentiality about the discussions within committee meetings. The agreed minutes of the meetings are the sole public record of such discussions.
11. Once a decision has been taken by majority voting, all members of the committee must accept and support this decision. As trustees, all committee members are equally responsible for its decisions.
12. Decisions can be taken only on issues raised under specific agenda items. If a decision is required on any issue raised under “any other business,” it must be ratified at the following meeting. If the matter is urgent, it may be necessary to override this standing order if the committee agrees unanimously.               
13. Decisions taken by the committee cannot be reversed by a second vote until a period of six months has elapsed unless the situation has significantly changed.

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Date approved	27/11/2024	Date of review	26/11/2025
Reviewer	Geoff Tittensor	Date of next review	01/11/2026