Agendas & minutes

[admin]

Two simple tools are absolutely vital for effective club meetings: the Agenda and the Minutes. Using them well makes a huge difference!

The Agenda: Your Meeting Roadmap

A good agenda, circulated beforehand, is the single best way to ensure a productive meeting.

• Purpose: Tells everyone what will be covered, allows preparation, and keeps the meeting focused.
• What to Include:
  • Meeting details (date, time, location).
  • List of attendees (or apologies).
  • Review/approval of previous minutes.
  • Specific items for discussion.
  • Crucially: Items requiring a decision should be framed as motions (proposed actions).
  • Reports (e.g., Treasurer's report).
  • Time estimates for each item (optional but helpful).
  • Any supporting documents attached or linked.

The Minutes: Your Official Record

Minutes are the formal record of what happened and what was decided. They are essential for accountability and continuity.

• Purpose: Document decisions made, actions assigned, and provide a historical record for the club.
• What to Include:
  • Meeting details, attendees, apologies.
  • Confirmation that the previous minutes were accepted.
  • For each agenda item/motion:
    • A brief summary of key discussion points (not a transcript!).
    • The exact wording of any motions voted on.
    • Who moved and seconded the motion.
    • Whether the motion was carried or lost.
    • Crucially: Any actions assigned, who is responsible, and the deadline.
  • Date of the next meeting.
• Tips: Prepare minutes promptly after the meeting while details are fresh. Use the agenda as a template to make note-taking easier during the meeting.

QLD Government Templates & Video:

These resources provide excellent starting points:

• Training Video: ClubIQ: Meeting Basics (YouTube) (Covers agenda and minutes importance)
• AGM Templates:
  • AGM Agenda (DOCX)
  • AGM Minutes (DOCX)
• Committee Meeting Templates:
  • Management Committee Meeting Agenda (DOCX)
  • Management Committee Meeting Minutes (DOCX)

Good agendas and minutes are a simple way to make your croquet club's meetings much more effective!