Area Council Meeting script
The Area council executive should be seated at a table facing the audience. A microphone may be
necessary and a timer should be appointed. The Conference Sergeant at Arms is in attendance
and calls the meeting to order and introduces the Area Governor:
Ladies and Gentlemen, I call this Area ## Council Meeting to order at <Time> and
hand the gavel to our Area Governor <Name>.
Welcome
Welcome all participants and introduce your area executive (presidents, VPEs and VPMs of each
club in your Area). Ensure that everyone has a copy of the booklet containing reports etc.
Announce how you want the meeting to be run- i.e.
“During the meeting if you wish to move or second a motion, please indicate by raising your hand
and when recognised by the chair, stand and state your name and club clearly. When the motion
is put, if there is no clear indication of the wishes of the meeting I will call for a count.”
This means that when you put the motion (All those for the motion, all those against) voting
delegates will raise their voting slips. Usually it is easy to see which is dominant. However if the
result is close you will need to call for a count. You do that by asking all those who voted ‘for’ the
motion to raise their slips again and to remain until the SAA and Parliamentarian have physically
counted the number. Do the same for the 'against' vote, and then announce the result: "The result
of this motion is 28 for the motion, 22 against the motion, I declare the motion carried."
Apologies
Call for apologies. Remind the meeting that proxies count as an automatic apology, and only those
other members who have asked for their apologies to be recorded should be mentioned.
Absentees are not apologies. Ask someone to move that the Apologies be accepted, ask for a
seconder and put the motion to the floor. Announce the result, thus:
“May I have someone to move that the apologies be accepted? (Announce the name of the person
clearly so that the Secretary can record it.) ls there a seconder to this motion? Again announce the
name of the person clearly), All those in favour of the motion, All those against - the motion is
carried."
Quorum
Ask the Parliamentarian if there is a quorum. A quorum is half the voting members, plus one. You
will need a quorum to enact any business discussed during the meeting. lf you do not have one,
you will need to ratify any decision at a future meeting where a quorum exists.
Previous Minutes
lf you have time to include the minutes of the previous meeting in your conference booklet you can
now call for a motion, but first you will need to ask:
"Has everyone read the minutes? Are there any amendments to the Minutes?" lf not continue with
the motion:
“May I have someone to move that the minutes of the previous meeting as read be confirmed. Is
there a seconder? AII those in favour of the motion – All those against. The motion is carried.”
lf there are any amendments ask the Secretary to make the adjustment, and then the motion will
be:
“May I have someone to move that the minutes, as amended be confirmed etc.”
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There is an idea that the mover and seconder of this motion must have been present at the
previous meeting, however Renton's says:
"The motion need not be moved or seconded by persons who were present at the meeting
concerned, although such a course is preferred. The motion can come from any person who
believes the record to be correct.” Chapter 2, para 208. Guide for Meetings and Organisations N.E. Renton
lf you have not included the minutes in the booklet, make sure that each voting delegate has a
copy of the minutes and reports available on registration. The motion will still be "as read".
However, if you cannot arrange for either of these methods you will have to have the Secretary
read the minutes to the meeting. This takes time, and most people don't listen so avoid it if
possible.
Business Arising Out of the Minutes
Ask if there any business arising out of these minutes? lf not, move onto the next item. Sometimes
you can leave discussion to business arising out of minutes until General Business.
Correspondence
Again, it is best to have a list of correspondence already printed, and the Secretary should have
the correspondence files with the actual documentation. you can then ask:
“Has everybody seen the list of correspondence? Are there any queries?” (lf there is a query, the
actual document can then be read and discussed) – if not:
“May I have someone to move that the lnwards Correspondence be received and the Outwards
adopted? - ls there a Seconder? – All those in favour of the motion - Against - The motion is
carried."
Business Arising from the Correspondence
Handle this the same way as business from the Minutes.
Reports
Make sure that there are copies of all reports in the conference booklet or available to voting
delegates on registration. Reports can then be handled fairly simply:
“Has everyone seen the copies of the reports?”
Now present your report - and ask all club presidents to move their report in the same manner tell them the reports will all be adopted together at the end “I move that my Area ## report be received. May I have a seconder?”
Each club president should then move their club report be received the same way and you, as the
Chair, will call for a seconder. When all reports have been received you say:
“May I have someone to move that all reports be adopted - do we have a seconder - All those in
favour - against - the motion is carried.”
The Treasurer's Report
The Area Council does not have a Treasurer, as all accounts are kept at Division level by direction
of Toastmasters International- but you will still have to present a record of your financial
transactions. Make sure that a copy is available, and if you have appointed a financial officer to the
council ask them to move the financial records; if not, you as the Area Governor should do so:
Has everyone seen the Financial Records? - Are there any queries? - then call for someone to
move that the Report of the Financial Records of Area can be received ls there a seconder? All those for the motion - Against - the motion is Carried". Now ask “Are there
any queries?” - (if not continue) - then ask for someone to move that the report of the Financial
records be adopted- Seconder - Those for – against - The motion is carried.
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Nominations for the Area Governor
You can now call for nominations for the position of Area Governor. Remind the meeting that
members nominating for this position cannot be competing in any contests. lf you get any
nominations remind the meeting that:
We do not vote on this matter, names are merely recorded for forwarding to
the District Governor- An Area governor is the District Governor’s appointment and any vote
necessary will be taken at the District Convention in April/ May.
Nominations must be moved and seconded, and the nominee must indicate that they are willing to
accept the nomination.
Motions on Notice
These are motions that have been circulated to the club for discussion and decision. They are
moved and seconded in the normal way. You should then call for speakers for and against the
motion, but considering the time available you can limit discussion:
“I will now call for speakers for and against the motion, however I ask that speakers limit their
remarks to 60 secs only, Timer can you advise."
The debate is then handled as per normal. Don't allow debate to degenerate into a general
discussion. Make sure that only those recognised by the Chair speak. You will probably only have
time for one or maybe two speakers for and against before putting the motion. lf the discussion is
getting out of hand make sure one of your executive is primed to move the motion:
“Madam/Mister Chairman, I move that the question now be put.”
Once the chair has accepted this motion, there is no requirement for a seconder, and no
discussion allowed. The motion is put to the meeting and the voting recorded. (Rentons, Chap 6
para 614)
General Business
Hint: do not allow excessive time for the meeting to think about whether they have any general
business to discuss. Most important issues should have been dealt with in Notices on Motion. lf
you give them too much time to think they usually find something to bring up of very little
importance. So at this point ask:
“Are there any items of general business? (Wait just a few seconds) In that case I will close this
meeting at <Time>. Thank you for your attendance and participation.”
lf you do have some items of general business the rules of debate will apply the same as for
Notices on Motion. Don't forget your primed executive if you need to close quickly.
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Area Council Meeting script
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