Submission of AGM motions . . .
By board member Hannah Eisenberg
What does this mean and why should you care?
Mensa members are spread out across the whole country, and we Mensans love an excuse for a party, so every year a different region hosts an annual gathering, which is a weekend of activities, talks, meals and games. This weekend is known as BMAG, the British Mensa Annual Gathering, and for many, it is the highlight of the Mensa calendar. BMAG 2019 was held in Reading, and this year it will be in Manchester.
During the BMAG weekend, British Mensa holds an Annual General Meeting, or AGM. This is required of every company by law. This is a formal meeting, run by the board of directors, to inform everyone of how Mensa is getting on and what has been done over the previous year. Board directors submit reports, the accounts are presented, and members can vote on any issues raised over the previous year.
Because the AGM is such an important meeting, it has a specific agenda, set out in advance, and we try to fit everything into the time allocated. Any member can submit a request to include something on the agenda, and it’s fairly easy to do this, but it does need to be planned quite far in advance to make sure everything is done properly, and this is why you’re being asked to submit motions now, even though the AGM is in September.
A motion can be anything from a change in the Memorandum and Articles (how Mensa is governed), to asking the board to supply members with an unlimited supply of ice cream. However, obviously one of these examples could be useful, and the other is plainly ridiculous. In addition, motions that are successful need to be in accordance with law, so to make sure that everything is done properly, we have a Procedures Body (known as the ProcBod) who check everything first. If you want to make sure your motion is worded properly and complies with the law, then you can contact the ProcBod at motions@mensa.co.uk, who will be very happy to help you and give advice on your motion. This is not necessary, but it’s a very good idea, otherwise your motion may not be accepted.
Every company has Memorandum and Articles of Association. They are a set of rules that tell us how to do business, and how the company is governed. If you're interested in seeing Mensa's M&As, they can be found on the website A-Z, under M.
At the meeting, your motion will be allocated a slot in the running order. It will be presented, and any supporting statements read out. There is an opportunity for members present to discuss the motion, and then a vote will be held. It is also possible to vote by proxy. If the motion is successful, it becomes a resolution, and Mensa has to uphold it.