Updated Charity Commission guidance on charity meetings

The Charity Commission has recently updated its guidance on charity meetings to reflect the ways communication and governance have evolved, in part, due to the global pandemic. This blog highlights the key changes and what they mean for charities of all types and sizes.

Virtual and hybrid meetings
One of the most significant updates is the emphasis on virtual and hybrid meetings. The guidance refers to these as being ‘a useful and cost-effective way to carry out charity business,’ acknowledging the shift towards digital communication in recent years.

‘Virtual’ meetings are where everyone joins the meeting electronically, whilst a ‘hybrid’ meeting is where some people meet face to face, with others joining virtually. Naturally this will be a help to charities where trustees may be distant geographically, or they may have disabilities, or other issues, which make meeting in person, difficult.

To implement these changes, charities must make sure their governing documents allow for this. If your charity’s governing document doesn’t currently allow for virtual or hybrid meetings, you should amend it. This might involve redefining what constitutes a ‘meeting’ to include virtual and hybrid formats.

Governing documents should specify the number of meetings that can be virtual or hybrid, the methods for giving notice, the procedures for holding votes, the process for adjourning meetings, and the protocol for handling tech issues during meetings so that they don’t invalidate the meeting, or the decisions made.
Although you don’t need authority from the Charities Commission for these changes, trustees are encouraged to take advice if they’re unsure how to get this right.

Compliance and validity
The updated guidance reminds trustees to keep accurate records of all meetings, including minutes and decisions made, whilst making sure that records are accessible to all trustees and relevant stakeholders. It also clarifies that charities should store their minutes for at least six years if they are a trust, or unincorporated association (including CIOs), or for 10 years for charitable companies.

Conclusion
The updated Charity Commission guidance on charity meetings supports trustees in this more flexible and modern approach to governance. Trustees should review and, where needed, update their governing documents and meeting procedures to stay compliant.

Need help?
If you’d like to discuss any of this further, please get in touch with your usual contact. You can find contact details on the Our People section of the Larking Gowen website. Alternatively, call 0330 024 0888 or email enquiry@larking-gowen.co.uk.

Jordan King