Meeting Management Insights by iBabs Board Portal Software

How To Choose Software For Local Government Council Meetings

Date: 28 July 2022

Citizens are always scrutinising local authorities to ensure they are offering the best possible value for money. This is similar to the way that shareholders demand the companies they invest in are run in a lean manner. The public want to know that the bodies who set and receive their taxes achieve efficiency in all areas from road maintenance to how they run local government council meetings.   In the UK, the Local Government Association found that only 48% of residents felt that their local council provided value for money. And with local and regional authorities making up a significant proportion […]

6 Steps To Make Your Online City Council Meetings More Effective

Date: 13 July 2022

One of the unexpected outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic was how it revolutionised the way in which we communicate. And one of the areas in which this was felt most deeply was in the world of online city council meetings. Whereas many municipalities once held their meetings in physical form only, often with very few members of the public in attendance, social distancing restrictions meant that the only way to pass important legislation was to do so online. This also made attending council meetings more accessible for the public.   Some governments enacted emergency laws to allow online council meetings where […]

Electronic Voting For The Board Of Directors: Dos and Don’ts

Date: 5 July 2022

These days, businesses are finding the most suitable people for their boards without the restrictions of distance between home and office. With shifts to hybrid ways of working and the rise in the use of electronic meeting software such as Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams, in-person board meetings are no longer a must-have. However, it’s critical to remember that many of the same rules still apply. Ultimately, each director has to fulfil their responsibilities and fiduciary duties wherever they’re voting from. This means that many of the daily tasks of the board of directors and company secretary can be managed […]

What Is Good Local Governance and How To Achieve It

Date: 18 June 2022

We often hear about governance in the context of corporate governance: the rules, practices and procedures that inform how a corporation, firm or business operates. However, governance also applies to local authorities and governments.  Local authorities and governments are appointed to take care of a district by problem-solving, making decisions and driving improvements – this could be a county council in a city, a municipality or even a school district. The scale of such authorities may surprise you; in the USA, for example, there are around 85,000 units of local government. Whether corporate or local, the relevant governance rules are […]

The Local Government Meeting Procedures You Should Know About

Date: 16 June 2022

There are four forms of local government: counties, cities and towns, special districts and school districts. In the EU, for example, this is around 130,000 units of local government nationally. Local governments exist to solve problems, make decisions and drive improvements in the areas, districts or schools that they are responsible for. Just like a regular meeting for an organisation, regulations, rules and bylaws apply here, too. To ensure that these meetings run smoothly, the same concepts are crucial – prepare an agenda, create processes, follow all rules that apply to your organisation and/or district and keep meeting minutes. Due […]

Board Meeting Protocol: Rules, Procedure, Etiquette and More

Date: 25 May 2022

The Chartered Governance Institute says it is “essential that boards conduct their meetings with a view to optimising the use of the time and intellectual capital of their members.” Due to the expertise required for a person to serve on a board, there are high expectations of how they behave in a board meeting setting. This is why a board meeting protocol tends to be based more in tradition and formality than similar documents for other types of meetings. This formality is borne out of respect for the other members of the board. They are all members of the board […]

Robert’s Rules Of Order: Motions Explained Simply

Date: 11 May 2022

Almost 150 years ago, in 1876, US army officer Henry Martyn Robert created Robert’s Rules to help churches and organisations run their meetings fairly. The rules were inspired by the senate procedure at the time. The fundamentals of the rules were to: Give all members an equal opportunity to have their voices heard.  Use the majority rule. Protect the rights of all members. Today, Robert’s Rules (which has since undergone many updates and new editions based on usage, feedback and modernisation) is the most widely used set of rules for parliamentary procedure in the US. As such, it’s also been […]

Here’s How You Should Write A Chairperson Report

Date: 25 April 2022

Whether you’re a chairperson or a company secretary, the chairperson’s report is an important part of this leadership role. For the purpose of this article, a chairperson may also be referred to as a president or chair – generally speaking, we’re referring to the presiding officer of your organisation, board, committee or assembly. But what are the rules, regulations and expectations behind writing a chairperson’s report? Does it have to be written by the chairperson themselves? What are the reporting requirements? How often should one be written? Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about preparing a […]

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