The Boys' Brigade in Somerset

SIMPLE RULES OF DEBATE AND VOTING

• The Annual General Meeting will review any recommendation the Executive may provide to the AGM if it is within their remit.
• The AGM will accept MOTIONS as proposed and seconded by compliant members at the AGM.
• Motions have to be both constitutional and competent.
• Alterations to the Constitution require an Extra-ordinary General Meeting and changes to Rules are dealt with by the appointed Sub-Committee.

MOTIONS

• All motions must be written in the affirmative and must propose definite action.should be precise and clear and must not traverse the ground covered by a previous motion that has been moved at the same meeting.
• The written MOTION will require the author, makiing the motion, to be present at the AGM to present the case to the Battalion Council.
• All MOTIONS will require a proposer and seconder.
• Before a vote is taken, the proposer is to speak once on the subject and has the right to reply.
• The seconder is also to speak once only on the proposition.
• Each member is only permitted to speak ONCE on the subject.

AMENDMENTS
An amendment seeks to alter the nature of the original motion. It can:

• ADD WORDS
• DELETE WORDS
• SUBSTITUTE WORDS
• MAKE COUNTER-PROPOSALS
• MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO AN AMENDMENT

An AMENDMENT to the original MOTION should be called for after the MOTION has been seconded.
This will require a Proposer and Seconder.
If this has been done, a vote has to be taken on the Amendment first.
If defeated, the original MOTION is to be voted on.
If the Amendment is carried, then this becomes the new proposition.

VOTING

• The MOTION will be carried on majority vote at the AGM.
• If defeated, the proposal cannot be discussed again until the next AGM.
• Voting will be either by a show of hands or by a secret paper ballot (as decided by the Chair).
• Adjudicators will be appointed by the Secretary who will scrutinise the ballot papers and will report the vote to the Secretary, who will read out the decision.
• The MOTION if carried will become "The Resolution".
• Ballot papers will be destroyed thereafter to the satisfaction of the Secretary.
• The Chair will have the deciding vote on an indecisive vote.