STAR AGM 2022 RULE CHANGE PROXY VOTE
STAR needs to update its Rules from those adopted 20 years ago. In order to change the Rules we need to have one third of the members to vote and three quarters of those to vote in favour of the change at the AGM on 1st September.
As it’s very unlikely that number will attend the AGM we’re asking members to allow the Chair of STAR to act as proxy to cast your vote on the modernisation of the Rules, based on the template recommended by the Football Supporters Association with a few changes tailored to STAR.
Please email chair@star-reading.org stating your name and STAR membership number and include – “I nominate the Chair of STAR to act as my proxy to vote on the resolution of the Rules change at the AGM on 1st September 2022.” and “Yes I agree with the change to the proposed new rules” or “No I do not agree with the change to the proposed new rules” in your email.
The current rules and the proposed new rules are available below.
We have compared the FSA Model Rules with our current rules and there are 4 main changes – one of which is vital to enact.
That is the rule that enables decisions to be made by members without the use of postal ballots. Especially after lockdown the move towards using electronic means is so much more universal that it will save STAR both money and effort to communicate electronically to those who opt for it and by post to those who ask for or need to use it.
Another change that will save STAR money is the option to have an independent examination of our accounts rather than an audit. Audit rules have tightened significantly increasing the cost but many of them are not appropriate for an organisation like ours. An independent examination will give members the same assurance of the accuracy of the accounts.
A major change is the minimum age of shareholders in the society. That has lowered from 18 to 16, so our members aged between 16 and 18 will now be shareholders and in preparation of this we have divided 14 to 18 years olds into 2 categories for numbering. Now 16 to 18 year olds will be from 3000 to 3499 and 14 to 16 year olds will be 3500 to 3999.
The final changes relate to general meetings. It will be easier for members to call for a special resolution, previously requiring the higher of 20 or 10% of the membership, now 10% replaced by 5%; the quorum at a general meeting was previously the lower of 20 or 10% of voting members, now 10% also replaced by 5%. In addition, the Chairman no longer has a casting vote on resolutions. Finally, in cases where rules could be changed by a majority vote of two-thirds, this will now require three-quarters of votes cast.