Introduction – The Chair’s Role
This chapter explains some basic terms and looks at how the chair is elected and at their role.
Rules of debate
There is no legal code of rules applying to meetings (except in the case of public authorities and limited companies, where the law specifies what can and cannot be done). However, there are certain procedures which are generally adopted and which lay down the methods by which meetings should be conducted. Most of these rules are based upon the rules which govern the conduct of business in the House of Commons. They are usually referred to as ‘the rules of debate’ – that is, customs and practices which are in general use and which do not vary very much from one society or body to another. These rules are fully discussed in chapters 3 to 7.
Standing orders
But it would be unbusinesslike for any organisation to rely merely upon general customs or practices, even though they might seem well established. Disputes do arise in meetings as to what the general custom is, and every society needs rules for the guidance of its own members. Such rules, or standing orders, lay down in detail the manner in which meetings should be conducted, and act as a code of practice which formalises and adapts the rules of debate to suit each society’s particular requirements. An example of a code of standing orders, which can be amended to suit a society’s particular purposes, is set out in appendix C. The standing orders should make it clear that they themselves can be amended – ideally only at the society’s Annual Meeting, and by a two thirds majority.
Flexibility
From time to time circumstances may arise which make it necessary for the standing orders not to be applied too rigidly, and usually the standing orders themselves provide for their suspension. This is dealt with more fully later (see chapter 13).
Election of chair – for established bodies
The standing orders usually (but not always) prescribe how the chair (sometimes called the president) is to be appointed. Where it is not done by standing order, the constitution or rules of the society should lay down the procedure. The chairs of trade unions and political parties – indeed any bodies which have regular meetings – are usually elected at the annual meetings and officiate for twelve months. In such cases it is only necessary to elect a temporary chair when the regular chair and vice‐ or deputy‐chair are absent.
Election of chair – for special meetings
But there are occasions when people who have never met before as a group are called together for a special purpose and will need to appoint their own chair. In such cases, the person who has convened the meeting should take charge temporarily and ask for nominations. That individual or some other person present may propose that ‘Christine Lewis shall take the chair.’ Another person will second this, and if there are no other names put forward she will be declared elected. If more than one person is proposed, the names must be put to the vote of the meeting. The individual securing the highest number will be elected. The various procedures for elections are described in chapter 8.
Know the rules and standing orders
The chair’s main job is to guide the course of a meeting, and see that the business is transacted not merely in a proper manner but interestingly, so that the interest of members is held and they are encouraged to attend meetings regularly and to participate in them. Without a chair the meeting would drift along aimlessly. This means that the chair, as well as having a thorough understanding of the rules of debate, needs to know the rules and standing orders of their society thoroughly. They should ensure that there is always a copy of them available during the meeting for purposes of reference.
Chair’s ruling
Because the chair’s duty is to uphold the rules and standing orders, they should never allow any member to break the rules where they are clear. If the rules are vague or ambiguous on a particular point, and there are no clear precedents, it is probably best for the chair to advise the meeting to delay action until they or the secretary have been able to get guidance from a higher authority – for example, a union’s regional office should be able to advise a union branch which has a problem of this kind. But if the matter is urgent, the chair can make a ruling which the meeting should abide by unless it is successfully challenged (see chapter 13).
Impartiality
Above all, the chair must be impartial. Where there are differences of opinion, the chair should give both sides an equal chance to express their views. There is a difficult balance to strike between being too firm and becoming almost dictatorial; and being too weak, which can lead to rulings from the chair being questioned. The chair often has to exercise what may seem like an unnatural degree of tact and patience. The worst thing they can do is to lose their temper – that way they lose everyone’s respect.
Taking part in discussion
Although the chair will usually have the same rights, in principle, as any other member to move, second or speak on motions, in practice they should intervene as little as possible in the discussion and should not usually express personal opinions – the less the chair says, the less likely they are to be accused of taking sides. But if the chair does feel impelled to take part in a debate as a disputant, they should leave the chair and a temporary chair should be elected until the discussion on that subject has been completed. This does not apply in small informal meetings or in committees where the chair’s opinions can be valuable, and where there is not likely to be difficulty in keeping order. Nor does it apply to any introductory remarks which the chair may be required to make, for example at annual meetings. In such cases the chair is not acting as a disputant, and their remarks will be confined to a statement of objects of the meeting, perhaps touching upon the various questions which are to be dealt with.
Chair’s action
In the case of bodies which meet only two or three times a year, the chair may sometimes have to take decisions without having them endorsed by the main group. For example. the chair of the governing body of a school may have to decide on or endorse the appointment of a member of staff – otherwise the school might not function properly between governors’ meetings. This is known as a ‘chair’s action’. The chair should not act unilaterally but should consult members with a special interest and particularly the other officers – the secretary, treasurer and vice-chair. All cases of ‘chair’s action’ should be reported to the main body for endorsement at the next meeting.
Attention to detail
The chair should set the tone by paying attention to details – for example by starting meetings on time, by permitting no cross-talking except in committees, by making sure that speakers do not exceed their time limit and by giving them warning that their time is about to run out a minute or so beforehand.
Addressing the chair
There is one rule which must always be followed – that every contribution from the body of the meeting should be addressed to the chair and not directly to any other individual present – but in other respects meetings of various bodies differ widely in their degree of formality.
Formality
For example, should the chair be on first name terms with their members or adopt a more formal style of address? This will depend partly on custom and practice within the body in questions – in general trade unions (and craft unions in particular) tend to be more formal than political parties, and political parties more formal than local pressure groups. So a member of the Boilermakers’ Society will expect to be address as ‘Worthy Brother’, while a member of a tenants’ association will probably want to be called by their first name. In bodies where there are representatives of various interests or political parties – for example, council committees or school governors – it is best to stick to formal titles.
The degree of formality will also depend on the individual chairing the meeting. An older person may be happier calling someone ‘Mrs Smith’; a younger chair may prefer to call them ‘Jane’. But consistency is important in this – it can lead to accusations of favouritism if the chair calls one member by their first name and the next minute calls someone else ‘Madam’ or ‘Brother’.
Remember names
The chair should make every effort to remember all their members’ names, and to learn those of new members as soon as possible. This should help to make them feel that they belong, and therefore increase participation. This comes more easily to some people than to other, but it is worth working at. Most teachers have to learn about 75 new names every year, so it can be done.
Avoid jargon
Too many meetings, especially in trade unions and the Labour Party, are conducted on a kind of shorthand which can be baffling to outsiders and – more important – which can deter new members from attending or participating in future meetings. For example, someone in a union branch might say of a proposed wage settlement: ‘It’s gone through the NJIC but of course it’s got to be ratified by the EC’. What that individual should really do is explain that the National Joint Industrial Council, which is the negotiating body for the whole industry and which consists of representatives of employees and the trade unions, has come to a provisional agreement which has to be endorsed by the Executive Council or main governing body of the union. Many chairs, who will often have been active in the body in question for a number of years, are guilty of believing that everyone knows the ropes as well as they do. They should be wary of falling into this trap and if other old hands at meetings lapse into jargon they should take it upon themselves to explain things more fully to the remaining members in plain English.
Handling the media
Increasingly trade union branches, political parties and local pressure groups are appointing press officers to publicise their activities, write press releases, and generally deal with the local press and local radio. In some cases this job may be done by the secretary. But now and again the chair may find themselves being rung up by a journalist who wants to know their views on a particular issue, and who may be looking for a newsworthy quote. In such circumstances the chair should exercise caution, and if in doubt might ask the reporter if they can phone back in a few minutes, after they have collected their thoughts. But never be hostile to the press; most local papers are desperate to fill space and can be valuable allies. It can sometimes help to provide friendly journalists with background information and if the chair says ‘This is off the record’, no journalist will quote them.
The chair’s wider role
From what has been said so far, and from the chapters which follow, it may sound as though the chair’s role is mainly that of a referee, interpreting the rules, letting the game flow smoothly and maintaining discipline. That isn’t so – unlike a referee, the chair is the most important member of the team. Running meetings efficiently is only part of their job, although perhaps the most important part. The chair should be active between meetings too. If the chair of (for example) a political party fails to take a lead in stimulating discussion, fund-raising, recruitment of members, election campaigns and all the other things which go on, they should let someone else take over. It is unreasonable to expect ordinary members to participate fully in such activities if the chair does not set an example.