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The Role of the Minute-Taker

Primary Responsibility

The minutes are a written record of the meeting. They aim to summarise the discussion that took place and be a concise record of the decisions taken; bearing in mind that they can be seen as a historic record and also to inform those directors not present.

Taking the Minutes

• The minute taker will need notepad, pen, pencils, rubber and pencil sharpener. It may be helpful to have two notebooks, one to write down notes on the discussions taking place and the other to write them up for the minutes. Alternatively, use a laptop computer (which saves a lot of time typing up later).
• The minutes must follow the numbers on the agenda.
• Minutes are written and agreed at the end of each item number.
• The minute taker should be given silence for writing the phrasing of each minute, which is then read back to the meeting for agreement, with corrections or additions if necessary.
• If the task of minute taker is rotated, then everyone has an opportunity to develop and appreciate the skill. There can be a new minute taker for each meeting, but it can be helpful to have one volunteer for a year's meetings, enabling continuity.

Typing Up

• The Company name and registered address must be at the top of the document.
• The minutes must be typed up as written and agreed at the meeting.
• Type them up into a Word document. If any directors aren't able to open attachments, they will have to be copied into the body of the text of the email. Those directors who are not on email will have to have the minutes posted to them.
• Ideally, the completed minutes should be sent to all directors within two weeks of the meeting.
• Those requested to carry out tasks from the meeting must be emphasised in some way, either by adding an 'action column' or by highlighting their names within the text.
• At the end of the minutes the following should appear: the expenses of the current meeting (both actual and the total sum claimed by directors), and the dates, times and venues of the meetings planned to take place during the next 12 months with the names of the focalisers and minute takers.
• The minute taker should also draw up an Action List of all the actions from the meeting and forward this to the focaliser of the next meeting to check progress and help inform the next meeting's agenda.

Tracy Lean
Last amended December 2010