Guidance on the taking of minutes at PCC meetings from the Archdeacon of Dudley, Nikki Groarke:
The PCC Secretary should attend meetings and take accurate notes (including attendance), in order to prepare minutes and distribute them afterwards. The minutes should not include a fulsome account of who said what and to whom but are instead a brief summary of essentials. As a general guide aim for no more than two pages of A4. However, it is important that the minutes include accurate and clear wording for decisions, resolutions and action points.
All resolutions passed by the PCC should be recorded with the names of the proposer, seconder and voting figures.
If action is to be taken please make it clear who is responsible. It is often a good idea to put names in a separate column running alongside the minutes so they are obvious or at least put them in bold type.
The minutes of formal meetings normally follow a pattern similar to that below:
- Description of meeting - ie: title, date, time, place, etc
- List of those present
- Apologies for absence
- Record of any corrections necessary to the previous meeting’s minutes followed by a note that the minutes were approved
- Matters arising from the minutes - normally this reports action taken as a result of decisions at the last meeting.
- Other agenda items – including reports from sub-committees where needed.
- Date of next meeting
Confidentiality - Where the PCC decides that part of the meeting is confidential, you should minute those items separately clearly marked as confidential.
When the draft minutes are ready check them with the chair before they are circulated to other members. The minutes do not become an official record until they have been approved at the next meeting and it is always useful to bring your initial notes in case any items are disputed. It is important to maintain a complete set of minutes with accompanying papers.
Nikki Groarke, Archdeacon of Dudley