The following programme of events takes place on Wednesday 21 May before the annual general meeting:

5.30pm
Tea and sandwiches available for those attending the AGM

6pm
Presentation of fellowship certificates for 2007, followed by presentation of the Charter Gold Medal and Charter Silver Medal for 2008 and the Synergy Award for 2008

6.45pm
Presentation on professional leadership, and the Council’s response to the report of the Clarke Inquiry into the principles, functions and structure of a future professional body for pharmacy.

This will be followed by questions to the President, Chief Executive and Registrar and Nigel Clarke

Rules of procedure for matters raised and motions submitted for debate at annual general meetings (Byelaw VI, Paragraph 3)

Before considering matters raised and motions submitted for debate at the Society’s annual general meeting (Official Notices, column 1), the meeting will be asked to adopt the following rules of procedure under Byelaw VI, paragraph 3, as approved by the Council of the Society on 1 April 2008.

Matters raised
1. The person raising the matter shall be allowed five minutes to introduce the discussion.

2. Any other speaker may speak for up to three minutes.*

3. The person raising the matter shall then have three minutes to respond to the discussion.

4. The chairman of the meeting, or other person nominated by the chairman, may, at any stage in the discussion, state the views of the Council or give any information in the chairman’s possession which may assist the meeting in discussing the matter.

5. No vote will be taken on matters raised.

6. In the event of there being insufficient time to debate all matters raised (which will be decided by the chairman), the outstanding matters shall be left to lie upon the table.

Motions
7. The person proposing the motion shall be allowed five minutes to introduce the discussion.

8. All motions shall require a seconder. Any member attending the meeting (other than the proposer) may second a motion. A seconder may speak for up to three minutes.

9. Any other speaker may speak for up to three minutes.*

10. The person proposing the motion shall then have up to three minutes to respond to the discussion.

11. The chairman of the meeting, or other person nominated by the chairman, may at any stage in the discussion, state the views of the Council or give any information in the chairman’s possession which may assist the meeting in discussing the motion.

12. Once a motion is proposed to the meeting, and seconded, an amendment may be moved without notice.

13. When an amendment is moved, and seconded, no other amendment may be taken until the previous one has been cleared. If carried, an amendment becomes substantive and is put as a new motion upon which a further amendment may be moved. If the amendment is not carried, a second amendment may be moved but only one amendment shall be submitted for discussion at one time.

14. The mover of every original motion, but not of any amendment, shall have a right of reply, immediately after which the question shall be put from the chair.

15. No member, unless expressly mentioned in these rules of procedure, may normally speak more than once on the same motion unless permission be given by the chairman to give information or if the attention of the chairman is drawn to a point of order.

16. If, during a debate upon a motion, it is moved “That the question be now put”, the chairman shall decide whether the debate has proceeded long enough to justify accepting the motion. If the motion is accepted and seconded, it takes precedence over all other business and must be put to the meeting immediately without discussion. If the motion is carried, the motion under debate shall be put to the meeting immediately without further discussion, subject to the mover being permitted to reply to the debate. If the motion under debate is an amendment and it is defeated, the main question is not affected by the above procedure and the debate upon it may continue.

17. All motions shall be put to a vote. Every member present shall have one vote which will be cast by show of hands unless a motion for a secret ballot is carried. A motion will be decided by a simple majority of votes. In a case of equality of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

18. In the event of there being insufficient time to debate all motions (which will be decided by the chairman), a vote will be taken on each outstanding motion which will then be referred to the Council for consideration.

*Persons other than members may attend the AGM but are not entitled to vote and will not be issued with a voting card.

Persons other than members may speak in debate if called upon to do so by the chairman, in which case the individual shall identify themselves to the chairman as a non-member.