Page 37 - The Law of Difficult Meetings

The Law of Difficult Meetings

unreasonable because he adjourned the meeting only to the afternoon. Those whose private arrangements meant
that they could not attend at the afternoon meeting would not only be unable to speak but also unable to vote,
even by proxy. It was also pertinent that there was no immediate urgency to despatch the business in hand (a
proposed merger) – in fact a timely meeting could have been held at any time in the next few months. Accordingly,
the business conducted at the purported adjourned meeting was held to be invalid. The lesson of London Life
is that the Chairman should either adjourn the meeting for a very short time in order for it to reconvene at a
pre‑booked, nearby location or should adjourn for a sufficiently long time to give members the opportunity to
make arrangements to attend the adjourned meeting or to vote at the adjourned meeting by proxy.

Some articles now make express provision for the Chairman’s inherent powers, it being further provided on such
adjournment that the time and place for the adjourned meeting shall be fixed by the Board. The Chairman’s
power of adjournment must not be used to salvage a difficult situation for the Board. If the Chairman purports to
adjourn without good reason the meeting can appoint another Chairman and proceed with the business (National
Dwellings Society v Sykes).

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