RSPBA to Hold 2020 AGM Online – Bands Vote via Portal

The Board of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association have decided to have our AGM on Sat 27 June 2020, but in a very different way. We’re asking all bands to vote through an online portal, as with the current restrictions we can not get people together in time to meet our legal responsibilities.

We are focusing on the things which are legally required, so Committee Reports, Approval of Accounts, Election of Office Bearers, will be processed but the meeting will exclude any changes to rules etc.

By RSPBA Chairman John B. Hughes

Today, an email has gone to all Band Secretaries, of UK RSPBA Registered bands who have paid their 2019/2020 registration fees, regarding the rescheduled 2019 AGM with the following information.

On 13th March 2020 we advised that ‘The RSPBA Annual General Meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 14th March 2020, in Glasgow, has been postponed due to the escalating coronavirus situation’. 

In light of the extraordinary challenges presented by the coronavirus outbreak, we are having to do things very differently this year. I never thought I would say to our Members that they should not attend our AGM but that is what I am doing.

The Scottish Government’s mandatory social distancing measures remain in place, except in specific circumstances, which do not include attending an AGM; people are required to stay at home.

Whilst we remain legally required to hold our AGM, the stay at home measures significantly restrict our ability to hold the AGM in the traditional way. As a result, The RSPBA Annual General Meeting will be held using proxy submissions and Members will not be able to attend in person.

The health and safety of our Members, Officials, and Staff is always our utmost priority, and as a consequence, Members will not be able to attend in person, however the Board will ensure that the meeting is quorate.

The format of the AGM this year will be purely functional to comply with the relevant legal requirements. Therefore, the proposed changes to the Standing Orders and Rules, and Articles of Association will not be considered at this time.

In order to ensure that Members votes are counted, the Board strongly encourages Members to exercise their right to vote by appointing the chairman of the AGM as their proxy to vote in accordance with their instructions.

Therefore, all Members are encouraged to exercise their votes by submitting their proxy forms through the voting portal that has been set up for this purpose.

The portal will also allow Members to submit appropriate questions that they would have raised at the AGM via the portal. Relevant Questions and Answers will be published as soon as practicable following the AGM.

This email issued to all Band Secretaries in membership, contains instructions on how to cast the votes for their band before the AGM on 27 June 2020. Voting will close at 10am on 25 June 2020. You will be able to review the overall votes cast after the AGM.

Thank you for your support.