Why are good minutes important?
Minutes are the paper trail to an organisation’s decisions and are therefore important documents.
Keep these factors in mind:
- They should not be too long, with every contribution to the discussion outlined, but contain a good précis of the debate with outcome decisions clearly noted.
- Minutes should be circulated within 10 days of the meeting taking place; this means that actions can be undertaken immediately and those members not present have notification of the discussions.
- It is normal practice for the chair to agree the minutes before they are circulated to other board members.
- It is a courtesy to board members that they should be well-written as badly written minutes take much longer to read.
- If necessary, minute takers should be given training.
- Meeting minutes should be saved securely in the organisation’s records.
Further Guidance:
