Proposing and approving Reports at an Annual General Meeting

[mb100]

Our constitution states that the AGM agenda must include, Presidents Report, Secretary's Report and Treasurer Report and Annual Accounts. It does not call for the reports to be specifically approved.... practice over the years has been varied depending on who chaired the meeting (The Accounts must be approved)... would the proper practice regarding the reports be to have them proposed and seconded and having taken questions from attendees have the report taken as read and adopted... or should a vote be called to approve/adopt each report?

Also, we want the members to adopt a Strategic Plan which has been developed with significant member input.  We dont want to have a vote to approve it (in case it is not approved), is there a good practice wording that would ask the members attending to adopt the plan

[Atul Kapur]

16 minutes ago, mb100 said:

Our constitution states that the AGM agenda must include, Presidents Report, Secretary's Report and Treasurer Report and Annual Accounts. It does not call for the reports to be specifically approved.... practice over the years has been varied depending on who chaired the meeting (The Accounts must be approved)... would the proper practice regarding the reports be to have them proposed and seconded and having taken questions from attendees have the report taken as read and adopted... or should a vote be called to approve/adopt each report?

The only time you need a motion is if the report includes a recommendation that needs to be adopted or implemented. Otherwise, the reports "are usually for purposes of information only." If the assembly approves or adopts the report, then you are "endorsing every word of the report—including the indicated facts and the reasoning—as its own statement"
See RONR 12th ed, 48:19 and 51:13

21 minutes ago, mb100 said:

Also, we want the members to adopt a Strategic Plan which has been developed with significant member input.  We dont want to have a vote to approve it (in case it is not approved)

If you are not really wanting them to decide, why are you pretending to let them decide? Who has authority to adopt the strategic plan? If it is the membership, then you cannot properly deny them the opportunity to vote to adopt -- or not adopt -- the plan.

If it's another body, such as an executive board, and you are just informing the membership, then just inform the membership. It seems disingenuous to only give them the opportunity to adopt it and not the opportunity to state that they don't agree.

23 minutes ago, mb100 said:

is there a good practice wording that would ask the members attending to adopt the plan

"Please vote to adopt the plan; we think it is a good plan and hope you agree."

[Richard Brown]

I agree with the response above by Dr. Kapur but will give you a shorter answer regarding reports (whether submitted at an annual meeting or any other meeting):  Reports of officers, including the treasurer's report, should normally NOT be approved.  After a report is given, the chair should simply thank the officer (or committee chair) for  the report and then call for the next report. No motion to "approve" or "accept" the report is normally in order. 

Dr. Kapur pointed out those times when it might be in order to "approve" or "adopt" a report or recommendation.

[mb100]

Thank you all...