Are trustee meetings mandatory?
There is no general rule of law which says that the business of charities has to be conducted at meetings. The governing document of a charity may authorise the trustees to conduct the business of the charity by telephone, fax or internet facilities or by the circulation of papers. The requirements for charitable companies to have meetings of their members, and to transact certain items of business at meetings of their members may now be dispensed with in certain circumstances. However, the governing documents of many charities do require meetings to be held and will often state the number and types of meetings that must be held and how they should be called. Where business is transacted at meetings, it is essential for the good governance of charities that the meetings should be effective. Meetings provide an environment for informed decision making, clarification of responsibilities and monitoring the implementation of decisions for the administration of a charity. The courts have ac
