2009 AGM

The annual general meeting of the Solicitors’ International Human Rights Group will take place at 6.30pm on Wednesday 28^th January 2009 in the Chancery Room, The Law Society Hall, Chancery Lane, London (followed by middle-east expert Alan Hart on the Israeli-Palestine conflict).

AGENDA

1. Apologies for absence

2. Approval of minutes of the AGM of 27th February 2008 (click here for link to the minutes)

3. Any matters arising

4. Motion to change Rule 8 of the Solicitors’ International Human Rights Group.

Delete rule 8 of the 2005 Rules of SIHRG and replace with a new rule 8

"8. (a) The Accounts of the Group shall be examined by two examiners. One examiner shall be elected from the membership (but not a management committee member) by the Annual General Meeting and the second (not being the treasurer or any committee member carrying out administration of the Group) shall be appointed by the committee in the same month.

(b) The examiners shall examine the accounts of the Group within two months of the Annual General Meeting for the immediate past accounting year and shall give such certificate of assurance as to the accuracy of the said accounts as shall be required by law or by the committee;

(c) If the examiners are unwilling or unable to act the Committee shall appoint substitutes to hold office until the termination of the next Annual General Meeting."

See below for the current rule 8 and a background paper on the rule change proposed.

5. Election of officers of the Management Committee for 2009

a. Chair

b. Vice-chair

c. Treasurer

d. Secretary

e. Assistant Secretary

f. Education and training officer

g. Working Groups co-ordinator

h. Press officer

i. Missions officer

6. Election of six ordinary members of the management committee

7. Election of accounts examiner under new rule 8 or approval of external auditor under 2005 rule as appropriate.

8. To receive the Chair’s annual report CLICK HERE FOR REPORT

9. Any other urgent business

Background note to item 1 above:

1. Motion to change the Rules of the Solicitors’ International Human Rights Group.

Delete rule 8 of the 2005 Rules of SIHRG and replace with a new rule 8

8. (a) The Accounts of the Group shall be examined by two examiners. One examiner shall be elected from the membership (but not a management committee member) by the Annual General Meeting and the second (not being the treasurer or any committee member carrying out administration of the Group) shall be appointed by the committee in the same month.

(c) If the examiners are unwilling or unable to act the Committee shall appoint substitutes to hold office until the termination of the next Annual General Meeting.

The current rule 8 is as follows:

8. (a) The Accounts of the Group shall be examined by one or more independent examiners suitably qualified who shall be approved for this purpose at the Annual General Meeting or failing which at an ordinary or special General Meeting.

(b) The examiner[s] shall audit the accounts of the Group when called upon to do so and shall give such certificate of assurance as to the accuracy of the said accounts as shall be required by law or by the committee;

(c) If the examiner[s] is [are]unwilling or unable to act the Committee shall appoint a substitute [s]to hold office until the termination of the next Annual General Meeting.

Presently, the Rules provide for the appointment of an independent examiner to look at our accounts and sign them. The change recommended is to appoint two “auditors”. One from the committee and one elected at the AGM from the general membership (not committee).

Reasons are summarised below:

An independent examiner has been engaged on three occasions and it is not within the remit to provide progressive advice on our accounting system.

An independent examiner does not verify information provided beyond an examination of cheque stubs and the bank statements.

Effectively, an independent examiner's role has been limited to drafting the end of year account.

Unless SIHRG paid substantially more fees than we do already (£300 per annum) we would expect to receive the same kind of audit from any other “independent examiner” as appointed under the rules of an unincorporated association.

In early 2008 a new accounting system has been designed and created for SIHRG.

This accounting system is available via a secure online system to inspect at anytime by any committee member.

The new SIHRG accounts are a comprehensive record maintained contemporaneously. It tracks every payment and item of income.

At the year end the same account format used by the independent examiner can be created readily from the accounts maintained.

A committee member and general member auditor can devote more voluntary time visiting administration to audit all appropriate documents and vouchers.

The proposed rule change envisages appointment of the general member auditor at the AGM and the committee member in the same month by the committee. The two auditors would then have two months to report to the membership their approval or otherwise of the accounts and may of course raise concerns with the management committee beforehand.

A committee member would have a greater understanding of the workings of SIHRG and his or her audit would thus be of greater value.

We can expect qualified solicitors to be appointed and thus their integrity and independence of mind should be assured.

SIHRG would save £300 per annum – which could rise as our activities increase and we have arguably a more thorough audit process.

Lastly, if we are to use the SIHRG Company Limited charity vehicle more substantially in the future we may want to use the saving on an independent examiner for audits that might be required by law for the company accounts. At present there is no legal requirement for a paid for independent examination of our current unincorporated Group’s accounts. It is purely self-imposed by our own rules which we are at liberty to change