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Hi

I have been given an item by the Chair to 'table' at the next meeting.  Does this go on the agenda as a normal item, or do I list it under 'Statements from the Chair'?   Thanks.  TG.

I don't think it matters who is chairing the item, it goes on the agenda...no?

Unless of course it's dealt with under AOB which the Chair would advise.

I wouldn't put it in either, but keep it as a note for the next meeting agenda.

This situation arises quite often where I work.  We do not put it on the agenda as often it is something that has cropped up after the agenda has been circulated.  The Chair will be made aware of it in advance of the meeting and will bring it up under 'any other business'.  It will then be minuted as being raised under AOB and taken forward from there.

I would do it the way OfficePA says, but add the paper to the file holding the papers for that meeting so everything's complete and matches the minutes.

I think it should go on the Agenda under Old Business.

I've never come across a heading before called Old Business but can see this would be useful and may try and introduce this.

How is it old business if it's being tabled for the next meeting?  Surely it's a new agenda item or AOB.

I guess if it an item that was presented on a previous agenda, was dealt with but then has raised its head again, it would make it clear to attendees that this is not actually a 'new' item but 'old business'. They could then cross reference with previous minutes if they wanted to remind themselves of the history of the item.

The original request was...

"I have been given an item by the Chair to 'table' at the next meeting.  Does this go on the agenda as a normal item, or do I list it under 'Statements from the Chair'?

Where does it say this item was discussed at a previous meeting??

Gee, I did respond to the original query in my first posting as others did in their suggestions and hopefully the person who initially asked the question found these helpful. 

But when Marie sugguested a heading of Old Business, this just bought a new dimension to agendas which may be of help to others - it certainly made me think about the agendas I deal with weekly and how I can improve them.

Well I've never heard of it in all the years I have been employed.

An item cannot be tabled in advance of being presented. And because it has been presented previously, it thus becomes old business at the next meeting.

I thought you meant this was a business item that was tabled at the last meeting.

Do you mean someone wants an item added to an agenda for a future meeting that they intend to immediately table? They should simply not present the item at the next meeting if they intend to immediately table it.

I had to look this up as I am totally confused...

- "tabling" an agenda item means you are putting it off until the next meeting

So how can it be old business if it hasn't been presented yet?  Don't you just add it to the agenda for the next meeting as a new item?  Old business to me sounds like an item that has already been discussed and is being raised again.

- an "agenda" is a list of matters to be taken up at a meeting

Personally I think this should be under the heading "Chair's Business".

Oh, you know what, there may be a cultural language issue going on here.

In the US parliamentary procedure, to table a motion means to take a current motion and table (suspend) it to the next meeting.

I see by Wikipedia that in the UK to table a motion can mean to bring a motion up for consideration (for the first time).

So that may be where the confusion lies. :)

I think you are right.

Ahh, that makes sense. Just goes to show how easily things are miss-understood when different countries have diffierent meanings for the same word/phrase.

I often have the situation when an agenda has gone out that someone comes to me and says they need something to be included on the agenda.  Because the committee members must have the agenda 3 working days before the meeting, if this new item does not meet that timeframe, and if it cannot wait until the next meeting's agenda, it will be 'tabled', ie does not appear on the agenda but will come under Any Other Business (usually) or Chair's items.

If it is an item that was on an agenda at a previous meeting that was dealt with and closed, but for some reason comes up again, this would be under Chair's Items to raise again (but does not appear on the agenda but will of course be on the Minutes). However, this is where I can see 'Old Business' being useful as it clearly shows to committee members that this has been raised before but for whatever reason, it has been felt necessary to raise again.  As I said before, it can then be looked up on previous minutes or crossed referenced so members can have the previous history of this item should they so wish.

I think if you can be one step ahead of the committee members, and perhaps do their thinking for them, as in putting it under Old Business and providing copies of the Minutes where the item was previously discussed, then they will appreciate it.

I've been confused too, and I think MsMarieh is right, we are talking about different things.

As noted above, in the UK, tabling an item means that this is something not originally planned for discussion at the meeting, but something urgent enough that can't wait till the next means that it is tabled (ie raised) on the night.  If there are papers related to it, these should be filed with the meeting papers so that there is a complete set (hard copy or electronic!) for posterity!

So what is it called in the UK if you bring up a motion, and someone makes a motion to delay voting or discussing the matter to the next meeting?

(This language stuff is so fascinating to me!) :)

Add it to the next agenda or AOB as I suggested.

Just a thought, but has anyone thought to ask where the Chair wishes to see the item on the agenda (could be before the Minutes of the previous meeting, could be just after, could be near or in the AOB's or it could be the last item just before noting the date of the next meeting) - perhaps the Chair themself has a preference!

Jess  :)

I did say above this should be under Chair's Business.

Delaying something to the next meeting would be minuted as such and added to the next agenda.

A tabled item doesn't have to be taken at the end of the meeting as AOB.  In fact I have this tomorrow night where we have a tabled item (because of the timing of the occurrence which requires the item to come to this meeting).  It will be taken immediately at the start of items for decision as it is important.