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Original poster

Taking minutes - advice please?

51 replies

SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 12:48

My first pre-school PTA meeting tonight as secretary - I've never taken minutes before. It's basically who was there, who wasn't, and what is said isn't it? Any hints and tips?

OP posts:
mandymac · 28/02/2006 12:51

Unless you can do shorthand, I would just try and capture key points:

Meeting Agenda.
Decisions made.
Any action points, who is responsible and date for completion or reporting back if relevant.

Makes for much less boring reading if they are kept short and sharp

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 12:52

No I can't do shorthand - thanks for that, mandymac.

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 28/02/2006 12:57

sorry to state the obvious but really try and concentrate.... esaier said than done I know.
if you don't know what has been agreed then before you move on from an item say - sorry can I just establish what we have agreed? then you can summarise it or get the chair to do it.
you can summarise a whole discussion by saying - the meeting discussed XYZ and it was agreed that blablabla.
If there is someone else in the meeting who you get on with then you could ask them if they would look over the minutes for your before you distrubute them, but warn them in advance - say I have never taken minutes before, could I ask you to loook at them for me? then they'll know in advance they mustn't drift off Smile

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 12:57

I have to concentrate? Oh bugger me.

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 28/02/2006 12:59

oh and don't be afraid to stop the meeting if it moving too fast and you haven't caught up.
say sorry I just need to capture that before we move on
and - if you can - write up the minutes straight away - don't leave it till just before the next meeting. Can yhou take your laptop in and type them in straight away?

Troutpout · 28/02/2006 12:59

Shit Moo ...your scaring me now..

Hausfrau · 28/02/2006 13:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

harpsichordcarrier · 28/02/2006 13:01

yeah you HAVE to concentrate
and not start writing your shopping list in the middle
it's a bloody awful job
who volunteered you for that??

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:01

I'll come home and type them up straight away. I won't be led astray by the chair (troutpout) saying "shall we just go for one drink?" I knew there was going to be more to this secretarying lark than they said - no pub afterwards and I have to concentrate.

OP posts:
Blackduck · 28/02/2006 13:02

Attendance is the easy bit (pass round a sheet of paper and get people to write their names), chair should note apologies.
If there are previous minutes these are usually gone throug (agreed, queried)
Then meeting should follow the agenda (assuming there is one) Note discussion if nec (but not in loads of detail - just really marking areas of disagreement etc.) and then action following - note who is to do, and time scale....
Better to have loads of notes that end up as two pages than racking your brains trying to recall what happened later.
Generally avoid saying Mrs X said blah, blah. Rather something like 'Concern was expressed about blah blah..'.
Keep them short - and it is an art, you get used to it the more you do it (and no, I don't do shorthand either...)

coppertop · 28/02/2006 13:03

Unless you know all the parents, circulate a piece of paper at the beginning for them to write their names on.

Write date, time and place at the top. It sounds obvious but it's surprising how much you can forget when you type them up later.

Note down any apologies, ie who hasn't turned up but apologised in advance for not doing so.

Next will usually be a report from Chair, Treasurer etc. Just note the basic points. The Treasurer will usually hand out a copy of budgets/accounts so don't get too bogged down with writing down exact figures.

Next will usually be matters arising from previous meeting and how they were dealt with. I used to just title this as "Matters Arising" and write brief notes.

At the end will usually be "Any Other Business" where people will bring up issues that haven't yet been mentioned.

If possible try to arrange date of next meeting before everyone leaves and make a note of it at the end of the minutes.

A lot will depend on how formal the meetings are tbh. HTH.

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:03

No-one else would do it. Likewise Chair. So me n' muggins said we'd do it.

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 28/02/2006 13:04

shall i send you some examples sl?
my email is harpsichordcarrier at hotmail dot com

Kif · 28/02/2006 13:04

Much, much easier if there is an agenda you're familiar with, and you're acquainted with how the argument is likely to go beforehand, and also know who's coming. If you have that up front, you can use initials instead of names. You can also use key words to trigger your memory, instead of needing to write out the argument in detail in your notes because it is the first time you've heard it.

Don't try to record verbatim - just the key points.

Write up as soon as poss after the meeting - the longer you leave it, the more difficult it is to fill in the blanks from memory.

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:04

Thanks for all this, chaps Smile Much appreciated.

OP posts:
podkin · 28/02/2006 13:04

I am a committee administrator and 'tis my job to take minutes...yawn...
Yes, unfortunately you have to listen to people waffling, going off the point, getting into arguments about something completely unrelated to the agenda etc- sigh. I hope you have a good chairperson who can keep things short, sweet and to the point. If they do their job properly it will make your life very easy. Try and be concise, listing things in bullet points always makes it simpler. Make sure you note who is there, any apologies etc. As harpsi says if you miss something get them to repeat it, and make sure you get key decisions down accurately, with a note of who has agreed to do what. Good luck and don't forget, c o n c e n t r a..zzzzzzz

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:05

Oh that'd be fab, harpsi - thanks, will email you now.

OP posts:
Blackduck · 28/02/2006 13:08

Podkin is spot on - a good chair is a godsend, they literally tell you what to write! @so we are all agreed that blah blah..."

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:09

Well she doesn't know what she's doing either - it's her first meeting as Chair too Grin Any hints about chairing for Troutpout while we're at it?

OP posts:
Kif · 28/02/2006 13:12

Always sum up verbally in the meeting - so you don't end up with a rerun of the discussion when it comes to approving the minutes.

Time keeeping - hate it when things don't get discussed for lack of time.

Manage awkward punters - there is always one in a world of their own.

Blackduck · 28/02/2006 13:12

Keep to the agenda
Be firm
Don't let the argument circulate if you can help it.
Be ready to move people on as soon as the arguement becomes unproductive (some people LOVE the sound of their own voices)
Sum up.
If it is an important decision get input from everyone so no one can say they weren't asked...

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:13

"approving the minutes"? Does that mean I have to summarise what I've written at the end and make sure everyone agrees?

OP posts:
Blackduck · 28/02/2006 13:16

Usually minutes are 'approved' by the chair/secretary, but at a meeting the previous meetings minutes are approved as an accurate reflection of what happened (Means everyone has to read the bl**dy things). Rare for them to be challenged IMO - no-one can remember what the hell happened last time Grin

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:17

OK. No-one reads them anyway...do they?

OP posts:
Kif · 28/02/2006 13:19

My experience is in an office based environment - i.e. everyone on email.

What tends to happen is that the minute taker sends round the minutes to everyone there well ahead of the next meeting.

First agenda item of the next meeting is 'approaving last set of minutes'.

People can chip in with corrections either there, or before the meeting by email. Usually there are none - or minor ones.

Then the chair says 'the minutes are approved', this fact is recorded in the minutes to the next meeting.

This process means that everyone has agreed that the minutes are a true and fair reflection of what went on. This means that the minutes can be used as evidence later down the line to resplve disputes, or explain how decisions were reached.