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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:
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.

Kif · 28/02/2006 13:19

Fat double clicking finger - sorry for double post.

Must drink less coffee - my hands will shake less.

Blackduck · 28/02/2006 13:20

Believe me, on every committee there will be one person who reads them with a fine toothcomb! Helps if they are the one who sees them first...

podkin · 28/02/2006 13:22

Watch out for the one who insists on having an opinion about everything, gets bolshie and loves the sound of his/her own voice. There is always one...

iota · 28/02/2006 13:22

be prepared for lots of digression - MHO Pre school and PTA meeting are a lot less formal than business meetings and do tend to wander.

that reminds me have some minutes to type up from last week Wink

meowmix · 28/02/2006 13:23

just focus on the actions - troutpout agreed to buy the first round - rather than the conversation - troutpout thought a barcadi would be nice but after discussion from the floor thoight sh'd go for a g&t instead when they got to the pub. Its easy to feel you're doing a report rather than just a list of actions.

Best bet I find is to do it as a table then go

Subject of Discussion
Action..........Owner........Deadline

hope that helps

podkin · 28/02/2006 13:23

Yes, there is always one who reads them and comments on spelling/grammar/layout...
do them your bloody self then !

Bink · 28/02/2006 13:23

Can be helpful if you draw yourself a table to write in - so under heading for each issue (headings as per agenda), columns for "concerns" "action points" and "responsibility" - works to make sure the meeting doesn't (as so often happens) in the midst of all the active discussion slip over the "who is actually going to deal with this" bit.

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:27

I think I'm going to have to make notes of all this advice to take with me ShockGrin

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 28/02/2006 13:29

have emailed you SL
are you looking forward to it now Smile

meowmix · 28/02/2006 13:30

if you get any gip just tell them that they obviously don't know how to read minutes properly as you have been trained by Mumsnet...

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:33

I'm a-quiver with excitement, harpsi. Will I find out your real name now Grin?

meowmix, yeah, any messing and I'll sic the Mn posse on them.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 28/02/2006 13:35

Harpsi's real name is Harpsichord Carrier.

SL, try taking pens of different colours in with you. Makes it easier if you need to correct or clarify anything. And rings the changes.

I'm a stationery fetishist though Grin Blush

harpsichordcarrier · 28/02/2006 13:35

yes sorenlorensen, my real name is Etheldreda
it is no secret Smile

meowmix · 28/02/2006 13:36

ooooh yes you should buy yourself lots of lovely stationery as befits your position of importance (says she who will normally chose to wait for a train in Paperchase rather than on the platform...)

harpsichordcarrier · 28/02/2006 13:36

actually my real name is Harpsichord le Carrier
it's French, like Robert Carrier the chef
I dropped the "le" - thought it was a bit poncey

hunkermunker · 28/02/2006 13:37

Is Harpsichord your middle name then?

hunkermunker · 28/02/2006 13:37

Meowmix! A fellow sparkly notebook-gazer!

(HC, not Harpsichord de Carrier?)

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 13:41

I'm a stationery junkie too - can I really buy new stuff now I'm a seckkertary? Hoorah! Harpsi is a Closet Committee Queen, you know - she's on everything Wink

OP posts:
meowmix · 28/02/2006 13:44

actually i have my eye on some stripey notepads in paperchase at the mo. Candy striped you might say. Almost lickable.

(however work is vvvv corporate and kind of frown on such fripperies so tend to have Moleskin notebooks for there when the bank balance permits)

anteater · 28/02/2006 14:02

as minute taker you can of course not be actioned to do anything!

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 22:46

It's just taken me almost two hours to write them up...no wonder no-one wanted to do it.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 28/02/2006 22:58

Ah, should I have mentioned that it's a Crap Job and I'd pull my own arms off rather than do it? Grin

Original poster
SorenLorensen · 28/02/2006 23:12

Don't people waffle a lot? And they don't say things in a nice neat order, they jump about all over and go back to stuff and then whoosh on to something else.

And I already had a sick headache and now it's a full-blown migraine so I'm off to bed. Oh poor me. Poor old sekketary.

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 28/02/2006 23:14

People LOVE the sound of their own voice at meetings. And they argue. Tossers Grin

Hope your head gets better, poor sekketary.

How did chairing go, TP?

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