Compiling the agenda
1. It is usually the secretary who compiles the agenda, in liaison with
the Chairman. The first step is to gather together all relevant
information, sort out the items for discussion and then consider the
detail that needs to be covered in the meeting.
It’s always a good idea to consider the time each item is likely to
take, and actually assign a time limit to each item. By doing this, you
can ensure the overall time allocated to the meeting is appropriate.
2. An agenda will always be headed with the date, time and location of
the meeting, and restricted to one sheet of paper if possible.
The traditional structure is shown here:
Welcome and introductions (if necessary)
Apologies for absence
Approve minutes of last meeting
Matters arising from last meeting
List of issues to be discussed
Any other business
Details of next meeting
It’s usual to number each item, and leave plenty of room in the margins for notes.