Subject: The role of the chairperson plan: Chairperson How is a Chairperson Elected

The Chairperson: A common question in community schemes is “What is a Chairperson and what role do they fulfill?” While it sounds “prestigious”, it can be a thankless job. The main roles of the Chairperson are to chair meetings and to ensure that the rest of the committee members are doing what they are supposed to do. This person thus needs to have strong skills in commanding meetings and being able to act impartially.
Going forward we will be explaining What a chairperson is and the role they play in more detail.

2.How is a Chairperson Elected

Depending on your Scheme’s Rules, a chairperson can generally be elected in one of two ways:
At the AGM (Annual General Meeting) of the Scheme when the new committee members are decided on.
At a Board meeting (committee meeting for a Scheme), which is normally held shortly after the AGM (Annual General Meeting).

What voting rights does the Chairperson have?

The Chairperson has an ordinary and a casting vote. The ordinary vote, which is used in the person’s capacity as a committee member/ owner, and a casting vote, which is a vote that only the Chairperson can use in a meeting when having to break a deadlock. After all the votes have been cast, if the votes are tied, the casting vote will fall to the Chairperson.

Can the Chairperson be removed and how?

Depending on your Scheme’s Rules, the Chairperson of Scheme can be removed in one of two ways, either:

• 
  by ordinary resolution (majority vote) of owners at a general meeting of the Scheme – provided that the intention to vote upon this removal has been disclosed in the notice calling the meeting, or;
  
• 
  by majority vote of the committee members at a committee meeting.
  

Removal of the Chairperson from the office of Chairperson does not automatically remove him/her from the office as a committee member. The intention to vote upon the removal of the Chairperson from both offices would have to be disclosed in the notice calling the SGM (Special General Meeting) for the removal to be valid.