Help centre / Meetings & minutes / Put a motion to a vote
Put a motion to a vote
In the meeting, select Table motion and write the proposal. Trustees vote For, Against, Abstain or Recuse from their own sign-in. If someone has an interest, declare it and it's minuted. When voting is done, Record decision tallies the votes and locks the result.
Table the motion and vote
- Open the meeting and select Table motion in the Motions section.
- Write the motion. For example: To approve the 2027 budget of £48,000.
- Pick the agenda item it belongs under, so the board pack groups it in the right place.
- Choose the Type of decision. This sets who decides, and the page shows a Decided by badge so there's no doubt.
- Select Table motion. It appears as awaiting vote.
- Each trustee votes from their own sign-in: For, Against, Abstain or Recuse (conflict). One vote per person, and they can change it until the decision is recorded.
- When voting is done, the chair selects Record decision. The votes are tallied and the result (carried or failed) is recorded for good.
If someone has a conflict of interest
Select Declare an interest on the motion. Record who has the interest, what it is, and how it was handled: they left the room, they stayed but did not vote, or they declared it and took part. If they already have an entry on your conflicts register, the details are filled in for you.
The declaration is written into the decision record and the minutes automatically, so the trail the Charity Commission expects is there without anyone having to remember it later.
Good to know
Some decisions belong to the trustees alone. If a matter is reserved to the board, only trustees can cast a binding vote or record the decision. Everyone else can still take part in the discussion, and the page explains this rather than silently blocking anyone.
Not ready to decide? Defer the motion. It moves to the decision queue, ready to be taken up at a future meeting, so nothing gets lost.
Recorded decisions can't be edited. That's deliberate. It's what makes your decision register trustworthy.
The governance behind this: our free guide on charitycontrol.org explains the why in plain English.