PFS AGM 2024 - voting outcomes

The PFS Board held its Annual General Meeting in Manchester today (11 November). Around 100 PFS members were welcomed to the Midland Hotel, with a similar number joining proceedings online.

At the meeting, Christine Elliott, Chair of the PFS Board, was ratified by members as a Lay Director. Carla Brown, President of the PFS, was reappointed as a Member Direct, and Ben Wright’s membership of the PFS Board – as a Member Director – was also ratified.

Two other items of ‘ordinary’ business were taken:

Item 1)        that the Report and Financial Statements of the Society for the year ended 31 December 2023 be received and considered;

Item 2)        that Crowe U.K. LLP be reappointed as Auditors of the Society for the financial year ending 31 December 2024 and that the Directors be authorised to agree their remuneration.

Members did not vote in favour of these two items. The outcomes were as follows:

Item 1)

Votes For:        177       43.3%

Votes Against:  232       56.7%   

Item 2)

Votes For:        191       47.3%

Votes Against:  213       52.7%

Responding to the vote outcomes, Christine Elliott, Chair, said: “The PFS Board is pleased that so many of our members engaged with the business brought to this year’s AGM. We want an active membership, as we need to be able to act and speak for all our members. We will be reaching out to those members who voted against these items to better understand why those chose to do so. The PFS Board is in ‘receiving’ mode, listening and actively responding. We will reflect on what we hear before deciding what steps to next take in consultation with our members. The PFS Board is here to serve and ensure our members get the support they need and deserve.”

Carla Brown, President, said: “The PFS Board is committed to actively listening and working on behalf of our members. We benefitted from receiving a great many questions at today’s AGM, and we look forward to continuing many positive conversations over coming weeks and months. I know all members of the PFS Board look forward to playing their role in delivering the goals that we are currently developing as part of our plan for 2025, including modernising our membership offer, developing our sector thought leadership, and better supporting our volunteers to deliver the great work that they do on behalf of our wider membership.”