Charities should consider updating their governing documents to allow for virtual meetings before Covid-19 relaxation rules expire in September

Measures introduced under the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 to relax rules regarding charitable companies' and charitable incorporated organisations' (CIOs') board and general meetings, to help such organisations deal with the challenges of meeting during the Covid-19 pandemic, are due to expire at the end of September 2020.  One of the measures is to permit virtual meetings even if they are not authorised under the charity's governing document.  With so much uncertainty surrounding how the UK Government will continue to tackle the coronavirus pandemic via social distancing and lockdowns, charities are likely to want to continue to hold meetings virtually beyond September. They should therefore review their governing documents now to see if any changes can be made to allow for such meetings in the event that the Government does not extend the 30 September deadline.