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Company Law Reform Bill [HL]

Clause 296 replaces Section 373 of the 1985 Act. Subsection (1) restricts companies’ ability, through their articles, to exclude members’ right to demand a poll. However, like Section 373, it allows the articles to exclude the right to a poll on both the election of the chairman of the meeting and the adjournment of a meeting. The amendment seeks to prevent the articles excluding the right to a poll on the adjournment of the meeting. The effect would be that enough members acting together could require a poll on a vote to adjourn the meeting. This would be a disruptive change for a broad range of companies that have taken advantage of the current provisions. There was no support for such a change in the consultation. I therefore hope the noble Lord will not press his amendment.