The first board meeting

The directors of a newly formed company should hold a first board meeting as soon as
possible after incorporation. Jordans can supply draft minutes in accordance with your
particular circumstances, if required.

Company registers
Every company must keep certain registers, including a register of shareholders and
directors.

Jordans supply a set of blank registers as part of our standard product. These include
full guidance on how and where each register should be kept and the precise rights of
inspection for each. Alternatively, we can maintain your company's registers for you
as part of our company administration service.

Our stationery department can also supply other company and legal forms.

General meetings
A general meeting is a meeting of the shareholders (members) of the company. The
only business that can be conducted at a general meeting is the business set out in
the notice convening the meeting. The type of resolution (the decision of the
members), ordinary or special, by which the business is transacted, will be as required
by the Companies Act or the Company's Articles and must be specified in the notice.

Changes to the company name,, share capital or Articles of Association of the
company are usually effected by resolutions passed at general meetings, but a private
company may also make these changes by written resolution. Subject always to the
Articles, alterations to the name and articles are made by special resolution, while
changes to share capital (such as subdividing shares into a lower nominal value) are
usually effected by an ordinary resolution. Share issues are normally dealt with by the
board.

Copies of special and certain ordinary resolutions must be filed at Companies House
within fifteen days of being passed. If the Articles of Association are amended, a printed
copy of the Articles as altered must also be filed at Companies House no later than
fifteen days after the passing of the resolution. A fee is payable to Companies House
on a change of name and the change of name is not effective until they issues a
certificate of change of name.

Jordans can help with any amendments required to the share capital, objects clauses,
Articles of Association or change of name of your company and the subsequent
reprinting of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. Please contact us for more
information.

Financial year and accounts
The company's financial year end may also be described as the 'accounting
reference date'. The company's accounting reference period is determined according
to its accounting reference date. Unless notice of another accounting reference date
is given to Companies House, the accounting reference period will automatically end
on the last day of the month in which the company was incorporated.

A company's first accounting reference period must be more than 6 months but not
more than 18 months. It starts on the date of incorporation and ends on the
accounting reference date. Subsequent periods are for 12 months, starting with the
end of the last period and ending on the accounting reference date.

The date can subsequently be changed by filing.the prescribed form.
The accounts for a private company must be filed at Companies House within 9
months from the end of the accounting reference period, and a copy of the accounts
must be sent to the members before the end of this period or before the accounts are
actually delivered to Companies House, if earlier. The accounts must be delivered to
Companies House with the balance sheet(s) signed by a director. Heavy fines can be
incurred where companies fail to submit accounts within the time limit.

Contact us for more information about Jordans accounting services.

Annual Return
Every company must make a return (called the 'Annual Return'), to Companies House
once every calendar year. The return must show the position as at the 'return date'
which is either (a) the anniversary of the incorporation of the company or (b) the
anniversary of the return date of the previous annual return filed at Companies House.
The annual return must be filed at Companies House within 28 days of its return date.
Failure to do this is a criminal offence for which directors and company secretaries
may be prosecuted.

As well as the annual return and the accounts every company director has an
obligation to ensure that statutory documents are filed with Companies House, in
particular changes to the directors or their details or a change in registered office.
Jordans can supply company and legal forms, registers and printing. For more information
email our Stationery department.

You may prefer to let someone else look after these obligations for you. Contact us
for more information on our Company Administration service.