How many committee members do we need, and what counts as a quorum?
Quick answer
State legislation typically sets a maximum committee size and a method for calculating quorum, often a majority of current members. Both the maximum number and the quorum formula differ across states and can depend on a scheme's total lot count, so check your state's legislation for the figures.
Key takeaways
- Maximum committee size and quorum are set by state legislation, not chosen freely by the scheme
- Quorum is commonly a majority of current members, but the exact formula varies by state
- A committee unable to reach quorum generally needs owners to elect replacements at a general meeting
Committee size and quorum are two of the most frequently checked numbers in strata governance, and both are set by legislation rather than by the committee itself.
Committee size
Most states cap the maximum number of committee members a scheme can have, sometimes scaled to the number of lots in the scheme. Owners elect up to that maximum at the AGM; a scheme can choose to elect fewer, but not more, than its state's limit allows.
Quorum
Quorum is the minimum number of committee members who need to be present (in person or, where permitted, remotely) for a committee meeting to validly transact business. It's commonly calculated as a majority of current committee positions, though the exact formula and any rounding rules vary by state.
Why we won't quote a single number here
Because both the maximum committee size and the quorum formula are set out in each state's strata legislation and can change, giving one figure risks being wrong for your scheme. Check your state's current legislation or regulator, and your state's overview page — [NSW](/strata-committee/nsw), [VIC](/strata-committee/vic), [QLD](/strata-committee/qld) and others — for the numbers that apply to you.
What happens if quorum isn't met
If a scheduled committee meeting doesn't reach quorum, it generally can't validly pass resolutions and needs to be adjourned or rescheduled under the process set out in your state's rules — some states have specific provisions for what happens at a re-convened meeting with reduced quorum requirements.
What happens if the committee falls below the minimum needed for quorum
If resignations or removals leave the committee unable to reach quorum at all, most states provide a path to call a general meeting to elect replacements, or in some cases involve the state's tribunal or a compulsorily appointed manager. This is a good reason to keep committee numbers healthy rather than running at the bare minimum.
Tracking this in practice
Because quorum needs to be checked and recorded at every meeting, it's worth confirming attendance clearly against the current list of committee members in the minutes each time, rather than assuming it was fine because "enough people showed up."
Both the maximum number of strata committee members a scheme can elect and the quorum required for a valid committee meeting are set by state legislation and vary between states, sometimes scaled to a scheme's number of lots. Quorum is commonly a majority of current committee positions. Committees should check their own state's current rules and record attendance against them at every meeting.
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