This Content Was Last Updated on November 5, 2015 by Jessica Garbett

 

From 6 April 2008 a private company is not obliged to appoint a company secretary.

There is some useful information on Companies House www site about this, re-produced below:

“The company secretary becomes optional for private companies but they will remain mandatory for public companies

“When do the company secretary changes come into force? From 6th April 2008 the provision for enabling private companies to choose whether they wish to have a company secretary will come into force.

“Do I still need a company secretary after 6th April 2008? A private company will have the option whether or not they maintain their company secretary.

“If the company decide they no longer need a company secretary what is the process? If the company decide they no longer need a company secretary they will need to inform Companies House via WebFiling or on the 288b form.

“Will the company be required to amend the Articles? The company will be required to amend the Articles if there is a specific reference to the company having a secretary. However if the Articles only refer to the secretary’s duties there is no need to make an amendment.

“When the company amends the Articles what documentation must be submitted to Companies House? The company must submit a written or special resolution together with an updated version of the Articles.

“Can a company have a sole director and no secretary? Yes.

“Must the secretary be a person or can they be a corporate? The new provisions being introduced in October 2009 relating to natural directors, do not apply to secretaries. Secretaries can still be corporate.

“When do the remaining provisions relating to secretaries come into force? These come into force on 1st October 2009. From that date secretaries who are an individual person will be able to file a service address for the public record and corporate secretaries will be required to give details of where they are registered and the registered company number, if applicable.”