AGM Information • Oct 3, 2022
AGM Information
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Notice of the 2022 Annual General Meeting of TheWorks.co.uk plc To be held on 27 October 2022 at 9.00 a.m.
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3 October 2022
On behalf of the Board of directors of TheWorks.co.uk plc (together the Directors), I am pleased to inform you of the 2022 Annual General Meeting (AGM or Meeting) of TheWorks.co.uk plc (the Company) which will be held at 9.00 a.m. on 27 October 2022 at Boldmere House, Faraday Avenue, Hams Hall Distribution Park, Coleshill, Birmingham B46 1AL.
The formal Notice of AGM (the Notice) is set out on the following pages of this document, detailing the resolutions that shareholders are being asked to vote on along with explanatory notes of the business to be conducted at the AGM.
As all COVID-19 restrictions in the UK have been removed at the time of issuing this Notice we can therefore welcome shareholders to attend the AGM in person again. We will, however, continue to monitor the situation and prevailing UK Government guidance and, if it becomes appropriate or necessary to make changes to the format of the 2022 AGM, we will inform shareholders as soon as we can via our website, https://corporate.theworks.co.uk.
You can vote electronically at www.sharevote.co.uk using the relevant reference numbers printed on your Proxy Form. Alternatively, if you have already registered with our Registrar's (Equiniti Limited) online portfolio service, Shareview, you can submit your proxy by logging on to your portfolio at www.shareview.co.uk using your usual user ID and password. Once logged in simply click 'View' on the 'My Investments' page, click on the link to vote then follow the on-screen instructions. CREST members may use the CREST electronic proxy appointment service to submit their proxy appointment in respect of the AGM, as detailed in the Further Notes to the Notice of the AGM on page 7. If you are an institutional investor you may be able to appoint a proxy electronically via the Proxymity platform, a process which has been agreed by the Company and approved by the Registrar. For further information regarding Proxymity, please go to www.proxymity.io.
Please note that all Proxy Forms and appointments must be received by 9.00 a.m. on 25 October 2022.
Voting on the business of the Meeting will be conducted by way of a poll. The results of voting on the resolutions will be posted on the Company's website as soon as practicable after the AGM.
The Directors believe that the resolutions set out in the Notice of AGM are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole and unanimously recommend that shareholders vote in favour of all of the resolutions, as the Directors intend to do, or procure to be done, in respect of their own beneficial holdings.
Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to welcoming you to the AGM.
Yours faithfully,
Carolyn Bradley Chair of the Board
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the AGM of the Company will be held on 27 October 2022 at 9.00 a.m. to consider and, if thought appropriate, pass the following resolutions, of which Resolutions 1 to 12 will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and Resolutions 13 to 16 will be proposed as special resolutions.
such authorities to apply in substitution for all previous authorities pursuant to Section 551 of the 2006 Act and to expire at the end of the next Annual General Meeting or on 31 October 2023, whichever is the earlier, but in each case so that the Company may make offers and enter into agreements during the relevant period which would, or might, require shares to be allotted or rights to subscribe for or to convert any security into shares to be granted after the authority ends.
For the purposes of this resolution, 'rights issue' means an offer to:
to subscribe for further securities by means of the issue of a renounceable letter (or other negotiable document) which may be traded for a period before payment for the securities is due, but subject in both cases to such exclusions or other arrangements as the Directors may deem necessary or expedient in relation to treasury shares, fractional entitlements, record dates or legal, regulatory or practical problems in, or under the laws of, any territory.
such authority to expire at the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, at the close of business on 31 October 2023 but, in each case, prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Directors may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired.
such authority to expire at the end of the next AGM of the Company or, if earlier, at the close of business on 31 October 2023 but, in each case, prior to its expiry the Company may make offers, and enter into agreements, which would, or might, require equity securities to be allotted (and treasury shares to be sold) after the authority expires and the Directors may allot equity securities (and sell treasury shares) under any such offer or agreement as if the authority had not expired.
By order of the Board
Bernwood Cosec Limited Company Secretary 3 October 2022 Registered in England and Wales No. 11325534 Registered Office: Boldmere House Faraday Avenue Hams Hall Distribution Park Coleshill Birmingham England B46 1AL
The notes on the following pages give an explanation of the proposed resolutions.
Resolutions 1 to 12 are proposed as ordinary resolutions. For each of these resolutions to be passed, more than half of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution. Resolutions 13 to 16 are proposed as special resolutions. For each of these resolutions to be passed, at least three quarters of the votes cast must be in favour of the resolution.
The first item of business is the receipt by the shareholders of the Directors' report and the accounts of the Company for the 52-week period ended 1 May 2022. The Directors' report, the accounts, and the Report of the Company's auditor on the accounts and on those parts of the Directors' remuneration report that are capable of being audited, are contained within the 2022 Annual Report.
Resolution 2 deals with the recommendation of the Directors that a final dividend of 2.4 pence per Ordinary Share be paid. If approved, it is intended that the dividend will be paid on 24 November 2022 to ordinary shareholders on the register at the close of business on 4 November 2022.
Resolution 3 seeks shareholder approval of the Directors' remuneration report for the 52-week period ended 1 May 2022 excluding the Directors' remuneration policy, which is set out on pages 60 to 80 of the 2022 Annual Report. The Company's auditor, KPMG LLP, has audited those parts of the Directors' remuneration report that are required to be audited and its report may be found on pages 85 to 91 of the 2022 Annual Report. The vote on this resolution is advisory in nature and Directors' remuneration is not conditional on the passing of this resolution.
Resolution 4 seeks shareholder approval of the Directors' remuneration policy which is set out on pages 64 to 71 of the 2022 Annual Report. Under the Companies Act (as amended by Schedule 8 of the Large and Medium-Sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) (Amendment) Regulations 2013), the Company is required to put a Directors' remuneration policy to shareholders for a binding vote at the AGM. If approved, the Directors' remuneration policy will take effect from the end of this Annual General Meeting and will apply for three years, although the Company's Remuneration Committee may seek approval for a new Directors' remuneration policy at an earlier point if it is considered appropriate.
This resolution is subject to a binding vote and requires the approval of 50% or more of shareholders to pass.
The Company's Articles of Association (the Articles) require all Directors to stand for reappointment at each AGM, and for Directors appointed since the date of the Company's last AGM to retire at the next AGM following their appointment. Accordingly, and in line with the Articles and provision 18 of the UK Corporate Governance Code, all the Directors are submitting themselves for appointment (in the case of Carolyn Bradley, who has been appointed to the Board since the AGM in 2022) or reappointment by shareholders.
Biographical details of each of the Directors who are seeking appointment or reappointment appear on pages 8 and 9 of this document. The Board believes that each Director brings considerable and wide-ranging skills and experience to the Board as a whole and continues to make an effective and valuable contribution to the deliberations of the Board. Each Director has continued to perform effectively and demonstrate commitment to their role.
The Board carries out a review of the independence of its Directors on an annual basis. In considering the independence of the independent Non-Executive Directors proposed for reappointment, the Board has taken into consideration the guidance provided by the UK Corporate Governance Code. Accordingly, the Board considers Catherine Glickman and Harry Morley to be independent and that Carolyn Bradley was independent on appointment as Chair of the Board.
All Directors will continue to submit themselves for annual reappointment by shareholders in accordance with the Articles of Association and the UK Corporate Governance Code.
The auditor of a company must be appointed or reappointed at each general meeting at which the accounts are laid. Resolution 10 proposes, on the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the reappointment of KPMG LLP as the Company's auditor, until the conclusion of the next general meeting of the Company at which accounts are laid.
This resolution seeks shareholder consent for the Audit Committee of the Company to set the remuneration of the auditor.
The purpose of Resolution 12 is to renew the Directors' power to allot shares. The authority in paragraph (a) will allow the Directors to allot new shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert other securities into, shares up to approximately one third (33.33%) of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company (exclusive of treasury shares) which, as at 23 September 2022, being the latest practicable date prior to publication of this Notice of AGM (the Latest Practicable Date), is equivalent to a nominal value of £208,333.
The authority in paragraph (b) will allow the Directors to allot new shares and grant rights to subscribe for, or convert other securities into, shares only in connection with a rights issue up to a further nominal value of £208,333, which is equivalent to approximately one third (33.3%) of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company (exclusive of treasury shares) as at the Latest Practicable Date. The Company currently holds no shares in treasury.
There are no present plans to undertake a rights issue, or to allot new shares, other than in connection with employee share incentive plans. The Directors consider it desirable to have the maximum flexibility permitted by corporate governance guidelines to respond to market developments and to enable allotments to take place to finance business opportunities as they arise.
If the resolution is passed the authority will expire on the earlier of 31 October 2023 and the end of the AGM in 2023.
4 TheWorks.co.uk Annual General Meeting 2022
If the Directors wish to allot new shares and other equity securities, or sell treasury shares, for cash (other than in connection with an employee share scheme), company law requires that these shares are offered first to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings.
Resolution 13 deals with the authority of the Directors to allot new shares or other equity securities pursuant to the authority given by Resolution 12, or sell treasury shares, for cash without the shares or other equity securities first being offered to shareholders in proportion to their existing holdings. Such authority shall only be used in connection with a pre-emptive offer or, otherwise, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £31,250, being approximately 5% of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company as at the Latest Practicable Date. The Company does not hold any treasury shares as at the Latest Practicable Date.
The Pre-emption Group Statement of Principles supports the annual disapplication of pre-emption rights in respect of allotments of shares and other equity securities (and sales of treasury shares for cash) representing no more than an additional 5% of issued Ordinary Share capital (exclusive of treasury shares), to be used only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment. The Preemption Group's Statement of Principles defines 'specified capital investment' as meaning one or more specific capital investment related uses for the proceeds of an issuance of equity securities, in respect of which sufficient information regarding the effect of the transaction on the company, the assets the subject of the transaction and (where appropriate) the profits attributable to them is made available to shareholders to enable them to reach an assessment of the potential return.
Accordingly, and in line with the template resolutions published by the Pre-emption Group, Resolution 14 seeks to authorise the Directors to allot new shares and other equity securities pursuant to the authority given by Resolution 12, or sell treasury shares, for cash up to a further nominal amount of £31,250, being approximately 5% of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company as at the Latest Practicable Date, only in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously with the allotment, or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the issue.
If the authority given in Resolution 14 is used, the Company will publish details of the placing in its next Annual Report.
If these resolutions are passed, the authorities will expire at the end of the next AGM, or on 31 October 2023, whichever is the earlier.
The Board considers the authorities in Resolutions 13 and 14 to be appropriate in order to allow the Company flexibility to finance business opportunities or to conduct a rights issue or other pre-emptive offer without the need to comply with the strict requirements of the statutory pre-emption provisions.
The Board intends to adhere to the provisions in the Pre-emption Group's Statement of Principles not to allot shares for cash on a non-pre-emptive basis (other than pursuant to a rights issue or pre-emptive offer) in excess of an amount equal to 7.5% of the total issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company within a rolling three-year period other than (i) after prior consultation with shareholders or (ii) in connection with an acquisition or specified capital investment which is announced contemporaneously with the allotment or which has taken place in the preceding six-month period and is disclosed in the announcement of the allotment.
The effect of Resolution 15 is to grant authority to the Company to purchase its own Ordinary Shares, up to a maximum of 6,250,000 Ordinary Shares, until the AGM in 2023 or 31 October 2023, whichever is the earlier. This represents 10% of the Company's Ordinary Share capital in issue (excluding shares held in treasury) as at the Latest Practicable Date. The Company's exercise of this authority is subject to the stated upper and lower limits on the price payable.
Pursuant to the 2006 Act, the Company can hold any shares which are repurchased as treasury shares and either resell them for cash, cancel them, either immediately or at a point in the future, or use them for the purposes of its employee share schemes. Holding the repurchased shares as treasury shares will give the Company the ability to resell or transfer them in the future and will provide the Company with additional flexibility in the management of its capital base. No dividends will be paid on, and no voting rights will be exercised in respect of, treasury shares. Shares held as treasury shares will not automatically be cancelled and will not be taken into account in future calculations of earnings per share (unless they are subsequently resold or transferred out of treasury).
The Directors consider it desirable and in the Company's interests for shareholders to grant this authority. The Directors have no present intention to exercise this authority, and will only do so if and when conditions are favourable with a view to enhancing net asset value per share.
The Company will not, save in accordance with a predetermined, irrevocable and non-discretionary programme, repurchase shares in the period immediately preceding the preliminary announcement of its annual or interim results as dictated by the Listing Rules or Market Abuse Regulation (as applicable in the UK) (UK MAR) or, if shorter, between the end of the financial period concerned and the time of a relevant announcement or, except in accordance with the Listing Rules and UK MAR, at any other time when the Directors would be prohibited from dealing in shares.
Options to subscribe for a total of 5,144,795 shares, being 8.2% of the issued Ordinary Share capital (excluding treasury shares), were outstanding at the Latest Practicable Date. If the existing authority given at the 2021 AGM and the authority being sought under resolution 15 were to be fully used, this would represent 10.3% of the Company's issued Ordinary Share capital (excluding treasury shares) at the Latest Practicable Date.
Under the 2006 Act, as amended, the notice period required for all general meetings of the Company is 21 days, though shareholders can approve a shorter notice period for general meetings that are not Annual General Meetings, which cannot, however, be less than 14 clear days. Annual General Meetings will continue to be held on at least 21 clear days' notice. The shorter notice period for which shareholder approval is sought under Resolution 16 would not be used as a matter of routine for such meetings, but only where the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and is thought to be to the advantage of shareholders as a whole. In the event that a general meeting is called on less than 21 days' notice, the Company will meet the requirements for electronic voting under The Companies (Shareholders' Rights) Regulations 2009. Shareholder approval will be effective until the Company's next AGM, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.
The appointment of a proxy does not preclude a shareholder from attending and voting in person at the AGM.
For additional Proxy Forms you may photocopy the Proxy Forms provided with this document, indicating on each copy the name of the proxy you wish to appoint and the number of Ordinary Shares in respect of which the proxy is appointed. All Proxy Forms should be returned together in the same envelope.
The Company may treat as invalid a CREST Proxy Instruction in the circumstances set out in Regulation 35(5) (a) of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001.
Chair and Non-Executive Director
Chair of the Nomination Committee and member of the Remuneration Committee.
Independent Non-Executive Director at B&M European Value Retail S.A. and a member of its Remuneration Committee, Audit & Risk Committee and Nomination Committee, as well as designated Non-Executive Director for workforce engagement. Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee of SSP Group plc, Non-Executive Director of Majid Al Futtain Retail LLC and The Mentoring Foundation and a Trustee of Cancer Research UK.
The Board recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the appointment of Carolyn Bradley. Since joining the Board as Chair in September 2021, Carolyn has applied her wide-ranging knowledge of the retail industry to the Board's discussions and provided challenge to management's proposals on the Group's revised strategy.
Gavin Peck Chief Executive Officer
The Board recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the reappointment of Gavin Peck. Following his appointment as CEO in 2020, Gavin has applied his wide knowledge of the retail industry in revising and implementing a new strategy for the Group.
Chief Financial Officer
The Board recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the reappointment of Stephen Alldridge. Stephen has a deep knowledge of finance and accounting issues, based on over 20 years' experience in finance roles in the retail industry.
Independent Non-Executive Director
Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees.
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Renishaw plc.
The Board recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the reappointment of Catherine Glickman. Having joined the Board at the time of the IPO, Catherine has an extensive knowledge of the Group's activities and provides challenge to management's proposals; in addition her wide-ranging HR experience benefits the Group not only in her role as Chair of the Remuneration Committee but also in developing colleagues across the business.
Senior Independent Non-Executive Director
Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committees.
Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at JD Wetherspoon plc and The Mercantile Investment Trust plc and a Trustee of the Ascot Authority. Director of Cadogan Group Limited and two related subsidiary companies.
The Board recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the reappointment of Harry Morley. Having joined the Board at the time of the IPO, Harry has an extensive knowledge of the Group's activities and provides challenge to management's proposals; in addition his wide-ranging financial experience in the retail industry benefits the Group not only in his role as Chair of the Audit Committee but also in advising management on financial, commercial and control processes.
Boldmere House Faraday Avenue Hams Hall Distribution Park Coleshill Birmingham B46 1AL

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