Letter

__________________________________________________________________________________

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_______________

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Date of 13 November 2003

BHP Billiton Limited

ABN 49 004 028 077

Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street

Melbourne Victoria 3000

Australia

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F X   Form 40-F  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Yes     No X
<

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):


 

13 November 2003

To: Company Announcements Office

The Australian Stock Exchange

4th Floor, 20 Bridge Street

SYDNEY NSW 2000

Australia

Company Announcements Office

The London Stock Exchange

Old Broad Street

London EC2N 1HP

United Kingdom

cc: New York Stock Exchange

Swiss Stock Exchange

New Zealand Stock Exchange

Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Paris Bourse (Euronext)

Deutsche Bank

 

For Announcement to the Market

I advise the following results of the business conducted at the meetings of shareholders of BHP Billiton Limited ("Limited") held on 13 November 2003 and BHP Billiton Plc ("Plc") held on 24 October 2003.

The final proxy position for each company (excluding the proxy votes carried from one meeting to the other meeting by the Special Voting Shares) is detailed in Appendix 1. As required by the Dual Listed Companies Structure, a poll was conducted on each of the proposed resolutions. Because of the nature of that Structure, the poll results for each company on Joint Electorate Actions are identical.

The poll results were:

Business

Votes

For

Votes

Against

Votes Abstained

Result

1.  Receipt of Financial Statements and Reports of BHP Billiton Limited (an ordinary resolution
and Joint Electorate Action)

3,183,646,317

4,639,261

93,685,782

Carried

2.  Receipt of Financial Statements and Reports of BHP Billiton Plc (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,177,527,469

3,110,867

101,278,054

Carried

3.  Re-election of Dr D C Brink as a director of BHP Billiton Limited (an ordinary resolution
and Joint Electorate Action)

3,130,753,356

131,002,046

18,322,814

Carried

4.  Re-election of Dr D C Brink as a director of BHP Billiton Plc (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,122,987,042

130,565,041

26,580,409

Carried

5.  Re-election of Mr M A Chaney as a director of BHP Billiton Limited (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,123,830,210

129,486,986

18,231,783

Carried

6.  Re-election of Mr M A Chaney as a director of BHP Billiton Plc (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,116,270,481

129,410,130

18,231,783

Carried

7.  Re-election of Lord Renwick of Clifton as a director of BHP Billiton Limited (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,101,677,708

139,457,173

39,036,555

Carried

8.  Re-election of Lord Renwick of Clifton as a director of BHP Billiton Plc (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,093,911,532

139,680,405

46,502,911

Carried

9.  Election of Mr M Salamon as
a director of BHP Billiton Limited
(an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,118,324,103

134,205,439

27,610,534

Carried

10. Election of Mr M Salamon as
a director of BHP Billiton Plc (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,107,995,840

134,286,578

35,120,576

Carried

11. Election of Dr J G Buchanan as a Director of BHP Billiton Limited (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,135,810,305

124,034,809

20,257,907

Carried

12. Election of Dr J G Buchanan as a Director of BHP Billiton Plc
(an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,128,219,207

123,876,172

28,003,282

Carried

13. To re-appoint the auditors of BHP Billiton Plc (a special resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,222,320,634

18,959,923

37,130,465

Carried

14. To renew the Directors' authority to allot shares in BHP Billiton Plc (a special resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,060,684,627

195,636,337

21,691,492

Carried

15. To renew the disapplication of pre-emption rights in BHP Billiton Plc (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,207,381,218

48,953,422

22,395,307

Carried

16. To authorise BHP Billiton Plc to make market purchases of its own shares (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,196,956,996

68,884,997

19,859,545

Carried

17. To approve the Remuneration Report (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,165,112,039

62,084,084

50,771,769

Carried

18. To approve the issue of awards to Mr C W Goodyear under BHP Billiton Limited's Group Incentive Scheme (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,182,675,236

83,517,088

39,865,626

Carried

19. To approve the issue of awards to Mr M Salamon under BHP Billiton Plc's Group Incentive Scheme (an ordinary resolution and Joint Electorate Action)

3,142,339,658

84,904,035

47,598,648

Carried

 

K J Wood
Company Secretary

 

BHP Billiton Limited & BHP Billiton Plc

Final Proxy Position

 

Limited

Plc

1.  Receipt of Financial Statements and Reports of BHP Billiton Limited    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,701,716,552

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,498,955,997

1,532,475,603

¨ was to vote against the resolution

3,983,098

707,602

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

51,769,633

41,916,149

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

147,007,824

9,567,672

     
2.  Receipt of Financial Statements and Reports of BHP Billiton Plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,701,710,052

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,491,903,528

1,532,481,523

¨ was to vote against the resolution

2,465,712

698,801

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

59,362,969

41,915,085

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

147,977,843

9,571,617

     
3.  Re-election of Dr D C Brink as a director of BHP Billiton Limited    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,862,772

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,504,116,029

1,472,998,616

¨ was to vote against the resolution

38,470,870

92,575,599

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

8,787,885

9,534,929

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

148,487,988

9,557,882

4.  Re-election of Dr D C Brink as a director of BHP Billiton Plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,952,840

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,495,492,294

1,473,000,884

¨ was to vote against the resolution

37,953,039

92,661,569

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

17,131,152

9,449,257

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

149,376,355

9,555,316

     
5.  Re-election of Mr M A Chaney as a director of BHP Billiton Limited    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,952,840

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,506,147,325

1,464,213,761

¨ was to vote against the resolution

36,976,111

92,662,229

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

8,623,345

18,231,783

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

148,206,059

9,559,253

     
6.  Re-election of Mr M A Chaney as a director of BHP Billiton Plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,698,951,065

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,497,563,880

1,464,217,494

¨ was to vote against the resolution

36,898,238

92,661,463

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

16,218,817

18,231,783

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

148,270,130

9,556,286

 

   
7.  Re-election of Lord Renwick of Clifton as a director of BHP Billiton Limited    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,944,255

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,492,636,768

1,454,921,125

¨ was to vote against the resolution

41,632,880

98,492,132

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

17,340,668

21,695,887

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

148,333,939

9,557,882

     
8.  Re-election of Lord Renwick of Clifton as a director of BHP Billiton Plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,941,355

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,484,013,685

1,454,921,207

¨ was to vote against the resolution

41,781,130

98,495,680

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

24,808,088

21,694,823

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

149,338,452

9,555,316

     
9.  Election of Mr M Salamon as a director of BHP Billiton Limited    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,951,989

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,501,060,776

1,463,113,801

¨ was to vote against the resolution

40,658,655

93,722,484

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

9,339,152

18,271,382

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

148,893,406

9,559,359

 

   
10. Election of Mr M Salamon as a director of BHP Billiton Plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,697,251,989

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,489,711,279

1,463,112,572

¨ was to vote against the resolution

40,735,862

93,726,416

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

16,852,822

18,267,754

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

149,952,026

9,560,284

     
11. To elect Dr J G Buchanan as a Director of BHP Billiton Limited    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,918,362

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,508,864,993

1,472,181,357

¨ was to vote against the resolution

30,701,165

93,476,214

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

10,810,382

9,447,525

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

149,541,822

9,561,930

     
12. To elect Dr J G Buchanan as a Director of BHP Billiton Plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,952,840

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

 

 

 

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,500,495,451

1,472,183,273

¨ was to vote against the resolution

30,536,062

93,478,842

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

18,556,257

9,447,025

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

150,365,070

9,557,886

 

   
13. To re-appont the auditors of BHP Billiton Plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,698,205,125

1,584,665,945

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,523,308,248

1,544,946,192

¨ was to vote against the resolution

9,934,325

9,061,839

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

16,036,622

21,093,843

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

148,925,930

9,564,071

     
14. To renew the Directors' authority to allot shares in BHP Billiton Plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,697,827,445

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,480,828,156

1,424,825,605

¨ was to vote against the resolution

47,846,954

147,898,999

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

19,310,480

2,381,012

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

149,841,855

9,561,410

     
15. To renew the disapplication of pre-emption rights in BHP Billiton plc    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,699,609,238

1,583,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,485,396,005

1,566,361,138

¨ was to vote against the resolution

43,656,111

5,368,215

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

20,018,755

2,376,552

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

150,538,367

9,561,121

 

 

   
16. To authorise BHP Billiton Plc to make market purchases of is own shares    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,705,526,003

1,584,666,760

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,468,247,526

1,573,147,652

¨ was to vote against the resolution

68,278,010

652,227

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

18,554,171

1,305,374

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

150,446,296

9,561,507

     
17. To approve the Remuneration Report    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,697,875,617

1,584,667,026

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,495,883,341

1,515,373,289

¨ was to vote against the resolution

31,064,578

31,141,091

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

22,189,889

28,581,880

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

148,737,809

9,570,766

     
18. To approve the issue of awards to Mr C W Goodyear under BHP Billiton Limited's Group Incentive Scheme    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,727,874,074

1,582,919,985

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,469,161,214

1,533,204,140

¨ was to vote against the resolution

69,660,357

13,713,663

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

13,435,259

26,430,367

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

175,617,244

9,571,815

 

   
19. To approve the issue of awards to Mr M Salamon under BHP Billiton Plc's Group Incentive Scheme    

Þ Total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed

1,694,908,043

1,584,667,028

Þ Total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specified that the proxy -

   

¨ was to vote for the resolution

1,456,327,639

1,534,952,409

¨ was to vote against the resolution

71,062,696

13,715,919

¨ was to abstain on the resolution

21,167,823

26,430,825

¨ may vote at the proxy's discretion

146,349,885

9,567,875

     

 

BHP Billiton Limited ABN 49 004 028 077
Registered in Australia
Registered Office: Level 27, 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000
Telephone +61 1300 554 757 Facsimile +61 3 9609 3015

BHP Billiton Plc Registration number 3196209
Registered in England and Wales
Registered Office: Neathouse Place London SW1V 1BH United Kingdom
Telephone +44 20 7802 4000 Facsimile +44 20 7802 4111

                                                                    The BHP Billiton Group is headquartered in Australia

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

BHP BILLITON LIMITED
/s/ KAREN WOOD
_____________________

Karen Wood
Title: Company Secretary
Date:
13 November 2003