(1)ACAS shall be directed by a Council which, subject to the following provisions, shall consist of a chairman and nine ordinary members appointed by the Secretary of State.
(2)Before appointing those ordinary members of the Council, the Secretary of State shall—
(a)as to three of them, consult such organisations representing employers as he considers appropriate, and
(b)as to three of them, consult such organisations representing workers as he considers appropriate.
(3)The Secretary of State may, if he thinks fit, appoint a further two ordinary members of the Council (who shall be appointed so as to take office at the same time); and before making those appointments he shall—
(a)as to one of them, consult such organisations representing employers as he considers appropriate, and
(b)as to one of them, consult such organisations representing workers as he considers appropriate.
(4)The Secretary of State may appoint up to three deputy chairman who may be appointed from the ordinary members, or in addition to those members.
(5)The Council shall determine its own procedure, including the quorum necessary for its meetings.
(6)If the Secretary of State has not appointed a deputy chairman, the Council may choose a member to act as chairman in the absence or incapacity of the chairman.
(7)The validity of proceedings of the Council is not affected by any vacancy among the members of the Council or by any defect in the appointment of any of them.