The North Northamptonshire Joint Committee Order 2005

Article 8

SCHEDULE 1 RULES FOR THE CONDUCT OF MEETINGS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE

Annual meeting

1.—(1) The joint committee shall in every year hold an annual meeting.

(2) The first meeting held after 31st May in any year shall be the annual meeting.

(3) The joint committee may in every year hold, in addition to the annual meeting, such other meetings as they may determine.

Appointment of chairman and vice-chairman

2.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (4), the joint committee shall at their annual meeting appoint one of their members to be chairman who shall, unless he resigns his office or ceases to be a member of the joint committee, continue in office until his successor becomes entitled to act.

(2) In the case of an equality of votes in respect of the appointment of a chairman the person presiding at the meeting shall give a casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.

(3) The joint committee may at their annual meeting appoint one of their members to be vice-chairman who shall, unless he resigns his office or ceases to be a member of the joint committee, continue in office until his successor becomes entitled to act.

(4) A particular constituent authority’s appointee may not be appointed as chairman if any other person appointed by that authority has held that office (otherwise than to fill a casual vacancy) in the immediately preceding five years.

Casual vacancies

3.  On a casual vacancy occurring in the office of chairman or vice-chairman of the joint committee the vacancy shall be filled by the appointment by the joint committee of one of their members at the next meeting; and the person so appointed shall hold office until the date upon which the person in whose place he is appointed would regularly have retired.

Conduct of meetings

4.—(1) At a meeting of the joint committee the chairman if present shall preside.

(2) If the chairman is absent from a meeting of the joint committee the vice-chairman shall preside.

(3) If both the chairman and vice-chairman of the joint committee are absent another member of the joint committee chosen by the members of the joint committee shall preside.

Calling of meetings

5.—(1) The chairman of the joint committee or, if the office of chairman is vacant, the vice-chairman of the joint committee may call a meeting of the joint committee at any time.

(2) If-

(a) the chairman or the vice-chairman, if the office of chairman is vacant, refuses to call a meeting of the joint committee after a requisition for that purpose, specifying the nature of the important or urgent business, and signed by six members of the joint committee from at least three constituent authorities, has been presented to him; or

(b) without so refusing, the chairman or, as the case may be the vice-chairman, does not call a meeting within seven days after such requisition has been presented to him,

any five members of the joint committee on that refusal or on the expiration of seven days, as the case may be, may call a meeting of the joint committee.

(3) At least five clear days before a meeting of the joint committee—

(a) notice of the time and place of the intended meeting shall be published at the offices each constituent authority and, where the meeting is called by the members of the joint committee, the notice shall be signed by those members and shall specify the business proposed to be transacted at that meeting; and

(b) subject to paragraph (4), a summons to attend the meeting, specifying the agenda for that meeting, and signed by the chairman, or in his absence, the vice-chairman, shall be left at or sent by post to the usual place of residence of every member of the joint committee with a copy to the proper officer of every constituent authority.

(4) Lack of service of the summons in accordance with paragraph (3)(b) shall not affect the validity of a meeting.

(5) No business shall be transacted at a meeting called by the members of the joint committee other than that specified in the agenda.

Quorum

6.  No business shall be transacted at a meeting of the joint committee unless at least one member from each constituent authority and at least three other members are present.

Proceedings of meetings

7.—(1) Minutes of the proceedings of every meeting of the joint committee shall, subject to sub-paragraph (2), be drawn up and entered in a book kept for that purpose and shall be signed at the same or next following meeting of the joint committee by the person presiding thereat, and any minute purporting to be so signed shall be received in evidence without further proof.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in any enactment or rule of law to the contrary, the minutes of the proceedings of the joint committee may be recorded on loose leaves consecutively numbered, the minutes of the proceedings of any meeting being signed, and each leaf comprising those minutes being initialled, at the same or next following meeting of the joint committee, by the person presiding thereat, and any minute purporting to be so signed shall be received in evidence without further proof.

(3) Until the contrary is proved, where a minute of any meeting of the joint committee has been made and signed in accordance with this paragraph, the joint committee shall be deemed to have been duly constituted and to have had power to deal with the matters referred to in the minute, the meeting shall be deem to have been duly convened and held, and the members present at the meeting shall be deemed to have been duly qualified.

(4) A copy of the minutes of the proceedings at each meeting of the joint committee shall be sent to the proper officer of each constituent authority within fourteen days after the date of the meeting at which they are signed.

(5) All questions coming or arising before the joint committee shall be decided by a majority of the members of the joint committee present and voting thereon at a meeting of the committee.

(6) In the case of an equality of votes, the person presiding at the meeting shall have a casting vote.

(7) The method of voting at meetings of the joint committee shall be by a show of hands and on the requisition of any member of the joint committee and seconded by one other member of the joint committee, made before the vote on any question is taken, the voting shall be recorded to show whether each member present and voting gave his vote for or against that question.

(8) The names of the members present at a meeting of the joint committee shall be recorded.

Standing orders

8.  Subject to the provisions of this Order the joint committee may make standing orders for the regulation of their proceedings and business and may vary or revoke any such orders.