The Luton and South Bedfordshire Joint Committee Order 2007

Article 9

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

Meetings

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.

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

(a) a summons to attend the meeting, specifying the agenda for that meeting, and signed by the proper officer of a constituent authority 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 each of the other constituent authorities; and

(b) notice of the time and place of the intended meeting shall be published—

(i) at the offices of each constituent authority; and

(ii) on the websites of the joint committee and each constituent authority.

(5) If a voting member is unable to attend any meeting of the joint committee he shall inform the chair of the joint committee in writing as soon as practicable and in any event not later than 24 hours before the meeting is due to take place.

(6) Where the chair receives notification in accordance with sub-paragraph (5)—

(a) the voting member giving the notification shall be deemed not to be a member of the joint committee for the whole of the meeting to which the notification relates;

(b) the voting member’s substitute may attend the meeting in his place; and

(c) the voting member’s substitute shall be deemed to be a voting member of the joint committee for the whole of that meeting.

Appointment of chair and vice-chair

2.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (4) and (5), the joint committee shall at their annual meeting appoint a chair and a vice-chair from among the voting members of the joint committee.

(2) The chair and vice-chair shall, unless they resign their office or cease to be members of the joint committee, continue in office until their successors become entitled to act.

(3) In the case of an equality of votes in respect of the appointment of a chair or the appointment of a vice-chair, the person presiding at the meeting shall give a casting vote in addition to any other vote he may have.

(4) The chair and vice-chair shall not be members of—

(a) Bedfordshire County Council; or

(b) the same constituent authority.

(5) A member of a constituent authority may not be appointed as chair if any other member of that authority has held that office (otherwise than to fill a casual vacancy) in the previous 12 months.

Casual vacancies

3.—(1) This paragraph applies if a casual vacancy occurs in the office of chair or vice-chair of the joint committee.

(2) The vacancy shall be filled by the appointment by the joint committee of one of their voting members at the next meeting.

(3) The person so appointed shall hold office until the next annual meeting.

(4) The person so appointed shall be a member of the same constituent authority as the person in whose place he is appointed.

Conduct of meetings

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

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

(3) If both the chair and vice-chair are absent, another voting member of the joint committee, chosen by the voting members of the joint committee present at the meeting, shall preside.

Quorum

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

Proceedings of meetings

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

(2) The minutes of the proceedings of each meeting of the joint committee shall be drawn up and shall be signed at the next ensuing meeting of the joint committee by the person presiding at that next meeting.

(3) A copy of the minutes of the proceedings of each meeting of the joint committee shall be sent to the proper officer of each constituent authority within 14 days after the date of the meeting at which they were signed.

(4) The names of the members present at each meeting of the joint committee shall be recorded in the minutes of the proceedings of that meeting.

Admission to meetings

7.—(1) The following provisions of the 1972 Act shall apply with respect to meetings of the joint committee as though references to a principal council were references to the joint committee:

(a) section 100A (admission to meetings of principal councils), with the exception of subsections (6), (7) and (8);

(b) section 100I(1) (exempt information); and

(c) paragraphs 1 to 11 of Schedule 12A (access to information: exempt information).

(2) Where the public have been excluded from the whole or part of a meeting of the joint committee in accordance with the provisions referred to in sub-paragraph (1), the joint committee may exclude co-opted members from that meeting or (as the case may be) the relevant part of that meeting.

Standing orders

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