(1)A local authority may delegate to their social services committee any of their functions matters relating to which stand referred to the committee by virtue of section 2 of this Act (hereafter in this Act referred to as “social services functions”) and, before exercising any of those functions themselves, the authority shall (unless the matter is urgent) consider a report of the committee with respect to the matter in question.
(2)Nothing in section 2 of this Act prevents a local authority from referring to a committee other than their social services committee a matter which by virtue of that section stands referred to the social services committee and which in the authority’s opinion ought to be referred to the other committee on the ground that it relates to a general service of the authority; but before referring any such matter the authority shall receive and consider a report of the social services committee with respect to the subject matter of the proposed reference.