Where a casual vacancy occurs in the membership of a college council the education authority shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy, and in so doing shall comply with the requirements of section 54(5) of the Act.

A person who fills a casual vacancy shall do so only until the end of the period during which the member he replaces would have been a member.

Prior to filling a casual vacancy the education authority shall consult only such interests as they deem appropriate in the circumstances.

The education authority shall (subject to paragraph (5)) fill casual vacancies as soon as possible and in any event no later than 6 months after the vacancy occurs.

Casual vacancies which occur within 6 months of the end of the period of membership of the person whose place is vacant need not be filled.