The Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority (Constitution) Regulations 1999

Selection of the Authority

7.—(1) The selection panel shall decide how it wishes to select the members of the Authority it is required to select.

(2) The Authority shall inform the clerk to the selection panel of the number of members in each category which it requires the panel to select, subject to regulation 4:

(a) to take office on 1st April 2002, by 31st December 2001;

(b) to take office on 1st April in any year after 2002, by 31st December in the preceding year.

(3) The selection panel shall annually select the number of members in each category that the Authority requests the panel to select to take office.

(4) The selection panel shall make the selection referred to in paragraph (3) from those candidates whose written notice of candidature has been received by the clerk to the selection panel in accordance with regulation 8 and who meet the selection criteria.

(5) If the selection panel chooses to select members of the Authority by vote, each member of the selection panel shall have one vote per vacancy, and if the votes are equal for any candidate, the chairman of the selection panel shall have a casting vote.

(6) The selection panel shall make the selection and notify the candidates in writing of the result no later than 28th February in each year.

(7) If, for any reason, the number of candidates for appointment in the magistrates' category who meet the selection criteria, is less than the number of members requested by the Authority to be selected in that category to take office on 1st April in a particular year—

(a) the selection panel shall notify the Authority as soon as practicable after 31st December in the preceding year;

(b) the Authority may reduce the number of members it requires to be selected in that category to take office on 1st April of that year and notify the selection panel of the reduced number as soon as practicable after it receives the notification under paragraph (a); and

(c) if the number of candidates for that category who meet the selection criteria is still less than the number of members the Authority requires the selection panel to select to take office on 1st April, paragraph (8) shall apply.

(8) If this paragraph applies, the selection panel may appoint either—

(a) a lay magistrate who is a justice of the peace for a commission area in Greater London; or

(b) a District Judge (Magistrates' Courts) who is for the time being acting as a justice of the peace in Greater London,

to fill the vacancy and shall do so if there would otherwise be less than 4 members in the magistrates' category.