Miscellaneous powers
12.—(1) Subject to the provisions of these rules, a tribunal may regulate its own procedure.
(2) A tribunal may—
(a)postpone the day or time fixed for, or adjourn, any hearing;
(b)before granting an application under rule 3 or 10 require the party making the application to give notice thereof to the other party;
(c)either on the application of any person or of its own motion, direct any other person to be joined as a party to the appeal (giving such consequential directions as it considers necessary), but may do so only after having given to the person proposed to be joined a reasonable opportunity of making written or oral objections;
(d)make any necessary amendments to the description of a party in the Register and in other documents relating to the appeal;
(e)if the appellant shall at any time give notice of the abandonment of his appeal, dismiss the appeal;
(f)if the parties agree in writing upon the terms of a decision to be made by the tribunal, decide accordingly.
(3) In any appeal appearing to involve allegations of the commission of a sexual offence, the tribunal or the Secretary shall omit from the Register, or delete from the Register or any decision, document or record of the proceedings, which is available to the public, any identifying matter which is likely to lead members of the public to identify any person affected by or making such an allegation.
(4) Any act required or authorised by these rules to be done by a tribunal may be done by a chairman except—
(a)the hearing of an appeal under rule 5;
(b)an act required or authorised to be so done by rule 7 or 9 which the rule implies is to be done by the tribunal which is hearing or has heard the appeal;
(c)the hearing of an application under rule 10(1), and the variation or revocation of a decision, and ordering of a re-hearing, under rule 10(4).
(5) Any functions of the Secretary may be performed by a Regional Secretary.