10.This Article provides that DPPs existing at the date of a local government election shall no longer cease to operate from that date but shall be temporarily extended until the new DPPs are established i.e. reconstituted. It facilitates this by extending the membership of existing political members, who continue to hold office following the previous local government election. It also extends the membership of existing independent members. Both types of members shall now hold office until the day before the reconstitution date. The reconstitution date is the date published by the Northern Ireland Policing Board, as they see appropriate, once they have a list of independent members.
11.This Article also provides that should any vacancies arise during the transitional period, whether political or independent, that they will not be filled. It temporarily waives the need for the DPP to be of a certain size and composition, and representative of the community, during the transitional period.