(1)A local authority must—
(a)designate one of its officers to discharge the functions in section 9 (“democratic services functions”);
(b)provide that officer with such staff, accommodation and other resources as are, in its opinion, sufficient to allow his or her functions to be discharged.
(2)A head of democratic services may arrange for the discharge of democratic services functions by staff provided under this section.
(3)An officer designated by a local authority under this section is to be known as the head of democratic services.
(4)A local authority may not designate any of the following under this section—
(a)the head of the authority’s paid service designated under section 4 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989;
(b)the authority’s monitoring officer designated under section 5 of that Act;
(c)the authority’s chief finance officer, within the meaning of that section.