Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975

4 Valuation appeal committees

(1) For the purpose of hearing and determining appeals and complaints under the Valuation Acts, a committee or committees, each of which is to be known as a valuation appeal' committee, shall be constituted for each valuation area in accordance with a scheme (" the model scheme ") made by the Secretary of State.

(2) A valuation appeal committee shall consist of members of a local valuation panel constituted in accordance with the model scheme and members of the panel shall be appointed by the sheriff after consultation with such persons as he thinks fit.

(3) The model scheme may include provision with respect to—

(a) fixing the maximum and minimum number of members of a local valuation panel and the termination of their appointment;

(b) the appointment of—

(i) one of those members as chairman of the panel,

(ii) such number of members as the sheriff considers necessary as deputy chairmen thereof, and

(iii) a secretary and, if the sheriff considers it necessary, an assistant secretary or assistant secretaries of the panel;

(c) fixing the number of valuation appeal committees, the maximum and minimum number of members of such a committee and specifying the circumstances in which such maximum number may be exceeded;

(d) the manner in which members of a valuation appeal committee are to be selected from members of the panel;

(e) any other matter as appears to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of the administration of the model scheme in any valuation area.

(4) The remuneration and allowances to be paid to the secretary and any assistant secretary of the panel and their conditions of employment shall be such as may be agreed between the valuation authority and the sheriff or, failing agreement, as may be determined by the Secretary of State.

(5) All expenses incurred by a local valuation panel or a valuation appeal committee shall be defrayed by the valuation authority.

(6) All members of a local valuation panel shall reside or be engaged in business or be employed in the valuation area; and no person appointed as the secretary or an assistant secretary of a panel shall be an officer of a local authority or shall by himself or by any partner or assistant appear before a valuation appeal committee for that area.

(7) A valuation authority may pay reasonable subscriptions, whether annually or otherwise, to the funds of any association of members or officers of local valuation panels or valuation appeal committees formed for the purpose of consultation as to the common interests of those panels or committees and the discussion of matters relating to valuation.

(8) The model scheme shall be contained in an order and the scheme may with the consent of the Secretary of State be varied as respects any valuation area by the valuation authority ; and a statutory instrument containing an order under this subsection shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(9) The provisions of the Valuation Acts with regard to appeals and complaints shall, with any necessary modifications, apply to a committee constituted under this section in like manner as they applied before 16th May 1957 to a court of appeal constituted under those Acts.

(10) In this section " sheriff " means the sheriff principal and, in the case of a valuation area situated in more than one sheriffdom, means the sheriff principal of such one of those sheriffdoms as the Secretary of State may direct.