Brine Pumping (Compensation for Subsidence) Act 1891

(iii.) Compensation Boards

9 Compensation board for each district

For every district formed under this Act there shall be a compensation board constituted of a number of members (not exceeding nine).

10 Incorporation of board

(1) Every compensation board shall be a body corporate by the name specified in the order establishing such board with perpetual succession and a common seal, and with power to acquire and hold lands for the purposes of their constitution without any licence in mortmain.

(2) No act or proceeding of a board, or of any committee appointed by the board, shall be questioned on account of any vacancy in their body.

11 Election of members and incidental matters

(1) Of the members of every compensation board—

• One third, not being brine pumpers or persons employed by them for the purposes of their business, shall be appointed by the county council or councils of the county or counties in which the district is situated ;

• One third shall be elected by the brine pumpers within the district;

• One third, not being brine pumpers or persons employed by them for the purposes of their business, shall be appointed by the sanitary authority or authorities, other than the council of a county borough, having jurisdiction within the district.

(2) An order of the Local Government Board under this Act shall contain all such provisions, subject to the provisions of this Act, for the number of members of the compensation board to be established for the district, and for their election, appointment, and retirement, and for the formation and revision of a register of persons entitled to vote at elections, the number of votes to which each brine pumper shall be entitled, and for any other matters as may seem to the Local Government Board expedient.

12 Chairman of board

(1) A board shall at their first meeting after their constitution, and at their first meeting in each subsequent year, choose one of their members to be chairman and one other of their members to be vice-chairman, and the members so chosen shall continue in office until the next meeting at which a chairman and vice-chairman are to be chosen pursuant to the above provision.

(2) If any casual vacancy occur in the office of chairman or vice-chairman, the board shall as soon as conveniently may be after the occurrence of such vacancy choose one of their members to fill such vacancy; and every chairman or vice-chairman so chosen as last aforesaid shall continue in office so long only as the person in whose place he is chosen would have been entitled to continue in office.

13 Resignation of members

A member of a compensation board may resign his office by notifying in writing his intention so to do to the chairman or clerk of the board for the time being.

14 Casual vacancies

Any casual vacancy in a compensation board occurring by death, resignation, or otherwise shall be filled' up in manner to be decided by the regulations of the Local Government Board by the body of persons by whom the vacating member was originally chosen, as soon as reasonably practicable after the occurrence of the vacancy; but a member so chosen shall retain his office so long only as the vacating member would have retained the same if no vacancy had occurred.

15 Meetings and proceedings of boards

Meetings of compensation boards shall be held and the proceedings thereat shall be conducted in accordance with the rules as to meetings and proceedings contained in the schedule to this Act.

16 Minutes of proceedings, &c

(1) A minute of proceedings at a meeting of a compensation board or of a committee, signed at the same or at the next ensuing meeting by any person describing himself as, or appearing to be, chairman of the meeting or committee at which the minute is signed, shall be received in evidence without further proof.

(2) Until the contrary is proved, every meeting of a compensation board or committee whereof a minute has been so made, shall be deemed to have been duly convened and held, and all the members of the meeting shall be deemed to have been duly qualified.

17 Committees of boards

A board may, from time to time, appoint one or more committee or committees for any of the purposes of this Act, and may fix the quorum of any committee, and prescribe the manner in which the business of a committee shall be conducted: Provided that no rate shall be made or declared, nor any award of compensation made or allowed or disallowed, except at a general meeting of the board.

18 Power to appoint officers

A board may appoint and pay such surveyors and other officers as they think necessary, and they may make all such surveys and valuations as they think necessary.

19 Regulations by boards

A board may from time to time make regulations for defining the duties of any officers or servants of the board.

20 Power to invest moneys

A board may invest any moneys for the time being in their hands, and not immediately required for the purposes of this Act, in any securities in which trustees are for the time being empowered by law to invest trust moneys, or may place such moneys on deposit in any bank.