Article 9
1.—(1) The joint committee shall in every year hold an annual meeting.
(2) The first meeting held after 31st May in any year shall be the annual meeting.
(3) The joint committee may in every year hold, in addition to the annual meeting, such other meetings as it may determine.
2.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (3) and (4), the joint committee shall at their annual meeting appoint a chair and a vice-chair from among the voting members of the joint committee.
(2) The chair and vice-chair shall, unless they resign their office or cease to be members of the joint committee, continue in office until their successors become entitled to act.
(3) The chair and vice-chair shall not be members of the same constituent authority.
(4) A member of a constituent authority may not be appointed as chair if any other member of that authority has held that office (otherwise than to fill a casual vacancy) in the previous 12 months.
3.—(1) This paragraph applies if a casual vacancy occurs in the office of chair or vice-chair of the joint committee.
(2) The vacancy shall be filled by the appointment by the joint committee of one of its voting members at the next meeting.
(3) The person so appointed shall hold office until the next annual meeting.
(4) The person so appointed shall, so far as practicable, be a member of the same constituent authority as the person in whose place that person is appointed.
4.—(1) At a meeting of the joint committee the chair if present shall preside.
(2) If the chair is absent from a meeting of the joint committee the vice-chair shall preside.
(3) If both the chair and vice-chair are absent, another voting member of the joint committee, chosen by the voting members of the joint committee present at the meeting, shall preside.
(4) In the case of an equality of votes, the chair shall give a casting vote in addition to any other vote that person may have.
5.—(1) The chair of the joint committee may call a meeting of the joint committee at any time.
(2) If—
(a)the chair refuses to call a meeting of the joint committee after being presented with a requisition for that purpose signed by three voting members of the joint committee; or
(b)without so refusing, the chair does not call a meeting within seven days after being presented with such a requisition,
any three members of the joint committee, may, on that refusal or the expiration of those seven days (as the case may be), call a meeting of the joint committee.
(3) At least ten clear days before a meeting of the joint committee—
(a)notice of the time and place of the intended meeting shall be publicised at the offices of each constituent authority; and where the meeting is called by members of the joint committee, the notice shall be signed by those members and shall specify the business proposed to be transacted at that meeting; and
(b)subject to sub-paragraph (4), a summons to attend the meeting, specifying the agenda for that meeting, and, unless paragraph (a) applies, signed by the chair, shall be left at or sent by post to the usual place of residence of every member of the joint committee; and a copy of the summons shall be given or sent to the proper officer of every constituent authority.
(4) Lack of service of the summons in accordance with sub-paragraph (3)(b) shall not affect the validity of a meeting.
(5) A voting member who is unable to attend any meeting of the joint committee shall inform the chair of the joint committee in writing as soon as practicable and in any event not later than 24 hours before the meeting is due to take place.
(6) Where the chair receives notification in accordance with sub-paragraph (5)—
(a)the voting member giving the notification shall be deemed not to be a member of the joint committee for the whole of the meeting to which the notification relates;
(b)the voting member’s substitute may attend the meeting; and
(c)the voting member’s substitute shall be deemed to be a voting member of the joint committee for the whole of that meeting.
(7) Where the office of chair is vacant, sub-paragraphs (1) to (6) shall apply as if references to the chair of the joint committee were references to the vice-chair of the joint committee.
6.—(1) No business shall be transacted at a meeting of the joint committee unless at least five voting members are present.
(2) All questions coming before or arising at a meeting of the joint committee shall be decided by a majority of the voting members of the joint committee present and voting at that meeting.
(3) The minutes of the proceedings of each meeting of the joint committee shall be drawn up and shall be signed at the next ensuing meeting of the joint committee by the person presiding at that next meeting.
(4) The names of the voting and co-opted members and of any substitute present at each meeting of the joint committee shall be recorded in the minutes of the proceedings of that meeting.
7.—(1) The following provisions of the 1972 Act shall apply with respect to meetings of the joint committee as if references to a principal council were references to the joint committee—
(a)section 100A (admission to meetings of principal councils)(1), with the exception of subsections (6), (7) and (8);
(b)section 100(I) (exempt information)(2); and
(c)paragraphs 1 to 11 of Schedule 12A (access to information: exempt information)(3).
(2) Where the public have been excluded from the whole or part of a meeting of the joint committee in accordance with any provision referred to in sub-paragraph (1), the joint committee may exclude co-opted members and observers from that meeting or (a the case may be) the relevant part of that meeting.
8. Subject to the provisions of this Order the joint committee may make standing orders for the regulation of their proceedings and may vary or revoke any such orders.
Section 100A was inserted by section 1(1) of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 (c.43) (“the 1985 Act”). Relevant amendments were made by S.I. 2002/715.
Section 100I was inserted by section 1(1) of the 1985 Act. Relevant amendments were made by S.I. 2006/88.
Schedule 12A was inserted by section 1(2) of and Part 1 of Schedule 1 to the 1985 Act. Paragraphs 1 to 11 were substituted by S.I. 2006/88. Paragraph 8 was amended by 2007/2194 and prospectively amended by section 2 of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Act 2010 (c.7).