(1)For the purpose of securing the provision of advice upon any matter arising in connection with the performance of the functions under this Act of—
(a)the Minister, or
(b)the Ministry of Development (in this Act referred to as “the Ministry” ), or
(c)a new town commission established in accordance with the succeeding provisions of this Act,
in relation to a new town or a proposed new town, the Minister may appoint a committee (in this section referred to as a “new town advisory committee” ).
(2)A new town advisory committee shall consist ofF1. . . two members of the council of each [F2 district] within which any part of the said area is situated, nominated by the respective councils, or such other number of members of each such council (being a number greater than two) so nominated as the Minister may, in any case, direct.
(3)A new town advisory committee may appoint one of their members to be their chairman and may regulate their procedure (including the fixing of a quorum).
(4)A new town advisory committee may act notwithstanding any vacancy in their membership.
(5)The functions of a new town advisory committee shall be—
(a)to advise the Minister or, as the case may be, the Ministry or a new town commission, upon any matter referred to them by the Minister, the Ministry and the new town commission respectively; and
(b)to make to the Minister, the Ministry or a new town commission such representations as they think proper in relation to matters affecting the new town or proposed new town.
(6)The Ministry shall, if a new town advisory committee so request, appoint an officer to be secretary of the committee, and shall make available for the purposes of the committee such other facilities as they may reasonably require.
(7)The Ministry shall pay to the members of a new town advisory committee such reasonable allowances in respect of expenses properly incurred in the performance of their duties as may be determined by the Ministry with the approval of the Ministry of Finance.