(1)Where a municipal functions order is made with respect to a new town commission the Minister may establish a committee (in this section referred to as “the committee” ) for the purpose of assisting the new town commission, in accordance with the provisions of this section, in the discharge of the municipal functions of the new town commission.
(2)The committee shall consist of—
(a)such members of the new town commission as the Minister may appoint;
Para. (b) rep. by SRO (NI) 1973/285
(c)one member of the council of each …F1 district which, immediately before the commencement of the municipal functions order, was included, whether in whole or in part, in the said area …F1, appointed by the council (and, where such a council is dissolved by virtue of the municipal functions order, for the purposes of this section the dissolution shall be deemed not to take effect until after an appointment has been made in pursuance of this paragraph).
(3)A member of the committee shall hold office for such period as the Minister or, where he is appointed by a [F2 district council], that [F2 council] may determine (unless in the meantime he dies or resigns his office as member), and on such terms as may be so determined.
(4)Where a person was appointed as a member of the committee by a council of a …F1 county district which is dissolved under this Act, that person shall not, by reason only of such dissolution, cease to be a member of the committee; …F1.
(5)The committee shall, as from such date as the Ministry or, as the case may be, the new town commission, may direct exercise—
(a)such of the municipal functions of the new town commission as the Ministry may by notice in writing appoint; and
(b)such further municipal functions of the new town commission as the new town commission may, with the approval of the Ministry, delegate to them,
but not so as to authorise them to acquire land, to engage or dismiss any officer or servant or to enter into any contract.
(6)Save as the municipal functions order may direct, a decision of the committee shall not have effect until confirmed by the new town commission.
(7)Subject to any direction in writing given to them by the Ministry or by the new town commission with the approval of the Ministry, the committee may regulate their own procedure and fix a quorum for their proceedings.
(8)The validity of the proceedings of the committee shall not be affected by any vacancy among their members or by any defect in the appointment of any of their members.
F3[(9)The sections of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 [1972 c.9] mentioned in subsection (4) of section 7 shall apply to the committee and the members of the committee as (by that subsection) they apply to the new town commission and the members of the new town commission.]
(10)The new town commission shall pay to the members of the 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.