76.—(1) After receiving a disputes notice which complies with regulation 75(2), the Settlement Body must, subject to paragraph (2), review the disputed calculation or determination, and decide whether to uphold it or to substitute a different calculation or determination.
(2) The Settlement Body may, to assist in determining a dispute, appoint an independent person to consider the matter in dispute and provide a report on the matter, or an audit of any disputed calculation.
(3) The Settlement Body must, as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving a disputes notice, give notice to the disputing party whether it—
(a)is considering the disputed matter;
(b)has appointed an independent person to consider the disputed matter under paragraph (2); or
(c)has rejected the disputes notice on the ground that it does not comply with regulation 75(2).
(4) The Settlement Body must determine a dispute—
(a)where it commissions a report or audit under paragraph (2), not later than 28 days after receiving the report or audit; and
(b)in any other case, not later than 28 days after receiving the disputes notice.
(5) The Settlement Body must as soon as reasonably practicable after determining a dispute give a notice to the disputing party of its decision and the reason for that decision.
(6) The references in this regulation to “an independent person” include a panel of persons, either—
(a)established under an industry code; or
(b)appointed by the Settlement Body for the purpose of considering disputes under this Chapter,
provided that all the panel members who consider the dispute are independent from the Settlement Body and the disputing party.