Article 3(2).
1.—(1) The Youth Council shall be a body corporate and, subject to the provisions of this Order, section 19 of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(1) shall apply to it.
(2) The Youth Council shall not acquire, hold or dispose of land without the consent of the Department.
2.—(1) The Youth Council shall consist of such persons as the Head of the Department, after consultation with such persons as appear to him to represent district councils, education and library boards and voluntary youth organisations, may appoint and the persons so appointed shall hold office for such terms and upon such conditions as to retirement, ceasing to hold office and re-appointment as the Head of the Department may from time to time determine.
(2) A member shall be deemed to have vacated his office and the Youth Council shall declare his place vacant in the following circumstances—
(a)where he gives to the Head of the Department a notice in writing of his resignation;
(b)where he becomes bankrupt or makes a composition with his creditors;
(c)where in the opinion of the Head of the Department he becomes incapacitated to hold office and the Head of the Department so informs the Youth Council in writing;
(d)where he is convicted of an indictable offence and is sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than three months; or
(e)where he has been absent from meetings of the Youth Council or a committee of the Youth Council for a period longer than twelve consecutive months without the permission of the Youth Council.
(3) The Head of the Department shall appoint—
(a)one of the members of the Youth Council to be chairman who, in the case of an equality of votes, shall have a second or casting vote; and
(b)another member to be vice-chairman who in the absence of the chairman shall, in the case of an equality of votes, have a second or casting vote.
(4) The Department may appoint assessors to the Youth Council and such assessors shall have the right to receive notice of and to attend meetings of the Youth Council and to speak but not to vote at such meetings.
3.—(1) In accordance with arrangements approved by the Department, the Youth Council may appoint committees to assist it in the discharge of such of its functions or to perform such functions as it may delegate to such committees.
(2) The Youth Council may appoint as members of any committee established under sub-paragraph (1) or authorise any such committee to co-opt as members of the committee persons who are not members of the Youth Council.
4. The proceedings of the Youth Council or of any committee or sub-committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy in the membership of the Youth Council, or of any committee or sub-committee, or by any defect in the appointment of a member.
5.—(1) Without prejudice to section 19(1)(a)(v) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(2), the Youth Council shall make standing orders relating to the convening of meetings of the Youth Council, and of committees, the fixing of the quorum, the conduct of business at meetings, the keeping of minutes, accounts and other records, the signing of cheques, the custody of deeds and other documents, the duties of officers and such other matters connected with the conduct of its business as it thinks fit.
(2) The common seal of the Youth Council shall, when applied to a document, be attested by the signatures of any two members of the Youth Council authorised by the Youth Council to act for that purpose.
6.—(1) The Youth Council may, if the Department so approves, pay to its chairman and vice-chairman a salary of such amount as the Department may, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, determine.
(2) The Youth Council may pay travelling and subsistence allowances and other expenses necessarily incurred by members of the Youth Council and committees thereof in the performance of their functions under this Order and such allowances and expenses shall be paid at such rates as the Department may determine.
7.—(1) The right of the Youth Council under section 19(1)(a)(vi) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 to employ staff shall be exercised subject to any direction which may be given by the Department with respect to the number and terms and conditions of service of persons employed or to be employed by the Youth Council.
(2) The remuneration of persons employed by the Youth Council shall be at such rate as the Youth Council may, with the consent of the Department, determine.
(3) The Youth Council may, in accordance with arrangements determined by the Department, make provision for the payment on death or retirement of pensions, gratuities or other like benefits to or in respect of the service of officers of the Youth Council.
8.—(1) The Youth Council shall, after consultation with the Department, appoint a fit person to be its chief officer.
(2) Before making an appointment under sub-paragraph (1), the Youth Council shall supply to the Department particulars of the names, previous experience and qualifications of the persons from whom it proposes to make a selection.
(3) If the Department considers that any person whose name is submitted under sub-paragraph (2) is not a fit person to be the chief officer of the Youth Council, the Department may give directions prohibiting his appointment.
9. The Commissioner for Complaints Act (Northern Ireland) 1969(3) shall apply to the Youth Council and accordingly the Youth Council shall be added to the list of public bodies specified in Part II of Schedule 1 to that Act; and references in sections 19 and 21 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973(4) to that Schedule shall be construed as references to it as so amended.