The Health and Personal Social Services(Northern Ireland) Order 1991

Article 4(2).

SCHEDULE 1 HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES COUNCILS

1.  It is the duty of a Health and Social Services Council (in this Schedule referred to as a “Council”)—

(a) to represent the interests of the public in the health and personal social services in the Council’s area;

(b) to perform such other functions as may be conferred on it by virtue of paragraph 2.

2.  Regulations may make provision as to—

(a) the membership of Councils (including the appointment or election of a chairman of each Council);

(b) the proceedings of Councils;

(c) the appointment and proceedings of committees of Councils;

(d) the staff, premises and expenses of Councils;

(e) the consultation of Councils by Health and Social Services Boards, special agencies and HSS trusts with respect to such matters, and on such occasions, as may be prescribed;

(f) the furnishing of information to Councils by Health and Social Services Boards, special agencies and HSS trusts on such subjects and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed;

(g) the right of members of Councils to enter and inspect premises controlled by Health and Social Services Boards, special agencies and HSS trusts, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed;

(h) the consideration by Councils of matters relating to the operation of health and personal social services within their areas, and the giving of advice by Councils to Health and Social Services Boards and special agencies on such matters;

(i) the preparation and publication of reports by Councils on such matters, and the furnishing and publication by Health and Social Services Boards and special agencies of comments on the reports;

(j) the functions to be exercised by Councils in addition to the functions exercisable by them by virtue of paragraph 1(a) and the preceding provisions of this paragraph;

(k) the collaboration by Councils with each other in the exercise of their functions;

(l) such other matters in connection with Councils as the Department thinks fit.

3.  Regulations made under paragraph 2(a) shall provide for the members of Councils to be appointed by the Department and shall secure, as respects each Council, that—

(a) at least one member of the Council is so appointed on the nomination of each district council of which the area or part of it is included in the Council’s area;

(b) the other members of the Council are so appointed in such manner and after such consultation as may be prescribed.

4.  Nothing in paragraph 3 affects the validity of anything done by or in relation to a Council during any period during which, by reason of a vacancy in the membership of the Council or a defect in the appointment of a member of it, a requirement included in regulations in pursuance of that paragraph is not satisfied.

5.  References in this Schedule to the area of a Council are references to the area for which the Council is established.