7.—(1) Where a Chair or a member of the Council—
(a)is absent from meetings of the Council for more than 6 months consecutively, except for an approved reason;
(b)is convicted of an indictable offence;
(c)becomes disqualified for appointment under regulation 3;
(d)is incapable of carrying out his functions for reasons of ill health; or
(e)has failed to comply with regulation 9 (exclusion on account of pecuniary interest);
the Council shall forthwith, by resolution, declare the office to be vacant and shall notify that fact in such manner as it thinks fit, and thereupon the office shall become vacant.
(2) In paragraph 1(a) “approved reason” means a reason approved by the Department.
(3) Where the place of the Chair or a member of the Council becomes vacant before the expiration of the Chair or the member’s term of office, whether by death, resignation or otherwise, the vacancy shall by filled by appointment by the Department and any person so appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the term of office of the former Chair or member.
(4) Where the Department is of the opinion that it is not in the interest of, or conducive to the good management of, the Council or any of its committees that the Chair or a member of the Council should continue to hold office, it may forthwith remove the Chair or a member by giving him notice in writing to that effect.
(5) Where a person has been appointed Chair or a member of the Council and it comes to the notice of the Department that at the time of the appointment he was disqualified for appointment under regulation 3, it shall forthwith declare that the person in question was not duly appointed and notify him in writing to that effect; and upon receipt of such notification, he shall be removed and he shall cease to act as such Chair or member of the Council.