11.—(1) Notwithstanding the generality of paragraph 10 the Trustees may establish short or fixed term consultation groups, which, if established, the Trustees shall consult on matters affecting the remit of the group on its conception.
(2) The Trustees shall make arrangements for such consultation group to meet not less than twice a year.
(3) The Trustees shall take into consideration any matter, recommendation or representation which may from time to time be referred or made to them by the consultation group whether or not the consultation group has been consulted by the Trustees on the matter, recommendation or representation so referred or so made.
(4) Appointments to the consultation groups established under this paragraph shall be made by the Trustees and thereafter any properly constituted organisation that can demonstrate they represent a grouping of stakeholders or other material stakeholder interest in the harbour not already represented may apply to the consultation group for membership. Membership will not unreasonably be refused to such an organisation.
(5) The consultation group may determine its own quorum and procedure and shall appoint a chair to progress the remit of the group.
(6) An individual member of such consultation group, may on giving notice in writing to the chair of the consultation group, send a substitute to any meeting of the body.
(7) A member of the consultation group may hold office for a period of three years from the date of appointment and at the end of that period shall be eligible for re-appointment, up to a maximum of three terms should the remit of the consultation group extend to that period of time.
(8) A member of the consultation group may resign office at any time by notice in writing to the chair of the Trustees.
12. The acts and proceedings of the Trustees or of any committee of the Trustees, shall not be invalidated by any vacancy in their number or by any defect in the appointment, or the qualification for appointment, of any person as a Trustee or as chair of the Trustees or committee.
13. The quorum required for a meeting of the Trustees shall be three.
14. If a Trustee is in any way directly or indirectly interested in any contract or proposed contract to which the Trustees are, or would be, a party and is present at a meeting of the Trustees or of any committee of the Trustees at which that contract is the subject of consideration, that person shall as soon as practicable after the commencement of the meeting disclose that fact at the meeting and shall not take part in any deliberation or decision of the Trustees or committee with respect to that contract.
15. If at any meeting of the Trustees the chair is not present the Trustees shall choose one of their number to be the chair of the meeting.
16.—(1) Every question at a meeting of the Trustees or of a committee of the Trustees shall be decided by a majority vote of the Trustees present and voting.
(2) If at any meeting of the Trustees or of a committee of the Trustees there is an equality of votes on any question the chair of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote which that person may exercise for or against the status quo.