(1)A regional water board shall consist of such number of members, being not less than ten and not more than twenty-five, as the Secretary of State may by order specify, or such greater number as he may so specify, if he is satisfied that that greater number is necessary in view of special circumstances relating to a particular region.
(2)Subject to the following provisions of this section the members of a regional water board shall be appointed from and by the constituent councils of which they are members.
(3)The number of members of a regional water board to be appointed by each constituent council shall be such number as the Secretary of State may by order specify, and in determining that number the Secretary of State shall have regard to the rateable valuation of the district of each constituent council, and to the population of that district; and in this subsection—
(a)a reference to a district means, in a case where a part only of a district is comprised in a region of a board, that part of the district; and
(b)the expression " rateable valuation " has the meaning assigned to it by section 43(1) of the [1956 c. 60.] Valuation and Rating (Scotland) Act 1956.
(4)Where, in the case of two or more constituent councils, the Secretary of State, having regard to the considerations mentioned in the last foregoing subsection, considers that any member of a regional water board should be appointed jointly by those councils, he may by order provide accordingly.
(5)Where, in accordance with the last foregoing subsection, an order provides for the joint appointment of any member, and the councils by whom that appointment is to be made are unable to agree on an appointment, the member in question shall be appointed by the Secretary of State on behalf of those councils.
(6)In this Act, " constituent council ", in relation to a regional water board, means a local authority any part of whose district is comprised in the region of that board.
(7)The provisions of Schedule 4 to this Act shall have effect in relation to regional water boards.