2The council shall be a body corporate.
3(1)The council shall not be regarded as the servant or agent of the Crown, or as enjoying any status, immunity or privilege of the Crown; and the council’s property shall not be regarded as property of, or property held on behalf of, the Crown.
(2)Sub-paragraph (1) above has effect subject to paragraph 18 below.
4(1)The Secretary of State shall appoint one of the members of the council to be chairman of the council and may appoint a member to be deputy chairman.
(2)The chairman, deputy chairman and other members of the council shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of their appointment.
(3)A member of the council may, by notice in writing addressed to the Secretary of State, resign his membership, and the chairman and deputy chairman of the council may by such a notice resign their office as such without resigning their membership.
5A member of the council who ceases to be a member or ceases to be chairman or deputy chairman of the council shall be eligible for reappointment.
6The Secretary of State may remove a member of the council from membership if he has—
(a)become bankrupt or made an arrangement with his creditors or, in Scotland, had his estate sequestrated or made a trust deed for behoof of his creditors or a composition contract; or
(b)been absent from meetings of the council for a period longer than six consecutive months without the permission of the council;
or if he is, in the opinion of the Secretary of State unable or unfit to discharge the functions of a member.