The Valuation and Community Charge Tribunals Regulations 1989

The president

7.—(1) Within the prescribed period, the members of each tribunal shall in accordance with the following provisions of this regulation appoint a person to be president of the tribunal.

(2) The person to be appointed shall be a member of the tribunal and shall be determined by election by a simple majority of votes cast, each member having one vote.

(3) Where an election under paragraph (2) results in a tie, the person to be appointed from among the candidates with equal votes shall be determined by lot.

(4) The first election held in pursuance of this regulation shall not be held before the expiry of one week beginning on the day on which notice of the election is issued in accordance with paragraph (6) by the clerk of the local valuation panel for the area of the tribunal.

(5) No other election in pursuance of this regulation shall be held before the expiry of two weeks beginning on the day on which notice of the election is issued in accordance with paragraph (6) by the clerk of the tribunal.

(6) The notices required by paragraphs (4) and (5) shall be served on all persons who are members of the tribunal on the date on which the notice in question is issued.

(7) Where at the expiry of the prescribed period no election has taken place in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this regulation, the Secretary of State shall, after consultation with such of the members of the tribunal as he sees fit, appoint one of their number to be president.

(8) The president shall hold office until whichever of the following first occurs–

(a) the period of his membership for the time being specified under regulation 6(1) expires;

(b) he ceases to be a member of the tribunal;

(c) notice of his resignation under paragraph (9) takes effect;

(d) notice of termination under paragraph (10) takes effect.

(9) A president may resign his office as such by giving not less than one month’s notice in writing to the Secretary of State.

(10) The Secretary of State may, after consultation with such of the members of a tribunal as he sees fit, by giving notice in writing to the president terminate his office as such.

(11) In this regulation, “the prescribed period” means three weeks beginning with the operative date, or three months beginning with a vacancy occurring in the office of president, as the case may be; and the validity of any election shall not be affected by there being a vacancy among the members of a tribunal.