33BMeetings

33B Meetings

(1) The Minister or the Chairperson of the Council may convene meetings of the Council as the Minister or Chairperson considers necessary for the efficient performance of the Council’s functions. (2) A meeting is to be held at a place determined by the Chairperson. (3) The Chairperson presides at all meetings at which he or she is present. (4) If the Chairperson is not present at a meeting:

(a) if a Deputy Chairperson has been appointed and he or she is present at the meeting—the Deputy Chairperson presides at the meeting; or

(b) if paragraph (a) does not apply—the members present appoint one of their number to preside at the meeting.

(5) Subject to this Act, the person presiding at a meeting may give directions regarding the procedure to be followed in connection with that meeting. (6) At a meeting of the Council:

(a) a majority of the members of the Council constitutes a quorum; and

(b) all questions are decided by a majority of votes of the members present and voting; and

(c) the person presiding has a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equality of votes, also has a casting vote.

(7) If a member is not present when the Council is deliberating about a matter (because the member is excluded under subsection 60(2) from being so present), then, for the purposes of ascertaining whether the members present during the deliberation constitute a quorum, the excluded member is taken to be present during the deliberation. (8) If a majority of the members of the Council sign a document containing a statement that they are in favour of a resolution in terms set out in the document, a resolution in those terms is taken to have been passed at a duly constituted meeting of the Council held on the day on which the document was signed, or, if the members sign the document on different days, on the last of those days. (9) For the purposes of subsection (8), 2 or more separate documents containing statements in identical terms each of which is signed by one or more members are together taken to be one document containing a statement of those terms signed by those members on the respective days on which they signed the separate documents. (10) A person other than a member may, with the approval of the Council, take part in any discussions at a meeting of the Council but the person cannot vote on any question arising for decision at the meeting. (11) The Council must keep records of its meetings.