The Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2017, S.I. 2017/460 (W.98) amend the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (Wales) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/1275) (W. 121) to make provision about membership and the quorum for meetings of relevant authorities. “Relevant authorities” for the purpose of new Regulation 4A (1) of the 2006 Regulations, inserted by Regulation 3(3) include, in addition to county and county borough councils, joint planning boards and National Park authorities.
The Amendment Regulations apply to committees and sub-committees of relevant authorities by which a relevant function is discharged. A “relevant function” is a function exercisable in relation to an application under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Regulation 2(3) of the 2017 Regulations inserts new Regulation 4A and new Schedule 2A in the 2006 Regulations, to require a relevant authority to include in their Standing Orders a requirement that the quorum for their meetings must include at least half of the committee’s members.
Standing orders must also restrict the appointment of substitute members to committees.