Area support teams: establishment and membership
12(1)The National Convener must establish and maintain a committee (to be known as an area support team) for each area that the National Convener designates for the purposes of this paragraph.
(2)An area designated under sub-paragraph (1) is to consist of one or more local authority areas.
(3)Before establishing an area support team, the National Convener must obtain the consent of each constituent authority.
(4)The National Convener must appoint as members of an area support team—
(a)one person nominated by each constituent authority (if the authority chooses to make a nomination),
(b)such other persons nominated by constituent authorities as the National Convener considers appropriate,
(c)a member of the Children’s Panel who lives or works in the area of the area support team, and
(d)sufficient other persons so that the number of members nominated by a local authority is no more than one third of the total number of members.
(5)An area support team may not include the Principal Reporter or a member or employee of SCRA.
(6)An area support team may establish sub-committees consisting of persons who are members of the area support team.
(7)In this paragraph and paragraphs 13 and 14 “constituent authority”, in relation to an area support team (or a proposed area support team), means a local authority whose area falls within the area of the area support team.