SCHEDULE 1Children’s Hearings Scotland

12Area support teams: establishment and membership

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.