The Countryside Access (Local Access Forums) (Wales) Regulations 2001

Conduct of meetings of a forum

15.—(1) The first meeting of a forum after the meeting at which the appointment of all members of the forum takes effect (whether upon establishment of the forum or upon the appointment of members after the membership of all members ceases under regulation 4(3)), is to take place at such time and place as may be decided by the appointing authority, its agenda is to be decided by the appointing authority, and the Secretary is to preside over it, but thereafter the forum may meet at such intervals as it considers appropriate, but must meet at least twice in each twelve-month period calculated by reference to the date on which it was established.

(2) Meetings of the forum may be held on such days and at such places as may be agreed by the members and shall be open to the public unless the person presiding rules that a particular item of business to be considered at a meeting makes it appropriate for the public to be excluded during consideration of that item of business.

(3) At any meeting of the forum, the person who is to preside (the “person presiding”) is, subject to regulation 12(3),—

(a)if present, the Chair;

(b)if the Chair is absent, the Deputy Chair; or

(c)if the Chair and Deputy Chair are absent, such member as the members present choose.

(4) No business may be conducted by a forum unless the number of members present, excluding the person presiding, exceeds one-third of the total membership.

(5) Subject to anything contained in these Regulations to the contrary, or to any guidance given by the National Assembly under section 94(6)(c) of the Act, a forum may regulate its own procedure.

(6) The proceedings of any meeting shall not be invalidated if any person so entitled fails to receive any notice or other documents relevant to the meeting concerned which are otherwise required to be delivered or sent under these Regulations.

(7) The minutes of the proceedings of a meeting (which shall include the names of those members present and absent) shall be drawn-up, submitted for agreement at the next meeting and be signed by the person presiding at that next meeting.

(8) The Chair may invite observers and/or advisers to a meeting, and those invited may, if the person presiding considers it appropriate, contribute to the proceedings of the forum.

(9) A representative of the National Assembly and/or the Countryside Council for Wales, and any officer of an authority which (in respect of the forum concerned) is an appointing authority, may attend any meeting of the forum, or of a committee established by that forum, as an observer.

(10) When the person presiding considers it appropriate to put any question to a vote, the person presiding must formulate that question, in writing if requested, and any vote is to be by show of hands of those members present (except that the person presiding shall not be entitled to vote unless there is an equality of votes, in which case the person presiding is to have a casting vote).