HC Deb 05 March 2003 vol 400 cc837-8

'(1) In Chapter 1 of Part 3 of the Local Government Act 2000 (c. 22) (conduct of local government members), after section 54 there is inserted—

"54A Subcommittees of standards committees

(1) A standards committee of a relevant authority may appoint one or more subcommittees for the purpose of discharging any of the committee's functions, whether or not to the exclusion of the committee.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to functions under section 55 or 56.

(3) A subcommittee under subsection (1) shall be appointed from among the members of the standards committee by which it is appointed.

(4) As regards subcommittees appointed under subsection (1) by a standards committee of a relevant authority in England or of a police authority in Wales—

  1. (a) regulations under section 53(6)(a) and (c) to (g) may make provision in relation to such subcommittees, and
  2. (b) sections 53(7), (8) and (10) and 54(4) and (6) apply in relation to such subcommittees as they apply in relation to standards committees.

(5) As regards subcommittees appointed under subsection (1) by a standards committee of a relevant authority in Wales other than a police authority—

  1. (a) regulations under section 53(11) may make provision in relation to such subcommittees, and
  2. (b) section 54(5) and (7) apply in relation to such subcommittees as they apply in relation to standards committees.

(6) Subject to any provision made by regulations under section 53(6)(a) or (11)(a) (as applied by this section)—

  1. (a) the number of members of a subcommittee under subsection (1), and
  2. (b) the term of office of those members,
are to be fixed by the standards committee by which the subcommittee is appointed."

(2) In Chapter 5 of that Part (conduct in local government: supplementary), after section 82 there is inserted—