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1. This standing order has been drafted in compliance with the Lancashire Fire Services (Combination Scheme) Order 1997 which is secondary legislation having effect under section 4 of the Fire & Rescue Services Act 2004. If this legislation changes such that the terms of this standing order conflicts with the new legislation, then the relevant terms of the new legislation will take precedence over any terms in this standing order that are not compatible with that new legislation.

2. The Authority shall consist of no more than 25 members.

3. Each member of the Authority shall be appointed by a constituent authority from its own members in accordance with its own procedures. The constituent authorities are the councils of the boroughs of Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool and Lancashire County Council.

4. It is a matter for each constituent authority to determine how they appoint members to the Authority and for what period. Members are appointed for set periods as specified by their authority, in accordance with the procedure set out in the Lancashire Fire Services (Combination Scheme) Order 1997 (Statutory Instrument 1997 No. 2760) (the Combination Scheme).

5. Lancashire County Council appoints 19 representatives annually at their annual general meeting (AGM) for a 12-month period. Blackburn with Darwen Council also appoints three representatives at their AGM for a 12-month period. Blackpool Council appoints three representatives at their AGM for a period of four years.

6. A member of the Authority shall come into office on the date of their appointment and, subject to paragraphs 7, 8, 9 and 11, hold office for such period or periods as determined by the constituent authority which appoints them.

7. A member of the Authority may resign their membership by giving notice in writing to that effect to the Monitoring Officer of the Authority.

8. Members may be removed from the Authority by their appointing constituent authority (whether or not they also remain a member of the constituent authority), subject to that authority complying with their own rules and procedures for this process.

8.1 A member of the Authority who ceases to be a member of the constituent authority which appointed them shall cease to be a member of the Authority.

8.2 A person shall be disqualified from being a member of the Authority if they hold any paid office or employment (other than the office of chair or vice-chair), appointments to which are or may be made or confirmed by the Authority, by any committee or sub-committee of the Authority, or by a joint committee or board on which the Authority is represented.

9. Subject to sub-paragraph 8.1, if a member of the Authority resigns, becomes disqualified or otherwise ceases to be a member of the Authority before the expiry of their period of office, the constituent authority which appointed them shall appoint a representative to replace them, who shall come into office on the date of their appointment. Unless they resign, become disqualified or otherwise cease to be a member of the Authority, they shall hold office for the remainder of the period for which their predecessor would have held office had they not resigned, become disqualified or otherwise ceased to be a member of the Authority.

9.1 If a member of the Authority resigns, becomes disqualified or otherwise ceases to be a member of the Authority within six months before the end of their period of office, the constituent authority which appointed them shall not be required to appoint a representative to replace them for the remainder of the period. The exception is unless, on the occurrence of the vacancy (or in the case of a number of simultaneous vacancies, the occurrence of the vacancies), the total number of unfilled vacancies in the membership of the Authority exceeds one third of the number of members of the Authority referred to in paragraph 2.

10. Where more than one third of the members of the Authority become disqualified at the same time, then, until the number of members in office is increased to at least two-thirds of the number of members of the whole Authority, the quorum of the Authority shall be determined by reference to the number of members of the Authority who remain qualified instead of by reference to the number of members of the whole Authority.

11. Subject to paragraph 12 below, if a member of the Authority fails throughout a period of six consecutive months from the date of their last attendance to attend any meeting of the Authority, unless the failure was due to some reason approved by the Authority before the expiry of that period, the relevant constituent Authority shall be invited to appoint a replacement for the remainder of that member’s term. Any such approval by the Authority should be instigated by the Monitoring Officer bringing a report following consultation with the member.

12. Attendance as a member at any meeting of the Authority including any committee or sub-committee shall be deemed for the purposes of paragraph 11 above to be attendance at a meeting of the Authority.

13. If the Chair or Vice-Chair of any committee fails to attend the committee meetings that they Chair (or Vice-Chair) for a period of six consecutive months they shall, unless the failure was due to some reason approved by the Authority before the expiry of that period, cease to be the Chair or Vice-Chair of that committee.

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