Committee details

Teesside Archives Joint Committee - Terms of Reference

 

Introduction

 

1.    The Joint Committee (known as "The Teesside Archives Joint Committee" has been established by the authorities (Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton in order to oversee and take decisions in relation to the locating, collection, preserving, processing and promoting the uses of the archives and records as defined in the Local Government (Records) Act 1962) in accordance with the "Agreement". Membership.

 

2.    Each authority will appoint 1 executive member to the Joint Committee.

 

3.    In the context of the Local Government Act 2000 and related regulations, the function of the joint committee is an executive responsibility, being a Joint Committee of less than 5 authorities, the executive of each Council will only appoint an executive member to the Joint Committee.

 

4.    Political balance rules will not apply to those appointments for the committee membership overall.

 

5.    Each Member appointed to the Joint Committee will hold office from the date of appointment to the date of their respective authority's annual Council meeting, unless they resign or are replaced beforehand by the appointment by their authority of a new representative member.

 

6.    Each Council must nominate at least one deputy and up to three persons, any of whom may act as deputy for any of the members of the Joint Committee appointed by them and, any person so nominated, may attend and vote at any meeting which one of the members for whom he is appointed deputy is unable to attend, or which is held at a time when a casual vacancy exists in the members appointed by the Authority by whom he is nominated. The Joint Committee will appoint a Chair and Vice Chair from its members. The Chair of the Joint Committee will rotate annually between four local authorities on the following basis:- Middlesbrough Hartlepool Stockton Redcar and Cleveland The Joint Committee shall have a Vice- Chair from the authority next in rotation for the Chair. At the first meeting in the municipal year the Joint Committee shall appoint as Chair and Vice-Chair the Councillors nominated by the relevant authorities.

 

Function and Powers

 

7.    The function of the Joint Committee is to oversee and take decisions in relation to the locating, collection, preserving, processing and promoting the uses of the archives and records as defined in the Local Government (Records) Act 1962) and, in accordance with the powers delegated by the executive of each Council, parties to the Agreement, the Joint Committee shall administer, maintain and develop Archives Services and shall do all such things as they consider necessary or proper to facilitate such purposes in accordance with the Agreement including:

 

(a) the preparation and review of the work of the Archives Service;

 

(b) the monitoring and review of the work of the Archives Service;

 

(c) the determination of the budget and staffing of the Archives Service;

 

(d) commenting on matters affecting archives and records regionally and nationally insofar as they affect the Archives Service. General Provisions

 

8.    The Joint Committee shall meet each February for the specific purpose of approving the proposed budget and at any other time at the specific request of any of the Councils.

 

9.    In the event of a casual vacancy occurring in the office of Chair, the constituent authority by whom the office holder concerned was nominated will nominate a successor to hold office for the remainder of the term of the office holder.

 

10.  If the Chair is absent from the meeting of the Joint Committee, the Vice-Chair will preside as Chair for that meeting. In the absence of the Vice-Chair the Joint Committee shall appoint one of their members to preside.

 

11.  The Holding Authority's Head of Legal Services and Director of Finance shall act as Secretary and Treasurer to the Joint Committee.

 

12.  Except in cases of urgency with the approval of the Chair, at least five clear days notice of any meeting, specifying the business proposed to be transacted, will be sent by the secretary to each representative member of the Joint Committee, each named substitute and each Chief Executive of a constituent authority.

 

13.  Any three members of the Joint Committee (or their substitutes) shall form a quorum.

 

14.  Voting at Joint Committee meetings will be by show of hands. Each member will have one vote, save that, in the case of an equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote.

 

15.   The Joint Committee has full power to make further rules regarding its proceedings and the conduct of its business, and to vary such rules, as it may from time to time consider appropriate, provided that at least three members vote in favour of the resolution.