A Committee cannot commence until a quorum is present.  A quorum for all individual committees and sub-committees is one quarter (including the Chair) of the membership or three members, whichever is the greater.

Members should be invited to submit apologies to the committee services officer in good time so that the incidence of inquorate meetings is kept to a minimum. If a quorum is not present at the time that has been set for the meeting, the Chair may allow a short period of time to elapse for a quorum to present itself. If no quorum presents itself, the meeting will be postponed until a time set by the Chair. It is the responsibility of the committee services officer to check the quorum.

If at any time during its proceedings a committee meeting becomes inquorate the committee should not continue. If it is apparent before the quorum is lost that sufficient members will be able to attend or vote later in the day, then the meeting may be adjourned. Decisions taken prior to the time the meeting became inquorate remain valid.

The provisions concerning public and private meetings of a committee are contained in Section 55 of Standing Orders to which reference should be made.

The Standing Orders proceed on the basis that a committee meeting shall be held in public unless there is a decision of the committee to meet in private. 

A decision to meet in private requires to be taken by a committee. Such a decision cannot be taken by the committee services officer or by the chair. Accordingly, the minutes of proceedings must always record a decision by the committee that the whole or a specific part of the meeting be held in private.

A committee agenda must indicate that an item will be taken in private unless the committee has previously so decided. If no such decision is taken at an earlier meeting, then the committee can reach a decision on the day, but that decision must be reached as part of the formal proceedings and minuted.

If a situation arises where the committee wishes to discuss, on the day whether part of their meeting should be held in private, it may be appropriate to consider this matter at the beginning of the meeting to avoid inconvenience to those in the public gallery who may be waiting to hear the discussion on the item in question.

Where a decision has been taken to meet in private, members of the public and the media will be cleared from the meeting for such part of the meeting as is to be held in private.

Subject to the Members of the Public section, Members of the Council remaining in attendance at meetings of Committees or Sub-Committee of which they are not a member in terms of this provision are required to comply with the provisions of Standing Orders in relation to the disclosure of interest and the provisions of Standing Order 56 as if they were members of that Committee or Sub-Committee

Notwithstanding the exclusion of the public as aoresaid, the Chairman may permit any person to remain in attendance at any meeting for so long as they consider necessary and on that basis that such persons respect the confidentiality of the proceedings.

A Committee member may not nominate a substiture.  However, any Councillor has the right to attend any public committee meeting at any time, and to participate, at the invitation of the Chair, but not to vote.  Only committee members, and the relevant officer should be present for a meeting in private.  A Councillor would only be present at the private meeting of a committee of which are a member.

Under the terms of the National Code of Local Government Conduct Guidance, committee members may still participate fully in committee business, including voting, if they have a registrable interest in the item under discussion. However, members must declare orally any interest if it would prejudice, or appear to prejudice, their ability to participate in committee proceedings in an impartial manner.