FRIDAY, MAY 4,
MAY 4, 1990
16
MUNICIPAL SERVICES APPEALS BOARD BILL 1990 GAZETTED
A BILL SEEKING TO ESTABLISH AN URBAN SERVICES APPEALS BOARD REGIONAL AND A
SERVICES APPEALS BOARD TO DETERMINE ALL APPEALS AGAINST LICENSING DECISIONS OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS TODAY (FRIDAY).
WAS
GAZETTED
THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES APPEALS BOARD BILL 1990 REPRESENTED
OF STEP TOWARDS A MORE OPEN SYSTEM
APPEAL, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN
SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT MOST OF THESE APPEALS, WHICH WERE AT PRESENT MADE TO THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL, WERE HAWKERS' APPEALS AGAINST LICENSING DECISIONS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.
UNDER
THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION, BOTH APPELLANTS AND AT THE RESPONDENTS WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO ATTEND AND BE REPRESENTED BOARDS' HEARINGS.
"THE HEARINGS WERE REQUIRED TO BE CONDUCTED IN PUBLIC EXCEPT UNDER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
MOREOVER, THE
BOARDS
REASONS FOR THEIR DECISIONS.
||
WOULD HAVE ΤΟ STATE IN WRITING THE
ΤΟ THE DECISIONS OF THE APPEALS BOARDS WOULD BE FINAL, SUBJECT THE RIGHT TO APPLY TO THE COURT OF LAW FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF THE BOARDS' PROCEEDINGS.
THE TWO BOARDS WOULD HAVE A COMMON CHAIRMAN TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY IN PROCEDURES AND PRACTICES BETWEEN THE TWO BOARDS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE PROPOSED MADE-UP OF THE APPEALS BOARDS
THAT WOULD BE SUCH
THEIR IMPARTIALITY AND INDEPENDENCE WOULD BE ENSURED.
"AT THE SAME TIME, THE APPEALS BOARDS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE REGARD TO ANY MATERIAL STATEMENT OF POLICY MADE BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS. THIS WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE COUNCILS' AUTHORITY WOULD NOT BE UNDERMINED BY DECISIONS OF THE APPEALS BOARDS, HE SAID.
"
THE BILL PROVIDED THAT EACH APPEALS BOARD WOULD CONSIST OF THE CHAIRMAN, OR A VICE-CHAIRMAN, TWO OR MORE MEMBERS OF THE RELEVANT MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, AND AN EQUAL NUMBER OF NON-COUNCIL MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. A QUORUM OF FIVE PERSONS WAS REQUIRED.
THE CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS SHOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. THEY SHALL BE LEGALLY QUALIFIED PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR APPOINTMENT AS A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE. THEY SHALL NOT BE MEMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.
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