The Chairs of the SPCs are selected by the Plenary Council at the AGM. The SPCs are sub-committees of Waterford City and Council and must abide by the Standing Orders and rules of procedure of the Council.
The quorum for a meeting is one-fourth of the total number of members of the SPC plus one, or, where one-fourth of such total number is not a whole number; the quorum is the next highest whole number, plus one. Of this number there should be 3 elected members present. If the Chair is unable to attend, his/her place shall be taken by another elected member of the SPC.
Following consultation with the Public Participation Network (PPN) and National Pillars, and taking on board the stated preferences of the elected members (in so far as is possible), the following format for the SPCs was approved by the members of Waterford City and County Council at the September 2019 Meeting.
- Each Strategic Policy Committee shall meet as often as required, and at least four times a year, to deal with the business assigned to it. Five days clear notice will be given for meetings of the SPC and where possible there will be an agreed schedule for meetings.
- The Community and Voluntary, Social Inclusion and Environmental representatives will be nominated by the Waterford Public Participation Network.
- Where an SPC member misses 3 consecutive meetings the nominating body will be requested to nominate a replacement.
- The dates, times and locations of the SPC meetings are matters for each individual SPC to determine. The Plenary Mayor is an ex-officio member of each of the SPCs and may attend any such meeting at his/her discretion.
- Training will be provided for SPC members. The operation of all SPCs will be carried out as outlined in Circular LG 07/2014 on the ‘Establishment of New Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs)’.
