Explanatory note

This Order makes provision with regard to the constitution of the General Optical Council (“the GOC”). The GOC is to consist of 6 registrant members, who are optometrists or dispensing opticians registered with the GOC, and 6 lay members (article 2). Their terms of office will be determined by the Privy Council – or if directed by the Privy Council to do so, the Appointments Commission – on appointment. There are limitations on the period for which members may serve on the GOC (article 3). The GOC is to make provision with regard to the education and training of their members in standing orders (article 4).

Certain categories of people, for example people who have been convicted of certain types of offences where the conviction is not spent, are disqualified from being members of the GOC, and once members have been appointed, there are certain circumstances in which they may be removed from office (articles 5 and 6). In some circumstances, a member may also be suspended from office, and there are provisions relating to the provisional suspension by the GOC itself, pending the taking of a decision by the Privy Council (or, in its place, the Appointments Commission) to suspend or remove that member.

There are also provisions relating to the appointment of the chair of the GOC, who will cease to be chair if that person is suspended as a member of the GOC or the GOC votes to terminate the chair’s appointment. The last chairman of the GOC before it was newly constituted by virtue of this Order will, if reappointed to the GOC as a member, serve as the first chair of the newly constituted GOC for four years (articles 8 and 9). There are provisions relating to the deputising arrangements for the chair, and the GOC will have powers to appoint a deputy chair to serve during an absence of a chair that is likely to be for more than one month or one meeting, or if the position of chair is vacant (article 10).

There are also provisions relating to the proceedings of the GOC. Its quorum is 7, and there are special provisions to prevent the GOC’s proceedings being invalidated by matters such as a vacancy or a defect in the appointment of a member (articles 11 and 12).