# Local Government Act 1972, Paragraph 5

Extent: E+W

(1) At a meeting of a principal council the chairman, if present, shall preside.
(2) If the chairman is absent from a meeting of a principal council, then—
(a) . . ., the vice-chairman of the council, if present, shall preside;
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c) in the case of a London borough council, the deputy mayor, if at that time he remains a councillor . . . and is chosen for that purpose by the members of the council then present, shall preside.
(3) If—
(a) in the case of a principal council . . ., both the chairman and vice-chairman of the council are absent from a meeting of the council;
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c) in the case of a London borough council, the mayor and deputy mayor are so absent or the deputy mayor being present is not chosen;
another member of the council chosen by the members of the council present shall preside.
(4) A member of an executive of a principal council , or an assistant to the executive, may not be chosen to preside under sub-paragraph (3) above.
(5) Sub-paragraphs (2)(c) and (3)(c) above do not apply where a London borough council are operating executive arrangements which involve a mayor and cabinet executive . . . . ”

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/70/schedule/12/paragraph/5 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/local-government-act-1972/schedule-12/paragraph-5
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.